Group Members

Alexa’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Alexandra, Alexa, A-rod Easley or better known as the inventor of Amazon’s most famous tech gadget is originally from Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Although Alexa is known for her work in the tech industry, she wears many hats. She is an expert figure maker, expert GRF advisor and dubs as a nail technician on the weekends. One day she decided to take a midnight train going anywhere to seek what had always been missing from her life, chemistry! As she went on her journey to find this chemistry she ended up in Ithaca, New York. Alexa was awarded the very prestigious Cornell fellowship, the “Bless Your Heart Fellowship” to start her chemistry career. This fellowship is very competitive and is only awarded to the world’s least clumsy person ever.

written by Daniel Loya

Bryce’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Some time in April, a man of equity and justice came into existence in South Africa. His name was Bryce Taylor Nicholls. One day, he visioned to save the whole world, using chemical bonds as a tool to bring harmony and peace to all. Upon mastering his Chemistry in Kenyon College, he, without any hesitation, flew to Princeton to rescue Professor Todd Hyster from enzyme strikes. Bryce was once defeated by natural enzymes but sprang back to rematch against them. He became a tremendously important emotional support for Todd and set the high bar for the other graduate trainees. His contribution revolutionized the field of biocatalysis, and his tear at the end of the dissertation revealed his triumph over the natural enzymes. However, his legacy never ceases but rather grows to the next level. Afterwards, he wanted to conquer the polymer field with Brett and his ducklings. He stimulated everyone with his profound knowledge and astonished everyone with his magical card that feeds hungry souls. Now, he is promoted to a happy married man and continues to practice his leadership and braveness to support the ducklings. If you meet Bryce, you will never forget how wonderful this human-being is!

written by Sewon Oh

Shang-Zheng’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Presenting Dr. Shang-Zheng Sun, the whimsical wizard of organic chemistry! From a young age, Shang-Zheng’s fascination with molecular magic set him on a quest for knowledge that would rival even the greatest sorcerers. Armed with his trusty lab coat and a sparkle in his eye reminiscent of both Ms. Frizzle and Gandalf, he embarked on an enchanting journey through academia, turning organic compounds into his very own potions and spells.

With a wave of his wand—err, pipette—Shang-Zheng shattered chemical conventions, leaving his peers in awe and laughter. His lectures were more than mere lessons; they were fantastical adventures into the molecular realm, where every reaction was a magical incantation waiting to be unleashed. Beyond the classroom, he mentored young apprentices, igniting in them a passion for the mystical wonders of chemistry.

Dr. Shang-Zheng Sun is not just a scientist; he’s a conjurer of curiosity, a sorcerer of synthesis, and a true alchemist of the organic world. With his blend of whimsy and wisdom, he enchants both young and old, proving that in the realm of chemistry, magic truly does exist.

written by Alexa Easley, Paige Jacky, and ChatGPT 3.5

Shelby’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Sunlight. Leaves rustling. Water running through rock valleys. 

Shelby woke up with a start. She found herself nestled in a pile of autumn leaves, at the base of a roaring waterfall. Where was she? How did she get here? 

Sitting up gingerly, she rooted around the mass of dead earth for hints of the roadmap that led her to this moment. A ripped t-shirt with a hand-drawn skull and crossbones. Tattered canvas from a sailboat sail. Slip of paper with a trivia wager. Pieces of floral fabric with the behind of a COrGI. A 300 g bag of climbing chalk??

As Shelby clambered up the steep slope out of the gorge, the edge of a world sprawled before her, a tall blue glass building sparkling in the distance. There, amidst the windowless offices and interconnected bridges, lay her destiny.

Jesse’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Jesse is an anti-social and highly-territorial ogre who loves the solitude of his swamp. His life was interrupted after the dwarfish Lord Forsquaad unknowingly exiled a vast number of fairy-tale creatures to Jesse’s realm. Angered by the intrusion, he decided to traverse town and demand they be moved elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Forsquaad was presented with a Magical Mirror, which told him that in order to become a true Clout King, he must acquire a pair of glasses possessing a sleek, yet indestructible quality. Unwilling to place a simple order on eyebuydirect.com, he organized a tournament, in which the winner would receive the privilege of synthesizing a new polymer for his so-called clout goggles. Jesse happened upon the tournament and completed Forsquaad’s silly little tasks. Proclaiming Jesse a champion, Forsquaad demanded Jesse begin right away, negotiating to have the  fairy-tale creatures relocated if Jesse succeeds. Jesse accepts.

Jenny’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Twenty or so years ago, in the mythical state of Larymand, a young girl destined to become an insanely famous country/pop superstar was born. Next door Jenny Hu was also born, a girl not destined to become an insanely famous country/pop superstar. Growing up in Saylor Twift’s shadow, Jenny determined to seek out her own path, shake it off, and fulfill her wildest dreams. She set out on her journey to the renowned school University of Corth Narolina at Hapel Chill where she learned the mystical arts of chemistry and cross stitching. Despite her incredible successes, she knew all too well that an invisible string was pulling her to even greater things.

