Chemistry’s Xiangsha Du Receives IPMI Award
By Kirsten Heuring
Media Inquiries- Associate Dean for Communications, MCS
- 412-268-9982
Fourth year chemistry graduate student Xiangsha Du has received an International Precious Metals Institute student award for her research into metal transitions in gold. She has worked closely with Rongchao Jin, professor of chemistry, throughout her research.
“I’m so excited about receiving the award,” said Du. “I think the award gives me great encouragement doing my research in the long run.”
The $5,000 prize she received from IPMI will support her research in the near future.
Because of her win, Du will present her research at the IPMI Annual Conference this June. The Jin lab analyzes different types of nanoparticles, and Du predominantly focuses on nanoparticles of gold.
“Xiangsha has been tackling the fundamental science of metallic-state formation in atomically precise gold and alloy nanoclusters,” said Jin. “I'm glad that her work is recognized by the IPMI award committee. Hopefully she will make further discoveries along the way.”
Du is working over a size range of tens to hundreds of metal atoms, where gold nanoparticles exhibit a transition from a nonmetallic to a metallic state.