UT Dallas Magazine - Winter 2012 - (Page 22)

Research helps advance science and technology and ultimately helps improve lives. Teaching and research go hand in hand. You can’t apply what you’ve learned from a theoretical perspective to new technologies until you’ve explored them. Students learn through course work, but you can’t advance the field until you explore and test ideas and concepts, and that’s what helps complete a student’s education—research. Dr. Rashaunda Henderson Assistant professor of electrical engineering Unique Opportunities Sussana Elkassih, a senior who is double majoring in biochemistry and chemistry, began her lab work at UT Dallas much earlier than peers at other universities. “I have friends at schools all over the state and country,” she said. “And when I tell them that I’m already in a research lab, they are so surprised. I know almost all of the faculty very well and I have an undergraduate mentor.” Elkassih works under the wing of one of UT Dallas’ National Science Foundation Career Grant recipients—Dr. Mihaela Stefan, assistent professor of chemistry. Stefan is researching new semiconducting polymers—plastic electronics—with adjustable energy levels. The use of semiconducting polymers in solar cells is considered a promising avenue of research aimed at making solar cells less expensive and more efficient. Elkassih’s weekly schedule includes 12 hours of lab work and meetings with Stefan and fellow students in a sort of round table where they present their work. It can be intimidating, Elkassih said, but it increases her awareness of her peers’ work and, by requiring her to explain her ideas, helps her think more deeply about her own research. “Dr. Stefan really cares about her students and spends as much time with us as she can, making sure we work on publishing papers and helping us find fellowships,” Elkassih said. “It’s been an amazing experience.” Stefan expects her undergraduates to publish at least once before graduation and to have several published papers by the time they finish. Elkassih recently met that expectation by publishing a paper in the Polymer of Science Journal on a complex aspect of solar cell polymers. “I want to help create a new generation of scientists who are able to think across disciplines—the scientists of the future,” Stefan said. “I think the most important thing is that I never compromise teaching for research—they both have to go hand in hand.” Continued on page 44 Doctoral student Prakash Sista and senior Sussana Elkassih work with Dr. Mihaela Stefan (far right), assistant professor of chemistry, researching semiconducting polymers. 22 utdallas.edu http://www.utdallas.edu

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of UT Dallas Magazine - Winter 2012

UT Dallas Magazine - Winter 2012
Contents
On Campus
From the Lab
Arts and Culture
Courtside Success
Athletics
Research Is Teaching
Town and Gown
In Your Footsteps: An Alumni Perspective
Alumni Notes
In Memoriam
Hindsight

UT Dallas Magazine - Winter 2012