Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering COMBINE by Christopher LaRosa

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Winterstein Lands Fulbright Scholarship page 19

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

CHEMICAL, MATERIALS & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING

FEATURES 4

Engineering Faculty Awarded Grants for Health Center Collaborations

Hartford Chapter of ASM Holds Materials Camp Claire Weiss Wins SMART Scholarship

Engineering Students Help Rebuild New Orleans

Research Update: New Faculty Members

Chemical Engineering Faculty

Materials Science & Engineering Faculty Some articles appearing herein are reprinted with permission from UConn Engineering’s e-news page. Visit www.engr.uconn.edu for more news.

Outstanding Student Transforms Tragedy into Triumph page 16

Carter Selected a MRS Fellow

Two CMBE Faculty Elected to CASE

ChE 50th Anniversary

Materials Science & Engineering Students Inducted into Alpha Sigma Mu

Brody Receives 2009 Chalmers Award

Laurencin Wins Pierre Galletti Award

MSE Graduate Student Selected for Internship Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research

Congratulations to This Year’s MSE Program Capstone Senior Design Project Final Presentation Winners!

Wang Awarded State Grant for Stem Cell Research

Materials Science & Engineering Class of 2009

Piezoelectric Materials and Devices

Engineering When Nanometers Count

Alpay Receives United Technologies Corporation Professor in Engineering Innovation Award

Chemical Engineering Class of 2009

Message from the Department Head

Multi-Tasker Extraordinaire: James Bosse

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CONTENTS

Biofuel Team Holds Workshops

Chemical Engineering Welcomes Its 5th New Faculty Member this Year

Mustain Receives 2009 Alumni Award for Outstanding Young Alumni from IIT

McEvily Admitted to the IFC Class of 2009 Fellows

Chemical Engineering Program Features Edwin Lightfoot in Distinguished Lectureship

2009 Scholarships and Awards

Message from the Department Head e have experienced another year of change in CMBE, but are very well positioned to move ahead in spite of the State’s economic difficulties. Our new faculty, Cato Laurencin, Jeff McCutcheon, Bill Mustain, George Rossetti, Prabhakar Singh and Brian Willis, have all settled in and we are looking forward to welcoming our new Assistant Professor, Leslie Shor, in August. Twenty-six tenured or tenure-track faculty have their principal home in the department: 11 core faculty in Chemical Engineering (ChE) and 13 core faculty in Materials Science & Engineering (MSE), with the Head and Cato completing the team. Despite Dr. Laurencin’s busy schedule, as the Dean of the Medical School and Vice President for Health Affairs, his research activities continue to span both of our programs as he showed in his department seminar this year. By visiting our web site, you will see that we have also begun to expand our Biomolecular focus. Mei Wei and Ranjan Srivastava lead our Biomolecular research area, with four colleagues having joint appointments in Orthopaedic Surgery, two more in Biomaterials at the UConn Health Center, and Yu Lei, Yong Wang and Monty Shaw actively involved. Our Biomolecular Science & Engineering focus brings together bioengineering and biomaterials for students, with the great advantage of receiving an ABET-accredited degree in ChE or MSE. Our emeritus faculty remain active: Tom Anderson teaches in ChE; Bob Coughlin serves on the PTR Committee; Mike Cutlip continues to help with Polymath classes (his book is in its 2nd edition); Mike Howard remains a unique part of the Senior Lab experience; Art McEvily is still very active in research; Don Potter has replaced the XRD units and updated both the SEM and the TEMs for our seniors. Our Materials Advantage Student Chapter (ACerS, TMS, ASM and AIST) was named one of the five national Chapters of Excellence for the second time. Our student chapters of AIChE, MRS, Omega Chi Epsilon and Alpha Sigma Mu remain very active, with two ChE students winning poster awards in Philadelphia. Jonathan Winterstein, an MSE graduate student, won a Fulbright Award, which will take him to Graz, Austria, for nine months.

[ CoMBinE ] CoMBinE is published for the alumni, faculty, students, corporate supporters and friends of the Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut. Suggestions and information are welcome. Send correspondence and address corrections to: Katrice@engr.uconn.edu WRITERS/EDITORS

Nan R. Cooper Katrice Duell Kristina Goodnough GRAPHIC DESIGN/PHOTOGRAPHY

Christopher LaRosa University Communications CONTRIBUTOR

Doug Cooper

Research funding has already started to increase; I’ll just illustrate the breadth of our research with a few examples. Jeff McCutcheon and Prabhakar Singh received funding for their program linking energy and clean water. Prabhakar also received new support and samples from Rolls Royce. Bryan Huey was awarded an NSF Materials World Network grant to study phase-change memory devices. Yong Wang was the only Engineering faculty member to receive support from the State’s 2009 Stem Cell program for his work on hybrid peptide/RNA molecules for safe and efficient gene silencing in human embryonic stem (ES) cells. George Rossetti also received new funding from the Department of Homeland Security. Our graduate programs continue to remain busy. Our practice-oriented Master of Engineering (MENG) program including ChE and MSE courses brings a classroom experience directly to United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney employees as well as bringing students from these and other companies back to campus. In fall 2009, we will welcome another 25 new CMBE Ph.D. students. We were sorry that Lei Zhu decided to leave the green fields of UConn for the big city of Cleveland. Bob Weiss and Monty Shaw both retired from UConn this summer after 28 and 31 years, respectively! Monty plans to stay with us, spending more time on his writing and research activities. Finally, a few statistics! Last year, the faculty published 141 refereed journal articles (up 39% over last year) and 138 conference papers; we had 128 active research grants (up 30%); we advised 74 Ph.D. students (up 20%) and 42 M.S. students. Our department was also home to 273 undergraduates (up 12%). As you see, both ChE and MSE continue to flourish at UConn. We invite all our friends and alumni, in particular, to visit and see for themselves, especially before work on the new Engineering building begins! Dr. C. Barry Carter Department Head

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Engineering Faculty Awarded Grants for Health Center Collaborations he University awarded grants to 11 multi-disciplinary research teams, of which four include engineering faculty members. The one-year start-up grants were made under a new UConn Health Center/Storrs and Regional Campus Incentive Grants (UCIG) program aimed at nurturing interdisciplinary research collaborations that are seen as having long-term promise and a strong potential for attracting significant external funding after the seed money concludes. The average funding level was $50,000.

professor in Chemical Engineering—along with UConn Health Center colleagues, principal investigator Rajesh Lalla of Oral Health & Diagnostic Sciences, Leslie Loew of Cell Biology and Douglas Peterson, Oral Health & Diagnostic Sciences—will investigate severe oral lesions, dubbed “mucositis,” that arise when cancer patients are undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The ulcers, said Dr. Srivastava, are quite painful and substantially compromise nutrition and oral hygiene

We were very pleased with the quality of the proposals and are excited with the potential that this competition has to stimulate creative, innovative and interdisciplinary scholarly activities. According to Suman Singha, Senior Vice Provost and Interim Vice President for Research, the UCIG program was developed to promote inter-campus research collaborations among researchers at the UConn Health Center and other UConn campuses. Commenting on the quality of Ranjan Srivastava submissions, Dr. Singha said “We were very pleased with the quality of the proposals and are excited with the potential that this competition has to stimulate creative, innovative and interdisciplinary scholarly activities.” Two of the awards went to faculty in CMBE: Ranjan Srivastava and Robert Weiss. Ranjan Srivastava, an associate

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as well as increase risk for infections. He said that cancer patients experiencing oral mucositis can develop significant clinical complications, including dose reduction of their chemotherapy or interruption of radiation therapy, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the primary cancer treatment. Currently, there are few options for patients afflicted with mucositis. Dr. Srivastava and his colleagues seek to develop effective treatment modalities. “Our overall goal is to use detailed computational models derived from clinical and laboratory data to design new treatment strategies that minimize the severity of this important toxicity,” he said. “These models may enable us to maximize drug efficiency (that is, the cancer treatment) while minimizing mucosal injuries.”

Hartford Chapter of ASM Holds Materials Camp he Hartford chapter of ASM International organized the second Hartford Area Materials Camp, which took place at UConn on April 13. The half-day Materials Camps aim to introduce Materials Science & Engineering to high-school students. For this second camp, 24 high school students and six teachers from the Annual Multicultural Business Youth Educational Services Embarkment (AMBYESE), Yes I Can! Program and Hartford Public High School’s Academy of Engineering and Green Technology were exposed to a variety of hands-on demonstrations. They included brazing, heat-treatment, casting, and metal forming. Over 20 MSE undergraduate and graduate students volunteered for this camp as tour-guides or assistants at the different learning stations. The overwhelmingly positive response from the attendees has motivated the ASM Hartford chapter to consider a third camp in 2010.

Claire Weiss Wins SMART Scholarship laire Weiss, a doctoral student in Materials Science & Engineering, has won a coveted scholarship under the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program. Claire was one of approximately 200 students to capture the competitive award, from among 1,500 applicants. She is advised by Dr. Pamir Alpay, an associate professor in the Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering Department. Under the SMART scholarship, Claire will receive sponsorship from the U.S. Army, which will also provide her summer research opportunities and mentoring throughout the course of her degree program. On receiving news of the award, Claire said “I’m really excited, because the SMART scholarship gives me the opportunity to do research at a wonderful facility—the Army Research Laboratory (ARL)—and also to work in a great job with ARL after I graduate.” Managed by the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the SMART program is administered jointly by the American Society for Engineering Education and NPS. It was created as a means to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working in Department of Defense laboratories. Claire is a member of the Functional Materials Group, and her research

focuses on the deposition, characterization, and electrical testing of complex oxide thin films for applications in tunable devices, such as phase shifter arrays for electrically steerable antennas. Claire is particularly interested in thin films based on barium strontium titanate (Ba{x}Sr{1-x}TiO{3}) or BST. BST is considered a top candidate for use in tunable microwave devices because of its highly non-linear dielectric response to applied electric field. Her current research is exploring many methods to improve the dielectric properties of BST thin films, such as using compositional grading to minimize the temperature dependence and doping to lower the loss. Tunable microwave devices are used in a broad range of commercial and military applications, from communications devices, therapeutic medicine and heating to GPS navigation systems, automobiles and satellite-based systems. Claire’s research is currently being funded by the U.S. Army Research Office and a Phase II SBIR sub-contract from SMI, Inc.

Claire Weiss deposits a precursor solution onto a substrate in the spin-coater machine. The spin-coater spins the substrate and the solution at a high speed to evenly coat the substrate and create a uniform thickness film.

Brody Receives 2009 Chalmers Award istinguished Professor of Materials Science & Engineering Harold Brody was recently honored by TMS, the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, which presented him the 2009 Bruce Chalmers Award for outstanding contributions in the field of solidification science. Dr. Brody received the award in recognition for his “seminal contributions to microsegregation and back diffusion during dendritic solidification, in situ composites and peritectic solidification, and computer modeling of solidification processing.” Dr. Chalmers (1907-1990), regarded as the father of solidification science, was a famed applied physics professor at Harvard University, whose research was instrumental in advancing the electronics and microelectronics industries. For Dr. Brody, the Chalmers Award is a very personal honor. “Bruce Chalmers was a pioneer in solidification research. He was renowned for his ability to look at a complex process, recognize the most important Harold Brody, elements, and explain their inter- Distinguished Professor of Materials Science action in a simple and Engineering, works manner. As a with liquid aluminum graduate student in his lab. at MIT, I was fortunate to belong to a research group overseen by Professor Merton Flemings, who collaborated with Dr. Chalmers. They regularly brought their research groups together for seminars, including some presented by Dr. Chalmers.

continued on page 9 Photo by Frank Dahlmeyer

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Laurencin Wins Pierre Galletti Award D r. Cato T. Laurencin is the 2009 winner of the Pierre Galletti Award, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering's (AIMBE) highest honor. Dr. Laurencin, who holds both an M.D. and a Ph.D., is Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Dean of the UConn School of Medicine and a faculty member in the department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering in Storrs. The Galletti Award recognizes contributions to public awareness of medical and biological engineering and to promotion of the national interest in science, engineering and education. The AIMBE cites Laurencin’s “seminal contribution to tissue engineering and international leadership in biomedical engineering.” In receiving the award, Dr. Laurencin said “I am both honored and humbled to receive the Pierre Galletti Award. The award is really a tribute to those instrumental in

my success in the field: Dr. Robert Langer, my Ph.D. adviser and lifelong mentor, my many great students, and of course my wonderful family.” Dr. Laurencin holds the Health Center's Van Dusen Endowed Chair in Academic Medicine Center and is a professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. He earned dual degrees in 1987: a Ph.D. in biochemical engineering/biotechnology from MIT and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School. His latest work uses polymer-based drug-delivery systems and nanotechnology to enhance bone and tissue regeneration. Dr. Laurencin has received numerous honors, including election to the Institute of Medicine, the Presidential Faculty Fellowship Award from President Clinton, the William Grimes Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the Leadership in Technology Award from the New Millennium Foundation. Last year, he was named among “100 Chemical Engineers of the Modern Era” by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

MSE Graduate Student Selected for Internship Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research dam Heitmann, MSE graduate student, has been selected to participate in the Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP). Adam was one of 61 graduate students to be chosen for this opportunity through a competitive process. All participants will be engaged in research at a Department of Navy (DoN) laboratory throughout the summer, beginning June 2009. As part of the program, Adam will receive support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to pursue a portion of his doctoral thesis work at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NOWC) in Newport, RI. The NREIP intern selection process carries an affiliation with the American Society for Engineering Education and is based upon

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academic achievement, personal statements, letters of recommendation, and career and research interests. Adam received his B.S. degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Materials Science and Engineering. His research is conducted under the direction of his advisor, Dr. George Rossetti, and involves the development and application of a thermodynamic model to guide the design of single crystal piezoelectric transducer materials. The project that Adam will execute during his 10-week research project at NOWC, in collaboration with his advisor and his Navy Laboratory mentor, is entitled “Design and Modeling of High Power Density Acoustic Transducer Materials for Autonomous Undersea Vehicles.”

Biofuel Team Holds Workshops D

rs. Richard Parnas (Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering) and James Stuart (Chemistry) presented two workshops in January before audiences of high school chemistry instructors, at the request of the New England Association of Chemistry Teachers. The visitors, from schools across Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, were introduced to the production and testing methods for biofuel processing using spent cooking oil. Dr. Parnas, director of the University's Biofuel Consortium and a member of the Polymer Program, said 20 teachers and five other attendees participated in the workshops to learn how they may construct small-scale demonstration reactors or integrate a learning module on biofuels into their chemistry lab courses. The Biofuel Consortium comprises students and professors across the University who share an interest in stimulating a biofuels industry within the state. In the consortium laboratory, researchers convert waste cooking oil collected from UConn dining facilities into clean-running fuel for the University's campus bus fleet. The team seeks to develop a large-scale reactor, and to introduce process improvements and alternative feedstocks aimed at making the process more cost-efficient. During the sessions, Dr. Stuart demonstrated the core ASTM tests—including chromatography, cloud point, flash point, acid number and viscosity metrics—used to assess biodiesel quality. Undergraduate Chemical Engineering students Steve Unker and Alyssa Midgette assisted in the presentations and laboratory demonstrations.

Chemical Engineering Welcomes Its 5th New Faculty Member this Year

r. Leslie M. Shor has joined UConn as an assistant professor in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University where she is a Research Assistant Professor. Dr. Shor received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She maintains vigorous research relating directly to air and water pollution. She has focused on how micro-scale structures of soil and sediment impacts particle-scale contaminant desorption and bioavailability. Dr. Shor’s dissertation work helped establish the importance of microporosity and vascular plant carbon on sequestration and bioavailability of PAHs in harbor sediment. This work resulted in eight publications, including three in Environmental Science & Technology. Her research to develop the EcoChip, a micro-structured microbial habitat array, has received significant support from NSF. This work employs microfluidic devices and a systems biology approach to develop integrated instrumentation to better understand microbial communities. Dr. Shor exhibits tremendous leadership through her advisement of Vanderbilt’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE). In 2007, she was also the recipient of the Vanderbilt SWE Faculty Appreciation Award.

Mustain Receives 2009 Alumni Award for Outstanding Young Alumni from Illinois Institute of Technology hemical Engineering assistant professor, voted upon by students in the chemical William Mustain was awarded the and biological engineering department. Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the Dr. Mustain has also been involved in Illinois Institute of Technology on Friday community service projects with his wife, May 1, 2009. Leeann. “I enjoy volunteering. My wife This award is given and I built two houses while in Atlanta with to individuals who Habitat for Humanity. It’s important for us have excelled to give back because we both know what it’s beyond their peers like to grow up with meager means.” in leadership, Raised in a troubled neighborhood in professional success Chicago, Dr. Mustain attended IIT as a and selfless service Heald Scholar. Dedicated to encouraging to their community or university. Recipients all students, regardless of background, to be are selected by previous Outstanding Young successful, he told his story during a Alumni Winners. celebration of IIT's Collens Scholarship Dr. Mustain received both his B.S. and Program in 2007. his Ph.D. degrees from Illinois Institute of “I want to be able to play an active role Technology in 2002 and 2006, respectively. with underserved kids in the community. He has made significant contributions to Currently, I’m working with the Hartford fuel cell research, I want to be able to play an active role specifically in the with underserved kids in the community... area of polymer electrolyte memI would like to establish a scholarship program. brane (PEM) fuel I want to pioneer something. cells. His research has been published in 10 journal articles, Public Schools to give underserved students 20 conference presentations, two proceeding a chance to come to UConn for a day of papers and four patent disclosures. In 2004, science, energy, and engineering workshops. Dr. Mustain was awarded the Hamid Ultimately, I would like to establish a Arastoopour Excellence in Teaching Award scholarship program. I want to pioneer for Teaching Assistant of the Year at IIT, something.”

McEvily Admitted to the IFC Class of 2009 Fellows meritus Professor, Arthur McEvily has been welcomed into the International Congress on Fracture (IFC), Class of 2009 IFC Fellows. Professor McEvily is recognized “for his contributions to the understanding of fatigue mechanisms and processes in structural alloys.” He was officially honored at the 12th International Conference on Fracture in Ottawa Canada on July 17, 2009. The IFC began 44 years ago to highlight individual and national accomplishments in the general fields of Fracture Mechanics, Material Strength and Structural Integrity. quantitative basis.

