When Muhammad Musozoda arrived at SUNY Oswego from his hometown in Mastchoh, Tajikistan, he didn’t know his path would lead to publishing in peer-reviewed journals, mentoring younger students and preparing for a Ph.D. in chemistry. But through hands-on learning, meaningful mentorship and the opportunity to explore real-world research, his passion for science grew into something much more.
He earned his undergraduate degree as a chemistry major at SUNY Oswego and continued his education in the university’s graduate chemistry program, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
“Doing hands-on research and being able to explore my own ideas in the lab was a pivotal moment for my career,” Musozoda said. “Because, in my final undergraduate year, when I started working on a project that had a potential to be published in a peer review journal, that made me stay at SUNY Oswego for my graduate study so I could finish it.”
At the heart of his work is a timely and important goal. “We try to make compounds that are thermally robust, so they withstand high temperatures for a longer time, and they don't have the current status quo, toxic metals in them. So it makes it environmentally friendly,” he said.
Musozoda explained the larger impact of the research as well: “The importance of the current research is the need for developing fully organic, thermally stable compounds. Because status quo organic coolants or generally heat-resistant materials employ metals which are toxic to the environment. So we're trying to eliminate that with fully organic compounds that withstand 400 degrees Celsius temperature for 96 hours. And currently we're testing them for 96 days.”
Musozoda’s research has the potential to make a meaningful impact on the world by advancing safer, more sustainable materials for high-temperature applications. By eliminating toxic metals and developing fully organic, thermally stable compounds, his work addresses a critical environmental challenge. This work could benefit industries from electronics to manufacturing, offering greener and more efficient alternatives to existing materials. As his research continues to evolve, it holds promise for shaping a more sustainable future through chemistry.
Through that work, Musozoda not only built expertise, he discovered new possibilities within himself.
A mentor’s impact, a scientist’s growth
Musozoda credits much of his academic growth to Arsalan Mirjafari, the university’s Dr. Richard S. Shineman Professor of Chemistry and a recognized research leader in the field.
“Joining Dr. Mirjafari was a pivotal moment in my academic journey,” he said. “In my last year of undergrad, when I started doing novel and useful research, I realized that I needed to further my education. So that love for chemistry was ignited in me by Dr. Mirjafari, and I realized that I needed to pursue more.”
Mirjafari not only supported Musozoda’s work but also gave him leadership opportunities.
“He involved me in all different aspects of the research, starting from the designing the experiments, actual synthesis, characterization and the final project, writing the paper,” Musozoda said. “He involved me in all these aspects, and it helped me grow as a scientist.”
“Muhammad Musozoda stands out as a truly exceptional student whose curiosity and dedication made him a joy to work with. His combination of research excellence, mentoring ability and genuine passion for chemistry establishes him as a phenomenal scientist,” Mirjafari said. “As he prepares to attend a top-tier university for his Ph.D., I reflect on his lasting impact at SUNY Oswego, evident through both his scientific contributions and the colleagues he has inspired. I am confident that he will make significant positive contributions to the scientific community for years to come.”
That relationship helped Musozoda grow into a mentor himself.
“Currently I'm mentoring two undergraduate students,” Musozoda said. “And before my two mentees, one of them is now a Ph.D. student in Notre Dame, Andrew Bishuk. And another one, Blake Britton, he's a current graduate student here. And we submitted a peer-reviewed article together, which is currently under review.”
Mirjafari’s impact extended beyond the lab. “He not only helped me to grow as a scientist, but he helped me grow as a person, too," Musozoda said. "He introduced me to his long-term collaborators, two of them who were actually my recommenders for Ph.D. So he helped to extend my network in the field.”
Looking to the future
Musozoda has presented his work at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in New Orleans and at the Gordon Research Conferences in Maine. He recently participated in SUNY Oswego’s 3-Minute Thesis competition, where he won first place.
Next, Musozoda will continue inspiring others by sharing his work at Quest, SUNY Oswego’s annual celebration of research and creative activity. As part of this campus-wide event, he will present his findings alongside other student researchers, helping to spark curiosity and showcase the impact of undergraduate and graduate scholarship.
“Sharing the work that we have done is one of the important parts of the research,” he said. “We need more scientists, more chemists. So by sharing it, we hope that it ignites love of chemistry or other sciences for other students.”
Musozoda received a Spring 2025 Student Scholarly and Creative Activities Grant for $1,000 to support his ongoing research. “I’m grateful for the support from SUNY Oswego,” he said. “Research in chemistry can be incredibly resource-intensive, so the award helped generate the preliminary data needed to apply for larger grants. Continued investment in early-stage research is essential to keep promising projects moving forward.”
He explained, “That kind of support is important. It helps us generate the preliminary data we need to apply for larger grants and keep the project moving forward. Even though $1,000 isn’t a large amount, it makes a real difference at the early stages.”
Musozoda is proud of what he has been able to accomplish and excited about what’s next. “After working for some time in a research lab, I realized I want to pursue a career in chemistry," he said. "And I applied to a Ph.D. program, and I got into one of the most prestigious schools, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.”
It’s the next step in a journey that began with curiosity and grew into a career path fueled by purpose. He has already begun conversations with his future advisor, whose research focuses on automated chemistry. Instead of building robots to perform chemistry, the goal is to design chemical processes that robots can carry out to allow for faster, scalable experimentation.
Advice for future scientists
To students just starting out, Musozoda offers this advice: “Start research as soon as possible. Join a lab that cares about your success. Focus on outcome-driven work so you not only get experience but real results that can shape your future.”
And for Musozoda, the journey of discovery that began in Oswego is only just beginning.
Those curious about the kind of research opportunities and mentorship that shaped Musozoda’s path can explore SUNY Oswego’s graduate chemistry program, undergraduate chemistry program and other graduate programs that encourage hands-on learning and personal growth.
Research in action
Musozoda will present his work at Quest, SUNY Oswego’s annual celebration of research and creative activity. The event begins with a poster session at the university’s Syracuse Campus on April 22, followed by a full day of student and faculty presentations, exhibits and performances on the Oswego campus on April 23.
Musozoda’s chemistry research will be featured during the 10 to 11 a.m. session in 175 Shineman Center. Learn more about the event and browse a full schedule via the Quest website.