Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department of Chemistry
University of Rochester
Hutchinson Hall B28
120 Trustee Road
Rochester, New York 14627
Email: navkirankaur.juneja@rochester.edu
Education
B.Sc. (Hons) Chemistry, Panjab University, May 2016
M.Sc. (Hons) Chemistry, Panjab University, May 2018
Ph.D. Chemistry, Texas Tech University, August 2023
Research Interests
My research area focuses on design and characterization of multi-component solids in order to achieve desired physicochemical behaviors of the solids. These materials are synthesized and purified using recrystallization techniques and are further characterized using single crystal x-ray diffraction, FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. One solid-state behavior that I am really interested in looking at in different types of solids is thermal expansion (TE). TE is the tendency of the solids to undergo a change in shape, area, or overall volume with respect to any temperature alterations. Incorporating molecular motion-capable functional groups can be one criterion in order to engineer TE of solids. Different kinds of intermolecular interactions can be used in order to achieve target TE behavior of the solids. However, controlling these interactions along with molecular motions can impart challenges to the field and hence can be taken care of by using computational techniques along with terahertz and Raman spectroscopy.
Awards and Recognitions
- Finalist for Steadman Family Postdoctoral Associate Awards, University of Rochester, September 21st, 2023.
- Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship, TTU, 2022-23.
- Chemistry Graduate Student Organization Scholarship, TTU, 2022-23.
- Ming Sun Family Graduate Research Award, TTU, 2022-23.
- Ginny Shen Lin fellowship, TTU, 2021-22.
- Helen DeVitt Jones Graduate Fellowship, TTU, 2021-2023.
- Study abroad scholarship at TTU for Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Summer 2021 and Spring 2021.
- First place at Graduate 2021 poster competition, Texas Tech University – March 11th, 2021.
- Outstanding poster presentation award at CEMWOQ 6.5 – May 30-31st, 2020.
- Second poster prize graduate poster contest, Texas Tech university – Aug 2020.