Lab postdoctoral researcher receives Trailblazer Award

Mar. 11, 2010—Postdoctoral researcher Francisco "Javier" Baca of LANL's Materials Physics and Applications Division received a Trailblazer Award from the Minorities in Research Science Council (MiRS).

The award recognizes the contributions of American minorities leading the way in scientific research and development, and those who enable this research.

With a goal of maintaining U.S. competitiveness in science and technology fields, MiRS, in cooperation with the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA), has been recognizing and encouraging minority accomplishments for 24 years.

Baca was recognized for his work in improving the current-carrying capacity of high-temperature superconductors by controlling the growth direction of nanorods embedded in the superconducting ceramic matrix. He manipulated the microstructural strain distribution within the thin film to control the nanostructure alignment. With his postdoctoral advisor, Terry Holesinger, Baca uses the electron microscopy facility within Materials Science and Technology Division and the thin film growth and characterization labs in the Materials Physics and Applications Division for research in nano-engineered microstructures. He received the award at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Global Competitiveness Conference, which MiRS and BEYA jointly sponsored.