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Engineering graduate student awarded New Mexico Space Grant Consortium fellowship

September 3, 2024 - by Kim Delker

photo: Ngoc Nguyen
Ngoc Nguyen

A School of Engineering graduate student’s work in energy storage has just become supercharged, thanks to receiving a prestigious fellowship.

Ngoc Nguyen, a second-year master's student working with Assistant Professor Shuya Wei in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has received the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowship, which provides funding to faculty and students to develop competitive research and technology projects across New Mexico. The program provides $10,000 for two academic semesters for research that aligns and advances NASA’s missions.

Nguyen’s research focuses on improving the grid-scale energy storage system by understanding how gravitational force affects the electrodeposition on the anode of zinc batteries.

“I aim to develop innovative solutions that enhance the efficiency and capacity of future energy storage systems,” she said. “This fellowship is a significant recognition of my research, which aligns with NASA's mission.”

Nguyen said the fellowship will allow her to further advance her research, which is also her passion.

“My deep interest in electrochemistry drove me to apply for this fellowship,” she said. “This fellowship will significantly impact my research by providing the necessary funding and recognition to explore the effects of gravitational forces on the electrodeposition of zinc anodes more deeply. I plan to use this support to push the boundaries of current energy storage systems, potentially leading to breakthroughs applicable on Earth and in space.”

The New Mexico Space Grant Graduate Research Fellowship is open to full-time graduate students enrolled at any university in New Mexico.

The Consortium is a member of the congressionally funded National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program that has been administered by NASA since 1989.