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The Group

Portrait of Stanna Dorn

Principal investigator

Stanna Dorn

Assistant Professor of Chemistry

skdorn [at] uvm.edu

University of Vermont
Assistant Professor of Chemistry (2026 – Present)
California Institute of Technology
NIH MOSAIC K99/R00 Scholar (2024 – 2026)
NIH NRSA F32 Postdoctoral Fellow (2023 – 2024)
Advisor: Sarah E. Reisman
Indiana University - Bloomington
Ph.D. in Chemistry (2017 – 2022)
Advisor: M. Kevin Brown
Hope College
B.S. in Chemistry (2013 – 2017)
B.A. in Music (2013 – 2017)
Advisor: Jeffrey B. Johnson
Harvard Business School Online
Certificate in Leadership and Management (2025)
View CV

Stanna was born and raised in rural northern Michigan, near Grayling. She obtained a BS in Chemistry and a BA in music at Hope College, where she performed organometallic research with Prof. Jeffrey B. Johnson. After a summer research experience in Prof. John Montgomery’s group at the University of Michigan, Stanna pursued her doctoral studies with Prof. M. Kevin Brown at Indiana University-Bloomington. Here, she developed cooperative catalysis methods for alkene carboboration, predominantly with copper and palladium. After receiving her PhD, Stanna worked as an NIH F32 and NIH K99/R00 postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Sarah Reisman’s lab at Caltech, where she gained synthetic and photochemical methodology experience. Currently, Stanna is an Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont, where she leads a research group focused on organic methodology and synthetic applications of boron- and nitrogen-containing compounds. Outside of the lab, Stanna enjoys playing the flute, participating in team sports, and finding the perfect bench for reading.

Postdoctoral Researchers

Graduate Students

Recruiting — see open positions

Undergraduate Students

Lab Mascots

Portrait of Jake Sirlin

Jake Sirlin

Postdoctoral Researcher

  • Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Advisor: Alex Miller
  • B.S. University of Miami
    Advisor: Carl Hoff

Jake started his journey as a chemist in his backyard after primary school, exploring acid-base reactions involving purple cabbage juice. After a few years of accredited parental review, they began their independent research career. Jake obtained their B.S. in chemistry and economics from the University of Miami, where they researched tin hyponitrite complexes under Prof. Carl Hoff. Jake earned their Ph.D. From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under the direction of Professor Alex Miller, where they studied the mechanism of CO reduction by ruthenium complexes and their reactive intermediates. During their time at UNC, Jake co-chaired the 2024 Electron Donor-Acceptor Interactions Gordon Research Seminar. They also founded the Joint Wellness Team at UNC-Chapel Hill, which works to secure mental health resources for students and researchers in the chemistry department. Jake joined the Dorn Lab as a postdoctoral researcher in 2026, spending his time in the lab working on methodological development of synthetic routes to boron-containing heterocycles. Outside of the lab, Jake enjoys climbing, cuddling with his two cats Ori and Fermi, and playing Dungeons and Dragons with his fiancée Willow.

Email: jsirlin [at] uvm.edu

Portrait of TJ Walsh

TJ Walsh

Undergraduate Researcher

  • Class of 2028

TJ is a junior majoring in chemistry from Princeton, NJ. He is determined to improve his laboratory-based chemistry skills and learn more about organic synthesis theory. He is excited to dive deeper into his interest in organic chemistry in the Dorn lab. Outside of the lab he is an avid musician and skier, often making music with his friends and skiing the Vermont mountains on the weekends.
Portrait of Miles Ottinger

Miles Ottinger

Undergraduate Researcher

  • Class of 2029

Miles is a sophomore majoring in chemistry from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He’s excited to develop his skills in organic chemistry working in the Dorn lab. He hopes to explore total synthesis projects to further his understanding of laboratory techniques. Outside of the lab, he enjoys rock climbing and spending quality time with his friends.
Portrait of Fermion

Fermion

Quantum Cat Fellow (2021-Present)

Fermion (or Fermi to his associates) is Jake's cat. He has a ground-state spin state of 1/2, cannot sit still for more than 30 seconds (except for pets) and collapses into a cuddle pile when observed. He greatly enjoys tormenting his brother with a seemingly endless stream of love and affection. He also loves being held like a baby, because he knows he is one.
Portrait of Ori

Ori

Best Boy Scholar (2020-Present)

Ori is Jake's cat. He was born missing a vertabre, has high levels of anxiety (primarily about his research), and is all around perfect. His hobbies include boxing, hissing at nothing through the window, and yelling at you until you cordially invite him for a cuddle.