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Three materials science students earn prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 21:59:25 +0000

Three materials science students earn prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowships Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/06/2023 - 15:59

Three students in materials science and engineering have earned National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships for 2023, a recognition of their strong potential for outstanding research in graduate school and beyond.

The awards recognize outstanding graduate students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

The three winners in MSE are among 29 students from across the College of Engineering and Applied Science receiving the awards. Each recipient will receive coverage of tuition and fees, $37,000 annual stipend for the next three years, as well as professional development opportunities.

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Chaney and Wyatt selected for NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:53:17 +0000

Chaney and Wyatt selected for NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/25/2022 - 08:53

Jonathan Raab

Tom Chaney

Tom Chaney of the Toney Group and Keenan Wyatt were selected by the National Science Foundation for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program, which provides significant financial support for graduate students engaged in STEM research.

“A NSF graduate fellowship is one of the most prestigious fellowships that a graduate student can receive,” said Professor Stephanie Bryant, director of the Materials Science and Engineering Program. “This fellowship not only recognizes academic excellence, but also recognizes the potential of the student to make a significant impact on society. The MSE program is fortunate to have an amazing group of talented graduate students like Tom and Keenan.”

Tom Chaney, Toney Group

Chaney is working towards developing high performance organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices for renewable energy applications.

“OPVs are solar cells made of an ultrathin film of organic molecules that allows them to be flexible, semi-transparent and lightweight which provide advantages over traditional silicon solar panels in applications such as building integrated photovoltaics,” Chaney said. “My research aims to understand how the morphology, or arrangement of molecules, within the OPV can influence the efficiency of the device, and ultimately how we can modify the chemical structures of the molecules along with processing conditions to optimize the morphology for device efficiency.”

To better understand the structure-processing performance interplay, Chaney utilizes high-intensity X-rays generated by synchrotrons to probe the morphology of these OPV materials during various stages of film formation.

“Measuring how these X-rays scatter through the OPV material reveals information on the arrangement of molecules that will provide a broad understanding of how these films form and explain why performance changes with different chemistries and processing conditions,” he said. “I work closely with a diverse group of skilled researchers in a multi-university team called the Center for Self-Assembled Organic Electronics to rapidly integrate these results into new organic synthesis, computational modeling and device fabrication efforts.”

Keenan Wyatt

Professor Michael Toney is Chaney’s advisor.

“I am very happy to see Tom receive this well-deserved fellowship for his research in organic solar cells and his outreach activities for the university involving the Boulder Valley and Denver school districts,” Toney said. “I expect Tom will accomplish great science over the course of his PhD and throughout his career."

Chaney thanked Toney, his family and his many mentors who helped foster his passion for science.

Keenan Wyatt

Wyatt’s proposal for the NSF GRFP was based on research into metal halide perovskites.

“These are materials that have a lot of hype and promise to become the superior solar photovoltaic technology within the next decade,” Wyatt said. “There are plenty of scientific challenges to overcome with perovskites including stability and environmental safety. In my proposal, I suggested a way to electronically dope the perovskite while simultaneously removing toxic lead from the baseline material. To address the stability issue, I suggested partnering with a computational group to screen for stable and metastable stoichiometries.”

Wyatt thanked several people for their support.

“I would like to thank James Young for giving me the confidence to apply,” he said. “I would like to thank Tim White for assigning a proposal as part of his materials class curriculum and I would like to thank Mike McGehee for unknowingly inspiring the proposal.”

This fellowship program includes an annual stipend of $34,000 for three years, with $12,000 provided to the students’ institution as a cost of education allowance.

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MSE Student Profile: Melvin Colorado Escobar

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:12:30 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Melvin Colorado Escobar Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/17/2021 - 10:12

Jonathan Raab

Melvin Colorado Escobar

Melvin Colorado Escobar is a second year PhD candidate in the Responsive and Programmable Materials Group under the supervision of Gallogly Professor Timothy White. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry at the American University in Washington, DC and his master's degree in chemistry at UC Irvine in California.

What brought you to CU Boulder?

