“This is a very exciting research project which could have very practical engineering applications in terms of preventive monitoring and diagnostic of our bridge infrastructure” says Dr. Hernandez.

An article by the UVM Transportation Research Center (TRC) entitled, “Bridge Structural Health Monitoring and Diagnostics in Vermont” is featured on the UTC web site.  This research is critically important for today’s infrastructure. The United States limits overall weight of trucks to a maximum of 80,000 pounds on interstate highways, but Maine and Vermont allow 100,000 pounds. A push is underway by trucking companies across the nation for heavier loads in order to allow trucks to drive fewer miles and consume less fuel --but heavier loads present significant structural challenges for an aging infrastructure with a nationwide average bridge age of 43 years, where most of these were designed for a minimum service life of 50 years.

Dr. Hernandez and graduate student Geoff May together with VTrans engineering and research staff strategically installed strain sensors and accelerometers on the bridge deck to monitor its dynamic response to vehicular traffic. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, a local engineering firm, generated the instrumentation plan and performed material testing of the bridge steel beams in coordination with Dr. Hernandez.

The sensor data collected will be processed and analyzed using structural models of the bridge and signal processing algorithms recently developed by Prof. Hernandez.  Results will yield accurate estimates of live load distribution and provide an overall diagnosis of bridge deck’s structural health. This will enable VTrans to update their current load rating and improve our understanding of the bridges' capacities to withstand overweight traffic loads.

Lessons learned from the project can be applied to other bridges in Vermont and nationwide, ultimately increasing safety and improving the reliability in the flow of commerce.

To read the UTC article visit:

http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/?Page=news&&storyID=13566&category=trc

Eric Hernandez joined the CEMS faculty as Assistant Professor of Engineering in the School of Engineering in January of 2011.  His area of expertise is structural engineering with special emphasis in direct and inverse problems in theoretical and experimental structural dynamics.

UVM Fabrication Lab – Votey 122A – 3-4 pm

Davis Maple Ballroom – 4:30 – 7:30 pm.

Over thirty-five Capstone Design projects developed by teams of civil, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering seniors will be on exhibit on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 in the Davis Maple Ballroom from 4:30 - 7:30 pm.   In addition, the newly created UVM Fabrication Lab (FAB Lab) in Votey 122A will be open to the public from 3 to 4 pm.

The evening’s events are free and open to the public. Each team has worked with an outside company, non-profit, entrepreneur or community or on UVM School of Engineering research projects to undertake system- and product-design projects that address a variety of timely problems.

The 2012 project Partners include:

ARA – An improved UAV wind measuring system

Burlington Electric Company

Camp Ta-Kum-Ta

Department of Energy – An algae growing flume

ECHO – Interactive art exhibit

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters – A cold beverage brewer

GreenSea – A ROV test facility

Goodrich – A precise positioning mechanism and a compact energy harvesting system

IBM – A improved valve for semiconductor manufacturing

Idea Well Done – A portable steam cleaning device

MITRE – A radar based warning system for cyclists

NASA – A zero-emissions snow tractor, a ferromagnetic gyroscope and a microsatellite design

National Park Service – A solar water heating system for historic homes

Pedal Power – A human power mechanical and electrical energy source

Proctor Maple Research Center – A wireless sensor network for sap flow monitoring

Public Works Department of the City of South Burlington

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Vergennes

The Intervale Center

Town of Essex

Town of Williston

Town of Granville

UVM Baja – An improved front suspension for an off road vehicle

UVM Clean Energy Fund – An educational solar installation for Votey Hall

UVM Extension – A compact baler for small hops farmers

UVM Physical Plant

UVM Rubinstein School & Plant and Soil Science Department

UVM Transportation and Parking

Vermont Agency of Transportation

Village of Essex Junction

“Real-world projects require integration of student knowledge of engineering topics from several disciplines as well as original creative thinking,” says Jeff Frolik, professor in the School of Engineering.  “Each team has one or more mentors from the faculty of CEMS and other UVM Colleges, and most work directly with engineers and professionals from off-campus partners.”

About half of these projects are service-learning projects with local communities and non-profits. Other faculty members involved with the School of Engineering’s Senior Design program include Drs. Nancy Hayden, Steve Titcomb, John Novotny and Mandar Dewoolkar, also from the School of Engineering.

