Soren Petersen has been named a 2026 recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, in response to his terahertz research.

Petersen, an electrical engineering graduate student from Owasso, Oklahoma, received his undergraduate degree in 2025 from ECE and is currently pursuing his Ph.D.

“It's rather surreal,” Petersen said. “It has given me a positive outlook on my research experience. Receiving this award has helped me become more confident in my research, my writing and my ability as a future scientist.”

Petersen is one of a group of students with OSU ties to receive recognition from the fellowship program. Current students Kristine Branch — a biology graduate student — and Lena James — a senior in mechanical and aerospace engineering — received honorable mention designation.

Three other OSU alumni, now studying at other institutions, were also recognized — Kalissa Moseley, former zoology undergraduate, Meredith Keen, former microbiology undergraduate, were awarded fellowships. Tylee Kareck, a former chemical engineering undergraduate, received an honorable mention.

Terahertz research breakthrough

In the Ultrafast Terahertz Optoelectronic Laboratory in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University, experts are working to harness an elusive part of the electromagnetic spectrum: terahertz waves.

Under the oversight of Dr. Weili Zhang, Regents Professor and director of the graduate school program in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Soren Petersen has helped develop custom-designed metamaterials that precisely guide and control terahertz waves.

The team’s research focuses on spoof surface plasmonics (SSPs), a specific phenomenon in which terahertz waves travel along surfaces. To control these waves, the team builds custom metamaterials in the UTOL cleanroom, enabling precise control over how the waves move and behave.

This fellowship will allow him to devote his full attention to research and continue advancing in this field.

“I'm working on our lab's recently developed near-field THz scanning microscopy system, which is one of a kind in the United States,” Petersen said. “Having my full attention directed toward my research will allow me and our lab to continue to hold OSU's leading edge in the THz field. I hope to be able to complete my goal of developing a near-field-based THz rapid screening system for chiral molecules within my time here.”

His current work involves designing structures to guide SSPs for precise control of wave phase and amplitude.

Petersen uses this precision to image the electric-field response arising from SSPs only micrometers away from the surface.

In the future, he hopes to develop materials that can quickly detect very thin layers of specific molecules by identifying their unique signals in the visible spectrum.

"With the metamaterials’ design, SSPs are excited using broadband THz radiation generated through the ultrafast laser excitation of semiconductor-based photoconductive antennas,” Petersen said. “Our lab has used this mechanism to probe for intrinsic material properties at extremely high frequencies. However, my research is largely near-field based, which means I am imaging the electric field response from contributions of SSPs micrometers away from the surface.”

Petersen attributes much of his success to the peers and mentors he has had as a CEAT student. Zhang has always been available to discuss research with Petersen and took him on as a Ph.D. student after he completed his bachelor’s degree.

He also credited Dr. Tim Brown, who has offered advice on writing applications and helped Petersen rethink how he sees and approaches a problem. Petersen also serves as a teaching assistant for Brown.

“I attribute a lot of my success to those in CEAT, and I am ever grateful for the opportunities my department and college have offered me,” Petersen said. “However, I wouldn't be where I am today without the help of the Clerico Family Foundation. They were influential in my undergraduate studies by supporting me through both scholarship and mentorship. To John, Diane, and Cheryl, I hope I can uphold the values you instilled in me through the contribution to science that I am pursuing.

“Lastly, I can never be grateful enough to my mom, who has provided me with endless support and read each draft of my application, my dad, who reminds me to enjoy life outside of the lab, and my grandparents, who are my biggest cheerleaders and are always happy to learn about my research. Thank you for always being my home.”

Petersen aims to inspire others through his research, as he is passionate about teaching and wants to mentor and train others in a field that fascinates him.

“I'm OK if my name stays buried, but if my research lays the foundation for more breakthroughs in the broader field of plasmonics, I will feel fulfilled,” he said. “I'm really quite excited about my future in the field and the potential of being a mentor to others.”

In both the lab and the classroom, Petersen’s work reflects the principles of OSU: a commitment to others and a drive to do what is right.