Lucia Fernandez-Ballester, Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Materials Engineering, observes a p
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September 22, 2025
Lucia Fernandez-Ballester, Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Materials Engineering, observes a plastic polymer sample using polarized optical microscopy inside the Advanced Polymer Engineering Lab at the Engineering Research Center. With a $739,205 National Science Foundation Early Career Award Program grant, Husker engineer Lucia Fernandez-Ballester is working to better understand how micro- and nanoplastics enter the environment, with the goal of designing safer plastic materials. September 22, 2025. Photo by Jordan Opp / University Communication and Marketing.