The Graduate School is pleased to announce the following programs have new theses and dissertations available in the J.R. Van Pelt and Opie Library:
See below for a detailed listing of the new documents available.
Abhishek Prasad, a graduate student in physics, won an award at the 2010 Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, which drew 6,000 participants.
Prasad earned first place among 50 finalists in the sciences and arts competition at the meeting. His entry, titled “Stem of nanoflowers,” was artificially composed of multiple scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures.
Prasad also presented a paper, “(CdSe) ZnS Core Shell Quantum Dots Decorated Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Solar Energy Harvesting Applications,” which appeared in Symposium W: Nanowires–Growth and Device Assembly for Novel Applications.
The MRS meeting was held in Boston from Nov. 28 to Dec. 3. Prasad is a doctoral student who works in Professor Yoke Khin Yap’s (Physics) research group.
Published in Tech Today
The Graduate School is proud to announce the following students are recipients of a one-time Summer 2010 Finishing Fellowship:
The fellowships are made possible by the Graduate School.
Application procedures for the Graduate School fellowship programs and photographs of recent recipients can be found online. Nominations are currently open for Finishing Fellowships for fall semester. Nominations are due no later than 4pm on July 29, 2010.
The Graduate School is pleased to announce the arrival of new theses and dissertations from our recent graduates in the J. R. Van Pelt Library and John and Ruanne Opie Library. The names of our graduates, their degrees, advisors, and titles of their research are listed below.
Joshua Carlson
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Surendra K Kawatra
Thesis title: Effects of Particle Shape, Particle Size, Composition and Zeta Potential on Filtration at an Iron Ore Concentrator
James Diaz-Gonzalez
Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Advisor: Gordon G Parker
Dissertation title: Closed Loop Docking with a Nearly Periodic Moving Target
Mark Griep
Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Advisor: Craig R Friedrich
Dissertation title: Quantum Dot / Optical Protein Bio-Nano Hybrid System Biosensing
Cameron Hartnell
Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Heritage and Archaeology
Advisor: Patrick E Martin
Dissertation title: Arctic Network Builders: The Arctic Coal Company’s Operations on Spitsbergen and its Relationship with the Environment
Jill Jensen
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering
Advisor: David R Shonnard
Dissertation title: Cellulosic Ethanol: Optimization of Dilute Acid and Enzymatic Hydrolysis Processing of Forest Resources and Switchgrass
Parimal Kar
Doctor of Philosophy in Physics
Advisor: Ulrich Hans Ewald Hansmann
Dissertation title: Proteins in Silico-Modeling and Sampling
Robert Lothschutz
Master of Science in Civil Engineering
Advisor: Jacob Eskel Hiller
Thesis title: Back-Calculation of Effective Built-In Temperature Difference in Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement
Lisa Rouse
Master of Science in Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
Advisor: Andrew J Burton
Thesis title: Early season ozone uptake is important for determining ozone tolerance in two trembling aspen clones
Tara Swanson
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Advisor: Craig R Friedrich
Thesis title: Titanium Surface Morphologies and their Effect on Vancomycin Loading and Release Profiles for Orthopedic Applications
Xuexia Wang
Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematical Sciences
Advisor: Shuanglin Zhang
Dissertation title: Genetic Association Studies Considering LD Information and Genome-Wide Application
Wei Wang
Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering
Advisor: Timothy J Schulz
Dissertation title: Estimation of the Degree of Polarization through Computational Sensing
Andrew Willemsen
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Advisor: Mohan D Rao
Thesis title: Objective Metric for Assessing the Perceived Annoyance of Impulsive Sounds
Ziyou Zhou
Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Physics
Advisor: Miguel Levy
Dissertation title: Metal-Oxide Film and Photonic Structures for Integrated Device Applications
by Dennis Walikainen, senior editor
Graduate students from across campus trotted out their research and explained the unexplainable at the latest Graduate Research Colloquium held at the Memorial Union Building, with more 25 posters accompanying the two days of presentations.
Suryabh Sharma, graduate student in electrical and computer engineering, discussed his work, which might not see the light of day for 20 to 25 years. His work is guided by Associate Professor Gerry Tian.
Realizing that the spectrum of open radio signals is finite, in both frequency and bandwith, there needs to be “cognitive radio networks” developed.
“These will be able to use a part of the spectrum at a certain time that is un-utilized or underutilized, based on time or space,” Sharma says.
Cell phones, for example, will have to be developed with enough computing ability to find these unused frequencies. Sharma’s project was to calculate the probability of success, with best and worst case scenarios, in an algorithm: “gathering data and making it meaningful data.”
His answer? “It is feasible.”
So, someday, we’ll never have to worry about not being able to connect to the wireless grid, in theory.
Nearby, physics graduate student Archana Pandey was describing how implantable nano-devices could be used as glucose sensors in diabetics. In addition to helping people stay healthy, Pandey has discovered an additional benefit.
“Miniature biofuel cells could also be implanted and convert glucose from the initial nanodevice into energy,” she says.
This could be especially helpful to diabetics, who sometimes lack energy, and that impacts their eating habits, Pandy adds.
One problem: the devices work fine when cooled, but body temperatures are too hot. But, she is still working on it with help from teammates Abhishek Prasad, Jason Moscatello and Abhay Singh, and advisor Yoke Kin Yap.
“I inherited my work,” says Mark Romanski of forest resources. And famous work it is: research on the habitants of Isle Royale, in this instance, beavers.
Continuing work of Rolf Peterson, John Vucetich and others, Romanski actually looked at how data is collected on the beaver populations. It is a classic research quandary: how do we know the numbers are accurate? Romanski looked at “double-count surveys,” where two researchers will both attempt to count the same population of a species. Beginning his work in 2006, he discovered a large discrepancy in numbers of beavers counted previously.
“We used smaller aircraft in later surveys than they did in earlier ones,” he said. “When our numbers came back much lower in the planes that should allow for more-accurate sightability–slower speeds and lower flights–we realized that sightability from the larger planes was grossly overestimated.”
More than a study of how to study, then, Romanski’s work helps complete the puzzle of the complicated ecosystem on the island.
He also included a couple of tidbits: moose and beaver have a similar appetite for foliage, and wolves have an appetite for beaver.
“They wait near their lodges until they come out,” he says. “They know where they live.”
Published in Tech Today.
Published in Tech Today
The Sustainable Futures Institute (SFI) held its fifth annual poster session and banquet in the Rozsa Lobby last Friday.
“The event offered SFI students, staff and faculty an opportunity to review some of the many successes throughout the year,” reports Denise Heikinen.
Professor Alex Mayer (GMES) and Professor Michael Mullins (Chemical Engineering) were recognized as 2009 distinguished fellows for their long-term leadership, scholarship and support in areas central to sustainability and to SFI.
Mayer, director of SFI’s Center for Water and Society, was honored for his passion and commitment to sustainability and water issues. Mullins, director of SFI’s Center for Fundamental and Applied Research into Nanostructured and Lightweight Materials, was recognized for his contributions to energy and human health.
The keynote speaker was Charles Kerfoot, professor in Biological Sciences and director of Lake Superior Ecosystem Research Center, who spoke about the new Great Lakes Research facility and how it will facilitate research and education about pressing issues in the Upper Great Lakes.
Seventeen graduate students and postdocs were inducted into the SFI’s Scholar Program. They are: Zeyad Ahmed, Felix Adom, Brandon Ellefson, Akhilesh Reddy Endurthy, Rabi Gyawali, Jiqing Fan, Robert Handler, Christopher Hohnholt, Meral Jackson, Azad Henareh Khalyani, Jennifer Lind, Jifei Liu, Xuhong Liu, Jarod Maggio, Jacob Midkiff, Ali Mirchi, and Fengli Zhang.
The Graduate Student Council announced the People’s Choice First Place Poster Award of $150. Actually there was a tie and two awards were made. One went to four physics graduate students for a poster, “Miniature Energy Sources: Biofuel Cells Based on Carbon Nanotube Arrays,” designed by Archana Pandey, Abhishek Prasad, Jason Moscatello and Abhay P. Singh. Their advisor is Associate Professor Yoke Khin Yap. The other award went to Craig Gossen and Stefan Marek (mechanical engineering), Ashley Thode (civil engineering), and Kim Landick, Krissy Guzak, and Cara Hanson (environmental engineering), for “Improving Airflow in Ventilated Improved Pit Toilets.” Their advisors are Assistant Professor Kurt Paterson and Associate Professor David Watkins (both CEE) and Associate Professor and Assistant Provost Donna Michalek (ME-EM).
SFI’s operations manager, Richard Donovan, awarded the Inaugural Operations Manager Award of $200 to the Efficiency Through Engineering and Construction Enterprise. Members are: Ashley Brown, Dianna Cacko, Stephen Chartier, Patrick Green, Jordan Huffman, Eric Kinonen, Markus Manderfield, Andrew Manty, Michael D. Powers, and Tyler Sutkowi. The ETEC team submitted three posters: “Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad”; “Habitat for Humanity”; and “Generations of Energy.” For some of their work, these students collaborated with Melissa Davis, an SFI staff member and director of a local nonprofit called New Power Tour. Davis also was recognized as a scholar of SFI. The advisor for ETEC is Lynn Artman of the School of Technology.
In keeping with the spirit of the event, sustainability, Chef Eric Karvonen prepared a dinner of fresh roasted trout from Lake Superior, vegetables from Chip Ransom’s organic farm on the Houghton Canal, grass-fed bison from northern Wisconsin and wild blueberries from Gay. Pictures of the event are available at the following URLs: http://www.doe.mtu.edu/news/2009/sfi_october2009/index.html .
http://www.doe.mtu.edu/news/2009/sfi_october2009/posters.html .
