Ilke holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in physics from the University of Illinois-Chicago and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Davis. Her research at Sandia focuses on the implementation and application of advanced techniques in the electron microscope to understand the structure-property relationships of semiconductor nanomaterials.
I've been a Truman Fellow at Sandia for nine months, and it has provided me with a tremendous learning experience so far. My research focuses on understanding the fundamental properties of semiconductor nanostructures, such as GaN and other multi-shell nitride-based nanowires, by using atomic-resolution electron microscopy, three-dimensional electron tomography, and compositional analysis using high-energy-resolution spectroscopic methods in the microscope.
Being a Truman Fellow is not like anything else I experienced as a graduate student or a supervised postdoc. For the first time, I was given the freedom to choose the projects I want to work on, and I get to decide where to go with them next. Although I have had excellent guidance from my mentor and manager whenever I needed it, the atmosphere is very different from a standard position in which you work primarily on other people's ideas. It is a chance to make the transition from student to independent researcher in a nurturing environment, yet still a challenge to come up with good ideas and begin to build a strong program.
The high level of science and intellect around me every day at Sandia is helping me to not only grow as a scientist, but also acts as a standard to aim for and live up to myself. I have made several new fantastic collaborations with researchers in both Sandia/California and Sandia/New Mexico, all of whom have taught me a lot, and they are never too busy to discuss my latest results or ideas with me. Overall, working at Sandia has been an extremely positive experience for me thus far, and I am really looking forward to the next two years.
David holds a B.S. and Ph.D .in materials science from Pennsylvania State University. He was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow from 2001 to 2004. His current research involves investigating the piezoelectric and electrical properties of zinc oxide nanostructures.
I have now been at Sandia for about a year and a half — how the time has flown! It has been a great experience so far. The fellowship has allowed me to build upon my base of skills acquired during my dissertation research and leverage that to move into a new area of research, which is very rewarding. I have been exploring the material properties of zinc oxide nanostructures, specifically the piezoelectric and electrical transport properties. These materials provide an ideal test bed for studying material properties and vibrations in nanostructures, and will be used in ultrasensitive detectors for chemical and biological species.
The newness of the research area for me has given me lots of opportunities to talk to different scientists and engineers in different disciplines. The joy of working at Sandia is the ability to walk down the hall and talk to an expert in almost any given field. I directly benefit from several world-class research groups that do everything from nanostructure growth to materials characterization. The mentoring and collaborative atmosphere at the Labs is helping me grow as a scientist. Additionally, the access to facilities and equipment is amazing, the great library and online resources are immensely helpful, and the support that Sandia provides to present research at technical conferences is refreshing.
It is particularly rewarding to be pursuing research that I initially proposed. The freedom to explore the challenges and opportunities as they arise is very fulfilling. My time here has been very challenging and enjoyable, and I look forward to another two years of focused research.