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Name: Sam Deutsch
Year: Ph.D. candidate
Major: Chemical engineering
Hometown: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
How did you choose USC? I was attracted to USC because of its research opportunities. One summer, while I was at Brown University—that’s where I did my undergraduate work—I participated in USC’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU). I tried it out, liked it, and came here for graduate studies.
When did you officially start? I came to USC in 2001, defended my Ph.D. dissertation proposal in 2003, and then set off for Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, where I spent a semester investigating zeolite materials for reducing nitric oxide from simulated automobile exhaust. Now, I’m conducting research in the field of environmental catalysis with professor Michael Amiridis, who is my research advisor, and also happens to be chairman of the department. Professor Chris Williams has been another significant figure for me here at USC. We work together on research, and I also emulate him in the classroom through my teaching assistant duties.
When will you graduate? I’m scheduled to graduate in summer 2006, and then I’ll be looking for a post-doc to create some breadth in my experience.
And professionally? Well, I’m not looking to go into industry. I’m not motivated by the thought of designing a plant or refining oil. I want to work on research projects where “long term” doesn’t mean six months. I hope to eventually go into a government laboratory to investigate materials that eliminate toxic chemicals. From what I’ve heard, the environment there is more conducive to quality work than the profit-sector, plus, you are surrounded by tons of smart people. I’m a newlywed, by the way. My wife is majoring in biology here at USC. I met her here in South Carolina, actually; we were introduced by mutual friends. One of the reasons why we get along so well is because we both have scientific minds. It’s also exciting because she just began organic chemistry, and she is starting to be able to understand what I do here in the laboratory.
You’re having an outstanding fall: you also received a substantial fellowship from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. I received a GRO Fellowship from the EPA. The program supports quality environmental education and encourages students to pursue careers in environmentally related fields. The fellowship provides up to $37,000 per year for up to three years.
Describe your research. My research group focuses on making catalysts for multiple purposes. My work involves developing catalysts that have traditionally been used for environmental purposes; more specifically, we’re using specialty polymers known as PAMAM dendrimers to stabilize noble metal nanoparticles, like platinum and druthenium, and use them for catalysis. We’re using this technique in order to have better control over the size and composition of the metal nanoparticles, because these parameters are very important when it comes to chemical activity. Our goal is to have these specialty polymers increase the level of control on an atomic scale. This is just one aspect of nanotechnology in catalysis. In fact, the work is part of the USC NanoCenter.
9/05
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