Berquó to Present Centennial Scholars Lecture on Scientific Contribution of Iron Oxide

CENTENNIAL SCHOLARS LECTURE AT CONCORDIA 

Scientific contributions of iron oxide 

Moorhead, Minn. – Dr. Thelma Berquó, associate professor of physics, will present a Centennial Scholars Lecture at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, in the Integrated Science Center (ISC), room 301. The lecture, “Magnetic Properties of Iron Oxide: Contributions from Environmental Science to Planetary Science,” is free and open to the public. 

Iron oxides are chemical compounds of iron and oxygen and very common on Earth's surface. Berquó will discuss the many different uses of iron oxides and some applications of her research on the magnetic properties of iron phases. 

“The relevance of knowing the fundamental properties of materials is associated with the fact that we can better understand nature and also use the gained information to contribute to the advance of applied science,” Berquó said.  

Berquó is the recent recipient of two National Science Foundation grants that support her research of environmental magnetism projects and the investigation of iron oxides. A $303,000 grant allowed for the purchase of a cryogenic instrument that measures the electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties of materials. A $178,000 grant will help pay for training, stipends for Berquó and student research assistants, and travel to national scientific conferences.   

Centennial Scholars Lectures are awarded each year to faculty to support activity in their own academic disciplines.