Colorado School of Mines announced last week that 83 graduates were honored with doctorates and 239 people received their master’s degrees during the Midyear Graduate Commencement held on Dec. 16.
In addition, Abigail Meyer, PhD in chemical engineering, was announced as the winner of the Fall 2022 Dr. Bhakta Rath and Sushama Rath Research Award. According to Colorado School of Mines, the award recognizes the doctoral graduate whose thesis demonstrates the greatest potential for societal impact. Meyer is now a senior member of the technical staff at The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California.
For her dissertation, “Influence of Bulk Defects in p-type Czochralski Silicon on Reliability of High Efficiency Solar Cells,” Meyer developed a hypersensitive characterization method to identify defects in silicon solar cells, which have a concentration of 10 to 100 parts per trillion.
She was advised by Sumit Agarwal, professor of chemical and biological engineering, and Paul Stradins, principal scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden.
“One key experiment in her PhD took almost a year because of the experimental complexity, and due to supply chain issues in acquiring the necessary isotopes during COVID-19,” Agarwal said. “She was never deterred by these challenges. Her accomplishments are a result of exceptional determination and hard work.”
“We knew that the defects were there, but we did not know if they could be detected by the EPR method,” Stradins said. “Meyer spent countless hours by the EPR spectrometer, preparing samples by herself and via establishing collaborations with Australian and German groups. At the end, with help of EPR expert Emeritus Professor Craig Taylor, she finally detected the defect signal!”
Congratulations to our #Classof2022 graduates! You did it! We look forward to seeing what incredible work you'll do next as new @MinesAlumni!
See more photos from today's graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies: https://t.co/PaI7aEZAGL #HelluvaEngineer⚒️ pic.twitter.com/fGUe3QiviV
— Colorado School of Mines (@coschoolofmines) December 17, 2022
In related news, Mines has announced a new bachelor’s degree will prepare engineers for careers working with one of the world’s most versatile materials – ceramic and glass.
Launching in Fall 2023, the Bachelor of Science in Ceramic Engineering at Mines will bring the total number of ABET-accredited ceramic engineering undergraduate programs in the U.S. to three – currently, only two other U.S. universities offer ceramics degrees at the undergraduate level: Alfred University, a private university in New York; and Missouri University of Science & Technology, a public university in Rolla, Missouri. At the high point in the 1960s, there were 14 ceramic engineering programs in the U.S.
The ceramic engineering program at Mines will build on the university’s long-standing expertise in materials science and engineering, as well as Mines’ cutting-edge ceramics research and facilities and strong relationships with industry, including CoorsTek, which is also headquartered in Golden and endows a graduate fellowship in ceramics at Mines.
At the undergraduate level, students will receive hands-on training in ceramic processing, sintering, glass science, and thermal, mechanical and electrical properties. Four core laboratory classes starting in students’ second year will ensure robust hands-on experience with the materials. Students will also have access to innovative undergraduate research opportunities and makerspaces, including Mines’ on-campus glass hot shop.
“This new degree program fits well within our mission to train students for the industrial workforce,” said Ivar Reimanis, professor and head of the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department. “Our current hands-on, laboratory-based curriculum produces graduates who know how to make things, and ceramic engineering will dovetail nicely with our existing metallurgy-focused program and strong connections to materials manufacturing. Targeted industries include semiconductors and electronics, defense, renewable and traditional energy, healthcare, household goods, automotive and aerospace and many more.”
Developed in consultation and partnership with industry, the program will have a strong focus on the newer technical ceramics and glass. But the knowledge and experience gained by students in the program will prepare them for careers in both technical and traditional ceramics.
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