Herman Frasch Foundation Grant Recipients

Current Recipients: Grants awarded, 2022-2027

All grants: $250,000

  • Dr. Sergio Garcia Segura, Arizona State University, Electrocatalytic Recovery of Ammonia Fertilizers Through Reduction of Nitrate Polluted Water Sources
  • Dr. Roland Kersten, University of Michigan, Agrochemical Evaluation and Optimization of Side-chain-macrocyclic Plant Peptides Derived from BURP-domain Peptide Cyclases
  • Dr. Wei Liu, University of Cincinnati, Novel Fluoroalkylation Methods for the Synthesis of Next Generation Pesticides
  • Dr. Kimberly M. Parker, Washington University in St. Louis, Unveiling the Chemical Determinants of Dicamba Volatilization
  • Dr. Elizabeth Parkinson, Purdue University, Streptomyces Hormones as Quorum Sensing Inhibitors for Phytopathogens
  • Dr. Diwakar Shukla, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, AI-Guided Discovery of Agrochemicals for Improved Drought Tolerance in Plants
  • Dr. Sidney M. Wilkerson-Hill, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Strategies for the Synthesis of Pyrethroids
  • Dr. Florence Williams, University of Iowa, Boron-mediated Lignocellulose Valorization: Production of Low-condensed Lignin and Nanocellulose From Extract-Free Sawdust and Other Dried Plant Sources
  • Dr. Yang Yang, University of California, Santa Barbara, Directed Evolution of Pyridoxal Phosphate (PLP)- Dependent Enzymes for the Sustainable Biocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Herbicides

Grants awarded, 2017-2022

All grants: $250,000

  • Dr. Marcus Foston, Washington University in St. Louis, Elucidating the Chemical Mechanisms and Kinetics for Lignin Disassembly with Bimetallic Metal Oxides 
  • Dr. Alexis D. Ostrowski, Bowling Green State University, Biodegradable, Photoresponsive Hydrogels for Controlled Application of Nutrient Fertilizers 
  • Dr. Yujie Sun, Utah State University, Ammonium Production From Dinitrogen Reduction via Inexpensive Electrocatalysts 
  • Dr. David J. Vinyard, Louisiana State University, Photosystem II Turnover as a Determinant of Net Photosynthetic Efficiency 
  • Dr. Jimmie Weaver, Oklahoma State University, The Development of Novel C–F Functionalization Reactions for Access to Multifluorinated Arenes and the Development of Novel Selective Dicot Herbicide 
  • Dr. Emily Weinert, Emory University, Globin Coupled Sensor-Dependent Regulation of Pectobacterium carotovorum Motility, Virulence, and Quorum Sensing 
  • Dr. Andrew J. Wiemer, University of Connecticut, Herbicidal versus Immunological Activity of Small Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Dr. Michael C. Young, University of Toledo, Rapid and Economic Synthesis of Ne

Grants awarded, 2012-2017

All grants: $250,000

  • Dr. Ryan Altman, University of Kansas, Development of Novel Reagents for Conversion of Simple Functional Groups.
  • Dr. Guangbin Dong, University of Texas at Austin, Economic and Divergent Syntheses of Aminophosphonate Herbicides via Catalytic C-H Bond Activation. 
  • Dr. Delphine K. Farmer, Colorado State University, Real-time Measurements to Understand the Fate of Pesticides in the Atmosphere. 
  • Dr. Ryan D. McCulla, Saint Louis University, Photoactivatable Ozone Precursors: A Chemical Approach to Investigating Ozone Toxicity in Plants. 
  • Dr. Robert L. McFeeters, University of Alabama in Huntsville, The SNOD1 Virulence Factor of Botrytis cinerea: Structure, Interactions, Mechanism of Infection, and Means to Inhibit Crop Rot. 
  • Dr. Ramaraja P. Ramasamy, University of Georgia, Enzymatic Biosensing of Crop Volatiles for Early Detection of Pathogen Infection. 
  • Dr. F. Akif Tezcan, University of California, San Diego, Elucidating and Controlling Electron and Proton Flow in Biological Nitrogen Fixation. 
  • Dr. Brian D. Zoltowski, Southern Methodist University, Blue-light Regulation of Plant Growth and Development.

Grantees awarded, 2007-2012

All grants: $250,000

HF07 Last Name First Name Institution Title
600 Chirik Paul Cornell University Fertilizer Synthesis from Atmospheric Nitrogen
617 Ribbe Markus W. University of California, Irvine The Fascinating Metalloclusters in Nitrogen Fixation: A Case Study of the Vanadium Nitrogenase
626 Gallivan Justin P. Emory University Engineering Bacteria that seek and Destroy Waste Herbicides
630 Tobey Suzanne L. Wake Forest University Enantioselective Synthesis of Alpha-Amino Phosphonates using an Ene Reaction
639 Wang Zhiyong Carnegie Institution of Washington Studying and Manipulating Plant Kinases Using a Chemical Genetics Approach
645 Rovis Tomislav Colorado State University Rapid and Stereoselective Synthesis of Organophosphonic Acids
647 Aponick Aaron University of Florida A Chemical Approach to the Development of Plant Varieties with Increased Disease Resistance
650 Lindsay Harriet Eastern Michigan University Synthesis of a Variety of Pyrrolizidine and Indolizidine Alkaloids from a Commmon Intermediate: Exploring Antifeedant Activity and Toxicity
651 Lee David H. Tufts University Self-Assembly of Linear Viral Arrays
657 Hevel Joan M. Utah State University Role of Protein Arginine Methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana Development and Environmental Stresses: Identifying AtPrmt Protein Substrates
658 McAlpine Shelli R. San Diego State Univesity Development of New Antibiotics Acting on a Novel Target
659 Mahmud Taifo Oregon State University Design of Novel Antifungal and Insecticidal Agents using Validoxylamine A as a Scaffold