National Science Foundation awards $300,000 to Youngstown State University’s Chemistry department

The National Science Foundation has given Doug Genna and the Chemistry department at Youngstown State University the Early-Concept Grant for Exploratory Research, or EAGER, award. EAGER awards are given to projects in the early stages that have proven to be promising.

Professor Genna is working in collaboration with SUNY Albany to research the recyclability of lithium-ion batteries. He hopes to be able to try similar methods from a previous research project to figure out how to extract lithium from recycled batteries. In an article on Youngstown State University’s website, Genna was quoted as saying, “If we are successful, this has the potential to change America’s source of lithium batteries.” 

Half of the grant funds will be directed toward SUNY Albany’s research team who will be looking into other metals that can be extracted from the recycled lithium batteries.

Genna is excited to work with SUNY Albany on this project, having worked with some of the researchers before. In addition to the actual work, Genna is looking forward to the student opportunities the grant, and others like it, create for students: “These grants create opportunities for students. The funds help to fund the chemicals and materials involved, but most importantly they create opportunity,” he said.

This is the second grant the National Science Foundation has awarded to Genna and the department this year. The Research Undergraduate Institution grant gave the department $350,000 for the study of Metal Organic Frameworks. 

For more information about Youngstown State University, visit the school’s website.