Acknowledgements

I extend a heartfelt thanks to my family for their support and encouragement throughout my time in graduate school. I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Jane H. Davidson, for providing me with the opportunity to participate in such fascinating research in a field of great importance. I am also grateful to many others I have collaborated with in my research: Dr. Luke J. Venstrom, the members of the U of M Solar Energy Lab, Camille Malonzo from the U of M Department of Chemistry, and Will Gibbons from the University of Maryland. For conversation and companionship throughout the past two years, I thank my Conduction comrades, my Fluids friends, my skydiving accomplices, my roommates Zack Petersen and Michael Gorter, and my office-mate Aayan Banerjee