2023 NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program

Ten students participated in the second year of the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program which started in late May. Ten students took part in a $365,000 grant from the National Science Foundation leading to the creation of the program, which will run 10 weeks each summer through 2024. The program gives students hands-on research experiences and networking opportunities to work alongside CAES university faculty and INL researchers to develop their science, technology, engineering and math identity and literacy, while providing professional development opportunities for careers in the energy sector.

Jose Policarpio, Washington State University

• Project: Aerosol Jet Printing for Devices in Nuclear Environments
• Faculty Mentor: Dave Estrada, Boise State University
• INL Mentor: Kiyo Fujimoto

Mkari McDougall, Colorado School of Mines

• • Project: Novel Alloy Development for Nuclear Applications
  • Faculty Mentor: Brian Jaques, Boise State University
  • INL Mentor: Boone Beausoleil and Ching-Heng Shiau

Haiden Studer, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

• • Project: Multiphysics Modeling and Experimental Characterization of Printed Magnetostrictive Acoustic Sensors
  • Faculty Mentor: Zhangxian (Dan) Deng, Boise State University
  • INL Mentor: Josh Daw

Francis Akwuba-Charles, Auburn University

• • Project: Corrosion Performance of Additively Manufactured Structured Materials
  • Faculty Mentor: Mike Hurley, Boise State University
  • INL Mentor: Donna Guillen

Keegan Flaherty, Pennsylvania State University

• • Project: 3D Li-ion Batteries through Advanced Manufacturing
  • Faculty Mentor: Claire Xiong, Boise State University
  • INL Mentor: Bin Li

Tera Swaby, University of Wyoming

• • Project: Simulating Sintering Structural Reconfigurations
  • Faculty Mentor: Eric Jankowski, Boise State University

Carlos Rivas, Montana State University

• • Project: Automatic Tool Changing Mechanism for Industrial Robotics Arms
  • Faculty Mentor: Taher Deemyad, Idaho State University
  • INL Mentor: Steve E. Egan

Sadie Schenk, Southern Utah University

• • Project: Development of High-Temperature Resistant Permanent Magnets Using Advanced Manufacturing
  • Faculty Mentor: Daniel LaBrier, Idaho State University
  • INL Mentor: Bryce Kelly

Leonardo Ohata, Washington State University

• • Project: Classical Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nuclear Materials
  • Faculty Mentor: John Russell, University of Idaho

Alex Anta, College of Southern Idaho/Boise State University

• • Project: Visualization of Material Collection
  • INL Mentor: John Koudelka