Biography

Brandon was born and grew up in Connecticut. In high school, he did a summer research internship in an organic chemistry lab where he decided to pursue a career in academia. He attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute from 2010-2014 and received a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with High Distinction and a minor in Physics. At WPI, Brandon did undergraduate research with Professor N. Aaron Deskins in the Department of Chemical Engineering. Brandon developed a passion for teaching when he worked as a Peer Learning Assistant (undergraduate TA) in the Mathematical Sciences Department where he taught recitations and held office hours. Brandon also worked as an undergraduate TA in the Chemical Engineering Department. Brandon’s experiences conducting research and teaching at WPI strengthened his determination to pursue a Ph. D. and future career in academia.

Brandon enrolled at Purdue University where he joined Professor Jeffrey Greeley’s group. He worked as a teaching assistant in a process controls course and undergraduate thermodynamics course as well as provided guest lectures in Professor Greeley’s graduate elective. Brandon received the “Undergraduate Award for Teaching Excellence in a Senior Course”, the “Faculty Lectureship Award in Chemical Engineering”, and was named a Dick Reitz fellow for the Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources NSF ERC. Brandon has authored peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals such as Journal of the American Chemical Society, Chemical Science, Angewandte Chemie, ACS Catalysis, and Journal of Catalysis. Brandon defended his Ph. D. thesis in July 2019 and joined Professor Randall Q. Snurr’s group at Northwestern University as a Postdoc. Brandon started as an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University in July of 2021 where he will pursue his research, teaching, and mentorship dreams.