I love the process of learning a new skill and creating something new that starts from a vague design in my head.”
Katie Landy (she/her)
PhD Candidate in Chemistry
Katie Landy is a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on nanoparticles and their potential uses as structural components in novel materials with unusual properties. Katie also serves as the anisotropic subgroup leader in the Mirkin Research Group.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
In traditional chemistry, atoms are the building blocks of matter. My research focuses on how we can instead use nanoparticles as building blocks to create materials with new structures and properties. The nanoparticles I work with are typically metals, such as gold and silver, with very small particle sizes (larger than individual atoms and molecules, but much smaller than a cell, for example).
In addition to using nanoparticles as the building blocks, we repurpose DNA from its role in biology to act as a sort of smart glue. We can design custom DNA sequences and then chemically attach many strands to each nanoparticle. The DNA strands interact with those on neighboring particles to form crystalline materials with precise control over the final structure. The advantage of building materials this way is that the DNA bonding characteristics can be designed independently from the nanoparticle core, in contrast to atoms with fixed identities and bonding capabilities.
In my work, I have been particularly interested in taking advantage of these separate bonding characteristics to construct materials that contain either multiple nanoparticle compositions or multiple DNA functionalities. Some of my previous work was inspired by alloy structures that contain multiple metals on the atomic scale, specifically how we can make analogs or even more controlled versions with nanoparticle building blocks. Ultimately, this work expands our toolbox of the types of structures we can design in modern materials and can lead to unusual properties, for example how these structures interact with light.
What have been some of the most memorable twists and turns of your career?
The initial shutdown of the COVID-19 pandemic happened about two months before my qualifying exam as a second-year PhD student, so adapting to presenting my research on Zoom was a pretty memorable and abrupt transition. I also had the opportunity to help rework materials for a chemistry lab course on instrumentation that used simulators to adapt to an online format and completed the Searle Center’s Teaching Certificate Program in 2020–21 completely over Zoom.
Remote instruction impacted how I think about designing courses and lecture formats in a way that will continue to be influential throughout my future career. In my research, we also adapted to working in shifts in the lab and other safety precautions as the pandemic evolved. One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had with continuing research during the pandemic was at Argonne National Laboratory last fall; we use the synchrotron source there to provide high enough intensity X-rays to characterize our crystal structures. In my first in-person visit since 2020, I ran a series of experiments overnight and then walked around the experiment hall (a ring that is large enough to enclose Wrigley Field) before leaving and only saw one other person. Usually, these are user facilities with visitors at all hours of the day, so it was surreal to be so isolated.
Whom do you admire in your field and otherwise, and why?
I’ve had a lot of great role models in other graduate students and postdocs over the years in my lab that I’m very thankful for. I also appreciate how Professor Shana Kelley has taken a very multidisciplinary approach to her research and has developed new tools and then also used them to answer really interesting questions. I was excited to hear she was joining the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern last year and was able to invite her to present a department seminar earlier this year. How she presented her research so clearly was inspiring.
What do you find both rewarding and challenging about your research and/or work?
Research in chemistry (and all subjects) requires a lot of creativity! When your goal is to make a material that no one else has made before, you have to constantly evaluate your own results and be ready to brainstorm alternative routes if the current approach is not working. As a younger graduate student, it can be difficult to find a balance between being self-critical and not being afraid to pivot and start a new approach, but I think that’s what makes it interesting and engaging to come to the lab and work on these problems every day.
Why Northwestern?
When considering potential graduate schools, I knew I was interested in nanotechnology research and was looking for a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment. My research wouldn't be possible without access to instruments, such as electron microscopes and X-ray experiments, that require a synchrotron source, which I'm able to take advantage of from Northwestern core facilities like NUANCE and nearby Argonne National Lab. The people are also a huge factor; I'm constantly impressed by the work done by the faculty, staff, and my peers at Northwestern. My lab specifically has graduate students representing at least 5 different departments, which allows us to bring together different areas of expertise to tackle interdisciplinary problems.
How do you unwind after a long day?
Spending time with friends and family is the main way I manage stress, but I also would say my main hobby is trying new hobbies. Recently, I learned to sew and have been occasionally making and repairing garments when I have time. I love the process of learning a new skill and creating something new that starts from a vague design in my head, which I think is a point of connection between my work and activities I feel drawn to in my spare time.
What advice would you give your younger self or someone considering a similar path?
The ultimate goal when pursuing a PhD is to become an independent researcher, but as a younger graduate student, it’s so valuable to ask for help when you need it and to take advantage of the knowledge of your mentors and peers. Collaboration enables researchers to tackle the most challenging scientific questions, so especially when you’re starting out it’s important to remember that you don’t have to immediately have all the answers figured out on your own.
Published: August 15, 2022
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