FA LL 2021 U F D E PA R T M E N T O F M AT E R I A L S S C I E N C E & E NG I N E E R I NG
THE RHINES REPORT
Josephine Allen, Ph.D. Michele Manuel, Ph.D.
Nancy Ruzycki, Ph.D. Cammy Abernathy, Ph.D.
Erika Moore, Ph.D.
the
CHANGEMAKERS ISSUE
U NIVER SIT Y OF FLOR IDA ENG INEER S TAKE AC TION ON EQU IT Y GAPS IN SCIENCE, ENG INEER ING AND AC ADEMIA INSIDE
∆ NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME - pg. 15 ∆ ALUMNUS ALVARO DELLA BONNA’S AWARD BREAKS BARRIER - pg. 17 ∆ FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT HOPES TO INSPIRE OTHERS - pg. 18
CHAI R’S M ESSAGE
Dear alumni, colleagues and friends,
how we develop tomorrow’s technologies.
I once again hope that this letter finds you and your loved ones well.
Over the past 12 months, several of our faculty members have been recognized for their contributions to science and society. Brij Moudgil, Ph.D., distinguished professor, was chosen as a 2020 recipient of the KONA Award, presented to a researcher for lifetime achievement in the powder and particle science and technology field. And Tori Miller, Ph.D., assistant professor, received the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program Award. Congratulations to each of them on their outstanding achievements.
With the country’s ongoing recovery from COVID-19, and winter break and the holidays approaching, we again look forward to time spent with our loved ones and the promise and potential of a new year. As a department, we look at history as a guide to help improve future results. To achieve better outcomes, we must change our process somehow, be it how we think, act or react. With that in mind, I am pleased to present The Changemakers issue of The Rhines Report, our annual department magazine. In our cover story “Mending the Gaps,” we take a deep dive into some of the inequities that currently occupy our worlds of science and academia, all of which affect us as both researchers and as human beings. The persistent equity gaps in data, funding and education and how they impact research, careers, and our health are just a few of the issues Josephine Allen, Ph.D., Erika Moore, Ph.D., Nancy Ruzycki, Ph.D., and I are tackling with our research and our actions. Also in this issue, we feature Cammy Abernathy, Ph.D., dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, and the TMS Ellen Swallow Richards Diversity Award with which she was recently honored. On other research fronts, Nathalie Wall, Ph.D., is transforming the long-term storage methods of spent nuclear fuel and other nuclear waste. And thanks to a cutting-edge, 3D X-ray microscope system now online on our campus, Amanda Krause, Ph.D., is reimagining the data for her abnormal grain growth research algorithms in innovative new ways. With his eye on the future of materials research, Richard Hennig, Ph.D., is employing artificial intelligence to assist in predicting new synthesis pathways for materials and help create the design rules that will redefine 2
And congratulations to alumnus Alvaro Della Bona, D.D.S, Ph.D., FADM (Ph.D. MSE ’01), who this year was the first person from Latin America to win the prestigious International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Wilmer Souder Award in Dental Materials. Throughout another year full of changes, the Gator Nation has once again shown its ability to exceed all expectations. Thank you all for your continued generosity and support for the department’s students, faculty and staff.
Michele V. Manuel, Ph.D. CHAIR
DEPARTMENT OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
IN THIS ISSUE
FALL 2021 CHANGEMAKERS ............... 4
CONTENTS
page
4
FASTER PATHS TO NEW MATERIALS ..................... 10 ACCOLADES. . .................... 12 NSF CAREER AWARD. . ........13 MORE EFFICIENT STEEL MANUFACTURING ............ 14 BETTER NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE ........................15
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT ..........17
Cammy R. Abernathy, Ph.D. DEAN, HERBERT WERTHEIM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Michele V. Manuel, Ph.D. CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF M AT E R I A L S S C I E N C E & ENGINEERING
page
John Mecholsky, Jr., Ph.D.
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A S S O C I AT E C H A I R , D E PA R T M E N T O F M AT E R I A L S SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
Andreas Enqvist, Ph.D. NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Royce Copeland, M. A . M S E M A R K E T I N G & CO M M U N I C AT I O N S , EDITOR AND DESIGNER
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CHANGEMAKERS
MENDING THE GAPS
INEQUALIT Y IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING C AN HAVE L ASTING IMPACTS ACROSS R ACE , G E N DE R AN D ETH N I CITI ES THAT G O U N N OTI CE D FO R DEC ADES –
YET
AFFECT
TR E ATM E NTS
AND
SOLUTIONS
USED
EVERY
D AY.
NOW,
F O U R FAC U LT Y M E M B E R S I N T H E D E PA R T M E N T O F M AT E R I A L S S C I E N C E & ENGINEERING AIM TO SHINE A LIGHT ON SOME OF THESE KNOWLEDGE GAPS AN D H E LP R EC TI F Y TH E PRO B LEMS TH E Y CR E ATE .
