Shelby Stavretis, first year graduate student in Professor Xue’s group, was recently admitted to the National School on Neutron and X-ray Scattering after a nationwide competition. The school is a Department of Energy program and only selected students in physics, chemistry, materials science, or related fields across the country are admitted.
Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Stavretis went to Butler University (Indianapolis, IN) for her undergraduate degree in chemistry. In 2013, Stavretis joined the UT Chemistry Department, pursing PhD studies in inorganic chemistry under Professor Xue. Her research currently focuses on the determination the zero field splitting parameters of metalloporphyrins by Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS). Xue group is using the Cold Neutron Chopper Spectrometer at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
“I’m excited to have hands on experience with the sophisticated instrumentation at Argonne and Oak Ridge National Laboratories so early in my graduate career.” Stavretis said. “I plan on using the techniques and analysis tools I learn to assist my current research and to devise future research goals.”