UConn MSE e-Bulletin 2020 by UConn Materials Science and Engineering

2020 mse.engr.uconn.edu

CONTENTS

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This outreach bulletin is produced for the students, alumni, faculty, corporate supporters, and friends of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Connecticut. 1

Please direct any questions comments to mse@uconn.edu. | UConn - Department of MaterialsorScience and Engineering, 2020

STAFF WRITER |STUDENT Ben Crnic

|Heike Brueckner DESIGN

WORD OF THE DEPARTMENT HEAD The 2019-2020 academic year can only be defined as extraordinary. Like most of our peer institutions in the region, we proactively shifted to online instruction in mid-March as a safety precaution for students, staff, and faculty amid the spring COVID-19 outbreak. We endured a necessary research-lab shut-down for 2 months, and then cautiously returned to in-house productivity albeit with carefully implemented restrictions. The agile response of the MSE community is to be commended given this upheaval, including helping to guide the university’s plans for a safe return to campus, innovations to improve online learning, pivoting to COVID-19-related research, further alumni engagement, and even promoting a safer way to greet one another. But COVID-19 is only part of the story, as MSE continues to be the highest ranked Engineering program at UConn–itself a top 25 U.S. public institution. Our faculty remain exceptionally successful, overseeing more than $30M in active grants, leading several major new and renewed centers, and winning major recognitions. For instance, Cato Laurencin received the Simon Ramo Founders award from the National Academy of Engineering, and was just announced as the next Von Hippel recipient from the Materials Research Society. We continue to strongly contribute to our wider materials community, including as the Vice President of the Heat Treat Society, one of 5 coorganizers of the Fall 2019 MRS conference, co-organizing 15 conference symposia or focused meetings, co-editing for 15 journals, and volunteering in 20 leadership roles among our 60 professional society memberships. In 2020, MSE even added 1 additional faculty member, summing to an enviable 7 new hires in the last 3 years for growth to 21 direct MSE faculty. Along with several talented adjuncts from industry, we collectively taught 44 courses, 3 summer classes, and 7 new electives, while also supporting more than 30 undergraduate research projects. Our undergraduate laboratories have been extensively overhauled with $100K of new equipment accompanied by new and improved lab modules, led by 2019 hire Fiona Leek who brings several decades of industry experience. Collectively, this

growth is leading towards an entirely new facility for materials research on campus – 'Science One’ – which broke ground this summer and is scheduled to open in 2022 with 50% more space for materials science and engineering all under one roof. Our research productivity is very strong, with more than 125 peer reviewed articles and conference proceedings, almost 50 plenary or invited presentations, and more than 100 talks or posters delivered by our postdoctoral and student researchers. This is buttressed by our faculty directing or being key participants in major centers on campus, including the UConn Materials Processing Data Center, Collins Aerospace Center for Advanced Materials, Pratt & Whitney Additive Manufacturing Center, DENSsolutions Center for IN-siTu/Operando Electron Microscopy, National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology, and Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences. Locally, Rainer Hebert was promoted to Full Professor, Seok-Woo Lee was promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure, and Pamir Alpay was honored with an appointment as a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor. Radenka Maric continues as the UConn VP for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, while Mark Aindow is the Executive Director for Innovation, External Engagement, and Industry Relations. External advisory board member David Furrer served as the head of ASM. Finally, it is noteworthy that more than $70K of scholarships has been distributed to deserving undergraduate students thanks to the Boland-Devereux endowment. Recognizing achievement in scholarship, leadership, and outreach, more than half of the money was earned by students of ethnic and gender diversity. Furthermore, the new Metalworking Club expanded its membership to more than 130 students, including engineers, scientists, artists, and designers. And kudos to Riley Blumenfield, for being selected to give the graduation speech to all of the School of Engineering, in what became the first ever online graduation ceremony for UConn. I am sure you will enjoy and be inspired by these and many more achievements and stories as you review our activities over the past year. Bryan D. Huey

Ý The 'Science One' building is scheduled to open in 2022. mse.engr.uconn.edu

Ü Assistant Professor Jasna Jankovic

prepares to use an in-situ TEM holder in the Titan TEM microscope.

Jankovic's research focuses on clean and sustainable energy systems that are environmentally beneficial. Assistant Professor Jasna Jankovic is one of the distinguished faculty members of the MSE Department whose experience in industry and academia make her work unique and pivotal. Jankovic started her career in a petroleum refinery and achieved her master’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where she conducted research on heavy oil upgrading. Instead of using her expertise in the oil industry, she wanted to focus on clean energy to contribute to society and give back to future generations. She completed her Ph.D. in fuel cell research in collaboration with the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada and the University of British Columbia, with a focus on proton conductive ceramics for intermediate temperature fuel cells. After graduation, Jasna was awarded an Industrial R&D Fellowship by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Credit: Sowon Chung

Jasna Jankovic Helps Ensure a Green Society for Future Generations to complete her postdoctoral research in industry. Working at the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation, a joint venture between Ford (U.S.) and Daimler (Germany), she eventually became a senior research scientist. In 2018, Dr. Jankovic moved to academia and joined UConn. Jankovic credits the University for the cutting-edge facilities that aid her research, especially those in the Institute of Materials Science (IMS), Innovation Partnership Building (IPB) at the UConn Tech Park, and the Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2). Furthermore, the powerful collaboration with industry and government labs at UConn is an integral part of her success. Jankovic’s research group focuses on fuel cells and batteries, as well as the development of materials, characterization using microscopy, and bio-inspired designs for clean energy applications. Under her supervision, graduate students Amir Peyman Soleymani, Sara Pedram, R. Andres Ortiz Godoy, and Aubrey Tang are focusing on highly challenging projects such as in-situ, identical-location, and 3-D micros-

| UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

If you are passionate about science and engineering, or anything else for that matter - just go for it. Nothing can stop you. — Jasna Jankovic copy characterization of degradation mechanisms in clean energy systems, fabrication of nature-inspired fuel cells, and the use of additive manufacturing for sustainable energy applications. Right now, the industry is lacking advanced characterization techniques and the knowledge gained from thorough research, and Jankovic’s niche insight into both of these issues has led to many industry collaborations and successful projects. Jankovic is excited about her upcoming endeavors, including continuing to develop characterization techniques and also focusing on biomimicry and the role it can play for engineering. One of these efforts is a “STEAM tree,” which is a collaboration between 5 different departments including

MSE, Fine Arts, Electrical Engineering, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB), and Social Sciences. Jankovic is working with other faculty and students to assemble a ‘tree’ that is solar-powered and produces clean energy. The tree is essentially a living lab with which interdisciplinary students and faculty can work. When asked what advice Jankovic would give to young people wishing to pursue engineering in industry or academia, she said she believes, “If you are passionate about science and engineering, or anything else for that matter - just go for it. Nothing can stop you. Don’t be shy to ask for help and do help others along the way.” This drive and determination gave rise to Jankovic’s involvement with the Research Experience for Undergrads (REU) and Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs, which provide lab experiences to undergraduate students and high school teachers respectively. She is also thinking of starting a trimentoring program, which will team professors, people from industry, and undergraduate students. Jankovic’s work in clean energy is very important to society and the environment, exemplifying the quality, creativity, and variety of research that happens every day in the MSE department. Based on M. Wentzel's article, C2E2

XUEJU "SOPHIE" WANG joins MSE as assistant professor, bringing expertise in hierarchical materials and mechanics for energy and human health.

Materials Processing Data Center Will Have Great Impact on Modeling Behavior of Materials

Ý MSE Professors Rainer Hebert and Lesley Frame in the Innovation Partnership Building at UConn Tech Park. (Carson Stifel/UConn Photo).

The Center for Materials Processing Data (CMPD), directed by MSE Assistant Professor Lesley Frame and located in the Innovation Partnership Building (IPB) at the UConn Tech Park, focuses on producing and collecting data on how materials will perform in the manufacturing industry.

“The center provides an opportunity for the materials engineering community to take a deep dive into the specific challenges of gathering transient material property data. There are three equally important steps to achieving this goal: the first is generating accurate materials property data; second, we need to curate these data and qualify and compare against published materials data; and third, we need to demonstrate modeling applications illustrating how we can reliably use these data. This is where the center comes in,” said Frame.

Unlike much of the existing materials property data, which are usually gathered under static conditions by costly trial and error methods, the data provided by the CMPD reveals how materials respond under dynamic and changing conditions more like those encountered during manufacturing. While static property data is useful in many calculations and models, it is generally not representative of properties under the changing stresses, varying heating rates, and other non-equilibrium conditions that are common in manufacturing processes.

CMPD is run with university and industry collaborators including the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), the University at Buffalo, and ASM International (ASM), one of the largest associations of materials engineers and scientists in the world. ASM serves as business administrator and archives material data for the center, providing easy access for industry members such as Pratt & Whitney, MTS Systems, and Weber Metals. These companies select projects and serve to focus the research efforts of the center on industry-relevant

CMPD provides an opportunity for the materials engineering community to take a deep dive into the specific challenges of gathering transient material property data.

mse.engr.uconn.edu

applications. In addition to selecting projects, the industry members of CMPD help to guide research efforts and benefit from access to the project results and data.

Rainer Hebert Leads Successful Research Collaboration Between UConn MSE and Industry

UConn’s role is to generate much of the materials data needed in the execution of the various projects, and the state-of-the-art equipment available at the University is well suited for this purpose. Frame explains, “UConn has an arsenal of equipment at IPB that is perfect for gathering dynamic materials property data. We’re able to leverage these resources to answer questions about materials behavior that are very difficult to answer with basic equipment.” One of the main industry applications of the data from CMPD projects involves the creation of digital twins. These are digital replicas of a material that can be used to understand material behavior during processing based on multi-physics-based probabilistic simulations that access the entire materials data space. The creation of digital twins requires precisely the types of data that the CMPD will provide. Overall, Frame expects the data from the CMPD to have wide-ranging impacts on the materials industry, including digital twins. “The entire field is interested in generating and using more materials data. There’s an industry-wide shift to be able to model and predict the behaviors of materials rather than doing trial and error process development,” Frame said. Pamir Alpay, the executive director of the IPB, is also especially confident in the CMPD’s ability to be a center of innovation in the fields of manufacturing research and materials engineering. “CMPD is huge in terms of everything we’re doing at IPB on manufacturing technologies. It’s a massive effort that will serve a large community and it will make a big impact.” Alpay said.

Ý Professor Rainer Hebert, Castleman Professor in Engineering Innovation,

Director of Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center, Associate Director of IMS

MSE Professor Rainer Hebert recently led a study in collaboration with the Collins Aerospace Center for Advanced Materials at the UConn Tech Park. Collaborating partners also included Pratt & Whitney, Schlumberger Reservoir Completions Technology Center, and UTC Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence. The study, entitled “Novel Al-X Alloys with Improved Hardness,” centers on high-strength aluminum-based materials for use in 3-D printing, an additive manufacturing process. This research is of strong interest to the aerospace industry because materials such as aluminum that are light and strong are used to manufacture small aircraft parts with complex geometries that are difficult to produce with traditional manufacturing. “Working with Collins and Pratt & Whitney helped us remain focused on the end goal of aerospace applications, and their input is invaluable for bridging the gap from fundamental research to applications,” Hebert said. The Collins Aerospace Center, established in 2016 and directed by MSE Professor Pamir Alpay, is the result of continuing collaboration between UConn and Collins Aerospace, one of the world’s largest suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and defense products. The center offers funding for studies that focus on areas related to materials development and characterization. It also provides an opportunity for firsthand interactions with an industrial partner whose technologies are used in advanced aerospace and defense applications. This study is one of several related to 3-D printing that UConn MSE has conducted with the help of the Collins Center. Hebert expects that more collaborations will occur. “We will continue on this trajectory and have new initiatives underway to collaborate with industry,” Hebert said.

RAINER HEBERT was promoted to Full Professor in MSE.

| UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

Seok-Woo Lee’s Research is More Than What Meets the Eye Associate Professor Seok-Woo Lee deals with materials on a microscopic scale that have an immense impact on mechanical devices.

Many of the materials that UConn MSE Associate Professor Seok-Woo Lee works with in his research are invisible to the naked eye. In order to even see them, an electron microscope is required. Some samples are more than 100 times thinner than a human hair. These nanomaterials that Lee researches are crucial to producing mechanically robust devices. “In order to develop a mechanically reliable robot or machine at the nano-/ micro-meter scale, we need to know how to create a strong and tough ‘small’ material,” Lee said. The primary focus of Lee’s research involves exposing micron-sized materials to very cold temperatures to understand how small materials respond in extremely cold environments. One example is called a cryogenic shape memory material, which can recover its original shape at ultra-low temperatures even after being largely deformed. The process of recovering its shape by expanding or contracting can be used to create reliable mechanical motion. “This long-range material expansion can turn on an electrical switch for a cold, dormant satellite in deep space once it meets a heat source such as a star. Also, this material can be used to move a mechanical component to control a robotic arm or telescope lens that is used under cold environments such as the shadow area of the moon,” Lee said. Although Lee is dedicated to his research, he mainly sees himself as a teacher.

Ý MSE Associate Professor Seok-Woo Lee and Gyuho Song (5th year Ph.D. student) conduct an in-situ micro-mechanical measurement.

“Teaching is very important to me because I have always believed that I am basically a teacher. Once a student receives a good lecture, they can remember it for their lifetime. As a teacher, I have a duty to provide a high-quality lecture for our students,” Lee said. Lee has received multiple awards for his teaching, including the UConn Mentorship Excellence Award in 2019 and UConn MSE Teaching Excellence of the Year in 2017 and 2018. He also received the Teaching Excellence Letter five times from the Provost based on his teaching evaluations. Lee is proud of being recognized for educating. He always wants to tell his MSE students that they should be proud of their major. “I want to tell our MSE students that their decision to study MSE is a great choice. More and more I see that technological breakthroughs require the development of new advanced materials. Creating high-performance engineering devices such as microprocessors, airplanes, satellites, etc. requires sophisticated materials design and processing. So, I really think

our MSE students should be proud of their major,” Lee said. When he was a high school student, he thought that materials science and engineering is an exciting program because it is possible to combine his love of physics and chemistry with “making something useful.” “When I was young, I always wondered how matter was formed after the beginning of the universe, and I thought that it would be wonderful if I could design and create a special matter under my own control. Imagining about a new material, for instance, ultra-strong armor material for Iron Man, is very fun. Also, imagine that you can make such useful things. This is really awesome. I found that materials science and engineering is the best program because I can do both science (fun) and engineering (useful)!” Lee said. This interest followed Lee to his current career, and he is optimistic about his students also being a part of the MSE field. “They can have fun and use the knowledge of materials to improve our world,” Lee said.

mse.engr.uconn.edu

Maric Leads UConn’s Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship As an engineer, Radenka Maric has seen her work incorporated into cutting-edge car engines that tap into hydrogen fuel cells for power. As a senior executive at the University of Connecticut, Maric has seen her work both in the institution’s burgeoning research portfolio and the proud faces of graduating undergraduate and graduate students. “People can make a difference when they have education and knowledge,” Maric said. “For me, it’s a guiding principle to help as many people as I can get educated.” Maric brings her passion for both education and engineering into her position as vice president for research, innovation and entrepreneurship at UConn. She manages a staff of 250 and oversees the University’s $260 million in research programs at the Storrs main campus and UConn Health in Farmington. Along with UConn President Thomas Katsouleas, Maric aims to double the University’s research spending over the next decade. “She’s a dedicated researcher, a very, very good executive and a very good leader for our research enterprise,” said S. Pamir Alpay, UConn Associate Dean for Research and Industrial Partnerships.

