Crespo-Hernández provides hands-on research experience to economically disadvantaged and underrepresented students through Project SEED, a nationwide initiative funded by the American Chemical Society.

Since many chemical reactions are driven by the energy transmitted through light, photochemistry covers a lot of ground—and so does Crespo-Hernández. Among other things, he has sought to understand how environmental pollutants break down when exposed to sunlight; how ultraviolet radiation affects DNA; and how his own discoveries can be leveraged to develop safer drugs and new anticancer agents.

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