Family brought me to Colorado after I obtained my master's degree from UC Irvine. After moving to Colorado, I wanted to continue studying to earn a PhD and be the first in my family to obtain this degree. I had visited the CU Boulder campus before and loved the collaborative culture vibe and found the research to be a good fit for my background. The people and abundance of outdoor activities around campus make CU Boulder a perfect work-life balance for getting my PhD.

Where are you from?

My family is from San Salvador, El Salvador. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California. School allowed me to travel across the country and learn about many other cultures and languages.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?

My research focus is on soft materials. Currently I am working with liquid crystal elastomers as actuators with various applications.

What attracted you to the MSE program?

I have always been interested in multi-disciplinary research projects. Being able to collaborate across programs was attractive to me because it fosters innovative ideas. I also like meeting new people because it helps me find solutions by seeing multiple perspectives.

How has the program benefited your research?

I have been able to be part of some collaborations and do research that is application focused. There are internal fellowships such as GAANN, which I was able to get. This has given me some freedom to explore projects that interest me and also do some outreach. I am very passionate about outreach because as a first-generation student, I could’ve benefitted from seeing representation in higher education.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?

I moved to Colorado during the COVID-19 pandemic, prior to applying to graduate school, I worked as a professional research assistant in Professor White’s lab. My first day in the lab was the day everything shut down. I had not met everyone in the lab nor been trained on anything. However, my lab peers and advisor were all very supportive and quickly transitioned to the virtual environment. This time was challenging for all of us, but we tried to make each other laugh until we were able to go back to in-person work.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life?

I have been able to prioritize my physical health by attending a daily Muay Thai class. I commute daily and this is a sport I used to do in high school and has helped me manage the demands of graduate school. On the weekends, I try to go outdoors and explore nature with my fiancé. This program is designed for students to be able to prioritize their passions.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?

Apart from the outdoor activities and beautiful nature around the campus, there is a culture of collaboration. I think this culture really fosters learning and enables us to pursue our individual research interests, while supporting each other. The students and the faculty really value working together to solve problems and come up with new ideas.

Where might you want to go next (industry, academia, national lab, etc.)?

My ideal goal would be to work at a national lab conducting my own research projects. I previously worked at NIST as an undergraduate and really enjoyed the work culture. I have also thought about being in academia because I enjoy teaching and mentoring future generations of students.

What do you do for fun or in your spare time (if you have any!)?

I enjoy going out with my fiancé to explore nature. We like seeing the buffalo at the National Wildlife Refuge and Genesee Park. During the pandemic, we also held several virtual game nights with family and friends. After getting vaccinated we have been exploring Denver nightlife with friends.

My favorite movies and shows have always been about superheroes. Growing up, I always liked the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. My favorite was Donatello (the purple one). He was always making some gadgets for the team and I thought It would be awesome to be able to make cool things like that. I think now as I am doing research, I find myself making samples or thinking of new applications or ideas for something that could benefit society.

Melvin Colorado Escobar is a second year PhD candidate in the Responsive and Programmable Group under the supervision of Gallogly Professor Timothy White. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry at the American University in Washington, DC and his master's degree in chemistry at UC Irvine in California.

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MSE Student Profile: Meagan Arguien

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 17:32:07 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Meagan Arguien Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/20/2021 - 11:32

Jonathan Raab

Meagan Arguien

Meagan Arguien is a second year graduate student in the Bowman Research Group. She earned her BS in chemical engineering from Clarkson University in 2020. She hails from Churchville, New York.

What brought you to CU Boulder?

When I started looking at graduate schools, my interest was drawn to schools that had the prestige of well known professors in the area of polymer research. As I began looking closer at my top choices, I became increasingly attracted to CU Boulder for the professors doing research as well as the feeling of community that exists here. Boulder combines all of the top qualities I saw in other universities — interesting and groundbreaking research opportunities, driven research groups and a location that supports a ‘research-life balance.’

Aside from research opportunities, CU Boulder also has one of the most interesting surrounding areas. Choosing where I would attend during the COVID-19 pandemic meant not being able to visit any of the universities I was accepted to, so many of my decisions were based largely on word of mouth from the students I talked to during virtual visit days. When speaking with students at CU Boulder, everyone’s first comment was always “if you love being active or outdoors, you’ll love it here.” Being right on the range and waking up to the mountains every day definitely has a way of putting a smile on my face.

