Undergraduate Researcher - Liane Moreau

Liane will be entering her fourth year as an undergraduate in the Materials Science and Engineering Department. She has been researching under Professor Richard Robinson since spring 2009 and has enjoyed studying nanoparticle synthesis methods and nanoscale transformation mechanisms using x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Liane has had the unique opportunity to learn and contribute to the field simultaneously through both experimental work, preparing nanoparticle samples for XAS measurements at CHESS, as well as theoretical modeling of the nanoparticle XAS spectra. Her current work supplements the group's recently published study of the cobalt to cobalt phosphide nanoparticle transformation system. By using XAS to analyze nickel to nickel phosphide transformation, she hopes to use the results from both these and future nanoparticle transformation systems to gain valuable insight into nanoscale transformation. This will enable the optimization of nanoparticle synthesis methods and control of nanoparticle structural properties, which will enhance their use in microelectronic devices and energy applications. Through her research, Liane hopes to contribute to the engineering community while satisfying her scientific curiosity.