Organic Chemistry graduate student at MIT with a passion for a focus research the interface between polymer sensing and sustainability. With a graduate research and academic fervor for research and discovery, I am strongly dedicated to uplifting my community through educational outreach, teaching, and mentoring. Along with my research and outreach focus, I am an avid morning runner, nature enthusiast, and writer by heart.
Polymer Synthesis, Organic Chemistry, Polymer Mechanics, and Polymer Physics
NMR, Size Exclusion Chromatography, Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Thermal Gravimetric Analysis, Tensile Testing, Melt Press, Glovebox, Dean-Stark Trap, Rotavap, Schlenk Line
Teaching Organic Chemistry and K-5 STEM, Tutoring, Curriculum Development, and Mentoring.
2022-Present
Ph.D., ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Projects:
Poly(arylene-ethynylene) Pentiptycene-Based Polymers for
Fluorescence Sensing of
Ethylene and Ethane Gas Separation and PFA sensing.
2018-2022
B.S., CHEMISTRY, Honors
GPA: 3.62
Projects:
Honor’s Thesis: Biocompatible Choline Chloride as a Cocatalyst in the Ring Opening
Copolymerization of Epoxides and Cyclic Anhydrides with Simple Rare-Earth Metal
Catalysts
Crystallization Behavior in Aliphatic Polyester Thermoplastic Elastomers
Plastic Degradation Project for Analytical Chemistry Lab
Rare-Earth Metal Catalysts for the Perfectly Alternating Copolymerization of Epoxides
and Cyclic Anhydrides
2022-Present
Researches under research advisor, Prof. Timothy Manning Swager and mentor, Kayla Storme on the synthesis of polypyrrole and polythiophene-based polymers for fluorescence sensing of PFAs. Aims to develop Lateral Flow Assays (LFAs) for PFA at- home testing kits.
2018-2022
Researched research advisor, Prof. Megan Fieser and mentors, Zach Wood, Dr.
Mikiyas Assefa, and Yvonne Manjarrez in the copolymerization of epoxides and cyclic
anhydrides with rare-earth trichloride metal salts catalytic systems with choline chloride
cocatalyst.
Synthesized ketoimine ligands for copolymerization of epoxides and cyclic
anhydrides
for colleagues, Yvonne Manjarrez and Zach Wood.
Collaborated with Prof. Megan Fieser on designing a plastic degradation experiment
to
help expand undergraduate’s understanding of plastic pollution, and analytical techniques
to measure plastic degradation.
Mentored first-year undergraduates in the plastic degradation experiment study.
2021
Researched under mentors, Prof. Marc Hillmyer and Stephanie Liffland in crystallizing 4-arm star block thermoplastic elastomers through controlled temperature annealing studies and analyzing polymeric mechanical and thermal properties.
2019-2022
Formulated 3 rd grade curriculum, which aimed to build students’ understanding of math,
reading, writing, and science, while incorporating a focus on environmental engineering.
Cultivated 2 nd grade curriculum based on plastic pollution intertwined with math, reading,
writing, and science.
Tutored 3 rd grade girls in STEM, working to bridge the gender gap of women in STEM
and inspire girls to pursue their passions.
2022-Present
Leads and teaches two recitation courses for 20 Organic Chemistry students at MIT. Cultivates challenging and thoughtful curriculum including bi-weekly problem-solving worksheets for students and review sessions. Encourages thoughtful discussions amongst students about the lecture material and curiousity in the classroom.
2019-2022
Helped reduce the plastic footprint on Hermosa Beach, through tri-yearly beach clean-ups as a part of the Heal the Bay Program.
Connections
Conference Presentations
in scholarships and funding earned
The technology could offer a cheap, fast way to test for PFAS, which have been linked to cancer and other health problems.
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Chemistry Graduate Student Collette Gordon describes her research and answers 20 random questions as part of the Graduate Student Spotlight series.
Collette Gordon is entering her second year at MIT, where she is pursuing a PhD in the Organic Chemistry track and the Program in Polymers and Soft Matter (PPSM). Originally from Eerie, Pennsylvania, Collette is now a member of Professor Tim Swager‘s research group, where she develops conductive polymers for the selective detection of biological and environmental markers. Her research further aims to improve polymeric fabrication onto lateral flow assay devices. While traditional colorimetric and fluorescence sensors exhibit low sensitivity, Collette and her collaborators synthesizes conductive polymers with extended conjugation and tunable oxidation and reduction for selective and reproducible quantitative sensing.
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Chemistry graduate student Collette Gordon recently co-facilitated Electron Microscopy Elevating Representation and Growth in Education (EMERGE), a program that introduced middle school kids to @mit_nano 's microscopes.
Want to get middle-school kids excited about science? Let them do their own experiments on MIT.nano’s state-of-the-art microscopes — with guidelines and adult supervision, of course. That was the brainchild of Carl Thrasher and Tao Cai, MIT graduate students who spearheaded the Electron Microscopy Elevating Representation and Growth in Education (EMERGE) program.
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Very excited for the next stage in my graduate journey! I am officially a member of the Swager Lab at MIT, where I will be developing novel fluorescent sensing polymers for PFAs. Here's to more discoveries, learning, inspiring, and growing. I am forever grateful for the phenomenal support to reach this point in my journey. #PhD#MIT#WomeninChemistry#polymers#sensing
Fund II Foundation
Congratulations to UNCF Stem Scholar, Collete Tamar Gordon, winner of the 2022 Madam CJ Walker Scholarship!! We are so proud of your achievements and continue to champion your success!
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I am grateful for the opportunity to share story of my mother’s inspiration and my excitement to earn my Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry with Honor’s at the University of Southern California. #USC2022
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
After Collette Gordon's mother died of breast cancer, Collette became inspired to tackle our polluted environment. She recently graduated with a degree in chemistry from USC Dornsife and is now headed to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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I’m honored and excited to announce that I have graduated from the University of Southern California, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences with my Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry with an Honor’s Emphasis and Thesis submission. Throughout my four years at USC, I have been grateful to grow, inspire, persevere, and learn, as a student, researcher, tutor, mentee, and person. I forever will be grateful for the invaluable experiences that my education at USC has provided me to reach this point in my life and I look forward to continuing to give back in the future. During my senior year as a UNCF STEM Scholar, Cohort III, I am blessed to earn: -USC Undergraduate Researcher’s Award in Chemistry -USC ACS Outstanding Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Student -1st Prize in Physical Science, Math, and Engineering at the USC Research Symposium -USC Provost Research Fellowship This summer, I am attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology in pursuit of my Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry with the MIT Dean of Science Fellowship. I look forward to the future journey in-store and am grateful for this opportunity. Up next, Dr. Collette Tamar Gordon.
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