A good day is a productive one. There are some days when nothing goes right, or when instruments break, and those aren't very good. A good day is also when I learn something new. At Vanderbilt, there are many professors doing great research related to materials chemistry and when I can collaborate with them and learn a new technique or instrument, I'm happy. My work on fuel cell catalysts is part of a much larger effort in the United States to introduce fuel cells to pretty much any application that requires energy, from cars to cellular phones.
Fuel cells are essentially nonpolluting and are more efficient than internal combustion engines.
I expect to be in a chemistry-related career my whole life, be it in policy or as a researcher. I would be a historian or an astronomer. The Vanderbilt University chemistry department was moved into a new building in 1996. Its faculty teaches the normal spectrum of courses in analytical, organic, inorganic and physical chemistry. The department also is developing programs in biomedical work, materials studies and environmental science.