Kevin Enrique Rivera Cruz

He/Him

I am gay and I am a chemistry undergraduate student.//

I am a fifth-year chemistry student from the University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus (UPR-Cayey). I have worked with Dr. Dalvin Mendez in computational chemistry, on the design of molecular systems used for solar energy harvesting and gas sensing technologies. During the summer of 2017, I joined Dr. David Watson at the State University of New York-Buffalo, where I synthesized heterostructures consisting of functionalized cysteine capped lead sulfide quantum dots on vanadium oxides semiconductors for efficient charge carriers. In the summer of 2018, I joined Dr. Jesus Velazquez at the University of California-Davis, where I became particularly interested in the field of electrochemistry, for using electrodes as molybdenum disulfide for the electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to alcohol products. Lastly, I am currently working with Dr. Dalice Piñero at the UPR-Rio Piedras campus on the synthesis of Metal Phthalocyanine used as gas sensors. I am a member of the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement, Louis Stoke Alliance for Minority Participation and American Chemistry Society. I was accepted to pursue my Ph.D in Material Chemistry at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. My long-term goal is to become a research professor to inspire the younger generation of chemist through research and teaching.

Twitter: @wuakatela; Instagram: @_kenrique