Gratitude

My dissertation is embargoed until 2024, but I can't wait to declare my gratitude. Below is an excerpt from the acknowledgements section of my dissertation.

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My family made this scientific journey possible. First, thanks to my grandparents (Ace, Grams, Granddad, and Grandmom) for living frugally and saving up to fund education for their children and grandchildren. Thanks in particular to Grandmom, who taught me the basics of algebra when I was five years old. Turns out, that's a pretty useful skill. Thanks also to my Granddad for teaching me the 5P's: prior planning prevents poor performance. And thanks to Ace, for his wisdom on presenting my science before an audience: stand up to be seen, speak loud to be heard, and sit down to be appreciated. Next, thanks to all my aunts, uncles, and cousins who have endured my attempts to explain my research. Your curiosity and kindness helped me learn to speak about my science and kept me enthusiastic about my research. Perhaps more importantly, your gentle ribbing keeps me humble. Thanks in particular to my Aunt Gretchen. Your monthly letters never failed to bring me joy. Last but not least, thanks to all my parents. Dad and Ayse, Mom and Steve, I am so grateful for your love and support. 

My friends made this scientific journey fun. Thanks to Jordan Ricker for the (mostly) weekly phonecalls from across the world. Thanks to Alex Koegel and Amanda Kale for helping me learn to dance salsa (growth mindset!). Thanks to Sam Miller for reminding me to appreciate the little things. Thanks to Evan Senie for being the best roommate I ever could have wished for. Thanks to Christy Cashen and Lacey Beck for helping me learn the basics of rock climbing. Thanks to Charlie and Amber Quann for helping me establish a social circle outside of the lab. Thanks to Bob and Bev Bacon for being my Fort Collins grandparents. Thanks to Foothills Unitarian Universalist Church for providing me a spiritually nourishing community. Thanks to the Geller Center Food for Thought group for being a community space full of kind and thoughtful people, especially John Forrest, Sean Simpson, and Christina Geldert, who reminded me that I am a human being, not a human doing. Thanks to my friends from earlier in my education, who have cheered me on from afar: Emmy, Manny, Owen, Katie, Preston, Patrick, and so many more. Thanks to all of my running buddies for helping me stay healthy in body, mind, and soul, especially Ryan Clarke, CeAnn Udovich, Jacob VanderRoest, Gavin McEwen, Steven Johnson, Ashley Brasovan, and Zoë Rom. I am so grateful for the miles and conversations we have shared. 

My mentors helped me find my way through this scientific journey. Thanks of course to my primary co-advisors, Amy Prieto and Jamie Neilson. I could not have asked for more supportive supervisors, and I am so grateful for the way you have generously shared your insights, enthusiasm, creativity, and wisdom with me. I am also immensely grateful for your patience through my occasional stumbles on this adventure in science. Thanks also to my committee (Justin Sambur, Grzegorz Szamel, and Kristen Buchanan) for your support, patience, advice, and encouragement. Thanks to those who mentored me at NREL: Sage Bauers, Rebecca Smaha, Andriy Zakutayev, Yeyoung Ha, and Annie Greenaway. The American people are incredibly fortunate to have you working on their behalf towards the goal of a renewable energy future. And thanks to my mentors from my time as an undergraduate: Augusta Hofstead-Duffy, Yuye Tong, Nicole Vanagas, and Karah Knope. Your inspiration and encouragement helped launch me on this adventure. 

My peers and colleagues helped me through the highs and lows on each day of this scientific journey. I am so grateful for all my colleagues over the years in the Neilson Lab, Prieto Lab, and NREL Materials Discovery team. In particular, thanks to mentorship from Eve Mozur, Paul Todd, Max Schulze, Rebecca Miller, Dan Agos, Jen Lee, Leslie Kraynak, Jeff Ma, Jacob Boissiere, and Jewels Fallon. Learning from y'all has been a privilege and an honor. 

Special thanks to Allison Wustrow for being my exceptionally patient lab buddy (and overall friend) through so many pandemic lab shifts.

Thanks to Cal Knebel for being a talented, curious, and enthusiastic undergraduate. 

Thanks also to colleagues at other institutions, who remind me that I am part of a big community. Thanks especially to Matt McDermott, Rachel Woods-Robinson, Chris Bartel, Nicholas Singstock, Aaron Holder, Akira Miura, Shannon Rogers and Safia Jilani. 

Many thanks to the scientists working at the various beamlines that supported this work, either in their official role or just as a helpful and talented fellow user: Andrey Yakovenko, Wenqian Xu, Nicholas Strange, and Nathan Johnson. Teamwork makes the dream work.

Special thanks to my partner Maureen Walsh. Your love and support carried me through the completion of this dissertation. I am so excited for our future ahead. 

Finally, thanks to my brother, Kitt. The photo of you sitting in a crew shell on the water, flashing a smile and a thumbs up, has encouraged me daily. Thank you.