Santa Jansone Popova
Santa was born and raised in Latvia, a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. She earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Latvia, where she developed a strong interest in the organic synthesis of complex molecules. In 2009, she moved to Texas to pursue graduate studies in Dr. Jeremy May’s research group at the University of Houston. Her doctoral work focused on the total synthesis of the natural product Maoecrystal V and the development of a novel chemical transformation for constructing complex polycyclic compounds. She earned her Ph.D. in chemistry in 2014. Following graduation, Santa joined the Chemical Separations Group in the Chemical Sciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). She is currently a senior staff scientist, principal investigator on multiple research projects, and a mentor to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. She also serves as the Deputy Lead for Focus Area 3 at the Critical Materials Innovation Hub: Unlocking Secondary Sources. Her research is primarily focused on developing advanced separation processes for rare earth elements using novel solvent extraction methods. She also works on improving separations of uranium, actinides from lanthanides, and the sequestration of toxic pollutants from drinking water.
Abstracts this author is presenting: