{"id":59,"date":"2021-06-29T20:12:46","date_gmt":"2021-06-29T20:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/gretchen-potts\/?page_id=59"},"modified":"2025-07-31T18:46:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T18:46:15","slug":"research-in-the-potts-lab","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/gretchen-potts\/research-in-the-potts-lab\/","title":{"rendered":"Research in the Potts Lab"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I have several research interests including: analytical spectroscopy, forensic chemistry, environmental analytical chemistry, bioremediation, lasers, plasma sources, optics and sensors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Research Goals and Objectives:<\/strong>&nbsp;Presenting real-world applications of scientific theories gives the students the opportunity to understand how science interacts with their everyday lives. In addition, scientific material may seem less daunting when societal issues are addressed. Hands-on experience and applicability to the real world are key factors in encouraging students to think creatively and to expand on class-taught theories. Therefore, independent research is an essential component of undergraduate education. My research projects combine environmental and forensic science with analytical instrumentation to solve urgent issues. Research is conducted throughout the year, but it will be divided into short-term goals that can be accomplished during the summer term as well as during an academic semester. I believe that students who are engaged in dynamic problem solving develop essential skills that help them continue the learning process following their formal education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Past Group Members (<a href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/gretchen-potts\/files\/2021\/06\/PastStudents.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">list of past students and projects<\/a>)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>(UTC Gr<\/em><em>aduation year in parenthesis, departmental honors thesis indicated by asterisk)<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mitchell Lutey (2021-2022)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Robert Donaldson (2020-2021)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alivia Fann (2020-2021)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Samantha Sweck (2020)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Elizabeth Zuy (2020)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cintly Guzman-Hernandez (2018)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Falander Lamar Houston (2017)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Peyton Scott (2017)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Myranda DeMailly (2017)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Katherine Adorati (2016)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jay Patel (2016)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Veronica Hubble (2014)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jessica Murray (2014)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Joshua Justice (2013)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amy Balestrino (2012)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Katherine Thurman (2012)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Samantha Hughey (2011)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Matthew Stephens (2011)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Daniel Burriss (2010)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>German Morera (2010)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Holly Lynch (2010)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shanelle Newton (2010)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jessica Moerman (2009)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sarah Easparam (2008)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chris Randolph (2008)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Janet Jones (2006)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deana Goods (2005)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Timothy Brooks (2007)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kira Shurtz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kim Bryson<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jane Dickerson (2005)*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chanda Cooper (2004)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/webarchive.utc.edu\/faculty\/gretchen-potts\/images\/2012urp-jjustice.jpg?ox=\" alt=\"Student next to ICP\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/webarchive.utc.edu\/faculty\/gretchen-potts\/images\/2011pittcon-student.jpg\" alt=\"Students at Pittcon\" title=\"Research Students: Katie, Samantha, Amy and Matt\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/webarchive.utc.edu\/faculty\/gretchen-potts\/images\/2012pittcon-students.jpg\" alt=\"Students at Disney\" title=\"Research Students: Amy and Katie\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/webarchive.utc.edu\/faculty\/gretchen-potts\/images\/2009sermacs-student.jpg\" alt=\"Student on snorkeling tour in PR\" title=\"Research Student: Daniel\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have several research interests including: analytical spectroscopy, forensic chemistry, environmental analytical chemistry, bioremediation, lasers, plasma sources, optics and sensors. Research Goals and Objectives:&nbsp;Presenting real-world applications of scientific theories gives the students the opportunity to understand how science interacts with their everyday lives. In addition, scientific material may seem less daunting when societal issues are&hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><span><a class=\"more-link button text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/gretchen-potts\/research-in-the-potts-lab\/\"><span>Continue Reading <\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1780,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-59","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Research in the Potts Lab - Gretchen E. Potts, Ph.D. Archive<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/gretchen-potts\/research-in-the-potts-lab\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Research in the Potts Lab - Gretchen E. Potts, Ph.D. Archive\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I have several research interests including: analytical spectroscopy, forensic chemistry, environmental analytical chemistry, bioremediation, lasers, plasma sources, optics and sensors. Research Goals and Objectives:&nbsp;Presenting real-world applications of scientific theories gives the students the opportunity to understand how science interacts with their everyday lives. In addition, scientific material may seem less daunting when societal issues are&hellip; Continue Reading\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/gretchen-potts\/research-in-the-potts-lab\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gretchen E. 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