UA Undergraduate Student Wins Prize for Research Presentation at INSPIRE Conference
Jeremy Lawson, a University of Alabama undergraduate physics major doing research in the UA Materials for Information Technology (MINT) Center, recently won a first-place prize for his research presentation at the INSPIRE conference at the University of Southern Mississippi, which took place October 16-18, 2003.
The conference featured presentations by undergraduate students throughout the region in the areas of materials science, polymers, and biomaterials. Jeremy won his award in the materials science division; it included a check for $500.
Jeremy, a senior from Huntsville, began his research under the supervision of Dr. J.W. Harrell, UA professor of physics, during the summer of 2003 as part of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.
The REU program offers undergraduates the opportunity to participate in materials research projects for ten weeks during the summer. His research involves chemically synthesized iron-platinum nanoparticles, which have the potential for increasing the amount of information stored on hard disks by a factor of 1000.
"Specifically, he is studying the effects of time and temperature on the nanoparticles' phase transformation. This phase transformation is critical for their use in high density information storage," says Dr. Harrell.
"I have had a number of undergraduates do research with me over the years, and Jeremy is among the best," says Dr. Harrell. "He is more mature intellectually and emotionally than most undergraduate students. He is also an excellent communicator, and this is probably one of the reasons that he won the INSPIRE award."
According to Jeremy, the experience provided by his work with the MINT Center has been invaluable. "MINT has provided me with a chance to work in a world-class research facility, gaining the skills I'll need to be highly successful in the job market," he says. "Their willingness to actively mentor me and give me real world experiences (for example, the INSPIRE conference) is probably one of its greatest aspects."
The UA MINT Center pursues basic research in materials and processes used in information storage devices such as magnetic hard drive and tape systems. The center educates students in relevant science and engineering disciplines and facilitates technical exchange within the information storage industry.
The College of Arts and Sciences is the University's largest division and the largest public liberal arts college in the state, with approximately 5,500 undergraduates and 1,000 graduate students. The College has received national recognition for academic excellence, and the College's students have been selected for many of the nation's top academic honors, including 13 Rhodes Scholarships, 14 Goldwater Scholarships, seven Truman Scholarships, and 15 memberships on USA Today's Academic All-American teams.
KeyFacts
The University of Alabama had five students named to the USA Today All-USA College Academic Team for 2003—the most awards of any school in the nation. Harvard and Johns Hopkins each had three recipients of the award, and UA had more than Dartmouth and Yale combined. UA's Sarah Adair, a microbiology major from Hartselle, was named to the first team. UA's Kana Ellis, Allison Kellogg, Gabriel Walvatne, and Laura Medders were also among the honorees. USA Today selects the All-USA Academic Team from students throughout the country. They are recognized for grades, awards, leadership roles, and ability to use their academic skills outside the classroom.
The University of Alabama is ranked among the nation's top 50 public universities by U.S. News & World Report.
The University of Alabama's graduates include 15 Rhodes Scholars, 15 Goldwater Scholars, and nine Truman Scholars. Our most recent Rhodes Scholar is Bradley Tuggle, an English major who received the award in 2001.
The University of Alabama's chapter of the prestigious liberal arts honor society Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest of the three chapters in the state.
Approximately 66 percent of UA's undergraduates receive some type of financial aid.
UA ranks as one of the top public universities in enrollment of National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Scholars. More than 300 of these students are currently enrolled at Alabama.
For over a decade, The University of Alabama has been one of the top public flagship universities in the Southeast in enrollment of African-American students. In fall 2002, African-Americans comprised 10 percent of enrolled freshmen, 14 percent of total undergraduate enrollment, and 13 percent of the student body overall. Enrollment of African-American students in UA's Graduate School has increased by 44 percent since 1996.
Across our beautiful 1,000-acre campus, several buildings dating back to the founding of the university are still in use today—alongside other historic structures and recent construction housing state-of-the-art technology. We offer excellent facilities for study and research, including campus-wide computer labs, multimedia classrooms, and online libraries.
More than 33 percent of the university's entering freshmen and 21 percent of all undergraduates received merit scholarships for the academic year 2002-03.
The University of Alabama debate team holds 14 national championships—two more than our football team!
UA offers 220 degree programs.
Founded in 1831, The University of Alabama was the state's first university.
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