The other huge motivator in choosing to attend this university also came from my conversations with the students — everyone was so upbeat and welcoming. Whether people were telling me about their research or the dog park they recently went to, there was an unmatched level of excitement. People here wanted to talk about what they were doing and share all of the experiences they had, which was really encouraging to see and instantly got me engaged.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?

So far, my work has largely been centered around biologically compatible polymers with incorporated stimuli responsive elements. The main focus of my work has been looking at ultrasound degradable polymers. Some of the most common degradation methods include photo-initiated or chemically induced. However, these means of polymer degradation limit the applications to places where light can reach or a chemical — typically an oxidizer, acid or base — can be inserted. By using ultrasound degradation, targeted areas of the body, locations within solid components and various otherwise unreachable places can have a polymer component that will degrade without detracting from the exterior shell or any non-degradable units within the polymer itself.

What attracted you to the MSE program?

The unique interdisciplinary nature of this program is really what grabbed my attention. Rather than being limited to professors in one branch of the university, the MSE program has allowed me to spread out a little more — providing me with more opportunities to broaden my understanding of not only my research project but also the projects others are doing.

How has the program benefited your research?

Much of my experience with the MSE program so far has been with the entrance into the program and the initial steps in graduate school. It has definitely been apparent from the beginning that this program is committed to helping us achieve our goals — largely by encouraging networking between students, professors and lab groups. For my research in particular, this encouragement has helped to build bridges leading to new possibilities for analysis and applications for the materials I am working with. The MSE program definitely feels like a place where you can get as much out of it as you put in, if not more, which is exciting to think about for my upcoming years in this program.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life? Does the program allow for that?

This was one of the key elements I looked into when deciding what graduate school I wanted to attend — did professors encourage a work-life balance that students took advantage of? I’ve always thought that your brain needs a break, no matter how dedicated and engaged you are in your work, both to keep a rounded personality as well as to have new or off the wall ideas when you reboot your brain. There may be times that I need to run a reaction over the weekend for the convenience of having a large space to myself, but I chose a lab where I know that it isn’t expected of me to be in the lab seven days a week.

I think the MSE program in general really encourages that we as students get together and engage with one another outside of our field of study — often this is through picnics, group hikes, coffee hours, or the like. From my experience, this has really helped to connect students from various years of the program.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?

I think the MSE program is perfect for multidisciplinary study. Since beginning research I have been able to do chemical engineering, organic chemistry, biomolecular and material characterization geared work all under the MSE umbrella. In choosing a particular program I knew I wanted to have access to all the disciplines available here so that I could do research with wide ranging applications that would be useful to more than just those in a very small area of study. By having connections through the MSE program all over campus, I am able to reach out to other professors in disciplines I am not as familiar with to do collaborative work, allowing me to go further with my research.

Where might you want to go next?

For the longest time, I have been interested in continuing research after I finish my PhD. Whether this leads me to working in a lab or in academia I am not sure, but I have always loved teaching and interacting with students which might push me closer to academia. At this point I know my PhD won’t close any doors for me and I thankfully still have a fair amount of time to figure out what my exact path will be.

What do you do for fun or in your spare time?

Boulder is an amazing place to have spare time when you can find it as a grad student! I am definitely an ‘outdoorsy’ person — and most of the time I spend outside I spend with my dog. Before moving to Colorado, I was an avid hiker and I have continued that since moving here, starting easy with some hikes right out of some local parks and then moving to some 14’ers and overnight range hikes. Between hikes, I also really enjoy running and have gotten involved with the club crew team here at CU so that I can continue rowing, which is something I did at my undergrad university.

Aside from being outdoors, I also really enjoy cooking and baking, two things that really fed my love of chemistry and that I wind up doing daily as a means of stepping out of my research completely. This is also true of reading — I always have at least one book I’m in the middle of because I find them to be a way to slow down and achieve the total gear switch for my brain that allows me to return to research the next day with an excitement to ask the next set of questions.

