Lauren Katch (right), a Penn State doctoral student in engineering science, received a two-year fellowship from the American Society for Nondestructive Testing. She is advised by Andrea Argüelles (left), Penn State assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics. Credit: Tyler Henderson/Penn State
Engineering science graduate student receives national fellowship
July 3, 2023
By Mariah R. Lucas
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Lauren Katch, a doctoral student in the Penn State College of Engineering’s Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, recently received a one-year, $20,000 fellowship from the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT).
Katch’s proposal, “Detection of subwavelength cracks in anisotropic silicon using high frequency focused ultrasound,” was chosen for the ASNT Fellowship Award, which provides financial support for high-quality research activities in science and technology at the graduate level, according to ASNT.
Using the funds, Katch will explore the interaction of ultrasound waves with cracks and defects in thin silicon wafers. The work could be applied to improve the manufacturing and performance of silicon transistors, which make up technologies such as computers, phones and solar panels.
Following the fellowship, Katch will be invited to submit a research paper to one of the research journals published by ASNT, Materials Evaluation or Research in Nondestructive Evaluation. She also will present her findings at a future ASNT symposium.
Katch is advised by Andrea Argüelles, Penn State assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics.
Share this story:
