Chemistry student Melissa Orr was honored this year with a Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research award.
A fourth-year student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry’s B.S. to M.S. fast-track program, Orr is studying how changing the crystal chemistry of rare-earth, solid-state materials can lead to control of physical behavior.
“I was stunned to learn I had received the award,” she says. “I am honored and excited to continue my research efforts with the support of Sigma Xi. I’m interested in the unique chemistry that only rare-earth elements can provide, as they exhibit a diverse array of intriguing physical phenomena that translate into optical, magnetic, and semiconducting applications.”
