Faces of SRAP: Caleb Adeyemi

The Summer Research Apprentice Program has officially come to a close, but we will still be featuring a few SRAP participants on our blog. Stay tuned! 

A senior from Houston, Texas, Caleb looked forward to being on his own this summer and have the chance to learn about himself.

“I’m enjoying the opportunity to experience college life before I actually attend,” he says. “I like seeing how I adapt to new situations and learn more about myself.”

Dr. Pikal (left) and Caleb Adeyemi (right)

Caleb studied in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department with Dr. Jon Pikal during his SRAP experience.

“I’m currently studying the characteristics of optoelectronic materials and devices,” Caleb explains. “We are investigating the use of quantum dots in a light absorbing function for optical to electrical energy conversion in advanced solar cell structure. The basic idea is to take advantage of the unique properties of these different nanomaterials to optimize the conversion of solar energy to electrical power.”

While working in the lab this summer, Caleb looked forward to learning about his research and about himself.

“I really enjoy learning new concepts from Dr. Pikal that most students aren't exposed to in high school.” he says.

Dr. Pikal hoped to give Caleb a look into university research during SRAP.

“I’d like him to see what it’s like in a university research lab, because that’s a world that most undergraduates don’t even see,” Dr. Pikal says. “I think the experience of seeing how a lab works, what we do and how we do it is probably one of the more beneficial parts.”

SRAP is a six-week, intensive research program for high school students. It is based at the University of Wyoming and is sponsored by Wyoming EPSCoR. To learn more about the program, click here, or search “SRAP” in the archives.

By Robin Rasmussen

Photo by Robert Waggener