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Chemical Engineering Program Features Edwin Lightfoot in Distinguished Lectureship n April 20th and 21st, the Chemical Engineering Program was proud to feature Edwin N. Lightfoot, Jr., as the speaker in the 2009 Frontiers in Chemical Engineering Distinguished Lectureship. During his visit, Prof. Lightfoot presented two seminars. The first was a Technology and Society Lecture entitled “Two Sides of the Coin: What Can Modern Biology Add to ‘Classical’ Chemical Engineering.” The second was a Technical Lecture, “Transport Phenomena and Evo Devo.” Prof. Lightfoot is the Hilldale Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Professor Lightfoot is a world leader in the areas of masstransport reaction modeling, biological mass-transfer processes and separations processes. He helped establish one of the fundamental pillars of Chemical Engineering when he, along with colleagues Robert Bird and Warren Stewart, published their seminal text, Transport Phenomena. Prof. Lightfoot has made numerous contributions in a variety of areas related to chemical engineering, biochemical engineering, and biotechnology, including the recovery and purification of vitamin B12, the study of multicomponent diffusion in living systems, the effects of mass transfer in the microcirculation, and the study of diabetes and its response to insulin. Prof. Lightfoot has been recognized with numerous honors for the caliber of the work he has accomplished and the impact he has had. Among his many awards, he has received honorary doctorates from the Technical University of Denmark and from the Technical University of Norway where he was also a Fulbright Research

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Scholar in 1962. He is a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. More recently, Prof. Lightfoot received the National Medal of Science for Engineering bestowed by the President of the United States “For vigorous and sustained leadership in developing the fields of biochemical and biomedical engineering, particularly in the areas of blood oxygenation, oxygen diffusion into tissue, mathematical modeling of biological pathways, bioseparations and studies of diabetic responses.” Prof. Lightfoot received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 1947, followed by his Ph.D. in 1951. After working at Pfizer briefly, Professor Lightfoot joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin in 1953 where he has been ever since. The University of Connecticut Chemical Engineering Program established the Frontiers in Chemical Engineering Lectureship in 2002. The lectureship was established with two distinct purposes: to recognize outstanding accomplishments

2009 Scholarships and Awards ANONYMOUS DONOR LEARNING MENTORSHIP PROGRAM Kelly L. Bertolaccini (MSE Senior) David N. Plamondon (CHEG Freshman) Jennifer L. Reynolds (CHEG Junior) ASM HARTFORD CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP Kathryn S. Czaja (MSE/CHEG Senior) Joseph Rajan (MSE Junior) AT&T SCHOLARSHIP Meghan E. McGuire (CHEG Junior) BAYER EUROTECH SCHOLARSHIP Jeffrey R. Gagnon (MSE/GERMAN Senior)

THE BORGHESI FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP John R. Varkonda (CHEG Sophomore) RICHARD D. CAVANAUGH SCHOLARSHIP Jeffrey R. Gagnon (MSE Senior) CHEMICAL ENGINEERING ALUMNI SCHOLAR Jane E. Bugbee (CHEG Senior) and developments in chemical technology, and to share the excitement of engineering science and technology with a broad audience. In various years, the Frontiers Lectureship will recognize 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.

ENGINEERING OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD James L. Bosse (MSE Senior) Kyle R. Hawley GE ADVANCED MATERIALS ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Cynthia B. Beachman (CHEG Junior) Domingo M. Bugg (CHEG Senior) Emily A. Cole (CHEG Sophomore) RASHID HAMID SCHOLARSHIP Emily M. Anderson (CHEG Sophomore) continued on page 10

Hal Brody continued from page 5

Listening to him speak and discuss his research, I was impressed by his skill in translating the difficult into simple terms. He was a model for what a great professor should be. I’m probably one of the last people to receive the award who was influenced directly by Dr. Chalmers.” “As I built my own academic career,” he remarked, “I always tried to emulate the way he taught and thought. So it was especially poignant for me to be nominated by my former graduate students and to be selected by a panel of prior Chalmers Award recipients.” Solidification science is the study of the processes by which materials change from a liquid to a solid state. Dr. Brody explained that countless everyday objects, from highend cookware, sculpture, turbine blades, and automotive components to bicycle frames, are produced using a solidification process in the manufacturing sequence. Dr. Brody’s research has focused on the solidification of alloys. To make an alloy, metallurgists may heat two or more elements to a liquid phase, mix them together at a proportion that provides a uniform solution, and transfer the molten alloy to a mold where it solidifies in a manner that produces desired properties in the cast product. Dr. Brody said, Think of tea. Hot tea accepts more sugar than iced tea, with the sugar remaining bound in solution, to a critical tipping point: the solubility limit. When sweetened hot tea is cooled, sugar crystals can begin to form as precipitates. The solid crystals are richer in sugar than the sweetened liquid tea. When we blend metals in an alloy, the alloying elements, in general, are more soluble in the liquid than the solid phase.” He continued, “Solidification takes place over a range of temperatures, and the composition of the solid differs from the composition of the liquid from which it forms. Typically, to efficiently redistribute alloying elements between the liquid and solid phases, the solidifying crystalline solid develops tree-like, highly branched structures called dendrites.” The distinctive “jack frost” that forms on windows in winter is a familiar example of dendritic crystal formation. According to Dr. Brody, one of Dr. Chalmers’ principal contributions was in understanding how to solidify alloys to achieve a smooth, unbranched interface between the solid and the liquid that yields

a nearly defect-free structure, providing superior properties in semiconducting and magnetic materials. In contrast, much of Dr. Brody’s work has focused on fostering and manipulating dendritic solidification to attain premium properties in structural materials. Recent work relates to the casting and thermal treatment of engine blocks for the automotive industry. With support from an automotive consortium led by General Motors and the Department of Energy, Dr. Brody and colleagues are developing computer aided routines that simulate the evolution of dendritic structures. The results will be applied in the design and manufacture of high-quality components. To achieve this goal, he said, he and his team must discover and understand the behavior of complex commercial alloys and develop a practical database of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of different materials. “We can manipulate the process by altering temperature and time, using different compositions, applying electromagnetic fields, etc. We try to understand exactly how the dendritic patterns form so we can control the microstructure. If we look at an alloy with the naked eye, it may look perfectly smooth and uniform. Using optical

things we do to increase strength result in a reduction in ductility. Controlling the dendrite structure and heat treatment is one of a few things we can do to simultaneously increase strength and ductility. We try to achieve a balance and also to consider cost.” Dr. Brody and his collaborators have also applied Professor Chalmers’ principles to suppressing dendrite formation during the directional solidification of complex alloys and ceramics, including peritectic phases. “The high temperature superconducting compounds are peritectic systems; that is, during solidification some of the liquid phase and some of the formed solid react to form the superconducting phase. Based on our research on the directional solidification of peritectic alloys, we hypothesized we could grow large, nearly defect-free crystals of the superconducting, peritectic phase directly from the liquid, but we never quite succeeded in getting the desired single phase microstructure.”

As I built my own academic career, I always tried to emulate the way he taught and thought. So it was especially poignant for me to be nominated by my former graduate students and to be selected by a panel of prior Chalmers Award recipients. and electron microscopes, and X-rays, we uncover the microstructure. We see the patterns of the dendrites and the particles that precipitate from the melt and the much finer particles that precipitate from solid solution. This is where the chemical, mechanical and electrical properties are manifested.” “We take advantage of what we know about how alloys ‘freeze’ in order to get the best dendritic pattern, and the best distribution and morphology (shape) of the precipitate particles” he explained. “After casting the alloy, we heat it to a high temperature below the melting range to dissolve the coarser particles, then ‘quench’ or rapidly cool the alloy to trap the alloying elements in solution, and then heat the alloy to a moderate temperature to form a host of very fine precipitates. In controlling the microstructure, we obtain required properties, such as high strength, toughness or ductility, and fatigue resistance. This is the challenge, since most

Despite this perceived failure, the team’s measurements of the superconducting and magnetic properties of the crystals grown, reported in the scientific literature, were the best results at that time. Dr. Brody commented, “This reaffirmed an often repeated lesson: the experiment that does not work as expected often reveals the most promising opportunity.” Dr. Brody joined UConn in 1991, when he was recruited as Dean of Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. He remained Dean until 1997. He was a faculty member and administrator at the University of Pittsburgh for 25 years prior to joining UConn, holding positions as Chairman of the Department of Metallurgy & Materials Engineering and director of the Casting Industries Science & Engineering Institute.

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HONOR SOCIETY MEMBERS OMEGA CHI EPSILON Chemical Engineering Honor Society

Awards continued from page 8

EDWARD J. HUTCHINS-CHARLES E. WILCOX SCHOLARSHIP Kyle D. Hope (CHEG Sophomore) PAUL KRENICKI ENDOWED SCHOLARS IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY Richard C. Case (CHEG Sophomore) CARL A. & EDNA S. LINDBLAD SCHOLARSHIP Evan J. Fredericks (CHEG Junior) Chad R. Jens (CHEG Junior) MATERIALS ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP Christie M. Barbera (MSE Sophomore) Richard V. Cady (MSE Freshman) Kathryn S. Czaja (MSE/CHEG Senior) Adam Dew (MSE Sophomore) Michael R. Di Re (MSE Sophomore) Drew V. Hires (MSE Freshman) Zackary J. Hixon (MSE Freshman) Derek M. Jollotta (MSE Sophomore) Blake R. Knox (MSE Freshman) Joshua A. Leibowitz (MSE Junior) Adam M. Marco (MSE Freshman) Andrew S. Napoli (MSE Sophomore) Erica A. Pehmoeller (MSE Freshman) Nicholas Pietrefase (MSE Freshman) Matthew Vaudreuil (MSE Freshman) Aaron C. Wall (MSE Junior) Michael E. Zilm (MSE Sophomore) MIRSKY SCHOLARSHIP Timothy S. Dobbs (CHEG Senior) PRATT & WHITNEY ENGINEERING DIVERSITY PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP Christie M. Barbera (MSE Junior) Kathryn S. Czaja (MSE/CHEG Senior) Erica K. Marcinek (MSE Junior) ROGERS CORPORATION SCHOLAR Kathryn M. Bowers (CHEG Senior) 10 [ CoMBinE ]

Photos by Roger Castonguay

WALTER M. ROSE ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Ryan A. Hancock (CHEG Senior) Drew V. Hires (MSE Sophomore) SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING ACADEMIC MERIT SCHOLARSHIP Melissa J. Catanese (CHEG Junior) Kyle J. Christiansen (CHEG Sophomore) Joshua B. Console (CHEG Sophomore) Christine E. Duval (CHEG Junior) Lindsey H. Fink (CHEG Senior) Katelyn M. Fitzpatrick (CHEG Senior) Jonathan A. Goldman (CHEG Junior) Gregory S. Honda (CHEG Senior) Benjamin M. Kendrick (CHEG Sophomore) Erica A. Pehmoeller (MSE Freshman) Joseph A. Podurgiel (CHEG Sophomore) Joseph C. Rotchford (CHEG Sophomore) SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING DEANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SCHOLARSHIP Erik L. Johnson (CHEG Sophomore) Britta H. Kunkemoeller (CHEG Sophomore) Nathan R. Willbanks (CHEG Sophomore) SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP & FELLOWSHIP Kathryn S. Czaja (MSE/CHEG Senior) THE STANLEY WORKS ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Derek T. Hargrove (CHEG Junior) DAWN-MARIE SULLIVAN SCHOLARSHIP Blake R. Knox (MSE Freshman) Emily Tao (CHEG Junior) UNILEVER CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP Robert M. Apap (CHEG Junior)

Daniel D. Anastasio Sarah E. Berth Ryan J. Bowers Kathryn M. Bowers Marjorie R. Bruce Jane E. Bugbee Alexandra M. Cooper Lindsey H. Fink Katelyn M. Fitzpatrick Nicholas W. Frechette William D. Goodell Zeeshan Gul Kyle R. Hawley Lauren D. Helstosky Gregory S. Honda Andrew M. LaTour Alyssa A. Midgette Christopher W. Robak Alexander A. Rubbicco Ashley K. Schempf Kristopher S. Schreiner Matthew P. Snipes Emily Tao Andrew J. Thompson Jennifer J. Vanoudenhove Dan Wu Robert Yau

ALPHA SIGMA MU Materials Science & Engineering Honor Society Christopher Amaro Ellen Lavorato Vincent Palumbo Kevin Rankin Greg Santone, Jr.

TAU BETA PI Engineering Honor Society Daniel D. Anastasio Kathryn S. Czaja Keith M. Grayeb Kyle R. Hawley Lauren D. Helstosky Gregory S. Honda Alexander P. Jadczak Sajal Swaroop Charles L. Talbot Emily Tao Andrew J. Thompson Alexander Z. Williams Robert Yau Joseph Zinski

Multi-Tasker Extraordinaire: James Bosse ames Bosse, who completed his B.S. degree in Materials Science & Engineering in May 2009, is a master multitasker who manages to juggle demanding coursework with original lab research and a part-time job. Oh, and he’s also a nationally competitive bowler who participates in tournaments about once a month. James, who hails from Berlin, CT, has worked in the research laboratory of Dr. Bryan Huey—assistant professor of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering—since the summer of 2007. He has conducted a variety of studies involving atomic force microscopy, or AFM, a technique that allows researchers to image objects and processes at a fraction of a nanometer. “When I began working with Dr. Huey,” he said, “my work involved the use of AFM to efficiently and accurately separate DNA and protein strands by mass. I also researched the mechanisms behind ferroelectric domain switching and stability.” His Honors Program thesis involved the precise application of electrical voltages across ferroelectric/piezoelectric materials to view domain switching and actuation. James has made this type of measurement numerous times in the lab already, even presenting a poster at last year’s Materials Research Society conference. For the next step, the goal is to enhance measurement speed, requiring writing software using National Instruments’ LabVIEW to integrate, command and control a range

of lab equipment. The project exploits his skill in the use of this object oriented programming language that he acquired as an industrial intern at Emhart Glass Research Center. Throughout most of his high school years, James planned a career steeped in the mechanics’ milieu, like his father. College was nowhere on his horizon. However, a fateful meeting with his guidance counselor, and the counsel of an insightful chemistry teacher, placed him on a different career track. “In high school, I always enjoyed mathematics and science. My guidance counselor told me I should consider becoming an engineer.” James applied to just one school, UConn, and liked what he heard at an open house where engineering faculty and students discussed the engineering professions and displayed intriguing demonstrations. He found a home in the Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) degree program. “Materials science has the best faculty—a lot of young, energetic professors who are doing interesting research,” he said. He also dove into an array of activities that consume his days. During his first three years at UConn, James provided his peers with tutoring services in general engineering and MSE subjects as well as math, physics and chemistry. He also contributed his time as an officer in the Material Advantage chapter, serving as tutoring and scholarship chair, and began an internship with Windsor-based Emhart Glass in May ‘08. He continued working in Emhart’s process automation and simulation group throughout the school year, logging an average of 30 hours per week last semester.

At Emhart, James said, “I write LabVIEW software to automate data collection systems, such as thermal history via pyrometers and thermocouples. I also automated a density comparison system.” He recently cut back on his work hours to allow for more time in the lab. During his years at UConn, he has also stayed active as a top bowler, maintaining a schedule of league play twice weekly and competing in major tournaments monthly. He has won numerous national titles as a junior bowler and recently won his first adult tournament. A top student, James made the University’s Dean’s List for three consecutive years and was an Honors Program student. James’s undergraduate education was financed by academic merit and needsbased scholarships, including the ASM International George A. Roberts Scholarship, ASM Hartford Chapter Scholarship, the Capitol Scholarship Program, and a SMART Scholarship. Thriving amid a demanding, rigorous slate of activities comes naturally to James. “I owe my driven personality to three very influential people: my father, my maternal grandfather, and my old bowling coach, Bill Clay. They all stressed the importance of education, and a career filled with not only success, but also enjoyment. They have provided me with infinite wisdom over the years.” Post-graduation, James said “I plan to earn my doctorate in materials science, hopefully at UConn. I also plan to go for an MBA in finance. I’ve grown very interested in business and investing over the past year. As for my career, I’d like to ascend to a senior vice president, CEO, or CTO position.”

James Bosse at work in the laboratory of his advisor, Dr. Bryan Huey.

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Carter Selected as a MRS Fellow r. C. Barry Carter, Department Head and professor of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering, was selected a Fellow of the Materials Research Society (MRS). He was formally recognized during the organization’s spring meeting in April. The honor of being named a Fellow is bestowed upon members who have made substantial contributions to both science and the advancement of materials research worldwide. MRS has more than 15,000 members from across the U.S. and 70 other nations. The association’s members hail from various

fields of science affecting materials science, and MRS promotes interdisciplinary goal-oriented research on materials of technological importance. Each year, fewer than .2% of members are elevated to the position of Fellow. Dr. Carter joined the University of Connecticut in 2007. He previously held the 3M Harry Heltzer Endowed Chair in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and a professor in the Chemical Physics Program at the University of Minnesota. His research interests include interfaces and defects in ceramics and semiconductors, and with his graduate students, he is currently exploring the role of interface and defect chemistry on properties of materials for solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFC).

His academic career spans 16 years as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota (’91-’07) and 12 years with the Materials Science and Engineering department at Cornell University (1979-91). Dr. Carter earned his D. Phil. in Metallurgy & Science of Materials at Oxford University in 1975, and in 2005 he received the Sc.D. degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University. He is 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). In addition, he serves as General Secretary of IFSM, the International Federation of Societies for Microscopy, and is a past president of the Microscopy Society of America. He has received many honors throughout his career and is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society.

Two CMBE Faculty Elected to CASE total of five engineering faculty members were elected to membership in the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE), two of them faculty in the Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering Department. They were inducted during the CASE annual meeting, which took place May 20th at the New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks. The new CMBE members are:

Mark Aindow

• MARK AINDOW, professor of Materials Science in the Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering

Cato Laurencin

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• CATO LAURENCIN, Dean of the School of Medicine, Vice President for Health Affairs, Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Chair and professor of Chemical Engineering in the Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering

“The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering is pleased to recognize UConn’s newly elected members of the Academy. Election to the Academy is based upon scientific or engineering distinction achieved through significant original contributions in theory or applications and/or unusual accomplishments in the pioneering of new and developing fields of applied science and technology,” said Myron Genel, CASE President. Membership is limited to 250 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.

The Chemical Engineering Program is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2009, distinguishing the past, present and future transformations and innovations in chemical engineering. The University of Connecticut chemical engineering undergraduate curriculum was adopted in the 1959-1960 academic year. The department and the facilities had been authorized by the legislature several years earlier at the request of UConn’s President Jorgensen and representatives of Connecticut industry who felt that this field was necessary to the School and the state’s industrial base. Continuing in these efforts, today’s Chemical Engineering Program at UConn is on the forefront of research and academia, confronting the grand challenges of the 21st century, including clean and readily available water; clean fuels and sustainable energy; advanced biomaterials; tissue engineering and systems biology.

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Outstanding Student Transforms Tragedy into Triumph For many people, crucial turning points define, or perhaps reroute, their life trajectories. oseph Zinski (‘10), an undergraduate student pursuing his B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Molecular and Cell Biology, aspires to a research career perhaps involving stem cell science. This ambitious aim emerges not only from his keen intellect, dedication and promise, but also a life-altering accident. One of nearly 700 students in his senior class, Joe graduated from Eastern High School in Voorhees, NJ. He credits two influential individuals with his decision to pursue a career in engineering: his structural engineer father and a much-admired high school teacher, AP Chemistry teacher William Crozier. When it came time to decide upon a college, Joe—a top student and outstanding swimmer—had many options, including Ivy League colleges, which, he said, “Seem to promote a cut-throat, highly competitive atmosphere among their undergraduates that I found unattractive.” During the summer sandwiched between his junior and senior high school years, he became acquainted with UConn through the Mentor Connection program, which allowed him to research organohydrogels in the laboratory of chemistry professor Challa Kumar. The experience was formative, so while many of his friends left for the University of Maryland, Joe decided upon UConn. “I liked the UConn engineering culture, which promotes a more cooperative learning environment and works to retain students. I also found the Storrs campus beautiful, with the mix of historic and state-of-theart new buildings.” Shortly after finishing his freshman year in 2005, Joe suffered a catastrophic diving accident in which he broke his neck, rendering him a quadriplegic. He underwent surgeries and countless hours of intensive physical therapy in his bid to reclaim not only mobility in his arms but also his educational dreams. The same qualities that made him a champion swimmer are helping Joe rebuild his

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educational, personal and career goals. With unflagging determination, grit and humor—and aided financially by a generous merit-based Northeast Utilities Engineering Scholarship—he returned to UConn to continue his education.

