Millennium Café

Can we develop a platform in which printing a working device requiring a range of material functions (conductivity, insulation, elastic compliance, etc.) is no more expensive than printing for a single function? Consider, for example, printing an electric motor versus printing a shelf bracket. I will discuss work in our lab, along with the lab of Dr. Ounaies, that has developed a technological pathway that points toward such a platform.  The talk will illustrate how coupled – electric and magnetic field processing techniques applied to polymer matrix composites sit at the heart of our quest for a universal printer. 

Lauren McPhillips | Civil & Environmental Engineering

Traditionally, stormwater has been managed with 'grey' solutions like sewer pipes and underground detention, but increasingly there's interest in implementing more nature-based or ecological approaches. I'll give a quick overview on what 'green infrastructure' means and talk about efforts to ensure the most effective designs for managing flooding, water quality, and providing other benefits- including a new 'living lab' for green stormwater infrastructure here on campus.

Microstructure characterization is often relegated to techniques that require extensive sample sectioning and surface preparation. Furthermore, these methods are limited to a small portion of the bulk material. In this presentation, I will show how elastic wave propagation methods (ultrasound) combined with physics-based models can be used to extract microstructural parameters in polycrystals over large areas. I will close with a broader outlook for applications of these techniques in various fields.

Our brains are surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid, which has an important role in transporting waste out of the brain. Failures in this waste transport process contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases but the dynamics of this process are poorly understood. I will talk about recent work looking at the micro-scale drivers of cerebrospinal fluid circulation, and the impact of blocking outflow pathways on waste transport.

Aerosol particles impact the climate system through their interactions with light and clouds while also impacting human health by causing inflammation in the lungs. The Freedman group focuses on laboratory studies of aerosol physical and chemical properties, and in recent years, we have begun incorporating materials chemistry into our studies of ice nucleation and phase transitions under confinement. I am looking for ways in which our research may be applied more broadly in materials science and for applications to human health.

The Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE) program has a wide range of projects spanning agriculture economics, irrigation, biofuels, low cost diagnostics, and security. I will make a case for humanitarian engineering as a motive for and application of your research, as well as a means to bring additional resources to your lab, recruit broader-minded students, and positively impact humanity. HESE is interested in developing new partnerships on campus that truly broaden research impacts. The recently announced Materials that Matter at the Human Level program could be a great opportunity to jumpstart a collaboration.