Thompson Research Group

Professional Society Service

Current:
• 2009: TMS Nanomaterials Symposium organizer, San Francisco, CA
• 2004-present: TMS Nanomaterials Committee
• 2004-present: TMS Young Leader’s Committee (2007 secretary/2008 vice-chair)
• 2008-present Microscopy Society of America (MSA) Focus Interest Group in Atom Probe Tomography Vice-President
• 2005-present: Key Reader for Metallurgical & Materials Transactions B
• 2004-present: Reviewer for various funding agencies and journals
• 2008-present: Undergraduate Student Recruiter, Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, The University of Alabama

Former:
• 2005-2008: Physical Science Tutorial Chair for the Microscopy Society of America. Solicited and coordinated tutorials as part of the annual Microscopy and Microanalysis meetings.
• 2004-2007: Guest lecturer for the UA summer program “Introducing Historically Black University and College Faculty to Materials Science and Engineering”
• 2004-2006: Microscopy Society of America (MSA) Focus Interest Group in Atom Probe Tomography, secretary

Outreach

Nano-Science and -Engineering High School Research Internship:
In 2004, Professors Thompson and Nikles (Chemistry) launched an out-reach program to engage regional high school students into science and engineering careers. This program has grown from two faculty mentors to nearly ten with as many students in the program. The 8-week internship has students working on active research programs at UA with undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral researchers. At the conclusion of the program, a poster symposium is hosted where the students tell faculty, teachers and parents about their research. Student of the program have competed and won at regional and state science fairs and state- and national-level scholarship programs (such as the Siemens-Westinghouse and the Intel Science Talent Search). Though the aim of the program was not these competitions, it demonstrates the impact and quality of the research being performed by these next-generation scientists and engineers.

Professor Thompson and Kristy Tippey, a Central Tuscaloosa High student, reconstructing atom probe data. A discussion with a High School Intern on the last day of the NanoScience and Engineering High School Outreach Program.

The concept of the program developed from Professor Thompson’s experience, as a high school student in Arkansas, spending his summers at a Henderson State University working with Professors Donald Avery and Bryan Palmer making YBCO superconductors. This research experience provided a profound impact in shaping his career choice. The program aims at providing similar experiences and positive reinforcements in exciting careers in research.

High School intern alumni from Professor Thompson’s group:

Andy Nix
• Bryant High School, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Topic: Synthesis of FePt nanoparticles

Sarah Nikles
• Bryant High School, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Topic: Synthesis of CoPt nanoparticles

Andrew Sherrill
• Bryant High School, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Topic: Synthesis of FePt nanoparticles

Lisa Zheng
• Northridge High School, Northport, AL
• Topic: Atom probe analysis of PtRu thin films

Kristy Tippey
• Central High School, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Topic: Atom probe and corrosion analysis of heavily drawn 304 stainless steel wire

Hiram Purser
• Hillcrest High School, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Topic: Atom probe and corrosion analysis of heavily drawn 304 stainless steel wire

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

Professor Thompson has mentored several undergraduate students in research efforts. This work has been supported primarily through National Science Foundation REU supplement grants or other sources of funding.
Alumni, out-of-state REU:
Jonathan Winterstein
• 2004 NSF-REU, Washington State University
• Co-mentored with Professor Mark Weaver
• Topic: Growth and characterization of amorphous metal forming alloy thin films.

Jennifer Thompson
• 2007 NSF-REU, West Virginia State University
• Topic: Growth and characterization of FePt(Cu) thin films

Paul Allred
• 2008 NSF-REU, University of Utah
• Topic: Growth and characterization of FePt(Cr) thin films

Alumni, UA departmental REU:

Chad Hornbuckle working on th LEAP

Chad Hornbuckle
• 2008 NSF-REU, The University of Alabama
• B.S., Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2009
• Topic: Characterization of Cu segregation during the phase transformation in FePt thin films. This work is jointly sponsored by the Microscopy of America’s Undergraduate Research Award and Professor Thompson’s NSF CAREER award.

Jordan Houston
• B.S.: Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2008
• Undergraduate research topic: Atom probe analysis and corrosion studies on heavily drawn 304 stainless steel wire.

Robbie Laney
• B.S.: Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2005
• Undergraduate research topic: Influence of substrate bias on the growth and texture of FePt thin films

Josh Rooker
• Research supported by UA’s Center for Vehicle Technology (CAVT)
• B.S.: Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2005
• Undergraduate research topic: Construction of a CO gas sensing station. This was used to characterize the influence of SnO2 thin film texture on gas sensitivity

Out-reach Instruction

Professor Thompson has been a guest lecture (2004-2007) on phase transformation behavior in materials as part of the NSF-funded “Introducing Historically Black Colleges and Universities Faculty to Materials Science and Engineering” summer workshop program coordinated by Professors Acoff and Weaver (UA MTE faculty). Recently, Professor Thompson has worked with a former participate, Professor Sundar Naga (West Virginia State University), who has come back in the summer to work on active research programs with UA faculty.

Professor Thompson has been the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Summer instructor for the Engineering Math Advance Placement (EMAP) Instructor (2004-2007). EMAP allows incoming freshman engineer major to take pre-calculus. Engineering faculty members across the college provide hands-on labs where students take the math learned in class and apply it to their respective disciplines.