Jingshan Du mentors future nanoscience researcher

Aug 20, 2018

VPD Group Ph.D. candidate Jingshan Du spent the summer contributing to the future of nanoscience research by mentoring an undergraduate researcher.

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) hosts a summer program for undergraduates to expand their science and engineering research experience. More than 30 faculty from seven different departments are involved, plus a host of graduate students and post-doctoral associates who mentor the undergraduate students during the program.

The program, called the MRSEC Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), wrapped up last week.

Du’s mentee was Ben Kaiser, a senior at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Kaiser and Du worked on the interaction between micron-sized water droplets and atomically thin graphene. The pair used the SEM microscopes to visualize the morphology of water droplets that are only microns large.

Kaiser and Du pose next to Kaiser's research poster in Cook Hall.

While the main objective of the MRSEC REU program is for the mentees to learn and gain research experience, Du said he found the experience to be beneficial for himself as well.

“I think the REU program (was) a great opportunity for me to intellectually mentor and communicate with a motivated undergraduate student who shares a similar academic interest with me, but also have a different background or discipline to induce some sparks in scientific thoughts,” he said.

Du said he enjoyed having someone to talk shop with.

“It is even more gratifying to pass the thoughts to new researchers who are going to begin their own graduate school experience,” he said of being a mentor.

Kaiser gives a final presentation about his summer research at a public symposium.

Du said he “absolutely” recommends the MRSEC REU program for undergraduate and graduate participants alike. Undergrads get a taste of graduate school before applying, and graduate students hoping to follow an academic path get some preparation as well.

“Northwestern has a spectacular materials science infrastructure, with both first class faculty, staff, and students, as well as state-of-the-art facilities,” Du said. “I think undergraduates from all over the country will find Northwestern a great place to conduct research and make advances in building up their research skill and philosophical thoughts on how to study the nature. For postdocs and graduate students here, I think mentoring an REU student also helps building up skills on how to mentor and teach, which are essential for preparing future academic careers.”