Kyle Reeves

From his passion for sustainable living to his mastery of the Mandarin language, Kyle Reeves '11 has a gift for turning personal interests into satisfying academic pursuits. Kyle came to UMass with a desire to study clean energy, but wasn’t sure what avenue to pursue. When he took attended a lecture by Chemistry professor Dhandapani Venkataraman, he was surprised to learn the important role chemistry plays in developing alternative fuels. Convinced that a major in chemistry would give him an excellent foundation for tackling the challenges of sustainable energy, Kyle declared his major in the field, and has never looked back. (Story continued below slideshow.)

Kyle is currently an undergraduate member of DV’s research team, which focuses on creating the next generation of solar energy applications. Kyle’s research project involves characterizing different molecules with hope that someday, nanoparticles can be used like paint to absorb photons from the sun. He will use his data as the basis for his senior honors thesis.

Being a chemistry major is demanding, but Kyle has carved out time to pursue another important interest- Mandarin Chinese. In high school, Kyle volunteered in China, and has continued to immerse himself in Chinese culture and language at UMass Amherst. Kyle’s dedication resulted in a full scholarship to live and study Mandarin through Konnel Cultural Exchange west of Beijing during the summer following his sophomore year.

Kyle urges other to students study what they love: “I feel like people choose things because they are practical, but if you study what really makes you excited, you can only help but do the best work.”

After graduating in May 2011, Kyle plans to begin a PhD program in physical chemistry in either North Carolina or Colorado to study how nature has evolved so humans can use chemistry to live more symbiotically with the earth.

—KA