ALRANICA B ALL E
BA
& BLISS
ANCE
7
by JULIA ST. ANDRE Writer Intern
“AT FIRST, I DIDN’T REALLY
exploration inspired her to advance
shocked that no one was using them
KNOW WHAT YOU COULD DO
her research toward the Space Force
to find aliens.”
WITH A CHEMISTRY DEGREE,”
project’s objective. Ballance explains,
SAYS ARIA BALL ANCE . “BUT I
“They released a Broad Agency
Ballance points to science fiction as
LOVED IT SO MUCH THAT I STUCK
Announcement asking for a proposal
one of her sources of inspiration in
WITH IT, AND IT HAS PAID OFF.
that could enhance the signal of
her work and credits her love of Star
I’M GL AD I FOLLOWED MY BLISS.”
potential extraterrestrial molecules
Trek for inspiring her to apply for
from meteorites. And I thought,
the highly competitive fellowship.
A graduate student in chemistry at the
‘Oh, okay! My nanoparticles could
Additionally, Ballance cites other
University of Utah, Ballance is the recent
probably do something like that.'”
sources of inspiration in her day-
recipient of the National Defense
to-day life, including her fellow lab
Science and Engineering Graduate
Ballance’s current research involves
members, Amy Morren and Anh
Fellowship. Her love for chemistry has
fabricating gold crescent-shaped
Nguyen, and her mentor, Shumaker-
led her to research a wide variety of
nanostructures she refers to as
Parry, for making her experience at
topics, from water-purifying titanium
"nanocrescents." When the nanocrescents
the University of Utah so fulfilling. “Dr.
dioxide clay pots to nanoparticles and
interact with an incident light, they
Shumaker-Parry has given me so many
chiral molecules in Jennifer Shumaker-
create plasmons that she is using to
opportunities and has helped me
Parry’s nanomaterials lab.
try to enhance the molecular signal of
grow exponentially as a scientist. Her
small chiral molecules. She recalls the
incredible work with nanoparticles is
While applying for the fellowship,
exciting moment when she made the
what inspired me to apply to graduate
Ballance made a remarkable
connection: “One of the things they
school and become a chemist.” When
connection between her research
are looking for when searching for
the deadline for the fellowship came
and a US Air Force project focused
extraterrestrial molecules and signs of
around, Ballance was going through
on distinguishing between Earth
life is chirality,” a geometric property
a difficult personal matter and almost
and extraterrestrial molecules.
in which an object or molecule cannot
did not apply. But with the support
Though her research originally
be superimposed on its mirror image.
and encouragement of her mentor,
focused on the medical sphere,
“A lot of nanoparticles are used to
she submitted the application. She’s
Ballance’s curiosity and love for space
enhance molecular signals, so I was
glad she did.
continued...
COVER STORY & STUDENTS | 2023
