Erin T. Pelkey

Erin T. Pelkey is a Professor of Chemistry and former Chair of the Chemistry Department at Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS), where he has been a faculty member since 2001. He earned his B.A. from Carleton College, Ph.D. from Dartmouth College, and completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. He is actively involved in both teaching and research, with a strong emphasis on undergraduate mentorship.

His scholarly interests lie in organic chemistry, particularly heterocyclic chemistry, the total synthesis of biologically active natural products, the design of tubulin inhibitors, and metal-mediated tandem reactions. His research group regularly publishes peer-reviewed articles and presents findings at national conferences such as the National Organic Chemistry Symposium and ACS meetings. His work is supported by significant external funding from the NSF and NIH.

Pelkey teaches core courses including Organic Chemistry I and II, Advanced Organic Chemistry, and the First-Year Seminar 'Miracle Drugs.' He has mentored over forty undergraduate research students, many of whom have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in chemistry, medicine, and related fields. His research publications span synthetic methodology, heterocyclic synthesis, and the biological evaluation of novel compounds, demonstrating a consistent focus on developing new synthetic routes to complex and medicinally relevant structures.

His scientific awards include the HWS Faculty Scholarship Prize (2019), the HWS Faculty Teaching Prize (2007), and the Research Corporation Cottrell Scholar Award (2003-2005). He has also received prestigious fellowships from the NIH and the American Chemical Society.

He advises numerous undergraduate researchers, guiding them through independent study, honors projects, and summer research. His lab, the Pelkey Research Group (PRG), is known for its collaborative environment and has produced many successful graduates. He has secured multiple external grants, including from the NSF and NIH, to support his research and acquire equipment like an NMR spectrometer.