Janice Lucon. MSU photo by Kelly Gorham. A Montana State University graduate student whose research has the potential to make a difference in how light is harvested for alternative energy applications has won a $90,000 fellowship from the National Science Foundation.

Janice Lucon, 25, will receive an NSF annual stipend for three years to fund her research at MSU. She won the Graduate Research Fellowship based on her abilities, accomplishments, and potential to contribute to strengthening the vitality of science and engineering in the U.S., according to the NSF.

The 25-year-old, who grew up, in part, in northwest Montana's Flathead Valley, is working toward a doctorate in inorganic chemistry.

Lucon works in professor Trevor Douglas' laboratory and said her research involves using protein cages to analyze platinum nanoparticles. She is working to determine how many platinums to include inside a protein cage for maximum efficiency.

Determining which configuration and size of platinum particles to use can optimize hydrogen gas production.

"We're looking for the arrangement and size that works best," she said.

Lucon analyzes the whole protein to look and see how many platinum molecules are contained in a single cage. Then, if there are more contained in the cage than are necessary to produce hydrogen gas, a lesser amount of the catalyst can be used.

If you can make the platinum particles smaller and smaller and still get the same result, the process becomes more efficient, Lucon said. It's important to look at the small precious metal catalysts, she added, because those catalysts can improve the efficiency of synthesizing hydrogen molecules.