​John Montgomery grew up in Albemarle, N.C. and studied chemistry at the University of North Carolina working with Profs. Joe Templeton and Maurice Brookhart. He received his Ph.D. at Colorado State University with Prof. Louis Hegedus, and he was an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California at Irvine with Prof. Larry Overman. John spent twelve years on the faculty at Wayne State University before moving to the University of Michigan, where he is the Margaret and Herman Sokol Professor of Synthetic Chemistry and Arthur Thurnau Professor in the Department of Chemistry. His lab focuses on the discovery and development of enabling technologies for organic synthesis and includes active programs in transition metal and main group catalysis, carbohydrate chemistry, complex molecule synthesis, and biocatalysis. He also enjoys teaching and mentoring the diverse population of undergraduate students at Michigan, and he has been involved in the development of new courses at Michigan designed to improve access, equity, and inclusion in introductory courses in organic chemistry.