Social media spotlight: Angus Koller

Hometown: Monmouth, Maine

This summer, a senior chemistry major Angus Koller interned in the American Chemical Society Summer School in Nuclear and Radiochemistry at San Jose State University, and was named the program’s Outstanding Student.

“I love chemistry because I’ve always been curious about the world around me, and chemistry gives us an amazing insight into the world that we interact with, how it works, and how we can utilize that knowledge to benefit society. I’m doing research with Barbara Cole’s research group for my senior thesis in natural products analytical chemistry, studying a condition called soggy breakdown that occurs very readily in Honeycrisp apples. The cause of the condition is still debated, so I am looking at a chemical basis for it. I’m also very interested in nuclear chemistry. This summer I was in an intensive program covering the basics of nuclear chemistry, along with radiation safety and laboratory exercises. One of the most memorable experiences was when our group was brought to the Lawrence Livermore National Lab where we toured the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which does fusion research. I plan to attend graduate school and study nuclear chemistry. I’m particularly interested in actinide chemistry and radio-organometallic chemistry. UMaine has this kind of family feeling to it. Especially in the chemistry department, everyone works together and is willing to help one another out. The faculty are also amazing and incredibly helpful. In my free time, I like to hike and do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and I’m a volunteer firefighter in Monmouth, Maine.”

See posts featuring Koller on UMaine’s Facebook and Instagram pages.