From the Classroom to the Lab: How One Chemistry Major Reminds Us to Make the Most of Every Experience
When Benjamin Zingg鈥檚 interest in chemistry first peaked in high school, little did he know that, years later, he would be awarded an appointment with the prestigious, National Nuclear Security Administration Minority Serving Institutions Internship Program (NNSA-MSIIP).
The NNSA-MSIIP is a valuable opportunity to receive hands-on, experiential learning with the NNSA, national laboratories, and site offices in projects focused in a variety of subjects such as engineering, science, research, technology, and more. Zingg鈥檚 appointment will take place at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oakridge, Tennessee where he will serve under his mentor, Dr. Felipe Polo Garzon.
As a mentee of Dr. Garzon, Zingg will assist in the study of the conversion of polyolefins using liquid metal catalysts, a project he is eager to work on.
鈥淏asically, from my understanding of the science, it鈥檚 pretty ground breaking stuff. We鈥檙e doing catalytic upscaling of plastics, essentially. What that means is, we鈥檙e trying to devise a way to produce renewable fuel. It is technically a gasoline-like product but we鈥檙e trying to upscale plastics to recycle them into biofuel,鈥� explained Zingg.
Although Zingg鈥檚 project focus will be in chemistry, he is also looking forward to the opportunity to assist other teams working on a variety of projects.
鈥淭here鈥檚 also some cross-disciplinary work that鈥檚 going to be being done. I鈥檓 going to be working with, not just Dr. Garzon, but with some other teams as well because there are people there that are not necessarily just doing chemistry, so, if they need a consultant for some kind of analysis as regards to chemistry, they鈥檙e going to have me come help them,鈥� said Zingg.
Zingg, who is currently a senior chemistry major at 麻豆短视频传媒 (KSU), had his initial exposure to chemistry through unique circumstances.
鈥淚n high school, I was pretty strong in [chemistry]. Halfway through our year we actually lost our chemistry teacher. I don鈥檛 know what happened; we transitioned to an online chemistry program for our high school鈥 actually stepped up as a junior in high school and taught my class, basically. So that really forced me to start learning these concepts, which is why I feel so strongly in it now,鈥� explained Zingg.
Years later, Zingg is once again paving a way for his peers through his participation in the NNSA-MSIIP. He is hopeful that the connections and experiences he will gain throughout the program will help other KSU students interested in it.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to meet all the wonderful people from other institutions from around the nation,鈥� said Zingg. 鈥淏eing able to make friends with people at universities who are doing research is important for our students as well.鈥�
Zingg鈥檚 appointment will begin Summer 2025, and he is looking forward to making the most out of this special experience.