Physics Research Nationally Recognized

UCF Physics graduate student, Takat Rawal, was recently selected as one of eight finalists for a top-level 2016 AVS National Student Awards.

The AVS awards were established to recognize and encourage excellence among graduate students in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. They include five top-level National Student Awards: Russell and Sigurd Varian, Nellie Yeoh Whetten, Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman and Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Scholarships, and graduate research award (GRA).

Rawal’s recognized research focuses on predicting geometrical and electronic structure of catalyst materials that cover 2D materials, nanoparticles, metal surfaces, and metal-oxide surfaces. He also studies the activity and selectivity of these materials for various chemical reactions: methanol and CO oxidation and methanol synthesis from syn gases.

Rawal aims to predict and design a single-metal atom catalyst that offers high activity and selectivity in order to improve the catalytic performance and the underlying mechanisms from both a physics and chemistry point of view.

“I thank Professor Talat Rahman for providing me an opportunity to work on the project, and giving me invaluable suggestions towards the accomplishment of being selected as one of the top finalists for this award,” said Rawal.

Winners will be selected through an interview process on Wednesday, November 9, where finalists are required to give a short presentation about their research project and how it has made a difference or impact in their field. The Awards Committee will then conduct a brief question and answer portion to make their final decisions. Awards will be announced and presented at the AVS Awards Ceremony the following day.

The UCF College of Sciences congratulates Takat Rawal on this recognition and wishes him the best of luck in presenting his research for the award.