![\"white](\"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/218\/2024\/04\/tilly-barker-25-new-headshot-450.jpg\")
Tilly Barker \u201925.<\/p><\/div>\n
Barker, a double major in chemistry and applied mathematics, and minoring in data analytics, is originally from Guisborough, a town in North Yorkshire, England, but has lived in the states for nearly 10 years. She calls The Woodlands, Texas, home now.<\/p>\n
In Chemistry Professor Paul Wagenknecht\u2019s<\/a> lab, Barker is working on developing a titanium-based molecule that can be used as a photocatalyst, a material capable of soaking up light.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019re successful, this molecule will be able to absorb the energy of sunlight and turn it into usable fuels and, or, electricity,\u201d Barker said.<\/p>\n Barker said titanium “represents an important area of research for mitigating climate change and avoiding the consumption of fossil fuels” because it’s abundant and relatively inexpensive compared to rare-earth metals commonly used in photocatalysis.<\/p>\n Olivia Longsworth \u201925.<\/p><\/div>\n Longsworth \u201925 was on an eight and a half-hour trek to her home in Memphis, Tennessee, when she got word of the award. Sharing the news en route with family made the trip much more enjoyable, she said. The chemistry and information technology double major works in Chemistry Professor George Shields<\/a>\u2019s lab where they use computer simulations to model reactions.<\/p>\n Already, Longsworth has published three papers with Shields. Her research focuses on the formation of secondary aerosols within the atmosphere.<\/p>\n \u201cThese reactions happen at different temperatures, pressures and settings within the atmosphere, and they\u2019re very hard to measure experimentally,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd they also happen fast and in low concentrations. So, we can use math and physics and chemistry together to model these reactions in a computer. More broadly, my research looks at how these small reactions influence climate and weather and the scattering and absorbing of light and heat in the atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n Like many Furman chemistry majors, Barker and Longsworth plan on pursuing advanced degrees after graduating.<\/p>\n Barker said that while she has enjoyed inorganic chemistry, she\u2019s \u201con the fence\u201d about whether she\u2019ll take on a doctorate in chemistry or one in materials science.<\/p>\n Either way, she said, \u201cI want to take inspiration from my work with Dr. Wagenknecht and follow research that aims to develop novel ways of sourcing and storing energy. I want to conduct research for protecting our planet and preserving it for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n Longsworth, who is on the pre-health track at Furman, is interested in a combined M.D.-Ph.D. program. She has a passion for rural health and wants to study how agricultural practices in rural areas “affect the health and well-being of farmers and the surrounding communities they serve. I think that\u2019s a niche that\u2019s not well-studied,\u201d Longsworth said.<\/p>\n![\"white](\"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/218\/2024\/04\/olivia-longsworth-25-headshot-450.jpg\")