By definition, a gap is an “incomplete or deficient area.” For instance, in a scientific study, a literature gap represents unexplored sections in the data and an opportunity for further analysis or investigation. The equity gaps that have permeated cultures, industries and communities throughout history are undeniable, and science, including its branches of research and education, is not exempt. With their insight,
experience and analysis to guide them, Josephine Allen, Ph.D., Erika Moore, Ph.D., Nancy Ruzycki, Ph.D., and Michele, Manuel, Ph.D., are not only identifying, but also helping bridge some of the science, research and cultural equity gaps they’ve encountered.
TH E DATA G A P Josephine Allen, Ph.D., associate professor and Genzyme Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, addresses inequity not only in her research, but also how it affects the raw data she uses in it. Dr. Allen and her team observed that biomedical researchers and the journals publishing their papers rarely mentioned the sex of the cells involved in the studies. “Sex-based differences have been a long-standing interest of mine and are the primary reason I work in the area of cardiovascular disease – particularly its disproportionally
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Josephine Allen, Ph.D.
negative effects on women, and African American women, in particular,” said Dr. Allen. “My interest is fueled by the overwhelming evidence that male and female biology is different, and these biological differences translate to disparities in health, disease and treatments.” A literature survey of several top biomedical journals found that cell sex was reported in only a small fraction (roughly 3%) of papers. That information prompted her lab’s paper highlighting the findings entitled “Let’s Talk About Sex – Biological Sex is Underreported in Biomaterials Studies.” Dr. Allen and her team then submitted a comprehensive review highlighting underreported cell sex data. “I thought about all of the new insight that could be gained, how studies could be more easily replicated and how, as a field, we have an opportunity
Erika Moore, Ph.D. to shift research from being inadvertently biased towards male biology – simply because of the greater likelihood of obtaining male cells from a commercial vendor, to becoming more representative of the population as a whole. I viewed it as a chance to make a real difference.”
THE DISPARITY GAP Inequities also exist in many diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health disorders. Unfortunately, the current lack of sample collection and background testing on cells from non-European
disparities in her research into lupus, an autoimmune disorder. “As an African American woman knowing several friends and loved ones who suffer from lupus, I am particularly aware of its statistical divergences,” said Dr. Moore. “Given the biomaterial models I have available, it became of great personal interest to me to study this disease and focus my research efforts towards identifying the reasons behind these disparities.” Of the estimated 1.5 million Americans and over 5 million people worldwide suffering from lupus, 90% are women. There is currently no cure.
“I VIEWED IT AS A CHANCE TO MAKE A REAL D I F F E R E N C E .” Josephine Allen, Ph.D.
ancestral backgrounds limit the development of new therapeutics for diseases that disproportionately affect diverse backgrounds. Erika Moore, Ph.D., assistant professor and holder of the Rhines Rising Star Larry Hench professorship, sees both ancestral and sex-based
“Not only does lupus overwhelmingly affect women, but it’s also two to three times more prevalent in women of color,” said Dr. Moore. “My lab’s work explores not only why it’s mostly women, but we also delve into the significant disparity between lupus in women of African ancestry and women of European ancestry.”
Although the biomedical engineering field has made considerable progress on its mission of utilizing engineering to advance human health and improve overall well-being, Dr. Moore feels its full potential will not be met until that progress benefits all populations. “Health disparities disproportionately impact vulnerable or marginalized populations in the United States. It is my goal to leverage my research to ask questions about these overlooked segments and the diseases that develop disproportionately within them,” said Dr. Moore. “These types of questions are critical for biomedical sciences and biomaterial models. As scientists and as engineers, we must ask ourselves whose health we consider with our research?” 5
Nancy Ruzycki, Ph.D. rates have stood at about 55 percent of that of white principal investigators of similar academic achievement. Despite internal reviews of the reasons behind this disparity and promises to do better, the funding gap continues. The paper, entitled Fund Black Scientists, recommends several ways on how research funding disparities can be eliminated, including: THE FUNDING GAP Dr. Allen is also taking a stand on funding inequity for researchers of color, coauthoring a paper with 18 other scientists, calling upon the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies to address disparities in allocating support to Black researchers. “As a Black faculty member who relies heavily on NIH funding to advance my research program and, ultimately, my career, this paper means so much to me. It is filled with reasonable action items and policy changes that can address this funding disparity,” said Dr. Allen, Ph.D. “This paper articulates what many Black faculty are feeling and experiencing in academia.” According to studies of National Institutes of Health research funding allocations, Black applicant award 66
• Explicitly state that racism persists in the United States research enterprise and that it must be expelled • Develop federal funding institute policies to achieve racial funding equity immediately • Incorporate diversity into research proposal scoring
recipients, to recognize and stop racism As a group, the paper’s authors also suggested ways individual scientists and universities, colleges and institutes can act to bring about social justice. These recommendations include recognizing how they might be unintentionally contributing to systemic racism in their academic roles. Academia, they noted, must move forward from statements of solidarity to transformative organizational changes.
