Sydney Stewart

Rising Senior
Chemical Engineering
Montana State University   
CEINT Research Site: Weisner Lab, Duke University

Over the summer I enjoyed working with the graduate students and faculty from Duke University. I feel more connected to the field of nanoscience, particularly the applications of nanotechnology and environmental impacts of nanoparticles. I learned a lot about the science of transport of contaminants in the environment just through presentations, trips, and conversations with other REU students. I enjoyed learning more about graduate school in general through working with a graduate student mentor. Overall, I feel I learned a lot about nanoscience and made valuable connections with graduate students, professors, and other undergraduate students.

Career Impacts and Plans

In this REU I made useful connections, learned how to better function in a lab, and how to think more like a scientist. I hope to volunteer short term with Engineers Without Borders, then work for 1-2 years as an environmental engineer. After learning more about the field, I'd like to go to graduate school for either a master's or PhD in environmental engineering with a focus on sustainable engineering for developing communities.