Lauryn Guzman

Ph.D. student, Chemistry

Research Interests:
Lauryn is part of Dr. Haoyuan Chen’s research group, with interests rooted in computational chemistry as applied to environmental science and sustainability. Her specific areas include density‑functional theory calculations, machine learning and the design of materials such as metal‑organic frameworks. She aims to study various computational chemistry methods to improve the efficiency of nanomaterials used in environmental remediation. 

Road to the Moody School:
Before graduate school at SMU, Lauryn earned a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) in 2024 as a proud first‑generation college student. She was introduced to computational chemistry through undergraduate research employing quantum chemical calculations to study pesticide capture by metal‑organic frameworks. Lauryn is also an alumna of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program. Outside academics, she enjoys visiting new coffee shops, playing tennis, painting and using her Nintendo Switch.