Jocelyn Brown
Updated: Nov 28, 2018
2018 REU Student Profile
Jocelyn is studying chemistry at Virgina State Univeristy in Petersburgh, Virginia. This summer she joined the Gudmundsdottir research group. She is working with Dylan Shields on understanding the movements of photodynamic crystals.
Photodynamic Crystals
I am working on 'dancing crystals' which are photoresponsive crystals that bend, hop, shatter and explode when exposed to light. The response is a result of gas being trapped within the different crystal structures and escaping. My part is to perform synthesis reactions and crystallization of compounds. Real world applications of the energy from the gas released by the crystals could possibly be used in other areas of study such as medicine, where it could be used to inflate surgical balloons in a more efficient way.
- Jocelyn Brown