April 2005

Darlene Slattery Receives FSEC Distinguished Researcher Award

Darlene Slattery, a Senior Research Chemist, has been named the Distinguished Researcher at the Florida Solar Energy Center for 2005.

Slattery, who has worked in FSEC's Hydrogen R&D Division since 1989, earned her Ph.D. in chemistry at the Florida Institute of Technology in 1999.

Darlene Slattery working in lab
Darlene Slattery at work in the FSEC hydrogen lab.
(Photo credit: Nick Waters)

Her primary area of research has been in the storage of hydrogen to be used for automotive purposes. She has investigated magnesium hydride, lanthanum magnesium hydride and complex hydrides such as lithium aluminum hydride. All of this work has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Additionally, she has performed hydride research under FSEC's NASA program. In this work, Slattery has been studying methods for separating hydrogen from the helium that NASA uses as a purge gas in the pipes through which the Shuttle is fueled. Another part of this study has involved using hydrides to recover the hydrogen that NASA loses to boil-off.

Slattery commented that "I am very pleased to receive this honor." In making the announcement of her award, FSEC director Jim Fenton noted that her selection marks the first time a woman has been named to receive FSEC's Distinguished Researcher Award. The award selection is made by a peer review committee, based on publications and presentations, grants and other fiscal support, and supporting letters from outside FSEC.

The author or co-author of more than 30 publications, conference proceedings and contract reports, Slattery has also been an invited keynote speaker on hydrogen storage at Battelle Institute and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.