The American Nuclear Society annually recognizes promising young researchers and concepts, and this year, five of them represent Boise State. Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering students Sarah Cole, Kyle Holloway, Addie Lupercio, Kaelee Novich and Timothy Phero are recipients of prestigious American Nuclear Society awards that will empower their research and education to new levels.
Meet Kaelee Novich
Kaelee Novich received the Graduate Scholarship of $3,000, and is currently pursuing her doctorate in materials science and engineering with a graduate certificate in applied public administration. Novich’s research goal is to improve the safety system in nuclear reactors, and in doing so, “meet clean energy policies and to make the Earth healthier for future generations. Climate change impacts all of us and nuclear energy is one of the necessary solutions to combat it.”
“There are currently only a limited number of commercially available systems that provide nuclear operators with real-time monitoring of nuclear reactor components,” Novich said. “Now the sensors and devices that are being used to measure changes in mechanical properties of nuclear materials require direct contact. My research is unique because it offers a non-contact alternative to measure the deformation of such materials in real time.”
Since 2016, Novich has earned 13 different financial awards to fund her education, such as the American Nuclear Society Michael J. Lineberry Graduate Scholarship, the Department of Energy Nuclear Energy University Program Fellowship, the Jeker Family Trust Fund Full-Ride Private Scholarship, the National Science Foundation Scholarship, the Boise State Dean’s Scholarship and many others. Novich was also honored as a 2020 Boise State Top Ten Scholar.