She was welcomed to New York where she fearlessly embarked on her greatest success yet, graduate school…

Anna’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Anna was born in Michigan, a typical proud Midwestern gal. Growing up, she enjoyed being polite, playing games of Euchre, and using her hand to show people where in Michigan she was from. Most importantly, Anna spent many days taking care of and riding horses across the Midwestern planes. On one ordinary day, to Anna’s shock, her trusty steed Ol’ Ben turned to her and said “Go east to the Gorges and fulfill your Chemistry Destiny!” Misunderstanding his horse speech, Anna began her quest by journeying east to mountainous Williams College where she earned a BA in Chemistry.  Content in that she fulfilled her Chemistry Destiny, Anna sighed with relief as she packed her things to return home. Abruptly, Ol’ Ben burst through the door and exclaimed, “No! You must seek out the Cornellians for their sage guidance on your quest!” Still vaguely confused, Anna journeyed far and wide, honing her technical skills and training in the fine chemical arts. She made stops in Germany and Tennessee, all the while wondering if her aged equine companion was really wanting her to find aliens. After what felt like many a year, Anna finally stumbled upon a land of steep rock faces, a large lake, and more ice cream shops than feels necessary – Cornell in Ithaca, NY. She did not appreciate the famed local pun that ‘Ithaca is Gorges.’

Anna now spends her days in the Fors group, beginning her real journey in chemistry, fueled by hot cocoa and serotonin walks.

written by Paige Jacky

Reagan’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Best known for their Spotify exclusive podcast “The Reagan Experience”, Reagan comes to the Fors group with over 20 years of experience as a stand up comedian, MMA commentator, and rock climber. With over 18 billion downloads worldwide, “the Reagan Experience” has received such praise as “goop for men” and “not actual medical advice”. After rocketing to podcast fame, Reagan began to search for their next successful venture. Since then, she has undergone multiple hair changes, made her TikTok debut, and enjoyed a short stint at NREL. They then turned to the only thing left: grad school. “The Reagan Experience” is available for download here.

written by Anna Ringuette

Paige’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

It was a dark and stormy night. The wind howled, and rain battered the roof of the PSB. If the lab had any windows to the outside, Paige thought, they would definitely be blown in. 

Paige sighed as she checked her phone for the TCAT schedule. Her normal route was canceled, as all the buses had either been washed off the road or been struck by lightning. Typical, just typical…

Gearing up for a long night spent on the office couch, Paige took down her vacuum trap and lowered the sash of her hood. That’s when she noticed the writing. Squinting, she leaned in closer. Scrawled in red sharpie on her sash was an unintelligible mishmash of letters: PUOS DOOLB.

Puos doolb? A hint at tomorrow’s wordle? Friday’s crossword clue? As she turned to hang the last of her glassware to dry, what she saw made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Reflected in the round bottoms was the message: BLOOD SOUP.

A deeply buried fragment within Paige’s psyche had been awakened. She blinked, and when she opened her eyes, they had turned a deep crimson–the same crimson as blood soup.

written by Reagan Drieling

Cassandra’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Cassandra and her furry companions (her beloved pet cat and dog) have traveled the land far and wide in search of the truth about “polymers”. Her studies at Lycoming College led her to the Glass Mountain (Corning), where she worked as an apprentice to the almighty Master of Glass. Knowing Cassandra was in search of enlightenment, the Master of Glass sent her on a quest: Find the land known as Ithaca, NY and the institution of Cornell – here she would learn all she wanted to know about polymers. Upon finding Cornell, Cassandra was drawn to the Stache Lab. Here, she spent two years mastering RAFT polymerizations, but whispers of the mythical Fors group were abound. Cassandra searched and searched for the Fors group, and when she found them she knew they would lead her to the enlightenment she so desired.

written by Tyler Ball

Tyler’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Descended from a long lineage of pioneers, Tyler founded the state of Utah at age 11. She spend her childhood stacking boulders to form the Wasatch Mountains, digging out the Big Cottonwood Canyon with a hand trowel, and hauling buckets of water from the Pacific Ocean to create the Great Salt Lake. After completing Utah, Tyler spent the next four years searching for her next project, studying chemistry at the University of Utah on the side.

After choosing Ithaca for its greenery and not-so-rare sightings of Roald Hoffmann, Tyler packed all her belongings in a fanny pack (plus a UHaul or two) to make the long trek from Utah to New York on foot. There she was surprised to find Cornell University, already developed but needing a little work. She began her PhD studies in Chemistry and fell in love with the Fors group shortly thereafter, citing her love of polymers, funky colors, and bleaching her hair as evidence of the perfect match.

Fueled by caramel lattes and every type of almond snack sold at Trader Joe’s, Tyler now spends her days working to rid the world of single-use plastics and progress the field of polymer chemistry. In her personal time, when not distracted by shiny things and cute old people in Christmas pajamas, you can find Tyler playing with her (feline) son, Casper, AKA Mr. Baby.

