Lydia Kisley

Lydia Kisley is the Ambrose Swasey Associate Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics at Case Western Reserve University's College of Arts and Sciences. Her research integrates physics, chemistry, and engineering to study molecular interactions in complex materials using advanced optical microscopy techniques. She leads an interdisciplinary lab focused on single-molecule spectroscopy and the development of novel microscopies.

Her educational background includes a B.S. from Wittenberg University (2010) and a Ph.D. from Rice University (2015).

• B.S., Wittenberg University (2010)
• Ph.D., Rice University (2015)

Dr. Kisley’s research interests center on understanding molecular behavior at bio/soft/metal interfaces. She aims to bridge molecular-scale phenomena with macroscopic material performance, particularly in industrial and medical applications. Her lab develops new microscopy and analysis methods to track molecular adsorption, diffusion, conformational changes, and reactivity across space, time, and temperature. Key research areas include separations (especially chiral and rare earth element extraction), corrosion (real-time, in situ monitoring), and extracellular matrix dynamics (protein transport in biological environments). Her work emphasizes quantitative, molecular-level insights to replace trial-and-error approaches in material design.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend in single-molecule imaging applied to materials challenges. Her work spans from fundamental biophysics to applied engineering, with a growing emphasis on sustainability and green technologies. Articles focus on fluorophore development for corrosion detection, super-resolution imaging of biological environments, computational analysis of diffusion, and transformative approaches to separation science. A unifying theme is the development of methods to extract meaningful data from noisy or complex systems.

She has received notable scientific recognition:

• U.S. Department of Energy Early Career Research Program Award (2024), $875,000 grant for rare earth element microscopy research

Dr. Kisley actively mentors students and researchers at all levels. She advises graduate and undergraduate students in interdisciplinary projects, with several undergraduates contributing to publications and awards. She has secured significant external funding, including the DOE Early Career grant, to support her lab’s research on sustainable separation technologies. Her collaborations span departments at CWRU and include researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She encourages student involvement in high-impact science related to energy and sustainability.

The Kisley Lab maintains active research facilities, including a microscopy laboratory in Rockefeller Hall and a wet chemistry lab in AW Smith Hall. The team includes postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduates working on projects in biophysics, materials science, and chemical engineering. The lab fosters a collaborative environment with regular group meetings and opportunities for hands-on training in advanced instrumentation.