TH E E DU C ATI O N GA P Florida students are taught science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects as early as elementary school. Still,
“THIS PROGRAM STRENGTHENS THE STEM PIPELINE FOR ALL STUDENTS SO WE GAIN MORE DIVERSITY IN STEM F I E L D S .” Nancy Ruzycki, Ph.D.
criteria, prioritize research teams that exemplify diversity, and diversify proposal review panels • Train funding agency leadership and staff, and grant reviewers and
with an ongoing teacher shortage and over 25% of educators in classrooms not holding education degrees or degrees in the fields they teach, more teachers and more rigorous teacher training are needed to prepare those
CHANGEMAKERS
students to join tomorrow’s workforce. Nancy Ruzycki, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, addresses this gap with a “Supporting Effective Educator Development” (SEED) grant awarded to her by the U.S. Department of Education.
about using model concept development practices to help structure classes for all learning levels, utilizing technology to collect and analyze data and refining and deploying their lessons into real-world applications.
“ T H E R E W A S H A R D LY A N Y O N E I N M Y F I E L D W H O L O O K E D LIKE ME. AND WITH SO FEW COLLEAGUES WITH WHOM I C O U L D I D E N T I F Y, I T C O U L D F E E L A B I T I S O L A T I N G AT T I M E S . I T C A N G E T E A S Y T O Q U E S T I O N I F YO U A C T U A L LY B E L O N G . ” Michele Manuel, Ph.D.
The SEED grant, written to help teachers build their STEM core content and deliver research/ evidence-based pedagogical practices in the classroom, funded the Engaged Quality Instruction through Professional Development (EQuIPD) program. Designed to improve the pedagogy of STEM learning among K-9 students, EQuIPD deployed in 11 Florida counties whose districts account for over 30% of elementary schools on the state’s lowest 300 list and contain 12 schools listed as persistently underperforming according to the Florida Department of Education in 2017. “The EQuIPD program exposes teachers to new approaches in classroom instruction,” Dr. Ruzycki said. “They learn
A recent independent assessment revealed the program’s impressive impact among Florida teachers. The survey results found that teachers with EQuIPD training are implementing more technology and computational thinking in their classrooms and using real-world problems to help develop workforce skills in their students. They also have better knowledge of local STEM resources and employ design and systems thinking with engineering design in their classes and lessons.
so we can gain more diversity in STEM fields.”
THE RECOGNITION GAP When Michele Manuel, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Materials Science & Engineering and Rolf E. Hummel Professor of Electronic Materials, earned her doctorate, finding other faces like hers was nearly impossible. “When I graduated, there was hardly anyone in my field who looked like me,” said Dr. Manuel. “And with so few colleagues with whom I could identify, it could feel a bit isolating at times.” It can get easy to question if you actually belong.” Now, as an internationally recognized expert in materials design and the first woman
“It is clear the EQuIPD program has had a significant impact on teacher practice for researchbased teaching methods in the classroom,” said Dr. Ruzycki. “This program strengthens the STEM pipeline for all students
Michele Manuel, Ph.D.
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CHANGEMAKERS
and person of color to hold the position of Department Chair in the department’s 60 plus-year history, Dr. Manuel champions for fundamental changes in the system – the changes that make a difference. For example, one of her directives included removing standardized testing score requirements and implementing a more holistic system to evaluate the department’s graduate program applicants. “Standardized tests can be inaccurate and unreliable predictors of graduate
partnership with the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez (UPRM), a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), to provide their MSE students with a path to a UF doctorate degree. “UPRM has a fantastic master’s program, but currently no Ph.D. program. For Latinx students who want to continue their research and studies, we felt UPRM’s close proximity to the University of Florida and our mutual research interests would facilitate a strong alliance. That partnership has yielded several outstanding Ph.D. students,”
“B E I N G A B L ACK WOMAN I N TH ESE SPACES G IVES M E T H E V O I C E T O C O N F I R M T O E V E R YO N E T H AT W E A R E I N D E E D C A P A B L E A N D T H A T W E M O S T D E F I N I T E LY B E L O N G .” Erika Moore, Ph.D.
