Alumnus Spotlight: Martin Donakowski
By Irena Garic
Where are you from, and where did you go to school as an undergraduate?
I was originally born just outside of Chicago in Park Ridge, IL but grew up in Saint Paul, MN and subsequently went to the University of Minnesota to study Chemistry.
How did you become interested in your research?
I was drawn to chemistry as proactive environmentalism: I worked at my undergraduate institution in an ecological lab monitoring water samples. I then looked at dye sensitized solar cells with Prof. Wayne Gladfelter at UMN. In between my undergraduate and graduate research, I had a three-month predoctoral position to examine large scale zinc oxide nanoparticle synthesis at the Universität Duisburg-Essen In Duisburg, Germany. At Northwestern I studied with Ken Poeppelmeier to evaluate vanadium oxide chemistry: I was specifically interested in the variety of chemistry vanadium can do (optics, memory, piezoelectrics, catalysis, batteries). I felt this research on fundamental oxide chemistry enabled me to do many things that proactively assist green chemistry (from solar cells to batteries to waste remediation). I continued this with my National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory where I researched capacitors and pseudocapacitors that used metal oxides and porous carbons.
Did being a Reaxys PhD Prize winner (2013) help you in your career?
I felt very fortunate to be one of the three Reaxys PhD prize winners in 2013 - it showcased the academic work I did that may not be particularly 'commercial'. It helped to highlight how specific thought processes, chemistries, ways of thinking, and ways of communication are critical to scientific process and discourse. Solid state chemistry can get overlooked as it typically isn't 'wet chemistry' and lies in between physics, chemistry, mineralogy, and biology. Northwestern has had and continues to have a clear strong suit/history in this field with Basolo, Ibers, Pearson, Poeppelmeier, Kanatzidis, Freedman (and others - apologies to those I didn't mention!). The Reaxys prize gave me the opportunity to explain solid state chemistry to a larger community of scientists. The versatility of applications of solid-state chemistry and variety of research it exposed me to helped me to navigate research projects that are very different from one to the next and change rapidly.
Tells us more about your decision to move into a career as a science and engineering consultant?
To be honest - I didn't know what an engineering consultant was until I spoke with a friend at Exponent and fellow Northwestern Alum (Natalie Gruenke from the Van Duyne group)! Natalie works at Exponent's office located outside of San Francisco. She talked with me about the types of interesting work she does with polymers, spectroscopy, and optics. I was really intrigued with the diversity and complexity/importance of work that is done by Exponent: I work with the team that completed the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery failure root cause investigation. Others at Exponent have worked on investigations for the Challenger failure, the September 9/11 Twin Tower collapses, the Toyota Vehicle Recalls, and others. I first thought engineering consulting might be like management consulting - which can be a very exciting career but not something I was personally interested in. I was enthralled with the level of work I can do on a scientific and intellectual level and the opportunity to speak with high tier companies to provide scientific/engineering advice. Though travel is not required in my work, I've gotten to work at our London and New York City offices in the last month which has been exhilarating to say the least. Through this I've been able to stay abreast with current research in academic worlds to provide engineering solutions to companies.
What was the best part about being in the Poeppelmeier Group?
Ken! And other faculty at Northwestern - but Ken allowed me the independence to explore topics of Interest to me and welcomed new thoughts, concepts, and methods while still providing a guiding ear at all hours (even during late night runs at ANL!). This fostered a welcoming environment in the lab which led to deep friendships, trust, and work within the group that drove projects to interesting avenues (optics, catalysis, batteries, etc.). I keep in touch with members of the group and consider them lifelong friends.
What advice would you give to the current graduate students?
I would advise students to not limit themselves to one project but to get diverse experience and to evaluate ways to make grad work more efficient (such as automating tasks with programming): take more classes than required for scientific writing, presenting, communication, and/or programming. Or a course that just might be fun - if you are past your qual you might only be able to audit a class but that is also worthwhile (I did this with Prof. Van Duyne). Don't forget hobbies - they will make you life long friends and aid your career - but don't focus solely on your career. Get out of the lab more and enjoy Chicago (particularly the restaurants and blues music at Kingston Mines - an NU student ID will get you in without cover Sunday - Thursday).
There's no such thing as a perfect thesis so be open to a project not being completely satisfying and learn to be okay with a paper being 'done enough' to say what is needed. Loose ends will always remain in work since research is never complete. People frequently tell students to 'network' but that's become a bad word to describe what has helped me and others. "Networking" at conferences or career fairs is better described as collaborating. Similar to collaborating on a paper/project, ask how can you help a company with your background and how can the company help you? Would you want to work with them? Those have been much better questions in my life and career than trying to give a business card to everyone.
When looking for jobs after a PhD: broadcast that you are job searching (via social media, word of mouth, phone calls etc.). Send emails to people you don't know and what you are looking for in a career (be they an alum, an employee at a company, HR). I was bashful after my PhD and thought It to be intrusive to do so but people and alum want to help others and we (Exponent) are constantly hiring and looking for candidates - please email me! I'm happy to provide advice and talk by phone etc. with advice - even for current students looking to work elsewhere.
What is your favorite pastime?
Welding and wood work. I am happiest when I'm doing artistic welding - MIG/TIG welding of sculptures. I've lately worked on more mixed media projects using wood / metal / electronics / fabric. The coursework and research I've done on solid state chemistry has been useful at times in these ventures!
Students can email Martin (mdonakowski@exponent.com) and he is happy to answer any questions / please see his professional profile.