McLean Research Group Laboratory for Structural Mass Spectrometry

Wofford College, SC – B.S. in Chemistry

Background: 

Originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Hawkins received his B.S. in Chemistry and B.A. in History from Wofford College in the spring of 2020. His undergraduate research experience was centered around environmental chemistry, studying the effects of coal-ash effluent on aquatic ecosystems in the Carolinas. While participating in the University of Oregon’s REU program, Hawkins had the opportunity to work under Dr. Raghuveer Parthasarathy, where he investigated the hydrodynamic properties of lipid membranes.

Hawkins joined the McLean Research Group in January of 2021. His research focuses primarily on using desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) in the characterization of microbial systems, working toward developing strategies for rapid screening and novel spatial analyses. Ancillary research includes integrating ion-mobility based separations into the lipidomic and metabolomic analysis of bacteria and cyanobacteria.

Awards: 

       Mitchum Warren Fellowship, Vanderbilt University (August 2020 – June 2021)