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Summer Internship 2005(Posters Presented: August 11, 2005
To download an Adobe PDF version of a poster presented at the Summer Research Internship poster session, click on the name of the poster.)  Miriam Bowring (Chemistry, Yale University) Prof. Gregory Fu, Chemistry The group in which Miriam worked was developing a general asymmetric phosphine-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction intended to apply to the synthesis of many useful compounds. Miriam's project was improving the cycloaddition method for synthesis and applying that method towards the synthesis of a promising anti-cancer drug. Poster: Methods in Organic Synthesis: Asymmetric Cycloaddition and Conjugate Addition Reactions  Megan Brewster (Materials Science & Engineering, University of Washington) Prof. Yoel Fink, DMSE Megan worked on developing and characterizing surface-emitting fiber lasers by organic dye-filled photonic bandgap (PBG) fibers. She performed optical characterization of surface emission through lasing spectra, quality factor, laser modes, lasing depth, polarization, lasing angle, and threshold energy. She also studied the effects of polymerized dye solution defects on laser performance. Poster: Surface-emitting Photonic Bandgap Fiber Lasers  Mario Castillo-Ortiz (Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez) Prof. Michael Cima, DMSE Mario's project involved a drug delivery device. (All other details and his poster are confidential...sorry!) Poster: In Vitro Drug Delivery Systems: Intravesical Drug Delivery in Interstitial Cystitis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome  Cynthia Chang (Bioengineering, Rice University) Nathan Etessami (Chemical Engineering, Princeton University) Prof. Linda Griffith, Biological Engineering Cynthia and Nathan worked together on a project designed to improve culturing of hepatocytes (liver cells). Cynthia and Nathan isolated rat liver cells and then used a spin technique to form aggregates of cell spheroids. A technique for creating freeze-dried collagen-GAG matrices was adapted to construct a matrix within a polycarbonite scaffold with an array of 300-micrometer channels. The cell spheroids were incorporated onto the scaffold channels, to be organized into liver tissue. The results for single-cell seeding were promising. Poster: Collagen-GAG Substrates for 2D and 3D Primary Hepatocyte Culture  Laura Cote (Materials Science & Engineering, University of Illinois) Prof. Ned Thomas, DMSE Laura studied the interaction of a quasiperiodic topographically patterned substrate template on a self-assembling periodic system of block copolymer spheres. After the substrates were made, the samples were prepared using spin coating, annealing, and reactive ion etching. The resulting films were characterized using SEM and AFM, and the block copolymer self-assembly was analyzed. Poster: Investigation of Block Copolymer Self-assembly on Quasiperiodic Topographically Patterned Substrates  Amit Desai (Materials Science & Engineering, North Carolina State University) Prof. Paula Hammond, Chemical Engineering Amit's work was motivated by the need to increase the efficiency of Lithium ion batteries. His project involved binding Laponite platelets into layers of polyethylene oxide (PEO). He employed techniques including SEM imaging, growth curves, impedance analysis, and thermal gravimetric analysis in his research. Poster: Nanocomposites of PEO/Clay for Multilayer Polymer Electrolytes  Evan Hindman (Materials Science & Engineering/Mathematics, Stanford University) Prof. Michael Rubner, DMSE Evan used the Strain-Induced Elastic Buckling Instability for Mechanical Measurements (SIEBIMM) technique to measure the elastic modulus of polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) thin films. A salt etching process was employed, and the SIEBIMM technique was then used to determine the effect of the salt etching on the elastic modulus of the PEM thin films. His project helped advance fundamental research on multilayer systems. Poster: Mechanical Characterization and Salt Processin gof Polyelectrolyte Thin Films on Silicone Substrates  Minna Krejci (Materials Science & Engineering, Case Western Reserve University) Prof. Ian Hunter, Mechanical Engineering Minna studied how the molecular orientation of artificial muscle affects its actuation behavior. She tried several techniques for optimizing this behavior, including rolling, stretching, heating, and annealing. She used a variety of analytical tools, including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), to determine that a combination of rolling and pulling worked best to achieve good conductivity with minimal changes in thickness. Poster: Artificial Muscle: Effect of Molecular Orientation on the Properties of Conducting Plymer Film  Steven LaiHing (Biochemistry, Oakwood College) Prof. Vladimir Bulovic, EECS Steven studied the effects of temperature in the deposition of J-aggregate thin films of TDBC using a layer-by-layer (LBL) process. His project included coating 1" square glass slides with a dye as thickly, uniformly, consistently, and reproducibly as possible. After trying room-temperature dye and also heated dye, he tested a temperature-cycling step that involved dipping the slides in room-temperature dye, then heated dye, back and forth repeatedly. The original test method required three of these temperature cycles, but a later method reduced this to only 1-2 cycles for the same result. Poster: Temperature Cycling in Layer-by-Layer Deposition of J-aggregates  James LeBeau (Materials Science & Engineering, Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute) Prof. Chris Schuh, DMSE James worked on identifying and evaluating environmentally-friendly alternatives to current binder systems used in industrial investment casting. He tested eight combinations, of which UCAR - Latex was the best candidate. UCAR is a fast-drying latex used for applications such as traffic paint. Further studies with thermoplastic starch-based systems may eventually result in the development of a completely clean alternative. Poster: Comparing Aqueous Binders for Investment Casting  Scott McEuen (Mechanical Engineering, Brigham Young University, Utah) Prof. Yang Shao-Horn, Mechanical Engineering Scott worked on a project intended to increase the understanding of how Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) function. SOFCs are considered a strong candidate for alternative energy, but more research is needed to optimize the efficiency of the oxygen reduction reactions. Scott used electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to determine the impedance in a SOFC system in order to study these reactions, then used X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to characterize the samples. Poster: Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: High Frequency Impedances  Christian Perez (Engineering Physics, Case Western Reserve University) Dr. Jurgen Michel, Materials Processing Center Christian's work involved using the Substrate Engineering Lab to perform research in silicon microphotonics, studying 2D silicon nanocrystal-based light emitting systems for microphotonics. His tasks included making nanocrystals, really a thin film to make very small silicon nanocrystals, then annealing and characterizing the film. His goal was to achieve a deposition rate of 1-3 nm/min, in order to achieve a very thin film. His efforts resulted in the best photoluminescence ever seen in his research group! Poster: 2D Silicon Nanocrystal-based Light Emitting Systems for Microphotonics  Brian Skinner (Mechanical Engineering/Physics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) Prof. David Cory, Nuclear Science & Engineering Brian's project was aimed at predicting and physically implementing a random walk algorithm on a simple quantum information processor. By designing control sequences to manipulate the spins of a liquid-state solution of carbon and hydrogen isotopes in an NMR spectrometer, Brian's group was able to prepare an initial uniform state and perform simple computations on a four-qubit "computer." While a control sequence was created to produce the initial "pseudo-pure" state and to perform a single iteration of the quantum random walk, more optimization is needed before the calculation can be accurately performed many times. Poster: Implementing the Quantum Random Walk on a 3-Spin NMR System  Esther Yu(Carnegie Mellon University) Prof. Krystyn Van Vliet, DMSE Esther worked with adult bone marrow stem cells known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Her project aimed to increase understanding of the mechanisms by which the local environment (such as growing the cells in vitro) affects the structure, properties, and performance of the MSCs. She cultured MSCs on tissue culture polystyrene and on polyelectrolyte multilayer films, then used a scanning probe microscope (SPM) to image the cells in vitro. Her work shed light on the changes in cell structure when MSCs are cultured outside the body. Poster: Structural Adaptations of Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Local Mechanical Environment |