You can read more of Tyler’s riveting tales in her autobiography, the Book of Mormon (the musical).

written by Megan Driscoll

Megan’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Megan emerged from the Boston Harbor on a windy, Massachusetts day just over 20 years ago. To the surprise of her parents, she immediately became a pro-athlete, as she turned to running and diving while dabbling in softball and a few other sports over the years. Looking for a change, Megan dove into the Penobscot River and swam up to the University of Maine where she “decided to be a Marine Science major because she thought the people were cool”. Here, Megan was inspired by dirtbags (climbers) to live out her granola dreams. She started collecting (40) plants, reducing her waste (no one has ever spotted her with a disposable plastic container), and spent her days hiking, cycling, and running.
After conducting her Nobel Prize-winning research on algae-based bioplastics, Megan knew she had to do more to help rid the planet of single-use plastics. She set out on a journey exploring nearby mountains and valleys while equipped with only her Alex Honnold-level climbing skills and a carabiner. In the meantime, she studied chemistry, hoping it would help her find the solution to the plastics-crisis.

During one of her runs, she stumbled across Cornell University, where it was revealed to her by locals that the Fors group could help with her mission. Megan decided to use her newfound knowledge of chemistry to develop polymerization methods in exchange for their assistance. When she’s not finding new ways to live a zero-waste lifestyle or conducting RAFT polymerizations, Megan can be found at the Farmer’s Market or the climbing gym (often with a new book in hand).

written by Tyler Ball

Nicole’s Tale of Woe and Triumph is a work in progress.

Izzy’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Once upon a time in the quaint town of Boston, Massachusetts, there lived a unique individual named Izzy. Descended from the Mayflower’s pilgrims, Izzy’s roots ran deep. Back in Massachusetts, you can spot Izzy’s home from a mile away. A sparkling monolith of rhinestones, it is a testament to her love for elegance and the finer things. Living a vegetarian lifestyle, Izzy is often found exploring the culinary landscape with a particular fondness for Taco Bell. Amidst the historical charm of Boston, Izzy finds comfort in the flavorful and creative vegetarian options that the fast-food chain offers. She has often expressed the sentiment, to anyone listening, that if only Taco Bell served soup, it would be the epitome of on-the-go dining!
As it were, Izzy’s affinity for numbers eventually led her to Cornell University’s chemistry department. Generations after John Winthrop proclaimed to his fellow Puritan settlers, “we shall be as a city upon a hill,” Izzy set out to discover a new “city on a hill”. That being Ithaca, New York. The echoes of Winthrop’s proclamation seemed to linger through the gorges, guiding her towards building not just a home but a haven.

written by Nicole Fessler and ChatGPT 3.5

Maddy’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Once upon a frosty time in Watertown, Maddy, with her curls muffled by a winter hat, set up a makeshift lab in an igloo she had just built. Her dreams of becoming a chemist were too often squashed by the relentless chill of Watertown’s icy winds, resulting in frosty failures. Determined to turn her dreams into reality, Maddy packed up her lab supplies and embarked on a journey Ithaca, trudging through snow in hopes of a more temperate climate for her scientific pursuits. Just before arriving to a gorge-side clearing perfect for her outdoor lab, Maddy stumbled upon a Trader Joe’s and discovered a new companion – a bag of Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers she hadn’t had in Watertown. The allure of the sour candies proved irresistible, and she indulged in the delightful treats, unaware of the sweet twist they would bring to her story.  Unbeknownst to Maddy, the sugar dust from the candies, consumed in abundance, became the unintentional mischief-maker in her potion mixtures. As she eagerly stirred her concoctions, the sweet remnants of Scandinavian Swimmers had infiltrated her experiments, casting a spell of delightful chaos. The once-promising potions now fizzled and popped in a sugary symphony, leaving Maddy both perplexed and amused. On a group walk, the Fors lab came across Maddy’s gorge-side lab and invited her indoors, where they gifted her a desk and fume hood. Maddy, now fueled by the sugary energy of Scandinavian Swimmers kept safely at her desk, resumes her experiments with newfound optimism under Ithaca’s slightly warmer, slightly less cloudy skies.

written by Izzy McClements and ChatGPT 3.5

Maeve’s Tale of Woe and Triumph is a work in progress.

Sewon’s Tale of Woe and Triumph

Sewon began as a small pi-STACHE-io seed, originating in South Korea and planted in Washington state to begin growing. Seeking additional nutrients, transplantation occurred and Sewon moved east to Boston College where the sprout studied chemistry and math. Being a well-educated sprout, Sewon sought light and heat to emerge as a strong sapling. He found great cultivation opportunities with the Stache Lab at Cornell University. Here, the sapling studied the chemical interactions initiated by light to degrade and upcycle polystyrene.Rooted now at Cornell University, Sewon is almost a mature pi-STACHE-io tree, which is continued to be cared for by the Fors group at Cornell and the Stache group from the far away land of Princeton, New Jersey.Sewon continues to impress his FORSest companions with his chemistry knowledge, racecar maneuvering abilities, and grill master skills.

written by Cassandra Haynes