CMBE CoMBinE Spring 2010 by Christopher LaRosa

2 [ CoMBinE ]

Materials Science & Engineering Program Features David R. Clarke in Distinguished Lectureship page 4

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

CHEMICAL, MATERIALS & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING

FEATURES

CONTENTS 3

Message from the Department Head

Chemical Engineering Faculty

Materials Science & Engineering Faculty

Students Gain Valuable Insight in Characterization Lab page 6

Materials Science & Engineering Ph.D. Student Receives 2010 Women of Innovation Award

Barry Carter Elected to CASE

Water: Sustainable Production of our Most Critical Resource

Altruistic Engineer

Cato Laurencin Honored by President Obama

Taking the Industry Standard One Step Toward the Future

Chemical Engineering Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Alpha Sigma Mu New Inductees Recognized at ASM Hartford Chapter Meeting

George Bollas Joins CMBE

Rampi Ramprasad Awarded Prestigious Humboldt Fellowship

Congratulations to Our 2010 Scholarship and Award Recipients

Engineering Lands $2.7 M To Support Innovative Educational Program

Two CMBE Grad Students Honored

Alumni Inducted Into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers

Major Graduate Education Awards

Leon Shaw Awarded Three NSF Grants in 2009

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Named a 2010 University Scholar

Congratulations to Our 2010 Graduates and Winners

Yong Wang is Awarded NSF CAREER Award

2010 Commencement

Third Annual Hartford Area Materials Camp

Message from the Department Head MBE continues to build on the strength of its programs in Chemical Engineering (CHEG) and Materials Science & Engineering (MSE). This year, three faculty members were promoted: Drs. Pamir Alpay and Richard Parnas to full professor, and Bryan Huey to associate professor. In addition, we recruited six new faculty members. Drs. Leslie Shor and George Bollas joined the CHEG faculty, Leslie from Vanderbilt University and George from MIT/Rive. Dr. Radenka Maric (from the National Research Council—Canada) will join the MSE faculty; Drs. Chris Cornelius (from Virginia Polytechnic Institute), Mu-Ping Nieh (from the NRC Canadian Neutron Beam Centre) and Ashish Mhadeshwar (from GE Global Research Center) will join us in August ’10. Sadly, CMBE will bid adieu to Ben Wilhite, who is moving to Texas A&M with his wife Jodie, who is leaving Yale. We will start the fall ’10 semester with about 30 tenured or tenuretrack faculty having their principal home in CMBE: 14 core faculty in CHEG and 13 core faculty in MSE, plus Harris Marcus, Cato Laurencin and me. Doug Cooper became a Vice Provost in 2010 and is seen less frequently in our building. Alison Engwall is the new Lab Tech for MSE. Alison graduated recently from MIT and is transforming the lab experience for all MSE undergrads. In the fall, she will also help Richard Kozel manage the CHEG senior lab. A new CHEG Lab Director and two assistant professors-in-residence will also help lead the 59 students thru the CHEG senior lab and senior design courses! As the number of MSE seniors surpasses 20, Don Potter’s Characterization Lab is also becoming very busy even with [ CoMBinE ] the two new SEMs (a new Tescan and a new Phenom) in place. CoMBinE is published for the alumni, If you have a chance to visit the departfaculty, students, corporate supporters ment, you’ll see many of our emeritus faculty and friends of the Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering Department continuing their activities and service. Tom at the University of Connecticut. Sugges- Anderson and Don Potter still teach; Bob tions and information are welcome. Send Coughlin serves on a key committee; Mike correspondence and address corrections Cutlip and Mike Howard continue to volunteer to: Katrice@engr.uconn.edu in the classroom; and Art McEvily and Monty Shaw are publishing, advising and still in the WRITERS/EDITORS lab. This year, Mark Aindow celebrated 10 Nan R. Cooper years with the MSE program while Theo Chris DeFrancesco Kattamis sailed through his 40th year. Robert Kate Kurtin Klancko (CHEG ’67) returned to UConn to Katrice Sponzo be inducted into UConn’s Academy of GRAPHIC DESIGN Distinguished Engineers. Bob minored in Christopher LaRosa both nuclear engineering and metallurgy—

the Metallurgy Department was split off from CHEG in ’68. Our students continue to excel. MSE graduate student Claire Weiss won a 2010 Connecticut Women of Innovation Award and CHEG graduate Emily Tao (May 2010) was a finalist; CHEG graduate Joe Zinski (May 2010) won an NSF Graduate Fellowship, making him the only UConn undergrad to win one this year; MSE graduate student Ning Shi won the 2010 School of Engineering Outstanding Graduate Thesis Award Gold Prize; and CHEG student Lu Han was selected a UConn 2010 University Scholar. Our Biomolecular Engineering program continues to generate interest. Mei Wei won an NSF grant to support graduate student fellows (GAANN Fellowship) for the MSE program. Mei, along with colleagues Ranjan Srivastava and Liisa Kuhn (UCHC) are coordinating our program at the graduate and undergraduate levels to enable CHEG and MSE majors to earn a minor in Biomedical Engineering. Research funding rose this year, with CMBE faculty receiving grants and awards second only to that of Mechanical Engineering. Yong Wang received a coveted NSF CAREER Award, and Rainer Hebert leads a team supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Our graduate program continues to grow. In the fall, we will welcome more than 25 CMBE Ph.D. students, selected from approximately 400 applicants. In the fall, CMBE will be home to roughly 280 undergraduates (a modest increase), 61 M.S. students (up 36%) and 87 Ph.D. students (up 15%). A new engineering building is still in the planning stages, with a completion tentatively expected in 2013. Both CHEG and MSE are bursting at the seams—CHEG faculty are spread across three engineering buildings (Engineering II, UTEB and Bronwell) and three centers: the Center for Environmental Science & Engineering), the Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2) and the Institute of Materials Science. We invite everyone—including alumni, industry colleagues, prospective students and their families—to visit us soon!

Cordially, Dr. C. Barry Carter Department Head WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 3

Materials Science & Engineering Program Features David R. Clarke in Distinguished Lectureship On March 25th and 26th the Materials Science & Engineering Program was proud to feature David R. Clarke as the speaker in the 2010 Materials Science & Engineering Distinguished Lectureship. During his visit, Dr. Clarke presented two seminars. The first was a Technology and Society Lecture entitled “Why High Temperature Materials Still Matter.” The second was a Technical Lecture, “Low Thermal Conductivity Oxides.” Dr. Clarke is the Gordon McKay Professor of Materials and Applied Physics in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University, Cambridge. He is also an Honorary Visiting Professor at Imperial College in London. Dr. Clarke has been involved in many different materials research and development programs, contributing to ceramics, metals, composites and semiconductors, as well as introducing new approaches for studying the interrelations between microstructure and properties. He is the author or co-author of more than 450 papers and a holder of six patents. Dr. Clarke holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Cambridge, a B.Sc. degree in Applied Sciences from Sussex University, UK and was awarded a Sc.D. from the University of Cambridge. Prior to moving to Harvard, he was Professor of Materials at the University of California, Santa Barbara (1990-2008). Previous positions include being Senior Manager, IBM Research Division, Yorktown Heights (1983-1990), Associate Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1983), Group Leader, Rockwell International Science Center (1977-1983) and Senior Scientific Officer, The National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK. Dr. Clarke is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

A member of the Basic Science Division since joining the American Ceramic Society in 1976, Dr. Clarke has been Chair of the Basic Science Division as well as a Trustee of the Society, and an Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Ceramic Society. He received an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Senior Scientist Award, the Sosman Award, the Richard M. Fulrath Memorial Award, Edward Henry Award and Ross Coffin Purdy Award and was elected a Fellow of the Society in 1985. He was recently listed as author of one of the 11 best papers in the 110 years of publication of the Journal. The Distinguished Lectureship Series was established with two distinct purposes: to recognize outstanding accomplishments and developments in materials science and engineering, and to share the excitement of engineering science and technology with a broad audience. The Lectureship recognizes outstanding members of the academic community, the industrial community, government, and the media who are leaders in research, technology development, and in communication of scientific and technological ideas, with the purpose of stimulating discussion and growth at the University and in the broader community.

he CMBE Department and the UConn School of Engineering were well represented among the Connecticut Technology Council's 2010 Women of Innovation finalists and award recipients. Claire Weiss, who is conducting her doctoral research under the guidance of Dr. Pamir Alpay, an associate professor in the Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering department, received the Collegian Innovation and Leadership award. Ms. Emily Tao, a 2010 ChE BS graduate was also among the finalists honored. The women were feted during a January 20 networking and awards event at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington, CT, before an audience of over 600 influential leaders from industry, government and academia. The Women of Innovation program recognizes women—in the workforce and students—across Connecticut who are innovators, role models and leaders in their technology professions or fields of study. Women were nominated in eight categories of achievement honoring leadership and innovation in academia, industry and community.

Claire Weiss (L-R): Associate Professor George Rossetti, David R. Clarke, and Department Head, Barry Carter.

4 [ CoMBinE ]

Materials Science & Engineering Ph.D. Student Receives 2010 Women of Innovation Award

Barry Carter Elected to CASE MBE Department Head, Dr. C. Barry Carter is one of four UConn engineering faculty elected to membership in the prestigious Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE). The 2010 inductees were formally inducted during the Academy’s 35th annual meeting on May 20, 2010. Dr. Carter's research involves interfaces and defects in ceramics and semiconductors. He is co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Materials Science and co-author of Transmission Electron Microscopy: a Textbook for Materials Science and Ceramic Materials: Science & Engineering (2007). He received the Berndt Matthias Scholar Award (Los Alamos National Laboratory), Alexander von Humboldt Senior Award, and a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship. He is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society, MRS and the Microscopy Society of America (MSA). CASE membership is limited to 400 scientists and engineers from Connecticut's academic, industrial and industrial communities. As a group, members identify and study issues and technological advances of concern to Connecticut residents and provide unbiased, expert advice on science- and technology-related issues to state government and other Connecticut institutions.

