Rachel Morrish

Teaching Professor, Associate Department Head

As an alumna from the CBE department, I could not be happier to be back at Mines teaching the very same classes I attended as a student here. While I’ve taught many of the core chemical engineering courses, you’ll most frequently find me listed as an instructor for thermodynamics (both sophomore and junior levels). In my classes I like to show students how thermodynamics impacts not only engineering, but many other aspects of our everyday lives. My research interests are in the surface chemistry and processing of thin film materials. Outside of teaching, I enjoy coordinating hands-on outreach activities for kids and helping Mines students find ways to incorporate a study abroad experience into their degree program.

Education

• BS – Colorado School of Mines
• PhD – University of Arizona

Selected Publications

• M. W. Liberatore, R. M. Morrish, and C. R. Vestal, “Effectiveness of Just In Time Teaching on Student Achievement in an Introductory Thermodynamics Course,” Adv. Eng. Edu., 6, 1, (2017).
• M. Schenato, C. L. Azanza Ricardo, P. Scardi, R. Edla, A. Miotello, M. Orlandi, and R. Morrish, “Effect of annealing and nanostructuring on pulsed laser deposited WS₂ for HER catalysis,” Appl. Cat. A, 510, 156 (2015).
• R. Morrish, T. Haak, and C. A. Wolden, “Low-temperature synthesis of n-type WS₂ thin films via H₂S plasma sulfurization of WO₃,” Chem. Mater., 26, 3986, (2014).
• R. Morrish and A. J. Muscat, “Dealloying multiphase AgCu thin films in supercritical CO₂,” J. Phys. Chem. C, 117, 12071, (2013).
• R. Morrish, R. Silverstein, and C. A. Wolden, “Synthesis of stoichiometric FeS₂ using plasma assisted sulfurization of Fe₂O₃ nanorods,” J. Am. Chem. Soc, 134, 17854, (2012).
• R. Morrish, M. Rahman, J. M. D. MacElroy, C. A. Wolden, “Activation of hematite nanorod arrays for photoelectrochemical water splitting,” ChemSusChem, 4, 474, (2011).
• R. Morrish and A. J. Muscat, “Nanoporous silver with controllable optical properties formed by chemical dealloying in supercritical CO₂,“ Chem. Mater., 21, 3865, (2009).

Honors and Awards

• 2016/17 & 2017/18 Outstanding Faculty in CBE
• 2014 Fulbright Scholar Grant (Italy)
• 2011 NSF American Competiveness in Chemistry (ACC) Fellowship