2016 Robert C. 
Pittman NIMET Fellow
Ph.D. Student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
B.S., University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign
David graduated with a B.S. in Material Science & Engineering (with a concentration in polymers) from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign(UIUC). While at UIUC, David’s undergraduate research focused on the synthesis and testing impregnated glass fiber samples for their ability to adsorb CO2 from air. Other projects included the filtration of Cr(IV) and Cu(IV) trace metals from water using activated carbon fiber. David is a member of the Materials Design & Prototyping Laboratory (MDPL) group while he is pursuing a PhD in Material Science & Engineering at the University of Florida. David is currently working under Dr. Michele Manuel, where he is designing new lightweight, high-strength magnesium alloys with radiation shielding properties. These alloys are being designed for use in aeronautical and aerospace applications.
David’s research interests include lightweight alloy design for structural applications.