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ESF Students Present Research; Driscoll Earns National Radiation Award
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — June 29, 2026 — Dr. Mark S. Driscoll of ESF’s Department of Chemistry and six of Driscoll’s advisees presented research at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) this spring in Rockville, Maryland.
At the meeting, CIRMS honored Driscoll with the Caswell Award for 15 years of contributions to ionizing radiation measurements and standards.
Dilara Turkel Agacik, Liz McDaniel, Andy Palm, Haulison Yayoh, Tau David and Maci Dahlberg each presented research posters.
Turkel Agacik, a chemistry Ph.D. candidate, examined radiation effects on cellulose-based films. Results showed cellulose acetate maintained stability under high irradiation, while regenerated cellulose degraded, offering guidance for polymer design for environmental uses such as CO₂ capture.
McDaniel, a chemistry Ph.D. candidate, optimized cellulose solubility in sodium hydroxide, identifying effective irradiation doses and concentrations. The work appears in Radiation Physics and Chemistry.
Palm, a chemical engineering Ph.D. candidate, modeled low-energy electron beam behavior using Monte Carlo simulations to improve dose calibration and measurement accuracy.
Yayoh, a chemistry Ph.D. student, studied electron beam irradiation to degrade persistent water contaminants. The work showed up to 80% reduction in target compounds, highlighting a potential chemical-free treatment method.
David, a chemistry Ph.D., analyzed how electron beam irradiation alters lignin structure, demonstrating its potential as a scalable, sustainable method for producing value-added chemicals from biomass.
Dahlberg, an undergraduate chemistry major, investigated polyacrylamide film synthesis using UV and electron beam radiation. The study found UV radiation to be the most effective approach for future applications.
Driscoll and the student researchers also built new collaborations with researchers at CIRMS and identified opportunities for future testing and development.
About SUNY ESF
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.