Quest for research answers takes undergraduate student to Japan

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When a jet streaks across the sky, pushing the boundaries of physics, or a new electronic device is created, Kaylin Lamaute, a second-year student majoring in materials science and engineering, knows that’s the result of the careful creation of materials.

“I enjoy learning how the world works. Physics tells the fundamental story of our universe, and I fell in love with the mystery of particle physics when I was younger,” Lamaute said. “Engineering, on the other hand, is a testament to humanity’s ability to create. We take raw materials and build machines that go faster than the speed of sound, and I have to find out how. My fascination with both engineering and the natural sciences led me to materials science and engineering.”

Lamaute has been spending the summer finding answers to her fascinations through the Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE) program, an international initiative primarily driven by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. It funds collaborative research between Japanese institutions and partners in advanced nations. Lamaute, a member of the Schreyer Honors College, is also minoring in Japanese.

Lamaute has been working with novel ferroelectrics — materials with electric polarization that can be reversed with external electric fields — that are useful in high-tech devices and applications such as medical equipment and supercomputing. It’s an extension of her work as an undergraduate research assistant in Jon-Paul Maria’s lab. Maria, a professor of materials science and engineering, was recently named interim head of the department.

Recently, Lamaute was among a team of researchers who discovered new ceramic materials. The lab synthesizes and characterizes novel high-entropy oxide and dielectric materials for energy storage and efficiency, among other purposes.

In Japan, she’s been growing ferroelectric materials at Osaka University using a radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique, a precise approach that involves depositing layers between targets using alternating currents in a vacuum environment. She said she wants to build a career creating thin-film ceramics — materials thinner than a human hair — for electronics applications. She’s using the experience to find opportunities for personal growth by visiting collaborating labs and meeting with distinguished researchers.

“Learning the basics of synthesis and characterization through an independent project will help me become a meticulous, knowledgeable and patient scientist,” Lamaute said. “I’ve grown so much in my ability to conduct research independently, communicate with others to brew new ideas and understand complex concepts in Japanese!”

Another highlight was attending the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility in Japan with her research group. The 4,711-foot instrument is used for materials analysis and biochemical protein characterization.

“It’s one of those experiences that fills you with pure wonderment as you stand so close to this unimaginable feat of engineering,” Lamaute said. “It reminds me of why I started studying science in the first place.”

Lamaute is also finding time to explore outside of the lab.

She’s living in Osaka — Japan’s third largest city — which she said is known for its cuisine, colorful fashion and friendly residents. She’s taking in the historical temples and cultural attractions.

“Nothing beats a long hike through a dense forest on a mountain in the middle of nowhere surrounded by ojizō statues and spiders I have never seen before,” Lamaute said. “I get to travel to temples and shrines with my host mother and enjoy live music and cat cafes with my friends.”

Lamaute credited Maria for helping her land the ASPIRE opportunity. She said undergraduate research has defined her college experience and has led her to make so many meaningful connections with inspiring scientists. She said it’s motivated her to “fall into the black hole of captivating research.”

“Materials science and engineering at Penn State is an amazing program because it allows me to explore the fundamental building blocks of matter and simultaneously how to manipulate them into something new that can improve our society,” Lamaute said.