M.Sc. Physics, University of Waterloo

Thesis: Crystal Structures of Selected Halogenated Methanes

Neutron scattering, electron microscopy, and X-ray crystallography required the ability to work with complex equipment and precise alignments.

Sample preparation:
- growing crystals at specific temperatures over long periods of time
- working with materials with various properties, required creative approaches to bringing a material (for example) from gaseous at room temperature through a liquid intermediate state to be captured in a container and crystallized

Data analysis:
- make reasonable initial estimates for crystal structures based on known parameters,
- use computer modelling to refine the spectrum