Coming back to Rice this summer has been interesting!

I’m working with Morgan Barnes in Dr. Verduzco’s lab.

She was recently featured for her work in the current project we are working on as well as her new project creating 2D Kevlar.  Super cool stuff! https://msne.rice.edu/liquid-crystal-elastomers-biomedical-uses

In general, it takes me a long time to get something. Especially if I’m learning something new! Morgan has been very patient and always answers my questions even if its something we had gone over already.  It is interesting to note that  she knows what I’m going through as far as learning protocols for the first time.  She recalls when she started this project and had to go through lab books left from the people previously working on the project.  She had to learn everything on her own as well.

Even though my background is in Biology and Chemistry, I feel that one will never truly know everything that there is to know in the field.  For example, in the lab this week we are synthesizing our liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs). LCEs are soft reversible shape changing materials that are currently only able to do that at temperature of 75C and over.  In order to apply this to biomedical devices, we need to lower that temperature. This is our main goal but we must work out the perfect ratio of reagents.  The synthesis portion has become a detailed task that I’m still trying to master.  It is almost an art like baking a cake.  You have to be precise about the reactants or ingredients being placed as well as how long to place in the oven or in my case on the hot plate to let the reaction go through.  The oven part is messing me up LOL

I have to remain positive though and make sure that I master the synthesizing of the material.  I’ve also learned more about material science which is something I never went over or have looked at since going to college and teaching.  It is such a fun field with many applications in bio,chem and physics.  This is helping me mold my brain into engineering as creating my lesson.

Anyway, I’m hoping that my next update will be a success in making the polymer so that we can continue on with the project. It is super exciting! I admire all the people working in this lab, there are many that I see are here before me and are here after.  I stopped looking at the time as much as I would do at work and focused on finishing small goals for the day here at Rice. I want to make sure that I’m focusing on the project and helping it go along smoothly! 🙂