Austin Peay chemistry student Peyton Simpson conducts groundbreaking research in Czech Republic
By: College of STEM August 10, 2022
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Peyton Simpson, a senior chemistry major at Austin Peay State University, had never been on a flight or left the U.S. before this summer.
That all changed when he was selected to participate in a unique research opportunity through a three-year, $300,000 International Research Experience for Students (IRES) grant from the National Science Foundation.
The grant, led by Dr. Andriy Kovalskiy, a professor in the Department of Physics, Engineering, and Astronomy, will send 18 College of STEM students to universities in the Czech Republic, France and Poland to further their research and gain new perspectives.
For Simpson, the experience of traveling and researching in Europe was life-changing.
“There were many firsts on this journey,” the Shelbyville, Tennessee, native said. “I had never taken a plane before, and I had never traveled abroad.”
Simpson attended the University of Pardubice in the Czech Republic.
“I frequently had the chance to push outside of my comfort zone, such as when I had to figure out how to use a transit bus or communicate with non-English speakers,” he added. “I had the opportunity to eat genuine Czech food.”
But the trip also opened research and educational opportunities. Simpson participated in research that compared the structure in thermally deposited and spin-coated nontoxic chalcogenide thin films.
“Working with instruments that are not available at Austin Peay was a privilege,” he said. “This experience really cemented my decision to pursue graduate studies. Since I enjoyed working in the lab and evaluating my data, I am clear that I want to continue down this path of research.”
More about the program
The three European universities participating in the program are the University of Rennes I in France, the University of Rzeszow in Poland and the University of Pardubice in the Czech Republic. Each university specializes in aspects of nano and glass technology.
Austin Peay students from the departments of physics, engineering and astronomy; chemistry; biology; and geosciences are participating in the program. Their research will advance understanding of the properties of amorphous materials at the nanoscale and how these properties can achieve advanced applications such as optical computing, photonics and bioglasses.
The other students who participated this summer are Anna Sheets and Dakota Price, both engineering physics majors who attended the University of Rennes I in France.
Drs. Roman Holovchak and Justin Oelgoetz, both from the Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy, and Dr. Carrie Brennan from the Department of Chemistry joined Kovalskiy as co-primary investigators on the project. NSF also designated a team from APSU’s Eriksson Department of Education – Drs. Philip Short, Donna Short and John McConnell and Tasha Berry – to evaluate the program.
Austin Peay students are scheduled to travel to Europe in May and June over the next two summers before the grant ends in 2024.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation International Research for Students (IRES) grant (Project No. NSF OISE-2106457).