FIONA LEEK joined MSE faculty as professor-in-residence and director of MSE undergraduate laboratories. 7

“UConn is not just an educational institution — invention happens at UConn,” Maric said. “There is a lot of creative work, a lot of startup companies, … and those startup companies are going to have a huge benefit for the economy of Connecticut.” Maric attributes her success both in the lab and the executive suite to time spent at startups and a lifelong love of science. Born in the former Yugoslavia, she developed an interest in technology and clean energy as a young child when she took note of the clouds of pollution produced by diesel cars and trucks, then in widespread use in Europe. “I was always passionate about the environment,” Maric said. “Every time I passed by a car and smelled the exhaust, I was thinking there needed to be a more elegant solution.” After graduating from Belgrade University, the young scientist headed to Japan, where the advancement of clean-energy technology was a national priority. She spent 12 years at the University of Kyoto working on hydrogen fuel-cell innovations before heading to the United States in 2001 to work at a clean-energy startup. She then served as head of the Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation at the National Research Council Canada in Vancouver. UConn’s pioneering research history in hydrogen fuel cells and the warmth of STEM faculty members helped bring Maric to Storrs in 2010. In addition to work with students and her own research, Maric’s current responsibilities include guiding the Innovation Partnership Building at UConn

PAMIR ALPAY named UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor.

| UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

Ý MSE Professor Radenka Maric, Vice President

for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Tech Park, a center for academic-industry collaboration with more than $80 million in industry and federal research projects. She also heads the Technology Incubation Program, the state’s largest university startup effort. Maric balances her administrative duties with an active research portfolio including major grants from the Department of Energy. During her career, she has been awarded more than $40 million in research funding, published more than 300 articles, and registered six patents, in addition to establishing an “industrial-scale” facility at UConn to fabricate clean-energy materials. Maric is also focused on the mental health of students at all levels who struggle with financial and emotional issues. She established the Dr. Radenka Maric Graduate Fellowship last year to both provide financial assistance and a forum for social interaction and professional development. Liese Klein, Hartford Business

SEOK-WOO LEE promoted to Associate Professor with tenure.

Alternative to the Handshake Developed by UConn Doctors Did you know a single handshake can transfer 124 million bacteria? That’s why in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic in the journal Science’s Editor’s Blog entitled “The end of the handshake?,” UConn Health doctors are recommending a new alternative to the handshake to reduce human contact, protect public health, and diminish the spread of the coronavirus. With hand-to-hand contact now strongly discouraged, and even the popular elbow bump now considered a breeding ground for germs due to the common practice of sneezing and coughing into the elbow region, Dr. Cato T. Laurencin and Dr. Aneesah McClinton of UConn Health’s Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineering have created “The Laurencin-McClinton Greeting” (LMG) to meet the evolving COVID-19 culture needs.

Ý UConn Health's Dr. Cato T. Laurencin

demonstrating “The Laurencin- McClinton Greeting” which recommends an individual place their closed fist to their chest just overlying the heart to convey greeting to another instead of a handshake.

Their newly developed greeting involves an individual placing their closed fist to their chest just overlying the heart to convey greeting to another. According to the UConn physicians this new greeting does not require contact and can be performed to acknowledge another individual at a reasonable distance away in a time of social distancing. The closed fist is a power symbol and the placement over the heart conveys solidarity and demonstrates resolve to endure in this unprecedented crisis. Additionally, the researchers recommend a second-part of a greeting to be included when contact of two parties is permitted. Following an individual’s placement of their fist to their chest, they may also then extend their forearm outward at a 45-degree angle. The reciprocating party may position their arm alongside the initiator’s arm. Together, they briefly tap their mid-forearms forming a cross-like configuration. According to the researchers, the mid-forearm represents a safer zone just between the hands and elbows. “We introduce a new greeting that avoids hand contact altogether,” says Laurencin, CEO of The Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineer-

BRYAN HUEY co-organized Fall 2019 MRS conference. Almost 7000 overall attendees.

Ý Dr. Cato T. Laurencin and Dr. Aneesah McClinton of UConn Health’s Con-

necticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineering demonstrating part two of “The Laurencin-McClinton Greeting” (LMG).

ing at UConn Health. “The new greeting is timely as social distancing restrictions are gradually lifted throughout the country.” Cato T. Laurencin is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and the chief executive officer of the Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineering at UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut. He is a University Professor at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. UConn Today, Melanie Burnat, Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineering, and Lauren Woods

Alumnus NEAL MAGDEFRAU, a research scientist and entrepreneur, joined MSE’s External Advisory Board.

STEFAN SCHAFFOENER was inducted into the Young Academy, Mainz, Germany, for promising young scholars. mse.engr.uconn.edu

Lesley Frame Voted Vice President of Heat Treat Society

Ryan Gordon Interned at Oakridge National Lab MSE undergraduate Ryan Gordon has completed a competitive summer internship at Oakridge National Lab in Tennessee as part of the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) Program. As an intern, Gordon conducted research on the use of molten salts as coolants for nuclear power plants. Specifically, he investigated the corrosive properties of these salts.

Ý MSE Assistant Professor Lesley Frame Assistant Professor Lesley Frame was recently voted Vice President of the Heat Treat Society (HTS). HTS is a professional organization that serves members who specialize in thermal processing, whereby metals, ceramics, and other materials are heated and cooled to improve their performance and durability. HTS is an affiliate society of ASM International, one of the largest associations of materials engineers and materials scientists in the world. According to the November/December issue of Advanced Materials and Processes (AM&P), an ASM International publication, Frame is the first woman in an HTS Officer role. Frame is also the immediate past chair of the HTS Technology and Programming Committee and current chair of ASM’s Women in Materials Engineering Committee. As Department Head Bryan Huey notes, “Lesley’s election is another great example of UConn MSE faculty being recognized by their professional peers for their leadership and expertise.”

The SULI program offers undergraduate students 10-week summer internships at one of 17 participating laboratories. Students Ý MSE Undergraduate Ryan Gordon select their preferences for laboratory assignments when they apply to the program. Once they are accepted, they are assigned to a mentor at the lab they are sent to. Since the program is offered to undergraduates, students without extensive prior research experience can still obtain internships. Gordon performed his research alongside Dr. Stephen Raiman and his team. As part of his internship, he presented his work at Oakridge National Lab in front of other SULI participants. His internship culminated with a final written laboratory report detailing his findings. “I would just really like to thank Dr. Lesley Frame. She was able to offer me research last year with absolutely zero experience. Because of the opportunity she gave me, I was able to learn a tremendous amount and really grow as a student. If it was not for this research position, I never would have been able to get this outstanding internship, and I am extremely grateful. This experience was really rewarding and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who is interested in research,” said Gordon.

INTPART GRANT WILL ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION WITH U.S. AND EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES A team including MSE Assistant Professor Stefan Schaffoener was awarded a 3-year grant from the Norwegian Research Council that aims to strengthen collaborations in research and curriculum development between UConn and several other participating US and European universities. The $430,000 grant is part of the Program for International Partnerships for Excellent Education, Research, and Innovation (INTPART).

| UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

Riley Blumenfield

Congratulations to the Class of 2020! GRADUATES WITH MSE MINOR Alexis F Barrera Daniel Charles Barry Kendall Clark Ashley Coon Evan M Dennison Alexis Marie Duggan Mason Freund Philip Alexander Gitman Emily Anahid Grandell Tyler Kenneth Howser Timothy James Hurley Sarah Karlberg Allison R Konrad Kaitlynn S Leary Shunyi Li Matthew David Madar Maximilian J Maggiore

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE GRADUATES

Rohit A Makol Eleni Markopoulos Sarah R Mascolo Abdullah Mawla Jillian E Murray Maxwell M Neary Ryan M Newell Michael George Nicolson Derek Y Pang Michael Parnas Sayeda Najamussahar Peerzade Bryanna Lynn Samolyk Elizabeth Wirges Schiesser Hunter Andrew Stuart Matthew Cesare Tomei Andrew J Trotta Erin N Williams

MASTER OF ENGINEERING GRADUATES Maysoon R Hasan Gregory Scott Hyatt Bryeon Sherone Jones

Marissa R Abyazi Amanda Francisca Agui Quinten J Arsenault Cassidy Atkinson Moishe Yossel Eliyahu AzoffSlifstein Joao Carlos Landing Barbosa Arseniy Bazikov Sara Nicole Benedetti Eliana M Berney Eric Torre Schavone Bissell Riley H Blumenfield Megan R Bright Isaiah Carrington Christopher Choi Alycia Cinquegrana Alex E Coffey

Lucas L Enright Steven Gomez Deanna L Guilani Justin J Hewitt Christopher K Kelly Eric Krementowski Andrew Joseph Levin Alexander Perkins Ryan Pinto Joseph Walter Podbielski Matthew John Prue Victoria Tressa Reichelderfer Kevin Charles Sala Megan Elizabeth Scott Michelle Darlene Such Aidan M Walsh Katelyn Whyte

MASTER OF SCIENCE GRADUATES

Nathan Thomas Martel Keith Steamer

Francis Almonte Pamela Dyer Michael James Gingrave

PH.D. GRADUATES Xingxu Lu Major Advisor: Puxian Gao Doctoral Dissertation: Synthesis, Manipulation, and Scalable Manufacturing of TiO2 based Nanoarray Catalysts for Automotive Emission Control

Abhinav Poozhikunnath Major Advisor: Radenka Maric Doctoral Dissertation: Characterization and Optimization of Carbon Based Electrocatalysts and Supports for Fuel Cell Applications

Le Yu Major Advisor: Mei Wei Doctoral Dissertation: Preparation and Characterization of CollagenHydroxyapatite-Based Composites for Biomedical Applications

MSE SENIOR SELECTED AS SOE STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER One of our own, Riley Blumenfield, was selected by the School of Engineering to be the Student Commencement Speaker for the virtual ceremony back in May. Blumenfield was an Honors Program STEM Scholar and served as president for engineering sorority Phi Sigma Rho. She was also involved in research on regenerating human limbs with MSE Professor Cato Laurencin, and interned at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, RI, where she worked with polymer nanocomposites. Professor Fiona Leek, who has managed MSE undergrad labs and lab classes since October, said of her, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Riley TAed last semester prior plus both the past two semesters. She has been a truly invaluable resource for me. She shared insight on the current classes from both a student and TA perspective and we've had great fun bouncing ideas around for possible future labs. I will definitely miss her this upcoming year.â&#x20AC;? In the future, Blumenfield hopes to continue her research in regenerative engineering.

mse.engr.uconn.edu

Alex Perkins' Interest in Corrosion Led Him to the Perfect Research Project When Alexander Perkins (MSE'20) was in the spring semester of his junior year, he noticed he had some free time in his schedule. He decided to fill this open spot by joining a research project. This led him to MSE Assistant Professor Lesley Frame, and a corrosion research project that caught his attention. Perkins soon found himself working on predicting material loss rates for active corrosion on bridges. According to Perkins, the main goal is to identify corrosion products as a function of environment and time for different steel compositions and with different protective coatings. Frame’s group is looking at specific corrosion products and characterizing them in order to understand the material loss rates better. They are collaborating with CEE Assistant Professor Arash E. Zaghi and MSE Associate Professor Serge Nakhmanson’s research groups on aspects of this project.

Ý MSE Alumnus Alexander Perkins (2020)

“This project will help us understand how to better protect against corrosion of the steel that is used in bridges and how that corrosion impacts the lifetime of the bridge,” Perkins said. Perkins’ specific role in the project was preparing samples for corrosion tests, as well as planning the designs of the experiments for these tests. Because corrosion is something that is often commonplace, it is Perkins' main research interest. “It’s something you see every day, so I want to know more about it and what causes it,” Perkins said. This fascination was influenced by his MSE classes. Perkins’ favorite class so far has been MSE 3020 Failure Analysis, which he took with MSE alumnus (Ph.D. ’02) and Adjunct Professor Daniel Goberman. Corrosion, in addition to being widespread, is a common cause of failure in materials. This made Frame’s project a perfect fit for Perkins’ academic interests. Perkins became interested in materials science right before he arrived at UConn. While he was in high school, he attended an open house and talked to one of the students at the MSE booth. The demonstrations at the booth caught his attention and MSE seemed more interesting to him than other forms of engineering. Now at the end of his undergraduate career, Perkins is starting to look towards the future. Since his graduation, he now plans to enter either the medical device or aerospace industries. For MSE students who want to start researching but do not know where to begin, Perkins has some straightforward advice. “Just go talk to any professor who you think you’d like to do research with. All the professors in MSE are really approachable and support undergraduate research in their labs. If their lab doesn’t end up being a good fit, they can recommend another professor to talk to,” Perkins said.

11 | UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

Four students represented UConn MSE in the Fluxtrol Student Research Competition at Heat Treat in Detroit. INDRANIE RAMBARRAN was one of two undergraduates nationwide to present in the Advanced Round of Heat Treat Society Competition. Rambarran presented research she is conducting with her advisor Lesley Frame. They are focusing on examining residual stresses in a Titanium alloy (Ti 6Al-4V) following heat treating and machining.

How Working With NASA Led Theresa Nosel to Major in MSE

grams prior to UConn prepared her for her MSE classes. “I went back to Glenn over the winter break to continue research for a few weeks, and going back I felt more confident in what I was doing than before. I knew a lot more about the fundamentals with what was happening in my research than over the summer because of the classes I had taken during the fall semester,” Nosel said.

....the more I looked into the applications of materials science, the more I wanted to learn.

As for now, Nosel is not currently involved in any research at UConn but hopes this will change soon.

–Theresa Nosel Before even coming to UConn, MSE undergraduate Theresa Nosel was already very much accomplished. After all, she had two internships with NASA under her belt before transferring to the University from Manchester Community College (MCC) for her sophomore year, an achievement that anyone would consider impressive. Ultimately, she put the experience she gained with NASA to good use, as these internships set her on a path to majoring in MSE. Nosel was able to get her first internship with the help of a program called the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program. Even though this was an online program, Nosel was able to go on-site in Virginia to the NASA Langley Research Center and then to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility for a week each as a continuation of the online program. At the latter facility, she met an employee from the NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi who was helping with the program. Nosel applied to be an intern there for the spring 2019 semester, and was accepted. During this internship, Nosel worked in the Office of Education, where she would speak to the community about STEM and the different programs NASA has available for students. In her summer 2019 internship at NASA, Nosel delved more deeply into research and was first exposed to materials science. In an organic chemistry laboratory at the Glenn Research Center in Ohio, her research focused on making a material called polyimide

“I think being an undergrad is an excellent time to really explore as many options for research as possible so as to make the most informed decisions on what you want to do afterwards,” Nosel said.

