“What makes this award so special for me is looking down the list of people who have received this recognition in the past – friends, mentors, collaborators, every single one of them aspirational to me on my own journey.” — Steve Shannon

The Plasma Prize, founded in 1999, is the highest recognition bestowed by the division. It recognizes those with sustained scientific contributions to plasma sciences and technology, with a significant emphasis on plasmas used in the semiconductor industry.

To test this, researchers applied vaccine to unwaxed dental floss and then flossed the teeth of lab mice before moving on to a test without vaccines for humans, using a floss pick. While research still remains to be done, they found that the floss picks are likely a viable method for vaccination.

Injecting vaccines primarily produces antibodies in the bloodstream, but delivery via the tissue between the teeth and gums produces antibodies in the bloodstream and on mucosal surfaces, which is how pathogens like the flu enter the body. This method of delivery would add an extra level of defense.

Professor Praveen Kolar recently spent three months exploring both of these worlds as a Fulbright Scholar in Italy. He spent time sampling Italian cuisine and working on his research project, which focuses on transforming rice husk into biochar to power capacitors in energy storage devices.

This technique works in minutes or seconds compared to conventional techniques that take hours or days.

Learn more at go.ncsu.edu/nmapimq

The new technique works by applying a 120-watt laser to the surface of a liquid polymer precursor in an inert environment, such as a vacuum chamber or a chamber filled with argon. The laser sinters the liquid, turning it into a solid ceramic.