Here we take the opportunity to highlight the extraordinary students participating in ADAM.
This edition features Madaline Marland (Advisor: Paulette Clancy) and recent winner of an NSF GRFP.
Background and Motivation
Can you briefly tell us about your academic background and what led you to pursue graduate studies?
I am a rising third year PhD student with Paulette Clancy’s computational materials group at Johns Hopkins Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2023 where I received my B.S. in Chemical Engineering.
What sparked your interest in your current field of research?
At UVa, I worked in Gaurav Giri’s experimental materials group to synthesize and characterize inorganic crystals for drug delivery and carbon capture applications. This motivated my interests in crystalline material behavior. As my undergraduate project became increasingly focused on atomic-level interactions, I decided to pursue computational research in graduate school to see materials at greater resolution than possible in a traditional wet lab setting. I now model how atoms interact with each other for inorganic crystalline material design, and collaborate with experimentalists to improve synthesis strategies.
Were there any formative experiences or mentors that shaped your academic path?
My undergraduate research advisor, Gaurav Giri, was hugely influential in encouraging my passion for research. He allowed me to pursue projects independently and gave an incredible level of patience and care in my training.
Other professors from UVa, including my introductory mass and energy balance professor Rachel Letteri and department chair Bill Epling, encouraged me to pursue graduate school even as I faced personal and academic challenges during my undergraduate schooling. Bill Epling was personally responsible for connecting me to an internship opportunity at Oak Ridge National Lab, which then later opened doors to graduate admission to Johns Hopkins.
Research Interests
How does your research address a broader issue or real-world challenge?
A lot of the materials I model, like perovskites or semiconductor materials, are directly linked to some of the world’s most pressing technical challenges, such as renewable energy generation and storage. I feel like I am contributing towards incremental scientific advancement which can mitigate energy-related climate change and its associated human stressors.
Are there any interdisciplinary aspects to your work? If so, how have you integrated other fields into your research?
My work is highly interdisciplinary. As an engineer, many of the projects I work on are first centered on a specific material application like catalysis or photovoltaics. These material applications are inherently informed by a range of disciplines, from science policy to solid state physics to electrical engineering.
During my time at Johns Hopkins, I have also worked with leading experimentalists in other departments and Pacific Northwest National Lab. While these scientists study the same materials as I do, their methodology and language are vastly different. Bridging the gap between experimentalists and computationalists requires not only technical understanding but shared vocabulary and project goals.
Program Experience
What motivated you to join this research program?
The opportunity to learn a new skillset in microelectronic fabrication. I previously worked in an
crystal synthesis lab but getting trained in clean room technique is a really valuable skill.
How has the program supported or enhanced your research efforts?
I met new potential collaborators or colleagues through NRT and the training sessions.
Have you developed any new skills or approaches during your time in the program?
I will be taking a microelectronics fabrication lab in F25 which will be a new skillset and could provide a new career avenue in the future.
Career Trajectory and Future Goals
How do you see your current research informing your long-term career goals?
I want to become a professor. Working in an academic research lab not only allows me to develop my technical skillset but to see firsthand how a successful lab is managed and organized.
Has your participation in the program shaped or shifted your career trajectory in any way?
I came to graduate school knowing I wanted to go into academic research, so it’s more so affirmed my existing plan.
Where do you see yourself in five to ten years, and how do you hope to contribute to your field?
I hope to be conducting research in an R1 research setting and simultaneously mentoring the next generation of chemical engineering leaders.
Advice and Reflection
What advice would you give to other students considering research opportunities like this one?
Get to know your colleagues-chemical engineering is a small field and you never know who will show up later in your career!
Looking back, what has been the most surprising or rewarding part of your experience in the program?
Julie (Lirot, ADAM’s Academic Program Administrator) put a lot of time and effort into her presentations and I had a lot of fun with them!