I love reading books that take me into the world of the main characters — for this reason I don’t have a favorite author or series. More often than not I find myself drawn to science fiction, historical fiction, adventure or old mystery novels because of the descriptions these books offer early on that allow me to immerse myself in the story. Some of the books that I could always pick up and read at any time include The Hobbit, Ringworld and One Second After — all very different novels but all written in such a way that I as a reader have most of the details but my imagination is left open to build elements of the story on my own.

I think that my interests in literature, wanting to have the ability to expand my imagination and test the limits of the world I can create in my mind with only the words of an author, does reflect my work as a researcher. Constantly in research you have to be able to ask the new questions and push past the invisible boundaries to imagine what could be so that new discoveries can be made, big or small. You may know what the overall goal of your research topic is but you have to fill in all the pieces along the way, kind of like how I picture a book as a template for the story that you get to create in your mind.

Meagan Arguien is a second year graduate student in the Bowman Research Group. She earned her BS in chemical engineering from Clarkson University in 2020. She hails from Churchville, New York.

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MSE Student Profile: Karan Dikshit

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 15:12:13 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Karan Dikshit Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/29/2021 - 09:12

Jonathan Raab

Karan Dikshit

Karan Dikshit is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Materials Science and Engineering Program studying under Assistant Professor Carson Bruns in the Emergent Nanomaterials Lab. He is also affiliated with the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering and ATLAS. He is originally from Pune, India.

What brought you to CU Boulder?

I started graduate school in another materials science and engineering program that focused on conventional hard materials, all the way across the country on the east coast. I transferred to CU Boulder a semester later because I missed my fun, squishy, soft materials. For those who do not know, CU Boulder is one of the best schools for soft materials research as is evident from its focus on lithography and liquid crystals. I did not know how pretty Boulder is before coming here. I am very happy that I did.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?

My current research — even before graduate school — has focused on structure property relationship establishment of polymers. I synthesize my own polymers — called polyrotaxanes, which can be imagined as molecular necklaces — and characterize them using chemical and mechanical techniques.

What attracted you to the MSE Program?

I joined the MSE Program only because of the amazing soft matter research. The MSE Program allows you to choose your sub-track of interest and choose coursework accordingly which makes it a lot less stressful to get done with classes and focus on research.

How has the program benefited your research?

By virtue of being in the MSE Program I have met and collaborated with a lot of super-smart people, and I have learned many new techniques, ideas and perspectives.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?

I started working with a freshly minted PI so, while we were building our lab up, I needed access to a lot of different equipment that we did not have then. The MSE student community, at large, helped me find labs that had the equipment I needed. That helped get my research started very early on.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life?

The program not only allows but encourages students to have a good work-life balance. I try to treat my PhD as a regular 9-to-5 job and stick to those hours for work. It’s not always possible to contain all the work in those hours, but I try.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?

People applying to graduate schools should look at MSE because it’s an amazing program to be part of. Even though it is a relatively new program, it has produced a lot of great researchers and many of them have won the prestigious NSF-GRFP fellowship. I would recommend the MSE program to students because it is a very academically rigorous program which allows for flexibility in choosing your subjects and is in Boulder, Colorado. What more does one want?

Where might you want to go next (industry, academia, national lab, etc.)?

I recently completed a summer internship in a company, and I loved the work environment. I’m sure I will be going to industry after my PhD.

What do you do for fun or in your spare time (if you have any!)?

In my spare time I love spending time with my wife and cooking — or, rather, learning new recipes from my wife. I love racquetball and badminton and I try to play at least once a week. I have started learning golf and I hope to play more of it.

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MSE Student Profile: Dylan McNally

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 17:55:56 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Dylan McNally Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/21/2021 - 11:55

Jonathan Raab

Dylan McNally

Dylan McNally is a second-year graduate student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program studying under Associate Professor Chunmei Ban in the Ban Surface Science and Engineering Research Group. He is originally from Loveland, Colorado.

What brought you to CU Boulder?

I’ve been a Buffs fan my whole life. When it came time to choose an undergraduate university, CU’s physics program really caught my attention. I loved my time here as an undergrad, so when considering my next steps, CU had the faculty, the research focus and the extracurricular activities that I was looking for. The growing research emphasis on materials for renewable energy and sustainability fit both my academic curiosity and how I want to contribute to society.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?