Harvard Stem Cell Institute. The coveted internship is awarded to just a handful of non-Harvard students each year, and Joe is ecstatic. He plans to choreograph his summer schedule to accommodate both the Harvard Stem Cell and UConn SURF research projects. IN THE LAB: MODELING A BACTERIUM The Harvard internship is the first step toward one of Joe’s aims: to become involved in stem cell research, which holds promise of helping individuals afflicted with severe spinal injuries. A different type of research opportunity presented itself during the 2007-08 school year, when he

I liked the UConn engineering culture, which promotes a more cooperative learning environment and works to retain students. I also found the Storrs campus beautiful, with the mix of historic and state-of-the-art new buildings. Despite the challenges of his reduced mobility, including the hurdles of maneuvering campus in a wheelchair and continuing to maintain a rigorous schedule of physical therapy, Joe has remained a serious scholar, a member of the University’s Honors Program, a New England Scholar and a regular on the Deans List. He has also engaged in laboratory research over the last two years—in the area of his former nemesis, biology— and he was recently awarded a Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) grant to continue his research on campus this summer. In addition, Joe was accepted into a summer internship at the

began work in the laboratory of Pathobiology professor Dr. Steven Geary. There, he assisted doctoral candidate Steve Szczepanek in work involving the genomic sequencing of the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), which causes respiratory and reproductive diseases in poultry. A serious affliction that is easily transmitted within the cramped conditions of most commercial poultry operations, the presence of M. gallisepticum often causes commercial poultry farmers to destroy entire flocks to eliminate the disease, resulting in an estimated $500 millions annually in the U.S. alone. Joe said continued on page 18

Materials Science & Engineering Students Inducted into Alpha Sigma Mu t the April 14, 2009 meeting of the Hartford Chapter of ASM, certificates, keys, and tassels were presented to the newly elected members of the Connecticut Alpha Chapter of Alpha Sigma Mu, the International Professional Honor Society for Materials Science and Engineering. Student membership selection is based upon scholastic standing, character and leadership. New members inducted that evening who attended the meeting are pictured below, at right. Also elected to membership, but unable to attend the ASM meeting were Yan-Ling Hu, Ph.D. candidate, and Shawn Fonseca, junior MSE and ME major. Highlighting the technical program were research presentations by the three CMBE graduate students. Their abstracts appear below.

SPEAKER 1 BIO: SATYESH KUMAR YADAV earned his B.S. at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (2004-2008), in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. He began graduate studies at UConn in fall 2008 in materials science. Area of research: Ab initio study of II-VI semiconductors.

From left to right: Asst. Prof. Rainer Hebert, Arif Mubarok, Xuefei Wan, Satyesh Kumar Yadav, and Dr. Sam Christy, Welding and Joining Discipline Chief, Global Services Engineering (Pratt & Whitney)

ABSTRACT: Although Zn based II-VI semiconductors are abundant, stable, and environmentally benign, their band gap energies are too large for optimal photovoltaic efficiency. If band gap can be engineered to desired level they can be excellent materials for photovoltaic application; especially in form of core/shell nanowire (that could improve the carrier collection in solar cells by reducing the excitation recombination rate). One way to engineer band gap is through strain. By using pseudopotential density functional theory calculations, we systematically study how the band gap, optical absorption of Zn based II-VI semiconductors changes with strain. We find that by suitably straining, band gap can be engineered to desired level. ZnO/ZnS core/shell nanowire with band gap of 2.07 eV matches with Shockley-Quiesser efficiency limit of 23%.

SPEAKER 2 BIO: XUEFEI WAN received a bachelor and masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degrees from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Tianjin University, China. She entered the University of Connecticut in August 2006 and then joined Prof. Leon Shawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s group in January 2007 to study the hydrogen storage materials. ABSTRACT: Currently, lithium borohydride (LiBH4) has been studied extensively as a reversible hydrogen storage materials for onboard energy carrier applications because of its high gravimetric hydrogen density (18.5 wt% H2). However, to date, LiBH4 has always been dehydrogenated/rehydrogenated at the high temperature because of its high temperature stability. Our study is focusing on destabilizing the LiBH4 system and decreasing its dehydrogenated/rehydrogenated temperature through nanoengineering and mechanical activation.

SPEAKER 3 BIO: ARIF MUBAROK received a B.S. in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering (MME) from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh in November 2004. He enrolled as a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut in August 2006. In January 2007, he became a Research Assistant in the Nano-structured Metallic Materials group. His supervising faculty is Prof. Rainer Hebert.

From left to right: Robin Bright, newly elected member, Ph.D. candidate; Tippawan Markmaitree, newly elected member, Ph.D. candidate; Vincent Palumbo, current Chapter President; James Bosse, newly elected member, senior MSE major; Prof. Harold Brody, chapter advisor; Erica Marcinek, newly elected member, junior MSE major; Keith Grayeb, newly elected member, senior MSE major; and Joseph Rajan, newly elected member, junior MSE major. Also participating in the induction ceremony, but not pictured, were Ellen Lavorato, Chapter Vice-President, and Joseph Koplar, member, senior MSE major. Photos by Arnie Grot

ABSTRACT: Bulk metallic glasses currently attract significant attention in the field of materials science with many unique and desirable properties, such as high strength, good hardness, good wear resistance etc. Thermal expansion behavior is very important but very few studies were done to elucidate the factors affecting the true thermal expansion of bulk metallic glass. Several factors affect the thermal expansion of amorphous alloy such as structural relaxation, viscosity, crystallization, heat-treatment condition etc and they are considered as non-reversible factors. We have synthesized a new Cu50Hf41.5 Al8.5 bulk glassy alloy in our lab and we used a new approach i.e. temperature modulated TMA to separate the true thermal expansion from other non-reversible affects.

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Congratulations to This Year’s MSE Program Capstone Senior Design Project Final Presentation Winners! First Place ($600 per student): JASON BROWN, ROBERT SCALISE BRIEF TITLE: Duplex Stainless Steel Welding Electrode Procedures INDUSTRY SPONSOR: General DynamicsElectric Boat INDUSTRY ADVISORS: Neil Fichtelberg, Robert Peirce, and Jeff Hall FACULTY ADVISOR: Prof. Harold Brody

Second Place ($400 per student): STEPHANIE GAGLIARDI, MELISSA JACQUES BRIEF TITLE: Design and Implement an Accelerated Test to Determine and Improve Wear Properties of a Dynamics Control Element INDUSTRY SPONSOR: Hamilton Sundstrand INDUSTRY ADVISORS: Kevin Rankin, Blair Smith, Scott Beloncik and Glenn Grandischer FACULTY ADVISORS: Profs. George Rossetti and Thomas Barber (ME)

Third Place ($200 per student): JAMES BOSSE, JULIE MACKEY BRIEF TITLE: Design Rule Development for High Strength Investment Cast Heat Treated Aluminum Alloys INDUSTRY SPONSOR: Integra-Cast, Inc. INDUSTRY ADVISOR: David Arcesi FACULTY ADVISOR: Prof. Harold Brody

Joe Zinski continued from page 16

M. gallisepticum lacks a cell wall, which makes treatment difficult because antibiotics that inhibit cell wall formation cannot be used. The aim of Dr. Geary’s research program on M. gallisepticum, funded by NSF and USDA, is to contribute toward the development of effective avian vaccines and treatments. Calling it a “small genomic bacterium, with just under 1 million base pairs, and the first I’ve gotten to know intimately,” Joe pointed out that M. gallisepticum also causes conjunctivitis in songbirds and displays degenerative evolution: over time, unused genes simply disappear from the genome. He said that although MG has been sequenced, only a portion of the bacterium's proteins, which are responsible for the bacterium’s virulence, have been identified. The research interested him, so when it came time to choose a project for his senior Honors thesis, he worked out an arrangement with Dr. Geary and Dr. Ranjan Srivastava, an associate professor of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering, to co-advise his continued research on M. gallisepticum over the summer and through next year. The long-term project involves both “wet lab” and intensive computing. Under Dr. Srivastava’s guidance, Joe said, “I will study the metabolism of various cell types by using metabolic models and mass balances to create working digital models of the living cell. These models can be

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used to predict the use and production of metabolites [such as oxygen, glucose, CO2 and certain amino acids] as well as the growth rate of the cells. The model can then be easily modified to predict the metabolic response of deleting certain reactions or pathways. I’m building a metabolic model of M. gallisepticum with the aim of using it to predict which genes could be eliminated to create vaccines.” Joe’s development of a metabolic model will involve the use of complex software tools, including Pathway Tools, a bioinformatics software system that allows researchers to predict metabolic pathways based on an organism’s genome, along with a probability-based Bayesian classifier. For the M. gallisepticum portion, he will rely on genomic sequencing and annotations developed in Dr. Geary’s lab, largely by Research Associate and microbiologist Edan Tulman. After developing a computer model, in the Pathobiology wet lab, Joe will focus primarily on studying virulence factors in M. gallisepticum. “I’ll perform assays to monitor the uptake and discharge of certain metabolites. I’ll also measure cell growth. Then I’ll compare my experimental data against the model and modify the model as needed to ensure it accurately predicts the real performance of the bacterium.” In the final phase, working with other researchers in Dr. Geary’s lab, Joe plans to compare two similar strains of the bacterium, a wild strain and a clone that has been “evolved” such that it is non-virulent. This analysis will allow him to create

a more accurate metabolic model for the evolved, non-virulent strain of M. gallisepticum and to compare the virulent and non-virulent models to identify differences. The modeling results may then provide a basis for development of new drugs to treat the virulent strain. Joe will graduate with his B.S. degree in May ‘10, but he plans to continue his education by pursuing a doctorate in either metabolic engineering or stem cell research, with the goal of becoming an academic researcher. FUNDRAISING FOR DISABLED ATHLETES Joe’s commitment to improving the lives of individuals with spinal cord injuries extends beyond the research lab. Last year, he organized a fundraiser for the Swim With Mike Foundation (SWM), a University of Southern California-based organization that provides scholarships for former athletes who experienced a disabling injury or condition. Joe was awarded this merit-based scholarship in 2006 and it—in combination with the Northeast Utilities Engineering Scholarship—provided the financial support he needed to continue his education following his injury. SWM sponsors annual swim-athons at USC and the University of Hawaii to raise funds in support of these critical scholarships. Last year, Joe coordinated with the Honors Council and Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) to host a very successful swim-a-thon/water volleyball tournament fundraiser at UConn.

