Authors

Robert Lascola

Robert Lascola is an Advisory Scientist in the Environmental & Legacy Management Directorate of Savannah River National Laboratory and Team Lead for the Online Monitoring group. Lascola’s work involves developing process and laboratory analytical methods using absorption, Raman/IR, X-ray, and fluorescence spectroscopies, including the development of chemometric analysis in support of those methods.

Prashant Jain

Prashant Jain is a G. L. Clark Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Jain earned his PhD at Georgia Tech and held research appointments at Harvard and UC Berkeley, focusing on ultrafast spectroscopy, magneto- and chiro-optics, and quantum dots. His research explores nanoscale light–matter interactions, plasmonic phenomena, and photocatalysis. A prolific author and widely cited scientist, he serves on major journal editorial boards, leads nanoDDSCAT tool development, and is an award-winning educator and academic leader at UIUC.

Will Wetzel

Will Wetzel is a Senior Editor for Spectroscopy magazine. He specializes in creating engaging, high-value content for diverse audiences. His role involves driving digital growth through KPI assessments, social media strategies, and innovative content development.

Wetzel is also a sports writer and commentator, serving as a freelance writer for several sports websites, including FanSided. He currently serves as the host, producer, and creator of “The Inside Fastball,” a LinkedIn newsletter that discusses topical issues in Major League Baseball (MLB). Outside of work, Wetzel volunteers with the Nashville Humane Association and Habitat for Humanity. His stated goal is to help build one house with Habitat for Humanity in every U.S. state.

Katharina Kronenberg

Katharina Kronenberg is an analytical chemist and postdoctoral researcher in the group of Prof. David Clases at the University of Graz (Austria). She began her academic career studying Chemistry at the University of Münster (Germany), where she developed a keen interest in Analytical Chemistry. Her initial research focused on laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) bioimaging. After earning a Master's degree in 2020, she joined Prof. Uwe Karst's research group at the University of Münster as a PhD student. Her approach combined molecular and elemental analysis techniques and provided comprehensive insights into cancer tissue. In these studies, she integrated diverse imaging techniques, including LA-ICP-MS, micro-X-ray fluorescence, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI)-MS, and infrared microspectroscopy. In 2024, she completed her PhD and joined the University of Graz, where she expands her expertise in bioimaging by employing time-of-flight-based ICP-MS and single particle ICP-MS. Additionally, her research emphasizes collaborative and interdisciplinary studies at the intersection of life science, computer science, and analytical chemistry to address current biological questions.