UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Katelyn Adkison will represent the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences as its student marshal at Penn State's fall 2018 undergraduate commencement ceremony.
Adkison, a materials science and engineering major, will lead the college’s procession of graduates during the ceremony at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, in the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus. She will be escorted by faculty marshal Zi-Kui Liu, distinguished professor of materials science and engineering and Adkison’s research adviser.
“I am honored to be student marshal and represent EMS in the graduation ceremony,” Adkison said. “I’m thankful for all of the professors, peers and other mentors I have in the State College community. Their support is a large part of my success.”
Adkison, who is graduating summa cum laude, also completed a minor in biomedical engineering.
As a first-year student, Adkison participated in an undergraduate research program, Women in Science and Engineering Research (WISER), with Liu and Allison Beese, assistant professor of materials science and engineering. The research program is funded by the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium.
Adkison continued undergraduate research throughout her time at Penn State, working with Liu in the Phases Research Lab to identify ideal oxide source materials for molecular beam epitaxy, a process used to manufacture semiconductors for electronics.
She also completed impressive summer research experiences and a summer internship during her undergraduate studies. Adkison was a quality control intern in 2018 at Arconic Technology Center in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. She participated in summer research experiences in 2017 at Missouri University of Science and Technology and in 2016 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
After graduation, she will begin working as an associate research and development metallurgist at Carpenter Technology Corp. in Reading, Pennsylvania, a producer of specialty metal alloys.
While at Penn State, Adkison also was active in the Beekeepers Club, serving as secretary and outreach chair, and with the Wesley Student Foundation. She helped start Welsey’s Closet, a coat bank for the State College community.
Adkison’s mother, Kimberly Adkison, from North Carolina, brother, Mike Adkison, from Washington, and grandparents, Fred and Judy Kalp, from Acme, Pennsylvania, plan to attend the ceremony to celebrate her achievements.