Ryan R. Walvoord

Ryan R. Walvoord is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Ursinus College, specializing in organic synthesis and fluorescent probe design. He joined the faculty in 2016 after postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley focused on chemical sensors and teaching organic chemistry.

• Education: B.S. in Chemistry from Rochester Institute of Technology, Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania.

His research focuses on developing fluorescent molecules and chemical sensors for biological and environmental applications. Recent work includes methods for C-O to C-N bond conversion and intracellular detection of carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

Selected publications highlight innovations in

• fluorophore synthesis (2022),
• CO detection probes (2022),
• ligand-directed sensing (2020),
• aza-Cope reaction triggers (2017),
• organocatalyst quantification (2015),
• and palladium-catalyzed nitromethylation (2012).

He has received awards such as the Ursinus College Excellence in First-Year Advising Award and a $16,000 Organic Syntheses Summer Research Grant. His teaching portfolio includes Organic Chemistry I/II, Synthesis, Organometallics, and Advanced Organic Chemistry courses.