DR. SHANEE PACLEY
Materials and Manufacturing
Dr. Shanee Pacley is a materials scientist in AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. She specializes in nanotechnology and focuses on carbon nanomaterials. Pacley got her start at AFRL as an undergraduate co-op student.
She says she enjoyed the “hands-on experience in the lab” and the “day-to-day interaction with other scientists and engineers in the field.”
Pacley went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering from Wright State University and a Master’s degree from the University of Dayton. Afterwards, she completed her Ph.D. and focused her doctoral research project on carbon nanopearls. Pacley starred in a National Defense Education Program LabTV video illustrating the growth of these materials.
She explains that, “scientists and engineers are examining many potential uses for nanopearls, including making better flat-panel television screens.” Nanopearls are made up of tiny flakes of heptagonal, pentagonal and hexagonal carbon rings that link together like a pearl necklace.”
In the future, Pacley says she plans to participate in various STEM outreach programs and perhaps do some adjunct teaching in her field.
She cites her quest for knowledge as the driving force in her scientific career.
“Even though I’ve finished my PhD, I always want to continue learning,” she said. “I’ll always want to grow”