Chemistry
Chemistry
Don grew up in Calgary, Alberta and pursued a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of Calgary. During this time, multiple research projects were completed in the areas of synthetic organometallic chemistry and genetics, in addition to industry internships in clean energy infrastructure project development. These experiences shaped a path toward an eventual Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of British Columbia, where work focused on the synthesis of purely organic luminescent materials with applications spanning optoelectronic devices, bioimaging probes, and sensor-based materials.
Within Vancouver’s local tech industry, Don spent three years as a Senior Research Scientist at Miru Smart Technologies, developing polymer electrolytes for electrochromic windows. This intersection of clean technology and synthetic organic chemistry serves as the basis of Don’s research interests: using synthetic chemistry in the applied sciences to meet challenging problems with unique solutions.
Apart from research, Don spends his spare time with friends and family, globetrotting, cooking and crafting, and weekend escapes at his Whistler cabin.
2025 – Present: Assistant Professor
University of the Fraser Valley, Department of Chemistry, Abbotsford, Canada
2022 – 2025: Sr. Research Scientist
Miru Smart Technologies, Vancouver, Canada
2017 – 2022: Ph.D. Chemistry
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Title of Thesis: Photostable luminophores for bioimaging and optoelectronic applications
Advisor: Professor Zachary M. Hudson
2016 – 2017: Sessional Instructor, Chemistry
University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
2011 – 2015: B.Sc. Chemistry
University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Title of Thesis: Synthesis of organoselenium biomimetics for mitigation of oxidative stress
Advisor: Professor Thomas G. Back
Heptazine-Based TADF Materials for Nanoparticle-Based Non-linear Optical Bioimaging
DM Mayder, R Hojo, WL Primrose, CM Tonge and ZM Hudson.
Advanced Functional Materials, 2022, 32 (40), 2204087.
Design of High-Performance Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters Containing s-Triazine and s-Heptazine with Molecular Orbital Visualization by STM
DM Mayder, CM Tonge, GD Nguyen, R Hojo, NR Paisley, J Yu, G Tom, SA Burke, ZM Hudson.
Chemistry of Materials, 2022, 34 (6), 2624–2635.
Polymer Dots and Glassy Organic Dots Using Dibenzodipyridophenazine Dyes as Water-Dispersible TADF Probes for Cellular Imaging
DM Mayder, CJ Christopherson, WL Primrose, ASM Lin, ZM Hudson.
Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2022, 10 (34), 6496–6506.
Polymer Dots with Enhanced Photostability, Quantum Yield, and Two-Photon Cross-Section Using Structurally Constrained Deep-Blue Fluorophores
DM Mayder, CM Tonge, GD Nguyen, MV Tran, G Tom, GH Darwish, R Gupta, K Lix, S Kamal, WR Algar, SA Burke, ZM Hudson.
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2021, 143 (41), 16976–16992.
Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence in 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles with π-Extended Donors
DM Mayder, CM Tonge, ZM Hudson.
The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2020, 85 (17), 11094–11103.
An Efficient Room-Temperature Synthesis of Highly Phosphorescent Styrenic Pt(II) Complexes and their Polymerization by ATRP
DM Mayder, KA Thompson, CJ Christopherson, NR Paisley, ZM Hudson.
Polymer Chemistry, 2018, 9 (45), 5418–5425.