Polyethylene microspheres made by Dr. Gerald Ling. These small particles are crosslinked, but highly crystalline. When suspended in oil, the resulting suspension shows highly anomalous rheological behavior. (M. Shaw)

Water: Sustainable Production of our Most Critical Resource he ongoing challenge to meet the world’s needs for plentiful, inexpensive and clean water has spawned countless studies and innovative approaches at UConn and across the globe. Assistant professors Jeffrey McCutcheon (Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering) and Baikun Li (Civil & Environmental Engineering) have teamed up on a three-year NSF grant to develop a wastewater filtration system that is less energy intensive and more cost effective than the current options. The first challenge is to reduce the amount of energy used in wastewater treatment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) currently account for three percent of the electric load in the United States. Dr. McCutcheon was intrigued with the idea of developing a simpler wastewater treatment process. “The use of microbial fuel cells (MFC) may eliminate the power requirement for treatment,” he explained. Dr. Li remarked that across the U.S., there currently are no more than five research groups looking at the use of MFC’s in wastewater treatment. It’s an area Dr. Li has been working on for 20 years—since she was an undergraduate student. “Ours is the first group in the nation, maybe the world, doing large-scale microbial fuel cell studies at wastewater treatment plants using a continuous flow process. This has been our group’s breakthrough,” Li explained. The project she is referring to is called Multiple Anode Cathode—Granular Activated Covent Microbial Fuel Cells or MAC—GAC MFC. “Our final goal is to use this microbial fuel cell as the wastewater treatment process. We don’t want to limit this research to the lab,” she continued. This method cleans fouled water while collecting the energy from bacteria to power the process, thus drastically reducing, and potentially eliminating, the power requirement for the plant itself. What is needed now is a process to improve the quality of the exported water to make it safe to drink. This is where Dr. McCutcheon’s contributions come in, with his focus on water reclamation and membrane development. This pairing of complementary expertise is revolutionary.

Dr. Li explained, “There has been a lot of activity in the area of water reclamation and membrane development, and in my field of microbial fuel cells. However, there is currently no bridge between these two areas, making our collaboration unique. Jeff will develop a novel electrode material and then implement it into my system to improve the operational performance.” One potential obstacle is that Americans may refuse to drink the reclaimed water after it has been purified. “The problems with wastewater treatment and reuse are not technical, they are political,” Dr. McCutcheon explained, speaking of the public perception dilemma. “Even if it passes all FDA inspections and is pure, customers in the United States may still have some psychological concerns,” Dr. Li said. She added that the membrane effectively produces water that meets all regulatory barriers and is safe to drink. “Think about the space station,” Dr. McCutcheon said, “they reuse their water. If they can do it, why can’t we down here?” The question is a good one, and both researchers feel that Americans will come around. “We must educate the public about the importance of water and that technology development is required for its sustainable use,” Dr. McCutcheon explained. That education starts now. Through their NSF grant, the researchers have ambitious plans to involve undergraduate and graduate students. Both professors will also be involved with UConn School of Engineering outreach programs which educate primary and secondary school students and teachers (the da Vinci Project, Joule Fellows) through on-campus workshops. Both professors are extremely enthusiastic about the research they are embarking on and think that it could have dramatic effects on the ways in which wastewater is treated and reused in the U.S. and around the world. WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 5

Altruistic Engineer Returning from these experiences, Lindsey was struck with the realization that in the field of engineering, there is limited opportunity to help and work with individual people. “I was looking for the personal experience of working with people one-on-one and getting the experience of helping them,” Lindsey explained. After this realization, she applied to the Peace Corps to put her engineering education to The site that I was working on was use in a developing country. an abandoned house that was “I wanted to work with water filtration, but every position being used for salvaged materials that could be used to rebuild the city. needed a language requirement that I don’t have,” weeklong “alternative break,” students Lindsey said. While she was disapwere tasked with salvaging products pointed, Lindsey hopes her aspirations that had been abandoned in the wake of can still be fulfilled one day. the floods. “The site that I was working In the meantime, Lindsey has on was an abandoned house that was accepted a post-graduation job as a being used for salvaged materials that chemical engineer at Westinghouse could be used to rebuild the city,” Electric Company, where she has Lindsey explained. While interned for the last not directly related to two years. What drew engineering, the trip her to Westinghouse reaffirmed Lindsey’s was the prospect of beliefs that she could nuclear energy as a and would use her clean energy source, education to better but that doesn’t mean the world. she is giving up on her Inspired by goals to work with her time in people one-on-one. New Orleans, “I have accepted the job at Lindsey signed Westinghouse, but have up for a secalso been looking for ways ond alternative outside of work to get the break during fulfillment I need in helping winter 2009. people,” Lindsey said. To Lindsey Fink This trip with satisfy her dreams, Lindsey Community plans to sign up to be a Outreach included a bus ride to Atlanta, sexual assault crisis counselor. The role GA to engage in social rehabilitation. should allow her to build her career at “I worked at furniture banks for people Westinghouse while also helping the who were moving out of homeless community and leaving some time to jet shelters or living with HIV or AIDS, I also off to a community in need. helped build houses with Habitat for As an honors student, Lindsey has Humanity, and tutored refugee children conducted research at the University’s after school. We were doing different cogeneration power plant for two years things every day,” Lindsey said. while pursuing her B.S. She graduated in May 2010. tudents pursue engineering for a host of reasons; for new graduate (ChE) Lindsey it was as a means to help people. Originally attracted to UConn because of the Honors Program and school spirit, Lindsey has participated in numerous UConn outreach activities. In March 2009, Lindsey participated in a trip to New Orleans sponsored by UConn Community Outreach. During the

Donald Potter and his student

Students Gain Valuable Insight in Characterization Lab hen Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) students transition into the working world, they arrive fully versed in the techniques and language of electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. They owe their practiced knowhow to professor emeritus Donald Potter, who equipped and has managed the Undergraduate Materials Characterization Lab, and taught a junior/ senior course in Materials Characterization, for three decades. Though he retired in 1997, Dr. Potter has continued to provide materials science students with a hands-on learning laboratory in which they gain experience using characterization tools that are widely used in industry to evaluate materials on a variety of criteria. The Materials Characterization course is typically reserved for juniors and seniors, and a cap of 20 students allows Dr. Potter to instruct and monitor manageably-small groups of students in the lab portion of the class. The lab is equipped with two X-ray diffraction units, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and two transmission electron microscopes (TEM). When Dr. Potter began working at UConn in ‘79, then-Department Head of Metallurgy Phillip Clapp asked Dr. Potter to establish a characterization lab course for undergraduates. He had developed such a course at Union College in Schenectady, NY and was regarded as an expert in this area. Back then, MSE was taught primarily at the

continued on page 11

6 [ CoMBinE ]

Cato Laurencin Honored by President Obama Story from UConn Today http://today.uconn.edu/

n a White House ceremony Jan. 6, President Barack Obama honored 22 recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring, including Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, UConn’s vice president for health affairs and dean of the medical school. “We are here today to honor teachers and mentors … who are upholding their responsibility not just to the young people who they teach but to our country by inspiring and educating a new generation in math and science,” Obama said. “But we’re also here because this responsibility can’t be theirs alone. All of us have a role to play in building an education system that is worthy of our children and ready to help us seize the opportunities and meet the challenges of the 21st century.” Obama told the award recipients, “Whether it’s showing students how to record the habits of a resident reptile, or teaching kids to test soil samples on a class trip to Costa Rica; whether it’s helping young people from tough neighborhoods

President Obama poses with Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring winners in the Blue Room of the White House on Jan. 6. Laurencin is standing, fourth from left. Official White House photo by Samantha Appleton.

in Chicago to become ‘Junior Paleontologists,’ or creating a mentoring program that connects engineering students with girls and minorities, who are traditionally underserved in the field—all of you are demonstrating why teaching and mentoring is so important, and why we have to support you, equip you, and send in some reinforcements for you.” The Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring, awarded each year to individuals or organizations, recognizes the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science or engineering at any grade level. “I am humbled and honored by this award,” Laurencin said. “Mentoring aspiring physicians, scientists, and engineers has been, and continues to be, one of the most gratifying aspects of my career. On behalf of the students I have had the privilege of knowing, I am delighted to receive this award.” Laurencin, who joined UConn in 2008 from the University of Virginia,

Taking the Industry Standard One Step Toward the Future igh-tech industries are always looking for ways to improve their products— trying to make things that are fast, faster; things that are low powered, lower powered; and things that are small, smaller. Many of these improvements are enabled by semiconductor technology. By continuously improving electronic device design and introducing new materials, new technologies are advancing at an incredible rate. The second part of this two-pronged improvement plan is at the heart of Dr. Brian Willis’ research. Dr. Willis is an associate professor and director of the Chemical Engineering Program who joined UConn in 2008.

