Grant Norton
Professor Grant Norton, right, associate dean of research and graduate programs in the College of Engineering and Architecture, envisions a day when drivers will fill their cars at a fuel pump that dispenses hydrogen rather than gasoline. Hydrogen-fueled vehicles would reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil while protecting the environment. Before they are a common sight on our nation’s highways, however, scientists must develop a means to safely store and release hydrogen fuel in amounts sufficient for private cars. Dr. Norton and his colleagues are working to patent nanospring technology that would fit into an ordinary gas tank—solving the problem of hydrogen storage.