My research focuses on engineering surfaces for applications in batteries and other systems. I am particularly interested in the use of atomic and molecular layer deposition and plasma activation processes for surface functionalization. My aim is to engineer desired properties such as ion selectivity and conductivity. While my current research focuses on organic and hybrid organic-inorganic materials such as polyamides and metalcones, much of my work is applicable to inorganics as well.

What attracted you to the MSE program?

Because MSE is a program, it allows a high degree of freedom when choosing your advisor, your research topic and your collaborators. While my advisor is in Mechanical Engineering, our collaborators are in Physics, Civil Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering, just to name a few. I really enjoy the interdisciplinary focus of the program. Additionally, many of the faculty associated with the program research technologies and science related to renewable energy.

How has the program benefited your research?

The program allows for broad collaborations and has an emphasis on interdisciplinary work. I believe that this has both enhanced and expanded my research quality and experience. The program also provides tremendous support to its students. The program administration, faculty and students support both your personal and professional endeavors. Alex, Laramie and my peers have been so helpful in overcoming many of the challenges that I’ve faced over the last year. Without a strong support group, the challenges of research can seem overwhelming, and the community in MSE really helps with that.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life?

Finding a work-life balance in graduate school is tough, but the opportunities and people at CU encourage this balance. I have been a part of a couple club sports, including the swim and triathlon teams. Boulder can fit the stereotype of climbing/outdoorsy people and there are many opportunities for that here. But I have also enjoyed going to Pearl Street, going to breweries with friends and making the short trip to Denver for all of the museums and art galleries. What makes work-life balance easier is the fact that almost everyone in the MSE program has hobbies and activities outside of research, so happy hours and coffee chats don’t revolve around your work.

What do you do for fun or in your spare time (if you have any!)?

I am a member of the triathlon club. I enjoy reading books and spending time with my dog. And every Thursday is bingo night.

My interest in books is varied. One book that I recently enjoyed was Cathedral of the Wild by Boyd Varty. In some ways this relates to my motivation to research materials because I relate to Boyd’s love for nature.

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MSE Student Profile: Shane Frazier

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 19:30:24 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Shane Frazier Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/30/2021 - 13:30

Jonathan Raab

Shane Frazier

Shane Frazier is a graduate student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program, working in the Living Materials Lab under Associate Professor Wil Srubar. He is preparing to defend his PhD thesis in late May. Frazier earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering and his BA in Chemistry from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He is originally from Greenfield, Indiana.

What brought you to CU Boulder?
We moved to Boulder so my wife could start her PhD in German Studies at CU. I had been considering coming back to graduate school since I finished my undergraduate degrees. After her first year, I decided it was time for me to leave industry and make the dive into graduate school.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?
My research focuses on utilizing biomimetic antifreeze polymers to provide freeze-thaw resistance to concrete. The current approach to make concrete more resistant to freeze-thaw damage—think potholes on the highway—is to introduce a bunch of air bubbles, and this approach has been basically unchanged since the 1930s. Although this approach can be effective, adding air bubbles lowers compressive strength of concrete, and it is difficult to do reliably and consistently in the field.

A variety of cold-tolerant species produce antifreeze proteins which bind to ice nuclei to stop or slow the growth of ice within cells, extracellular fluid, etc. Proteins are relatively expensive to produce at scale, but luckily there are a few polymers that have been shown to display similar "antifreeze" properties.

I have shown that these biomimetic antifreeze polymers can provide freeze-thaw resistance in cement paste, but I am still working on understanding the limitations and their impact on fresh- and hardened-state properties of cement and concrete.

What attracted you to the MSE program?
My favorite undergraduate course was Materials Engineering, and since taking that class I had been interested in the MSE field. It was a mix of my undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mechanical engineering.

I was very interested in the work being done by Wil, my adviser, which is what ultimately made me choose the MSE program at CU.

How has the program benefited your research?
A really big benefit of the program is the ability to access equipment. Since the program is tied to so many departments, I have been able to access every piece of equipment I needed except one—CU does not have the piece of equipment on campus.

