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Winning Ways: A Closer Look at the Top Competitors in the TMS 2009 Student Poster Contest |
By Lynne Robinson, Materials Technology@TMS News Writer
Posted on: 3/6/2009 12:00:00 AM... The 67 students who entered the 2009
TMS Annual Meeting Technical Division Student Poster Contest had many
stories to tell. The biggest challenge, many of them said, was telling
their “materials story” as succinctly as possible, while still
communicating the key points of their research. For some students, the
evolving nature of their project made it seem as though their poster
would never be finished. Said Alexandra Cintrón-Aponte, undergraduate
winner of the Extraction & Processing Division contest, “After
every poster I prepared, I always learned something new, especially
when I was setting up the concluding remarks.”
Other stories came far easier for many of them. These spoke to how
materials scientists and engineers are shaped outside the laboratory,
with the support of mentors and the life experiences that can only
happen as an active participant in a major scientific meeting. And,
based on what was shared by the winners of the Student Poster Contest,
the results of these experiences—like the results documented on their
posters—were very good.
KEMAL LEVI, STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Best in Show, Best Graduate Biological Materials Science Poster
"Understanding the Biomechanical Behavior of Human Stratum Corneum with the Bulge Technique"
Levi is a fifth-year Ph.D. student, majoring in materials science
and engineering, and plans to continue post-doctoral biomedical
research after graduation.
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Technical Division Student Poster Contest winners are all smiles at the TMS 2009 Annual Meeting. (Click to enlarge photo.)
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How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
My dissertation is on the mechanical and fracture properties of the
outermost layer of human skin, stratum corneum (SC). After
demonstrating how damage processes in human skin can be quantitatively
modeled and predicted based on thin-film mechanics and cracking
processes, I am now working with my colleagues to understand the effect
of environmental conditioning and moisturization on the biomechanical
responses of human skin. We employ a combination of substrate curvature
and bulge techniques to characterize the development of drying stresses
in SC and demonstrate how a range of moisturizing molecules can act to
reduce these stresses to alleviate skin damage. Using the bulge
technique described in the poster, we were able to study the
biomechanical behavior of SC as a function of hydration and chemical
treatment on a wet medium similar to its in-vivo state. This is a
significant improvement, because while the mechanical properties of SC
have been widely studied in vitro, past methods have all failed to
simulate the natural state of the tissue as a thin film on a hydrated,
compliant substrate consisting of epidermal and dermal layers. We
believe that this research presents a new, promising approach to
characterize the mechanical properties of SC and other biological thin
films.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
I am deeply indebted to Professor Reinhold H. Dauskardt and Professor
William D. Nix for their help and stimulating suggestions for this
research. I would also like to acknowledge my teammates, Sumil Thapa
and Ruiliang Jia, for their help with the bulge system.
What was the significance of the award to you?
I am very happy to be applauded for our hard work. Both the award and
the feedback I got at the conference have proven to me that the bulge
technique is a promising approach to characterize the mechanical
properties of SC and other biological thin films. My teammates and I
are now very eager to advance our studies on the bulge of SC.
DANIEL WORTHINGTON, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
Best Graduate Structural Materials Division Poster
"Influence of Composition and Microstructure in the Spall of Aluminum
Materials":
Worthington’s poster detailed his investigation into spall failure from
laser-induced shock in single crystals of high-purity Al and Al 1100
and polycrystals of Al-3Mg with three different grain sizes.
Worthington is a second-year graduate student in materials science
and engineering, and plans to remain involved with research in
structural materials.
How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
Mechanical behavior, in general, is a fascinating subject. Spall
fracture from shock is particularly interesting because it involves
deformation at high strain-rates. Doing these experiments allows us to
look at the influence of microstructure on spall behavior.
Why did you enter the TMS Student Poster Contest?
The best part of TMS meetings is talking with people about your
research. A poster comes in handy, because there are giant figures and
graphics that you can point to. It makes telling the story much easier
and more fun.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
This project was truly a collaboration with two other students who work
in my group, Paul Sherek and Nick Pedrazas. We worked many hours upon
hours to produce the target specimens. Eat, sleep, polish. Also, my
advisor, Dr. Eric Taleff, was very encouraging and bought us pizza.
ALEXANDRA CINTRÓN-APONTE, UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
Best Undergraduate Extraction & Processing Division Poster
"Statistical Analysis: Effect of Chemical Composition in Al-V and Al-Zr
Composites Under Directional Solidification": Cintrón-Aponte’s poster
outlines a methodology to evaluate the effect of cooling rates and
chemical composition on Al-Zr and Al-V-based composites reinforced with
boride particles using design of experiment and statistical analysis.
Cintrón-Aponte is a senior industrial engineering student. She will
be moving to Florida after graduation to work at Raytheon as a
manufacturing staff engineer and to pursue her master’s degree in
manufacturing engineering at the University of South Florida.
ADDITIONAL STUDENT POSTER CONTEST WINNERS:
Kirsten Kepple, Georgia Institute of Technology
Best Undergraduate Biological Materials Science Poster
"Carbon Nanotube Based Nanoelectrode Arrays": Kepple’s poster discussed
prior studies on the functionalization of CNT substrates for the
adhesion of PC12 cells, while also presenting results from a study on
the mechanical stability of these substrates with cortical tissue,
assessed by simulation with a 0.6% agarose gel.
Ma Jianhong, Shanghai University
Best Graduate Light Metals Division Poster
"Grain Refinement of Pure Al and Al-Si Alloy by Applying Electric Current Pulse":
The poster describes the experimental study of the effect of electric current pulse (ECP)
on grain refinement in cast pure Al and Al-12.6wt%Si alloy.
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How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
I have been working on different research projects since my second year
at college. It was not until I took the introductory course on
Engineering Materials with Professor O. Marcelo Suárez in my third year
that I became interested in materials properties applications. Since I
joined Professor Suárez’s research group, I have been studying the
effect of boron diborides on different composites under different
treatments. My interest has grown to analyzing materials mechanical
properties using robust statistical applications.
Why did you enter the TMS Student Poster Contest?
Our research group and our Material Advantage chapter have been
participating in TMS meetings since 2005. When I was a new member of
this research group, I noticed that most of the senior students were
winning different awards and scholarships, as well as acquiring
experiences in co-ops at different companies and summer internships at
top research universities. Most of these achievements had come from
exhibiting their work at TMS and Materials Science & Technology
(MS&T) meetings. Every time a group of students starts a project,
the main goal is to formulate one strong enough to compete in the TMS
poster contest or other national venues. Being able to represent our
university and my outstanding fellow students in these international
meetings is always a great honor.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
I am particularly grateful to my mechanical engineering peers who
provided me, an industrial engineering student, with alternative,
broader views to attack specific tasks. I want to recognize Carlos Luis
Báez and José R. Vázquez, both mechanical engineering undergraduates
and first place winners in the TMS 2007 poster competition, for their
relentless support of this project. I am also grateful to Victor
Martínez, mechanical engineering undergraduate and new member of our
research group, for working with me during the development of the
project and for staying with me throughout the poster competition in
San Francisco. I would like to particularly thank Dr. Ramón Vázquez,
Dean of Engineering of our university, for sponsoring our Material
Advantage members’ travel to the TMS meeting, as well as Raytheon for
providing funds to support my travel. And last, but not least, I must
thank Professor O. Marcelo Suárez for giving me the opportunity to work
with him and the group and for guiding me throughout all these years.
After working with him, I developed the ability to see things not only
as an industrial engineer, but as an engineer in general.
What advice would you offer to other students who might consider entering the competition next year?
They should work hard, focused on what they want to accomplish, and not
be conformists with their work. What you show on that poster represents
you and your institution. They should be prepared and know everything,
every detail they have in their poster. They should always bear in mind
that if they win in their division, the judges will ask questions about
the research and its applications for the Best in Show prize. Also,
every student, especially if they have graduate school in mind, should
take advantage of the competition to associate with other students,
professors, and scientists who have the same or similar research
projects or ideas. The TMS meeting and poster competition are great
networking events for anyone interested in materials engineering.
RYAN AUBIN, QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY
Best Graduate Extraction & Processing Division Poster
"Industrial Waste Heat Recovery Using Thermally Regenerative
Electrochemical Cells": This poster presented Aubin’s work on the
direct conversion of mid-grade industrial waste heat to electricity
using a novel single chamber thermally regenerative electrochemical
system that employs density differences and a molten
hydride-borohydride system to convey sodium hydride between hot and
cold regions in a continuous circuit.
Aubin is currently a second-year master’s degree student, majoring
in mining engineering. He plans to practice engineering while working
for a mining company, and eventually move into consulting.
How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
I have always been interested in alternative energy, energy
consumption, and hydrogen storage methods, having worked on several
summer projects in this area of research. This poster presents new
ideas and concepts illustrating that mid-grade waste heat could be
viably recoverable, tying those three topics together.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
I would like to thank my supervisor, Boyd Davis, for his guidance,
insight, and enthusiasm, along with Daniel Calabretta, who has imparted
much of his technical knowledge to me. Finally, I am grateful for the
kind funding from RioTinto Alcan, making the research possible.