student aptitude and future success. Historically, they have been instruments of exclusion, especially for underrepresented groups, including socioeconomic, race, language and gender,” said Dr. Manuel. “By looking at more than just a test score, we get to know more about the students themselves, which we believe is a much better indicator of success potential than a grade from a single exam.” She also helped forge a strategic 88
said Dr. Manuel. Dr. Moore also knows what it’s like when the microaggressions of others make you feel like you don’t belong. While she has always loved research and education, she also can’t recall an instance when she walked into a classroom or a lab, and there weren’t hushed whispers or subtle questioning of why she was there. “When I was younger, my father often told me that I had two
things working against me: I’m a woman, and I’m Black. So, when others questioned my presence somewhere, it seeded doubt within me,” said Dr. Moore. “I eventually realized that the only way to create a space for Black women who felt similarly othered or similarly uncomfortable walking into classrooms or laboratories was to become a leader in those classrooms and those laboratories.” When Dr. Moore signed her faculty acceptance letter from the University of Florida in 2017, African American women held just over 0.5% of tenuretrack engineering positions in the United States. While the University of Florida now leads the country in tenured and tenure-track African American female faculty, much more work remains to be done. It’s a responsibility she does not take lightly. “I understand that I am here to continue to change the landscape of science and engineering. I know that it will not be easy and that my journey forward from here will have moments of uncertainty. But being a Black person - being a Black woman, in these spaces gives me the voice to confirm to everyone that we are indeed capable and that we most definitely belong.”
Cammy Abernathy, Ph.D.
CHANGEMAKERS
ABERNATHY CHOSEN FOR TMS ELLEN SWALLOW RICHARDS DIVERSITY AWARD The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) has selected Cammy R. Abernathy, Ph.D., Dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, as the 2022 TMS Ellen Swallow Richards Diversity Award winner. This honor, inspired by Ellen H. Swallow Richards, recognizes an individual who has helped or inspired others to overcome personal, professional, educational, cultural, or institutional adversity to pursue a career in minerals, metals, and/or materials. In addition to her seminal contributions in compound semiconductor processing, TMS is recognizing Dean Abernathy for her ongoing efforts to eliminate institutional barriers and setting the standard for equity, and inclusion in higher education, and leading the College with distinction by fueling a culture of diversity and inclusion, entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary education, and leadership. Dean Abernathy received her S.B. degree in materials science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1980 and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in materials science and engineering from Stanford University in 1982 and 1985, respectively. She joined the University of Florida’s Department of Materials Science & Engineering as a professor in 1993. In 2004, she became the college’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and, in July 2009, was appointed Dean of the then College of Engineering. As Dean, she would hire an unprecedented number of faculty and administrators, radically
changing not only the face of the college but also the culture and environment by recruiting top, highly qualified, diverse candidates for tenure/ tenure-track and lecturer positions. In 2020, the ASEE Diversity Recognition Program featured the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering as an “Exemplar of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” “Dean Abernathy has been the guiding light to so many individuals, including myself. Her visionary leadership, gravitas and compassion have personally inspired numerous people,” said Michele Manuel, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Materials Science & Engineering. “I can only hope to inspire others and make personal sacrifices in the ways she continues to do, and I cannot think of a more deserving candidate for the Ellen Swallows Richards Diversity Award than Dean Cammy R. Abernathy.” Ellen H. Swallow Richards (1842 – 1911) was the first woman to be admitted to and graduate from MIT. Richards was also the first female member of The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers. In 1875, while teaching chemistry at MIT, females were not allowed in the labs, so she established a Women’s Laboratory that operated until MIT began awarding bachelor’s degrees to women in 1883. Richards also spearheaded the unprecedented and widespread testing of Massachusetts waterways, streams, and lakes, which led to the establishment of the country’s first water quality standards and its first modern sewage treatment facility. The award will be presented to Dean Abernathy at the Spring 2022 TMS Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California. This story has been edited for space. For the full text, please visit mse.ufl.edu/mending-the-gaps
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
UTILIZING AI TO DISCOVER FASTER PATHS TO NEW MATERIALS
Richard Hennig, Ph.D. PROFESSOR
Using various methods of advanced processing to manipulate the structure of materials is a universal approach in materials science. It’s how we discover the new materials essential to developing tomorrow’s technologies. In the past, researchers accomplished this through the use of time-intensive and costly experimentation. Richard Hennig, Ph.D., Alumni Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Florida’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, is leading a team of investigators using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create a guidebook of how to get there. 10
“In a nutshell, we’ll be using AI as a route to the faster discovery and creation of new, useful and sufficiently stable materials and, in the process, create the design rules of how to do so,” said Dr. Hennig. “We’re hoping to take some of the guesswork out of getting from A to Z and speeding up the timeline from idea to product.” The $1.8 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Design Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) award will enable Dr. Hennig and co-investigators James Hamlin, Ph.D., Peter Hirschfeld, Ph.D., and Gregory Stewart, Ph.D., from the UF Department of Physics to develop and apply innovative machine learning technologies that will help identify new methods to discover unique, stable materials. With complementary expertise in materials synthesis, characterization, theory and simulations, the group’s focus is on materials that could lead
to new superconductors, highly textured magnets, or ultra-hard materials. Research and design-oriented experiments steered by theory have greatly accelerated materials discovery, leading to the synthesis of novel materials that often challenge chemistry and materials science’s conventional principles that promise significant advances for technological applications. However, one considerable hurdle when using high-pressure materials in applications is that they are often unstable under ambient conditions. “One of the biggest challenges in materials science and physics is the control and processing of matter away from equilibrium,” said Dr. Hennig. “This project aims to identify and document novel synthesis pathways for metastable materials that will dramatically expand the materials design space and build the fundamental knowledge base for
FA C U LT Y
Moudgil Wins 2020 KONA Lifetime Achievement Award
future applications.” Dramatic advances in machine learning techniques allow entirely novel approaches to the design of synthesis routes for metastable materials, and the team has already predicted and synthesized novel superconducting and magnetic materials at both ambient and at high pressure. This project will build on those efforts and extend them into the new domain of metastable material synthesis. “We hope that our discoveries and research will eventually lead to new materials for applications such as particle accelerators, medical imaging devices, quantum information technologies, energy technologies and structural applications,” said Dr. Hennig. “We are extremely excited about the opportunity to develop a new direction of materials discovery and synthesis over the next few years.”
