What set Northwestern apart for me was the atmosphere of collaborative research.”
Matt Hershey
PhD Candidate in the Department of Chemistry
Matt Hershey is a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. He is a founding member of the Swearer Research Group, where he works with materials at the nanoscale to leverage optical properties not found at the larger scale. Matt is also a recipient of the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN) Ryan Fellowship.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
Broadly, my work focuses on engineering nanoparticles that can harness radiant energy (i.e., light) to drive chemical reactions. I work primarily with silicon and titanium dioxide, which are widely used in everything from solar cells to toothpaste. However, when these materials are shrunk to the nanoscale, they can exhibit unique optical properties that are not possible at larger size scales. I have been focused on leveraging these optical properties to boost or even change chemical reactivity entirely.
What do you find both rewarding and challenging about your research and/or work?
The most rewarding and challenging part of my work has been building the group from the ground up. When I joined the Swearer Group, it was myself and two other graduate students, Dr. Dayne Swearer, and two empty lab spaces. Currently, we have around 20 members and many experimental setups that are unique to our group. This is a testament to all the hard work in the early years of my PhD and is something I take an immense amount of pride in.
Why Northwestern?
The academic excellence of Northwestern stands on its own. However, what set Northwestern apart for me was the atmosphere of collaborative research. Everywhere I visited touted an environment rooted in collaboration, but at Northwestern I felt it. This, combined with being close to home, made my decision to come to Northwestern easy.
What books are on your bedside table?
Currently, I am rereading the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. I am a huge fantasy enthusiast and highly recommend this series and author to anyone who is looking to dip their toes into the genre.
What advice would you give your younger self or someone considering a similar path?
The best advice that I have been given throughout my PhD has been to learn to fail fast. In scientific research, there are simply never enough hours in the day to fully learn every subject matter. Recognizing that you are out of your depth and asking for support from others is essential. This applies to not just scientific research but to many aspects of our day-to-day life.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
I am most proud of my first publication from my PhD. For this work, we spent over a year building the experimental setup before any data was collected. This effort will be lost by most readers, but these countless hours spent building is something that makes the work a bit more special to me.
Publish Date: May 27, 2025
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