Hot Research At Hopkins
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Major: Materials Science
and Engineering
Hometown: Salt Lake City,
Utah
Advisor: Todd Hufnagel
Dickson's research concerns a metal material known as Bulk Metallic Glass. This metallic glass is an amorphous metal, meaning that the atoms in it have no long-range order.
The US Army is interested in her research findings because with Bulk Metallic Glass, stronger and sharper metals will be available. This is especially useful for body armor and in biomedical applications such as scalpels or anything needed for precision cutting.
Additionally, sporting groups are looking at her research findings to make better golf clubs, so everyone can drive the ball like Tiger Woods.
However, this research will take a while to hit the market because it's extremely costly. Bulk Metallic Glass contains zirconium, copper, nickel and aluminum, all of which need to be virtually pure to make this metal sufficiently well.
Dickson got involved in this project with Todd Hufnagel, a professor in the materials science and engineering department, for her senior design. After taking undergraduate classes with him and hearing about his work, she decided to give it a try.
Dickson has only positive things to say about her lab, her advisor and the overall experience.
In addition to being a lab rat, she was the vice president of standards for her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma, president of the Material Science Society and one of the editors for the ACE review guide of classes at Hopkins.