Undergraduate Matias Moreno earns competitive Astronaut and Udall scholarships

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State student Matias Moreno earned two of the nation's most competitive undergraduate scholarships this spring — the Astronaut Scholarship and the Udall Scholarship — recognizing both his excellence in STEM research and his commitment to sustainability.

Moreno, of Oakton, Virginia, is a materials science and engineering major in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and a Millennium Scholar. His undergraduate research has led him through refining two-dimensional semiconductors, investigating methods for cost-effective hydrogen production, studying fuel cell catalyst layers and working on materials that convert waste heat into electricity. He plans to graduate in May 2027.

“It means a lot, honestly,” he said on earning the two awards. “Coming from my background and my lived experiences, I know exactly what it is like to not have the kind of opportunities that I have been given. Because of that, I just feel an immense amount of gratitude for where I am today.”

The Udall Scholarship is awarded to students for leadership, public service and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. The Astronaut Scholarship recognizes motivation, imagination and exceptional performance in the science or engineering field of their major. Both are awarded to undergraduates in their second or third years.

When he started at Penn State, Moreno said, he came in knowing he liked materials science but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with it. Research experience changed that. He began his undergraduate research path under Joshua A. Robinson, professor of materials science and engineering, where he spent three semesters refining two-dimensional semiconductors for energy-efficient technologies. He spent a summer at the University of Michigan in the Bartlett lab through the U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates and got into hydrogen research for the first time.

“I found myself genuinely excited about electrochemical systems in a way I did not expect,” he said.

The work sparked a passion for renewable hydrogen technology, he said, as he investigated sunlight-driven brine electrolysis as a pathway for cost-effective hydrogen production in resource-limited settings.

Another summer, Moreno worked at the Berkeley National Laboratory under Sarah Berlinger, research scientist in the Energy Conservation Group, studying fuel cell catalyst layers.

“Working in a national lab environment exposed me to research driven by practical solutions for energy systems,” Moreno said. “I focused on optimizing formulations to improve reproducibility and scalability, illustrating that nanoscale changes directly affect device performance.”

For the last two semesters, Moreno has worked under James Hodges, assistant professor of chemistry, on materials that convert waste heat into electricity by using high-temperature synthesis to study how targeted substitutions affect structure and efficiency.

“Each of those experiences built on the last one, and together they made it really clear to me what I want to pursue at the doctoral level,” Moreno said.

Hodges said Matias is one of the most gifted undergraduate researchers he has encountered at Penn State.

“Since joining my lab, he has mastered a range of materials synthesis and characterization techniques and has become a key contributor to our team," Hodges said. "This includes helping to identify several entirely new crystalline compounds that are promising candidates for thermoelectric applications. These awards recognize an already remarkable track record and will help launch what is sure to be a distinguished scientific career.”

This summer, Moreno will travel to Switzerland as a ThinkSwiss Research Ambassador, a competitive program funded by the Swiss government that places American and Canadian undergraduates at Swiss research institutions. He will conduct research at the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland's largest scientific research center, in conjunction with ETH Zurich, one of the world's leading technical universities.

Outside of his lab and classroom work, Moreno said he is especially proud of his formal mentoring opportunities through the Millennium Scholars Program, chemistry tutoring and informal mentoring of other students. Matias also serves as an undergraduate research ambassador for the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowship Mentoring.

“I want to use this recognition to inspire the people coming up behind and alongside me,” he said. “When I look at the students I mentor in the Millennium Scholars Program, they are exactly where I was a few years ago, wondering whether someone with their background belongs here or if these opportunities are meant for them. I pride myself in leading by example, and more importantly, showing others the way. Hopefully, this inspires others to keep pushing for their own impact, knowing there will be a community ready to back them up, too.”

Moreno's commitment to sustainability extends beyond the lab. Through The Green Program, he traveled to Belize and used his CAD and materials science background to help design a structure called Kappacrete that supports coral regrowth, biodiversity and stabilizes income for local seaweed farmers. In another semester abroad in Singapore leading a team of volunteers doing food rescue work, Moreno said he saw how national-level commitment to sustainability shapes research priorities, infrastructure and daily life.

After graduating next year, Moreno said he plans to immediately pursue a doctoral degree in materials science or chemistry to focus on electrochemical and thermoelectric systems he’s spent his undergraduate career working on.

Long-term, he said, he wants to return to Latin America and help develop scalable, affordable energy technologies for communities that need them.

“I want to do that work alongside those communities, not just from a lab somewhere,” he said. “This goal is something that I will be able to accomplish with the support from the Udall Foundation as a 2026 Udall Scholar. That has been the through-line of everything I have done, from hydrogen research to thermoelectrics to Belize, and the Ph.D. is how I build the foundation to do it at the level it deserves.”

About the Astronaut and Udall scholarships

Astronaut Scholarship

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) was established in 1984 by the Mercury 7 astronauts to help ensure the United States maintains its leadership in science and technology by supporting exceptional STEM college students.

The University uses an internal Penn State selection process facilitated by Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring (URFM) to nominate up to two applicants for the award each year. To be selected, applicants must be U.S. citizens, full-time second- or third- year Penn State students, and be majoring in an approved STEM field with intent to pursue a career in research. Nominations are based on creativity,innovation, initiative and exceptional academic performance.

Udall Scholarship

The Udall Scholarship is open to students who are Native American or Alaska Natives working on tribal policy issues or pursuing health-related careers, and to any undergraduate interested in conservation and environmental issues. To be considered, applicants must be a sophomore or a junior in college and a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident.

Those interested in competing for either an Astronaut or Udall scholarship next year should contact Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring (URFM) to learn more about the scholarship programs, verify that they meet the eligibility criteria and begin the application process.

Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.