Judith received her PhD in Chemistry from Caltech in 2014.  Her thesis focused on the organic functionalization of Si(111) surfaces with proton-reduction catalysts for solar-assisted water splitting reactions.  This work involved the use of surface-sensitive characterization techniques, including XPS and FTIR, and electrochemistry to study the interface between the silicon, the surface-bound complexes, and solution.  She joined the Friend lab in September 2014 and is currently studying nanoporous gold catalysts for solution phase oxidation reactions in both batch and flow reactors. These reactions are analyzed by GCMS and the catalysts are characterized before and after reaction using XPS and SEM. She will study the reaction mechanism under solution phase operating conditions for comparison with fundamental studies of surface-substrate interactions under UHV and in the gas phase, with the goal of developing and designing more efficient catalysts.