Kelsey Sakimoto

Visiting Lecturer in Chemistry

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Teaching organic/introductory labs to prepare students for careers in academia, industry and beyond.

My research expands on chemistry as the "central science", applying the principles of chemistry to environmental, agricultural, materials, engineering and sustainability science. Ongoing work includes organometallic catalysts to render difficult to enable biodegradation of plastics (e.g. thin film LDPE), oils and waxes.

My teaching focuses on bridging classroom/laboratory instruction to practical, employable skills in industry and academia. I love developing new experiments, and "serious" games to better reflect the modern, changing face of chemistry.

I have spent many years in Boston biotech, running industrial research labs, founding companies, commercializing new discoveries, and training junior scientists and engineers for careers outside of academia. I am always eager to impart my knowledge and experience not just in chemistry and chemical engineering, but in entrepreneurship, patents/intellectual property, technoeconomics, science communication, and more.

Outside of Wellesley, I also teach chemistry and engineering at Bunker Hill Community College, working to expand access to education and careers in health and STEM.

I love games and puzzles, and given the choice, would spend a lot of my free time playing Dungeons & Dragons.