Nikkia is a materials scientist focused on energy conversion. Her work centers on the fabrication and testing of hydrogen-powered fuel cells and the characterization of cell microstructure-property relationships to elucidate performance behavior and long-term reliability. Nikkia has conducted research in England, Turkey, and Ukraine, and collaborated with scientists in the Czech Republic, Russia, and Brazil in support of international science diplomacy initiatives. In her role at DOE, Nikkia reviewed program proposals for federal funding considerations, supported awardee project negotiation activities, and applied materials science knowledge to highly complex energy technology projects to ensure technical milestones were met and project goals were achieved on time and within budget.