University research fires up UAIS senior

You never know how a simple e-mail may change your life.

For senior Marisa Hocking, an outreach to a University of Michigan professor led to a summer research experience, participation in a professional article and a greater passion for studying the use of environmentally-friendly materials.

“The research was so different from what I imagined,” said Hocking, who attends Utica Academy for International Studies (UAIS). “And I was so surprised at how casual the professor was about the experience.”

The professor is Richard Laine, who had posted an online video about how certain environmentally-friendly chemicals may help wood extinguish a fire at a faster rate.

It prompted Hocking to contact the University of Michigan professor as part of her Extended Essay, a capstone project at the International Baccalaureate high school that is based on original research done by the student.

Laine invited Hocking to further the research over a three-week period that involved testing chemical combinations of a silica-based powder dissolved in a solution. Wood was treated with the solution to see if it can improve the time it takes for fires to extinguish themselves.

One possible benefit of the research, according to Hocking, is to build safer houses that will not burn as easily or can hold up longer in a large fire.

The research has found its way into an article that is being considered for scholarly publications.

“I feel like this has provided me a good experience that I can build on in my future,” she said.

Hocking plans to expand on her experiences by pursuing a materials engineering degree. She is applying to the University of Michigan, Oakland University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton and California Institute of Technology.

She credits UAIS with giving her the confidence to pursue new interests by requiring courses that reflect a wide array of subjects.

”(UAIS) has helped me develop a different set of skills,” she said.