Dr. John Femi-Oyetoro received his Ph.D. in physics at the University of North Texas just last year and is already employed as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His job entails working on infrared detectors for astrophysics applications.

"The most rewarding part of this job is the opportunity to work on the research and development of new technologies for NASA's astrophysics missions," said Dr. Femi-Oyetoro. "UNT helped prepare me for this current role by laying the foundation to pursue my interests more in depth and helping me develop advanced skills that are applicable to industries and research organizations."

While at UNT, Dr. Femi-Oyetoro worked with Physics professor Dr. Jose Perez. His research was on the low-energy electron irradiation of 2D graphene and stability investigations of 2D MoS2. He said Dr. Perez was a great support on his journey to his professional career.

"I have always loved the sciences and engineering," he said. "I chose physics because of the flexibility and diversity it offers. Pursuing a PhD also gave me the opportunity to contribute to the scientific community."

In his spare time, Dr. Femi-Oyetoro enjoys nature, hiking, documentaries, table tennis, soccer, and road trips. One thing that he enjoyed about his time at UNT was the liveliness of Denton as an active academic community and college town.

His advice to students looking to pursue a career in science and research? "Don't be afraid to pursue your interest irrespective of roadblocks and find a suitable advisor that matches your interest."