May, who started as a basic researcher at USD 24 years ago, says his research interests have evolved over time. He now considers himself a laser spectroscopist, a physical chemist.

May works with researchers from all backgrounds to create new solutions to end counterfeiting with an interdisciplinary approach. New ideas, May said, come from a collaborative type of environment.

“For most scientists, working with a broader community of people who have complementary skills and ideas has proven to be very productive,” May said. “Science has become so multi-disciplinary in general.”

SPACT was established in 2014 by researchers from USD, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and South Dakota State University. Each campus hosts a facility that serves as a research center for SPACT. The goal is to develop research solutions that help avoid counterfeiting.

At SPACT, May focuses on anti-counterfeiting security for products, documents of identification and more. He works with nanoparticles that can generate light to extract DNA from fingerprints and nanoparticle-based ink to make covert marks on any product.

The research SPACT is doing protects personal safety as well as intellectual property, said Michael Ewald, host of Credit Hour.

"Stanley's research has implications as diverse as policing and national security to consumer safety," Ewald said. "He is an extraordinary asset to USD and the state of South Dakota."

To learn more about SPACT, visit their website.

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