“For every application there is a material that is performing some function and you can always improve that function and make it better at what it does,” he explained. Dr. Willis received a National Science Foundation Early Career (CAREER) Development Award in 2003, with continued funding this year, for his work involving the integration of oxide materials with the semiconductor industry standard, silicon. “Crystalline oxides will add new capabilities to future electronic devices,” Dr. Willis explained. The age of using silicon as the primary functional material in electronic devices has run its course. As semiconductor devices

has achieved national and international prominence as an orthopaedic surgeon and chemical engineering expert. He holds the Health Center’s Van Dusen Endowed Chair in Academic Medicine and is a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He also holds an appointment in the School of Engineering as a professor of chemical, materials, and biomolecular engineering. Laurencin is a Fellow of the American Surgical Association and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and has been named to America’s Top Doctors. At the same time, he has been named one of the 100 engineers of the modern era by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and most recently received the Galletti Award from the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering which cited his important research in tissue engineering. Laurencin is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

near the limits of miniaturization and speed new ideas are necessary to add value. However, because silicon is so widely used and is the industry standard, Dr. Willis explained, it is likely that silicon will remain as the platform or support material, and therefore, the way to improve its functionality is to integrate it with another material. Looking at oxides has allowed Dr. Willis to expand the functionality of semiconductor research. “Oxides have unique functional properties that would enable you to make interesting devices from that you can’t make from silicon,” he explained. “Technologically, because silicon is such an established platform in nano-electronics, continued on page 10

WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 7

Chemical Engineering Celebrates 50th Anniversary Chemical Engineering Celebrates 50th Anniversary

n October 15, 2009, the University of Connecticut celebrated 50 years of On October 15, 2009,instruction the University chemical engineering with of a Connecticut celebrated 50 years of chemical day-long anniversary event that included engineering instruction with aposter day-long antours, guest speakers, student niversary event that included tours, guest presentations and a reception. Attending speakers, student poster presentations and a the event were alumni, emeritus and current reception. Attending the event were alumni, faculty, advisory board members, underemeritus advisory board graduate and and current graduatefaculty, students, industry members, undergraduate and graduate stufriends and University officials. dents, industry friends and University offiEarly in the day, attendees toured the cials. for Clean Energy Engineering Center Earlyalong in thewith day,instructional attendees toured (C2E2) and the Center for Clean Energy Engineering research labs maintained by faculty (C2E2) along instructional and remembers in thewith now-merged department search labs maintained by faculty members of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular in the now-merged department of ChemiEngineering (CMBE). The afternoon celecal, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering brations included remarks by Engineering (CMBE). afternoon Dean MunThe Choi; CMBEcelebrations Departmentincluded remarks by Engineering Dean Mun Head, Barry Carter; retired faculty members Choi; CMBE Department Head, Barry Bob Coughlin, Tom Anderson and Mike Carter; faculty members Bob CoughHoward;retired and keynote speaker Joseph lin, Tom Anderson and Mike Howard; Helble, Dean of the Thayer School of and keynote speaker Joseph Helble, Dean of the Engineering at Dartmouth College. Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth Dr. Helble has strong ties to UConn: College. from 1995-2004, he was a faculty member Helble strong ties to UConn: andDr. then Headhas of the Department of from 1995-2004, he was a member Chemical Engineering. An faculty expert in areas and then Head of the Department spanning environmental science andof Chemical An expert in areas aerosols, asEngineering. an administrator Dr. Helble has spanning environmental science and aerosols, as an administrator Dr. Helble has become keenly interested in educational paradigms and how engineering education can better meet the needs of students, employers and the nation. Referencing a range of sources and pundits, Dr. Helble quoted from the National Academy of Engineering, the Counsel on Competitiveness, the Millennium Project, and others that have argued for broadening engineering education to include liberal arts and business classes in order to provide a closer connection to realworld problems. He also presented arguments supporting the more streamlined engineering educational approach. Recounting the history of engineering education, the declining trend in engineering enrollments since the boom years of the 1970s and 1980s—when energy and environmental issues fermented across the nation—and possible future trends toward a renewed uptick in engineering interest, Dr. Helble culminated his presentation with a

8 [ CoMBinE ]

“modified majors” educational model that correlates with that posed by the National Academy of Engineering. also discussed educational become keenly interested inHe an interdisciplinary program used by Dartparadigms and how engineering education mouth with a “systems core,” and a second can better meet the needs of students, layer of thermo, material sciences, control employers and the nation. Referencing a and probability systems and then disciplirange of sources and pundits, Dr. Helble nary gateway courses. Such quoted from the National Academy of Attendees agreed that Helble’s Engineering, the Counsel Dr. on Competitivethought-provoking presentation ness, the Millennium Project, andoffered othersintriguing ideas, and discussion continued as that have argued for broadening engineering celebrants proceeded to the next events of education to include liberal arts and the day’sclasses anniversary event. As an adminisbusiness in order to provide a closer trator, Dr. Helble has focused on notHe only connection to real-world problems. also educational paradigms but also engineering presented arguments supporting the research and careerengineering trends, andeducational on future more streamlined growth. During his tenure at Dartmouth, approach. the Recounting Thayer School identified medicine the has history of engineering and energy as areas ripe for interdisciplinary education, the declining trend in engineercollaborations ing enrollmentswith sinceengineering. the boom years of Among the afternoon events wereand a rethe 1970s and 1980s—when energy ception and student poster presentations. environmental issues fermented across the Three students were honored for thetoward quality nation—and possible future trends of their research and ability to effectively a renewed uptick in engineering interest, present the culminated salient aspects their research. Dr. Helble his of presentation with The first winner was Xiaohua Yu model for histhat a “modified majors” educational poster on with Collagen/Apatite Scaffold correlates that posed byHybrid the National for Bone Tissue Engineering. He explains, Academy of Engineering. He also discussed “Successful bone tissue engineering an interdisciplinary program used byrequires a good combination of cell sources, scaffold Mike Cutlip and growth factors.” Therefore, for his research, highly porous collagen/apatite scaffolds were fabricated using a one-step in situ co-precipitation technique where nano apatite particles and collagen nanofibers were precipitated simultaneously from a collagencontaining modified simulated body fluid (m-SBF) at a mild temperature. Finally, a novel double-hole mouse calvarial model was employed to evaluate the osteogenic properties of the scaffold. Findings revealed that the defect was fully filled with woven bone 28 day post implantation when the apatite/collagen scaffold is loaded with OPCs. He explains, “It was also noticed that scaffold microstructure has significant effect on guiding new bone formation. This adaptation of the new bone to the scaffold structure demonstrates the excellent osteoconductivity and osteopermeability of the scaffold.” Michael Carella also took home a prize Joe Helble for his work with Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells (DBFC). His research sought to demonstrate the superiority of the DBFCs over more conventional fuel cells, many of

Dartmouth with a “systems core,” and a second layer of thermo, material sciences, control and probability systems and then which use gas as a feedstock. disciplinary gateway courses. Since the DBFC utilizes liquids for Dr. bothHelble’s the fuel and Attendees agreed that oxidant, it has a higher volumetric energy thought-provoking presentation offered density and is ideal for military, space or unintriguing ideas, and discussion continued derwater applications. However, he exas celebrants proceeded to the next events of plained undesiredevent. hydrogen oxygen the day’sthat anniversary As anand adminisgas evolution has thus far prevented the trator, Dr. Helble has focused on not only DBFC fromparadigms reaching its fullalso potential. educational but engineering Michael said, “The goal of my research and career trends, and research on futureis to synthesize new anode and cathode catalysts growth. During his tenure at Dartmouth, which will reduce the evolution of gases the Thayer School has identified medicine within the cell and increase the power outand energy as areas ripe for interdisciplinary put.” As to what the influence of this projcollaborations with engineering. ect Among will havethe onafternoon future research, events Carella were a explains, “I will be continuing my research reception and student poster presentations. as a graduate student here at UConn, so I Three students were honored for the quality am excited to be off to a good start. It’s of their research and ability to effectivelya great confidence that I present the salientbooster aspectsknowing of their research. have the support and interest of the The first winner was Xiaohua Yu forChemihis cal Engineering faculty.” Hybrid Scaffold poster on Collagen/Apatite Also garnering a prize in the comfor Bone Tissue Engineering. Heposter explains, petition was Angela Moreno, for her work “Successful bone tissue engineering requires Thermal Integrated Microreacaongood combination of Ceramic cell sources, scaffold tors for Hydrogen Production. In and growth factors.” Therefore, forher hisposter Angela presented a new collagen/apatite design strategy for research, highly porous cost-effective construction of highly inte- in scaffolds were fabricated using a one-step grated ceramic microchannel networks by situ co-precipitation technique where nano combining precision-machined distributors apatite particles and collagen nanofibers with extruded ceramic materials. Angela were precipitated simultaneously from a detailed a proof-of-concept device for coupling collagen-containing modified simulated exothermic combustion with endothermic body fluid (m-SBF) at a mild temperature. steam reforming of methanol for autothermal hydrogen Based on her Barryproduction. Carter findings, Angela concluded that her new design was viable, and she identified a number of refinements that may further improve performance. Commenting on her award, Angela said, “It is a great honor to be recognized by an audience of peers of differing perspectives as a recipient award winner of the poster competition sponsored by the Chemical Engineering program. This award Mike Howard validates my commitment in the chemical engineering field. I continue to be enthused and motivated to pursue my career doing research.”

