Spring 2011 - University Of Southern Indiana

Foundation NewsFormer Presidential Scholar headed to Canada for postdoctoral researchFormer USI Presidential ScholarBruce L. Yoder ’02 finished a doctorate inJuly in physical chemistry at Switzerland’sEcole Polytechnique Fédérale deLausanne, one of the world’s leadinginstitutions of science and technology.His next stop is the University of BritishColumbia in Vancouver, where he will bea postdoctoral research fellow. The SwissNational Science Foundation is fundingthe project.Yoder returned to Indianarecently to visit with family and friends inWashington, Indiana, and came to USIto see former faculty members and friendBruce Baker.Along with a bequest from HaroldW. Ashley, Bruce Baker and his wife,Carol, established the Harold W. AshleyEndowed Presidential Scholarship thatYoder received at USI. He considers thescholarship a first step in his success ofreceiving grants and other funding for hiswork.“The Presidential Scholarship wasone of the best things to happen,” he said.“It gave me the ability to take classes Iwanted while at USI. I didn’t take thefastest avenue through college. I was ableto obtain a second major in Spanish, andI was not strapped by financial concerns.My receiving it convinced decision makersthat people believed in what I couldaccomplish. It said to others, ‘he has goodideas and he means to execute.’ I’m sure itwas useful as I applied for other funding.”Doctoral researchIn his PhD research Yoder usedlasers to control reactions between gasBruce Yoder, right, visits campus with Bruce Bakermolecules and catalytic surfaces. His workwas aimed at a fundamental understandingof methane reformation to producehydrogen fuel.Part of his doctoral thesis work waspublished as an article in Science, a leadingjournal of original scientific research,global news, and commentary. Dr. EvanMillam, assistant professor of chemistrywho taught Yoder, said, “The publicationis the top peer review journal for thefield. It publishes research that is groundbreakingin a significant way.”Engaged studentYoder discussed his research withDr. Mark Krahling and Dr. Tom Pickett,faculty members in the Pott College ofScience and Engineering. Krahling said,“The Presidential Scholarship was one of the best things to happen.It gave me the ability to take classes I wanted while at USI. I didn’ttake the fastest avenue through college. I was able to obtain a secondmajor in Spanish, and I was not strapped by financial concerns.”—Bruce Yoder“Dr. Yoder described an experiment and itbecame quickly apparent that his curiosityled him to ask complicated, fundamentalquestions about chemical reactions.”Millam had Yoder in class duringundergraduate days. He said, “I knew hewould do something interesting. I recallhe would come in my class, sit at the backof the class, peel a grapefruit to eat, andnot take notes. And he was the mostengaged student in the class.”While studying in Switzerland, Yodertaught quantum mechanics in French. Heis accustomed to working in French andcan converse in Spanish. He earned amaster’s degree at Indiana University andbegan a doctoral program there beforemoving to Switzerland in 2006.The futureYoder’s research in Vancouverwill focus on contributing to the fieldof atmospheric science by producing abetter understanding of ultrafine aerosolparticles. His career goals are to conductresearch and/or teach at a top researchuniversity or to be a consultant.For recreation, Yoder plays soccer.He played on an amateur team inBloomington and in Switzerland.March 20118University of Southern Indiana