Trisha Andrew joins the Department of Chemistry as an assistant professor after a postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She completed her Ph.D. in organic chemistry at MIT in 2011.
Andrew, who earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in 2005, was one of five recipients of the 2011 L’Oreal USA Fellowships for Women in Science. She was hired using funding from the Madison Initiative for Undergraduates.
Welcome, Trisha! Tell us about your research.
My lab is comprised of synthetic chemists and device engineers interested in exploring the role of electron spin in light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells and memory-storage devices. We synthesize brightly-colored and highly-fluorescent organic dyes that are tailor-made and construct unique device architectures from the novel materials generated in our labs.
What courses do you teach?
CHEM 641 in the fall and an Organic Materials and Devices course for graduate students in the spring.
What can students expect in the classroom?
I favor demonstrative approaches to teaching Chemistry, as it is a very empirical subject as heart. Students can expect a lot of demos during lectures.
What are your interests outside of work?
That's a great question.
Are there any campus events that you're excited to attend?
I am looking forward to attending my first UW football game!
What's the best thing you've done in Madison so far?
Visited the State Capitol.