LAKEWOOD, NJ — The sky isn’t the limit for a biochemistry major from Lacey, who was recently awarded a NASA NJ Space Grant for her undergraduate research project.
Jennifer Matthews, currently a junior, was one of five students at Georgian Court University who received a $2,000 stipend from NASA for space-related research projects.
During the 2022-23 school year, Matthews has been conducting her project, titled “The Synthesis and Characterization of Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots” under the guidance of Dr. Beth A. Schaefer, Ph.D., Professor of Physics, Sarita Nemani, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics, and Prasad S. Lakkaraju, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry.
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In her research, Matthews synthesized a carbon quantum dot, a non-toxic version made with carbon instead of cadmium. These innovative quantum dots can be used in bioimaging and microscopy.
“I love gaining experience in the lab and learning about the possible applications of my project in biochemistry,” Matthews said.
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Conducting this research helped Matthews prepare for graduate school, she said.
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“I made the decision to go into research within the last year,” she said. “If conducting research is something you are interested in, I recommend doing it during your undergraduate years, as it can help you decide what you want to do in the future.”
You can learn more about the NASA New Jersey Space Grant Consortium here: https://njsgc.rutgers.edu/.
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