YCN representative - USA (1)

Katelyn Kirchner

YCN representation from the United States of America

National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow, The Pennsylvania State University

kak6117@psu.edu 

Katelyn (Katie) Kirchner is a Ph.D. candidate at the Pennsylvania State University located in Pennsylvania, USA. She has studied Materials Science and Engineering for her Ph.D. and her Bachelor of Science degree, which she received in 2020.

Katelyn’s research focus is materials theory and physics-based modeling of condensed matter, specifically for the investigation of disordered materials such as glass-forming systems. Her work quantifies the consequences of atomistic spatial and temporal fluctuations on glass behaviors including crack propagation, relaxation, nucleation, thermal conductivity, and Rayleigh scattering.

Aside from research, Katelyn’s passions include rowing - she was a student athlete on the Penn State Crew Team - woodworking, crafting, community volunteering, and professional development. She is a 6th-year representative for the American Ceramic Society (ACerS), 3rd-year student delegate for the Glass and Optical Materials ACerS Division, International Year of Glass Future Fellow, Astronaut Scholar, ACerS Alfred R. Cooper Young Scholar Awardee, and Society of Glass Technology Oldfield Awardee. Katelyn was born and raised in the United States and is eager to foster ongoing collaborations between the US, European, and global ceramic communities.

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