Davita Watkins

Davita Watkins is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Ohio State University. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Anthropology from Vanderbilt University, followed by a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Memphis. After postdoctoral research at University of Florida, she began her independent career at University of Mississippi in 2014 and later moved to Ohio State University.

• Research focus: Designing functional materials via molecular self-assembly, with applications in bioimaging, nanomedicine, and organic electronics.
• Key contributions: Exploiting sigma-hole interactions to optimize organic electronic materials and pioneering halogen bond-based materials.
• Publications: Over 15 recent works on topics like linear-dendritic block copolymers, NIR fluorophores, and polyrhodamine conductive polymers.
• Awards: National Science Foundation CAREER Award, ORAU Ralph E. Powe Award, and recognition as an ACS Rising Star and C&EN Trailblazer.
• Outreach: Directed federal NSF-funded Operation ICB to promote STEM access for minority women.
• Leadership: Serves on editorial advisory boards for ACS Omega and Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry.