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Cathy Spangler ‘16 (‘22 Ph.D.) was recognized at the 2023 UNC Graduate School Annual Celebration of Graduate Student Achievements on Wednesday, April 12, 2023!

The dissertation award is the highest level of graduate student scholarship. Recipients of the Dean’s Distinguished Dissertation Award are making outstanding contributions.


cathy spangler
Cathy Spangler PhD

Cathy Spangler ‘16 (‘22 Ph.D.), Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
2022 Dean’s Distinguished Dissertation Award, Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Engineering
Exploring the mechanistic basis of nucleosome interactions
Dissertation Adviser: Robert McGinty

“Interfacial electron transfer, the movement of electrons between solid surfaces and nearby molecules, is one of the most important tools we have for converting sunlight into carbon-neutral liquid fuels. In my dissertation, I examined light-induced interfacial electron transfer reactions to gain fundamental insights into the physical parameters that govern their kinetics. I also used this knowledge to develop and study new strategies to control interfacial electron transfer for solar energy conversion.”

See award celebration news by UNC Graduate School