Student Researchers
as a member of the werth family foundation-funded Industry academic fellowship (Iaf) program, physics major peter Litwin, ’15, worked with professor vince Breslin and other Iaf members to conduct nanoenvironmental research. Gathering samples from new Haven Harbor, professor Breslin and Litwin searched for micro-plastics found in some toothpaste, facial scrubs, and other products. the researchers ultimately unveiled evidence of the pollutants, which have been banned in numerous states. “as a researcher, my work is based on the particles being there. But as an environmentalist, I was hoping that they wouldn’t be,” says Litwin. for more, go to southernCt.edu/ microplastics.html.
“I like how the professors at southern are handson and that the student body isn’t huge. I like that I’ve been here only one year and all the professors know my name,” says stephen Cusumano, a graduate student majoring in chemistry, who holds a werth-funded Iaf graduate assistantship. for his graduate thesis, Cusumano is studying proteins that self-assemble into nanotubes, with a goal of finding ways to optimize images of the proteins.
“I grew up abroad in uzbekistan. I spent time in asia and europe and came back to the u.s. in high school. I’ve always been adventurous. I like research,” says paul Klaucke, a senior physics major. the recipient of an Industry academic fellowship funded by the werth family foundation, Klaucke is studying the characterization — or visualization — of nanotubes. He is also conducting research with both proton onsite and the Yale school of medicine’s positron emission tomography Center.
“I always knew I would work in the sciences,” says junior physics major Hang pham. a recipient of an Industry academic fellowship sponsored by the werth family foundation, she spent last summer studying materials used in nano-medicine — materials synthesized at the nanometer scale (billionths of a meter).
“It’s a great environment. we’re not competing against each other. we’re working together as a community so that we can all be our best,” says Katherine perez, a junior physics major with a minor in mathematics. perez — a new Haven promise scholarship recipient — realized she loved science while taking an ap (advanced placement) physics class during her senior year of high school. an Industry academic fellow, she spent the summer studying materials used in nano-medicine.
“the fact that this equipment is available to undergraduates is phenomenal,” says alexis ernst, ’15, who spent the summer working as a program assistant with the Industry academic fellows program and is now pursuing graduatelevel study of materials science and engineering. “this program goes above and beyond what is typically offered to undergraduates.”
Winter 2015 | 15