Michelle Brann

Michelle Brann

Chemistry PhD

Univeristy of Chicago

Michelle Brann (she/her) is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Öberg Group at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). She holds a chemistry PhD from the Sibener Group at the University of Chicago where she explored gas-surface dynamics. She defended in May 2022 and spent one year as a NRC postdoc at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) prior to joining the CfA in fall 2023. She is also an executive commmittee member of the National Younger Chemists Committee of the American Chemical Society. After graduating from Wellesley College in May 2015 with a BA with Honors in Chemistry and a minor in Mathematics, she worked for one year as a research associate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the National Security Directorate.

Interests

  • Astrochemistry
  • Surface Chemistry
  • Chemical Dynamics

Education

  • PhD in Chemistry, 2022

    University of Chicago

  • MS in Chemistry, 2017

    University of Chicago

  • BA with Honors in Chemistry, Minor in Mathematics, 2015

    Wellesley College

Projects

*
All Wellesley NASA Pacific Northwest National Laboratory University of Chicago National Institute of Standards and Technology

NASA: Oxidative Stress Response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to heat shock

Characterized the response of C. reinhardtii to heat shock as a form as a form of oxidative stress by examining metabolic, biochemical, and gene expression changes.

NIST: Single Photon Superconducting Nanowire Detectors (SNSPDs)

Novel methods to traceably measure the quantum efficiency and stability of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs).

PNNL: Stretchable Superhydrophbic Materials

Developed a biomimetic coating with excellent water/liquid repulsion and shedding properties and the unique ability for continued performance when stretched.

PNNL: Vapor and particle detection of explosive materials

Used ion mobility spectrometry to test new thin film coatings for improved detection of trace explosives.

PNNL: White Light Inteferometry for Biofilms

Designed a 3D printed flow cell and developed a novel technique to monitor and quantify three-dimensional topology and structure of live biofilms with white light interferometry.

UChicago: Chemical Simulants

Destruction of nerve agent simulants.

UChicago: Gas-Surface Dynamics

Using supersonic molecular beams and time-resolved FT-RAIR Spectroscopy under ultra-high vacuum to examine how impinging molecules adsorb, react, or diffuse into frozen ice films and destruction of nerve agent simulants.

Wellesley: Prostate Tumor Cell Proliferation

Exploration of thimet oligopeptidase (TOP) modifications, specifically phosphorylation, that affects TOP’s relationship with GnRH and thus prostate tumor cell proliferation in vitro.

Publications

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Calibration System for Mid-infrared Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) have low dark counts, improved gain stability, and high resolution compared …
MR Brann, V Verma, SI Woods
PDF Project

Laboratory Astrochemistry of and on Dust and Ices: General Discussion

N Balucani, M Bertin, M Brann, et al
PDF Project

Laboratory Astrochemistry of the Gas Phase: General Discussion

N Balucani, M Brann, et al
PDF Project

Isotopic Enrichment Resulting from Differential Condensation of Methane Isotopologues Involving Non-equilibrium Gas–Surface Collisions Modeled with Molecular Dynamics Simulations

We employ molecular dynamics simulations to understand the energy transfer processes involved during the collisions of CH4 and CD4 with …
MR Brann, X Ma, SJ Sibener
PDF Project

Condensed Phase Adsorption and Reactivity: Extraterrestrial Ices, Isotopic Enrichment, Olefin Oxidation, and Nerve Agent Simulants

This thesis probes interfacial dynamics of complex molecular thin films. This work is focused on sticking and hydrogen bonding of small …
Michelle Brann
PDF Project

Acetone–Water Interactions in Crystalline and Amorphous Ice Environments

We present research that systematically examines acetone interacting with various D2O ices of terrestrial and astrophysical interest …
MR Brann, SP Hansknecht, Mark Muir, SJ Sibener
PDF Project
See all publications

Conference Presentations

Invited Oral Presentations

  1. The NRC Program at Federal Agencies” American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, August 2023.
  2. Condensed Phase Adsorption and Reactivity: Extraterrestrial Ices and Olefin Oxidation” Physical Electronic Conference (PEC) Nottingham Prize Competition, Chicago, IL, June 2022.
  3. “Role of Film Structure on the Condensed Phase Reactivity of Propene with O(3P) Atomic Oxygen.” American Chemical Society (ACS) Meeting, San Diego, CA, March 2022.
  4. “Molecular Interactions with Frozen Ice Films: Adsorption, Oxidative Reactivity, and Isotopic Enrichment.” American Vacuum Society (AVS) Surface Science Division Mort Traum Finale, virtual, October 2021.
  5. “Molecular Interactions with Frozen Ice Films: Adsorption, Oxidative Reactivity, and Isotopic Enrichment.” American Vacuum Society (AVS) 2021 Graduate Research Award Talk, AVS 67 Virtual Symposium Awards Session, October 2021.
  6. “Morphological and Temperature-Dependent Oxidative Reactivity of Olefin Thin Films.” Dynamics at Surfaces Gordon Research Seminar, Newport, RI, July 2019.

