BY

First, I would like to thank my wife, Kate, for her constant love and support. You have been my partner, my best friend and my personal cheerleader. I don’t know if I could have done it without you. I look forward to many happy years together. I would like to thank my family for their enthusiastic support. Especially my parents, Rick and Rose, for your unending love and support in everything that I have done. Your support over the years has shaped who I am today. Also to my in-laws who always had a hot meal and an encouraging word waiting for me when I needed it. To all of the U of M professors, post-docs, grad students and support staff. Thank you for the countless ways in which you have helped me in my journey here. Especially Profs. Douglas, Barany, and Hoye. To the Harned group members past and present: thank you for your companionship, friendship and support along the way. I’m lucky to have been able to share a lab and office as well as many conversations both intellectual and frivolous. Finally to my advisor, Prof. Andrew Harned, I have had the privilege to be the first to join your lab. You have always had an open door and been willing to talk about chemistry whenever I needed. The skills that I have learned in your lab are invaluable and I will always be thankful for the opportunity that I had to learn there. i