Bob Coughlin

Finally, a novel double-hole mouse calvarial model was employed to evaluate the osteogenic properties of the scaffold. Findings revealed that the defect was fully filled with woven bone 28 day post implantation when the apatite/ collagen scaffold is loaded with OPCs. He explains, “It was also noticed that scaffold microstructure has significant effect on guiding new bone formation. This adaptation of the new bone to the scaffold structure demonstrates the excellent osteoconductivity and osteopermeability of the scaffold.” Michael Carella also took home a prize for his work with Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells (DBFC). His research sought to demonstrate the superiority of the DBFCs over more conventional fuel cells, many of which use gas as a feedstock. Since the DBFC utilizes liquids for both the fuel and oxidant, it has a higher volumetric energy density and is ideal for military, space or underwater applications. However, he explained that undesired hydrogen and oxygen gas evolution has thus far prevented the DBFC from reaching its full potential. Michael said, “The goal of my research is to synthesize new anode and cathode catalysts which will reduce the evolution of gases within the cell and increase the power output.” As to what the influence of this project will have on future research, Carella explains, “I will be continuing my research as a graduate student here at UConn, so I am excited to be off to a good start. It’s a great confidence booster knowing that I have the support and interest of the Chemical Engineering faculty.” Also garnering a prize in the poster competition was Angela Moreno, for her work on Thermal Integrated Ceramic Microreactors for Hydrogen Production. In her poster Angela presented a new design strategy for cost-effective construction of highly integrated ceramic microchannel networks by combining precision-machined distributors with extruded ceramic materials. Angela detailed a proof-ofconcept device for coupling exothermic combustion with endothermic steam reforming of methanol for autothermal hydrogen production. Based on her findings, Angela concluded that her new design was viable, and she identified a number of refinements that may further improve performance. Commenting on her award, Angela said, “It is a great honor to be recognized by an audience of peers of differing perspectives as a recipient award winner of the poster competition sponsored by the Chemical Engineering program. This award validates my commitment in the chemical engineering field. I continue to be enthused and motivated to pursue my career doing research.”

(L-R): Girija Marathe, Clayton Weiss, Fei Peng, Thomas Sadowski, Xufei Wan, Harold Brody, Christian Sartori, Ryan Keech, Michael Zilm, and Kathryn Czaja.

Alpha Sigma Mu New Inductees Recognized at ASM Hartford Chapter Meeting t the April 13, 2010 meeting of the Hartford Chapter of ASM International, newly elected members of the Connecticut Alpha Chapter of Alpha Sigma Mu, the International Professional Honor Society for Materials Science and Engineering, were recognized. Members receive certificates, keys, and tassels signifying membership in Alpha Sigma Mu. Student membership selection is based upon superior scholastic standing, character and leadership. New undergraduate and graduate student members who attended the meeting are pictured above. Also elected to membership,

but unable to attend the ASM meeting, were undergraduate MSE majors Adam Dew, Michael Harris and Jeffrey Riesterer; and Ph.D. candidates Jonathan Winterstein and Luke Autry. Current student members participating in the recognition event included Vincent Palumbo, President of Connecticut Alpha Chapter, Ellen Lavorato, Secretary-Treasurer, Robin Bright, Erica Marcinek and Joseph Rajan. Highlighting the technical program were research presentations by four MSE graduate students.

WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 9

George Bollas Joins CMBE eorge Bollas received his Diploma in Chemical Engineering and his Ph.D. from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. His thesis, entitled “Dynamic Simulation, Optimization and Control of Flexible Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units,” involved the development of a dynamic model and model-based controller for the FCC pilot plant operating in the Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute in Greece. He also developed models for petroleum characterization and lumped reaction kinetics for the fluid catalytic cracker. He did his postdoc at MIT on a Department of Energy project titled “Dynamic

Simulation of Nuclear Hydrogen Production Systems.” In his efforts in modeling the sulfur-iodine thermochemical cycle he developed an electrolyte-thermodynamic model and optimization programs for parameter estimation in phase equilibria. Dr. Bollas recently finished a postdoc at MIT, funded by Rive Technology Inc., involving the simulation of the effect of a-posteriori introduced mesoporosity in zeolites on FCC product selectivity and absorber efficiency in olefins/paraffins separations. His research interests involve the dynamic simulation of energy-related processes, lumped reaction kinetics modeling, property models development, electrolyte thermodynamics and global optimization for phase equilibria. He has worked on six research projects relative to energy process intensification and develop-

ment. He has collaborated with Aspen Technology Inc. in the development of improved electrolyte thermodynamic models. Dr. Bollas has supervised several undergraduate research projects, including that of Eugene Choi, which received the First Place Award in the Fuels, Petrochemicals & Energy Section in AIChE 2008. He is the author of 12 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and he has presented his work in more than 25 peer-reviewed international conferences. He is an elected member in the Sigma XI Scientific Society and a member of AIChE and ACS. He is a reviewer in several scientific journals and he has been on the scientific panel of the World Congress of Chemical Engineering. Dr. Bollas speaks Greek, English, German and French.

silicon without forming silicon dioxide. Essentially, they love oxygen more than silicon. “They facilitate the integration of the oxides with the silicon substrate,” Dr. Willis further explained. This layering using the alkaline earth metals has been done before in a laboratory setting and, therefore, has been proven possible. What is lacking is any real-world analysis. To make this a practical technology that could be integrated into everyday processes, the technique must have manufacturability. This is the crux of Dr. Willis’ research—making this process real-world applicable and cost effective. With his graduate student and post-doctoral research assistants, Han Wang and Changbin Zhang, Dr. Willis has passed the first milestone in discovering the steps necessary for this integration of oxides and silicon, and now it may be only a matter of time before they are integrated in a manufacturable way and ready to be adopted by the industry. The importance of this research is at the very core of the technology industry. If this integration is successful, it will “make devices better in the future, so that you can have new functionalities 10 years from now that you wouldn’t be able to think of right now,” Dr. Willis explained. As an academic, Dr. Willis is also involved in educational initiatives. Next

summer, he will host high school science teachers in his lab and teach them about basic characterization tools that are used in nanotechnology. The goal of this workshop is for the teachers to take the lessons they learn back to their classrooms. One simple experiment might involve having the teachers look at silicon devices, learn how they work and then conduct experiments aimed at unveiling the component makeup of the wafers. The teachers would be able to see the individual atoms in the lattice, and be able to reconstruct the experiment in their classrooms to teach students about silicon technology, atomic structures and how the wafers are used in everything from cell phones or video game consoles. The future of the semiconductor industry is boundless. “The semiconductor industry is a fun industry because they are driven very strongly by new products and new ideas,” Dr. Willis said. “Companies like Intel are investing in new technologies that I originally thought were too far out, too academic, or too high risk. They’re doing it because nanotechnologies are the driving force for future projects.” It is for this reason that technology companies are very open to new ideas, even crazy and difficult new ideas. “If the industry doesn’t innovate, it will die,” Dr. Willis finished.

Brian Willis continued from page 7

the most practical applied way forward is to somehow integrate the oxides with the silicon,” Dr. Willis continued. How? To do so, Dr. Willis explained that researchers must “go around Mother Nature to grow oxides materials atom by atom on top of a silicon wafer.” But Mother Nature impedes this process because, when silicon is mixed with oxygen—an element needed to form oxides —we can inadvertently make silicon dioxide, experienced more widely as a major component of sand, and very stable. “You have sort of a ‘Catch-22’ or a paradox,” Dr. Willis continues. “You want to grow an oxide on top of silicon, but you have to avoid forming silicon dioxide.” That is where the real trick comes. The process of layering silicon with oxide materials is relatively untapped, and there is good reason for this: oxides and silicon are very different materials, with widely different structural properties. To explain this concept Dr. Willis turned to a memorable high school chemistry lesson, “like mixes with like” and these materials are so unlike that integrating them is like trying to mix oil and water. This dilemma is solved by the introduction of alkaline earth metals. Calcium, barium, and strontium have special properties that enable the oxides to be grown on the 10 [ CoMBinE ]

Rampi Ramprasad Awarded Prestigious Humboldt Fellowship r. Ramamurthy (“Rampi”) Ramprasad, an associate professor, has been awarded an Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) Foundation Fellowship. The award will enable him to conduct research at the Fritz-Haber-Institut of the famed Max Planck Society, in Berlin, Germany. Dr. Ramprasad plans to spend a full sabbatical year at the Fritz-Haber-Institut commencing in the fall of 2010. The AvH Foundation promotes academic cooperation between German researchers and top scientists and scholars from across the globe. The organization's fellowships

and awards allow recipients to conduct research in Germany, and also enable German scientists and scholars to carry out research with Humboldt Foundation alumni worldwide. Dr. Ramprasad noted that he is deeply honored to receive this distinguished fellowship, and is thankful to his German host, Dr. Matthias Scheffler, who directs the Theory Department at the Fritz-HaberInstitut. He and several colleagues are in the process of articulating the technological challenge that will drive their research

efforts in Germany. His collaborators will include Dr. Scheffler, Dr. Chunguang Tang, a former graduate student who earned his Ph.D. at UConn and is now conducting study at the Fritz-Haber-Institut on a Max Planck Society post-doctoral fellowship, and other industrial and academic researchers in Germany and the US. Named for a German Nobel laureate, the Fritz-HaberInstitut is among the world’s most respected laboratories in the Physical & Chemical Sciences. continued on page 14

