Durango, Colo.– Fort Lewis College second-year student Sharelle Yazzie —a pre-med major— never thought she would be interested in research.
A transfer student from Diné College, she was checking out different opportunities at FLC when she met Izzy Lamb, assistant professor of Chemistry at FLC, who told her about his work throughout the PEAQS program. 
Soon, Yazzie was analyzing new organic molecules to see if they were sustainable and environmentally friendly… and having fun while doing it. Her newfound love for research —and chemistry— surprised her.
“Honestly, it was a shock to me. This very hands-on experience really made me think about a career in research and how it could be so diverse… there are so many career options,” said Yazzie, of Názlíní, Ariz.
Agreeing was Max Krauss (Computer Engineering, ‘24). During his years at FLC, Krauss had the opportunity to do hands-on research that undergraduate students at large research universities rarely get. Most recently, he worked on developing a fuel source for micro-thrusters, tiny rocket engines that help satellites move and adjust their positions in space. 
“It's an exciting project with a lot of potential applications in space technology,” said Krauss, who’s now pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Utah. “With PEAQS, there are so many opportunities to do research with different professors on a ton of different topics, and not only getting that hands-on research experience but actually getting funded for it. If I get my Ph.D., I'll hopefully be able to teach one day, make a difference for other students, and facilitate experiences similar to the ones I had.”
That's music to Jeff Jessing’s ears. As the principal investigator for PEAQS, Jessing, an associate professor of Physics and Engineering, is passionate about the program. He is Krauss’s research mentor and is jointly submitting a peer-reviewed paper within the next month on the micro-thruster work with Krauss and several other undergraduate student researchers.
“The PEAQS program is literally changing the lives of our students,” he said. "Providing these opportunities for undergraduates and even local high school students to become authors of technical papers is a great source of pride and instills confidence within these students, which can positively influence their career trajectories. This often puts them near the front-of-the-line regarding graduate school admission or job attainment in the industry.”
Program Coordinator Leah Hale said they have the data to prove it. Their alumni cohort of over 60 has a graduation rate of 95%. In addition:
- 49% entered material science or engineering-related industries
- 35% of them are either pursuing professional or doctoral education in STEM or medical fields
- 13% are pursuing other STEM-related careers
- 3% are educating the next generation of scientists as K-12 STEM teachers
“The composition of our student cohort is an exciting accomplishment of our program,” she said, adding that of the cohort, 45% are female, and 38% are from minoritized communities— compared to national averages for physics, which are 20% and 8%, respectively.
PEAQS recently received its second, six-year $4.2 million grant from the NSF. Jessing said one of the goals for the next six years is to utilize the facilities and infrastructure to their full potential, expand connections to the K-12 systems, provide financial assistance to student researchers, and strengthen collaborations with major scientific institutions, including with Norfolk State University and the NSF Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand (IMOD).
“We have these partnerships with big institutions, which allow us to tap into their resources and expertise. Our students frequently visit these institutions for additional research opportunities, enhancing their academic and professional networks,” Jessing said.
Read more about Max Krauss' remarkable path in engineering from circuit boards to micro thrusters
Visit PEAQS' website