Foundry Fireside is the Molecular Foundry’s new video series featuring informal conversations with Foundry staff about their recent and/or ongoing research. In a casual Zoom setting, they break down the basics of what they’re studying and share with us why they think it’s cool, what they think is exciting, and what they hope for in the future.
The series was produced to highlight the Foundry’s five new research themes, unveiled in the Foundry’s FY22 Strategic Plan, and released in early October as a countdown to National Nano Day on 10/9.
A Chat with Archana Raja
Archana Raja joins us to talk about her work making tiny atomic semiconductor sandwiches (or how she can manipulate the band gap of materials to control their properties). She also shares details about the lab she’s building and how the new equipment will enable her research and her collaborations with Foundry users.
A Chat with Emory Chan
Emory Chan joins us to talk about how he can see the invisible using avalanching nanoparticles, a type of ‘upconverting nanoparticle’ that can take invisible infrared light and turn it into visible light. He also shares details about the specialized robots he uses to rapidly discover and optimize nanoparticles as well as how they enable collaborations with Foundry users.
A Chat with Sinéad Griffin
Sinéad Griffin joins us to talk about her work as a theorist. She explains how quantum systems work, why they’re appealing for computing, and how her search for dark matter is related to quantum materials.
A Chat with Peter Ercius
Peter Ercius joins us to talk about two of his latest discoveries using the Foundry’s powerful TEAM microscopes – the first ever 3D image of the atoms in an amorphous solid, and the first ‘movie’ showing how atoms come together during nucleation. He also chats about why we need this kind of fundamental understanding in order to build new materials and material systems.
A Chat with Corie Ralston
Corie Ralston joins us to talk about her work with proteins – nature’s machinery – and explains her technique called ‘X-Ray Footprinting’ that allows her to map the actual structure of proteins without having to turn them into a crystal. She also talks about how the Foundry’s Bio facility works on issues related to sustainability.
