Rybak-Akimova Research Group - Members

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Tufts U.

Sonia Taktak Version française

Education

PhD candidate, Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford MA, USA, 2001 - present. Specializing in coordination chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry. Thesis title: “Biomimetic amino-pyridine iron complexes for catalysis and small molecule activation”, under the supervision of Prof. E.V. Rybak-Akimova.

MS, Chemistry and Engineering, ESCOM (Ecole Supérieure de Chimie Organique et Minérale), Cergy-Pontoise, France, 2000. Awarded the “Diplôme d’Ingénieur Chimiste”.

Past professional experience

2001: Research assistant, Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford MA, USA with the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford MA, USA - under the supervision of Prof. S.P. Kounaves and Prof. M. Flytzani-Stephanopoulos.

Developed an electrochemical procedure for depositing thin films of cerium oxide and collected preliminary data for a grant proposal.

2000 - 2001: Research assistant, Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan - under the supervision of Prof. K. Mikami.

Studied the selective synthesis of chiral titanium and palladium complexes and their catalytic activity in asymmetric organic reactions. Gained experience with heterogeneous hydrogenation procedures, schlenk techniques and chiral liquid and gas chromatography.

2000: Final study project ESCOM, exchange student, Laboratoire de Recherche sur les Polymères, CNRS UMR C7581, Thiais, France with the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford MA, USA - under the supervision of Dr. S. Cammas-Marion and Prof. D.L. Kaplan.

Synthesized a series of malolactones. Performed enzyme-catalyzed malolactonate polymerizations using Candida Rugosa Lipase and studied the effect of concentration, solvent and temperature. Characterized monomer conversion and product molecular weights by proton NMR and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

1999: Summer intern, Metalworking Research and Development Laboratory, Quaker Chemical B.V., Uithoorn, the Netherlands - under the supervision of Mr. J. Vosmer.

Developed an electrochemical corrosion testing methodology and studied the corrosive behavior of metalworking emulsions.

1998: Summer intern, Groupe Chimie des Systèmes Associatifs de l’Institut Charles Sadron, CNRS UPR22, Strasbourg, France - under the supervision of Dr. M-P. Krafft.

Synthesized fluorinated surfactants and studied the stability of their corresponding emulsions in water.