2014 Outstanding Young Scientists and Outstanding Young Engineers Honored

BALTIMORE, Nov. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Maryland Academy of Sciences and the Maryland Science Center presented the 2014 Annual Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) and Outstanding Young Engineer (OYE) awards on November 19, 2014. The awards honor four Maryland scientists and engineers who have made substantial contributions to science and engineering communities early in their careers.

Those honored with the OYS award are Marina Leite, Ph.D., of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics (IREAP) and Jason Benkoski, Ph.D., Principal Scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Recipients of the OYE award are Liangbing (Bing) Hu, Ph.D., of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at University of Maryland College Park, and Morgana Trexler, Ph.D., Senior Materials Scientist and Assistant Group Supervisor at the Research and Exploratory Development Department (REDD) at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).

The OYS and OYE awards recognize young Maryland residents who have distinguished themselves for accomplishments in science and engineering. Award recipients are chosen by members of the Maryland Academy of Sciences' Scientific Advisory Council, which provides expertise and content review to the Maryland Science Center.

Outstanding Young Scientist Recipients:
Dr. Marina Leite established and now leads a state-of-the-art laboratory and dynamic research group at the University of Maryland that is devoted to the physics of photovoltaic materials and devices, nanoscale and nanostructured materials, and energy storage.

Dr. Jason Benkoski's work has led to the success of several innovative programs at APL, including his vision for improving state-of-the-art paints by adding self-healing and corrosion protection properties with nano and micro-material innovations.

Outstanding Young Engineer Recipients:
Dr. Liangbing (Bing) Hu has had a tremendous impact at College Park, earning numerous awards, publishing high-profile journals, garnering news stories about his work, and dedicating his time to student outreach.  He has been a leader in developing a field of diverse applications built on cellulose, using it as a scaffold for devices from batteries and solar cells to electronics and optics.

Dr. Morgana Trexler is an expert in biomaterials, applied nano-materials, and the computational modeling of mechanical behavior in materials.  She has contributed to several of the APL's innovative programs, including the EyePATCH program, an effort to deal with battlefield eye injuries by using alternative treatment such as advanced hydrogels.

About the Maryland Science Center
Named one of Parents Magazine's Top 10 Science Centers in America, the Maryland Science Center makes science understandable and fun for more than 500,000 visitors a year with interactive exhibits, traveling exhibitions, presentations in the Davis Planetarium, movies in the St. John Properties IMAX Theater, and hundreds of hands-on programs delivered throughout the state each year. For information, www.marylandsciencecenter.org

SOURCE Maryland Science Center

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