Nano Chemist | 13
Kemar Reid
Moved to the United States at the age of 18 to begin his academic career at the College of Wooster, Ohio. As a first-generation college student from Manchester, Jamaica, Kemar was involved in two undergraduate research projects. Under the mentorship of his advisors, Drew Pasteur and Pail Edmiston, his project focused on encapsulating lipase in swellable organosilica and determining how their aggregating structures affect the swelling of the gel. The goal of the project was to understand the swelling properties of the gel after lipase encapsulating to develop a material suitable for biocatalysis in industrial processes better. The second project he was involved in was designing a mathematical model of steel cord cross-sections for prototyping the design of this structural component for Goodyear Tire & Runner Company. Working together with two other classmates, they were able to deliver a MATLAB-based model of the steel cord cross-sections along with a report that served as a basis for a later-published article.
Graduating with two B.A. degrees in Math and Biochemistry, Kemar continued his education and research efforts at Vanderbilt University. Through the interdisciplinary material science program, he was able to combine his math and science background in Dr. Sandra Rosenthal's nanomaterials lab. His thesis project consisted of designing a single-quantum dot fluorescence microscope and applying this characterization technique to understand the relationship between structure and function in indium phosphine and cadmium selenide quantum dots. This fluorescence microscope can measure the emission, intensity, and lifetime of the quantum dots. The quantum dots are then imaged with a transmission electron microscope to determine the shape and distribution of elements. This unique technique would help cut the development time of quantum dots for digital technologies saving time, energy, and money.
Wrapping up on his thesis work and beginning to write his dissertation, this phuture doctor enjoys his free time playing basketball, running, hiking, and skydiving. After defending, Kemar would like to work in a material or energy-focused industry, or perhaps put his math expertise to play in the data science industry.