Since joining the Advanced Materials Laboratory in September of 2020, sophomore Will Johanson has learned a lot about what it takes to help run a lab. “I send A LOT of e-mails; reaching out to vendors, coordinating with lab-mates, getting approvals. I think it really drives home the importance of effective communication.” When asked why he chose Materials Science and Engineering, Will replied, “Materials–and metals in particular– are just fascinating to me. Metals are a huge part of the modern world, but they don’t exist in natural, usable form like wood or stone. The process to extract from ore, fabricate, and treat metals was really the spark that got me interested in Materials.”
Prior to attending Boise State University, Will completed six years in the US Navy as a nuclear operator. Will chose to do research in the AML because it allows him to be a part of cutting edge nuclear materials research and contribute some practical skills to the team. Research requires designing, building, maintaining and repairing interesting and complicated equipment. Will excels at these hands-on challenges and brings his mechanical expertise to every project in the lab.