The research has the potential to significantly decrease the risk of healthcare associated infections - among them, MRSA. Foster plans to investigate model copper alloys in order to determine the effect of secondary alloys (zinc, nickle, aluminum, and tin) on ion release rates; copper ion release rates dictate both an alloy's antimicrobial effectiveness and its tarnish resistance rate.
While studying Chemistry at Christopher Newport University, Foster interned with The Mariners' Museum in their conservation lab, where she gained a keen interested in metallic corrosion. Additionally, at NASA Langley she worked on polymer research in the Materials Development and Processing branch.
...and she bakes great cakes.