Wang Awarded State Grant for Stem Cell Research rofessor Yong Wang of Chemical Engineering received one of two state grants awarded to researchers on the UConn Storrs campus. The state-funded grants are presented through the Connecticut Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee (SCRAC) to advance embryonic and human adult stem cell research in Connecticut. The funding program was approved by legislation in 2005 and continues through 2015. Dr. Wang’s proposal was evaluated against 77 statewide requests. A total of 12 seed grants were accepted for funding. Dr. Wang intends to engineer biomolecules to create novel nanostructures for drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and clinical diagnosis. In this particular research, he will use peptide and oligonucleotides as structural units to create hybrid nanostructures for RNA interference (RNAi) in hESCs. RNAi is a mechanism discovered by by two Nobel laureates, Professor Andrew Z. Fire at Stanford University, California, and Professor Craig C. Mello at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1998. It has been proven that RNAi is very important for both the functions of cells and the development of organisms. Furthermore, the discovery of RNAi has had a broad impact on life science and is expected to lead to novel medical applications in the future. RNAi has recently been applied to hESC studies for the discovery and validation of gene functions and the differentiation control by means of the delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA), a 21-23 nucleotide (nt) duplex with 2-3 nt overhangs. However, contrasted with most

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Winterstein Lands Fulbright Scholarship onathan Winterstein, a doctoral student in Materials Science & Engineering, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to carry out research at the Austrian Centre for Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis—an institute renowned for its high-quality electron spectroscopy and microscopy. The Centre is associated with the Technical University of Graz (TU Graz). Jonathan, who earned his B.S. at Washington State University—Pullman, is advised by Dr. C. Barry Carter, Department Head of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering. The Fulbright program is sponsored by the U.S. government and seeks to enhance cultural awareness and cooperation between U.S. scientists and professionals and peers around the globe. Jonathan’s Fulbright research will focus on ceramic fuel cell materials. He explained that ceramics play an important role in making next-generation clean energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, affordable and reliable. “Currently, cost is restrictive and the spread of solar and wind resources is not uniform; that is, not every part of the world receives equal wind or sunlight. Solutions to these barriers may come in the form of new technologies based on ceramic materials. For example, some ceramic materials can be used to convert solar heat into hydrogen that can later be used to power fuel cells. Hydrogen technology is a potential means to reduce cost and distribution difficulties of solar and wind power.” He continued “Many technologies to convert plant material to biofuels also depend on ceramics. Ceramic fuel cells, which convert fuel to electricity without burning the fuel, using clean hydrogen or biofuels are among the most promising technologies for clean energy generation.” His research at UConn has focused on the chemical and structural characterization of oxide ceramics and, in particular, cerium oxide, which is a promising material for energy technologies. A principal tool of his work is transmission electron

microscopy, or TEM, which permits researchers to understand materials at the nanometer scale. Jonathan seeks to control defects in the ceramic materials in order to optimize the performance of fuel cell materials. He explained that he hopes to answer many of the unresolved questions about cerium oxide materials, including the nature and management of defects and their influence on fuel cell performance. He also hopes to gain a better understanding of ceramic properties and structure with the objective of applying them in catalysis. Visualizing things on such a minute level requires the use of TEM, which he deems “critical to determining how the processing of materials influences the final performance of a product. During processing, nanometer-scale structures and defects are introduced into materials that must be controlled to produce a useful product. TEM can provide images and data about

these defects that are unobtainable by other techniques. Combining TEM with spectroscopy is particularly powerful for studying defects in materials.” Jonathan’s nine-month Fulbright award will provide him access to the Centre’s unique resources. “Few institutions in the world offer the state-of-the-art equipment available at TU Graz and no other institute has the same level of expertise in this field as that possessed by researchers at TU Graz.” Jonathan previously received a prestigious National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship, which has supported much of his doctoral research. WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU 19

Engineering Students Help Rebuild New Orleans ay the phrase “spring break” and visions come to mind of bikini bacchanalia in Cancun, black diamond slopes at Vail, or maybe a quick cruise around the Caribbean. For some dedicated engineering students, the week was spent in rebuilding spirits and homes in New Orleans, which shows little progress even four years after the devastating events of hurricane Katrina. Among the students taking the long, 27-hour bus ride to New Orleans in March were junior engineering students Danielle LaPointe (Biomedical Engineering), Eric Dorsey and Mike Kowalczyk (both Civil Engineering), Lindsey Fink (Chemical Engineering), and senior Danny S. Lee (Mechanical Engineering). The students were part of several organized college groups from Connecticut making the trek. Eric, Danielle and Mike belong to the on-campus InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, while Lindsey and Danny were part of a non-denominational contin-

Canal area, where plant life has proliferated unhindered amid the ruined buildings and roads. Lindsey agreed that she drew on muscle, more than her engineering education, during the week’s toil. But like Eric, she felt her background helped her better understand the issues surrounding the levee reconstruction and why the levees ultimately failed during the hurricane. Eric worked in the Ninth Ward with about a dozen other volunteers and residents re-roofing a family home. He said the one-story home, damaged by 10-foot floodwaters, belonged to a family of nine who lost everything but an attic fan. The patriarch, an engineer by trade, and his three sons worked alongside the volunteers throughout the week—driven to speed by the government’s imposed deadline of 90 days for completion of certain repairs. The volunteers were shocked to

The alternative spring break program provides a convenient way to give back and help out those less fortunate. I had an amazing experience. Not only was it great to see another part of the country and meet so many new people, I was able to help out other people in the process. gent that worked for an organization called “Rebuilding Together New Orleans.” A second-timer who volunteered during last year’s spring break as well, Eric has worked in construction jobs during the last two summers and found that his engineering training was helpful in understanding why New Orleans sustained such devastating damage. “As an engineer, you see the real problem was the failure of the levee system to withstand the storm surge.” He said the flood damage was still widespread throughout the Ninth Ward and Industrial

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learn that families who cannot meet the repair deadline will have their homes foreclosed on by the government. The work Lindsey and Danny tackled involved demolition. Lindsey explained that the Rebuilding Together organization strives to avoid purchasing new materials in the rebuilding efforts, preferring to use recycled materials. “My team worked at taking apart an abandoned house, salvaging wood, nails, and other materials that could be reused in the construction of a house. It was neat to see that the organization was trying to recycle and reuse old materials.” The students were all motivated to volunteer by a desire to help others. Lindsey commented, “The alternative spring break program provides a convenient way to give back and help out those less fortunate. I had an amazing experience. Not only was it great to see another part of the country and meet so many new people, I was able to

help out other people in the process.” She left New Orleans with a strong sense of commitment. “Although it did take time and hard work to help others, I benefited and got so much more out of the experience than anything I could have put into it. The experience also helped to cement my desire to continue working to help others in the future and in my career.” During the week, Eric’s fellow UConn engineering students and InterVarsity members, Mike and Danielle, respectively painted baseboards and finished a bedroom at a home in nearby Slidell, and helped to bring order to rooms stuffed with donated clothing and other goods available to families still in desperate need. Eric rated the week’s experience a 10 out of 10 and said he plans to volunteer for the continued on nxt page

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effort again next year. He summed up his experience this way: “The people of New Orleans feel forgotten. When you drive through the area, you see just how little has been done to reclaim the city, rebuild homes and lives. Entire sections of the city remain untouched. And you realize people are actually living in these destroyed homes, without utilities and basic services. So it was inspiring to be able to give something of ourselves toward making these people feel they’re not invisible.” Lindsey agreed that New Orleans appears to have fallen off America’s radar screen as an area in need. “The hurricane took place almost four years ago, and the government funding for relief efforts has greatly decreased. As a result, the revitalization of New Orleans and the surrounding areas would literally not be possible without volunteers. Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose and self worth; the work we did made a direct impact on someone else’s life.” Engineering students have done cleanup efforts in other parts of the hurricane-damaged Gulf Coast region as well. Senior Chemical Engineer Jane Bugbee and other members of the University’s Honors Program Council traveled to Pearlington, Mississippi during the 2008 spring break. Jane’s team was tasked with executing finishing touches—including indoor and outdoor painting and linoleum floor installation—on new houses built by the Pearlington Recovery Center for families still in government trailers. She said, “On existing houses that were salvageable, we did repairs on water-damaged parts; for instance, on one house that was on stilts, all the insulation underneath had been water damaged, so we replaced it.” She found the experience deeply meaningful. “I gained the ability to look at my life from a different perspective. The people down there lost literally everything to hurricane Katrina but were still upbeat, welcoming and grateful just for life itself.”

