Acknowledgments
I could not have done this without the kindness and patience of Dr. Sorensen. I'm honored to have had the opportunity to study with such a great scientist, teacher, and person. Thank you to Raiya Ebini, Yuli Wang, and Jeff Powell for helping me out in the lab, and to Russ Reynolds for his help in the machine shop. I'd also like to thank Dr. Corwin and Dr. Weaver for giving me the chance to have such a wonderful summer and a priceless learning experience. Finally, I'd like to thank my family for their support and love.
