Research Mentor Information
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Primary Research Mentor Name: Lea Nienhaus
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Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): lnienhaus@fsu.edu
Position Title: Faculty
FSU College (if applicable): Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation: Chemistry
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Additional Research Mentor(s)
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Overall Project Details
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Title of the Project: Designing and characterizing nanocrystal thin film upconversion devices
Project Keywords: Nanocrystals, Optical Spectroscopy, Devices, Upconversion 
Are you currently looking for research assistants?: No
Number of Research Assistants Needed : 1
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s):
Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics

Project Location:: On FSU Main Campus
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Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s):: In-person
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work?: 10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work?: During business hours
Overall Research Project Description:
Our research group seeks to investigate the optoelectronic properties and energy transfer behavior of semiconductor materials. We are specifically interested in semiconductor nanocrystals for use as sensitizers for photon upconversion when paired with organic dyes. This goal of this project is to achieve nanocrystal-sensitized photon upconversion in a solid-state thin film rather than the established solution-based approach.
Student(s) will work closely with a faculty member and graduate student researcher to gain experience in solution-based nanocrystal synthesis, thin film deposition techniques, optical spectroscopy, data processing, and scientific presentation. 


Research Tasks:
Research tasks:
-	Air-free synthesis of nanocrystal solutions; air-free preparation of thin films
-	Operate optical spectroscopy instruments and conduct measurements 
-	Process, analyze, and present spectroscopic data


Skills that research assistant(s) may need::
No previous skills are required, recommended is a basic understanding of Microsoft Office and an interest in lab-based research. 

Mentoring Philosophy:
I look forward to cultivating a good relationship with my students and empowering them to follow their interests. To achieve this, students are mentored hands-on in lab and in the form of weekly meetings and discussions to convey the key goals of the research and give suggestions on how to best approach the problem.

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UROP Program Elements
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Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication: Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation: Yes
Materials Grant: Yes
UROP Poster Presentation: Yes

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Year: 2023
update url: https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=16KtWRz2-e4QMeA5wBfZbdWLFUF4CTydxsXIKJV8IoI