Paul Carey
Chemistry
Spring 2009
Paul Carey is a second-year graduate student in the Indiana University Department of Chemistry. He studies atmospheric chemistry under the supervision of Professor Phil Stevens, whose research concerns the chemistry of air pollution. In particular, Paul is working on models of chemical reactions that lead to the production of ozone. More information about the Stevens Research Group can be found at http://www.indiana.edu/~atmoslab/.
A lifelong Hoosier, Paul was raised in Indianapolis and earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. He developed an interest in the environment during college, where he took several environmental science classes. These supplemented his studies of general chemistry and prepared him to focus on atmospheric chemistry as a graduate student. Paul also enhanced his skills as an undergraduate by participating in Purdue’s Summer Research Opportunities Program. His SROP experiences involved biochemistry, physical chemistry and atmospheric chemistry.
Outside the lab, Paul carries on a number of activities in addition to his coursework. He leads a discussion section of an introductory chemistry course. His enjoyment of helping students in his section has reaffirmed his desire to teach. Paul also volunteers his time in service of others. While at Purdue, he co-founded the Ian Smith Foundation with some friends from Indianapolis. The Foundation awards college scholarships to minority youth in Indianapolis, provides free tutoring to struggling students, and hosts an annual youth summit. He is also the Vice President of the Indiana University student chapter of NOBCChE, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.
JEREMY FELTON
Chemistry
Spring 2009
Jeremy Felton grew up “always wondering what stuff was made of” and is now a first-year graduate student in the Department of Chemistry at Indiana University. He studies analytical chemistry (chemistry at the atomic level) under the supervision of Professor Gary Hieftje, a leading scholar of spectrochemistry. Hiefje’s work involves the development of pioneering methods of observing chemical activity at this fundamental level. Jeremy is currently working with array detector technology for a double-focusing mass spectrograph. More information about his lab can be found at http://www.indiana.edu/~gmhlab/index.htm.
Research experiences as an undergraduate at University of North Carolina solidified Jeremy’s interest in the study of chemistry. His participation in the Science and Math Achievement and Resourcefulness Track (SMART) Program (a NSF LSAMP project) involved summer research on the composition of air pollution using mass spectrometry. He later completed an internship at Rohm and Hass, a specialty chemicals company, where he used mass spectrometry to analyze synthesized materials. These two venues for using mass spectrometry for research complemented one another and gave Jeremy breadth of experience at an early stage of his academic career. In addition to his coursework and research, Jeremy assists with an introductory chemistry course by running a discussion section. He enjoys the opportunity to help people and looks forward to the teaching side of the professoriate.
NANCY ORTIZ
Chemistry
Spring 2009
Nancy Ortiz is spending her first year in Bloomington as a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry. Her involvement in the study of chemistry began with an interest in forensic science. As an undergraduate, she majored in chemistry and criminal justice at Sam Houston State University in Texas. She eventually settled on materials science as her niche in the discipline.
After touring the Department of Chemistry during her first couple of months on campus, Nancy decided to join the laboratory of Assistant Professor Sara Skrabalak. Nancy describes Professor Skrabalak as an excellent advisor who is always willing to help with any dilemmas within her research project. Nancy feels that she has already developed as a scientist under her guidance. She also attributes some of her own motivation to her peers in Professor Skrabalak's lab. Nancy and Professor Skrabalak's research concerns how materials form on the nanoscale and how their nanoscale features dictate their functionality. Discoveries in this area could lead to various energy and environmental applications, such as new energy sources for cell phones or laptop computers.
Hands-on experience at two internships during Nancy's undergraduate studies solidified her interest in research. As an Honors Intern with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, she learned about the fundamentals of explosives, including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and their chemical composition. She also worked at the US Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory as a research associate, where she proposed, conducted and orally presented a project entitled "Optical Profilometry in Corrosion Analysis."
Nancy has been pleasantly surprised by the diversity of culture in Bloomington. She enjoys dining at the multitude of local ethnic restaurants and plans to be involved in extracurricular activities such as La Casa (IU's Latino Cultural Center) and the newly established campus chapter of NOBCChE (National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers).
Professor Skrabalak's lab website can be viewed at http://www.indiana.edu/~skrablab/
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