MSE sophomore, Jocelyn Hess, spent the summer participating in the Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program run by the United States Department of Energy. She performed research with mentor Dr. Oluwafemi Oyedeji in the Environmental Sciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on a project titled, “Exploring Biofiber Properties and Their Influence on Critical Biocomposite Quality Attributes”. While there, she worked on characterizing the size, shape, chemical composition, and flowability characteristics of biofibers and correlating these with the mechanical strength of their biocomposites. The correlations found will aid in the biofiber screening and selection process for use in biocomposites with additive manufacturing applications. Of her experience, Jocelyn says, “As an upcoming sophomore, I was able to complete a project both meaningful to myself and my group at ORNL. I really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with and work alongside a wide variety of both students and researchers, and I gained experience and familiarity with lab work.”
Congratulations, Jocelyn!