Jenniffer Bustillos

While sitting on a delayed flight from Chicago, Jenniffer noticed something that frustrates many fliers: the delay was the result of the plane needing to be sprayed with deicing fluid so that it would be safe for travel. While many gripe at the situation, Jenniffer thought there had to be a better way. An Honors College student, she has since filed a patent along with FIU on a de-icing system. Using graphene foam, the new method is 477 percent more efficient, making travel safer and a little better for the environment.

Jenniffer came to FIU from her native Guayaquil, Ecuador thanks to her two aunts who live in Miami and offered to help support her education. Her dedication caught the attention of Professors Arvind Agarwal and Benjamin Boesl, both of whom she credits for giving her the opportunity to stretch her research from mechanical engineering to also learn about materials engineering.

Jenniffer is graduating with five first-authored journal articles already under her belt and will continue her education at FIU, working closely with Agarwal on her master’s degree in materials science and engineering and a Navy-funded project.

By Jessica Drouet
Senior Account Manager, Office of Media Relations