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 associate commmittee member of the Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs 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

Selected Media & Honors

Projects

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

Harvard: Astrochemistry

Employing chemical processing (electrons and ultraviolet) to experimentally understand how complex organic molecules form and are stable on interstellar ice analogs
Harvard: Astrochemistry

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.
NASA: Oxidative Stress Response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to heat shock

NIST: Single Photon Superconducting Nanowire Detectors (SNSPDs)

Novel methods to traceably measure the quantum efficiency and stability of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs).
NIST: Single Photon Superconducting Nanowire 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: Stretchable Superhydrophbic Materials

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: Vapor and particle detection of explosive materials

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.
PNNL: White Light Inteferometry for Biofilms

UChicago: Chemical Simulants

Destruction of nerve agent simulants.
UChicago: Chemical 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.
UChicago: Gas-Surface Dynamics

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.
Wellesley: Prostate Tumor Cell Proliferation

Publications

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Methyl Isocyanate Formation from Oxygen Insertion in Methyl Cyanide Ices

In cold molecular clouds, UV photolysis of icy grain mantles generates radicals that lead to new molecule formation. When radical …
MR Brann, KI Öberg, M Rajappan
PDF Project

Isotope Enrichment via Preferential Condensation of Isotopologues and Isotopes Under Non-equilibrium Gas-Surface Collision Conditions

SJ Sibener, MR Brann, SP Hansknecht
PDF Project

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
See all publications

Conference Presentations

Invited Oral Presentations

  1. “Acetonitrile Photochemistry in Interstellar Ice Analogs’’ Wellesley College Chemistry Seminar, Wellesley, MA, November, 2024.
  2. “Interstellar Ice Analog Chemistry’’ University of Richmond Chemistry Department Seminar, Richmond, VA, November 2024.
  3. “Interstellar Ice Analog Chemistry: Adsorption and Oxidative Reactivity.’’ University of Vermont Chemistry Seminar, Burlington, VT, October, 2024.
  4. “Condensed Phase Adsorption and Isotopic Enrichment With a Career Journey.” Wellesley College Seminar, Wellesley, MA, January 2024.
  5. “Condensed Phase Adsorption: Extraterrestrial Ices and Isotopic Enrichment.” University of Maryland Seminar, College Park, MD, August 2023.
  6. “The NRC Program at Federal Agencies.” American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, August 2023.
  7. “Condensed Phase Adsorption and Reactivity: Extraterrestrial Ices and Olefin Oxidation.” Physical Electronic Conference (PEC) Nottingham Prize Competition, Chicago, IL, June 2022. Award Finalist Talk.
  8. “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.
  9. “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. Award Finalist Talk.
  10. “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. AVS 2021 Graduate Research Award Talk.
  11. “Morphological and Temperature-Dependent Oxidative Reactivity of Olefin Thin Films.” Dynamics at Surfaces Gordon Research Seminar, Newport, RI, July 2019.

Seminars and Oral Presentations

  1. Radio Millimeter Submillimeter Seminar, Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA, April 2025.
  2. American Chemical Society Spring Meeting, San Diego, CA, March 2025.
  3. Institute for Theory and Computation Luncheon, Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA, October 2024.
  4. Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop, Kapa’a, Kauai, Hawaii, February 2024.
  5. SPIE Optics and Photonics Conference, San Diego, CA, August 2023.
  6. American Chemical Society Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 2022.
  7. Midwest Women in Science Conference, virtual, September 2021.
  8. American Vacuum Society Prairie Chapter Symposium, virtual, September 2021.
  9. Transcending Boundaries Research Symposium, virtual, April 2021.
  10. American Vacuum Society Prairie Chapter Symposium, Chicago, IL, September 2018.

Poster Presentations

  1. Origins of Solar Systems Gordon Research Conference South Hadley, MA, June 2025.
  2. Origins of Solar Systems Gordon Research Seminar, South Hadley, MA, June 2025.
  3. 2nd Annual RCSA Fellows Conference, Tucson, AZ, June 2025. Award Poster Session
  4. Celebrating Women’s Careers in Chemistry Poster Session, Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Cambridge, MA, March 2025.
  5. American Chemical Society Fall Meeting, Denver, CO, August 2024. CAS (Chemical Abstract Services) Future Leaders Poster Session, CAS, Columbus, OH, August 2024. Award Poster Session
  6. American Chemical Society Fall Meeting, Denver, CO, August 2024.
  7. CAS (Chemical Abstract Services) Future Leaders Poster Session, CAS, Columbus, OH, August 2024.
  8. Northeast Star and Planet Formation Meeting, MIT Haystack Observatory, MA, July 2024.
  9. American Chemical Society Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, August 2023.
  10. Astrochemistry at High Resolution Faraday Discussion, Baltimore, MD, May 2023.
  11. 30th Annual NIST Sigma XI Early-Career Poster Presentation, NIST, Gaithersburg, MD, May 2023.
  12. American Chemical Society Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 2022.
  13. Chemistry and Physics at Low Temperature, virtual, July 2022.
  14. Advanced Materials for Energy-Water Systems Annual Meeting, Argonne National Laboratory, IL, June 2022.
  15. 238th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, virtual, June 2021.
  16. American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting, virtual, February 2021.
  17. American Vacuum Society Prairie Chapter Symposium, virtual, September 2020.
  18. American Vacuum Society Prairie Chapter Symposium, Urbana, IL, September 2019.
  19. Dynamics at Surfaces Gordon Research Conference, Newport, RI, July 2019.
  20. American Chemical Society Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 2016.
  21. American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology meeting, Boston, MA, March 2015. Best Poster in Plant Metabolism

Teaching Experience

 
 
 
 
 

Teaching Fellow, The Interstellar Medium and Star (and Planet) Formation (Astro 203)

Harvard University

Jan 2025 – May 2025
Gave two one hour fifteen minute lectures about the chemistry of star formation. Additionally, responsible for creating problem sets, holding office hours to explain topics, and problem sets, grading the midterm, final and all problem sets for 11 graduate students
 
 
 
 
 

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 Harvard Interferometry MALDI-TOF Materials Chemistry Metrology Microfluidics Microscopy PNNL Surface Chemistry UChicago UHV Wellesley