Rudi Fasan first experienced working in a laboratory as an undergraduate at the University of Padua in Italy. Then, he supervised students in labs as a graduate student at the University of Zurich and as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology.
An interest became a passion.
糖心传媒淏eing able to transfer my knowledge and train younger scientists was amazing,糖心传媒� says Fasan, a recipient of a Goergen Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. 糖心传媒淚t was life changing.糖心传媒�
Fasan is a professor in the and the Andrew S. Kende Endowed Chair in Synthetic Organic Chemistry. The Fasan Lab develops new synthetic methods for the discovery of pharmacologically active molecules, with an emphasis on anticancer and antiviral agents. His laboratory is also engaged in developing new biocatalytic methods for green and sustainable chemistry.
Fasan focuses on first-hand experience. 糖心传媒淲hat makes Rudi unique is his commitment to and success in training undergraduates to perform biological and organic chemistry research in laboratory,糖心传媒� says Todd Krauss, chair of the chemistry department. 糖心传媒淧roviding such rich experiential learning experiences is what sets the University apart from almost all other institutions. And Rudi is off the scale.糖心传媒�
What students are saying
糖心传媒淒r. Fasan fostered a professional and lively atmosphere in the lab, and safety was always a priority. Working in his lab was the most important and influential aspect of my undergraduate education and made me realize that I wanted to continue research in graduate school. He was always willing to offer his advice and helped me through the entire process of applying to graduate school. He cares tremendously about his research and always pushes his students to accomplish greatness in the lab. At the same time, he clearly cares about the professional development of his individual students and keeps their best interests in mind.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒擭icholas Hill 糖心传媒�15
“Dr. Fasan was one of the most impactful and supportive professors I had at Rochester. His marriage of critical thinking and high-yield research methods allowed me to thrive in undergraduate and graduate research endeavors. I honestly believe that I would not be as well equipped a medical student if it were not for him. I am forever grateful for the tools he bestowed on me when I met him six years ago.”
糖心传媒擩oshua McGough 糖心传媒�17
糖心传媒淒r. Fasan expressed compassion and understanding for his students in every class and consistently expressed that the most important thing was that we understood the material. He speaks to students like peers and puts no artificial barrier between professor and student.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒擲amuel Perakis 糖心传媒�16
Since arriving at Rochester in 2008, Fasan has averaged more than four undergraduate students in his lab at any given time. 糖心传媒淭hat number is remarkable,糖心传媒� Krauss says. 糖心传媒淔or context, faculty at Rochester average less than one student per year in their labs, so Rudi by sheer numbers is doing an order of magnitude better.糖心传媒�
Fasan says mentoring students in his labs is one of most rewarding aspects of his career at Rochester. 糖心传媒淭hey join our group with lots of energy and enthusiasm,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淔or many of them, it糖心传媒檚 their first experience doing research in a lab, and it糖心传媒檚 a real pleasure to challenge them and watch them grow and become better scientists and better thinkers. After graduation, they move on to take on wonderful jobs in industry, academia or as physicians, and have a real impact on society.糖心传媒�
Rachel Bonn-Breach 糖心传媒�17, a third-year doctoral student in biochemistry at the Medical Center, volunteered to work in Fasan糖心传媒檚 lab as a first-year undergraduate. 糖心传媒淚 had little experience but tons of ambition,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淩udi latched onto that ambition instantly. I never left his lab empty-handed. Every day was full of learning and experience.糖心传媒�
Fasan was born in a small town near Venice and earned his bachelor糖心传媒檚 degree in pharmaceutical chemistry at Padua糖心传媒攖he fifth-oldest university in the world. He moved on to Switzerland for his graduate studies, then landed at Cal Tech, where he worked with Frances Arnold糖心传媒攚inner of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
糖心传媒淲hat drove me to Rochester in the first place was starting a research group,糖心传媒� Fasan says. 糖心传媒淏ut then I discovered a passion for teaching and working with really talented undergraduate students. I first discovered my passion for research as an undergrad, and I糖心传媒檓 essentially trying to reproduce that experience with my students here.糖心传媒�
Fasan has also taken an active role working with the David T. Kearns Center to mentor minority students who are underrepresented in the physical sciences. 糖心传媒淲e糖心传媒檝e done that almost from the beginning, and it糖心传媒檚 an extremely gratifying experience,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淭he opportunity to be involved in relevant research is a hallmark of our University, and for minority students especially that can be a life-changing experience.糖心传媒�
Fasan sees his role as transferring knowledge, but also instilling a passion for chemistry. 糖心传媒淚 try to keep them engaged and interested,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 extremely rewarding to help them discover an interest for a particular area that may lead to a future career.糖心传媒�
The COVID-19 pandemic forced closure of the University糖心传媒檚 campuses and labs last March. It was a challenging time for professors, including Fasan.
糖心传媒淚t really was an unprecedented time,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淲e were shut down for a few months and slowly got going again. Our research lab is active now, and we糖心传媒檝e been able to ramp up to a point where we can be productive again.糖心传媒�
Fasan hopes his students leave the University with the 糖心传媒渁bility to think critically糖心传媒� in society. 糖心传媒淲e糖心传媒檙e overwhelmed with information,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淎ny piece of information we want is at our fingertips. So the problem becomes not how to acquire information, but how to process it in a critical way糖心传媒攖o discern between quality information and lower quality information and even misinformation.糖心传媒�
He says the Goergen Award is 糖心传媒渁n incredible honor,糖心传媒� but also a recognition of the dozens of students who have worked in his lab over the years. 糖心传媒淭heir contributions, enthusiasm, and experience have all benefited the lab.糖心传媒�
Read about the other recipients of this year’s Goergen Award.