Professors that are affiliated with the program have always been responsive to inquiries about using equipment. I have used equipment in labs with PIs from chemistry, chemical and biological engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, INSTAAR, USGS and civil engineering, plus all of the core facilities.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?
I had several major life events happen during my time here at CU. My adviser, labmates and friends that I made at CU helped me through all of these. Wil has always been extremely understanding and accommodating. The exact same thing can be said of my labmates who were always quick to ask how they could help.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life?
Having a kid in graduate school has made me strike a balance because there is truly no option. I just spend more time planning and thinking things through to ensure I meet deadlines.

For those without kids, I know MSE students in many different labs, and I think it is safe to say that advisers at CU are very understanding of work-life balance—many friends and acquaintances go skiing, snowboarding, climbing or hiking almost every weekend.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?
So much research being done is interdisciplinary, and in my opinion MSE is by default interdisciplinary because every science and engineering discipline uses materials.

Where do you want to go after earning your PhD?
Wil and I just started a company at the beginning of 2021 called Minus Materials. After I defend my thesis, I will focus on leading and growing the company.

What do you do for fun or in your spare time?
I spend almost all my spare time with my wife, daughter and our two dogs. Outside of spending time with them, I always make time to exercise.

What is your favorite film(s), book(s), sport(s) or other media-related interests, and why? Do your interests in art, literature, and cinema have an influence on your research and goals as a materials scientist?
My favorite books are The Kingkiller Chronicle series and The Expanse series. I try to read books at night to get my mind off research. Outside of books, I love sports.

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MSE Student Profile: Danielle Beatty

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:24:15 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Danielle Beatty Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/17/2021 - 13:24

Jonathan Raab

Dani Beatty

Danielle Beatty is a first-year graduate student studying under Professor Wil Srubar in the Living Materials Laboratory. Beatty completed a bachelor’s-master’s degree in materials science and engineering at the University of Utah in May 2020. Beatty hails from the Salt Lake City area.

What brought you to CU Boulder?
The main thing that brought me to CU was the interdisciplinary nature of the MSE program and the focus on environmental sustainability from multiple faculty. Most MSE programs I was looking at were much more traditional in their coursework and research focus, but CU stood out as a place where I could study different kinds of materials with the main prerogative of decreasing negative environmental impacts.

I am studying ways to make building materials more sustainable using biology with a civil engineering professor, which would not be possible in any other MSE program of which I am aware.

There was also a feeling of excitement from the faculty and students about their work and their lives here in Boulder. Being near the mountains and all the outdoor things I like to do, as well as being in a smaller college town that is part of a large metropolitan area, were also big factors in my decision to come to CU.

I became really excited about the prospect of studying materials science and engineering with the underlying purpose of increasing the sustainability of the materials we make and use. The program also seemed very welcoming and unpretentious despite all the high-ranking professors and research within it.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?
My research is focused on using microorganisms to create biologically derived materials, which we can then use to make more sustainable building materials. I hope to help reduce the environmental footprint of current building materials and potentially help develop new, greener alternatives. I also ultimately want to move the field of MSE toward a more sustainable approach to materials development that considers all aspects of materials design—from raw materials all the way through to end-of-life and reuse.

How has the program benefited your research?
I am still pretty new to the program and to my research, but so far the program seems very supportive of all kinds of research and of fostering collaborations between students and between labs and professors. The MSE program also does an amazing job of meeting you where you are and working with your interests and what you want to get out of the program.

Coming in with a BS/MS degree, I have been able to work with the MSE program to transfer credits toward my PhD here at CU and to select courses that will benefit my interdisciplinary research while also counting towards my degree requirements.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?
As I am sure most first-years would agree, starting a PhD in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic was a big challenge and was quite a struggle at times. It was very difficult to try to get started on new research that I do not have a solid background in, while also taking classes and trying to get settled into a new city and new routine. Having the support of my research advisor and the MSE academic advisors Laramie and Alex was a huge help dealing with all of this.

There is also a program here at CU open to all graduate students called Endurance PhD, which I am participating in. It helped me deal with all of these struggles through the fall semester. Its main purpose is to help grad students deal with PhD life struggles and gives us strategies to successfully, happily and healthily work and grow through our PhD programs.

