Meet Our Team

Interim Director of Research Development and Strategic Initiatives

habbott@kennesaw.edu

Vibrant individual with skills in research development and more than 15 years of experience in interdisciplinary science involving the chemistry of solid surfaces. 

As a research development professional, I help faculty identify appropriate funding opportunities, provide grant-writing training, and assist faculty with writing compelling and fundable proposals. I also develop networking opportunities between faculty and potential collaborators, both internal and external. Through my work on interdisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers, I understand how to effectively communicate with individuals with a wide range of backgrounds. 

My scientific research includes the application of spectroscopy and mass spectrometry to answer fundamental questions in astrochemistry, the origin of life, and heterogeneous catalysis. I have experimental experience designing, building, and using ultrahigh vacuum systems and with a wide variety of analytic techniques including RAIRS, TPD, P-NMR, XRD, TGA, SEM/EDX, ICP-OES, LEED, and XPS. My computational experience is primarily with applications of transition state theory, density functional theory, and ab initio calculations using Mathematica, Gaussian, and Unix operating systems. Additionally, I am proficient with OriginPro, SigmaPlot, and Excel for data analysis.

Research Development Specialist

shovet@kennesaw.edu

Sierra Hovet possesses more than nine years of experience as a scientific editor and writer. For eight years, she worked with Dr. Zion Tse, the director of the Medical Robotics Lab at the University of Georgia and later at the University of York. She supported the lab’s activities by writing and editing research articles, grant applications, internal funding bids, and fellowship applications. Several of the successful grant applications she wrote for Dr. Tse allowed him to become a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and gain an Academy of Medical Sciences Professorship. When Dr. Tse co-founded the International Symposium on Medical Robotics, Sierra created a successful venture fund support request, and the first annual symposium went on to be hosted by the Georgia Institute of Technology. In her current role as a Research Development Specialist for KSU, Sierra is committed to helping faculty learn how to identify grant opportunities and write competitive proposals. 

BEACON Faculty Fellow

Student Intern