Characterization Lab continued from page 6

graduate level, though undergraduates could earn a double major in MSE along with a second core engineering discipline. It was not until 1999 that a B.S. degree program was established in MSE. So, Dr. Potter developed the lab course aimed chiefly at undergraduate students in mechanical engineering who were receiving a double major in MSE. It quickly became a mainstay and has remained a vital part of the education of MSE students ever since. Dr. Potter noted that all three units— the SEM, TEM, and X-ray diffraction— find their special niches in industry, with X-ray diffraction the first to be fully developed and probably the most versatile in terms of the different evaluations it provides. The somewhat more specialized SEM is easiest to understand in terms of its operation and the data it provides, primarily direct images and chemical composition of a material's components. Thus, it occupies only one lab session in which the students investigate a two-component bronze, measuring precipitate sizes and the chemical compositions of the precipitates and matrix. He said the much more sophisticated TEM provides diffraction patterns as well as images formed by diffraction, and these are more difficult to interpret. This, coupled with the difficulty of preparing specimens thin enough to transmit electrons, means students are less likely to encounter TEM than SEM characterization in industrial

settings. During the single lab session devoted to TEM, the students investigate thin metal foils containing nanocrystals and the growth of precipitates arising from the in-service overheating of an aircraft engine superalloy. In contrast with SEM and TEM, X-ray diffraction provides diverse information from easily prepared specimens, is more commonly found in industry, and provides practitioners a fuller appreciation of TEM images and diffraction patterns. Thus, in lecture classes Dr. Potter’s students study the theory of X-ray diffraction and its applications, and they devote five lab sessions to the X-ray unit. They measure, for example, particle sizes in the nanometer size range, determine the extent of ordering in compounds found in aircraft turbine alloys, identify unknown compounds causing failure in materials, and measure residual stresses. Since retiring, Dr. Potter has volunteered his time to maintain the laboratory and its equipment. He is a resourceful and dedicated man. He said that until recently, the lab received scant financial support. As a result, to equip and maintain the lab he was forced to rely upon a network of contacts in industry and academia who helped him locate “gently used” equipment that could be donated to UConn. Dr. Potter has often transported the equipment himself, typically using a rented U-Haul and volunteer labor

to assist in packing up, installing and assembling the equipment in the lab. He notes wryly that the wires and sockets are numbered, easing the task of reassembly. Dr. Potter credits the School of Engineering’s John Fikiet, an instrumentation and computer engineer, and Samuel Amtower, founder of AMTEC (a Mansfield, CT based electron microscopy service firm), with helping him assemble and maintain the specialized and sometimes temperamental equipment. He also expressed sincere thanks to Dr. Jim Steele of Mott Metallurgical, and to Dr. Jim Lin and Greg Levan of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, who helped steer equipment donations to the lab. Dr. Potter noted that thanks to Dr. Steele’s assistance, he was able to retrofit the pre-digital circa TEM—which formerly produced only film images—with a digital camera that allows students to transmit images to their computers via the Internet. In addition, he is grateful to Dr. Barry Carter, CMBE Head, for bringing visibility and financial resources to the lab. Dr. Potter was pleased when Dr. Carter secured funding to purchase a newer-vintage “pre-owned” X-ray diffraction unit that now resides in the lab. After some software problems are resolved, the newer X-ray machine will go online and give students one more learning tool with which they can gain mastery of materials characterization.

WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 11

Congratulations to Our 2010 Scholarship and Award Recipients ART MCEVILY SCHOLARSHIP David B. Wikholm (MSE/German Junior) CARL F. NORDEN SCHOLARSHIP Kelsey N. Boch (CHEG Sophomore) Ethan L. Butler (CHEG Junior) ACCENTURE SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUSINESS & ENGINEERING STUDENTS Kimberly M. Dout (MSE Freshman) ANONYMOUS DONOR BRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP Kathryn S. Czaja (MSE/CHEG Senior) ANONYMOUS DONOR LEARNING MENTORSHIP SCHOLARSHIP Drew V. Hires (MSE Junior) Joseph C. Rotchford (CHEG Junior) John R. Varkonda (CHEG Junior) ASM HARTFORD CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP Kathryn S. Czaja (MSE/CHEG Senior) Adam W. Dew (MSE Senior) Ryan R. Keech (MSE Senior) Joseph O. Rajan (MSE Senior) THE RICHARD BALLANTYNE SCHOLARSHIP David B. Robitaille (CHEG Sophomore) MARY & JAMES BARGER SCHOLARSHIP IN ENGINEERING Anne T. Jensen (CHEG Sophomore)

ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATE MERIT SCHOLARSHIP-PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGE Kaitlyn A. Bellucci (CHEG Sophomore) Congtin L. Phan (CHEG Junior) Jo-Ku M. Teng (CHEG Junior) ENGINEERING OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD Gregory S. Honda (CHEG Senior) Joseph T. Koplar (MSE Senior) ENSIGN-BICKFORD FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP Adam W. Dew (MSE/EE Senior) Kyle G. Horton (CHEG Junior) Leonela A. Villegas (CHEG Junior) FARRINGTON SCHOLARSHIP Michael J. Ignatowich (CHEG Freshman) HAROLD P. FARRINGTON ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP Jonathan A. Goldman (CHEG Senior) GE ADVANCED MATERIALS ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Emily M. Anderson (CHEG Junior) Minnal V. Packiam (CHEG Junior) MARY ANN W. GILLEECE ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Rafael E. Patel (CHEG Freshman)

THE BORGHESI FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Kyle J. Christiansen (CHEG Junior)

ARNOLD GRIFFIN SCHOLARSHIP IN ENGINEERING Chad R. Jens (CHEG Senior)

THE RACHEL & RONALD BRAND FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Nicole L. Bundy (CHEG Freshman)

DAVID BEECHER HAHN ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP Emily A. Cole (CHEG Senior)

JAMES C. BURNS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Molly C. Chhiv (CHEG Junior)

PAUL KRENICKI ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY Michael J. Catanese (CHEG Senior) Ryan A. Catania (CHEG Junior) Aleah J. Edwards (CHEG Senior)

RICHARD D. CAVANAUGH SCHOLARSHIP Michael C. Icart (CHEG Sophomore) HUGH L. & JUDITH R. COX SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Evan J. Fredericks (CHEG Senior)

12 [ CoMBinE ]

MARIO S. & MARIA G. LATINA SCHOLARSHIP Meghan McGuire (CHEG Senior)

CARL A. & EDNA S. LINDBLAD SCHOLARSHIP Erik L. Johnson (CHEG Junior) Britta H. Kunkemoeller (CHEG Junior) MATERIALS ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP Ryan M. Adams (MSE Freshman) Seth D. Alix (MSE Freshman) Timothy D. Batt (MSE Freshman) Eric A. Bousfield (MSE Sophomore) Drew F. Capolupo (MSE Freshman) Kimberly M. Dout (MSE Freshman) Ryan A. Hancock (MSE Sophomore) Drew Hires (MSE Junior) Blake Knox (MSE/German Sophomore) Adam Marco (MSE Sophomore) Kayla M. Molnar (MSE Freshman) Kayla J. Nicewicz (MSE Freshman) Connor P. O’Neill (MSE Freshman) Erica Pehmoeller (MSE/CHEG Sophomore) Erik W. Rogoff (MSE Freshman) Matthew Vaudreuil (MSE Sophomore) MIRSKY SCHOLARSHIP Nathan R. Willbanks (CHEG Junior) ROLAND & CAROL PAMPEL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Naomi R. Adler (CHEG/German Freshman) PRATT & WHITNEY ENGINEERING DIVERSITY PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP Kaitlyn A. Bellucci (CHEG Junior) Kathryn S. Czaja (MSE/CHEG Senior) THELMA P. & RAYMOND J. RULIS ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Joseph A. Podurgiel (CHEG Junior) UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION SCHOLARSHIP IN ENGINEERING Melissa A. Carserino (CHEG Senior) Christine E. Duval (CHEG/Spanish Senior) VERGNANO/REDDINGTON FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Kyle D. Hope (CHEG Junior)

Engineering Lands $2.7 M To Support Innovative Educational Program expand the program in ensuing years. a valued talent-pool for college engineering In addition to pursuing the typical duties programs.” Among the tech schools signing of graduate students, notably engaging in on to the project are Norwich, Howell thesis-based original research projects, these Cheney, Albert I. Prince, H.H. Ellis and graduate students will interact with secondWindham Tech. ary-school teachers and students to infuse The project will provide doctoral the curriculum with engineering concepts students with new opportunities and and ingenuity-stimulating exercises. perspectives on innovative research in Graduate students recruited for the project sustainable engineering while expanding will carry out research in sustainable their collaborative, leadership, teaching engineering areas that may include, for and communication skills. The graduate example, fuel cells and other carbon-neutral students will be embedded in participating energy technologies, water purification and tech school science, math or technical environmental biotechnology. classrooms, where they will work with the The focus on students enrolled in teachers to develop and integrate fundamenConnecticut’s system of technical high tal engineering lessons into the coursework schools, rather than traditional high schools, and to introduce supplementary activities reflects the that foster team-based “creative innovation” team’s thesis in problem solving. Undergraduate engiThese students have a documented acumen in that this particu- neering students will also be recruited to visual, mental and tactile subjects associated lar population participate as mentors and role models with technology, and an affinity for a represents a helping to nurture the tech school students’ generally creativity, knowledge acquisition, leadership technology centered career. untapped and communication skills. The award was announced in March resource for four-year colleges and universiYet another layer involves the tech 2010 and is among the largest NSF grants ties. Dr. Cooper contends that vocationschool teachers, who will be encouraged to awarded to the School of Engineering. oriented young people may—through their participate in a teacher enrichment program The funding, made under NSF’s GK-12 exposure to cutting-edge research projects offered by the School of Engineering, program, focuses on providing graduate and enthusiastic graduate students—be through which teachers are embedded in students unique learning opportunities that inspired to pursue a four-year college degree. engineering research labs for periods of one will broadly prepare them for professional “These students have a documented acumen to five summer weeks. and scientific careers in the 21st century. in visual, mental and tactile subjects associThe GK-12 team’s first priority is to The program supports projects in which ated with technology, and an affinity for a begin recruiting graduate students and graduate students in STEM (science, technology centered career. We hope to arrange meetings with the tech school technology, engineering and mathematics) demonstrate that these students can become partners. disciplines engage with teachers and students in a K-12 setting to engender greater interest in, and preparedness for, STEM careers. The team brings a wealth of experience to the GK-12 project. Dr. Cooper is a University Teaching Fellow (‘03) and Carnegie Foundation Connecticut Professor of the Year (‘04) as well as a successful entrepreneur. Dean Choi and Dr. Kazerounian both garnered substantial NSF support, as co-PI and PI, respectively, on previous GK-12 projects. Dr. Washington has established programs aimed at recruiting women and underrepresented minority students to UConn and preparing them for a graduate studies in STEM fields. The UConn team plans to recruit and train 10 graduate students each year during (L-R): Mun Y. Choi, Douglas Cooper, and Kazem Kazerounian. Seated: Ruth Washington. the five-year grant and to maintain or faculty team that includes Douglas Cooper (PI), professor of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering— and co-PIs Kazem Kazerounian, professor of Mechanical Engineering and Associate Dean for Research & Strategic Initiatives, Mun Y. Choi, Dean of Engineering and professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Ruth Washington, associate professor-inresidence of Molecular & Cell Biology— has garnered a $2.7 million competitive grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a novel program that will enfold UConn graduate and undergraduate students, and technical high school students and their teachers in cross-cutting sustainable engineering research.

WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 13

Photo by Orlando Echevarria.

Two CMBE Grad Students Honored Ning Shi and William Osborn

raduate students Ning Shi and William Osborn were selected for special honors presented during the April 19, 2010 Engineering Awards Reception in Storrs. Both are pursuing their doctoral studies in Materials Science & Engineering. Ning, who garnered a $2,000 Outstanding Graduate Thesis Award gold prize, is carrying out research on the properties of nanoscale dielectrics from first principles computations. She explains that dielectric materials of nanoscale dimensions have excited considerable interest in the semiconductor industry. “To keep pace with Moore’s law scaling, the thickness of gate oxide dielectric materials is reaching to nanoscale dimensions.” She continues, “The high energy density capacitor industry is currently considering dielectric composites with a polymer host matrix filled with inorganic dielectric nanoparticles or polarizable organic molecules.” With this in mind, Ning says the goal of her work is to determine the extent to which such surface/interface effects modify the dielectric constants, band edges, and dielectric breakdown strengths of systems with at least one of their dimensions in the nano-regime. Along with her advisor, associate professor Ramamurthy Ramprasad, Ning has performed quantum mechanics based atomic level computations for ultrathin dielectric single and multi-component systems. Based on a first principles

approach involving density functional theory, they successfully developed computational methodologies and theories to investigate the electric and dielectric properties of materials at the nano-dimension. This research constitutes an initial step toward attaining a fundamental understanding of the relationship between interface structure and chemistry on the one hand, and properties such as interfacial polarization, dielectric response, and electronic structure on the other. “This award serves as an exciting challenge for me to maintain and improve my level of achievement,” Ning says. “I feel pride in being selected to receive this award. I feel a responsibility to uphold the expectations that accompany such an honor, and I hope to give back some day to the institution that has helped build the foundation for the rest of my life.” William Osborn received a bronze prize for his research on the development of nano-engineered powders of LiNH + LiH for solid state hydrogen storage. His dissertation focuses on one facet of a larger project conducted at UConn involving the development of hydrogen storage materials intended to enable fuel cell powered vehicles. “Due to pressure and volume constraints, solid state storage

materials provide an attractive alternative to more conventional tanks; however, capacity and operating temperature barriers need to be addressed before the technology can become commercially viable,” he explains. William and his advisor, professor Leon Shaw, have addressed technical barriers and made improvements to the operating characteristics of this storage system. One focus, he says, is the production of “uniform mixtures of sub-micron sized powders with internal defects, which dramatically improved the kinetic performance of the rate limiting diffusion controlled reaction.” Advancing the research further, William analyzed the stability of the nanostructured powders and explained how sub-micron powders could operate for extended periods above 70% of the melting temperature of the powder with only minimal microstructural growth. Reflecting on his selection to receive the bronze award, William says, “Although research on this particular materials system is complete, this award reinforces the importance of applying fundamentals of material science to technologically significant engineering problems. The field of energy materials is an exciting area for conducting this type of research.”

temperatures beyond the melting point of the metal blades. Only the insulating ceramic coatings keep them intact.” He remarked, “This is one of the cases where commercialization has outpaced science. Outstanding coatings have been developed, but we’re not certain how they function. We want to gain an atomic-level understanding of how these coatings protect the blades. If we can understand how they work, we can improve upon them.” Dr. Ramprasad’s research will span computational and modeling studies of the

coatings, which have properties of low thermal conductivity. Dr. Ramprasad received his Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Before joining UConn, he was employed with Motorola’s R&D laboratories at Tempe, AZ, as a Principal Staff Scientist. Earlier in the year, Dr. Ramprasad was awarded a Max Planck Society Fellowship for Distinguished Scientists.

Rampi Ramprasad continued from page 11

While at the Fritz-Haber-Institut, Dr. Ramprasad’s research will focus upon understanding—at a fundamental level— why ceramic coatings used on turbine blades are so effective in protecting the blades from the extremes of temperature, pressure and high-speed debris. Turbine blades are found in diverse applications, from jet engines to power plants. “Jet engines, for example, are subjected to extraordinary extremes of temperatures during flight, particularly during takeoff and landing. In fact, they are subjected to 14 [ CoMBinE ]

Alumni Inducted Into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers Two alumni, John Dresty, Jr. and Robert Klancko, were inducted into UConn’s Academy of Distinguished Engineers in 2009 and 2010. During gala events honoring the inductees, University leaders lauded the award recipients, noting “UConn has trained and educated countless dedicated engineers during the last century. And the impacts of that education are evident not only here in Connecticut but across the world, where our engineering alumni are making their mark in transformative and enduring ways.” The Academy of Distinguished Engineers at the University of Connecticut, founded in 2003, honors School of Engineering alumni whose careers are characterized by their sustained and exemplary contributions to the engineering profession through research, practice, education, policy or service. Members are individuals who bring enduring honor to their alma mater as practitioners and as citizens. They are elected and inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers yearly and play an important advisory role to the School of Engineering, providing: advice and counsel to the Dean, Department Heads, Center Directors, faculty and students; service as role models for undergraduate and graduate engineering students, thereby exemplifying and strengthening their commitment to standards of academic and professional excellence; and support, advice and counsel for the purpose of improving the School of Engineering development programs and in securing significant financial support for the School. Upon induction, each new member of the Academy of Distinguished Engineers is presented a handsome engraved plaque and a distinctive medallion. An engraved plaque listing all Academy of Distinguished Engineers and Distinguished Engineering Service Awardees inducted each year will be displayed permanently within the Information Technology Engineering Building.

JOHN DRESTY, JR. Year Inducted: 2009 Degree: (M.S. Metallurgy, ’71) Bio: John Dresty, Jr. is President and CEO of Clearwater Systems Corp. of Essex, CT, a company he founded in 1998 based upon his patented low-energy consuming, non-chemical water treatment technology. The company enjoys annual sales of nearly $10 million and employs 27 people. Mr. Dresty previously was Executive Director of the Environmental Research Institute at the University of Connecticut, where he managed R&D activities in environmental studies including site remediation, pollution prevention and recycling. Earlier in his career, Mr. Dresty served as President of UNC Reclamation, Inc. of Mulberry, FL, which extracts useful metal compounds from hazardous waste at the commercial scale. In 1979, he founded and served as President of Suisman Titanium Corp. based on his patented invention for titanium scrap recycling, which led to the re-use of 30 million pounds of strategic metal in engine and airframe manufacture. After earning his M.S. degree, Mr. Dresty worked in various engineering and managerial roles within United Nuclear Corp. He earned his B.S. in Materials Engineering from RPI and his J.D. at the University of Connecticut.

ROBERT J. KLANCKO Year Inducted: 2010 Degree: (B.S.E. Chemical Engineering/Nuclear Engineering,’67) Bio: Robert J. Klancko, P.E., CSP, CHCM, CHS-III Robert J. Klancko is a Partner in the consulting firm of Klancko & Klancko, LLC, of Woodbridge, CT, where his scope of responsibilities spans environmental, security and risk, educational, and materials processing aspects. Earlier in his career, Mr. Klancko served in environmental management roles with United Illuminating, Century Brass Products, and the Anaconda American Brass Company. He is a ranking member of the State Emergency Response Commission and a member of the State Nuclear Energy Advisory Council. Mr. Klancko was a co-founder and first chair of the University of Connecticut Engineering Alumni Society. Mr. Klancko was awarded the UConn School of Engineering’s Distinguished Service (1994) and Distinguished Engineering Alumni awards (1993). A member of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 2001, he received the Connecticut Materials Week’s—Materials Professional of the Year Award. He has been an adjunct faculty member at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Hartford since 1972. In addition, Mr. Klancko is a member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Environmental Forum and the New Haven Manufacturers Association, Executive Committee of the Southern Connecticut Chapter of the ASM International, and numerous others. WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 15

Chemical Engineering Faculty C. BARRY CARTER DEPARTMENT HEAD, MSE PROGRAM DIRECTOR Professor Interfaces & Defects, Ceramics Materials, TEM, AFM, Energy

GEORGE BOLLAS Assistant Professor Simulation of Energy Processes, Property Models Development

DOUG COOPER Professor & Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Regional Campuses Process Modeling & Control

CATO LAURENCIN Professor & Dean, UConn School of Medicine Advanced Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering, Biodegradable Polymers, Nanotechnology

YU LEI Assistant Professor Bionanotechnology, Bio/nanosensors, Bio/nanomaterials, Remediation

16 [ CoMBinE ]

JEFFREY MCCUTCHEON Assistant Professor Membrane Separations, Polymer Electrospinning, Forward Osmosis/Osmotic Power

WILLIAM MUSTAIN Assistant Professor Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, Aerobic Biocathodes for Oxygen Reduction, Electrochemical Kinetics & Ionic Transport

RICHARD PARNAS Associate Professor Biodiesel Power Generation, PEM Fuel Cell, Polymer Gels & Filled Polymers

LESLIE SHOR Assistant Professor Micro-scale Structures, Contaminant Fate & Transport in the Environment

