LEXINGTON, Ky. ) — The University of Kentucky Materials Science Research Priority Area has selected 11 researchers as recipients of multiple funding awards. The area offers a variety of funding mechanisms to support materials research across UK and expand the RPA’s breadth and depth of work.

This call for proposals included a category for research equipment (instruments) or clusters of equipment that will increase research competitiveness in the broad areas of energy and materials science. These Enabling Equipment for Materials Science and Energy Research Grants (EEMSERG) were jointly sponsored by the Energy Research Priority Area.

The recipients from the College of Arts and Sciences are:

EEMSERG recipients:

• Georgina Lukoczki, Kentucky Geological Survey, “Raman System Enhancements for Materials Characterization in Energy Geoscience,” co-funded by eRPA.

Seed grant recipients:

• Beth Guiton, College of Arts and Sciences, “Designing the Solid-State Synthesis of Multiferroic BiFeO3 using In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy.”
• Marcelo Guzman, College of Arts and Sciences, “Sodium and Potassium Metal-Ions Carbon Supercapacitors from Bourbon Stillage.”
• Douglas Strachan, College of Arts and Sciences, “Twisted Two-Dimensional van der Waals Materials for the Sequencing of Bio-Molecules Using Quantum Tunneling.”

User center access voucher recipients:

• Beth Guiton, College of Arts and Sciences, “Understanding the Structure of Metastable Niobates and Vanadates for Energy Storage.”

Learn more about the mRPA, its mission and current opportunities.