Brij Moudgil, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering, has been selected as a 2020 recipient of the KONA Award, presented to a researcher for lifetime achievement in the powder and particle science and technology field. Dr. Moudgil served as director of the UF Particle DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR Engineering Research Center and is currently serving as director of the Center for Particulate and Surfactant Systems. He has made notable contributions in advanced minerals and materials processing, photocatalytic degradation of hazardous microbes, bioimaging, diagnosis and therapies, microelectronics and nanotoxicity. His KONA Award recognizes his work in interfacial engineering of particulate systems for enhanced performance.
Brij Moudgil, Ph.D.
“I was pleasantly surprised to receive the news of the KONA Award and felt humbled by this special honor,” said Dr. Moudgil. Dr. Moudgil holds a Ph.D. in mineral engineering from Columbia University and fellowships in several major professional organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration. He has been granted 31 patents and is the author or co-author of 13 books and more than 300 technical publications. He is a foreign fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering and is a member of both the National Academy of Inventors and National Academy of Engineering. Particles, powders and surfactant systems are vital to nearly every primary industry, including consumer products, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, oil and gas, chemicals and analytical instrumentation. Dr. Moudgil’s research focuses on generating knowledge and technology platforms for these industries to develop greener and more sustainable applications. “Dr. Moudgil has made remarkable contributions to the field of powder and particle science and technology,” said Michele Manuel, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Materials Science & Engineering. “This is a well-deserved award and recognition for all that he has and continues to achieve in the field.” 11 11
RECOGNITION
ACCOLADES & AWARDS
Cammy Abernathy TMS Ellen Swallow Richards Diversity Award
Assel Aitkaliyeva
Jim Baciak
TMS Young Leaders Professional Dev. Award
Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award
Erika Moore
Brij Moudgil
Tori Miller
TMS Young Leaders Int’l Scholar - JIM Award
2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Healthcare
Michael Tonks
2022 TMS Brimacombe Medalist
Nathalie Wall
2020 AAAS Fellow
KONA Lifetime Achievement Award
Yong Yang
Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award
Michele Manuel
2021 TMS Brimacombe Medalist
Ravi Singh Elected to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame
Matt Zaluzec
Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
STAFF AWARDS
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Kevin Gilley, Ph.D.
Mark Haberman
Nekia Jones
L A B O R AT O R Y A N D S A F E T Y MANAGER
FA C I LT Y O P E R AT I O N S MANAGER
A S S I S TA N T T O T H E D E PA R T M E N T C H A I R
2021 Tony and Kathy Brennan Staff Excellence Award
2021 Tony and Kathy Brennan Staff Excellence Award
2021 UF Office of Sustainability Champion for Change
RECOGNITION
MILLER RECEIVES NSF CAREER AWARD Tori Miller, Ph.D., assistant professor, was named a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program Award winner. Her research will utilize statistical methods and machine learning to investigate the micro-scale structure of materials during manufacture. “We already know that manipulating external parameters such as temperature and deformation rates can influence a material’s microstructure, but the relationships between them are incredibly complicated as numerous mechanisms occur simultaneously,” said Dr. Miller. “That’s where the machine learning techniques will come into play for our research team. Through partnerships with existing UF programs, Dr. Miller will also distribute microstructure simulation kits to middle school teachers around the State of Florida. By targeting school districts with a high fraction of historically underrepresented groups or low socioeconomic status, she hopes to help broaden the diversity of students learning about materials science – especially early in their academic experience. “The core concept of this research — the measurement and quantification of the micro-scale structure of materials — has been integrated into education and outreach modules for use from middle school to the university level,” Dr. Miller said. “It’s perfect for inspiring young minds to explore a career in a STEM-related field.” In 2020, Dr. Miller was awarded the American Society for Metals (ASM) Bronze Medal for contributions bridging the mechanisms of mesoscale dislocation plasticity with macroscale processing science in a wide variety of alloy systems and for her devotion to the education and training of students. “I’m excited to be able to present a traditional field like metallurgy as being on the cutting edge of developing new data science methods for research,” said Dr. Miller. “With the balance of research, education and outreach in a CAREER award, I’m also eager to incorporate these methods into the standard undergraduate curriculum as the field becomes even more data-intensive.”
