Splash Biography



ZACHARY GARDNER, Senior Studying Chemistry and Biology



Major: Chemistry & MCDB

College/Employer: Yale

Year of Graduation: '17

Picture of Zachary Gardner

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Hi all. My name is Zach Gardner. I’m a member of the class of 2017 in Yale College from Madison, CT. My academic interest lies at the interface of chemistry and biology. On the rare occasions when I emerge from the lab–where I work on small molecule discovery–I enjoy running, hiking, food (making and eating), listening to folk music, reading, and playing the string bass. This year I'm looking forward to attending the Newport Folk Festival.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

S1512: Drug Discovery and Natural Products in Splash Spring 15 (Apr. 04, 2015)
Throughout history the majority of new drugs have come from molecules that occur in nature. In this class we'll consider a variety of different 'Natural Products.' Students can expect to learn about organic chemistry, chemical biology, and synthetic biology. We'll sample a variety of herbal teas and discuss the bioactive compounds in them.


E1378: What's the Buzz: The History and Biochemistry of Coffee in Sprout Spring 15 (Feb. 14 - 28, 2015)
Hugh Jackman once said, "To me, the smell of fresh-made coffee is one of the greatest inventions." When he's not fighting crime with the X-Men (X-People), Hugh sits back and enjoys a cup of Joe. In this class we'll discuss the history of coffee in America, the proper preparation of several coffee drinks, and the biochemical effects coffee has on us.


S1336: The Chemistry of Love in Splash Fall 14 (Nov. 08, 2014)
Shakespeare wrote concerning love: "Love is merely a madness: and, I tell you, deserves ... a whip, as madmen do" Madness or not, love is a complex cascade of chemicals in the brain. And, in this course we’ll consider some key compounds, study their associated effects, and sample two common natural sources of a few of these molecules–chocolate and honey. No prior knowledge of chemistry will be assumed.


E1217: Bio-Active Molecules in Sprout Fall 2014 (Oct. 04 - 18, 2014)
In the course of just under an hour we'll explore together several different classes of so-called bioactive molecules. Topics will include caffeine, carcinogens, and a special demo in which we'll test the effects of the so called miracle fruit (which causes sour things to taste sweet). NO science knowledge will be assumed!


S1104: The Origin of Everything in Sprout Summer 2014 (Jul. 12 - Aug. 02, 2014)
This course will pull on astrophysics, geochemistry, chemistry, biology and everything in between to survey the origin of the universe, the solar system, the Earth, and of the current breadth of biological diversity. Evolutionary biology will be a focus.


S1021: Bio-Active Molecules in Splash Spring 14 (Mar. 29, 2014)
This class will examine several different interesting, bio-active molecules from a historical and scientific perspective. Topics may include: penicillin, the discovery of chemo- therapeutics, and the active ingredient of the "miracle fruit" which causes sour food to taste sweet–with taste test!


T848: Organic Chemistry: Approaches and Concepts in Sprout Spring 14 (Feb. 15 - Mar. 01, 2014)
There are Facebook groups, Tumblr pages, t-shirts, and coffee mugs all emblazoned with the phrase "I hate Organic Chemistry!". But orgo doesn't have to be terrible. In this class we'll first explore how to approach an organic chemistry class and then dive into some important concepts. The goal is to build a basic understanding and appreciation of the subject. Some general chemistry knowledge will be assumed.