To download video footage click:

hops.flv

hopsteam.flv

NASAproject.flv

NASAteam.flv

voteysolar1.flv

voteysolar2.flv

voteysolarteam.flv

SEED1.flv

You may also view these videos embedded here.

Opportunities for 2012-2013

Interested companies of all sizes, consumer advocacy groups, industry organizations, communities, non-profits, entrepreneurs and faculty research groups are encouraged to suggest projects for Academic year 2012-2013 by contacting Mike Rosen (mrosen@cems.uvm.edu) or any of the course instructors listed below.

 Mandar Dewoolkar & Nancy Hayden (Civil and Environmental Engineering)

Jeff Frolik (Electrical Engineering)

John Novotny (Mechanical Engineering)

Steve Titcomb (Electrical Engineering)

The UVM Catamount Racing Team placed 35^th in endurance, 38^th in hill climb, 41^st in acceleration, and 55^th overall with their UVM Baja vehicle out of 102 teams that competed during the 2012 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja East national race.  Hosted by Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama and by the National Center for Asphalt Testing (NCAT), the race was held April 19-22, 2012. 

“Overall we are satisfied with our performance,” said Sam Flinkström, President of the team. “Had we just a little more time to test our design and adjust our transmission, we could have done better.”

Baja SAE is an intercollegiate design competition with over 100 university and college participants from around the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Throughout the year students; design, build, and test an off-road buggy to compete in both static and dynamic events.

Static events included a written 15-page design report speaking to the engineering of the vehicles suspension, steering, drive train, frame and other unique aspects, including a cost report that detailed the marketability, manufacturability, and price point associated with mass production of the vehicle.  During the static event, members were given the opportunity to defend design decisions during their Design Presentation as well as answer challenging engineering questions in front of a panel of judges.

This year the UVM Baja team worked diligently to re-engineer the front suspension system and implement a new transmission system into the newly modified and lightweight frame. Presidents Sam Flinkström (originally from South Berwick, Maine) and Owen Teetor (originally from Poultney, Vermont); as well as Mackie Spencer (originally from Tampa, Florida) took on this task in part to satisfy their senior design requirement in mechanical engineering.

SAE International is a global association of more than 128,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries, with core competencies in life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development.

For pictures visit: http://www.facebook.com/UvmMiniBaja

For more information visit on SAE Baja: http://students.sae.org/competitions/bajasae/about.htm

For more information on the Baja East race visit: www.bajasaeauburn.com/

For more information on the UVM SAE Baja visit: http://thelynx.collegiatelink.net/organization/society-of-automotive-engineers--mini-baja

Contact information:
Philipp Foerster: pfoerst1@uvm.edu
Tyler Arnold: tarnold@uvm.edu
Visitors: Baja Room - 122C Votey Hall (South-West Corner, 1 Floor)  from 9am-4pm, M-F

Oughstun is a Fellow of the Electromagnetics Academy (FEMA). The  Electromagnetics  Academy has over 1,000 members and is devoted to the advancement of academic excellence in the field of electromagnetic theory.   He is also a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, which is focused on increasing and diffusing the knowledge of optics, pure and applied and to promote the common interests of investigators of optical problems, of designers and of users of optical apparatus of all kinds.

Oughstun’s research has been funded for over 20 years by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Oughstun’s past AFOSR sponsored research focused on the unique imaging properties associated with ultrawideband electromagnetic pulses with particular application to foliage and ground penetrating radar and IED detection as well as to biomedical imaging for tumor detection. This same technology can also be applied to pollution monitoring, groundwater remediation, and undersea communication.  The AFOSR manages the basic research investment for the U.S. Air Force (USAF).

For more information contact:  Kurt Oughstun, office: 361A Votey

Phone: (802)656-4301

E-Mail: oughstun@cems.uvm.edu

“CleanSpeed”, a zero emission racecar, to be designed, built and raced by students from UVM's Alternative Energy Racing Organization (AERO), is one of four projects chosen by the UVM Clean Energy Fund (CEF) for research related to renewable energy, education, and infrastructure.  The AERO team consists of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and business administration undergraduate students.

