The University of New Mexico (UNM) has announced that Stephen Porter, a graduate student in the Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering Program, is the recipient of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research Award. Porter's current research involves analyzing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of heterogeneous catalysts and studying the oxidation mechanisms within a PdPt system.
Under the mentorship of Abhaya Datye, a Distinguished Regents Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Porter will conduct his award-winning project titled "In-situ transmission electron microscopy of self-healing heterogeneous catalysts" at Los Alamos National Laboratory. According to a UNM press release, Porter has submitted a proposal to gain access to facilities at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnology (CINT) for an in-situ study of the PdPt system.
Los Alamos National Laboratory was established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project. Located approximately 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, it operates as a multi-program research center focusing on nuclear weapons design and production, addressing nuclear threats, and conducting national security science, technology, and engineering according to information provided by Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program aims to prepare graduate students for careers in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM), fields crucial to the DOE Office of Science mission. As per details provided by SCGSR webpage from DOE Office of Science, this is achieved by offering opportunities for graduate thesis research at DOE laboratories. Exceptional U.S. graduate students who are either citizens or lawful permanent residents receive supplemental awards to conduct part of their thesis research at a DOE laboratory or facility. This initiative not only advances students' doctoral theses but also provides them with access to expertise, resources and capabilities found in DOE laboratories and facilities.
