As a freshman undergraduate student, Emanuel Naumann participated in the Research Rookies
program, where he began broadening his connections within the Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry. For his Research Rookies project, he was paired with Dr. Ralph Wheeler as his
faculty mentor, where he explored the topic of alternative electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries
from a computational perspective. Specifically, he interpreted computational data for the
structure of one alternative electrolyte in water and how the structure of the solute compound in
water affects the solution’s behavior. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations were performed in
order to gain further insight into how specific parts of the solution affect the overall structure.
Now, as a sophomore, Emanuel is continuing his research with the support of the McKearn Fellows Program, where he subsequently joined Dr. Tao Li’s research group. By joining Dr. Li’s group, he has been able to use his prior computational experience from Dr. Wheeler’s group to
further his understanding of the same overall lithium-ion battery project from a hands-on laboratory perspective. In Dr. Li’s group, he is now working directly with electrolyte solutions and preparing samples of the solute compound denoted “LiTFSI” in water, methanol, and a mixture of water and methanol. With these solutions, he will be measuring and analyzing infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy data. By analyzing data on these solutions’ structures, one gains further insight as to how the structures affect their properties. The properties of the solutions, in turn, affect the overall performance of batteries once implemented.
Being an aspiring research chemist, he has further ignited his passion for chemistry through his
undergraduate research experiences and looks forward to working in Dr. Li’s lab during the
summer of 2024, where he will continue to gain valuable career experience. He is also looking
forward to continuing his role in Dr. Li’s group beyond the summer.
The McKearn Fellows Program transforms fellows’ undergraduate experience and advances their professional development by providing them with academic programming, funding for enrichment experiences, and personalized advising. The program carries the name of two distinguished NIU alumni, John and Cassandra McKearn, who make this opportunity possible for motivated students in the Honors Program.
