Three Colorado School of Mines students have received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at DOE national laboratories.
Natalie Seitzman, Nathan Patrick Bessen and Randy Lemons were among 47 graduate students at 36 universities nationwide selected for the Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program, DOE announced today.
Seitzman, a PhD candidate in materials science, will work at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, using nanoscale X-ray tomography to investigate the effects of particle boundaries. Her advisor is Chemistry Assistant Professor Svitlana Pylypenko and her research focuses on multiscale characterization of all-solid battery materials.
Besson, who is working toward a PhD in chemistry, will be at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, conducting extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) experiments. His research focus is the separation of lanthanides and actinides in the processing of used nuclear fuel and his advisor is Associate Professor Jenifer Shafer.
Lemons, a PhD candidate in applied physics, will also carry out his research at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, conducting experiments aimed at improving the lab’s LCLS-I Free Election Laser. His advisor is Professor Charles Durfee and his research focuses on the spatial and temporal shaping of lasers for particle accelerator applications.
The DOE program provides funding for PhD candidates to spend 3-12 months at a DOE national laboratory conducting graduate thesis research in a priority research area in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist. The goal is to prepare students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission.
CONTACT
Emilie Rusch, Public Information Specialist, Communications and Marketing | 303-273-3361 | erusch@mines.edu
Mark Ramirez, Managing Editor, Communications and Marketing | 303-273-3088 | ramirez@mines.edu