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RESEARCH
MICHELE MANUEL IS MAKING STEEL MANUFACTURING MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT laboratory-university consortium in developing an Induction-coupled Thermomagnetic Processing (ITMP) method to help solve that problem and help position the American steel industry as a world leader in energy efficient heat treating.
Michele Manuel, Ph.D. PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT CHAIR
Heat-treating steel during its manufacturing stage is an energyintensive process where much of the energy is wasted through heat-loss due to outdated furnace designs and other system inefficiencies. Backed by a nearly $11 million award from the Department of Energy, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, Michele Manuel, Ph.D., professor and chair of the UF Department of Materials Science & Engineering, is leading an industry-national
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Instead of using single energy source refinement techniques such as electricity or natural gas, the ITMP process is designed to utilize volumetric induction heating in combination with highstatic magnetic fields in order to significantly reduce energy demands. This could result in the possibility of better end products, such as new alloys with superior attributes, and a considerably reduced carbon footprint associated with their production. Dr. Manuel, an internationally recognized leader and expert in light metals, design and computational methodologies for materials development and materials, will be collaborating with industry and academic partners from the University of Florida, Virginia Tech, the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in this research.
“We are enthusiastic to partner with the Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office to develop a high-impact manufacturing process to increase our global leadership in advanced manufacturing of metals and alloys. We’ve assembled an outstanding team of researchers and corporate partners to not only develop the systems and technology associated with the ITMP method but also the science,” said Dr. Manuel. “An undertaking of this magnitude requires drawing on multiple disciplines and talents to help make it happen, and it’s an honor to work with such talented colleagues across the country.” Technological advances such as ITMP and the research generated by them are aimed at boosting the U.S. heat treating industry’s worldwide competitive advantage through lowering manufacturing costs with more efficient processes and through the resulting operational and environmental impacts. This award is part of a 55-project, $187 million Department of Energy initiative to strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.
RESEARCH
DOE AWARD HELPS WALL CREATE BETTER LONG-TERM NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE multidisciplinary team of experts from UF and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Nathalie Wall, Ph.D. PROFESSOR
The U.S. is the world’s largest nuclear power producer, with nearly 100 commercial power plants designed to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Nuclear energy is also the most reliable source of clean energy in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. But along with that clean, dependable power source comes the question of how best to handle the spent fuel after it’s been removed from the reactors. Spent nuclear fuel and other nuclear waste is not currently recycled or reprocessed in the U.S., so it must be collected and stored until researchers devise a permanent disposal solution. Nathalie Wall, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering, has received an award from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop an innovative clay barrier to contain harmful radionuclides in stored radioactive waste. Dr. Wall is the principal investigator, leading a
Although the amount of nuclear fuel an individual would use in an entire lifetime would typically fit inside a soda can if the spent fuel was reprocessed, the U.S. still generates around 2,000 metric tons of used fuel each year. The primary method for dealing with spent fuel is called dry storage. The material is sealed into containers, called casks, made of concrete and steel and often stored on-site at the facility where it was produced. Radioactive wastes will then be disposed of in a repository, such as an underground salt deposit. Some radioactive waste generated in the past is transported to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) storage facility in New Mexico, although the site does not accept wastes from nuclear power plants. The underground “warehouses” at WIPP, carved out of salt deposits 2,000 feet underground, are designed to slowly collapse over several years, literally encasing the casks as the earth fills in around them. Studies show that by using this method, the geological barrier created by the salt and ground is effective for impeding most, but not all the elements commonly found in nuclear waste.
Wall. “Because of that, dry storage repositories such as WIPP require additional, man-made physical buffers, called engineered barriers, to help sequester these radioactive chemicals and further prevent their diffusion into the surrounding environment.” Dr. Wall’s clay-based barrier would swell and fill gaps between the waste storage casks and the earth material surrounding them when implemented. The combination of the two barriers should restrict radionuclide leaking for several hundred years. “In the distant future, groundwater may intrude into the repository, but the clay can be modified with the necessary chemical properties to limit radionuclide release,” added Dr. Wall. “Until a permanent disposal solution for nuclear waste is developed, the ultimate goal for us with this research is to make current storage methods as safe, stable and durable as possible.”
