Catherine J. Murphy facts for kids

Catherine J. Murphy, born in 1964, is an American chemist and materials scientist. She is a top professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She was the first woman to lead the chemistry department there. Dr. Murphy is famous for her work with tiny materials called nanomaterials. She is especially known for creating gold nanorods in a special way. She is a member of important science groups like the National Academy of Sciences.

Early Life and Education

Catherine J. Murphy was born in Morris Plains, New Jersey in 1964. Her family moved to the Chicago suburbs in 1974. She went to junior high and high school in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Dr. Murphy was the first in her family to go to college. She studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). While there, she did research in a lab. In 1986, she earned two Bachelor of Science degrees. She studied both chemistry and biochemistry. After college, she had a summer job at Amoco Research Center.

She then earned her doctorate degree in 1990. This was from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her studies focused on the surface chemistry of semiconductors. After her doctorate, she did more research. She was a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology. This work lasted from 1990 to 1993.

Her Career in Science

Dr. Murphy started teaching at the University of South Carolina in 1993. She was the first woman to get a permanent teaching position in that department. She stayed there until 2009. By 2003, she became a special professor of chemistry.

In 2009, she moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She became a chemistry professor there. In 2017, she received an even higher professorship. In 2020, Dr. Murphy made history again. She became the first woman to lead the chemistry department at UIUC.

At UIUC, she also works with many other departments. These include Bioengineering and Material Science. She is also a senior researcher for a special center. This center focuses on nanotechnology that is good for the environment.

Dr. Murphy has helped many students and researchers. She has guided over 7 visiting scientists. She has also mentored 12 postdoctoral researchers. Many graduate and undergraduate students have learned from her. She even advised high school students and teachers. She has won awards for being a great mentor.

She has written over 295 research papers. She also helped edit two books about nanotechnology. Since 2008, she has been a co-author of a popular chemistry textbook. It is called Chemistry: The Central Science. Her work is highly cited by other scientists. This means her research is very important and often used by others. She also holds three patents for her inventions.

Dr. Murphy has also served on important science journals. She was an editor for the Journal of Physical Chemistry. She is also a leader on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Welch Foundation.

Amazing Research

Dr. Murphy's research explores tiny nanomaterials. These are materials that are incredibly small. She also studies how DNA interacts with these materials.

She is most famous for her work with gold nanorods. These are tiny, rod-shaped pieces of gold. Her lab found a way to make these nanorods in a controlled way. This means they can create them with specific shapes and sizes. Her team also studies how these tiny gold rods behave. They look at their surface chemistry. They also study how they can be used in biology. Plus, they explore how these materials affect the environment.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Murphy has received many awards. These awards recognize her great work in research, teaching, and mentoring.

In 2008, she became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2015. In 2019, she joined the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is also a Fellow of other important groups. These include the American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Dr. Murphy has achieved many "firsts" for women in science. She was the first woman to get a permanent teaching position at USC Chemistry. She was also the first woman to lead the chemistry department at UIUC. In 2013, she won an award for her work with precious metals. In 2015, she received an award for inspiring women in STEM.

Her research has also earned her many specific awards. These include the National Science Foundation CAREER Award (1995). She also won the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship (1997). In 2019, she received the Linus Pauling Medal. In 2020, she won the American Chemical Society's Award in Inorganic Chemistry. She was the first woman to receive this award.

Her work is recognized globally. She was ranked among the top materials scientists and chemists. This ranking is based on how often her work is cited by other researchers. Being a "Highly Cited Researcher" means her work is in the top 1% of all research.

For her teaching, Dr. Murphy has also won many awards. These include the Cottrell Scholar Award (1996). She also won the University of South Carolina's award for excellence in teaching.

Personal Life

Catherine is married to Bob Murphy. They met when they were students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Bob Murphy was a math instructor. They live in Urbana, Illinois.