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Volume 72, Issue 121,
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
News Grad student at home in the lab De la Cruz, a native of the Philippines, busy studying materials that could impact memory storage devices by LEE CLARK
When asked what she likes most about Houston, third-year physics graduate student Clarina de la Cruz prefaced her stock answer with an explanation. "Well, I haven't been out much, but I like the weather because it's very similar to what we have in the Philippines -- minus the cold winters," de la Cruz said. What keeps de la Cruz indoors is her award-winning research in the physics lab. After receiving her Master of Science in physics from the University of the Philippines Diliman, de la Cruz joined UH in the fall of 2003 with aspirations of earning a Ph.D. in physics. Upon her arrival, de la Cruz's initial interest in the study of superconductivity led her to an exciting new subfield of solid-state physics -- multiferroics. Multiferroics are cutting-edge materials that could one day provide innovations in memory storage devices, such as those used in hard drives and hand-held devices like mp3 players. "The hope for these materials is that they will eventually be developed into systems where the potential for memory storage will be much greater and the readout will be much faster," de la Cruz said. While her international colleagues in applied physics are working to make multiferroics a practical application, de la Cruz is enthusiastic about understanding and explaining the new phenomena. "It's pretty exciting to be able to see such materials getting the attention of a lot of scientists all over the world, and (researchers at UH) became major conveyors in the field when I started my dissertation," de la Cruz said. In the fall of 2005, de la Cruz presented her work in multiferroics at the 50th Magnetism and Magnetic Materials Conference in San Jose, Calif. De la Cruz won first prize and a $1,000 fellowship for her outstanding presentation. Because the competition featured physics graduate students from prestigious universities worldwide, de la Cruz felt honored to win the award representing UH. "When they told me that I had won, I felt it was a vindication for the University of Houston, given the fact that a student who may not come from a prestigious university could, nonetheless, be recognized," de la Cruz said. "Really, it's a testament to what you can do anywhere you are, prestigious school or otherwise." De la Cruz, a native of the Philippines, said she had an inclination toward the sciences at an early age. "Since I was a child, I wanted to figure out how things work and why things are the way they are," de la Cruz said. De la Cruz said she feels fortunate that her parents, a medical doctor and an engineer, encouraged her intellectual pursuits. "I was lucky to have parents who valued education and who always encouraged me to learn," de la Cruz said. After graduation in May, de la Cruz wants to educate others about physics. "Teaching has always been my passion," de la Cruz said. "I want to help people learn, and I think teaching is the best way to hone your understanding of what you teach." De la Cruz acknowledged that there is both a positive and a negative side to being a woman in the male-dominated world of physics academia. "I have neither been given preference nor been frowned upon just because I am a woman -- not yet," de la Cruz said. De la Cruz said that two unique aspects make UH stand above other colleges. De la Cruz said she appreciates the encouragement from her mentors, who include professor Paul C.W. Chu and other faculty and staff of the Department of Physics. The Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, de la Cruz said, serves an outlet for relaxing after a long day in the lab by swimming or working out. "When things get really frustrating in the lab, that's the one place I want to be," de la Cruz said. Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu |
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