Dr. A’Lester Allen is an IRACDA postdoctoral scholar with Dr. Terry W. Moore in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Allen is an accomplished scientist with over 18 years of laboratory experience, specializing in peptide therapeutic design and characterization of materials via electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. He has published 24 co-authored papers, including 4 first-author papers, and received 11 awards and fellowships, demonstrating his dedication to advancing scientific knowledge and supporting the professional growth of fellow chemists. As a subcommittee lead and co-chair for the professional development committee within NOBCChE, he has contributed to planning the national conference and equipping numerous graduate students with the skills necessary to succeed in their careers.