Conference Paper in TechConnect Briefs

I’m a co-author of a newly published conference paper entitled “Diatom Frustules as Substrates for Photocatalysts” in TechConnect Briefs 2018 vol. 2: Materials for Energy, Efficiency and Sustainability.

Photo published in Astrobiology Magazine

One of my photographs was featured in this April 12, 2018 article in NASA’s Astrobiology Magazine: “Are viruses the new frontier for astrobiology?”

The photo originally appeared in the Portland State Vanguard, in this short article and interview with accompanying photos and video about the research of Prof. Ken Stedman.

Ken-Stedman

Green chemistry seminar videos

Join the Portland, Oregon section of the American Chemical Society for a couple of wonderful talks on Green Chemistry.

First, Dr. David Stuart, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Portland State University, offers a brief introduction to Green Chemistry and an example from his lab.

Next, Dr. Tom Wilson, retired Director of Materials Technology at Nike, offers an interesting look at the Green Chemistry of rubber in a story about zinc oxide in Nike’s Environmentally Preferred Rubber.

Take a look at the two videos below!

This activity was supported by an ACS Sustainability Grant awarded to the Portland Section of the American Chemical Society. Videos recorded by Joseph Thiebes.

Portland ACS interview

The Portland section of the American Chemical Society interviewed me about my internship at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio in summer, 2015, where I worked on lithium-sulfur battery research. Read the interview here: Portland State chemistry student Joseph Thiebes loves materials science and explored battery technology during NASA internship

Diamond lattice structure pendant

Diamonds are a scam! They are common and worthless. One company has cornered the market, controlling how many diamonds are mined and how they reach the consumer. Mining for diamonds is back-breaking work, and the wages are ridiculously low.

It is for this reason I have created the diamond lattice structure pendant. This pendant features the structure of diamonds, formed by carbon atoms in a specific arrangement.

Pick from a variety of materials, including everything from solid gold to white plastic. Shown here is the default material, blackened steel, giving the traditional appearance of carbon atom models.
Continue reading “Diamond lattice structure pendant”

Nobel Prize Laureate Eric Betzig

“I would never call myself a chemist,” said Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2014 recipient Eric Betzig.

Betzig was the 2015 speaker at the annual Mark Gurevitch Memorial Lecture Series, hosted by the Physics Department at Portland State University. During his lecture at Hoffman Hall on May 14, Betzig spoke about his career and his prize-winning work. Read more about Betzig’s talk in this article by Joseph Thiebes, and in the video below.

SWEETLab brings water to Rwanda

In January 2015, Sustainable Water, Energy and Environmental Technologies Laboratory (SWEETLab) finished setting up nearly half a million filters and stoves in Rwanda, many of which contain new sensors that communicate their status over the Internet, ­according to SWEETLab Director and Portland State Mechanical & Materials ­Engineering Assistant ­Professor Evan Thomas. Learn more from Dr. Thomas, Kwasi Boateng, and Zdenek Zumr about SWEETLab in this article and video below by Joseph Thiebes.

Landslide science

Check out my latest story on landslides in the Pacific Northwest and the geologists that are working to make landslides more predictable. Here’s a video supplement to the story: