▁Sciences ▁and ▁Engineering ▁Division . ▁Her ▁specific ▁role ▁is ▁the ▁Se par ation ▁Science ▁group ▁leader ▁within ▁He avy ▁Element ▁Chem istry ▁and ▁Se par ation ▁Science ▁( HE SS ), ▁direct ing ▁basic ▁research ▁focused ▁on ▁low - energy ▁methods ▁for ▁isol ating ▁l anth an ide ▁and ▁act in ide ▁elements ▁from ▁complex ▁mi xt ures . ▁She ▁has ▁made ▁fundamental ▁contributions ▁to ▁understanding ▁f - block ▁chem istry ▁and ▁character izing ▁f - block ▁elements . ▁▁ ▁S oder holm ▁became ▁a ▁Fellow ▁of ▁ ▁the ▁American ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van cement ▁of ▁Science ▁( AA AS ) ▁ ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁and ▁is ▁also ▁an ▁Arg onne ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Fellow . ▁ ▁Early ▁Life ▁and ▁Education ▁ ▁S oder holm ▁was ▁awarded ▁her ▁Ph D ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁by ▁Mc Master ▁University . ▁Her ▁dis sert ation ▁focused ▁on ▁character izing ▁the ▁struct ural ▁and ▁magnetic ▁properties ▁of ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁t ern ary ▁f - ion ▁ox ides . ▁After ▁gradu ating , ▁she ▁became ▁a ▁NAT O ▁post do ctor al ▁fellow ▁at ▁the ▁Centre ▁national ▁de ▁la ▁recherche ▁scient ifique ▁in ▁France ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁She ▁then ▁began ▁her ▁career ▁at ▁Arg onne ▁as ▁a ▁post do ctor al ▁fellow ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁staff ▁scient ist ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁Over ▁several ▁years , ▁she ▁moved ▁up ▁the ▁ranks