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Introduction: Prof. Angela Lueking is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Pennsylvania State University’s University Park campus.
Overview of Research Activities: Lueking's research pursuits are selected based on the opportunity to creatively address sustainable energy solutions, while addressing underlying scientific phenomena. The primary outlet for this pursuit has been the hydrogen storage problem. Research involving solid-state hydrogen storage materials has been deemed a "Grand Challenge" in governmental research, and it has been said that a "miracle" is needed to meet the elusive targets for solid-state hydrogen adsorption. In pursuit of these elusive hydrogen storage goals, Lueking has sought to define research goals for her students to further basic scientific understanding, rather than meet a particular 'miraculous' storage target. With one eye on the storage targets and one eye on furthering scientific phenomenon, her research group has also remained open to the unexpected. In 2006, their research approach changed significantly, as they literally held a material in hand as it slowly evolved H2 at room temperature after storage in ambient air. With widespread concern about the safety of the hydrogen economy, this behavior stood in stark contrast to the reinforced high-pressure vessels they had been working with for the prior seven years. Furthermore, the low-temperature H2 evolution indicated a chemical reaction was producing H2 during processing, as hydrocarbons rather than molecular H2 had been added to the reaction vessel. The idea of trapping H2 during synthesis was in-line with a similar ‘systems-level’ study by the National Academies of Sciences1 calling for new concepts in distributed H2 production in order to make the transition to the hydrogen economy economically viable. Lueking's lessons in sustainability from an industrial perspective (as a practicing Environmental Engineer prior to her Ph.D.) helped her to appreciate the potential benefits of a full cradle-to-grave approach in which both hydrogen production and storage would be considered simultaneously. This experience has also inspired other recent (proposed and newly funded) research activities that consider non-equilibrium, kinetically-limited H2 evolution from materials that “trap” H2 in a meta-stable or suspended state. A new project involves hydrogen trapping via pressure- and temperature- switches that utilize the hydrogen spillover mechanism, and represents her research coming “full circle”, as it couples the 2006 experience with ideas developed during her Ph.D. studies.
At Penn State, she has built a state of the art adsorption laboratory, with multiple rigorous and complementary measurement techniques including a specialized differential high pressure unit to accurately measure hydrogen adsorption. In the past five years at Penn State, her research has evolved from hydrogen storage work to include development and advanced characterization of new carbon materials (e.g. exfoliated graphite nanofibers), new synthesis routes for nanocarbon materials, low temperature H2 evolution from processed natural carbons, and fundamental studies/simulations of hydrogen spillover. Recent collaborative work includes application of novel carbon materials as chemical sensors and electrochemical capacitors, and theoretical consideration, derivations, and simulations of adsorption. Prior to her PhD studies, she designed and conducted experiments in developing an index for the bioavailability of subsurface contaminants and worked as an Environmental Engineer at Procter & Gamble which instilled practical knowledge of the application of environmental issues in an industrial setting.
More information on specific on-going research activities, laboratory facilities, and publications and presentations is available with select items available for download.
Overview of Teaching Activities: At Penn State, Lueking's formal teaching activities have varied from general education to senior-level engineering design, from applications-based electives to fundamental engineering courses. Examples to synergize teaching with research and service activities include a term project in which general education students (in EGEE 101) developed web sites to present alternative energy technologies to middle school students (the elementary students were participants in Penn State’s GREATT project). Hydrogen and Fuel Cells students (in EGEE 410) proposed a mini hydrogen storage research project after a literature review, then carried out measurements using state-of-the-art research methodology with materials donated by the larger hydrogen storage community. Many term projects / extended assignments in my classes have incorporated real world problems and scenarios: senior Environmental Systems design students (in GeoEE 480) evaluated remediation alternatives to the local I-99 “Skytop Mountain” contamination problem, and discussed their designs with practicing engineers from Pennsylvania’s Departments of Transportation and Environmental Protection. Candidate clean coal technologies were explored by Energy and Fuel Option students (FSc 464) in plant-level designs with economic analysis, and in mini research briefings by EGEE 301 students to tie clean coal power cycles to Thermodynamics.
