Davita Watkins is Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry. Her educational background is B.S., Vanderbilt University, 2006 Ph.D., University of Memphis, 2012 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Florida, 2012-2014 Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi, 2014-2020 Associate Professor, University of Mississippi, 2020-present. Her research interests are Organic and Materials Chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry, Organic Electronics, Noncovalent Interactions, Semiconductors, Biomaterials, Optical Electronic Behavior, Smart Materials, & Conjugated Nanostructures. The Watkins Research Laboratory develops novel functional materials with tunable properties through molecular self-assembly. We design, synthesize, and study organic molecules that possess unique structural and functional properties. Our fundamental goals are the following: (1) identify unique building blocks for functional materials; (2) establish synthetic protocols for those building blocks; and (3) examine the behavior of the building blocks on a molecular and macromolecular level. The well-defined, programmable nanostructured materials produced in our laboratory are designed to be used in a variety of applications which range from therapeutics to electronic devices. In turn, our research allows us to use tools from all areas of science including analytical, computational, and materials chemistry.