What advice would you offer to other students who might consider entering the competition next year?
I would strongly suggest participating. It offers a unique opportunity
to discuss with others, practice presentation skills, and interact with
people from various backgrounds and technical strengths.
What was the significance of the award to you?
Being fortunate enough to win this award encourages me to set new
experimental goals and feature this work in other media. It also
validates all the time and effort that have been put into this body of
work.
NAYOMI PLAZA, UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
Best Undergraduate Structural Materials Division Poster
"Effects of Magnesium Levels in Aluminum Matrix Composites Subject to
Mechanical Wear and Abrasion": This poster displayd Plaza’s research on
the effect of magnesium addition on wear behavior and hardness in a
series of high-wear strength, lightweight composites developed for
aerospace applications.
Plaza
is a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering and has worked in a
materials science laboratory since high school. She plans to eventually
earn her Ph.D. and become a professor “who can encourage students to
take advantage of these great opportunities.”
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Nayomi Plaza (right) celebrates her winning poster with her graduate mentor, Ruth Hidalgo. (Click to enlarge photo.)
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How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
Since January 2008, I’ve been working on the tribological
characterization of an Al-Mg-Cu-B Composite. However, after the initial
testing, such a broad topic got divided into a few sub-projects, one of
them being how the magnesium was affecting the composite mechanical
properties. This became the subject of my poster. Because of the
success of the investigation, I would like to keep on exploring how
magnesium will affect the overall properties of aluminum matrix
composites.
Why did you enter the TMS Student Poster Contest?
In past years, members of our Material Advantage chapter have been
participating in this competition with growing success and I wanted to
be part of that legacy. In that respect, I got a lot of encouragement
from my fellow Material Advantage members, as well as from my physics
teaching assistant, who told me, “There’s nothing better than to have
the opportunity to present and exchange your research findings.”
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
I’m certain that I wouldn’t have been able to obtain this award if it
hadn’t been for the support of my research advisor, O. Marcelo Suárez,
who guided me and corrected this poster as many times as it was needed.
I’m also very thankful to Dr. Suárez for giving me the opportunity to
do research at such a young age and introducing me to the ever-changing
world of materials science. In addition, I would like to thank my
graduate mentor Ruth Hidalgo, a 2006 TMS Light Metals Division
undergraduate scholar and currently a Mechanical Engineering graduate
student—This prize is hers as much as it is mine. I would also like to
recognize the support of the NASA MUST program, PR-LSAMP, the NSF-PREM
program, KB Alloys, and AMBIOS Tech.
What was the significance of the award to you?
At first, when you see a ribbon on your poster it’s hard to believe
that you really won, especially when you consider how competitive the
posters in each technical division are. For every winner, this award
means that all the hard work really paid off and that everything was
worth it.
DEBRUPA LAHIRI, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Best Graduate Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division Poster
"Dual Strengthening Mechanism Induced by MWCNT in Cold Rolled Aluminum
Matrix Composite": This poster presented a study in which Lahiri
processed aluminum composites containing 0-7.5wt% MWCNT reinforcement
by sandwich cold rolling with intermediate annealing stages.
Lahiri is pursuing her Ph.D. in mechanical and materials
engineering, and plans to continue her career in an academic
environment.
How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
My current research interest is in different nano-composites. My poster
focused on Al-CNT roll bonded composite, which is part of that research.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
My advisor, Dr. Arvind Agarwal, has always been very encouraging and
enthusiastic about this work, while also providing me valuable
technical guidance.
What advice would you offer to other students who might consider entering the competition next year?
The competition is really tough, so you need to work hard. Reporting a
novel research work or a set of different studies is not sufficient
enough to compete with others—Your information needs to be presented in
a pleasing and sensible way.
What was the significance of the award to you?
It gave me lot of encouragement for my future research work. The award
also helped me to gain confidence that my research is comparable to
students in other universities.
DANIEL PAEZ, UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
Best Graduate Electronic, Magnetic, & Photonic Materials Division Poster
"Nanofabrication of Metal-Polymer Composites for Surface-Enhanced Raman
Spectroscopy Based Biosensing": Paez’s project examined the design and
optimization of random and well-defined nanostructures with uniform
geometries using Electron-Beam Lithography (EBL) to optimize the SERS
effect, facilitating studies concerning the fate and transport of model
pharmaceuticals in water.
Paez is a mechanical engineer, currently pursuing a master’s degree
in mechanical engineering. He plans to begin his Ph.D. studies after
graduation.
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Diran Apelian, 2008 TMS President (right), congratulates Daniel Paez on his winning poster. (Click to enlarge.)
