Chemical Safety Officer
selhess@uchicago.edu
Selina earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, in 2017 and 2020, respectively, under the supervision of Prof. Ulrich Abram. During this time, her research focused on the chelation of technetium-99m for potential PET imaging applications. As part of her master’s studies, she spent a year at the University of Chicago, where she worked with Prof. Wenbin Lin on nanoscale coordination polymers.
She went on to pursue her PhD at the University of Illinois, completing it in 2025. Her doctoral research centered on peptide-based frameworks, with a particular focus on the amino acid cysteine.
Following her PhD, Selina joined the Office of Research Safety at Northwestern University as a Laboratory Safety Specialist. In this role, she conducted annual safety inspections, supported emergency response efforts, and advised researchers on the safe handling of hazardous materials.
In early 2026, Selina returned to the University of Chicago as a Chemical Safety Officer in the Office of Research Safety. In her current role, she performs risk assessments, participates in annual laboratory inspections, contributes to emergency response, and helps maintain and improve the chemical hygiene plan to ensure a safe research environment.
Outside of work, Selina is a licensed EMT-Basic and volunteers throughout the Chicago area. She can often be found providing medical support at large events such as the Chicago Marathon, Shamrock Shuffle, and Air and Water Show. When she’s not on duty, she enjoys spending time with her cats, Squiddy and Nomex.