Weinberg College welcomes Assistant Professor Dayne Swearer to the Department of Chemistry! Professor Swearer recently spoke about his background and shares how he discovered his passion for research.
Where are you from? Where did you study?
I was born and raised in the small steelmaking town of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. For undergrad, I attended Drexel University in Philadelphia, where I completed a BS/MS program in Chemistry. During my time at Drexel, I absolutely fell in love with research and decided to pursue my Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at Rice University in Houston, Texas. For the last two years, I’ve been training as a postdoctoral scholar in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Stanford University.
What inspired you to pursue your area of study?
I fell in love with chemistry because I was fortunate enough to have a high school chemistry teacher who was passionate about science and was always willing to go the extra mile. Once I reached Drexel, my freshman year English 101 professor took the initiative to introduce me to a team of like-minded students working on research projects related to clean energy and sustainability. Coming from a small town, I didn’t realize the potential that a career in science and engineering research could have to help address some of the world’s toughest problems and these two mentors have been major points of inspiration for the studies I’ve pursued since.
Please describe your research.
My research largely focuses on finding ways to offset the global demand for fossil fuels by taking a page out of nature’s playbook and using light as the primary source of energy to drive chemical reactions of industrial and societal importance. By nanoengineering certain materials, we can exploit resonant excitations of solid-state and molecular systems to drive chemical reactions in ways not observed in traditional heat-driven processes. I dream that one day society will be able to fully exploit radiant energy for clean, large-scale chemical production.
What are you working on right now that excites you the most?
I’m always juggling several different projects, but right now I’m most excited about working with the engineers and architects at Northwestern to build out my lab spaces in the Catalysis Center! I’ve never designed a lab before, but it’s been a fun challenge and I’m eager to start working in those spaces in a few months.
How do you enjoy spending your free time?
I like to stay active. This usually includes getting outside and going for a run or a hike to give my brain a chance to reset and relax, even if my body is still working hard. For the last few years, I’ve spent a lot of my weekends rock climbing in the Sierra Nevada mountains which has given me a chance to enjoy the wonders of nature while participating in a little vertical meditation.
What is most fulfilling to you about teaching?
For me, the most fulfilling aspects of teaching are tied between the “ah-ha” moments that students finally have after persistently working to understand complex topics and the joy of bumping into my students many semesters (…and sometimes many years) after our class together and hearing about all the great things they’ve gone on to accomplish. Helping students both short and long-term is one of the main reasons I’ve pursued this career in the first place.
What accomplishments would you like to share?
One accomplishment that has reinforced my mission is that many of the core principles and discoveries I helped establish during my doctoral research have gone on to be licensed by a Houston-based startup. Although I am no longer directly affiliated with the company, I am still proud that I helped get the technology out of the research lab and into a company employing dozens of people. I’m excited to bring this entrepreneurial spirit to my research at Northwestern.
Why did you decide to come to Northwestern?
My research requires a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach. Between the world-class research facilities and the amazing people that I’ll get to call my colleagues it was clear that Northwestern was the best place in the world for me to start my independent career.
What’s a fun fact that you want to share with the Northwestern community?
I make a darn good apple pie.