Doctoral student Hussain earns Buffett Early Childhood Institute Graduate Scholar fellowship

Kazi Albab Hussain, a doctoral student in civil engineering, was chosen as one of the 2022-23 Buffett Early Childhood Institute Graduate Scholars.

The program annually awards one-year fellowships worth up to $25,000 to a maximum of four University of Nebraska doctoral students. The awards support high-quality research that impacts the early years from diverse fields including health, education, social work, music, art, psychology, the neurosciences, and others, encouraging multidisciplinary research and new methodologies.

Hussain's research aims to quantify the release of microplastics and nanoplastics from the use of plastic-based baby products and estimate the total ingestion of microplastics and nanoplastics. His project also assesses the human health impact of microplastics and nanoplastics ingestion. His faculty advisor is Yusong Li.

"The award will help to fund my research, but it means much more to me," said Hussain, who expects to graduate in May 2024. "It was my first proposal writing experience and getting that funded has boosted my confidence as a researcher."

"I plan to seek a career where I can use my skillsets to solve the problems challenging humans' lives and have enough opportunities for continuous learning and growth."