David A. Evans Award, Robert Foster Cherry Award, Elias J. Corey Award, Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, Mukaiyama Award, RSC Horizon Prize
Garg's research is in synthetic and physical organic chemistry. His group challenges long-standing paradigms of reactivity and develops practical synthetic methods.
The Garg lab is known for making breakthroughs in catalysis, especially strong bond activation of esters and amides using nickel catalysts,[3] and in the understanding and use of distorted, strained intermediates, such as arynes, cyclic alkynes, cyclic allenes,[4][5] and cyclic 1,2,3-trienes.[6] In 2024, they developed practical synthetic chemistry of anti-Bredt olefins, addressing the 100-year old textbook rule known as Bredt's Rule.[7][8][9] They also developed synthetic chemistry of cubene and quadricyclene[10][11] and brought the physical organic chemistry concepts of alkene pyramidalization and twisting,[9] non-integer bond orders,[10] and diradicaloids[4] to the synthetic community.
The Garg laboratory has completed the total syntheses of many natural products, including welwitindolinones, akuammilines, tubingensin alkaloids, and lissodendoric acid A.[12][13] In 2020, Garg co-Founded ElectraTect, Inc.[14]
Garg is also a prominent educator and science communicator. He has received many accolades for his classroom teaching, including the Cherry Award.[15] He has inspired a series of student-created music videos[16] to encourage students to learn organic chemistry. He has led other projects, such as the Organic Coloring Book series,[17] The O-Chem (Re)-Activity Book,[18] the Backside Attack smartphone app,[19] QR Chem,[20] RS Chemistry,[21] Virtual Reality Chemistry,[22] ChemMatch,[23][24] Biology And Chemistry Online Notes (BACON).[25] and #MentorFirst.[26][27] In 2023, Garg created a successful summer camp called Chem Kids to teach organic chemistry to children.[28]
Garg was promoted to Distinguished Professor at UCLA in 2020. In 2018, he became the inaugural holder of the Kenneth N. Trueblood Endowed Chair in Chemistry & Biochemistry. He has served as Vice Chair for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (2012-2016) and (2023–present) and served as the Department Chair (2019–2023).[2] He also served as Faculty-in-Residence in the UCLA dormitories from 2012-2021.
Awards and honors
Garg has received more than fifty honors and awards for his research and teaching.[2]
ACS David A. Evans Award for the Advancement and Education of Organic Synthesis, 2025[31]
Horizon Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry, 2024[32]
AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science, 2023[33]
