Chemistry and Biochemistry
Assistant Professor
Research in the N. Romero Group is inspired by the pursuit of advanced polymeric materials that address current global challenges in sustainability, energy harvesting & storage, communications, and many other areas. Our focus is to develop new chemical transformations that expand the frontiers of organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and main group chemistry to enable next-generation organic electronics, responsive polymers, and renewable materials. These interdisciplinary efforts congregate a range of synthetic techniques, mechanistic tools, and instrumental methods, including electrochemistry, photochemistry, photoredox catalysis, and transition metal catalysis.
Bio
Nate Romero was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MI. He attended Calvin University as an undergraduate, where he conducted research under the mentorship of Prof. Carolyn Anderson and received a B.S. in chemistry in 2012. Working with Prof. Dave Nicewicz at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Nate studied photoredox catalysis as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and received his PhD in 2017. Shortly after, Nate joined the lab of Prof. Tim Swager at MIT, where he developed an interest in polymer science and carried out postdoctoral research as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow. Nate began his appointment in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego as Assistant Professor in 2020.
Nate enjoys several outdoor and creative pursuits, including woodworking, cycling, fishing, hiking, camping, and surfing.