Nicholas D. Ball

Nicholas D. Ball is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Pomona College, part of The Claremont Colleges. His research focuses on developing new metal-catalyzed/-mediated organic reactions, particularly sulfur(VI) fluorides activation. His work emphasizes creating more stable alternatives to traditional sulfur-based molecules via strategies like sulfur-fluorine exchange (SuFEx). Ball is committed to undergraduate research mentorship, having advised numerous students in catalysis, organometallic chemistry, and fluorine-based synthetic methods.

Education: B.A., Macalester College (2005); Ph.D., University of Michigan (2011); Postdoc, California Institute of Technology (2011-2013).
Key Research Areas: Organometallic chemistry, homogeneous catalysis, sulfur(VI) fluoride activation, medicinal chemistry, and sustainable reagent development.

Awards & Recognition:

• Wig Distinguished Professor Award (2018, 2024)
• Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2020)
• NIGMS NIH R15 Grant (2020–2024)
• 2022 C&EN LGBTQ+ Trailblazer

Lab & Collaborations: The Ball Lab actively collaborates with institutions like the University of British Columbia (Sammis group) and Pfizer (am Ende group). Research outputs include over 30 peer-reviewed articles since 2017, with a focus on sulfur(VI) fluoride applications in drug discovery and catalytic systems. Recent work highlights include Lewis acid-catalyzed sulfur fluoride exchange (2024) and calcium-mediated SuFEx strategies (2020).

Teaching & Mentorship: Ball emphasizes inclusive pedagogy and has mentored students in NSF and ACS programs. Notable trainees include Goldwater Scholars and Beckman Scholars.