RANJAN SRIVASTAVA Associate Professor Systems Biology & Metabolic Engineering

YONG WANG Assistant Professor Nanobiotechnology, Nanomedicine & Drug Delivery

BRIAN WILLIS CHEG PROGRAM DIRECTOR Associate Professor Nanotechnology, Molecular Electronics, Semiconductor Devices & Fuel Cells

Materials Science & Engineering Faculty MARK AINDOW

RAINER HEBERT

Professor Defects and Interfaces, Microstructural Development in Alloys and Thin Films, and Electron Microscopy

Assistant Professor Phase Transformations, Metals and Alloys, Metallic Glasses & Severe Plastic Deformation Processing

S. PAMIR ALPAY

BRYAN HUEY

Associate Professor Ferroic Materials, Thermodynamics & Kinetics of Phase Transformations, Conducting Oxides & Thin Film Deposition

Associate Professor Scanning Probe Microscopy, Nanoscience, Electronic Materials, Texture & Ceramics

HAROLD D. BRODY

THEODOULAS Z. KATTAMIS

Distinguished Professor Materials Processing, Alloy Casting and Solidification, & Process Models

Professor Solidification and Metals Joining, Materials Processing, Thin Coatings & Tribology

PUXIAN GAO

YUSEF KHAN

Assistant Professor Nanomaterials Synthesis and Characterization, Nanotechnology for Biomedical Applications

Joint Professor with Department of Orthopedic Surgery, UConn Health Center Tissue Engineering & Biocompatible & Biodegradable Scaffolds

WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 17

SANGAMESH KUMBAR Joint Professor with Department of Orthopedic Surgery, UConn Health Center Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery Applications

HARRIS MARCUS DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE OF MATERIALS SCIENCE Professor Freeform Fabrication, Mechanical Behavior, Fatigue, Nanotechnology & Photonic Crystals

LAKSHMI NAIR Joint Professor with Department of Orthopedic Surgery, UConn Health Center Injectable Hydrogels, Nanomaterials, Bioactive Biomaterials, Surface Modification, Tissue Engineering

GEORGE ROSSETTI, JR. Associate Professor Electroceramic Materials, Crystal Chemistry and Physics & Ceramic Processing Science

LEON SHAW Professor Nanomaterials, Coatings, Composites, Freeform Fabrications, & Hydrogen Storage Materials

PRABHAKAR SINGH DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR CLEAN ENERGY ENGINEERING Professor Fuel Cells & Energy

SYAM NUKAVARAPU Joint Professor with Department of Orthopedic Surgery, UConn Health Center Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering & Biomedical Nanotechnology

RAMPI RAMPRASAD Associate Professor Materials Modeling & Computation, Nanomaterials, Thin Films & Interfaces, Photonic Crystals & Meta-materials

18 [ CoMBinE ]

MEI WEI Associate Professor Biomaterials, Ceramics, Coatings & Composites

Major Graduate Education Awards MBE faculty and graduate students are among those who are benefitting from five U.S. Department of Education grants awarded to the School of Engineering since 2009. The three-year grants were made under the agency’s Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program and, with matching funds, total more than $1.16 million per year and support 25 graduate fellowships annually. The GAANN program is aimed at enhancing the nation’s technological competitiveness. UConn Provost Peter Nicholls hailed the news, saying “I congratulate the UConn teams on their remarkable success. The GAANN program is an important and prestigious one, and we are excited by the prospect of enlarging our engineering graduate programs to address strategic research and education in critical areas of science and technology.” The GAANN program provides fellowship grants to support U.S. citizens as they pursue their doctoral degrees in fields deemed to be “areas of national need.” Students from traditionally underrepresented populations, including women and minority populations, are a particular focus of the GAANN program.

THE FIVE WINNING MULTIDISCIPLINARY AWARDS WERE AS FOLLOWS: • A team of faculty researchers, headed by UTC Chair Professor of Computer Science & Engineering Sanguthevar Rajasekaran, and including Reda Ammar, Department Head of Computer Science & Engineering (CSE); Jun-Hong Cui, Assistant Dean for Graduate Research & Diversity; Ian Greenshields, associate professor of CSE; and Peter Luh, SNET Professor of Communications and Information Technologies, received support in 2010 for students conducting studies in the area of cloud computing. • A Storrs-UConn Health Center collaboration headed by CMBE associate professor Mei Wei, along with Jon Goldberg and Liisa Kuhn of the UConn Health Center’s Center for Regenerative Medicine & Skeletal Development, to support students conducting research in the area of biomaterials for tissue regeneration. • A team headed by Dean of Engineering Mun Y. Choi, engages graduate students in research involving advanced energy and environmental technologies, including fuel cells, solar power, waste-to-energy conversion, carbon sequestration and distributed power. • An effort headed by CSE Department Head and professor Reda Ammar, involves students in advanced computing research targeting biomedical informatics and underwater sensor networks. • Under the leadership of associate professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering John Chandy, a team is engaging graduate students in investigations of advanced computing security to strengthen financial, communications, transportation and defense systems.

Leon Shaw Awarded Three NSF Grants in 2009 is work in the red-hot area of nanotechnology has sparked three NSF-funded research awards for Dr. Leon Shaw, a professor in the Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering (CMBE) department. Of the three, one marries nano-materials with biomedical engineering. Working with Dr. Yong Wang, also of CMBE, Dr. Shaw will be developing a titanium/hydroxyapatite orthopedic implant designed to improve implant longevity and reduce the need for revision surgery, thus reducing long-term health care costs along with patient stress. Over 10 million Americans currently carry at least one major implanted medical device in their bodies. Due to their excellent corrosion resistance, uperior strength and biocompatibility, titanium and stainless steel alloys are the principal materials used in most medical implants. Despite these advantages, these alloys also carry major disadvantages: in many cases, their life expectancy is shorter than those of their wearers, prompting additional replacement implant surgeries. Furthermore, these titanium and steel alloys are unlikely to have the stability or fit of the original tissue, leading to rejection of the implant. While currently available implants may alleviate pain and allow patients to live active lives, there are often complications getting bone to attach to the metal devices. Small gaps between natural bone and the implant can expand over time, requiring the need for additional surgery to replace the implant (Nanowerk). Researchers are increasingly turning to nanotechnology

continued on page 20

WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 19

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Named a 2010 University Scholar u Han, a Chemical Engineering undergraduate student, has been selected as a 2010 University Scholar. University Scholars are second semester juniors and seniors who are motivated to get more from their undergraduate educations. Administered by the Honors Program, this highly-selective program offers motivated and academicallytalented students a variety of benefits including the flexibility to craft individualized

way, they have more freedom than is possible when following a regular undergraduate plan of study. All University Scholars engage in an intensive, focused university scholar project, culminating in a high-level piece of scholarship or creative accomplishment. Graduation as a

Graduation as a University Scholar is considered the highest academic honor the University bestows on undergraduate students. No more than thirty University Scholars are selected each year. plans of study during their last three semesters. Students select courses as part of a plan of study that enables them to focus on topics, issues, or concerns of particular relevance to their intellectual interests. With guidance from a faculty advisory committee, University Scholars may select curricula that are interdisciplinary or more in-depth investigations in a particular field. Either

University Scholar is considered the highest academic honor the University bestows on undergraduate students. No more than 30 University Scholars are selected each year. Lu’s project is entitled, Application of FTIR and Raman Spectroscopy for the Monitoring of Waste Oil Transesterification. Her general area of interest is in developing and promoting alternative energy. She is

interested in conducting biodiesel analytical research with spectroscopic methods. Spectroscopy gives a quick and reliable identification of compounds and does not destroy the chemical species. It has become a preferred method for measuring biodiesel quality for process control applications. Lu would like to establish correlations between biodiesel properties with their mid-infrared and Raman spectra, which will give the biodiesel industry an alternative method for analysis. She proposes to develop an in-line measurement system for monitoring the reactor performance of the conversion of waste oil into biodiesel, allowing commercial producers to maximize their productivity. Lu attended Cheshire High School, where she was primarily interested in math and science and active in the Environmental Club and cross-country team. In the future, Lu hopes to contribute toward helping meet the world’s energy and petrochemical demands.

Leon Shaw continued from page 19

for solutions. To overcome many of the problems associated with metallic implants, numerous efforts have been made by research organizations and commercial companies to develop orthopedic implants that have a bioactive surface to promote cellular adhesion and bony in-growth. In other words, efforts have been made to create a stable fit that more resembles the original tissue, thus eliminating the need for additional surgery to repair the damages or gaps. The two most widely used methods involve the application of either hydroxyapatite (HA) or porous titanium (Ti) coatings to implant surfaces. The problem is that Ti is not bioactive, whereas HA coatings could delaminate during service. With this in mind, Drs. Shaw and Wang have geared their project toward the development of a

20 [ CoMBinE ]

new family of functionally graded, porous implant materials with a hierarchy of engineered microstructures. This new family of orthopedic implants will address all the issues encountered by applying either HA or porous Ti coatings and will be fabricated through a novel solid freeform fabrication method developed in Dr. Shaw’s laboratory. This new family of orthopedic implants is the first of its kind to pair a Ti-rich core and a HA-rich surface with a controlled level of micro- and macro-porosity never produced before. Dr. Shaw’s other NSF grants are also collaborative efforts. For one, Dr. Shaw will be teaming with Kennametal, Inc., a global leader in hard metal technology. This project is aimed at the development of innovative manufacturing methods that can produce novel materials with superior

mechanical properties derived from nanocrystalline powder. This collaboration will ensure that the research is relevant to the hard metal industry and that the results will be disseminated to end users. The third research project is in collaboration with Dr. Mahmoud Zawrah, a researcher from the National Research Center in Cairo, Egypt. Together, they are looking at the processing and fabrication of nano-Si3N4 and SiC composites using the waste material, silica fume, as the starting material. If successful, this project will lead to advancements in the production of large quantities of high purity nano-composite powders and sintered (or densified) Si3N4/SiC components from silica fume in a reproducible, precise and economical fashion.