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How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
My interests in research are based in bioengineering and material
sciences, including microfrabrication processes and microfluidics
systems. Essentially the poster represents the progress that I have
achieved in my graduate studies until now to complete my thesis.
Why did you enter the TMS Student Poster Contest?
TMS not only provides a platform to show my work, but also offers a
great opportunity to look at others’ work and learn about the state of
art in materials science.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
I would like to thank my advisor, Dr Ruben Diaz, for his guidance and
support, and greatly appreciate the kind financial assistance of our
Dean of Engineering, Dr. Ramón E. Vásquez.
What was the significance of the award to you?
It is an exceptional motivation to continue doing research, knowing
that your work is recognized as an important input to materials
science.
JULIA REID, WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Best Undergraduate Electronic, Magnetic, & Photonic Materials Division Poster
"Characterization of Electroplated Gallium Microdroplets": This poster
illustrated Reid’s study of the structure and properties of
electrodeposited gallium droplets for the formation of a high current
density microswitch.
Reid is a senior material science engineering student and plans to continue her research in graduate school.
How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
My poster is based on my senior thesis research and reflects my interest in characterizing materials behavior and properties.
Why did you enter the TMS Student Poster Contest?
I have been to TMS conferences before with our Material Advantage
chapter and was very excited to be able to finally participate.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
I would like to recognize my advisor, Dr. David Bahr, as well as the
Washington State University Wood Materials Engineering Laboratory and
two WSU graduate students, Yoonkap Kim and John Youngsman, for their
assistance and training.
What advice would you offer to other students who might consider entering the competition next year?
Just go for it! It seems intimidating to submit an abstract, but it is fun to see your research and hard work on a poster.
NINOSHKA CANTRES, UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
Best Undergraduate Light Metals Division Poster
"New Application of Recycled Metallic Matrix Composites": Cantres’
poster explored the feasibility of producing recycled aluminum matrix
composites by adding AlB2 particles via melting and casting, for the
purpose of broadening the range of applications of recycled Al–Mg 5182
alloy.
Cantres is a fourth-year chemical engineering major and plans to
pursue graduate studies in the fields of material science and
engineering or environmental engineering.
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Kemal Levi (left) and Laura Lara-Rodriguez (right) discuss the research illustrated on their posters. (Click to enlarge.)
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How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
My current research interests are in environmental engineering,
specifically in the area of recycling and reutilization of materials.
What specific challenges did you encounter in preparing your poster?
One of the challenges I encountered was making it appealing and
interesting to all engineering fields, since the ultimate purpose of my
research was to find ways that others could utilize the material that I
was working on. Something that I learned in the process of preparing
the poster was that other people have done projects with similar
objectives, but using other materials. This ended up being beneficial
by enriching my knowledge in the topic.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
I want to acknowledge the National Science Foundation under Grant No.
0351449 (PREM Program), The Aluminum Association, Inc., Novelis Inc,
and Professor O. Marcelo Suárez and Dean Ramón Vázquez Espinosa who
have supported my work in numerous ways.
What was the significance of the award to you?
This award meant that people are interested in the topic of my
poster—finding alternative solutions to reuse or recycle
materials—which can lead to a better environment and a healthier life.
It also meant that I am making good progress and that what I am doing
is taken into account and makes a difference.
DAVID BROWNE, LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
Best Undergraduate Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division Poster
"Sol Gel Synthesis and Conversion of Spinel Thin Films": Browne’s
poster illustrated a process for converting coatings to crystalline
polycrystalline magnesium aluminate, which was epitaxial with the
substrate grains.
Browne is a senior materials science and engineering student. He
plans to attend graduate school, with a career goal of working for NASA
or a national laboratory.
How does this poster relate to your current research interests?
Although my poster dealt with the processing of ceramics, my current
research interests involve semiconductor nanodevices and other
nanostructures.
Why did you enter the TMS Student Poster Contest?
I was awarded travel funds by winning second place at an undergraduate
research symposium at Lehigh University, which allowed me the
opportunity to travel to the conference. The TMS student poster
competition was a great way for me to experience the conference and
present some of my own material as well.
What support did you receive while you were working on this project?
I would like to recognize Professor Richard Vinci and Professor Helen
Chan for allowing me to work in their lab, and for their support
throughout the project. I would also like to thank the Freed family for
providing the travel funds which allowed me to attend the conference.
What advice would you offer to other students who might consider entering the competition next year?
My best advice to other students is to be confident in the work that
you've done. Also, I would advise any students who are serious in
pursuing research to enter a poster and attend the conference. It's a
great place to learn about research in other areas of materials
science, as well as a great networking opportunity.
For additional spotlight stories please visit the Archive page.
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