Oral Presentations

  1. Amorphous and Crystalline Propene Reactivity with Ground State Atomic Oxygen (O(3P))’’ Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop, Kapa’a, Kauai, Hawaii, February 2024.
  2. “Molecular Interactions with Frozen Ice Films: Adsorption, Isotope Effects, and Hydrogen Bonding” American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 2022.
  3. “Differential Condensation of Methane Isotopologues and Subsequent Isotopic Enrichment.” Midwest Women in Science Conference (WISC), virtual, September 2021.
  4. “Differential Condensation of Methane Isotopologues and Subsequent Isotopic Enrichment Under Non-equilibrium Gas-Surface Collision Conditions.” American Vacuum Society (AVS) Prairie Chapter Symposium, virtual, September 2021.
  5. “Molecular Interactions with Ice - Building Blocks of the Solar System.” Transcending Boundaries Research Symposium, Chicago, IL, April 2021.
  6. “Sticking Probability of High-Energy Methane on Ices of Astrophysical Interest.” American Vacuum Society (AVS) Prairie Chapter Symposium, Chicago, IL, September 2018.
  7. “The Role of Copper in the Oxidative Stress Response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to heat shock.” Ruhlman Conference, Wellesley, MA, April 2015.
  8. “NASA Ames Academy: My Summer of Space and Personal Exploration.” Tanner Conference, Wellesley, MA, October 2014.
  9. “Response of Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii to Oxidative Stress and Limits of Habitability.” Tanner Conference, Wellesley, MA, October 2013.

Poster Presentations

  1. “Differential Condensation of Methane Isotopologues under Non-Equilibrium Gas Surface Conditions: Experimental Methods and Molecular Dynamic Simulations” American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, August 2023.
  2. “Chemical Complexity and the Role of Condensed Film Structure: Methane Adsorption and Propene Oxidation” Astrochemistry at High Resolution Faraday Discussion, Baltimore, MD, May 2023.
  3. Calibration of Mid-Infrared Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors” 30th Annual NIST Sigma XI Early-Career Poster Presentation, NIST, Gaithersburg, MD, May 2023.
  4. “Molecular Interactions with Frozen Ice Films: Adsorption, Isotope Effects, and Hydrogen Bonding” American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 2022.
  5. “Condensed Phase Adsorption and Reactivity: Extraterrestrial Ices, Isotopic Enrichment” Chemistry and Physics at Low Temperature, virtual, July 2022.
  6. “Water and Membrane Structure: Acetone-Hydrogen Bonding and SECM-AFM.”Advanced Materials for Energy-Water Systems Center (AMEWS) Annual Meeting, Argonne National Laboratory, June 2022
  7. “Reaction Kinetics and Influence of Film Morphology on Propene Thin Film Oxidation.” 238th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), virtual, June 2021.
  8. “Reverse Water-Gas Shift Chemistry Inside a Supersonic Molecular Beam Nozzle.” American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting, virtual, February 2021.
  9. “Laser-Induced Decomposition of the Nerve Agent Simulant Dissopropyl Methyphosphonate Under High Temperature Atmospheric Conditions.” American Vacuum Society (AVS) Prairie Chapter Symposium, virtual, September 2020.
  10. “Morphological and Temperature-Dependent Oxidative Reactivity of Propene Thin Films.” American Vacuum Society (AVS) Prairie Chapter Symposium, Urbana, IL, September 2019.
  11. “Morphological and Temperature-Dependent Oxidative Reactivity of Olefin Thin Films.” Dynamics at Surfaces Gordon Research Conference, Newport, RI, July 2019.
  12. “Improving the Detection of Trace Explosives with Advanced Collection Materials.” American Chemical Society (ACS) Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 2016.
  13. “The Role of Copper in the Oxidative Stress Response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to Heat Shock.” American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) meeting, Boston, MA, March 2015. *Best Poster in Plant Metabolism
  14. “Growth Factors for Prostate Cancer Cells.” Poster presentation delivered at the Ruhlman Conference, Wellesley, MA, April 2014.

Teaching Experience

 
 
 
 
 

Teaching Assistant, Energy Policy and Human Behavior (PPHA 39925)

University of Chicago

Sep 2019 – Dec 2019
An elective taught in the Harris School of Public Policy typically taken by second year Master of Public Policy students, was asked to TA after high-performance when taking the course in Fall 2018. Responsible for grading all assignments: reading responses, policy brief, midterm, in class debate, and debate position paper for 31 students.
 
 
 
 
 

Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry w/ Lab (CHEM 112)

University of Chicago

Jan 2019 – Mar 2019
Held weekly discussion sessions, open office hours, led laboratory sessions, graded lab reports and homework assignments for 17 introductory chemistry students.
 
 
 
 
 

Chemistry Tutor

Chicago, IL

Jan 2017 – Jun 2018
Provided individual sessions for a local college student to excel in chemistry courses and fulfill dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Tutored a high school student at the University of Chicago lab School in advanced chemistry.
 
 
 
 
 

Teaching Assistant, Honors General Chemistry w/ Lab (CHEM 121-122)

University of Chicago

Sep 2016 – Mar 2017
Held weekly discussion sessions, open office hours, led laboratory sessions, graded lab reports and homework assignments for 12 introductory advanced chemistry students. Received extremely positive feedback, all students would choose as a TA again.
 
 
 
 
 

Math and Science Tutor

Tri-Cities WA

Sep 2015 – Sep 2016
Taught math and science to up to seven clients ranging in age from elementary school to high school over a variety of subjects including chemistry, biology algebra I, algebra II, pre-calculus, statistics, SAT and ACT prep. Within three months helped one client pass both biology and algebra after previously failing.
 
 
 
 
 

Peer Tutor, Pforzheimer Learning and Teaching Center

Wellesley College

Jan 2013 – May 2013
Answered questions and assisted students with their weekly problem sets and lecture notes for calculus (I, II and II), linear algebra, and differential equations.
 
 
 
 
 

Math Tutor

Weston, MA

Oct 2012 – Mar 2013
Worked one-on-one with a 4th grade girl to solve math problems using order of operations, algebra and problem solving skills.

Popular Topics

Algae Astrobiology Astrochemistry Bactera Bacteria Biochemistry Chemical Simulants Explosives Interferometry MALDI-TOF Materials Chemistry Metrology Microfluidics Microscopy NASA PNNL Surface Chemistry UChicago UHV Wellesley