OUR PEOPLE
Academic Credentials
- Ph.D., Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2011
- B.A., Chemistry, The College of Wooster, 2005
Licenses & Certifications
- Certified Smart Card Industry Professional for Government (CSCIP/G)
Professional Honors
- Phi Lambda Upsilon, The National Chemistry Honor Society, 2007
- Excellence in Research Award, The American Chemical Society Wooster Chapter, 2005
- Senior Thesis with Honors, The College of Wooster, 2005
Professional Affiliations
- American Chemical Society—ACS
- Document Security Alliance – Board Member, Program Committee Chair
Dr. Conron has expertise in secure identity document fabrication, assessment, and evaluation with a focus on document security features. She has experience working in many areas related to secure identity documents, from raw material testing to security printing to document manufacturing, focused on maximizing security feature quality and reducing the risk of document counterfeiting.
Dr. Conron has extensive experience using spectroscopic characterization methods, such as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, to determine material composition, identify surface contamination, and evaluate material compatibility. Dr. Conron currently serves on the board of the Document Security Alliance in Washington, DC.
In her work for Ä¢¹½tv, Dr. Conron has worked with many different printing techniques utilizing both paper and polymer substrates. These techniques include screen, inkjet, intaglio, thermal transfer, and offset printing. She is also well versed in laser personalization systems and the underlying chemistry. In addition to her work with printing techniques, she also has experience with lamination processes and equipment. Dr. Conron applies her knowledge in physical organic chemistry, coupled with spectroscopic testing methods, in performing evaluations of security features and anti-counterfeiting technologies, such as Optically Variable Devices (OVDs), Multiple Laser Images (MLIs), and security inks and printed images/text.
Dr. Conron has experience with a wide variety of physical characterization techniques including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved laser spectroscopy, and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). Additionally, Dr. Conron is skilled in standard organic synthesis and purification methods, molecular characterization (Gas Chromatography — Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Liquid Chromatography — Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX)), and organic thin film fabrication methods (spin coating and Vacuum Thermal Evaporation (VTE)).
Prior to joining Ä¢¹½tv, Dr. Conron worked as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Southern California where she specialized in fabrication, analysis, and optimization of thin film organic photovoltaics incorporating novel electron transporting dyes. At USC, she also studied interfacial dynamics and surface characterization of vapor- and solution-deposited organic solids. Before working at USC, Dr. Conron's Ph.D. research focused on synthesis and characterization of artificial photosynthetic systems for use as light harvesters and electron transporters. She analyzed the solution-phase electron transport properties via laser spectroscopy of organic donor-acceptor systems, nanoscale aggregates, and DNA hairpins.