“A lot of the research we do in our lab has to do with converting light into energy using solar fuel cells. I’m investigating the photocatalytic behavior of two-dimensional titanium oxycarbide nanosheets,” said Sahm Deravi, a senior studying chemical engineering. Sahm is an Undergraduate Research Fellow and is conducting research under the guidance of Dr. James Radich.
According to Sahm, titanium oxide (TiO2) is one of the most studied catalysts but has a deficiency in that the compound can only absorb UV light. “We want to expand the absorption of the light spectrum by this titanium compound,” Sahm said.
Sahm began his undergraduate research experience the summer after his freshman year when he obtained a fellowship to conduct research at Harvard. When he returned to Auburn, Sahm sought out opportunities on campus and found that Dr. Radich was starting a new lab.
Students do not necessarily have to wait until they are an upperclassman to get involved in research. Sahm has this advice for students looking to get involved in research. “The one thing I would say to a freshman looking to get involved in undergraduate research is you need to go talk to a professor if you are interested.”
Photo: Sahm standing next to a machine called a UV-Vis that measures how much light is absorbed by compounds.
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