Jonathan Kuo Joins Faculty of Department of Chemistry
The Penn State Department of Chemistry is pleased to announce that Jonathan Kuo will be joining the department faculty as an assistant professor of chemistry starting on August 1, 2021.
Kuo earned his doctoral degree at Columbia University and completed his undergraduate work at the University of California, Los Angeles. He comes to Penn State from the University of Pennsylvania, where he is an NIH Ruth Kirschstein NRSA postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Vagelos Professor of Energy Research, Karen I. Goldberg.
Kuo is looking forward to joining the scientific community at Penn State. “I am an alumnus of a large public state school that is very much like Penn State,” he explains. “When I reflect on my college experience, I realize that I owe so much to my instructors and peers. I am excited to take a turn as a professor in a similar environment.” Kuo also notes that he was drawn to the University’s inclusive and welcoming culture. “As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, the strong commitment to diversity and inclusion—not only within the Department of Chemistry but throughout the Eberly College of Science—was a strong motivator for me” he adds. “I believe that diverse and inclusive spaces are the most productive workplaces.”
In the lab, Kuo focuses on organometallic chemistry. He’s currently working on constructing molecules via transition metal catalysis. He explains that “In recent years, we have become increasingly aware that the ideal catalyst is not only efficient/selective, but also green. I would argue that this additional design criteria requires that we seriously rethink how we approach catalyst design.”
Kuo describes his work as biologically inspired organometallic chemistry. “For billions of years, nature has generated chemicals on an enormous scale without causing serious environmental damage” he says. “Thus, my belief is that enzymatic catalysts have much to teach us about designing this next generation catalyst: efficient, selective, and green.” Kuo hopes to deepen scientists’ understanding of enzymatic catalysis by synthesizing and studying comparatively simple organometallic model compounds.
Aside from his work in the lab, Kuo is looking forward to working with students in the classroom. “I think that there is so much to learn from interactions with students,” he notes. “I really enjoy thinking about how other people process information. I often find that students will force me to look at an issue from a different perspective, and that deepens my own understanding of the topic at hand.”
Department Head Phil Bevilacqua adds, “Jonathan is an ideal fit for our department. He will be an important member of our growing organic chemistry area, and I love how his synthetic chemistry is inspired by nature. I’m also pleased to see his student-centered approach and focus on diversity.”
In his free time, Kuo enjoys traveling, cooking, and staying active, especially by playing recreational sports. He is an avid competitor and participates in several national dodgeball leagues.
Please join the Department of Chemistry in welcoming Jonathan Kuo.