Student spotlight: Research experience powers College of Science student’s future

Chris Schauerman’s work in the NanoPower Research Laboratories reflects RIT’s commitment to undergraduate research. A. Sue Weisler | photographer

Chris Schauerman has spent his college career running from one accomplishment to the next—literally.

In 2004, the Erie, Pa., native joined 17 other RIT student athletes to take part in the Coast-to-Coast relay, a 2,730-mile odyssey on foot from California to Maryland. The event was completed in a record pace of just over 12 days, which Schauerman proudly touts as a team achievement.

“If one person dropped the baton or broke the chain, the whole thing fell apart,” he reflects. “That sort of teamwork and group mentality is definitely what carried the baton the entire way across the country.”

But even as a veteran member of RIT’s track and cross country teams, Schauerman is more inclined to think of running as a personal experience with individual rewards.

“How hard do you want to work, and how much do you want to put into it? That will really determine what you get out of it.”

Other applications for this philosophy are not lost on Schauerman, and it very much drives his academic pursuits. The fifth-year physics major in the College of Science commits a lot of his “energy” to projects within RIT’s NanoPower Research Laboratories. Much of his focus centers on incorporating nanomaterials into the development of hydrogen fuel cells and lithium ion batteries.

“One of the things I find really cool is two of the most prominent areas of research going on in the country and in the world right now are renewable energy and nanotechnology.” Adds Schauerman, “To be at the forefront of that—trying new things and exploring new things—is something that is very exciting to me.”

Participating in cutting-edge research at the undergraduate level is something that Schauerman feels makes the RIT experience unique, and it’s helping to drive his success. He points to a recent opportunity to present his work at a statewide conference on alternative energy, which allowed him to interface with a range of industry executives. “Several of them gave me their business cards and told me to keep in touch,” he recalls.

Schauerman says he’s proud to be named in several research publications and presentations, and he appreciates the interdisciplinary aspects of his work, collaborating with undergraduate and graduate students from various academic disciplines. Ryne Raffaelle, professor of physics and director of RIT’s NanoPower Research Laboratories, credits Schauerman with exercising “lab citizenship,” taking responsibility for routine tasks when others are inclined to shy away from them.

“In this category I have to give Chris an A+,” explains Raffaelle. “He rolls up his sleeves and gets the job done, and he can do it while still maintaining a smile. He has been a wonderful asset to our labs.”

After graduating this spring, Schauerman expects many reasons to keep running, so to speak. Yes, there’s his passion for athletics. Plus, there’s the potential of furthering his education—either in material science or business administration—and the desire to launch a career in the renewable energy industry. Schauerman cites the support of family, friends and mentors as a contributing factor, and he looks forward to handing off the baton to future student researchers.

“To be a mentor, to be part of a support network for someone else and for other students who will be going through this same thing in the future, I think would be one of the best ways to give back.”