Michelle Foster

Michelle Foster is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She joined UMass Boston in 1999 and specializes in experimental physical chemistry with a focus on surface science and nanotechnology. Her research integrates advanced analytical techniques to study chemical processes at complex interfaces.

• PhD in Chemical Physics, University of Texas at Austin
• BS in Chemistry (ACS certified), University of Texas at Austin

Research Interests:

• Green/Environmental Chemistry: Surface reactions on metal oxide nanoparticles for heterogeneous catalysis and environmental remediation
• Materials Science: Design and characterization of core-shell nanomaterials
• Smart Nanoparticles: Biodegradable liquid metal nanocarriers for cancer therapy

Key Techniques: Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Raman Spectroscopy

Recent Publication Trends: Her work increasingly explores biomedical applications of nanoparticles, particularly in photodynamic cancer therapy, alongside continued environmental chemistry research involving metal oxides.

Lab Team: The Foster group employs optical and scanning probe microscopies to investigate interfacial chemical reactions, with student collaborators contributing to studies on nanocatalysts, liquid metal systems, and amyloid fibril dynamics.