(2cd) Single-Particle/Molecule Tracking to Probe Transport in Confined Environments

I am currently a postdoc in Joanna Aizenberg’s group at Harvard University. I obtained my Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder in Daniel Schwartz’s group. My doctoral work focused on investigating transport in porous media using single-particle tracking methods. My postdoctoral research has focused on developing responsive porous materials for controllable transport processes. In sum, my core expertise is in soft matter and interfacial phenomena, and separation processes.

Research Interests:

The initial projects in my group will fall under two broad themes, understanding transport phenomena in confined environments and developing antifouling membranes and optimizing separation processes, which attempt to both answer fundamental scientific questions and develop practical applications of our knowledge in response to grand challenges in sustainability.

Understanding transport phenomena in confined environments: Porous materials are ubiquitous in nature and industrial applications. In particular, porous media are used extensively in processes including water treatment, pharmaceutical sterilization, food/beverage processing, and heterogeneous catalysis. Unfortunately, there are currently no universal models capable of predicting mass transport based on a description of the porous material because real porous materials are complex and because many coupled dynamic mechanisms (e.g., adsorption, steric effects, hydrodynamic effects, electrostatic interactions, etc.) give rise to the observed macroscopic transport phenomena. While classical techniques, like dynamic light scattering, only provide useful information about mass transport in porous media at the ensemble level. To bridge this gap, I plan to utilize single-particle/molecule tracking methods with other ensemble methods to elucidate the fundamental transport mechanisms in porous media from microscopic to macroscopic levels.

Developing “smart” membranes and optimizing separation processes: Based on fundamental understanding of transport mechanisms (i.e., diffusion, advection, and active motion) of molecules and particles in porous media, we plan to develop novel membranes with antifouling, controllable transport properties and optimize the traditional separation processes.

Teaching Interests:

I am well-equipped to teach core chemical engineering coursework to undergraduate and graduate students, including thermodynamics, separation processes, heat and mass transfer. I would additionally be excited to teach more specialized graduate classes such as colloids and interface sciences, microscopy and imaging, machine learning in engineering, and microfluidics.

I have taken several pedagogical classes at Harvard, where I learned that teaching with active learning techniques lead to better outcomes than traditional lecturing styles. Therefore, I will design a more engaged, supportive learning atmosphere by building frequent opportunities for students to immediately apply course materials, as well as to give and receive immediate feedback.