Sourav completed his MSc in Computational Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) in 2016. He then moved to IIT Bombay, where he pursued his Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Gopalan Rajaraman in the Department of Chemistry. His doctoral research focused on the investigation of Spin-Hamiltonian parameters in single-molecule magnets containing lanthanide and actinide coordination complexes, utilizing wave function-based methods and Density Functional Theory (DFT) to understand their electronic and magnetic properties. In 2023, He joined the ICMol, University of Valencia as a Marie curie postdoctoral researcher to work with Dr. José J. Baldoví. There, he explored magnetic properties of 2D magnetic materials and its heterostructure with molecules using first principles calculations. In May 2025, Sourav started his second postdoctoral position in the Popov Group at Washington State University. His research now focuses on understanding the chemical bonding, electronic structure, and magnetic properties of both high-valent and low-valent lanthanide and actinide complexes, as well as further exploring the properties of 2D magnetic materials for future technological applications. In his free time, Sourav enjoys taking walk, playing board games and cricket, and watching movies.

Iaroslav is currently a second-year graduate student at Washington State University. He earned a B.S. and M.S. with honors in Chemistry from Lomonosov Moscow State University. During his time at MSU, under the supervision of Denis V. Korchagin and Anna V. Kazakova, he conducted research that involved synthesizing single-molecule magnets and spin crossover compounds, as well as studying their composition, structure, and magnetic properties. At WSU, his work focuses on a wide range of computational chemistry applications aimed at understanding and describing the nature of actinide-ligand chemical bonding interactions, geometric and electronic structures, reactivity, and redox behavior. As a pastime, Iaroslav enjoys playing board games, taking walks, riding a bicycle, and engaging in winter sports like skiing and snowboarding.

Athena is currently a second-year undergraduate student at Washington State University. She intends to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Physics. She became interested in Physical Chemistry during her first year at WSU and decided to pursue the field further through undergraduate research. In her free time she can usually be found writing system software (particularly compilers), playing board games, hanging out with friends, reading, journaling, or hiking.

Jonah is an undergraduate student at the University of Akron and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. After being homeschooled for 12 years, he finished High School in the Spring of 2021 with an average GPA of 3.95. During his Sophomore and Junior years, he developed an interest in classical Chemistry under his teacher, Mr. Hnat. This, combined with a fascination with nuclear reactions, inspired him to pursue a career in Quantum Chemistry. He is currently a junior at UA. Outside of school, his hobbies and interests include digital music composition, Lego collecting/design, writing, and gaming. His ultimate goal in his field is to solve the mystery of sustainable Nuclear Fusion energy.

Fall 2025

Fall 2023

Fall 2022 – Spring 2023

Fall 2021 – Spring 2023