USM Graduate Student Appointed Member of Neutron Scattering Society of America Executive Committee

Wed, 11/01/2023 - 10:24am | By: Van Arnold

Mark Robertson, a doctoral student at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), has been selected to serve on the Executive Committee for the Neutron Scattering Society of America. Robertson is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate who works in the lab of polymer Assistant Professor Dr. Zhe Qiang.

A native of Pensacola, Fla., Robertson earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Mississippi in chemical engineering before entering the doctoral program at USM in 2019.

Through the support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Robertson served a one-year Fellowship – summer 2022 through summer 2023 - at the Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL), that focused on using neutron scattering to understand complex surfactant assembly behaviors under confinement.

While at ORNL, Robertson worked with neutron scattering scientist Dr. Lilin He, studying the physics behind per – and polyfluoroalkyl substance remediation. Robertson’s efforts at ORNL led to his nomination as an Executive Committee member.

"I first found out that I was nominated by some of the group leaders within the neutron scattering division at ORNL when I was onsite to perform an experiment this summer after my fellowship ended,” said Robertson. “I was incredibly honored to receive this nomination from scientists that I both highly respect and look up to, especially since they were so instrumental in providing mentorship during my time at ORNL.”

As a member of the Executive Committee, Robertson states that his primary goal is to promote neutron scattering sciences to broad audiences, while also bringing together the community of scientists that use neutron scattering in their research within the U.S.

“Specifically, this involves carrying out educational activities to inform the scientific community about the power of neutron scattering research, as well as organizing conferences centered around experts sharing their work for the advancement of neutron scattering as a whole.”

Dr. Qiang points out that Robertson’s selection as a student representative on the Executive Committee represents a strong testimony to his scientific achievement and potential.

“Being selected to join this committee through a competitive process not only reflects his scientific achievement and recognition, but also shows his commitment to serve the broader community. I look forward to seeing his further contributions in the coming years,” said Qiang.

Learn more about the Neutron Scattering Society of American.