Christina Bauer

Biography

Professor Christina Bauer graduated from Bloomsburg University, PA in 1999, receiving a ACS-accredited Bachelor’s in Chemistry. Here, research regarding ab initio studies of cis-trans isomerization of diglycine in water. At the University of Arizona and Georgia Institute of Technology, Bauer studied the synthesis and structure-assembly relationships of metal nanoparticles and their coupling with two- photon organic dyes under the direction of Joseph Perry, receiving a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from U of A in 2005. Here, various nanomaterial synthetic and characterization methods were used, as well as advanced spectroscopies and two-photon microfabrication. A brief time was spent at Ventana Medical Systems, Inc, where Bauer investigated the bioconjugation of metal and semiconductor nanoparticles (quantum dots) for use in tissue staining and fluorescence imaging. As a postdoctoral appointee at Sandia National Laboratories in 2005, Bauer studied bio-inspired routes to the formation of silica nanoparticles in confined environments and the synthesis of novel fluorescent metal organic frameworks (MOFs) for optical and radiation sensing studies.  Bauer also served as a guest lecturer at Clark Atlanta University (a historically black college and university (HBCU) in Atlanta, GA. Finally, at UCLA, Bauer was the recipient of a NSF Discovery Corps Fellowship, entitled, “Nanomaterials: Bridging the Achievement Gap.” Here, Bauer continued research in synthesis, characterization, and sensing via fluorescent hybrid nanoparticle composites and the development and study of metal organic frameworks (MOFs). Also, as part of this fellowship, demonstrations and lectures were developed and presented to community colleges and Los Angeles area high school teachers.

Research Interest

Professor Christina Bauer’s research goals are focused towards the development of luminescent, nanostructured materials for the manipulation of light and for chemical sensing.  There is a fundamental need for efficient, portable, and tunable light emitting materials to support the development of technologies in many fields, from medicine (e.g. tissue imaging) to homeland security (e.g. radiation detection). To advance beyond the current state-of-the-art, improvements in the sensitivity, stability, and control of such materials are required and nanomaterials are a potential solution.  This work involves structural design, chemical synthesis, and physical characterization, and in some cases utilizes green chemistry techniques in order to reduce environmental impact. Bauer’s research will find direct application in sensing, and may also prove useful in other areas such as in light-emitting diodes, or as biomarkers in biomedical research.