June 25, 2025

Domenica Fertal, a 2021 Columbus State University chemistry graduate and current Ph.D. candidate at Lehigh University, is among the eight early-career women chemists honored nationally with the 2025 ACS Women Chemists Committee (WCC) Merck Research Award.

The American Chemical Society and Merck present the award annually for research excellence. This fall, the eight recipients will present their research at a special awards symposium at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting.

Originally from the Peachtree City/Newnan, Georgia, area, Fertal always knew she wanted to go to college, but wasn’t sure where and what she would study. However, she knew the type of school she wanted to attend, citing that her eventual choice of Columbus State was just the right size, cost and proximity to home.

After first dabbling in psychology and mathematics, chemistry eventually piqued her interest as she completed the university’s general chemistry course during her sophomore year.

“I loved science, enjoyed math and preferred to work with my hands and be in a more active environment,” she recalled. “Chemistry fit all these things, but the people in the [Department of Chemistry] are what truly sold me. They reminded me that scientists are also just people too; they made science more approachable.”

She soon “became very at home” in her chemistry studies, largely thanks to her classmate, Jasmine Bohannon (pictured with Fertal at Columbus State's 2019 Tower Day), who ensured Fertal felt welcomed, invited her to departmental events and eventually partnered with her on her research. She also credits the support from faculty members Dr. Jonathan Meyers and Dr. Anil Banerjee, who have remained her mentors well after graduation.

“I started research under Dr. Banerjee's mentorship and instantly fell in love with the independent lab work. My ability to work in Dr. Banerjee's lab prepared me for the independent work I would do during my graduate studies,” she explained. “Jasmine and I presented our work at Tower Day, and I was also able to present at small university and regional conferences. This gave me my first experience presenting my scientific work. My confidence in presenting my work has increased significantly since those first poster presentations.”

“[Domenica’s publication] of her research as the first author in two chemistry peer-reviewed journals in 2020 and 2021 was the moment of her achievement and …. showcases student success [at] Columbus State University,” said her former professor, Dr. Anil Banerjee.

PURSUING GRADUATE SCHOOL

Before she graduated magna cum laude from Columbus State in May 2021, Fertal was already committed to pursuing a doctorate, thanks to Meyers’ counsel. Doing so makes her the first in her family to pursue an advanced degree.

“With Dr. Meyers’ encouragement, I started seriously looking into graduate schools,” she said. “Publishing two manuscripts on my work in Dr. Banerjee's lab made me feel incredibly proud, and continuing to contribute to the science community through my graduate studies was an exciting idea.”

Now a fourth-year graduate student and graduate research assistant at Lehigh in Pennsylvania, she specializes in spectroscopy techniques and studies how light interacts with matter. Her current research focuses on the photodegradation of azo dyes—pollutants commonly produced by the textile industry. Her work explores light-driven degradation mechanisms to inform future environmental remediation strategies.

In addition to her research, Fertal has served as a graduate teaching assistant and has mentored 10 undergraduate students, helping them navigate the academic research environment.

“Mentoring undergraduates has been a rewarding experience that reminds me every day where we all started from,” Fertal said. “I am proud of the work that I have done thus far to get to where I am currently, and I am endlessly thankful for the support I receive from my advisor and lab mates, as well as my friends and family!”

She volunteers with fellow graduate students at the university-affiliated daycare, helping young children develop a love for science. There, they perform simple and fun experiments to introduce STEM concepts to children ranging from 3 to 5 years old.

"It is profoundly important to spark interest in science at a young age, especially in young girls, before preconceived societal norms take root,” Fertal explained. “Additionally, when kids see someone like me, a woman, working as a scientist, it directly exposes them to the idea that science is for everyone, and that diversity should be commonplace in scientific fields."

For aspiring scientists readying for or already enrolled in college, she offers this advice: “…try different things to see what you like or don’t like—and think critically about why you enjoy or don’t enjoy different things. Science is such a huge field with numerous opportunities that vary greatly, so don’t give up until you’ve tried different avenues. Someone who likes teaching science might not enjoy scientific research, or vice versa. Retaining interest in any subject, particularly challenging ones like chemistry, is more manageable when you know why you are interested and what you hope to gain from it.”

Looking ahead, she aspires to continue her research in the renewable energy sector. That includes attending conferences and networking to see what opportunities in the field exist—including a possible postdoc position, potentially in an electrochemistry lab.

“I hope my career continues to lead me into research that works towards improving the health of our planet,” she said.

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Special thanks to Rob Nichols of Lehigh University for contributing to this feature, and to Christine Kreschollek of Lehigh for photography.

Media contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu