Charity Flener of Hartford, Ky., who plans to conduct research at Philipps-Universitat in Marburg, Germany, has just been awarded a 2008-2009 scholarship by the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Flener is a doctoral candidate in chemistry studying with professors Gregory Girolami and Thom Dunning. Her Fulbright application was sparked by a June 2007 research visit to Philipps-Universitat supported by a Central European Summer Research Fellowship. Flener's project involves using quantum mechanical models to study the breaking of carbon-hydrogen bonds, a key step in certain catalytic reactions. In Marburg, she will use advanced modeling techniques to study how transition metal complexes can break (and form) carbon-hydrogen bonds in hydrocarbons such as methane. Understanding the factors that enable such reactions will lead to better catalysts for energy production. After completing her Fulbright, she hopes to continue her computational work as a college professor.
This excerpt taken from the Illinois News Bureau award announcement. To read more on this year's Fulbright Scholarship winners, please visit the News Bureau award announcement article here.