jacy lieberum

ABOUT THE RESEARCHER:

1. Who are you doing research with this summer and what kind of research project are you doing?

I am doing research in Dr. Dorfner’s lab. My project is designing metal-based catalysts that can help make the process of obtaining hydrogen gas from water more efficient so it can be used for renewable energy.

 2. What do you find fascinating in the research you’re doing?

I find fascinating all the different colors my compounds can become. When I first make a compound, sometimes it is bright green; then, when I expose it to water, it becomes dark red. I think the subtle change of a solvent being able to change the color entirely of my compounds is really interesting.

 3. What skills are you learning through the USURF experience?

During USURF, I have been able to try many new techniques for analyzing my compounds, including electrochemistry and x-ray crystallography. These analytical techniques give me a better understanding of what is going on with my compounds on a molecular level. I have also been able to try independent work and scientific writing more thoroughly with this experience.

 4. What are the challenges you’re encountering in your research?

Some of the challenges I have encountered in my research include the varying stability of my compounds. In certain solvents, the material behaves exactly as expected, and then in other solvents, it decomposes entirely. Also, the material I have been making has a difficult texture to work with; some of the material is oily and sticky and thus, very difficult to measure.

 5. How is your USURF experience impacting the way you view your field?

As a pharmaceutical chemistry major, normally I would be drawn to organic chemistry research that revolves around medicine. However, being in this inorganic chemistry lab for USURF has really broadened my interests in chemistry and has charted a new passion for me.

6. Tell us something interesting about yourself.

Something interesting about me is that I am a tetrachromat. That means instead of having the normal three color sensing genes in human eye cells, I have four. Because of this, I can distinguish between colors better than most people and may even be able to see more colors outside of the normal visible light spectrum!