“Technetium and iodine, two radionuclides that are particularly difficult to confine due to their complex chemistry and high mobility under oxidizing conditions, are also present in nuclear fuel,” said Dr. 15
RESEARCH
$1.2 MILLION NSF AWARD HELPS AMANDA KRAUSE LAND A CUTTING EDGE 3D X-RAY MICROSCOPE SYSTEM Amanda Krause, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UF Department of Materials Science & Engineering, is employing artificial intelligence methods to track and catalogue data for her abnormal grain growth research, and thanks to new a $1.2 million research award from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program,, she will bring a cutting-edge, 3D X-ray microscope system to campus to generate even better data for her algorithms.
nanoCT) will not only provide the data used to train the machine learning algorithm, but it will also give us a three-dimensional look inside rare and unique specimens without destroying them,” said Dr. Krause, principal investigator for the NSF award. “Currently, we have to compare different samples to draw conclusions about how a material behaves. With this tool, we can actually observe a single sample evolve over time to gain better insight into fundamental processes.”
“The Zeiss Xradia 620 Versa Computed Tomography (Versa
The system provides nanoscale 3D imaging of the internal and external features of both organic and inorganic specimens and is a substantial boost to UF research capabilities. With its versatile design and ability to provide the visual data deemed essential for identifying both the critical microstructural features in materials processes and the morphological aspects of biological specimens, the new instrument will offer new research opportunities in a variety of scientific fields including materials science, vertebrate zoology and biomedical engineering.
Amanda Krause, Ph.D. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR 16 16
The Versa nanoCT’s capabilities in dealing with organic materials are why co-investigator Edward Stanley, Ph.D., associate scientist with the Florida Museum of Natural History and director of the Digital Discovery and Dissemination Laboratory, is eager to put the unit to work. “I’m very excited about the new
research this machine will facilitate at the Florida Museum of Natural History and throughout the UF research community as a whole,” Dr. Stanley said. “With its ability to produce much higher resolution scans than the current CT machine, the benefits will be felt most keenly in the divisions that have a lot of small specimens, such as entomology. All divisions will be able to make use of its increased capabilities – particularly the oVert program, our NSF-funded program which provides free, digital 3D models and data to researchers, educators, students and the public.” “But what I am most proud of with this grant,” continued Dr. Stanley, “is the sheer diversity of users we are able to include: 20 different departments from eight colleges or institutes representing a wide diversity of UF research. I hope that this new system will help encourage further cross-disciplinary collaborations at UF.” The Versa nanoCT will be located at UF’s Research Service Centers and the data collected by it will then be shared through opensource networks and field-specific databases to help enable broadscale data research initiatives. Additionally, the acquired data will be implemented in graduate, undergraduate and high school education curriculum and will also complement 3D machine learning development initiatives.
ALUM N I SP OTLIGHT
MSE ALUMNUS ALVARO DELLA BONA WINS WILMER SOUDER AWARD IN DENTISTRY University of Florida Department of Materials Science & Engineering alumnus Alvaro Della Bona, D.D.S, Ph.D., FADM (Ph.D. MSE ’01), has been awarded the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Wilmer Souder Award in Dental Materials. Dr. Della Bona is a dentist, researcher and senior professor at the University of Passo Fundo in Brazil. He is also the first person from Latin America to win the prestigious award. “It is a great honor to receive the 2021 Wilmer Souder award,” Dr. Della Bona said. “As a long-time IADR member and attending these ceremonies since 1991, I always enjoyed being a part of those moments celebrating and recognizing the successful journey of the Wilmer Souder awardees over the years.” First awarded in 1955, the prize honors Dr. Wilmer Souder, widely recognized as the “Father of Dental Materials Research” and the motivating force in establishing the Dental Section at the National Bureau of Standards. It is one of the highest honors bestowed by the IADR and bestowed upon those scientists
who, through their research, bring about outstanding advances in dental health. “In the dental materials research field, the Wilmer Souder award is considered the most prestigious award,” Dr. Della Bona said. “In the past, I always associated it with renowned researchers from well-known institutions. That’s why, for me, it is a tremendous honor to be part of such a distinguished group of people.” During his time at UF, Dr. Della Bona was mentored by Jack Mecholsky, Ph.D., now associate chair in MSE, and Ken Anusavice, D.M.D., Ph.D., from the UF College of Dentistry (Ph.D., MSE ’70). “I am aware how very fortunate I was for the incredible mentors I have had along the way. I often find it appropriate to quote Isaac Newton’s famous words: ‘If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants,’ Dr. Della Bona said. “I am very proud to be a Gator.”
