Claire is a fourth-year undergraduate student, double majoring in molecular engineering and chemistry. She is from Naperville, Illinois, and became deeply interested in science and engineering after taking chemistry and physics in high school. Claire serves as a co-president of Benzene, the University of Chicago's Undergraduate Chemistry Society, and also helps manage the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering website and all of the PME social media channels. Additionally, Claire is heavily involved with the classical music scene in Chicago, having previously been a University Ambassador for Lyric Opera of Chicago, and has also studied under Maestro Riccardo Muti at his Italian Opera Academy in Ravenna, Italy.
Claire's research is currently focused on the analysis of the electrochemical behavior of thin film solid polymer electrolytes in extreme conditions. The work has implications for the development of more robust solid state batteries and energy storage technologies. Her previous research revolved around the engineering of a robust biomaterial, with the correct biophysical and biochemical cues, capable of driving and enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration. In collaboration with Professor Joshua Gasiorowski at Midwestern University, she analyzed the effects of biomimetic surface topography, fabricated from soft lithography techniques, on the alignment and growth of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) axons. The work has tremendous potential for the development of an implantable hydrogel or scaffold material that can aid peripheral nerves in reaching their target tissue after injury.
Publications:
Interrogation of Electrochemical Properties of Polymer Electrolyte Thin Films with Interdigitated Electrodes
Sharon, D., Bennington, P., Liu, C., Kambe, Y., Dong, B. X., Burnett, V. F., … Nealey, P. F. (2018). Interrogation of Electrochemical Properties of Polymer Electrolyte Thin Films with Interdigitated Electrodes. Journal of The Electrochemical Society , 165(16), H1028–H1039. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0291816jes