Ý MSE Undergraduate Theresa Nosel aerogels and their use in additive manufacturing processes. “To be honest, materials were never something I thought I would be interested in, but then I worked with aerogels and I got a small taste of the incredible things that can be done with materials,” Nosel said. After her internship at Glenn, Nosel transferred to UConn from MCC, where she was originally a chemical engineering major. However, after her experience researching aerogels, she was interested in adding a minor in MSE at UConn. She managed to change her schedule so that she could fit in an introductory course, MSE 2001 (Introduction to Structure, Properties, and Processing of Materials I), which was taught by MSE Assistant Professor Yuanyuan Zhu. As her first semester at UConn went on, she realized more and more that she wanted to work with materials as well as chemical engineering, and become a double major. “The MSE class was very interesting and my professor was wonderful, and the more I looked into the applications of materials science, the more I wanted to learn,” Nosel said. Nosel subsequently became a MSE major. She thinks her internship pro-

When it comes to her plans beyond her undergraduate career, she expects to pursue a doctorate degree, although she still has to decide her preferred field of study. Currently, she is interested in polymer science. In addition to inspiring her choice of major, Nosel’s internships have influenced her possible career choice as well, as she would be interested in continuing her work at NASA. “I really enjoy everything I have done at NASA and would be very happy if I could continue that,” Nosel said. “In the end, I want to do research and advance science in terms of exploration and sustainability.” From her experiences at NASA, Nosel has also gained some valuable lessons. She encourages other students to seek out opportunities that they might be interested in, and go for them when they find them, even if they have doubts. “When I first applied to NASA (and actually every time I have applied for something with NASA), I had every doubt in the world. I never imagined I would be accepted, and I actively prepared myself for the rejection I thought was inevitable. I am still in shock with the opportunities I’ve been lucky to have been given with NASA, and it is all because I pressed that ‘submit’ button.”

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GET INVOLVED With UConn MSE Senior Design, Educating the Next Generation of Engineers

Seize the opportunity to become a Senior Design industry partner and tap into the exceptional student talent, distinguished faculty, and state-of-the-art laboratory equipment that the UConn Department of Materials Science and Engineering has to offer. Students who join the No. 1 public MSE program in the Northeast enjoy excellent employment, internship, and scholarship opportunities, first-rate faculty instruction with the best faculty-student ratio across the School of Engineering, and numerous hands-on research opportunities. The experience culminates with Senior Design, a two-semester project that exposes student teams to real-world engineering problems, design challenges, and collaboration with industry. As an industry partner, you can expect expert interactions with UConn MSE, polished project updates and documentation, secure proprietary information, and a direct pipeline to our skilled students. Visit our Senior Design webpage at mse.engr.uconn.edu/ seniordesign for more information.

Over 50 years after our first awarded Ph.D., and more than 15 since our first Bachelor of Science degrees, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never been a better time to support those who are following your lead as members of the rapidly expanding UConn MSE community. We continue to grow, with now 21 faculty members and almost 250 dedicated students, postdocs, staff members, and faculty who excel in all areas and facets of our discipline. The construction of our new building also began this summer and we are looking forward to filling it with upgraded equipment to enhance our teaching and research mission.

Your Continued Support Helps Power Materials at UConn

Please consider donating to the MSE Department, where your contributions will directly enhance our efforts to promote research, education, and outreach.

Ways to Give

For further information about personal and corporate opportunities for matching donations, establishing endowments, naming labs in our new building, equipment donations, sponsored lectures, hosted events, or other ways to give back to UConn MSE, please reach out to Department Head Bryan Huey.

CHECKS PAYABLE TO:

Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) General Fund Account (22156) This account supports the overall efforts of the MSE Department, with a primary focus on opportunities for students, professional networking, investments in our teaching labs, and outreach. These funds also help students attend conferences, and this year helped to establish the new Metalworking Club which already has more than 100 members. The Boland/Devereux MSE Undergraduate Excellence Scholarship (31727) The funds will be used to provide undergraduate merit-based scholarships in honor of James Boland and Owen Devereux to students in the MSE Program.

13 | UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

Please indicate the fund(s) of your choice.

The University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. CREDIT CARD:

Gift Line @ 800.269.9965 or 860.486.5000 ONLINE:

www.foundation.uconn.edu SECURITIES:

To make a gift of stock please call: 860.486.2965

aterials Science & Engineering University of Connecticut Department of Materials Science & Engineering 97 North Eagleville Road, Unit 3136 Storrs, CT 06269-3136 mse@uconn.edu www.mse.engr.uconn.edu

Congratulations to the 2020 MSE Senior Design Project Winners! 13 teams of MSE seniors virtually presented their Senior Design Projects for the annual Senior Design Day. These capstone projects, each sponsored by industry, state, or federal grants, demonstrate the engineering skills students have learned throughout their undergraduate careers. This includes the principles of design, how ethics affect engineering decisions, how professionals communicate ideas, and the day-to-day implications of intellectual property. The students research a problem, brainstorm potential solutions, and travel to the sponsoring company’s site to learn more about them and the project. Throughout the two-semester project timeline, student teams maintain contact with their industrial and faculty mentors, continually reevaluate their designs, write progress and final reports, and give presentations summarizing their outcomes. The top three Senior Design projects were awarded by a team of industry judges and alumni, as summarized below:

• • • •

Lauren Heaven, Lockheed-Martin, Sikorsky Rheanna Ward, Lockheed-Martin, Sikorsky Vincent Palumbo, Mott Corporation Truman Strodel, Pratt & Whitney

We are grateful to this cohort for their commitment to our program, and more broadly for all of our project mentors and sponsoring companies/agencies. As Department Head Bryan Huey notes, “The winning projects and students represent just a few examples of the knowledge, skills, creativity, poise, and determination which our MSE graduates carry to the next stage in their careers.”

CHRISTOPHER CHOI (MSE 2020) earned a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

1st Place

Preparation of 3-D Printed Plastic Components for Waterborne Environments By Riley Blumenfield, Christopher Choi, Aidan Walsh Sponsored by: Naval Undersea Warfare Center Newport Industry Advisor: James LeBlanc Faculty Advisor: Rainer Hebert

2nd Place

Controlling Residual Stresses in Alpha Beta Titanium During Manufacturing By Kevin Sala, Cameron Sanders Sponsored by: Pratt & Whitney Industry Advisor: Vasisht Venkatesh Faculty Advisor: Lesley Frame

3rd Place

Optimization of Adhesion Between Kapton Tape and EPR in Motor Lead Extension Cables for Use in Electric Submersible Pump Cables By Eric Krementowski, Katelyn Whyte Sponsored by: Marmon Utility LLC Industry Advisors: Michael Norton, Dan Masakowski Faculty Advisor: Bryan Huey

Other Projects Method for Determining Adhesion to Metal Surface of Molten Polymers By Isaiah Carrington, Victoria Reichelderfer Sponsored by: Farrel Pomini Industrial, HF Mixing Group Industry Advisor: Kurien Thomas Faculty Advisor: Montgomery Shaw Flux Core Welding Electrode Design for Optimized Toughness Properties in Duplex Stainless Steel By Elie Azoff-Slifstein, Eric Bissell, Andrew Levin Sponsored by: General Dynamics Electric Boat Industry Advisor: Alfonsina Simo, Neil Fichtelberg Faculty Advisor: Mark Aindow

MSE Publication is one of the TOP 100 MOST DOWNLOADED PAPERS on Physics.

LUCAS ENRIGHT and AYANA GHOSH recognized at EMA 2020.

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Additive Manufacturing Heat Treatment Optimization for AISi10Mg By Megan Bright, Deanna Guilani, Joseph Podbielski Sponsored by: Sikorsky Lockheed Martin Company Industry Advisor: Tom Derco Faculty Advisor: Seok-Woo Lee

Grain Boundary Design in Silicon Carbide via Molecular Dynamics By Cassidy Atkinson, Eliana Berney, Alexander Perkins Sponsored by: Army Research Laboratory Industry Advisor: Shawn Coleman, Chris Shumeyko Faculty Advisor: Pamir Alpay

Design and Manufacture of Pet Stairs (Little Roo Pet Stairs) By Alycia Cinquegrana, Davey Rodziewicz, Megan Scot Sponsored by: Lefty EQ, LLC Industry Advisor: Gabrielle Shoshan Faculty Advisor: Jasna Jankovic

Improved Quality Predictors for Simulating Solidification of Magnesium Aerospace Castings By Amanda Agui, Zubin Wadia Sponsored by: Yankee Casting Industry Advisor: Kevin Vecchiarelli, Tim Vecchiarelli Faculty Advisor: Harold Brody

Optimization of High-Temperature Rheometry for Thixocasting Applications By Alex Coffey, Justin Hewitt Sponsored by: Anton Paar Industry Advisor: Daniela Ehgartner Faculty Advisor: Rainer Hebert

Heat Treating Optimization of Hastelloy Strip By Arseniy Bazikov, Christopher Kelly Sponsored by: Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Specialty Metals Industry Advisor: Keith Grayeb Faculty Advisor: Yuanyuan Zhu

Process Optimization for Fused Filament Deposition of Polymers By Marissa Abyazi, Michelle Such, Ryan Pinto Sponsored by: Collins Aerospace Industry Advisor: Ricardo Brown Faculty Advisor: George Rossetti

A New Blacksmithing Club Forges Enthusiasm for Working With Metal Materials

Etching of Etching Titanium for Electroplating Processes By Quinten Arsenault, Lucas Enright Sponsored by: Nel Hydrogen Industry Advisor: Kathy Ayers Faculty Advisor: Stefan Schaffoener

In the basement of Gant Science Complex, the clanging of hammers crashing against metal and the sizzle of red-hot steel being cooled in water is a common noise to be heard, as MSE students have organized a new blacksmithing club. Officially called the Metalworking Club, the organization is now composed of about 40 MSE students who have discovered a passion for crafting objects out of metal and applying theoretical concepts about heat treating from their classes to a more hands-on activity. Projects created by the club range from metal ornaments to small swords, which are made using the on-campus forge, hammers, furnace patterns, grinding wheels, and other power tools. Students either create blacksmithing projects where hot metal is shaped into an object with a hammer, or casting projects where molten metal is poured into a shape and allowed to harden. Both types of metalworking projects also make use of coldworking, which involves polishing the metal. MSE Assistant Professor Lesley Frame serves as a faculty advisor to the club. “We have the materials, we have lots of steel tools, and the students just go at it,” Frame said. Sam Bedard, a 5th-year senior, began the Metalworking Club and serves as its president. “It started out as a hobby. The main focus is to just get things done,” Bedard said. Quenten Dean, a sophomore and club member, added, "Doing the fine work is what I enjoy, and making it look handmade." More information about the Metalworking Club can be found on their website at mwc.engr.uconn.edu. Based on Jim Altman’s article, Fox 61 News

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Diving Deeper Into Her Hobbies Sparked Elise Bessette's Passion for Learning About Materials For undergraduate student Elise Bessette, materials science was always intertwined with her hobbies and interests. Being passionate about 3-D printing, Bessette was already familiar with various materials exhibiting different properties. She became fascinated with learning more about why they behaved the way they did, leading her to MSE. “I don’t think it was any single material that got me interested in MSE. Rather, it was the breadth of materials that grabbed my attention,” Bessette said. Polylactic acid (PLA) is commonly used with 3-D printing because it can be annealed to increase part strength due to its somewhat crystalline nature. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), on the other hand, is sensitive to temperature changes and produces fumes during the printing process. Learning about MSE also aided Bessette with her robotics team experience while in high school. She was fortunate enough to take some UConn engineering classes at the Storrs campus during this time, giving her some knowledge about plastics which she applied to the robots developed by her team. In particular, she advocated for the use of polycarbonate instead of aluminum for a certain assembly due to its availability, price, and desirable properties. This assembly ended up

lasting the entire competitive season. From this experience, Bessette knew she had a passion for studying materials. Now a MSE undergraduate at UConn, Bessette works in the lab of her advisor, Assistant Professor Lesley Frame. She helps with projects focusing on failure analysis and process improvements, many in connection with the Industrial Affiliates Program (IAP) which is run by the Institute of Materials Science. The IAP assists regional industry with short-term materials-related research and production projects, especially providing tools and expertise which companies may not have. She is also enjoying her MSE classes–her favorite this past spring was Introduction to Structure, Properties, and Processing of Materials II (MSE 2002) taught by Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies Serge Nakhmanson. “The lectures are always good, and the homework always helps to reinforce the course content. It is also structured so that you have to go and find out further details for yourself,” Bessette said. Of course, from the faculty’s perspective, that’s a key part of being an engineer—utilizing what you’ve learned, discovering and applying more, and then assimilating it to achieve a goal.

Ý MSE Undergraduate Elise Bessette As for what comes next, Bessette wants to return to her initial passion for materials and begin researching 3-D printing. “It is a big hope of mine to be able to work with 3-D printing in the future. While it's rewarding doing it as a hobby, I would love to be able to advance the science and applications of this rapidly evolving field,” Bessette said. She encourages other MSE students to contact faculty about research regarding their interests. “If you see an opportunity for research in your email that sounds interesting, reply! There are plenty of professors who are looking for undergraduate students to assist in research,” Bessette said.

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MSE Graduate Student Reaches Out to Help High Schoolers Transition to College After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Jessica Maita came to UConn as a master’s student in MSE. After her first year here, however, Maita was instead determined to pursue a Ph.D. She is now a doctoral student in MSE Associate Professor Seok-Woo Lee’s group, where her research focuses on the multi-scale microstructural characterization and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline magnesium aluminate ceramics, materials that are of special interest for transparent armor applications. When she is not spending time on her research or serving as president of the UConn Materials Research Society (MRS) Chapter, Maita volunteers for outreach activities that assist high school students in the process of applying to college. These activities are conducted with the help of the UConn School of Engineering’s Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Fellowship Program, which supports African American, Hispanic and/or Native American students pursuing graduate degrees in STEM.

The earlier you can reach students, the sooner they can prepare for success. — Jessica Maita As one example of her outreach efforts, Maita participated on a BD-organized graduate student panel that addressed low-income, underrepresented students in the Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation Program (ConnCap) Program at Danbury High School. “Previously being in their position, I knew the students could benefit from advice we could provide. It is common for students from this background to feel pressured into specific career paths but we were able to provide information on the many career options they have, as well as all the opportunities they should take advantage of while being an undergraduate student,” Maita said. Maita believes that it is crucial to reach high school students before they move on to college. “Though I am a strong supporter of the programs available at the university level, I believe support needs to be provided sooner. The earlier you can reach students, the sooner they can prepare for success,” Maita said. Her background makes her sympathize with students who may be in a position similar to the one she was once in, and it motivates her to participate in these outreach activities. “I know how it feels to have to go through the college experience with very limited help from your family. Their minimal English and elementary level education made it difficult for

Ý Jessica Maita (3rd on the left) and a group of UConn MRS members took a tour of the research facilities at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY.

my parents to help me, whether that be financial or emotional help. I want to provide the information students need to be successful, so that they can take advantage of the opportunities I didn’t know about,” Maita said. Maita herself received The National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) BD Fellowship award. “This fellowship made it possible for me to pursue my graduate degree without the financial burden I was originally going to shoulder,” Maita said. After joining MSE, Maita formed a close bond with other BD fellows. “Not only did I receive financial support, but I also gained a family at UConn. All current BD fellows meet on a biweekly basis to discuss our professional and personal development. BD provided a group of friends that are experiencing similar issues as me and which I know I can turn to when I need help,” Maita said. Maita plans to continue with her outreach activities in the future. “When an opportunity presents itself, I make an effort to help,” she said. Ultimately, after completing her Ph.D., Maita would like to work in industry. Professor Lee wants other MSE students to learn from her example. “Jessica is a truly wonderful student who takes care of others a lot. She has already made a significant contribution to outreach as well as university-level service more than any other student I know. I hope that many students will look to Jessica as their role model and follow Jessica’s career path. I really appreciate her considerate leadership.”

17 | UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

How a Materials Scientist Steps Out of His Comfort Zone by Conducting Diverse Research Projects in a User Facility at NCSU Ching-Chang (“BB”) Chung, a 2014 alumnus of UConn’s doctoral program in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), recently became a laboratory manager at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in the Analytical Instrumentation Facility (AIF). As lab manager, Dr. Chung manages X-ray diffraction (XRD) and micro/nano-CT laboratories. He also trains students on the instruments in the lab and assists them with their research, allowing him to work on a wide variety of materials with researchers from diverse fields. Since Chung is exposed to a wide array of research topics, he constantly learns about new materials. Since becoming lab manager, he has worked with materials ranging from semiconductor thin films to insects. “On a lucky day, I could be characterizing the crystallinity of polymer fibers in the morning and working on CT imaging of a dinosaur fossil in the afternoon,” said Chung. Chung notes that transitioning from researcher to lab manager certainly had its challenges. Because he is often involved in fields that are completely outside his background, Chung struggled at first with tackling problems in areas of materials research with which he was unfamiliar. “In the beginning it was very challenging, but with the accumulation of experience, I have become more confident with different materials,” he said. Chung also enjoys the networking opportunities that his exposure to a diverse range of research projects affords him. He collaborates with researchers from across the globe, many of whom he now regards as friends.

Chung describes his work as “a perfect way to build a strong international network.” As lab manager, Chung doesn’t only learn about new materials. He also teaches researchers about how to work with their materials. “It is fairly important to help people, especially those without an engineering background, to understand the principles of XRD and micro-CT, the limits of their materials, and what their data means, etc.” said Chung. Of course, explaining the theoretical underpinnings of XRD and micro-CT to those with no materials science and engineering background is no easy task. Since only a certain number of researchers who use his lab have such background, Chung is constantly trying to improve the way he explains the applications of these techniques. Chung typically spends half of his day in the laboratory interacting with researchers and explaining to them how to use the XRD equipment. He also helps them design their experiments and perform measurements, and even assists them in interpreting their results. He devotes the rest of his time to his own research and collaborative projects. Much of this research focuses on functional oxides, especially ferroelectrics. Eventually though, Chung wants to shift about 50 percent of his research to the applications of XRD and micro-CT analytical methods to other materials. During his time at UConn as a graduate student, Chung’s research also focused on ferroelectrics, but he also had a passion for materials characterization. Since UConn’s MSE faculty are well known for their research on both ferroelectrics and analytical materials characterization techniques,

Ý MSE Alumnus Ching-Chang "BB" Chung (2014) UConn was a natural fit for Chung when the time came to select a graduate school. He ultimately chose UConn because of the active research environment, as well as because of its beautiful campus. Chung believes that he learned many important skills at UConn. “Aside from the knowledge and technical skills I obtained during my Ph.D. training, the most important transferable skills I gained that helped me transition to the real world were critical thinking and problem solving,” Chung said. He also benefited from his experiences as a teaching assistant. Indeed, teaching is an important aspect of the duties in his current position. Chung still keeps in touch with his UConn mentors, especially his dissertation advisor, MSE Associate Department Head George Rossetti. “So many years after, we still keep in close contact with each other and continue to collaborate on research projects,” said Chung. After graduating from UConn, Chung joined the research group of Professor Jacob Jones, who directs the AIF at NCSU, and was one of Rossetti’s research collaborators at the time. “BB’s doctoral dissertation research work was especially challenging, involving ceramic processing, analytical

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characterization, electrical property measurements and the phenomenological theory of ferroelectric materials,” said Rossetti. “Given that BB excelled in each of these areas, it was no surprise that he was immediately snapped up for a post-doctoral position in Prof. Jones’ group at NCSU.” At first, Chung spent half of his time as a postdoc in Jones’ lab, and the other half at AIF managing the lab. Working with Jones exposed Chung to a wide range of research projects and expanded his professional network. Chung’s decision to stay at NCSU was motivated by the school’s research opportunities. NCSU has an excellent School of Engineering and research there is only expected to grow. Yet, Chung still looks back fondly on his days at UConn. He even has advice for future students: “Find out what you want to do with your MS/Ph.D. degree early on at graduate school and have a plan in mind as to how to get there.” Chung also believes that students should take advantage of the many resources UConn provides and attend career fairs to make important connections. “Reach out to alumni, network and talk to people that hold positions that you might be interested in, and ask about their career pathways,” Chung said. As for the future, Chung wants to stay involved in many different research projects and to continue learning new characterization techniques. “Working with broad research topics will push me out of my comfort zone and diversify my knowledge and analytical skill set.” He doesn’t have a specific position at NCSU that he is working towards. “Rather than aiming for a job title that sounds impressive, I am more interested in the science itself,” said Chung.

A Single Class Paved the Way for MSE Alumnus Ryan Noraas to Discover His Field of Study During his time at UConn, MSE alumnus Ryan Noraas decided to take MSE 5310 DFT Materials Modeling, and became fascinated with predicting fundamental material properties using atomistic simulations. This budding interest carried him to the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence, and ultimately led him to his current projects in his position at Pratt & Whitney. He is currently a staff engineer in the Materials and Processes Engineering lab. “Sometimes, all it takes is a single spark to help you find a field of study,” Noraas said.

Ý MSE Alumnus Ryan Nooras (2016) At Pratt & Whitney, Noraas works with the Raytheon Technologies Research Center (previously United Technologies Research Center) on projects related to machine learning algorithm development and application. He also focuses on materials modeling and quantification of process-microstructure-property relationships for jet engine applications, especially with titanium and nickel-based superalloys. He enjoys the teamwork that comes with the position, in addition to the flexibility to work in a wide variety of interesting projects. “In general, most of our engineers are in a unique position to not only develop technology for the future, but also to support critical production and field issues as they arise. It’s an interesting work environment that always keeps you on your toes. It provides a unique opportunity to network and learn about many different materials systems,” Noraas said. Noraas cites UConn’s proximity to Pratt & Whitney as a reason for choosing the school to complete his master’s degree. “Pratt & Whitney and UTC have a great working relationship with UConn, so it was a natural choice,” Noraas said. He graduated from UConn in 2016 with a Master's in MSE, and his advisor was MSE Department Head Bryan Huey. Similar to the way he discovered machine learning, Noraas can trace his introduction to MSE to a single experience that ignited his passion for the subject. During a high school field trip to Pennsylvania State University, he witnessed an experiment where two heat-treated ball bearings, one rapidly quenched and one cooled in a furnace, were dropped simultaneously on a solid surface. The furnace-cooled bearing bounced once or twice before coming to rest and produced a dull sound upon impact, while the quenched bearing bounced up and down like a rubber ball and produced a high-pitched ring. The starkly different effects of heat treating provoked Noraas’ interest, and from that day on he knew he was to be a MSE major. He encourages current MSE students to take a wide variety of classes with topics that may be unfamiliar to them, as they may find a new direction just as he did with machine learning through taking MSE 5310. “One of my favorite quotes is ‘You don’t know what you don’t know.’ So strive to keep learning, and try new things–you may discover entire fields of study and opportunities that were ‘invisible’ or unknown to you at the time,” Noraas said. He also has some more specific, practical advice for MSE majors: “Learn how to code. Materials engineers work with a ton of different types of data, so learning how to code and automate things with Python or Matlab will assuredly save you and your company a lot of time and money,” Noraas said.

19 | UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

(Credit: Intel Corporation)

Ryan Keech Turned His Interest in Sports to a Successful MSE Career As a sports fan looking for a college major, Ryan Keech became interested in the design and processing of football helmets and baseball bats in high school. Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) stood out as the right profession for developing improved materials for sporting goods. Then, Ryan learned that UConn has a MSE program, and applied. He completed his bachelor's degree at UConn in 2011 and received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 2016. Today, he works on developing new materials for Intel, a leading technology corporation. As a Module Integration and Device Yield Engineer at Intel's Portland Technology Development campus in Oregon, Ryan works in a state-of-theart nanofabrication facility developing new materials to “optimize transistor device performance.” With new materials and processing techniques showing performance improvements, he then has to ensure they be manufactured in high volume. Though he’s far from his original goal of developing new materials for sporting goods, Ryan has found his true passion.

“It has been most exciting to me to work at the leading edge of science and technology. I work with other experts in various fields across electrical engineering, materials science, and materials characterization to extract as much data and learning as possible from an experiment to position our team for success in our program goals.” Ryan and his teams at Intel have already received numerous U.S. patents and filed invention disclosures for the materials and devices at the core of the processor chip technologies used today for communication, travel, and medicine. “Learning the fundamentals through undergraduate study at UConn MSE was necessary to be prepared for professional work, but there was much more afforded to me and my classmates in the MSE program,” Ryan said. When Ryan first learned that UConn, his preferred school, had a MSE program, he immediately applied. Then, after hearing Professor Bryan Huey present about the field in his freshmen Intro to Engineering course, he knew he chose the right major.

“I just loved the campus, the sports programs, and opportunities which UConn offered. Once I found my interest in MSE, UConn was the clear and perfect fit for me,” he said. While Professor Rainer Hebert was his advisor, Ryan built relationships with all of his professors. One thing he liked about the program was that professors designed open-ended assignments with real world applications and opportunities for team work. “Professor Brody taught me how to be an engineer – how to solve a problem when you don't have all of the information given to you. Professor Alpay and Professor Hebert challenged us to define our own problem statements (and find their solutions) from general, open ended questions. Professor Huey encouraged thinking outside the box to link various methods of problem solving together,” Ryan said. Overall, Ryan and his classmates learned the materials processing and characterization techniques that are the foundation of their field. But even with such thorough preparation for the professional world, there was a learning curve at Intel.

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Thanks to the Work of MSE Alumnus David Wikholm, Robots May Become Lab Assistants Wikholm sees the MSE program as a hidden gem that is fundamental to almost any engineering field.

Ý MSE Alumnus Ryan Keech (2011) “At a major company like Intel, there is emphasis on collecting and sharing data and ideas as quickly as possible,” Ryan explained. There are many acronyms and project-specific terminologies used to accelerate experimental planning and interpretation, which can be confusing for new hires. “But overtime, you become fluent in the new shorthand language just like the rest of your colleagues,” Ryan said.

MSE alumnus David Wikholm is used to being on the front lines of innovation: he currently works on pioneering robotics technology in his position as Product Manager and Research Engineer at Formulatrix Inc. in Bedford, MA, a company that develops laboratory automation solutions, including the next generation of liquid handlers using microfluidic technology. Wikholm considers his MSE background invaluable in preparing him for his professional life and giving him a unique perspective on the engineering problems he encounters during his projects, as well as giving him the skills needed to make breakthroughs in his work. “The MSE department emphasized engineering problem solving as a process in the context of materials science. Through my studies in the department, I learned an approach to solving engineering problems that is transferable to any division of engineering. I would say that this, combined with the researchoriented nature of materials science, prepared me well for a career in research and development in any engineering field,” Wikholm said. One of the projects to which Wikholm is applying his problem solving skills is called the Rover, a mobile robot that helps with lab automation and serves to connect instruments together to move materials between. The Rover assists with moving experiments between the different instruments, and is packed with sensors that make it smart and aware.

One practical outcome of Ryan’s work is improving clock speed, drive current, and power consumption for chip architects at Intel to have the “best materials and transistors available as building blocks” for their computer processors. “Those chips deliver new capability to innumerous technological efforts around the world,” Ryan said.

Another project Wikholm is developing is called the FLO i8 liquid handler, a robotic pipettor that transfers specific volumes of liquid to perform experiments in labs. Wikholm contributed to one of the first major developments on this project, which was a novel pipette tip design with two conductive strips down the sides and resistance-based sensing to enable real time tracking of the liquid level as it rises and falls in the container.

His time at UConn was filled with countless memories from the lifelong friendships he made. Perhaps the most valuable thing Ryan learned as a student in UConn’s MSE program was learning to ask “why,” and then finding a way to answer that himself.

— David Wikholm During his undergraduate career, Wikholm carried out research in the lab of his academic advisor, MSE Professor Puxian Gao, which centered on evaluating the behavior of certain cells when exposed to nanomaterials. He also explored methods to create uniform growth of zinc oxide nanowires on microbeads for use in the cell biology experiments.

“The loop of questioning what I thought I knew and then proving it to myself helped me understand the classroom lessons from different perspectives. The sooner a student starts down that path, I think the more success they'll have,” Ryan said.

I saw that materials science and engineering as a subject is quite fundamental and relevant to many fields of engineering, especially in various fields of cutting-edge research that I find interesting. I am captivated by the ability to unlock totally new applications and solutions by creating new materials.

The focus on biology fit Wikholm’s interests, as he first became fascinated by MSE through biomaterials, and was interested in the concept of creating 3-D structures to grow tissues or entire organs in a lab. Professor Gao looks back fondly on Wikholm’s research and is proud of his work. “David is one of the very dedicated students who got involved in our materials research during his sophomore year. I am very glad to see the continued devotion and success in his young career,” said Gao. Ultimately, Wikholm ended up choosing MSE as a major because he viewed it as an essential field.

21 | UConn - Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

“I saw that materials science and engineering as a subject is quite fundamental and relevant to many fields of engineering, especially in various fields of cutting-edge research that I find interesting. I am captivated by the ability to unlock totally new applications and solutions by creating new materials,” he said. His favorite course during his time at UConn was MSE 3002, Transport Phenomena in Materials Processing, taught by Professor Harold Brody. “This course really taught me how to navigate any real-world engineering problem and work through a solution. It was a major challenge, but it was rewarding,” Wikholm said. Wikholm ended up completing a 5-year dual degree program called EUROTECH, which leads to a BA in German and a BS in engineering and is designed to emphasize national strengths in particular engineering fields. In order to complete this program, he spent a year abroad in Stuttgart, Germany, taking classes for one semester and working as a research intern at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology for the other semester. “I had always wanted to study abroad and had also been interested in learning and using a second language. It seemed like a great opportunity to achieve both of those goals,” Wikholm said.

Ý MSE Alumnus David Wikholm (2013) Ý

The Rover, a lab automation robot that Wikholm is working on with Formulatrix

At his internship at the Fraunhofer Institute, Wikholm worked in the materials lab to research methods and materials to disperse nanoparticles in a solution, and carried out experiments to lay the groundwork for a study of the toxicology of nanoparticles. He credits his work in Germany as giving him the ability to recognize and navigate cultural differences, especially in a professional and technical environment. “Ultimately, I believe this has helped me be successful in my role at Formulatrix, where I manage and work with teams of engineers based in Indonesia,” Wikholm said. After his work at Fraunhofer, he took another internship at Precision Combustion, Inc in North Haven, Connecticut, where he assisted with preparing, performing, and analyzing experiments to evaluate new catalytic formulations.

Wikholm views all of these experiences as crucial for his success, and he believes the field of MSE is vital for the whole of engineering. “I see the UConn MSE program as a hidden gem. It is a fundamental crux to almost any engineering field. It’s great for learning the essentials of engineering problem solving,” he said. He recommends that other students interested in engineering consider becoming a MSE major. “A MSE background can bring new perspectives to develop solutions for problems in other engineering fields,” Wikholm said.

What's YOUR Story? We are always looking to share stories about our UConn Materials Science and Engineering alumni. From the moment you chose to attend UConn, or to major in MSE, to your career path, we want to know how UConn MSE helped you achieve your goals. Tell us what motivates you! Your story could be shared with hundreds of current and prospective students, and thousands of alumni and community members across the U.S. Show the world what you can do with a UConn MSE degree. Contact Heike.Brueckner@uconn.edu to share your story.

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