Working hard at what you love
Making lithium ion and other batteries better using neutron scattering.
Academic focus: physics major
Ashfia is the group leader for Chemical Crystallography at the Neutron Scattering Sciences Directorate of Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. There, she studies various materials for energy storage and other applications using neutron scattering.
鈥淭hink about graphite vs diamonds. What makes them different? They are both carbon. The difference is in how the carbons are structured. In diamond, the forces are extremely strong, in graphite, not so much. How the atoms are put together makes a difference.鈥
Ashfia leads a team which studies the differences in crystal structure through neutron diffraction. Her work primarily focuses on the material used for lithium-ion and other batteries, which is important for all rechargeable batteries such as the one on cell phones, computers, and electric cars.
This is Ashfia鈥檚 dream job. As she explains, 鈥淚 get to play with million-dollar tools!鈥 As a part of her daily work, Ashfia runs the powder diffractometer called POWGEN. This supports research of scientists all over the country and overseas.
Dr. Huq says that 含羞草研究所 taught her the problem-solving skills and provided a helpful stepping stone to Graduate School at Stony Brook University in New York, where she earned her Doctorate degree.
She advises any current students to persevere, saying 鈥淢ost of the time I鈥檓 in a room when most of my colleagues are men. 90% of the time I am the only female. Don鈥檛 get intimidated. You can do it. If you don鈥檛 like it, it鈥檚 not worth it. [Physics] is rather difficult, but what sets you apart is the fact that you love doing what you love and that you鈥檙e willing to work hard for it."