Stefanie Sydlik Receives the 2007
Judith A. Resnik Award

Stefanie Sydlik, a 2007 graduate with a B.S. in chemistry, a minor in engineering studies and an option in polymer science, received the 2007 Judith Resnik Award during commencement weekend. The award, which honors Carnegie Mellon alumna and space shuttle Challenger astronaut Dr. Judith A. Resnik, is presented annually to an outstanding woman graduating in the sciences or engineering who plans to attend graduate school and whose academic performance, creativity and vision illustrates potential for high academic achievement in her field. Sydlik received an award of $1000, a certificate of recognition and her name will be added to Carnegie Mellon’s Judith A. Resnik Award Recipient plaque in the University Center.

“Stefanie has prepared several new conducting polymers and, more impressively, she has gone on to make very good thin films and has measured very high electrical conductivities for some of her random copolymers,” said Richard McCullough, Dean of the Mellon College of Science, professor of chemistry and Sydlik’s research advisor. “It’s almost unheard of to have an undergraduate make this kind of research progress in such a short period of time.”

Sydlik, who joined the McCullough lab during her sophomore year, has synthesized random copolymers of regioregular polythiophene — a plastic that conducts, rather then impedes, electricity. Discovered by McCullough, regioregular polythiophenes promise to reduce costs and improve product quality for applications like disposable ID cards, touch panels, printed electronics, organic light-emitting diodes, chemical sensors and solar electricity.

Sydlik’s research accomplishments were recognized in 2006 when she was selected as a Beckman Scholar, a program established by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation to help stimulate, encourage and support research activities by exceptionally talented undergraduate students. In recognition of her overall scholarship, she has been inducted into two of the most prestigious academic honor societies in the United States, Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi.

While a student at Carnegie Mellon, Sydlik was engaged in significant ways with the campus community. She worked for Academic Development as a supplemental instructor or tutor, and she was an active member of the Greek community as a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, where she took on positions of leadership in some major philanthropic efforts, such as the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. During her sophomore year she joined the crew team and was elected captain of the novice team.
Sydlik has been accepted to the Ph.D. program in chemistry at MIT, where she will continue working in the field of conducting polymers.

May 2007
Amy Pavlak

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