Overall, just knowing that I had the support and understanding of the MSE program while dealing with a lot of difficult new things relieved some stress and helped me work through everything.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life? Does the program allow for that?
While everyone here is very excited about and dedicated to their work, it also seems that everyone makes time to do the things they love outside of work as well—including professors! Boulder definitely has a work-hard-play-hard feeling to it, where everyone is just excited about what they do, both during work and when they are actively choosing not to work.

Some of this balance will be dictated by which lab group you join and how you are as a person, but in my experience having a work-life balance is encouraged. I have definitely been able to start figuring out this balance during my first year, and I know a lot of the other PhD students in the program do have a healthy balance between the two.

I have been able to make school and research progress while also making time for the non-work-related things I enjoy doing, like running and skiing and spending time with my significant other. Having a set schedule of work-specific hours has helped, especially when a lot of work still happens from home, and planning out research, school and personal activities each week helps as well.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?
All other science and engineering disciplines are limited by and built on the materials they have access to. One reason I think MSE is so interesting is that you get to study and make those new materials that everyone else will be using a few years from now.

MSE is also extremely interdisciplinary, especially here at CU Boulder, encompassing everything from biology to physics. This enables a lot of exploration and gives you a lot of options as you move through your career. It is also a fast-moving and exciting field where there is always something new and interesting on the horizon.

For anyone interested in sustainability-related things, MSE has a huge role to play in designing the next generation of green materials: from renewable energy to fully recyclable or compostable materials and everything in between.

Where might you want to go next?
One of the reasons I am pursuing a PhD is because I love teaching, and I would like to keep that option on the table. I am definitely considering jobs in academia but may also explore industry first following graduation. Luckily, I have a few years to figure this out!

What do you do for fun or in your spare time?
I enjoy many of the outdoorsy things Boulder has to offer! I ride my bike to school and run along the bike paths all around Boulder. I go skiing most weekends, and I enjoy trail running, hiking and backpacking. I also love reading books for fun and cooking both new and tried-and-true recipes, which I do most nights. I also really enjoy going to sporting events and hope to be able to go to both CU and professional team events throughout the Denver area as vaccines roll out throughout this next year. The same goes for live concerts, theatrical productions and art shows.

What is your favorite film(s), book(s), sport(s) or other media-related interests, and why? Do your interests in art, literature, and cinema have an influence on your research and goals as a materials scientist?
My favorite series is Harry Potter, mainly because it played a huge role in my childhood and growing up and I just love it. My favorite genre is probably crime—both true crime and crime fiction—or thriller novels, but I also enjoy reading science-y books about things I am not directly studying that are written in a fun, novel-like way—for example: books about quantum biology, mosquitoes, emotions and neuroscience, etc.

I tend to be drawn towards books where I can learn something new, especially if it has nothing to do with materials science. I think this generally keeps me curious about the world and how things work, and I am always thinking of the materials science considerations that come into play in all these different books and ideas.

I think the biggest influence these various books have on my research is on my insistence that research be written and effectively communicated for a general audience so everyone can learn and benefit from it.

I am also interested in art history but have fallen off studying this over the past few years. I played sports all throughout high school, and I still enjoy watching all kinds of sports, especially at the college level.

Although I haven’t been able to yet since moving to Boulder, I also make my own functional ceramics, like bowls, plates, mugs, etc. While ceramics are a class of functional materials, they are also a class of advanced engineering materials, and having an understanding of and actively studying both types has informed both my artistic side of throwing ceramics and my engineering side of making them for advanced applications.

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MSE Student Profile: Emmanuel Bamidele

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:41:55 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Emmanuel Bamidele Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/08/2021 - 09:41

Jonathan Raab

Emmanuel Bamidele

Emmanuel Bamidele is a third-year graduate student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program, studying under Professor Rishi Raj of the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. Bamidele was recently nominated to join the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society and joined the Materials Research Society. He earned his undergraduate degree in metallurgical and materials engineering at the Federal University of Technology in Akure, Nigeria.

