TY - JOUR A1 - McNeil, Anne J. T1 - My maize and blue brick road to physical organic chemistry in materials JF - Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry PY - 2016/// VL - 12 SP - 229 EP - 238 SN - 1860-5397 DO - 10.3762/bjoc.12.24 PB - Beilstein-Institut JA - Beilstein J. Org. Chem. UR - https://doi.org/10.3762/bjoc.12.24 KW - molecular gel KW - organic chemistry KW - organic materials KW - self-assembly KW - supramolecular chemistry N2 - Similar to Dorothy’s journey along the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz, this perspective carves out the path I took from my early childhood fascinations with science through my independent career at the University of Michigan (maize and blue). The influential research projects and mentors are highlighted, including some fortuitous experimental results that drew me into the field of supramolecular chemistry, specifically, and organic materials, broadly. My research group’s efforts toward designing new sensors based on small molecule gelators are described. In particular, I highlight how our design strategy has evolved as we learn more about molecular gelators. This perspective concludes with some predictions about where molecular gels, as well as my personal and professional life, are headed. ER -