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2016 CEBR Students

Arthur Beausoleil

CEBR-Arthur Beausoleil

Institution: North Seattle College
Faculty Mentors: Alex Jen and Dion Hubble, Materials Science & Engineering

Arthur Beausoleil is attending North Seattle Community College, pursuing his Associate’s of Science Transfer degree. He hopes to transfer as an undergraduate to the Material Science Engineering department of UW in the Fall of 2017. His interests before coming to the summer research program included Solar Energy technologies and research opportunities. Work at the UW has given experience in chemical synthesis of electrolytes for batteries that can withstand the demands of the post-carbon economy. His career aspirations include research or applied sciences for the space industry and our clean energy future. There is hope to see further summers at the UW research programs.


Joel Crain

CEBR-Joel Crain

Institution: Everett Community College
Faculty Mentors: Jihui Yang and Shangyu Wang, Materials Science & Engineering

Joel Crain is a student at Everett Community College and is currently pursuing a degree in Materials Science and Engineering. After receiving his bachelor’s in Marketing from Washington State University, Joel realized that his true passion was in the sciences. This summer he is assisting in Dr. Yang’s lab working with solid state electrolytes. In his free time he enjoys archery and building cars.


Aleksander Lazarski

CEBR-AleksanderLazarski

Institution: University of Texas at El Paso
Faculty Mentors: Dan Schwartz and Matthew Murbach, Chemical Engineering

Aleksander Lazarski is a rising sophomore currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. In his first year of college Aleksander has become involved in educational and athletic extracurricular activities. In January 2016 he became a peer leader in the Chemistry department at the University of Texas at El Paso, (UTEP) where he runs two workshop courses that coincide with the department’s general chemistry courses. Another academic step Aleksander has taken this year is volunteering in Dr. Gardea’s research lab at UTEP, studying the effects of nanoparticles in plants. Along with peer leading, Aleksander is the goaltender and Vice President of the ACHA Division II hockey club at UTEP. He has played a role in starting, maintaining, and managing the club as well as playing in the inaugural 2015-2016 season. After receiving a bachelor’s degree Aleksander plans to pursue a PhD degree. Ultimately he would like to research the chemical and biochemical interactions between plants, fungi, bacteria, and other microorganisms to see how we can use them to help sustain the ever-changing environments on Earth.


Son Luong

CEBR-Son Luong

Institution: Edmonds Community College
Faculty Mentors: Guozhong Cao and Zachary Neale, Materials Science & Engineering

Son is a student at Edmonds Community College majoring in Mechanical Engineering and intends to apply for the Mechanical Engineering department at University of Washington, Seattle. He is a part of the Clean Energy Bridge to Research Program and is spending his summer working in Dr. Cao’s lab in the MSE department. Son is currently working on a Lithium/Air project; he is studying how the improvement of the cathode can affect the battery efficiency, capacity, and stability. His time is split between making new materials, testing their morphology, using them to make new batteries, and gathering and analyzing data. During his free time Son likes cooking, reading, traveling, and collecting watches.


Derek Perry

CEBR-Derek Perry

Institution: Queenborough Community College
Faculty Mentors: Christine Luscombe and Sarah Holliday, Materials Science & Engineering

Derek is a recent transfer student from Queensborough Community College who will be starting his junior year at Brooklyn College in New York City majoring in Health Sciences with a minor in Chemistry, while dabbling in Physics. For the past two years he has been doing research in the field of polymer chemistry, namely the partial sulfonation of polyaniline nanofibers. Because of the increased interest in the field of polymers, Derek was invited to present at regional and national meetings for the American Chemical Society. This interest in polymers caused him to shift his focus to materials science and led him to the Clean Energy Institute of UW. Here he is working in the Luscombe lab on the degradation of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, as well as testing their overall efficiency. If all goes well in the future, Derek will go a different route and make the push for medical school after receiving a Bachelor’s of Science. Having experience in working for an initiative to help decrease the pain experienced by children during long-term treatment at Northshore LIJ Hospital in Lake Success, NY, Derek should have a good shot at a successful journey through the medical field.


Eden Rivers

CEBR-EdenRivers

Institution: North Seattle College
Faculty Mentors: Lilo Pozzo and Greg Newbloom, Chemical Engineering

Eden Rivers unknowingly began her study of Materials Science when she worked as a sculptor and art restorer. Not satisfied with simply using materials for the creation of art, she wanted to create the materials themselves. She has spent the past two years devoted to earning a degree in science in order to follow this passion. Her work in restoration gave her an idea about how certain substances could be used to manipulate and preserve materials that were degrading, but instead of solving issues in conservation, Eden wants to use this knowledge to advance the human race in its future quest by applying her skills to solving problems in space flight and exploration. This summer she will be working in Lilo Pozzo’s lab on a project to develop more effective and less expensive protein membranes for use in fuel cells as part of an initiative to make renewable energy a more reliable source.


Clara Wheeler

CEBR-ClaraWheeler

Institution: Whitman College
Faculty Mentors: Cody Schlenker and Jarred Olson, Chemistry

Clara attends Whitman College, majoring in Chemistry. She is spending this summer in Dr. Cody Schlenker’s lab studying charge separation in organic materials for solar cells. This would increase the ability of organic solar cells to compete with the efficiency of inorganic solar cells. More efficient organic solar cells would make more locations available for solar cells. Clara enjoys the Pacific Northwest, all kinds of food, and bad jokes.