Faces of SRAP: Brian Nussbaum and Paul Mesa

Brian Nussbaum, a senior from Green River, WY and Paul Mesa, a senior from Riverside, CA, have both found an interest in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering this summer. Brian and Paul are working in Dr. John Oakey’s lab, with graduate student Ben Noren, in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering department, studying microfluidics.

“Right now we’re basically doing introductory experiments, like permeation, diffusion and viscosity,” says Paul. “Once we go through those we’re going to have kind of a background knowledge of chemical engineering on a microfluidic scale and then we’re going to use that knowledge to develop our own project and perform our own experiment.”

Brian enjoys learning new things, and building his project from the ground up. He hopes to gain knowledge that can be used for real-world application while in Dr. Oakey’s lab.

From left to right:
John Oakey, Ben Noren, Paul Mesa and Brian Nussbaum

“My favorite part of my project is making the devices, like cutting them out and poking holes in them,” Brian says. “I hope to learn how fluid reacts in different channels so we can make sewer systems better or pipes better for towns and cities.”

Like Brian, Paul also likes doing lab work. He enjoys working with new equipment and gaining experience with research in a hands-on way.

“It’s really neat working with all of the devices that you don’t see in high school,” says Paul. “We didn’t do any labs in the high school chemistry class I took, so it’s nice being in the lab and being exposed to research.”

Because of their research project, Brian and Paul are learning a lot about microfluidics, something that most students their age don’t get the chance to study.

“General concepts of microfluidics are something that these guys are going to become very good at, and have become quite good at already,” says Ben. “There’s not a lot of people who work on microfluidics, so it’s kind of a neat thing to learn about and get good at.”

SRAP is a six-week, intensive research program for high school students. It is based at the University of Wyoming and is sponsored by Wyoming EPSCoR. To learn more about the program, click here, or search "SRAP" in the archives. 

By Robin Rasmussen

Photo by Robert Waggener

SRAP Student Spotlight: Lydia and Fuel Cell Adhesives

SRAPer: Lydia Frost
Home state: Wyoming
Grade: Freshman in college
Studying: Engineering at LeTourneau University in Texas.

Creating a new form of glue isn’t how most students plan on spending their summer. For Lydia Frost however, that’s exactly what she’ll be doing, and she’s excited about it. For her SRAP project, Lydia is working with Dr. Dongmei (Katie) Li in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering department. “I’m working with fuel cells. What I’m doing is finding an alternate way to bind the catalyst to the membrane. The catalyst and the membrane assembly is called the MEA, or membrane electrode assembly. It’s the main component of a fuel cell that produces the electricity,” says Lydia. “The normal way to make an MEA generates thermal and mechanical stress, and after a few uses, the electrode starts to pull away from the membrane because it doesn’t have very good interfacial contact. So, I’m just trying to find a different way of gluing it together.”The work that Lydia will be doing on finding an alternative adhesive will be vital for the field of fuel cell research. Not only is this work important, but it’s a great chance for Lydia to practice what she’s learned in school. “It’s fun to actually put the MEA together and work in the lab and get to use the stuff that you read about,” says Lydia. While Lydia now enjoys science, this hasn’t always been the case. An experience at a young age, however, changed that for her. “I guess I started liking science when I took physical science in junior high,” says Lydia. “I really liked it, mostly because I had a really awesome teacher and he made it very cool. So, I got really interested in science.”Her experience in junior high led Lydia to have an interest in STEM fields. She plans to study engineering, and math has always been interesting to her. “My favorite subject in school was math. I like it because it’s really fun to solve problems and understand them,” Lydia says. “It’s just fun to work with something until you understand and are to solve it.”The opportunity to work on a real-life research project is a unique experience for most high school students. While the research that Lydia is doing is challenging, she is gaining knowledge and experience in the field of research that will serve her well in her future.

SRAP is a six-week intensive research program based at the University of Wyoming and sponsored by Wyoming EPSCoR.

By Robin E. Rasmussen and Kali S. McCrackin
Photo by Robin E. Rasmussen
 

SRAP Student Spotlight: Troung Cai and Applying Knowledge

Name: Troung Cai
From: California
Year in school: Freshman in College
Future plans: Will be attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a chemical engineering major

Troung explains some of the equations on the board behind him

When it comes to knowledge, sometimes bridging the gap between the theoretical and the applied is hard to grasp. Troung Cai, however, has a firm understanding of both and knows which side of knowledge best suits his interests.

“When you learn about math, you ask ‘What is the use of all these equations? What are these theorems for?’,” Troung says. “I had all these same questions and that is exactly where chemistry comes in.  I saw why people spend their lives developing these math theorems because they can actually be used to create models in science.”

While he started out as a self-identified ‘math-guy’, highly involved in theoretical knowledge, he is now on his way to becoming a chemical engineer.

“I don’t want to be someone who finds the knowledge,” Troung says. “I want to be the one who applies the knowledge.”

A microfluidic device

His SRAP project this summer, with Dr. John Oakey, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Wyoming, is all about applying knowledge.

“Troung’s project is to make microfluidic devices 3-D,” Dr. Oakey says.

The Oakey lab uses microfluidic devices to develop biomedical technology as well as in enhanced oil recovery research. For Troung, the medical uses of microfluidic devices are most interesting, especially for his future academic pursuits.

“My interest is in researching cell biology, cell engineering and drug delivery,” Troung says. “I know that microfluidic devices can be used to model how drugs work in a blood vessel system and can be used to study how drug delivery can be used to treat illnesses, like cancer.”

Microfluidic devices

This project is a step forward for Troung’s future college research and, as Dr. Oakey says, it is important for more than just medical research.

“Troung is working on a very fundamental fabrication issue,” Dr. Oakey says. “He is working on an enabling technology. It’s going to have an impact in a lot of different areas.”

For Troung, the best part of his project is the blending of theoretical and applied knowledge.

“My favorite part of this research is that I can actually incorporate what I learned from theoretical knowledge and apply that to real life,” he says.
SRAP is a six-week intensive research program based at the University of Wyoming and sponsored by Wyoming EPSCoR.

 

By Kali S. McCrackin

Photos by Kali S. McCrackin

SRAP Student Spotlight: Maddie Zoltek and fuel cell research

SRAPer: Maddie Zoltek
Home state: Illinois
Grade in school: High School Senior
Plans after High School: Attend college to study biochemistry or biomedical engineering

Maddie Zoltek hasn't always loved science. Her sophomore year of high school, however, changed that.

“I hated science up until then; I didn't think it was interesting,” Maddie says. “But when I took chemistry my sophomore year, I really liked it because of the awesome teacher I had. So, I started doing more research and getting more involved in it.”

Her love for chemistry continued to grow, leading her to want to pursue a degree in biochemistry.

“I thought chemistry was really interesting,” Maddie says. “Whenever we did labs in class, I loved doing them. I like the math involved too; it was just something that I really understood and I feel like I can apply it in a lot of ways. I just thought it was such a cool class.”

Maddie’s SRAP project involves working with Dr. Dongmei (Katie) Li, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. Maddie will take the knowledge she gained in chemistry and apply it to improve the durability of fuel cells.

“I have been working with fuel cells,” Maddie says. “When we make a fuel cell using the alternative approach, we dip the membrane in a chemical solution serving as a ‘glue’ instead of using heat and mechanical pressing. My project involves testing the effect of different times on the durability and overall performance of fuel cells.”

A fuel cell creates an electric current from a chemical reaction and is used in areas such as transportation, stationary power, and more.

“The kind of fuel cell we work with generates electricity from hydrogen and oxygen,” says Dr. Li. “And then you can generate electricity in which you can stack all of these single cells up to power your car.”

Maddie says that one of her favorite parts about creating and testing fuel cells is being able to work in the lab and get her hands dirty.

“The most interesting part is actually just being able to make the solutions yourself and make the fuel cells yourself and have a hands-on approach,” says Maddie. “Because up until now we’ve only been learning about it and talking about chemistry and other science disciplines, so the opportunity to use classroom knowledge is really cool.”

The research that Maddie is working on and the techniques she’s learning will be beneficial for her future.

“The molecule she’s using is mostly used in biochemistry,” says Dr. Li. “Researchers use that compound for various reasons in the field of biochemistry.”

Maddie is greatly enjoying her research project this summer, and she’s excited about the opportunity to be working in the field she loves while gaining invaluable knowledge and experience. 

SRAP is a six-week intensive research program for high school students. It is based at the University of Wyoming and sponsored by Wyoming EPSCoR.

By Robin E. Rasmussen and Kali S. McCrackin

Photos by Robin E. Rasmussen

Faces of Science: Following Family Footsteps and Going Beyond the Horizon

Dr. Li with her daughter and husband on a hiking trip near Laramie.

