Senior Program Director
Silvia Ronco, Ph.D.
Silvia Ronco came to Research Corporation in September 2003 from the University of South Dakota, where she was professor of chemistry. Her research interests involve the synthesis and electron transfer studies of transition metal complexes with applications in solar energy conversion, luminescence sensors and photocatalysis.
At RCSA, Ronco is part of the scientific team that develops and implements the foundation’s research programs, and serves as the director of the Cottrell Scholar program. Under her leadership, Cottrell Scholars has undergone significant enhancements, including the start of the Cottrell Scholar Collaborative and Cottrell Plus awards, an eligibility expansion to include early career scientists from both research universities and primarily undergraduate institutions, and partnerships with the German Fulbright, the Association of American Universities and the American Chemical Society.
Education
Ronco received a B.S. in Chemistry (1980) and a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry (1986) from the National University of La Plata in Argentina under the supervision of Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino. She spent postdoctoral time with Guillermo Ferraudi at the Radiation Laboratory (University of Notre Dame, 1986-1989), and with John D. Petersen at Clemson University (1991-1992). She has also served as a Program Manager for the Photochemistry and Radiation Sciences Program at the U.S. Department of Energy (1995-1996), and was a Visiting Scientist and Visiting Professor in Cliff Kubiak’s research group at the University of California, San Diego (2000-2001).
Affiliations
Ronco was as a professor of chemistry at the University of South Dakota from 1992-2003, becoming a full professor in 2002. At USD, she also served as the founding chair of the university-wide Undergraduate Research Council from 1998-2003, and started the first interdisciplinary undergraduate research summer program available to students from all different academic disciplines. This summer program, funded by the NCUR-Lancy program, the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates and the University of South Dakota, was the first campus initiative offering summer stipends to undergraduate students outside the natural sciences.
Ronco has a long history of volunteering with national organizations that advance some of her main professional interests, the chemical enterprise and development of undergraduate research opportunities available to diverse audiences.
In 2000, she became a Councilor for the Council on Undergraduate Research, where she served six three-year terms. During her Councilor tenure, she served a three-year term as the Chair of the Chemistry Division, was an elected member of the Executive Board, and a member of multiple CUR-wide committees. In 2019, she was elected CUR President-elect. Dr. Ronco was the 2020-2021 CUR President.
Since 2011, Ronco has been a Councilor for the American Chemical Society and a member of the Division of Inorganic Chemistry Executive Committee. She has also served as a member of the ACS Divisional Activities Committee, and the Chair of the DAC Subcommittee for Divisional Enhancement and Outreach. She is currently a member of the ACS Nominations and Elections Committee.
Ronco is a 2019 ACS Fellow.