Meet Our Students
Shelby Mitchell
Participating in MRE-C: since 2022
Hometown: Cypress, CA and Makakilo, HI
Major: Math
What lab(s) or faculty member(s) are you working with?
Strain Control in Solids: Dr. Dera (UH), Dr. Xiaosong Li (UW)
Tell us about yourself!
I spend my life going back and forth between California and Hawaii due to family. This lifestyle gave be a love for the ocean and surfing. During my beginning time at UH I was a UH rainbow warrior dance team member. While pursuing my BS in Physics, I took a course in solid state physics. This class opened up the door for me to the study of material science. My first opportunity to work in a lab where we manufactured carbon nanofoam, that opportunity gave me so much knowledge that I didn’t get in the classroom, such as being apart of research papers and getting published.
How or why did you become part of this research opportunity?
I became a part of this research opportunity because I wanted to expand the research fields that I have done in the past. I wanted to move away from organic crystal structure; especially carbon, and move more into studying the crystal structure of inorganic material. This research opportunity also allowed me opportunity to use instruments and learn new analyzing software.
What is the focus of the research you're doing?
My focus of the research will be taking the samples synthesized in Dr Severa lab and running them through the XRD. After which I will be using the analyzing software to determine what type of unit cell the crystal sample has.
When thinking about the work you're doing or will be doing, what are you most excited about?
I am excited to learn the whole process of using the XRD and the analyzing software. My main excited is learning to use the XRD, with my back group in physics understanding the physics behind the apparatus makes it all the more exciting.
What are your future visions/goals?
My future goals in the material science word would be either focusing more on nanomaterial and fabrication or working with material with absorption properties. My main focus would either be in gas absorption or water purification.
What would you say to someone who's interested in joining this program?
If you have even the slightest interest in working in material science or engineering this is a great opportunity. No matter which lab you end up working in it can help narrow down the field that you would like to work in. Material science and engineering is such a board field that it can intimidating, so getting any experience even if it won’t necessarily be the area you want to be in, any lab experience is always good to have.