Dr. Dongmei “Katie” Li has a unique perspective on being an engineer. Not only is she one of just two women professors in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department at the University of Wyoming, she also knows what it is like to be in the shoes of an international student and a member of a minority group. However, while her experiences and perspectives may be different than many of her colleagues, Dr. Li became interested in engineering in the same way that many engineers do: through family.

Like many engineers, Dr. Li started in the field because of her father. From the time she was young she wanted to be a chemical engineer.

“My dad is in chemical engineering,” Dr. Li says. “I started (into engineering) with the motivation of wanting to help with the family business.”

This motivation led Dr. Li to pursue her B.S. in Chemical Engineering at Shandong University and her M.S. in Chemical Engineering at Tianjin University in China. From China, Dr. Li moved halfway around to world to earn her Ph.D. at Colorado University Boulder (CU Boulder).

 “I had trouble understanding my professors my first semester,” she says, laughing. “I was taking seventeen graduate level credit hours which was extremely overwhelming. I tried to make friends, but most of the time people had a hard time understanding me. The first semester was tough, but luckily math and a chemical background were there, so I could read the books and do the homework.”

Dr. Li stayed at CU Boulder for her post-doc, but rather than continue with fundamental research topics, she decided to take a more applied approach.

“I happened to have the opportunity to work on a project that was very applied. It was a collaboration between CU Boulder and Sandia National Laboratories, and was sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI),” Dr. Li says. “That project was very crucial for me because it made me enjoy science and research again after being burned out by theoretical research at the end of graduate school.”

Dr. Li’s graduate school experience helped her develop techniques for problem solving by relying on science and her post-doc project introduced her to the refreshing world of applied science. Both of these experiences were instrumental in preparing her for her first job as a Senior Process Engineer at Intel Corporation, where she was one of the only women and minorities- both of which created a challenge due to the culture of the company. At first, she was seen through stereotypes, consequently resulting in unnecessary barriers between her and a few coworkers who had a different background.

“No doubt it was frustrating at the beginning,” Dr. Li says. “But then I learned that I had to earn respect from people who had been there for a long time and made their way up from the bottom, without an advanced or even college degree.”

Dr. Li overcame the stereotypes by using data and logic. As in graduate school, she relied on her knowledge in the field to address the challenge of the company culture and to succeed in that environment. When she left Intel, Dr. Li carried with her the importance of being flexible because, as she says, it is important to be able to deal with the unexpected issues, which arise in every job.

“You can only plan to a certain degree,” she says. “The rest are things you can’t control.”

While Dr. Li started out in chemical engineering to help with the family business, she did not return to China and her father is now retired. Instead, she followed opportunities and experienced a variety of career options and cultures. Despite any difficulties, the diversity of the cultures she has worked in has been the best part of her career.

“I think my favorite part of my job at Intel had to be being able to have the opportunity to interact with people from diverse backgrounds in terms of their seniority in the company, education level and personal background,” Dr. Li says. “Now, being a professor I get to work with many students and collaborate with other professors on this campus, the Front Range (CU Boulder and Colorado State University) and nationwide. That is very enjoyable.”

Working with students, especially international students, is a highlight of her work at UW, especially because she knows what it is like to be in their shoes. Though she does not like to give advice, to foreign students she says, “No matter what you are facing, do one thing at a time, and do it well, and opportunity will come knocking at your door.”

To all students, she advises, “Don’t limit yourself. The world is fascinating. There are so many opportunities and I think being into science and technology opens doors you wouldn’t otherwise know exist.” 

By Kali S. McCrackin

Photo courtesy of Dr. Dognmei Li

EPSCoR Undergraduate Fellow Publishes Paper and Presents at International Conference



 Richard works on the equipment that allows him to study gas hydrates

 Research, papers and presentations are all criteria graduate school applicants aim for, especially in fields like Chemical Engineering. This fall, Anthony Richard, a senior at the University of Wyoming, succeeded in completing all three goals.

Richard, originally from Louisiana, started his research in the summer of 2011 under Dr. Hertanto Adidharma in the area of gas hydrate inhibitors. Gas hydrates are similar to ice. They form when water molecules form a cage and trap a gas molecule inside. This can be dangerous in transmission pipelines moving oil or gas because gas hydrates plug up pipelines which can cause equipment failures. In his research, Richard works on developing inhibitors that will prevent the formation of methane gas hydrates. This research is a continuation of original research started by Dr. Adidharma.

