Kyle L. Lobermeier
lobermkl@uwec.edu
8 June 2014, my sophomore year at UW-Eau Claire: I stood at the bench in the Materials
Science Center’s Dahl Lab, toluene in hand, ready to dissolve the batch of tetraoctylamonium
bromide, the first step to making gold nanoparticles. My body literally raged with excitement—a
reaction from confronting this initial opportunity to conduct research of my own. On a deeper
level, I knew that this moment connected with an experience in fourth grade, my first time in a
“lab” setting. A team from Phillips Plastics had visited my school to demonstrate phase
segregation; along with classmates I used 2-liter bottle ‘preforms’ to create a suspension in
which plastics revealed their respective densities. I’d felt then like a kid in a candy store, even
more powerful than the first time I’d caught a ball in my mitt while playing catch. A month later
I found my face gracing the Phillips Plastics Company’s magazine. My mom remarked then that
she could see me wearing a lab coat, working in a lab. The image stuck, and so did the feeling.
Back in the Dahl Lab, synthesizing that first batch of gold nanoparticles, I relived that sense of
discovery and accomplishment that comes with watching one’s own hands grasp “secrets” that
take place in the nano levels of the world. That ‘grasp’ would shape me into the scholar and
researcher I want to become. From that moment on, I committed myself to creating exciting
materials, ones that hold the potential to address a wide range of current and future needs . . . and
that preform from 4th grade? It came to college with me and still sits today on my bookcase of
STEM texts.
The project I currently address in the Dahl research group concerns the development and
characterization of gold nanoparticle films that undergo a ligand exchange; these may prove
useful in increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic panels. In part of this research I hold
responsibility for synthesizing new nanoparticles, running PM-IRRAS on self-assembled
monolayers, synthesizing cross-linkers for making a monolayer of gold nanoparticles, running
isotherms on gold nanoparticles, creating self-assembled monolayers, and guiding junior
research students with their projects. My role in lab extends to a number of additional areas;
hence, I need to shift to different tasks and topics on a moment’s notice. My own project,
despite a few hiccups and an uncooperative Langmuir trough, has proceeded well. I also created
some new techniques/procedures with cleaning and formulation of gold monolayers, enabling the
efficient provision of clean gold nanoparticles and dithiols for the group. While troubleshooting
and development intrigue me, I also find normal data collection highly motivating.
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Kyle L. Lobermeier
lobermkl@uwec.edu
I have also worked on a project for Dr. Marcus McEllistrem (MATSCI) that addressed
how different phase segregation in aluminum copper alloy depends on composition. This work
with hard metals allowed me to develop skill on the SEM; I analyzed changes in morphology of
the respective phases when aluminum contains different amounts of copper.
When it comes to STEM material, I enjoy teaching others what they want to know (and
what they don’t), and showing them the excitement of science. I have helped peers understand
topics in introductory chemistry, general physics and physics for majors. I also assist in the Dahl
Lab where I train and later help fellow student researchers address projects. These active
teaching experiences inspire me to think about my own project differently, and give me a
brainstorming edge when it comes to getting publishable data. For example, our team recently
created a new bisdithiol for crosslinking films; we hope to submit a paper on ligand exchange
that incorporates the bisdithiol as the new linker.
As a graduate student I want to work with either nanomaterials, polymers, or
photovoltaics. I would prove an asset to your research team as a result of my prior lab
experience studying gold nanoparticles and other characterization projects. I have long wanted
to work with solar panels or some sort of polymer. I seek new challenge and enjoy moving
among projects in the lab, and I find I catch up to speed when a project requires it. For my thesis
I want to create efficiencies that both control the electrical needs of others, as well as taking up
minimal space; hence, a growing population won’t face extreme compromises in living space.
This said, I want to come up with a new method of synthesizing either nanoparticles or
nanotubes that can be functionalized for these needs. This could, for example, include working
with graphene to create a new battery. These would address the building energy needs of an
Earth whose population continues to grow rapidly.
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Kyle L. Lobermeier
lobermkl@uwec.edu
Oops Section
When looking over my application there are a few things that I would like to explain. There
were two courses that I struggled in which were thermodynamic and solid state physics. Even
though I am unable to change those grades I am able to give myself the extra knowledge that
would have been needed to earn a better grade. I have been looking over and teaching myself
some thermodynamics which will help in my materials processing class which I am currently
taking. I will also be looking at reviewing solid state physics in the months to come. I will be
also looking into purchasing materials to read over and continue to learn thermodynamics and
solid state physics. I was also enrolled in calculus three which is shown as a withdrawal. This is
because after struggling with thermodynamics and I wanted to lower my credit load in hopes that
my thermodynamics grade would go up. As for solid state physics I had high hopes of obtaining
an A in the class, but my class had a new faculty member teaching the class for his first time ever
teaching at a university. I tried getting a better grade in the class by seeking out a tutor, but there
were none that were able to help. I did start to understand the material for the class better at the
end of the semester because our teacher made some changes in his teaching style, but there
wasn’t any other exams or quizzes that could help me raise it. I feel like I should have done
better regardless which is why I will be reviewing the material and relearning concept that were
never clear.
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