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updated August 11, 2009
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Research Projects Allow Students to Explore Scientific Areas
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Summer Researchers: On campus this summer to work on
Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative and Weaver undergraduate
research projects have been (front) Mathematics Professor Yosi
Shibberu, Chemistry Professor Mark Brandt, Carly Baehr, Suzanne
Kissel, Ashley Brockhaus, Leah Howard, Scott Small of the Joint
Replacement Surgeons of Indiana Research Foundation and Mathematics
Professor Allen Holder; (second) James Zhou, Kirk Thompson and
Jeanie Sozansky; (third) Josh Andreas, Adam Markley and Jenn
Fischer; (top) Anthony Pearce, Evan Jones, David Cooper and Applied
Biology and Biomedical Engineering Professor Peter Coppinger. |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology students and faculty have made
several significant scientific discoveries this summer through projects
supported by the Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative (IRC) and
Joseph and Reba Weaver undergraduate research programs.
The IRC strives to enhance the undergraduate education experience by
supporting research experiences and ancillary activities, through a
vigorous laboratory research program.
Interdisciplinary research,
teamwork and expanding communication skills are other program benefits,
along with increasing a student’s motivation to pursue graduate studies.
This summer’s 10-week IRC program continues through Aug. 21, with
supervision by Applied Biology and Biomedical Engineering Professor
Peter Coppinger and Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Mark Brandt.
Other faculty members serve as mentors for the projects. The IRC program
is supported by the Lilly Endowment Inc.
Projects in the Weaver Undergraduate Research program will continue
throughout the 2009-10 academic year, supported by $2,500 grants. The
program also covers student wages, summer campus residential costs, and
supply and material expenses.
Click to find out more about this summer’s projects
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Researchers Successfully Extract Biodiesel from Algae
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Summer Researchers: Michael Mueller (left), head of Rose-Hulman
Institute of Technology's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
has been working this summer with students Liz Malola and Tony
Pierce to extract biodiesel from algae. |
Faculty and students researchers at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
have successfully extracted biodiesel from algae –- a significant stage
in an unique project that will eventually use native algae from a campus
pond to produce fuel for diesel engines to test power, torque and
emissions.
The research project has been conducted this summer at Rose-Hulman
Ventures through the Department of Applied Biology and Biomedical
Engineering and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The Quantum
Development Corporation helped initiate the project with a $40,000
donation.
Algae-based biodiesel has significant advantages, according to Michael
Mueller, head of Rose-Hulman’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
He has conducted extensive research on biodiesel during the past two
summers.
Quantum Development Corporation has been pleased with the research
project results and are considering possibly erecting a new greenhouse
on the South Campus to assist growing other forms of algae.
Click to learn more about this summer’s projects
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Summer
Projects Shed Light on New Areas of
Optics & Physics
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Physics & Optical Engineering Group: A large group of Rose-Hulman
Institute of Technology students, faculty and staff members have
worked on projects throughout the summer for the Department of
Physics and Optical Engineering. |
Projects to
develop high-speed and high-resolution
optical conversion systems, studying the
ability to form nanostructures in metals
and building an optical phase shifter
have been among research projects
conducted this summer by undergraduate
and graduate students in the Department
of Physics and Optical Engineering.
Charles Joenathan, chair of the
department, noted several sophomores are
among the 35 undergraduate students that
have worked on the projects throughout
the summer.
Featured projects have been:
- A Photonic Digital-to-Analog project
has had students and faculty developing
a high-speed and high-resolution all
optical D/A conversion system. The
system will process four-bit digital
words operating at rate of 1-3 Gb/s.
This will be a wideband, parallel
processing system that would generate
arbitrary waveforms -– a development
that will benefit multiple RF-beam
digital beamforming for EW applications.
- At the Ultrashort Pulse Laser
Laboratory, students are studying the
ability to form nanostructures in
metals. Teams have recently started
examining the structures formed in
aluminum, copper and silicon, and trying
to optimize the procedure to form the
structures before they are converted
into macrostructures. This phenomenon
has applications in solar cells, where
the nanostructures increase the
absorption of the incident light.
- An optical phase shifter is being
created, using a bank of optical
attenuators and optical switches.
Photonic-based systems have advantages
over electrical systems such as wide
bandwidth, EMI immunity, and potentially
smaller size, weight and power
consumption.
Click to
learn more about this summer’s Physics &
Optical Engineering projects
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Math
Scholars Learn About Number Theory &
Inverse Problems
Eight of the
nation’s top college scholars learned
the enjoyment of studying such complex
mathematical topics as computational
number theory and inverse problems this
summer while participating in a Research
Experiences for Undergraduates program,
organized by Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology’s Department of Mathematics
and supported by the National Science
Foundation.
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Problem Solvers: Participating in Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology's Mathematics Research Experiences for Undergraduates
program were (front row, from left) Katrina Glaeser, Brooke
Phillips, Theresa Anderson and Katherine Osenbach. In the back row
(from left) are Rose-Hulman Mathematics Professor Kurt Bryan, Joseph
Kramer, Court Hoang, Marc Mace, Andrew Hoffman and Rose-Hulman
Mathematics Professor Joshua Holden. |
From June 6 to July 31, students joined
Rose-Hulman mathematics professors Kurt
Bryan and Joshua Holden in discovering
secrets hidden in problems from number
theory and inverse problems.
Areas of concentration featured during
the REU program included examining
mathematical inverse problems related to
nondestructive evaluation, especially
the imaging of interior voids or cracks
and the governing boundary conditions,
using thermal and electrical impedance
imaging. These inverse problems have
applications as varied as nondestructive
testing in aircraft, medical imaging,
the testing of soldered connections in
circuit boards, and the structural
assessment of composite materials.
Click
to learn more about this summer’s Math
REU program
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