Kathryn Shaffer Email & Phone Number

Santa Barbara, CA, US

Santa Barbara, California, United States

• Graduate student under Dr. Angela Pitenis
• Explore the impact of fillers on the tribological properties of PTFE-based polymer composites to design longer lasting solid lubricants
• Leverage atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and optical profilometry to precisely characterize surface roughness of materials over multiple length scales
• Build and repair custom tribometers for novel tribological characterization of polymeric materials

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

• Measured piezoelectric properties of 2D ferroelectrics using atomic force microscopy
• Performed analysis and data extraction on atomic force microscopy images using MATLAB
• Communicated results of experimentation to a wider scientific audience as an honors program capstone modification

• Developed and executed events to build community for staff and students during remote and hybrid learning
• Shaped policies for inclusivity and diversity within the department
• Provided feedback on, and offered changes to, curriculum to improve standards of education

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

• Researched various methods for developing polycrystalline semiconductor pellet samples to reduce sample preparation time and improve quality and consistency between samples
• Provided feedback on grain boundary development based on image analysis using scanning electron microscopy and ImageJ software
• Earned research experience for undergraduates (REU) award for the fall semester

Wyandotte, Michigan, United States

• Worked in the Analytics North America separations and ecology department
• Created novel methods for micro plastics isolation to reduce time of extraction and improve efficiency of future analysis
• Formalized methods of micro plastic qualitative analysis using pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry
• Paved the way for innovative procedures of future nano plastic analysis by analyzing challenges associated with the nano scale

• Tutored middle and high school students in math, chemistry, physics and test preparation to elevate students’ understanding in the subjects using flexible and adaptive teaching methods and communication techniques.

Raleigh, North Carolina

• Identified new trends and incongruities within ceramic and carbon-based nanomaterial growth based on Raman and scanning electron microscope images and data analysis
• Designed an independent experiment to study unexplained growth phenomenon found in related research and drafted a research paper on this topic
• Developed a new process for retaining and tracking nano powder samples for scanning electron microscopy for multiple runs after the sample undergoes various treatments
• Earned research experience for undergraduates (REU) award for summer research

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Materials Science And Engineering

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Materials Science And Engineering

Activities and Societies: Nanomaterials Concentration, University Honors Program

Study Abroad: Materials Science And Engineering

Study Abroad Transfer Student