With the fall semester of a new school year underway, NETL chemist Scott Crawford is preparing to return to the classroom and inspire students to serve as the next generation of scientists and engineers.

For a seventh academic year, Crawford will take part in Science Coaches, a collaborative initiative of the American Chemical Society and the American Association of Chemistry Teachers. This fall, he will join Justin Sickles, a chemistry teacher at West Mifflin Area High School in southwestern Pennsylvania, for a second consecutive year.

The school is located near Crawford's home and the NETL research site in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The proximity of the school to work and home make it easy for Crawford to volunteer in the program.

"I love research. That's my primary responsibility," Crawford said. "This program provides something else -an opportunity to have an impact beyond the walls of NETL by encouraging students to take science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classes as a path to a rewarding STEM-related career."

Additionally, the program allows Crawford to sharpen his skills as a communicator who can present complex information in an engaging, nontechnical style. "That's a valuable skill researchers need to cultivate to ensure the impact of their work is understood by a wide audience," Crawford said.

Teachers and their program counterparts meet at least six times throughout the year to develop lesson plans and collaborate on projects and activities.

"Science did not come naturally for me," Crawford said. Hands-on experiments - which provided understanding beyond what could be achieved with strict reliance on textbooks - made a tremendous difference in Crawford's academic success.

That strategy guides Crawford's education outreach efforts, which include classroom demonstrations to explain photoluminescence, his area of expertise.

Photoluminescent materials and various metals absorb high-energy light in a process called "photoexcitation," which typically involves ultraviolet (UV) light. They then relax by emitting absorbed energy in the form of light, giving off a range of material-dependent vibrant colors; for example, terbium and europium, two valuable, rare earth elements (REEs), emit bright green and pink light, respectively.

Photoluminescence drives a technology developed by NETL and the University of Pittsburgh to detect critical minerals (CMs) and REEs in complex systems, such as coal fly ash leachate and acid mine drainage. CMs and REEs are needed to produce computers and electronics, electric vehicle batteries, components for defense systems, and many other crucial applications.

The work undertaken by NETL and the university culminated in the development of the award-winning eMission Critical Sensor , a patented, lightweight, comparatively inexpensive fiber-optic wand that can be dipped directly into fly ash leachate or acid mine drainage and provide insights into the concentration of CMs and REEs in those liquids in real time.

"To explain it in plain language, if the solution glows a certain color, the target metals are present. The brightness of the glow tells us exactly how much of the metal is in the water," said Crawford, who has used paper, balloons, glow-in-the-dark paints, and a UV flashlight to illustrate the science behind the technology at various STEM outreach events.

According to Sickles, when Crawford speaks to students, they listen and focus. "Scott possesses a rare quality - expertise within a highly technical topic coupled with the ability to explain it in a clear, engaging manner so those listening can understand how the technology works. You don't find that combination too often," Sickles said.

For the second consecutive year, Sickles and Crawford also plan to organize a career panel that will enable students to speak directly with researchers, technicians, and others in STEM-related fields.

Such events can allay some of the anxieties about life after high school. "I have been asked, 'How do you choose a college?' and 'What's it like adjusting to dorm life?' Each panelist can explain how they addressed those issues, which is meaningful," Crawford said.

A native of southwestern Pennsylvania, Crawford takes pride in the fact he has been able to remain in the region while pursuing a fulfilling career in science. "Working with local high school students allows me to give back to a region that inspired me to study science and make scientific discoveries," he said.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory dedicated to innovating and accelerating the nation's energy solutions in hydrocarbons, geothermal energy, and critical minerals production. The Lab further strengthens its impact by engaging with industry, academia, and other stakeholders through four strategically located Centers of Excellence: Coal, Critical Minerals & Advanced Alloys, Oil & Gas, and Geothermal. With research sites in Albany, Oregon; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, NETL operates as one laboratory to create advanced energy technologies that support DOE's mission and enable affordable, reliable, and secure energy to fuel human prosperity.