In 1999, Brock joined Wayne State University as an assistant professor in the department of chemistry and was promoted to full professor in 2009. Her research considers pnictide, pnictide oxides and chalcogenides. In particular, Brock is interested in the controlled growth of functional nanoparticles and nanostructures. She demonstrated that manganese arsenide nanoparticles have magnetic properties that depend on their dopant concentration, and offer hope for magnetic refrigeration.
Brock has also realised sol–gel processes that allow the formation of functional chalcogenide self-assemblies. The gel-like cadmium selenide (CdSe) and zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles are akin to a cross-linked polymer network, and can be supercritically dried to form porous aerogels. The aerogels have high surface areas and form a conductive network with the optical properties of the nanoparticles themselves.
Brock is responsible for the development of electron microscopy at Wayne State University. She serves as Deputy Editor of the American Chemical Society journal ACS Materials.