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USAO professor awarded Department of Energy fellowship


Dr. Nicholas Boyde, associate professor of chemistry.
Dr. Nicholas Boyde, associate professor of chemistry.

Dr. Nicholas Boyde, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma, has been awarded a fellowship through the Department of Energy Visiting Faculty Program. The project will take place this summer at the Ames National Laboratory in Ames, Iowa from May 28 to Aug. 2.

The Visiting Faculty Program seeks to enhance research competitiveness and STEM teaching capacities for faculty members, with the overall goal of cultivating a more expansive STEM workforce.

During the 10-week fellowship, Boyde will work with Dr. Frederic Perras of the Ames Lab on a project titled “Hindering Ligand Exchange through Physical Encapsulation,” which can be a useful strategy in various applications, including controlling chemical reactions. Throughout the summer there will be opportunities for professional development as well as learning advanced research techniques in a state-of-the-art facility.

“My project will involve preparing a titanium-based molecule then joining that to a silicon-based surface. Once this new interaction has been made, we will study the surface using advanced instrumentation such as solid-state NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) and test the usefulness of this new molecule for practical applications,” said Boyde.

Boyde plans to use the knowledge gained during this fellowship to improve his advanced inorganic chemistry course in the fall to teach students about cutting edge research occurring in the field of chemistry.

Ames National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science National Laboratory operated by Iowa State University. Ames Laboratory creates innovative materials, technologies and energy solutions. They use their expertise, unique capabilities and interdisciplinary collaborations to solve global problems.

Ames Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science.

For more information about USAO, visit www.usao.edu


About the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma

As Oklahoma’s liberal arts college, the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma provides a distinctive education in the liberal arts and sciences, supporting both its interdisciplinary core curriculum and major fields of study with superior teaching. Science & Arts fosters diversity of thought and practice to help students realize meaningful, purposeful and productive lives as global citizens in a rapidly-changing world.