What is your dream job?
My dream job is to become a materials scientist, especially focused on the utilization of carbon-based materials for renewable energy. Tailored courses in my field of interest and enormous support from my advisor and the EME department continue to be instrumental in pursuing my dream job.
What student organizations and activities are you involved in?
I was the 2021/2022 President of the Penn State Pan-African Professional Alliance Organization, where I started an initiative called the Give Back to Africa fund to support developmental programs on the African continent. In our first year, we raised $7000 to support women's education in STEM (WAAW foundation in Nigeria and Ghana), healthcare access in rural areas (Health at Heart organization in Zimbabwe), and food insecurity (Cup of Uji in Kenya). This has been one of my proudest achievements at Penn State.
What is the one Penn State activity that everyone should participate in, and why?
Go to a football game!!! It will be one of the most exciting and energizing things you will ever do at Penn State. It is an experience like no other.
My research is focused on synthesizing graphitic materials from sustainable and renewable sources for energy storage, specifically anode for lithium-ion batteries.
I am using two-dimensional (2D) material as templates (guiding agents) to guide the structure of non-graphitizing precursors, for example, phenolic resin and lignin into graphitic carbon.
What is one piece of advice you would give to prospective students?
Take advantage of any and every opportunity; you never know where the doors might lead you.
What’s the number one reason to choose EME to pursue research?
Extensive, collaborative, and innovative research, especially in the field of carbon. EME also has a great alumni network spread across the globe.