Q&A with chemistry graduate student Daniel Heintzelman
Daniel Heintzelman, a chemistry graduate student recently shared with us his experience attending and speaking at the International Symposium on Monolayer Protected Clusters, which Penn State hosted.
Q: What is your research area?
DH: I use coherent multidimensional spectroscopic techniques to understand the energy relaxation of atomically precise monolayer protected clusters. Using monolayer protected clusters as a model system I make targeted changes to the cluster structure to better understand the relaxation of electrons and how the solvent that the MPC is dispersed in can affect the ways and rates at which energy relaxes.
The impact of this work is that an enhanced understanding of the ultrafast relaxation dynamics of metal nanostructures is critical to catalysis, photonic integrated circuits, and quantum emitters. Our group looks to understand the impact of small structural changes on the ultrafast relaxation dynamics of MPCs so that MPCs can be synthesized to target specific optical properties.
Q: What are you most excited about in your research?
DH: I am currently most excited about better understanding the vibrational modes that are affected by solvents within gold MPCs. Using 2-dimensional electronic spectroscopy to better understand the reasons why solvents can affect optical properties is an avenue that can truly help us to better understand all of the ways that we can control MPC properties.
Q: What has been a favorite memory at Penn State?
DH: My favorite memory at Penn State was hosting the International Symposium on Monolayer Protected Clusters. Being able to host many of the top names in the field at Penn State was truly amazing. Listening to all of the amazing talks as well as getting to meet many of them was something I will remember for a long time. Furthermore, being able to share my research with the field in the form of a talk was both rewarding and a learning experience.
Q: What advice do you have for future graduate students?
DH: My advice to future Penn State graduate students would be that Penn State has tons of opportunities to network and get to know people within the field that you are working in. Taking advantage of those opportunities is one way that you can truly make the most of your time here.