Scott Snyder

Scott A. Snyder is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Chicago, affiliated with the Physical Sciences Division. His research focuses on the synthesis of complex natural products, particularly in the areas of chemical biology and organic chemistry, with an emphasis on developing novel reagents and strategies for efficient synthesis.

Education: Valedictorian at Williams College (undergraduate), PhD at The Scripps Research Institute (2006), postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University with E. J. Corey. Career path includes Columbia University (2006–2013), Scripps Florida (2013–2015), and the University of Chicago since 2015 as a Full Professor.

Research Interests: Synthesis of terpenes, polyphenols, and alkaloids; development of halogenating reagents (e.g., Et₂SBr•SbCl₅Br); chemoselective methodologies for polycyclic structures. His work bridges organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry, with applications in drug discovery and chemical biology.

• Awards: Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award (2011), Quantrell Award (2017), Cottrell Scholar Award (2009).
• Books: Co-author of Organic Chemistry (11th/12th ed.), Classics in Total Synthesis II, and Teach Better, Save Time, and Have More Fun.
• Grants: NSF CAREER Award, NIH funding, and industry collaborations (e.g., Bristol-Myers Squibb).

Lab and Teams: Trained over 70 scientists. Current students include Alex Crolais, Bryan Reynolds, and Sohee Kim. Former students hold positions at academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.