What brought you to CU Boulder?
CU Boulder’s graduate engineering programs are reputable, and there is lots of interesting research going on here. Many of the professors at CU are leaders in their field and are among the best in the world. My decision to choose CU for graduate school was greatly influenced by those reasons. I was also fascinated by the beauty of the campus: the pictures I saw with many red brick buildings, the beautiful campus layout and the Flatiron mountains in the background reinforced my decision to attend CU.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?
I’m currently working on the study of flash sintering and related phenomena in tungsten and its composites. This is in collaboration with Professor Alan Weimer’s group in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. The project is combining three exciting technologies—additive manufacturing, atomic layer deposition and flash sintering—to achieve doping, direct ink writing and sintering of high-density tungsten parts.

What attracted you to the MSE program?
The MSE program at CU Boulder allows students to choose an adviser from different departments. This was particularly interesting to me. I considered this an opportunity to choose from some of the best professors in the world. I was also fascinated by the fact that the MSE program at CU is very young but has found its way into the top MSE programs in the country—and even in the world. How else can we define quality?

How has the program benefited your research?
The program has been very supportive. As a new student back in 2019, the system was new to me, and I had to figure out so many things in order to get up to speed. The MSE graduate advisor was very helpful in ensuring I settled in properly, as he introduced me to many PIs. I’ve always had massive support from the graduate advisors and my program director—even when I thought things were going to crumble.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?
One challenging problem I encountered was having to change labs during the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt like it was almost impossible to get into another group in such a short time that I had. I was particularly scared of becoming stranded after leaving my then-lab. I reached out to Laramie and Alex, the MSE graduate advisors, and that was a turning point for me. They understood how I felt, and they offered me more support than I expected. They made sure I had a TA option for the next semester, and they also put me through the process of getting in touch with potential advisors. That worked out perfectly, and I got into an interesting research group in a short time. My program director, Professor Robert McLeod, was also very nice, and the different faculty members I reached out to were very supportive.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life?
The way the MSE program is structured makes it easy to engage in many other activities without sacrificing performance. Being in the beautiful city of Boulder has allowed me to explore many interesting activities like hiking, biking, participating in interesting cultural events and concerts downtown and attending concerts in Denver—especially whenever my favorite African artists like Davido, Femi Kuti and Burna Boy come around. Although some weeks are very demanding, which is normal in a doctoral program, I'm still able to create time for many interesting activities with proper planning and doing what I have to do at the right time.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?
I will recommend taking your time to look at the research going on in the different departments affiliated with MSE, then reach out to the professors in those labs and talk to them about your background and what you find interesting in their work. An opportunity to study at CU Boulder is one to relish, and the MSE program is a great destination for international students that might be worried about having supportive advisors and colleagues. Everything around here is set up to make you successful, both during and after your study.

Where might you want to go next after earning your PhD?
I might join a reputable company with great culture and core values that aligns with mine, as my current research is setting me up for that, and I am getting the best guidance and mentorship that will help me achieve that. My long-term goal is to attain top leadership positions in government, international organizations or reputable companies to directly or indirectly solve challenging problems in different sectors.

What do you do for fun in your spare time?
I’m a big fan of soccer, so I enjoy watching soccer games and I occasionally play with friends in nearby fields or at the Rec Center. When I have a week or more to spare, I like to travel to different states or countries, taste new food and experience new culture.

What is your favorite film(s), book(s), sport(s) or other media-related interests, and why? Do your interests in art, literature, and cinema have an influence on your research and goals as a materials scientist?
I enjoyed seeing a film called Silicon Valley. For books, it is difficult to choose between The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. I listen to different genres of music, but I love African music a lot. I’m a soccer and basketball fan—my favorite soccer team is Manchester United, as is any team Cristiano Ronaldo is playing for.

My interest in literature and the curiosity to explore the reasons behind the uniqueness of certain stories has influenced my perspective as a researcher. I now see research beyond just placing bricks of data in the tower of knowledge but as part of a process that delivers impactful insights. I believe a great idea or innovation is just another idea or innovation if it is not properly conveyed.

This has helped me place significant emphasis on the power of writing. Beyond just storytelling or publishing, the way we write and convey an innovation has some degree of proportionality to the impact of that innovation. One of my goals as a materials scientist is to leverage the power of good writing and storytelling to push my work beyond the laboratory to become a product, or to influence policies that benefit different businesses and the common man.

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