PNNL

Hsin-Mei Kao, an Oregon State University (OSU) graduate student working at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with scientists Yingge Du and Zihua Zhu, received the Edwin Fuller Student Poster Award first prize at the American Ceramic Society (ACerS) Spring Meeting. Kao also received a first prize poster award from the ACerS Electronics Division.

Kao’s poster, titled “Direct Visualization of Sacrificial Layer Dissolution During Freestanding Membrane Release Processes Using Cryo-ToF-SIMS,” highlighted collaborative work between OSU and PNNL. Her research focuses on understanding the processes behind creating freestanding membranes, which have applications in flexible electronics and advanced device integration. Her poster shows how combining isotopic labeling with advanced characterization enables the direct visualization of interfacial processes and hydration pathways during the release of these membranes.

“I’m honored to have received these awards,” said Kao. “Spending the past two years at PNNL as a visiting student has allowed me to learn state-of-the-art synthesis and characterization techniques while working within a highly collaborative research environment. It has been foundational to my development as a researcher.”

ACerS, founded in 1898, is a hub of the global ceramics community, focused on the exchange of ideas and research. The society focuses on ceramic and glass materials, applications, and related technologies. ACerS has around 10,000 members from over 70 countries, and its members include scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, students, and marketing and sales professionals.

The Edwin Fuller Student Poster Award was established by the Fuller family to honor Ed Fuller. It aims to support and recognize the research excellence of students pursuing careers within the glass and ceramic materials community.

Kao is currently a PhD candidate at OSU, advised by Professor Chih-Hung Chang. Her research broadly focuses on investigating transport and reaction processes in oxide thin films using advanced characterization techniques such as cryogenic and isotope-tracing time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. She is a recipient of the PNNL-OSU Graduate Fellowship and, through her collaborative research with PNNL, has contributed to multiple publications, invention disclosures, and a provisional patent related to scalable feedstock development for additive manufacturing applications. Kao’s PNNL research was supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences program, Materials Sciences and Engineering division.