Teresa Tang, 4th-year Pharmaceutical Chemistry major

Email: yctta@ucdavis.edu 

Teresa’s publication: Synthesis and Optoelectronic Properties of New Methoxy-Substituted Diketopyrrolopyrrole Polymers

Faculty mentor: Dr. Dean Tantillo 

Yu Ching (Teresa) Tang conducts research in the UC Davis Department of Chemistry alongside Dr. Annaliese Franz. Her published work investigates new ways of synthesizing novel organic semiconductors: polymers that are used to create flexible circuit boards (like those we see in sci-fi movies), bioimaging probes, and solar panel coatings. For her latest project, she used a pink and purple dye called diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and altered its chemical structure so that it would be more efficient as a semiconductor. 

She admits that publishing was a lot of work, but it was definitely worth it in the end. She encourages other students to keep trying if they want to be published. “Definitely consult with a professor or a graduate student,” she advises, “and don’t give up when one person refuses to help you publish — keep poking around!” 

Teresa will soon receive her B.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. She hopes to spend a gap year working as a research associate, and then she is excited to continue conducting chemistry research as a graduate student. 

What is your major/minor and year? 

Pharm. Chem, class of 2020

Tell me about your research, using terms that a non-scientist would understand. My published work investigates new methods of synthesizing novel organic semiconductors. They are polymers that are used in producing flexible circuit boards (like the ones we see in sci-fi movies), solar panel coatings or bioimaging probes. We used a pink/purple dye called diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and altered its chemical structure to make it more efficient as semiconductors. 

Tell me about your future plans. 

I plan to do a graduate degree in Chemistry but I may take a gap year working as a research associate depending if I can get hold of a job.

What was it like to publish? 

It's a lot of work. For me since we do chemistry, we went through a lot of sample preparation and purification to make sure our data is up to publishing standards. But I think it's worth it!

What advice do you have for other students who want to publish their work? 

Definitely consult with a professor or a graduate student, they are very resourceful in the manner of publishing. Don't give up when one person refuses to help you publish, keep poking around!