My ultimate goal as an engineering educator is to equip students with an array of tools to solve the types of open-ended problems they will face over the course of their careers. Rather than try to anticipate the problems they will encounter 40-50 years from now, I feel we must equip these students both with mastery of fundamental engineering concepts and the ability to think critically, self-educate, and creatively solve problems. These are higher-level thinking skills, as defined by Bloom’s Taxonomy (Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Objectives. Handbook 1: Cognitive Domain; New York, 1956). In an attempt to develop these skills in students, I involve students in my thought process as I work out in-class engineering examples; I provide partially complete notes and example problems that the students complete both individually and in small groups; I seek to incorporate analysis of data, synthesis of new information, problem solving approaches (using formalized methods from Fogler and LeBlanc, Strategies for Creative Problem Solving. Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, 1994; p pp. vi, 2, Ch. 1, 3.), and critical evaluation of solutions. For more conceptual material, I incorporate active learning exercises involving directed in-class activities that require explanation, categorization, and/or identification. When lecture is required to present new material, I involve students through minute papers that require the students to summarize, respond, and ask or answer questions. In my explanations, I strive to use both concrete and abstract examples; use diagrams and charts to show relational concepts in addition to verbal explanations; use analytical exercises that are carried through to completion; and incorporate physical analogies to connect abstract engineering concepts to situations to which the students relate. Incorporation of these mixed methods has been linked to increased student productivity and is suspected to retain a more diverse student body, in terms of how they approach and solve problems. Exams in my introductory general education courses include essay questions, evaluations, and short quantitative problems. Exams in all of my undergraduate engineering classes are problem based, designed to test students’ critical thinking and analytical reasoning; graduate engineering exams require independent evaluation of a research problem or paper of the students choice. In the upcoming years, I will look to put even more emphasis on coupling of research with undergraduate education, including in particular, the new undergraduate Energy Engineering degree in my department. At this juncture, two pending proposals look directly to couple research, education and outreach. There is an opportunity to couple research dissemination with scientific education of all levels of students; doing so exposes a general audience to science while aiding in the professional development of the researcher.
Educational Background and Experience. Lueking's formal academic training is in adsorption, surface science, separations, and gas storage. She holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan, an M.S. in environmental engineering from UofM, and her B.S. is from the University of Nebraska in chemical engineering.
Service and Outreach. Lueking has served as a reviewer to journals and funding agencies, she has organized conference sessions in catalysis and carbon materials. She also strives to go beyond these ‘standard’ requirements of academia, reaching out to the general public with presentations on the hydrogen economy at the Clean Energy Expo, Hydrogen Day, and Parents Day. As mentioned in the Teaching section, middle school students have directly benefited from student-developed web sites regarding energy and the environment as a part of her general education class. Currently, she serves in two elected positions, including the acting treasurer of the Fuel Division of the American Chemical Society, and as the Earth and Mineral Sciences representative to the Penn State’s Graduate Council. The latter reflects her on-going interest in expanding graduate education to include other aspects of professional development, including communication, teamwork, networking, and project management. There is an increasing body of literature that indicates that the traditional focus on discipline-specific research skills is not sufficient to meet the expectations of an increasingly diverse graduate student body and the evolving expectations of the employers of graduate students (see, e.g. Nyquist, J.; Woodford, B. Re-envisioning the Ph.D.: What Concerns Do We Have?; and Danforth, W. H. C. Committee on Graduate Education Report and Recommendations; Association of American Universities: Washington D.C., October 1998.) The ability to manage one’s own project, manage subordinate employees, and clearly communicate technical ideas to both peers and non-technical audiences are key determinants in future career effectiveness, across employment sectors. In most graduate programs, there is little formalized mechanism for graduate students to develop these skills. Women and minorities, in particular, often feel a lack of collaboration, teamwork, and peer mentoring in academia, and this may explain lack of advancement of underrepresented groups despite efforts to enhance diversity (Ibarra, R., Beyond Affirmative Action: Reframing the Context of Higher Education. University of Wisconsin Press: Madison, 2000). As affirmative action programs across the nation are being scrutinized, it is important to focus on retention as well as recruitment of underrepresented groups. Coupling research with education and outreach has been a goal of Lueking's since she was a graduate student, when she worked to supplement her discipline-specific research by proposing and developing various leadership activities. The enhancement of graduate education to consider a more holistic approach to professional development is the reason behind her career choice in academia, and is her on-going goal: To excel at scientific research, integrate cutting edge research activities into undergraduate teaching, and do so without losing sight of mentoring and graduate student development.
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Last updated 11/12/2008.