Name: May Ping Li Hong
Major: Chemical Engineering, Senior
Hometown: Malaysia

When it came time to attend college, May Hong knew that a technical field rather than an artistic one was right for her. “I'm not a very artistic kind of person. Engineering was the perfect choice for me since the world relies on engineers to solve its technical problems. Engineers play such an important role in virtually everything that touches our lives. Chemical Engineering combined my love of chemistry with my interest in engineering.”

May enjoyed conducting experiments while in high school and was looking for a way to get back into the laboratory. She learned about the College of Engineering’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program and knew it was right for her. The REU program allows May to put what she has learned in the classroom to use in the laboratory to gain practical skills. Said May, “It is just really interesting to be able to see formulas and equations come to life to solve real world problems."

May is working with Dr. Eric Grulke’s research group studying carbon nanotubes. “I've done work on the scanning electron microscope to measure the lengths of the nanotubes and also to look at their morphology. I've also used the optical microscope to make slide shows, where the movement of nanotubes in solutions can be observed. Currently, I'm helping one graduate student on the research of electric conductivity in the nanotubes."

When asked about the positive aspects of an REU, May explained, “we get to go beyond what is learned in the classroom. It's really fun to gain hands-on-experience and to see that what you are studying can be so useful in the real world."

She is enthusiastic about her experience. “I’d definitely recommend that other undergraduates get involved in a research project. It's a wonderful experience and there's so much to learn. Seeing that what I'm doing might affect the world has been a great motivation for my studies."