“I just wanted to do research,” Richard said. “And I really wanted to work with Dr. Adidharma because he has done a lot of really good work and he’s a really great professor.”

When Richard approached Dr. Adidharma about research, he was offered the project about gas hydrate inhibitors. The only thing he needed was funding. For the summer 2011, Richard applied for the McNair scholarship and shortly after he applied for the fall 2011 EPSCoR Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Richard received both and was on his way to research, papers and presentations.

His research paper, The performance of ionic liquids and their mixtures in inhibiting methane hydrate formation, is the result of his hard work, dedication and innovation. The area of gas hydrate inhibitors is broad. There are multiple types of inhibitors which prevent gas hydrate formation in one of two ways. Either the inhibitor changes the conditions of hydrate formation (such as adding something into the process which stops the prevention of ice at a certain temperature) or the inhibitor slows down the formation process.

Richard worked with an inhibitor called ionic liquids, which prevent gas hydrate formation in both ways. Dr. Adidharma was the first to discover how ionic liquids work as inhibitors and, in his research, Richard worked on creating a synergy between different kinds of inhibitors. He mixed together different ionic liquids, mixed ionic liquids with conventional inhibitors and studied the effect of pressure on ionic liquid inhibition.

In October, Richard presented this research at the annual American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) conference in Pittsburgh, PA. The AIChE conference is one of the biggest in the world for Chemical Engineers.

“Presenting at a big conference has been on my list for quite a while,” Richard said. And when the opportunity to present came up, he jumped on it.

Richard gave a twenty minute oral presentation at the conference, which is rare for undergraduates, who usually give poster presentations at such conferences. Richard, however, was not worried, as his experiences with EPSCoR and McNair had given him presentation practice.

“Through McNair and EPSCoR and all the research I’ve been doing, I’m getting really familiar with this material,” Richard said. “So, presenting wasn’t that big of a worry. I didn’t mind presenting at all; it was great.”

Richard will graduate from UW this coming May. His graduate school applications are in and he’s looking forward to continuing research, either in the area of gas hydrate inhibitors or beyond. 

By Kali S. McCrackin

Photo by: Kali S. McCrackin

Fuel Cell Research- Making the electric car more affordable and durable

The Student Research Apprenticeship Program (SRAP) is a paid summer research program at the University of Wyoming for high school students in tenth through twelfth grade. It is sponsored by Wyoming EPSCoR and funded by the National Science Foundation. This is the seventh of eleven stories about the laboratories where this year’s SRAP students are working.

Brigette Salinas tests a membrane in Dr. Li's lab.

President Obama set a plan to reduce imported oil to one-third by 2025. In his plan, he pushed for increased focus and research on biofuels and other alternatives to gasoline. Right now the costs of alternatives, such as those used in electric cars, are greater than gasoline. However, research like Brigette Salinas’s summer project may make electric cars more affordable and durable.

The fuel cell assembly of an electric car, which replaces the combustion engine in a traditional car, is the most expensive part. This is in part due to its short lifespan and lack of durability, says Dr. DongmeiKatie Li, Brigette’s mentor.

Currently, fuel cells are made by sandwiching a membrane between two pieces of carbon paper. The fuel cell is then heat pressed which weakens the membrane and causes its short lifespan. Brigette is working on assembling the membrane sandwich in a way that does not require heat or pressure, but rather utilizes a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is incredibly versatile and can stick to any surface, says Dr. Li.

In the assembly Brigette is working on, each side of the membrane, or one side of each piece of carbon paper is coated with dopamine. The membrane is then put in a vacuum oven which requires no heat or pressure. After it is set, the membrane is then tested. After the first tests, Brigette and Dr. Li’s students, Phillip Cross and Shibely Saha, have found that this technique is very promising.

“We’re hoping to be able to replace the current device fabrication technique using this new surface chemistry technique so we can increase durability,” Dr. Li says.

This is the first year that Dr. Li has participated in SRAP. She was drawn to the program because of her own background. “I’m a first generation college graduate in my family and I wanted to help students from a similar background,” she says.

Her favorite part of SRAP is interacting with the students, especially students like Brigette who bring new strength to the lab. Brigette and her classmates are the face of the future, in terms of energy and sustainability, and it is programs like this that open up possibilities for the future.

By Kali S. McCrackin

Photo by Kali S. McCrackin