Thomas Colburn, a Stanford University student studying chemical engineering, was recently awarded one of AEOP’s Technical Symposia Travel awards to attend the Materials and Science Technology Conference (MS&T) this fall. Thomas traveled to Portland, Oregon to attend his second international science and technology conference, which he described as “empowering for both a future career and personal growth.”

As an alumnus of both eCYBERMISSION program and the Junior Sciences & Humanities Symposium, Thomas was thrilled to have the opportunity to continue sharing his work with his peers. His project for MS&T focused on finding scalable solutions to common sustainability problems, focusing on addressing the production and efficiency of organic solar cells. In addition to presenting his work for the student poster session, Thomas also had the opportunity to deliver an oral presentation at the Global Young Investor’s Forum, an MS&T breakout session that allowed him to network with peers and professionals across disciplines and share his research with a new audience.

Thomas had the unique opportunity to travel to the EVRAZ Steel Mill in Portland for a student tour led by the Association of Iron and Steel Technology. Seeing materials and technology work action, Thomas learned the ins and outs of the steel mill industry firsthand and spoke with fellow materials-minded students from across the globe.

Overall, Thomas says that, as a young scientist, MS&T “was an exciting and enriching experience” that opened his eyes “to the power of scientific connections.”