The engineering company is hoping for more votes through the website Future Energy, which will provide eight new energy companies the chance to get attention from the U.S. Department of Energy.

If they receive enough votes from anyone who visits the site, they could be highlighted at the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Energy Innovation Summit.

“The people that will be at this conference are the next generation of energy,” said Privette, the vice president of energy markets for XG Sciences. “They want to know what are the new materials, and how can they position themselves well to be prepared for and take advantage of the next generation of energy. We obviously want to be a part of that.”

For Lawrence Drzal, a university distinguished professor of chemical engineering and material science, being showcased at the Innovation Summit would just continue the trajectory of success the small company, which started as 15 members and has since doubled in size since its start in 2008.

The initial research began eight years earlier at MSU, when Drzal and others created a multi-functional carbon-based material called graphene. When added to other materials, it gives them the ability to be both thermally and electrically conducive.

This material currently is made at XG Sciences, and is the largest producer of graphene in the world, Drzal said.

Drzal also said the benefits of showing their technology at the conference would do more than just benefit XG Sciences. MSU’s engineering program and the surrounding community would likely get attention as well.

“(This technology) all came about because of students studying here doing and doing research here,” Drzal said. “It adds to the economic benefit of the Lansing-area manufacturing sector and will hire graduates of MSU as well as other employees. It helps the diversify and (encourage) growth of economy in Michigan.”

As a chemical engineering junior, Erica Allen said this sort of national attention makes a company like XG Sciences stand out as something she’d put at the top of her list to apply to after she graduates.

“When you see your school highlighted on research they’ve done that definitely makes you feel good about the education you’re (applying) to real life,” Allen said. “You’re not just going to the classes. You’re going through the motions and it’s (applying to) the real world.”