Congratulations to Our 2010 Graduates and Winners CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CLASS OF 2010 B.S. UNDERGRADUATES Bugg, Domingo Maurice Carella, Michael J. Chartier, Casey Daniel Crowl, Michael Patrick Deveau, Ryan James Dobbs, Timothy Spenser Donohue, David John Durelli, Justin Louis Esposito, Craig Joseph Fink, Lindsey Helen Fitzpatrick, Katelyn M. Friedman, Abraham Ezra Honda, Gregory Samuel Lapointe, Andrew LaTour, Andrew Mark Lewis, Ricardo K. McCarthy, Regina C. Patel, Abhishek V. Pelligra, Candice I. Reynolds, Jennifer Lauren Smith, Shawna Sunshine Snipes, Matthew Peter Tao, Emily Vardoulis, Stacy Zinski, Joseph Michael

PH.D. RECIPIENTS Student: Angela Moreno Title: “Thermally Integrated Ceramic Microreactors for Hydrogen Production” Advisor: Benjamin Wilhite Student: Jing Dong Title: “The Effect of Thiolated Additives on the Properties of Wheat Gluten Based Plastics, Aqueous Solution and Electrospun Fibers“ Advisor: Richard Parnas

MASTER’S RECIPIENTS Student: Steven Unker Title: “Optimization Study on Novel Continuous Flow Biodiesel Reactor / Separator, Varying Temperature, Residence Time, and Orientation” Advisor: Richard Parnas

Student: Jianjun Miao Title: “Supermolecular Self-Assembly of Discotic Liquid Crystalline Supermolecules“ Advisor: Lei Zhu Student: Paul Brooker Title: “The Effect of the Addition of Silicontungstic Acid to the Electrodes of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells” Advisor: Richard Parnas

MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING GRADUATES B.S. UNDERGRADUATES Balzano, Thomas John Brown, Jason J. Dew, Nathaniel Ferguson Fonseca, Shawn Couceiro Harris, Michael James Koplar, Joseph Thomas Lavorato, Pasquale F. Nelson, Gregory William Rivers, Nicholas Paul Sartori, Christian Scalise, Robert Sean Trumbull, Elizabeth Ashton Zimmer, Brian Gerald

PH.D. RECIPIENTS Student: Tippawan Markmaitree Title: Mechanical Activation and Thermodynamic Destabilization of the Lithium Amide and Lithium Hydride System Advisor: Prof. Leon Shaw

MASTER’S RECIPIENTS Student: Jyothi Suri Title: Necking Instability of Cu-Ni Multilayers During Accumulative Roll Bonding Advisor: Prof. Rainer Hebert

Student: Chunguang Tang Title: First Principles Study of Point Defects in HfO2 and Si:HfO2 Interfaces Advisor: Prof. Rampi Ramprasad

Student: Kyle Crosby Title: Studies in Lithium Borohydride-based Solid State Hydrogen Storage Materials Advisor: Leon Shaw

MSE CAPSTONE SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT FINAL PRESENTATION Congratulations to this year’s MSE Capstone Senior Design Project Final Presentation Winners! First Place Tie Between 2 Teams. Each team receives $1000!

Student: Jeffrey Riesterer Brief Title: Optimization of the Thermal Treatment Process to Control the Austenite Reversion in Maraging 250 Steel Industry Sponsor: Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Industry Advisor: Dr. Agnieszka Wusatowka-Sarnek Faculty Advisor: Prof. Mark Aindow

Student Team: Shawn Fonseca, and Nicholas Carroll Brief Title: Design and Test a Magnetic Shape Memory Actuator Industry Sponsor: General Electric Industry Advisor: Thomas Papallo Faculty Advisor: Prof. Pamir Alpay WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 21

Yong Wang Is Awarded NSF CAREER Award ong Wang, an assistant professor of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering, has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Early Career Development (CAREER) Award to conduct research aimed at creating a new generation of tissue-like biomaterials using chemical

natural ECMs provide cells with mechanical support and physical stimuli, emit soluble biochemical signals stimulating such factors as growth, and interact with cell receptors located surfaces of surrounding cells. For his CAREER work, Dr. Wang will construct artificial ECMs with multiple

Biomaterials that can replicate complex functions of natural tissues will not only provide a deeper insight into biological systems, but also offer a variety of applications such as tissue repair or organ regeneration. and biomolecular engineering tools. His nearly $480,000 award was made through NSF's Division of Materials Research. Dr. Wang explained that “Biomaterials that can replicate complex functions of natural tissues will not only provide a deeper insight into biological systems, but also offer a variety of applications such as tissue repair or organ regeneration.” A core challenge in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is the creation of novel materials that are capable of mimicking the complex structures and functionality of human tissues. To do so, Dr. Wang intends to first investigate the ability of multifunctional hydrogels— water-insoluble polymer chains—to mimic the functionality of extracellular matrices (ECMs), the defining feature of animal connective tissue. According to Dr. Wang,

defined components. For instance, the natural polysaccharides (chain sugars) will be used to synthesize the fundamental structure of the hydrogel. Polysaccharides are found in all organic life forms, including human connective tissues and cartilage. One quality that makes them particularly attractive is the fact that, as organic chains, they break down and are absorbed or excreted by the body. This enhances the likelihood that the human body will accept them as “normal.” To create hydrogels that are biologically functional, Dr. Wang will incorporate nucleic acid aptamers, multifunctional linkers, growth factors, and ions into the hydrogel, thereby “engineering” a single complex unit. He will apply diverse molecular recognition principles as a tool to achieve this aim. Dr. Wang noted that his recent

research findings demonstrate that the molecular recognition between aptamers and growth factors can be used to mimic the sustained-release function of the extracellular matrix. By integrating these defined components into the hydrogel network, he said, the engineered hydrogel will be capable of sending and receiving messages to/from cells located within and outside of the hydrogel. Eventually, Dr. Wang hopes that the multifunctional tissue-like hydrogel can be used to grow tissue ex vivo or to stimulate the growth or repair of human tissues in vivo. Dr. Wang, who received his Ph.D. from Duke University in 2004 and joined UConn in 2006, received funding from the State of Connecticut’s Stem Cell Initiative last year to investigate gene silencing in human embryonic stem cells. He is also collaborating on research aimed at developing artificial antibodies capable of locating and destroying tumors, and with Dr. Leon Shaw (CMBE) on the development of titanium/hydroxyapatite orthopedic implants.

Above: Synthesized antibody-like nanomedicines for cancer therapy and diagnosis. Yong Wang in his lab.

22 [ CoMBinE ]

2010 Commencement ommencement at the University of Connecticut is a time of ceremony and pageantry, a time for marking academic achievements, and a time to begin the next step in life. On May 9, 2010, family and friends gathered to witness the formal completion of college degrees, an annual rite that marks students’ individual accomplishments. The CMBE Department was well represented at the 2010 School of Engineering Commencement Ceremony. Ranjan Srivastava, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, acted as the Platform Personal Marshal and was followed by many other faculty participants, including Leon Shaw (Student Marshal), Benjamin Wilhite (Student Marshal), Rampi Ramprasad, Leslie Shor, Jeffrey McCutcheon and Department Head, Barry Carter. This year’s Student Commencement Speaker, Andrew LaTour, was a Chemical Engineering graduate. He was chosen out of six scholars through a selection process that entailed a written submission of his speech as well as an in person presentation. All candidates were judged on content and presentation skills. Andrew was selected because his “message was down to earth,” says Brian Schwarz, Director of Advising. Both Chemical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering programs at the University of Connecticut provides its graduates with a secure foundation upon which they can build their professional and academic careers. This year’s graduates are no exception. Many will be pursuing challenging positions in the corporate and academic arenas. Some of our 2010 class will explore the world; others will start new careers in Connecticut. Here is a small example of where our graduates will engage in their next great accomplishments.

Chemical Engineering Graduates Left to Right Casey Chartier, Andrew LaTour, Matthew Snipes, Gregory Honda. Photos by Orlando Echevarria.

• • • • • • • • • • •

Westinghouse Electric Company Unilever United Technologies Corporation Power MPR Sikorski Aircraft Corporation Logos Technologies 3M Purdue University Yale University University of Pennsylvania University of Connecticut

WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU | 23

Non-Profit Org. US Postage Paid Permit 3 Storrs, CT 06269

Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering 191 Auditorium Road, Unit 3222 Storrs, CT 06269-3222 Address service requested

Third Annual Hartford Area Materials Camp he Hartford chapter of ASM International recently organized the third Hartford Area Materials Camp, which took place within the Institute of Materials Science at UConn on April 12. With 69 students and six teachers from the University High School of Science and Engineering, Hartford Public High School's Academy of Engineering and Green Technology, and Wilbur Cross CT Scholars Academy, the number of students exceeded the participation of the two previous camps. The aim of the half-day camp is to introduce materials science and engineering to high-school students. According to the teachers, the opportunity to visit a university campus and to interact with college students and faculty has a very positive impact on the students.

24 [ CoMBinE ]

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s camp featured eight learning stations that were staffed by industry representatives and UConn faculty as well as graduate students. The learning stations included a wide variety of materials science and engineering aspects, including casting and heat treating, welding and shape memory alloys. Over 20 MSE undergraduate and graduate students volunteered for this camp as tour learning station assistants. In addition, the UConn Material Advantage Chapter showcased selected demos from their outreach collection. For the first time, more schools were interested in participating in the camp than the facilities and stations would allow, and a fourth camp is therefore planned for the near future.