This summer, chemistry major Lynn Stevens ’19, completed an internship that was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The 10-week internship took place at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with nine other students from other parts of the country. Stevens worked in the laboratory of Thomas A. Schmedake, associate professor of chemistry, focusing on the development of silicon-containing compounds and materials, especially compounds or complexes in which silicon is used as a substitute for a carbon atom or transition metal.
According to Stevens, “My project focused on synthesizing a novel hexacoordinate silicon complex, characterizing/testing its optoelectronic properties, and designing a proof-of-concept organic light emitting diode (OLED) using the complex. In the lab, I worked with a PhD student, Margaret Kocherga, who mentored me throughout the course of the summer and helped me experience what graduate school research will be like. I was given a lot of freedom by the faculty at UNC Charlotte because of how well I was prepared to work in a synthetic lab from doing research in the lab of Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniel Chase here at St. Mary's College.”
Using the knowledge she garnered from her summer internship at UNC Charlotte, Stevens plans to continue to work on her St. Mary’s Project under Chase’s tutelage.