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STUDENTS
FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT HOPES TO INSPIRE OTHERS As a researcher, Jomary MercadoMontijo understands first-hand how tapping the right resources and asking the right questions can achieve positive results in the lab. By tapping the right resources in her academic pursuits, she has found success through mentorship. Mercado-Montijo is a Ph.D. student in the Andrew Research Group in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering, National Science Foundation Research Fellow and first-generation college student. Mercado-Montijo’s interest in science began as a young child when doctors surgically restored her father’s hearing loss by replacing his malleus with a prosthesis. Since that moment, her interest in science has been driven by how materials can improve others’ health and wellness. However, after graduating from high school in Puerto Rico, Mercado-Montijo struggled to decide her future path. Because of her family’s financial situation, she considered two options: an accounting degree from a nearby college followed by a job or pursuing her passion for science while attending a different university, hours away from home, and with no plan on how to pay for it. “I chose the accounting major, but 18
when I was registering, I happened to meet a professor from the Department of Chemistry and Physics,” said Mercado-Montijo. “He inspired me with the story of his journey in engineering and his contributions in the field. He encouraged me to follow my dreams and, after speaking with him, I decided my curiosity in science and engineering was something I needed to fulfill.” After enrolling as a chemical engineering major at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez (UPRM), Mercado-Montijo met Bárbara O. Calcagno, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Engineering Sciences and Material, who became her mentor and role model. “She motivated me to continue my studies and go beyond my boundaries in chemical engineering. She also introduced me to the world of materials science and allowed me to work with her on research both in Puerto Rico and in the United States,” said Mercado. During undergrad, another challenge Mercado-Montijo encountered more than once was a tendency to doubt her readiness for graduate school. “In Puerto Rico, if you do go to college, the expectation is to go straight into the workforce after
Jomary Mercado-Montijo
graduation,” said Mercado-Montijo. “Postgraduate work is much less common, and I wasn’t sure I could do it. But Dr. Oscar Marcelo, who I still consider an advisor today, pushed me to apply for grad school. He put me in touch with Dr. Jennifer Andrew and Dr. Michele Manuel at UF and told me to ‘go for it.’ That was just what I needed to hear to help me believe in myself.” “I chose UF for a couple of reasons,” said Mercado-Montijo. “First, it was their consistent engagement with the UPRM community. UF is one of the few U.S. universities that come to campus every year, and I felt a connection there. That, combined with an MSE graduate program ranked in the top 10 among public universities and Dr. Andrew’s work in biomaterials, was a huge draw for me.” Mercado-Montijo’s primary interests now are biomaterials and polymer science, and the National Science Foundation recently awarded her a Graduate Research Fellowship for her work. “I work on creating smart drug microcapsules that can be inhaled directly into the lungs to treat diseases such as tuberculosis, without affecting any other organs,” said Mercado-Montijo. “When someone is suffering from pulmonary disease, their body
UF ON THE RISE reacts by releasing mass amounts of enzymes into the lungs. By designing microcapsules that are sensitive to these enzymes, we can take advantage of that natural reaction. The body’s molecules will break down the microcapsule and release the drug exactly in the desired treatment area.” Currently, Mercado-Montijo stays involved with the UF MSE community by serving as their representative in the Engineering Graduate Student Council and supporting incoming graduate students in their transition to graduate school. For someone once unsure what her future held, Jomary MercadoMontijo now has a clear view of what comes next for her. “In 10 years, I see myself as a UPRM faculty member,” said Mercado-Montijo. “Currently, UPRM only offers a master’s degree in MSE, but I want to build an undergraduate and a Ph.D. program there, as well. With my expertise in biomaterials and as a role model to my community, I want to design courses and spread my passion for materials science to my students while reciprocating the same support I received – all at my alma mater in Puerto Rico.
The Department of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Florida continues to shine. In the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, the materials science and engineering graduate program continues to be Top 10 among public universities. The program has been ranked in the Top 10 for the last 6 years. The nuclear engineering graduate program housed within the department is ranked at No. 12 among public universities. The programs are also No. 1 in the State of Florida.
#9 #12
BEST PUBLIC MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING GRADUATE PROGRAM 2022 U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
BEST PUBLIC NUCLEAR ENGINEERING GRADUATE PROGRAM 2022 U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
“The hard work from everyone in the department is reflected in our continued ranking among the top graduate programs in the country for both materials science and nuclear engineering,” said Michele Manuel, Ph.D., Department Chair. “I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished in our history as a department.” Nuclear Engineering Program Director Andreas Enqvist, Ph.D., added, “We are excited to see our ranking reflect the growth and continued success of our program. It’s a testament to the efforts of all faculty and students involved.”
This story has been edited for space. For the full interview, please visit mse.ufl.edu/ student-spotlight-jomary-mercado-montijo 19
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