Materials Science & Engineering Class of 2009 UNDERGRADUATES James L. Bosse Jason J. Brown Jessica L. DeMartino Stephanie Lucille Gagliardi Brian T. Gardener Keith Michael Grayeb Richard Gursky Daniel Karl Gynther Melissa Cyndia Jacques Timothy James Kazienko Joseph Thomas Koplar

Matthew Jason Kuba Julie Anne Mackey Misael Manjarres Gregory Scott Santone, Jr. Robert Sean Scalise Salay Robyn Stannard Anthony Lee Tenaglier Adam Jeffrey Wentworth Alexander Zygmunt Williams Sarah Catherine Winiarz

PH.D. RECIPIENTS 2008-2009 ACADEMIC YEAR Bamidele Allimi Title: Metal - Insulator Transition in Epitaxial V2O3 Thin Films Advisor: Pamir Alpay Yanling Hu Title: Microstructure and Phase Stability of a Quinternary Nb-Mo-Cr-Al-Si Alloy Advisor: Mark Aindow Will Osborn Title: Development of Nano-engineered Powders of LiNH2 for Solid State Hydrogen Storage Advisor: Leon Shaw

MASTER’S DEGREE RECIPIENTS 2008-2009 ACADEMIC YEAR Jacquelynn Garofano Title: Characterization of Microstructural Effects in Percussion Laser-Drilled Ni-based Superalloy P/M IN100 Advisor: Mark Aindow Jen-Tai Li Title: Investigation of Catalyst Degradation in Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells Advisor: Mark Aindow WWW.CMBE.ENGR.UCONN.EDU 21

RESEARCH UPDATE: New Faculty Members rs. Yusuf Khan, Sangamesh Kumbar, Lakshmi Nair, Syam Nukavarapu, and Daniel Wan all joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCHC and the Department of Chemical, Materials, and Biomolecular Engineering at UCONN Storrs last September. They make up a large part of the group that came from the University of Virginia with Dr. Cato T. Laurencin. The group is currently funded by NIH, NSF, DOD, and the Coulter Foundation to support their research interests, which include musculoskeletal tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biomaterials development, with each member pursuing individual aspects of these topics. Dr. Kumbar’s research program aims to develop mechanically competent, porous, 3-D scaffolds functionalized with nanofiber structures of natural origin for bone repair and regeneration applications. He has applied for a U.S. provisional patent on this technology. He has also submitted a grant proposal to the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation 2009 Early Career Translational Research Awards in Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Kumbar’s other research program aims to develop injectable particulate chemotherapeutic agent delivery systems and intends to submit a grant proposal to Prostate Cancer Idea Development Award sponsored by the Department of Defense. Dr. Nair’s areas of research focus on developing biomaterials for musculoskeletal tissue repair and regeneration. A significant part of Dr. Nair’s program is committed to using biocompatible and bioactive materials and molecules to modulate cellular response for scar-less tissue regeneration. Additional ongoing programs include development of injectable biocompatible polymeric delivery vehicles for soft tissue regeneration. Dr. Khan has been working on the development of biodegradable composite scaffolds for bone regeneration and repair, and methodologies to incorporate these scaffolds into current clinical treatments for fracture non-unions. He is also

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developing biphasic delivery strategies utilizing microsphere-based delivery systems, and presented his latest findings in this area at the 2008 Society for Biomaterials meeting in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Nukavarapu is looking at developing biodegradable scaffolds comprising water dispersible carbon nanotubes. Such scaffolds offer bone compatible mechanical properties and are suitable for bone regeneration. Part of the investigation was patented and presented at a Tissue Engineering meeting, TERMIS-2009. Dr. Wan is working on intervertebral disc regeneration research. He also served as one of the abstract reviewers for 2009 Society for the Biomaterials meeting held in San Antonio. The group was also well-represented at the 2009 Society for Biomaterials meeting of the Orthopaedic Special Interest Group in which Dr. Nair was elected Chair, Dr. Kumbar elected Vice Chair, Dr. Khan elected Program Chair, and Dr. Nukavarapu elected Treasurer/Secretary. Following is a list of presentations, patent applications, and publications from the group over the last year: PRESENTATIONS/PRESENTED PAPERS: 1. Injectable Thermosensitive Chitosan Based Scaffolds for Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration. Nair LS & Laurencin CT, TERMIS 2008, December 7, 2008 2. Injectable Stimuli Sensitive Scaffolds for Musculoskeletal Tissue regeneration. Nair LS. 3rd annual research day, New England Musculoskeletal Institute, University of Connecticut Health Center, March 2009. 3. Nair LS, Invited Lecture on Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Stevens Institute, New Jersey, February 2009. 4. Nair LS. Invited lecture on Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering ASME-NSF work shop, Boston, November 2008 5. Khan Y, Corgiat B, Ondesko K. Novel Bilayered Polymeric Microspheres for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications: Effects of Alginate Coating on Release Kinetics. Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting September 2008

6. Use of Polymer Ceramic Composites for Bone Repair. Khan Y. 3rd annual research day, New England Musculoskeletal Institute, University of Connecticut Health Center, March 2009.

PATENT APPLICATIONS: Kumbar, SG; Laurencin, C.T.: Nukavarapu, S.P.; J. Roshan; Mechanically competent natural polymer based bone grafts for bone repair and regeneration. US provisional patent filed on 02/23/2009, Provisional Application Serial No. 61/154,5.

PUBLICATIONS: 1. Fabrication, Characterization, and In Vitro Evaluation of Poly(lactic acid glycolic acid)/Nano-hydroxyapatite Composite Microsphere-based Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering in Rotating Bioreactors. Lv Q, Nair L, Laurencin CT.J Biomed Mater Res A. 2008 Nov 24. [Epub ahead of print]. 2. Curcumin Loaded poly(caprolactone) Nanofibers: Diabetic Wound Dressing with Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties. Merrell J, McLaughlin S, Tie L, Laurencin CT, Chen A, Nair LS. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology 2009 (in press). 3. Biodegradable PolyphosphazeneNanohydroxyapatite Composite Nanofibers: Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Bhattacharyya S, Kumbar SG, Khan YM, Nair LS, Singh A, Krogman NR, Brown PW, Allcock HR, Laurencin CT. J. Biomed. Nanotechnol. 2009: 5, 69–75. 4. Electrospun Poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) Scaffolds for Skin Tissue Engineering. Kumbar SG, Nukavarapu SP, James R, Nair LS, Laurencin CT.Biomaterials. 2008 Oct;29(30):4100-7. 5. Recent Developments in Nanoparticle Based Targeted Delivery of Chemotherapeutics. Peach, MS, Kumbar, SG*.; Brown, JL.; Laurencin, C T Current Bioactive Compounds 2009, 5, (In Press)

Piezoelectric Materials and Devices ssociate professor George Rossetti and his team are developing new compositional families of piezoelectric ceramics that efficiently interconvert electrical and mechanical energy and find numerous applications in solid-state devices for actuation, sensing and energy harvesting. Materials with the highest electromechanical coupling efficiencies and greatest piezoelectric response tend to be found in multi-component perovskitestructured oxide systems that display complex hierarchical microstructures with features having characteristic dimensions ranging from just a few nanometers up to fractions of a millimeter. An important element of Dr. Rossetti’s research concerns the development of a phenomenological theory that can reproduce the generic phase diagram topologies of these systems and can be used to understand how microstructure evolution is influenced by the time-temperature-transformation history experienced during processing. Using this theory, Dr. Rossetti and his

collaborators have found it possible to explain why specific microstructural features are observed only in particular regions of these phase diagrams, providing new insights into how to tailor materials chemistry and processing to achieve properties that are optimized for device applications. His research on this topic is currently being applied to the development of high power sonar projectors under a UniversityLaboratory Initiative program sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, and to the processing of materials for anhysteretic actuators under a Short Term Innovative Research project supported by the Army Research Office. Dr. Rossetti also receives support from the Department of Homeland Security as a participant in UConn’s National in Transportation Security Center of Excellence. Working as part of a team with CMBE professors Rainer Hebert and Bryan Huey and Civil & Environmental Engineering professor Jeong-Ho Kim, research is underway to design and fabricate novel hybrid piezoelectric transducer architectures having both sensing and energy

harvesting capabilities. These transducers are intended to function as structural sensing elements that scavenge energy from ambient sources to operate without an external power supply. If successfully developed, these materials would find applications in performing autonomous structural health monitoring of bridges or other critical components of the transportation infrastructure. Dr. Rossetti currently has three doctoral students working under his direction and is continuing to build specialized laboratory facilities for carrying out processing studies and property measurements on dielectric, piezoelectric and other electroceramic materials.

Engineering When Nanometers Count ssociate professor Brian Willis joined the CMBE Department in January ’09, and serves as the Program Director for Chemical Engineering. His duties include teaching, research, and organizing departmental educational programs and outreach activities. Dr. Willis maintains a vigorous research program focused on engineering nanoscale structures for energy and electronics applications by controlling chemical reactions at surfaces. Using tools such as scanning tunneling microscopy and tunneling spectroscopy, his group investigates chemical reactions with nanometer scale precision. Combined with computational modeling, these experiments provide detailed insight into the growth of materials one layer at time using atomic layer deposition. Recent highlights include the reversible adsorption and

detection of single molecules using tunneling spectroscopy in monolithic nanoscopic tunnel junctions (MNTJs). These MNTJ devices are promising for biomimetic chemical sensors that distinguish molecules based on vibrational characteristics. Current activities involve scaling these devices for massively parallel sensor arrays. Other applications include energy harvesting through light detection and thermoelectric elements. Other activities include integrating epitaxial oxides with semiconductors and investigating substrate degradation in PEM fuel cells. Dr. Willis’ research is supported by several research grants from the National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, Department of Energy, and Intel Corporation. Dr. Willis will teach this first chemical engineering course in fall 2009.

