Lotte Metz

PhD candidate
University of Amsterdam

Department

Homogeneous, Supramolecular and Bio-Inspired Catalysis

Contact information

Room
Science park 904 Amsterdam E1.05

Email address
l.l.metz@uva.nl

Key expertises

Nanoparticles – supramolecular chemistry – self-assembly – heterogeneous catalysis – catalyst synthesis

About me

After high school, I moved to Utrecht to study chemistry at the university of Applied sciences in Utrecht, and continued at the University of Amsterdam to follow the masters track Molecular design, synthesis and catalysis. Following this, I started working at Avantium working on electrocatalytic conversion of renewable feedstocks. After a bit more than a year, I felt drawn back to academic research. I like watersports, reading, singing, baking and listening to all sorts of music.

About my research

I started within CBBC as a PhD candidate in November 2018, under the supervision of prof. Joost Reek (UvA) to investigate novel ways for preparing nanoparticles with high precision, by exploring supramolecular self-assembly strategies. The size, structure and composition are essential to the characteristics of nanoparticles. However, common particle synthesis methods generally result in a statistical mixture of different sizes. For this reason, the goal of this project is to synthesize a ‘molecular mold’, which can facilitate precise control on particle formation, so we can find out which particle size performs best. What drives me in doing research, is constantly learning something new. Even experiments that did not turn out as you hoped can still be great fun, if you can find out exactly what happened. This is also why this project excites me a lot, it embodies many disciplines.

Academic career

Bachelor student 2010 - 2014: Bachelors degree at the university of Applied sciences in Utrecht. Research projects were at Griffin discoveries (pharmaceutical target synthesis scale up) and at the Homogeneous, Supramolecular and Bio-Inspired Catalysis group, at the University of Amsterdam. Master student 2015-2017: Master degree at the University of Amsterdam, Molecular design, synthesis and catalysis track. Research projects were at Center for exploitation of solar energy at Copenhagen University under supervision of Prof. Dr. M. B. Nielsen and at the Advanced research Centre for Nanolithography under supervision of Prof. dr. A. M. Brouwer (University of Amsterdam) PhD candidate 2018 – current day: Homogeneous, Supramolecular and Bio-Inspired Catalysis group, at the University of Amsterdam under de supervision of Prof. dr. J.N.H. Reek.

Awards and scientific honors

Poster prize CBBC symposium 2022