Karissa Jensen (Fed)

Karissa L. Jensen is an engineering technician supporting the Infrastructure Materials Group of the Materials and Structural Systems Division of the Engineering Laboratory (EL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Ms. Jensen’s current work includes experimental and data analysis support in the areas of service life prediction of polymers in photovoltaic (PV) systems and assessment of pyrrhotite in concrete. Her areas of interest include PV polymer degradation, FTIR spectroscopy, and scripting methods for data analysis. 

Her work on the project "Measurement Science for Service Life Prediction of Polymers used in Photovoltaic (PV) Systems" includes a focus on accelerated weathering and the characterization of polymer degradation using spectroscopic investigation tools. Recently, she has joined the project “Assessing Pyrrhotite in Concrete,” working toward a goal of method development for the quantification of sulfur in concrete aggregate via combustion analysis. She has also contributed to the maintenance and calibration of the 2-meter NIST Simulated Photodegradation via High Energy Radiant Exposure (SPHERE) device for accelerated weathering, and to the development and validation of the 0.5-meter 6-port SPHERE, a smaller, modernized device designed for the possibility of technology transfer to industry. 

Ms. Jensen holds a Master of Science degree from Washington State University, where her research focused on static compression experiments at the WSU Institute for Shock Physics, examining the interaction of solid-phase hydrogen and helium under planetary pressures utilizing diamond anvil cells and Raman spectroscopy. As an undergraduate at the University of Idaho, she conducted physical organic research focused on achieving condensed-phase homoaromaticity, for which she was awarded a summer fellowship. She was also presented with the department’s Excellence in Chemistry Award. Prior to coming to NIST, she worked obtaining high-fidelity FTIR and UV/Vis spectra of solids, neat liquids, and minerals as part of the development of infrared spectra libraries for chemical detection applications at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karissalynnjensen/

• Engineering Laboratory Support Award (NIST, 2024)
• Outstanding Poster Award (NREL PVRW, 2024)
• Excellence in Chemistry Award (University of Idaho, 2017)
• Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (University of Idaho, 2016)