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RESEARCH UPDATE: New Faculty Members con’t. ince joining CMBE in August, assistant professor William Mustain has been extremely active. He recruited two graduate and four undergraduate researchers to his research group, which has initiated work on a diverse range of electrochemically oriented projects including, characterizing new non-carbon support materials for acid media electrocatalysts, quantifying the effect of impurities on the oxygen reduction reaction in anion exchange membrane fuel cells, developing a room temperature carbonate fuel cell, designing low hydrolysis anode electrocatalysts for direct borohydride fuel cells and corrosion mitigation of bipolar plate materials.

Recently, his Ph.D. institution, the Illinois Institute of Technology, recognized Dr. Mustain’s professional achievements by awarding him the IIT Outstanding Young Alumni Award, a top honor for recent IIT graduates. Dr. Mustain has also been quite busy writing proposals to both industry and federal agencies and will submit his first NSF CAREER proposal this summer. Finally, he has become quite visible outside of the university, becoming an active member in the Energy Technology Division of the Electrochemical Society, chairing sessions and organizing symposia. He has also been highly active in university outreach with local secondary schools and industry.

r. Jeffrey McCutcheon is the Northeast Utilities Assistant Professor in Environmental Engineering Education housed in the CMBE department. He is a center faculty at the Center of Environmental Sciences and Engineering and has courtesy affiliations with the Institute of Materials Science and the Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center. He also has a courtesy appointment in the Environmental Engineering Program. Dr. McCutcheon’s research interests involve novel polymer processing methods applied to membrane separations for applications to sustainable water and power generation. He has 10 publications, 3 patent disclosures, and 19 conference proceedings based on his research on osmotically driven membrane processes, most notably forward osmosis. Dr. McCutcheon is considered a leader in the bourgeoning field of osmotically driven membrane processes. Dr. McCutcheon received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering

from the University of Dayton in 2002 and his Ph.D. in Chemical and Environmental from Yale University in 2007. Dr. McCutcheon held a post-doctoral position at Stony Brook University while working in a small startup company which was developing new thin film composite membranes for desalination. Dr. McCutcheon was technical group leader of the team of engineers developing this novel membrane technology. Dr. McCutcheon’s laboratory has quickly developed in his first year at UConn. He currently is advising 3 graduate students and 2 undergraduate honors students. His research interests are in membrane design for novel separation processes, transport phenomenon at polymer interfaces, and electrospinning polymer nanofibers for sustainable water and energy applications.

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Alpay Receives United Technologies Corporation Professor in Engineering Innovation Award ssociate professor Pamir Alpay has been given the United Technologies Corporation (UTC) Professor in Engineering Innovation Award. The awards are in recognition of the exceptional achievements of faculty at the Assistant and Associate Professor ranks. These professors exemplify excellence and are at the top of their area of research. This three year appointment provides Dr. Alpay with discretionary funds of $5000 a year to promote his professional development and growth. Dr. Alpay’s research concentrates on functional or "smart" materials systems. These include ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, and shape memory materials. His current research programs focus on the development of frequency agile tunable devices for telecommunications and self-healing electrical contacts for military applications.

Yong Wang continued from page 19

types of cells, hESCs are very fragile but resistant to transfection. As a result, safe and efficient siRNA delivery into hESCs remains a challenge. Therefore, there is a clear need to develop novel methods and reagents to improve siRNA delivery into hESCs. The objective of Dr. Wang’s research is aimed at developing novel hybrid molecules for siRNA delivery without the need of using viruses, transfection reagents, or physical tools. The hypothesis —that the peptides will perform like keys to open the closed doors in the cells and therefore achieve the efficient delivery— will be tested through three specific aims: 1. Synthesis and characterization of hybrid peptide/RNA molecules; 2. Characterization of binding, internalization and distribution of hybrid molecules; 3. Evaluation of gene silencing effect. This will be the first development of a bifunctional hybrid molecule-based delivery system for siRNA delivery. The hybrid peptide/RNA molecules are expected to provide not only a platform to enhance gene silencing in hESCs, but also a convenient tool of doing temporal control of gene silencing in hESCs. A successful outcome will strengthen hESC research and applications in the state of Connecticut. “These grants are further testament to the ground-breaking work in stem cell research that’s going on at UConn’s Health Center and Storrs campuses,” said UConn President Michael Hogan. “This further investment by the State in our stem cell programs reflects the leadership role that UConn researchers are playing in scientific discovery and state-of-the-art healthcare. I’m very proud of the work of our research teams.” The research is expected to be finished in two years.

Chemical Engineering Class of 2009 UNDERGRADUATES Daniel D. Anastasio Sarah Elizabeth Berth Ryan James Bower Kathryn Mae Bowers Marjorie Rose Bruce Jane Elizabeth Bugbee Firdaous Chalhaoui Alexandra M. Cooper William Spencer Cushman Reece Delong Einer M. DosSantos Andrew Wayne Florian Christopher Mathew Gaito Michael J. Gentile Hunter Scott Giles

Zeeshan Gul Kyle Richard Hawley Lauren Dorothy Helstosky James Ktorides Kathleen L. Malacarne Alyssa Ando Midgette David Ryan Ritchie Christopher Walter Roback Alexander Anthony Rubbicco Ashley Kim Schempf Tim Ernest Strout Andrew James Thompson Melissa Lynn Tweedie Jennifer Joy Vanoudenhove Dan Wu

PH.D. RECIPIENTS 2008-2009 ACADEMIC YEAR Robert Paul Brooker Title: The Effect of the Addition of Silicotungstic Acid to the Electrodes of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells Advisor: Richard Parnas Rachelle Howard Title: Automated Autocorrelation Function Analysis for Detection, Diagnosis and Correction of Underperforming Controllers Advisor: Doug Cooper Shurui Shang Title: Synthesis of Comb-like Copolymers from Renewable Resources: Itaconic Anhydride, Stearyl Methacrylate and Lactic Acid Advisor: Robert Weiss

MASTER’S DEGREE RECIPIENTS 2008-2009 ACADEMIC YEAR

Ayorinde Awonysi Title: Fabrication of γ -Alumina Supported Palladium Membrane Composite: for hydrogen gas separation and applications in methanol steam reforming process Advisor: Ben Wilhite

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C. BARRY CARTER DEPARTMENT HEAD, PROFESSOR OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING D. Phil., Oxford University Sc.D., Cambridge University Interfaces & Defects, Ceramics Materials, TEM, AFM, Energy

Chemical Engineering Faculty DOUG COOPER

LESLIE SHOR

Ph.D., University of Colorado Process Modeling & Control

Ph.D., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Environmental Biotechnology, Water Quality and Sustainability

CATO LAURENCIN Ph.D., MIT M.D., Harvard Medical School Advanced Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering, Biodegradable Polymers, Nanotechnology

RANJAN SRIVASTAVA Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park Systems Biology & Metabolic Engineering

YU LEI

YONG WANG

Ph.D., University of California-Riverside Bionanotechnology, Bio/nanosensors, Bio/nanomaterials, Remediation

Ph.D., Duke University Nanobiotechnology, Nanomedicine & Drug Delivery

JEFFREY MCCUTCHEON

BENJAMIN WILHITE

Ph.D., Yale University Membrane Separations, Polymer Electrospinning, Forward Osmosis/Osmotic Power

Sc.D., University of Notre Dame Microreactors & Sustainable Energy

BRIAN WILLIS WILLIAM MUSTAIN Ph.D., Illinois Institute of Technology Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, Aerobic Biocathodes for Oxygen Reduction, Electrochemical Kinetics & Ionic Transport

RICHARD PARNAS Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles Biodiesel Power Generation, PEM Fuel Cell, Polymer Gels & Filled Polymers

MONTGOMERY SHAW Ph.D., Princeton University Polymer Rheology & Processing

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Ph.D., MIT Nanotechnology, Molecular Electronics, Semiconductor Devices & Fuel Cells

Materials Science & Engineering Faculty MARK AINDOW

THEO KATTAMIS

Ph.D., University of Liverpool, England Defects and Interfaces, Microstructural Development in Alloys and Thin Films, and Electron Microscopy

Sc.D., MIT Solidification and Metals Joining, Materials Processing, Thin Coatings and Tribology

HARRIS MARCUS PAMIR ALPAY Ph.D., University of Maryland Ferroic Materials, Thermodynamics & Kinetics of Phase Transformations, Thin Film Deposition

Ph.D., Northwestern University Freeform Fabrication, Mechanical Behavior, Fatigue, Nanotechnology, and Photonic Crystals

RAMAMURTHY RAMPRASAD HAROLD BRODY Sc.D., MIT Materials Processing, Alloy Casting and Solidification, and Process Models

Ph.D., University of Illinois Materials Modeling & Computation, Nano-materials, Thin Films & Interfaces, Photonic Crystals & Meta-materials

PUXIAN GAO

GEORGE ROSSETTI, JR.

Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology Nanomaterials Synthesis and Characterization, Nanotechnology for Biomedical Applications

Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University Electroceramic Materials: Crystal Chemistry and Physics, Particulate Processing, and Crystal Growth

RAINER HEBERT

PRABHAKAR SINGH

Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison Phase Transformations, Metals and Alloys, Metallic Glasses, Severe Plastic Deformation Processing

Ph.D., University of Sheffield, England MBA, University of Pittsburgh Fuel Cells & Energy

LEON SHAW BRYAN HUEY Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania Scanning Probe Microscopy, Nanoscience, Electronic Materials, Ferroelectrics and Piezoelectrics, Chalcogenide Glass Phase Change Materials, Nano-education, Chemo-mechanical Response of Cells and Tissues to Nanoindentation

Ph.D., University of Florida Nanomaterials, Coatings, Composites, Freeform Fabrication, and Hydrogen Storage Materials

MEI WEI Ph.D., University of New South Wales, Australia Biomaterials, Ceramics, Coatings and Composites

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