Georgetown College. Georgetown University.

Michael McGillen hopes to use his experience working in Dr. Tong's lab in a future career. (Photo: Roland Dimaya)

October 27, 2008

By Kara Burritt

Georgetown junior Michael McGillen has the unique perspective of having recently completed his research in Dr. Tong’s nanoparticles lab, a position from which he can fully reflect on his experience. Under the guidance of Tong and the lab's graduate research assistants, he built a greater knowledge of nanoscale catalysts and the meticulous labor involved in this type of research. For McGillen, who is originally from Oak Park, Illinois, the skills he cultivated through his work as a chemistry research assistant will be useful, not just in future lab experiments, but in all his personal endeavors.

McGillen's primary focus was working with a nanoscale system of platinum (III) tin in the capacity of catalyzing energy production. The initial portion of his research involved synthesizing platinum (III) tin nanoparticles, which, upon successful completion, was the sample used in testing. McGillen and graduate student Bingchen Du ran electrochemical experiments on the nanoparticles in order to determine the catalytic efficiency of the system. However, McGillen quickly learned that experimenting with nanoscale materials is delicate work.

"My experiences in Dr. Tong's lab taught me to be patient," he explains.  "As with any science, chemistry takes time; you cannot rush it."

McGillen found that rushing could result in failed experiments, which can not only be a waste of time, but also a danger when encountered in the chemistry lab. He reflects, "I obtained my best results when I came into the lab with a clear but persistent mind."

Though McGillen's research has concluded, he appreciates the opportunity for first-hand practice that Tong’s lab afforded him. He says, "I learned that experience is among the most valuable things a person can have. Just listening to Dr. Tong and his graduate students, I learned an immense amount about their experiments, my experiments, and chemistry in general." It is this type of active learning with broad applications that Tong emphasizes for his students both in class and in the research lab.

"If a student wants to learn," says Tong, "I have the availability." He views the research positions available in his lab as learning opportunities to be taken advantage of by self-motivated students like McGillen.

And McGillen, a math major with minors in chemistry and economics, is continuing to build his résumé of experience in other areas as well. He is an active member of the Georgetown University Investment Fund, work that will build his background in finance and perhaps ultimately aid in his post-college endeavors.

McGillen is considering applying his interest in chemistry to a career on the corporate side of pharmaceuticals. He explains, "Developing a plan for how a drug or chemical can be patented, marketed, and distributed can be just as interesting as creating the drug or chemical itself." Such a conclusion shows that McGillen is already taking what he learned in his research experience on to the next stage. 

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