Dr. László Kürti

Professor László Kürti earned his Ph.D in synthetic organic chemistry in 2006 from the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Professor Amos B. Smith. While in graduate school, he developed an interest in teaching and authored a popular textbook “Strategic Applications of Named Reactions in Organic Synthesis” with Dr. Barbara Czakó. During his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University with Professor and Nobel laureate E.J. Corey, László co-authored a second textbook “Molecules and Medicine” with Professor E.J. Corey and Dr. Barbara Czakó. He began an independent research and teaching career in 2010 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. In 2015, László joined the faculty at Rice University in Houston as an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry. He began a collaboration with Dr. Kate Biberdorf and Fun with Chemistry in 2017.

Dr. Kasey Leigh Yearty

Dr. Kasey Leigh Yearty is an Assistant Teaching Professor in Chemistry at Rice University. She teaches or has taught organic chemistry, advanced organic chemistry lab, analytical chemistry, the undergraduate teaching practicum, and the undergraduate research courses. In 2019, she graduated from The University of Georgia with her Ph.D. in organic chemistry and chemical education. She joined the Fun with Chemistry team in April 2021 as the faculty organizer and mentor. Dr. Yearty is the primary liaison between schools or event contacts and the Fun with Chemistry volunteer team. Dr. Yearty is excited to mentor our diverse range of undergraduate and graduate student volunteers as well as facilitate fun and inclusive experiences with STEM in the local community. She loves pouring into and building up the next generation of chemists!