My name is Aaron Henson. I am a Junior in Materials Science and Engineering at North Carolina State University. This summer I have been given the opportunity to participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates in Reconfigurable and Multifunctional Soft Materials at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. My research is focused on the use of MgO nanoparticles to efficiently disinfect water due to the bactericidal effect that MgO nanoparticles have on E. Coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus Aureus. I have been in Puerto Rico for a month now. Though one month is a very short amount of time, the program has already greatly impacted my professionalism and attitude towards research.