Matthew Pecoraro

Princeton Chemistry PhD Candidate

West Babylon, New York, United States

About

I am currently a fourth-year graduate student at Princeton University, working towards completion of a PhD in chemistry. I'm conducting research in the Chirik Group, focusing on organometallic and coordination chemistry with relevance towards small molecule activation

Experience

  • Princeton University (Princeton, New Jersey, United States)
    • Graduate Student Researcher
      Aug 2022 - Present · 4 yrs

      Graduate student conducting research in the field of Synthetic Organometallic Chemistry

    • X-Ray Crystallography Technician
      Jan 2026 - Present · 7 mos

      - Provide department-wide single-crystal X-ray diffraction services, delivering publication-quality crystal structures - Train and certify new users in crystallographic data collection, refinement, and best practices - Manage instrument upkeep, coordinate maintenance, and troubleshoot hardware/software issues

    • Residential Graduate Student (RGS) at New College West
      Jun 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 2 mos

      RGS in New College West. Works closely with residential college leadership to develop programming and foster community within the college.

  • Chemistry Tutor at Prestige Institute
    May 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 3 mos

  • Chemistry Tutor at ModernSmart Inc.
    Jun 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 2 mos

  • Yale University (3 yrs)
    • First-Year Counselor (FroCo)
      Aug 2021 - May 2022 · 10 mos

    • Chemistry Peer Tutor
      Aug 2020 - May 2022 · 1 yr 10 mos

      Chemistry peer tutor for General Chemistry I II, for Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022. Helped students comprehend and understand the general chemistry curriculum.

    • Undergraduate Chemistry Research
      Jun 2019 - May 2022 · 3 yrs

      Working in the Hazari Group, I investigated the role sterics, solvent effects, and electron donating and withdrawing groups have on the insertion of carbon dioxide into metal-hydride bonds of rhenium bipyridyl complexes. Earlier, my research pertained to the synthesis of organometallic catalysts for formic acid dehydrogenation and carbon dioxide hydrogenation, relevant for chemical hydrogen storage. Some skills acquired doing this research include, but are not limited to, collecting and interpreting kinetic UV/vis absorption data using linear and logistic regression models, interpreting and collecting 1H and 31P NMR spectra to determine product purity, distillations, and Schlenk-line techniques including use of a glovebox.

  • Intern at Town of Babylon
    Jun 2018 - Jan 2022 · 3 yrs 8 mos

    Worked in the Town Clerk's Office under Gerry Compitello. Primarily worked to rehabilitate and renovate the archives and archival process.