The Clean Energy Fund generates funds from a $10 self-assessed fee paid by undergraduate and graduate students each semester.  These funds total $225,000 per year and will provide nearly $102,000 to the winning environmentally friendly projects selected by the CEF committee for 2011-12. The GreenSpeed project has been awarded $38,200. The other three winning projects are: the Clean Greenhouse Energy at Miller Farm, Virtualized Desktop Lab at Kalkin Hall, and Compost Power for Slade Hall Greenhouse.

This May, AERO will compete, with their Gen 3 hybrid racecar, GreenSpeed, at the 2012 Formula Hybrid International Competition.  A total of 39 teams from around the world are registered to compete. If you are interested in helping the team, please contact AERO at aero@uvmaero.org or their faculty advisor, Dr. Jeff Frolik, at jfrolik@uvm.edu.

For more information on the CEF Projects visit: http://www.uvm.edu/sustain/news-events/news/cef-awards-102k-to-four-projects-for-2011-2012

WCAX TV3 featured mechanical engineering students Marc Soldini (Senior) and Andrew Giroux (Freshman) and members of the UVM AERO racing team on the :30 program Friday, April 13, 2012.  

The UVM Alternative Energy Racing Organization (AERO) Team is working on the next iteration of their third hybrid vehicle. The focus of the team is to compete in the 2012 Formula Hybrid International Competition (FHIC) to be held in Loudon, NH April 30-May 3 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.  A total of 39 teams from around the world are registered to compete.  AERO competed in the competition events in 2011 and finished 10th overall against twenty-one teams from across the United States, Canada, and Sweden.

AERO's car, GreenSpeed Gen-3, was uniquely different, weighing just 650 pounds and having an all wheel drive powertrain, custom-designed parallel hybrid transaxle, and networked control systems. In 2010, with the same power-train, AERO was rated at nearly 90 horsepower enabling it to capture first place in the electric-only 75 meter acceleration test with a time of 5.287 seconds. In full hybrid mode, Gen2 completed the distance in 4.867 seconds; the second fastest time at the event.

If you are interested in helping the team, please contact AERO at aero@uvmaero.org or their faculty advisor, Jeff Frolik, at jfrolik@uvm.edu.

Click hear for more information on the International Formula Hybrid Competition:  http://www.formula-hybrid.org/competition.php

AERO's success to date has been made possible by the generous support of sponsors including: Triangle Fabrication (Milton VT), Hazelett Strip Casting (Colchester VT), Dynapower (South Burlington VT), Vermont Space Grant Consortium, the IEEE Green Mountain Chapter, VELCO, Elithion and private donations by Roy Crowninshield and Ronald Brand.

SAE Baja is a collegiate design competition with over 100 university and college participants from around North America. Throughout the year students; design, build, and test an off-road buggy to compete in both static and dynamic events.

Static events include a written 15-page design report speaking to the engineering of the vehicles suspension, steering, drive train, frame and other unique aspects, including a cost report that details the marketability, manufacturability, and price point associated with mass production of the vehicle.  During the static event, members are given the opportunity to defend design decisions during their Design Presentation as well as answer challenging engineering questions in front of a panel of judges.

Dynamic events at the Baja East event in Alabama this year include a hill climb, suspension and traction event, land maneuverability event, as well as the infamous four-hour endurance race --which tests the vehicle for just that!

This year the UVM Baja team has worked diligently to re-engineer the front suspension system and implement a new transmission system into the newly modified and lightweight frame. Presidents Sam Flinkström (originally from South Berwick, Maine) and Owen Teetor (originally from Poultney, Vermont); as well as Mackie Spencer (originally from Tampa, Florida) took on this task in part to satisfy their senior design requirement in mechanical engineering.

“The opportunity to use Baja as a co-curricular activity this year has allowed us to progress our vehicle’s design at a much faster rate than in previous race seasons,” explained Sam. “Before, as solely an extra-curricular activity the priority of classes created a lack of investment in Baja by some members. Now, with the motivation of class credit and the corresponding extra availability of time, we have been able to drastically improve on our design.”

Sam and Owen are veteran team members and have served the SGA-sponsored club for all four years of their undergraduate career.  Both are grateful for the invaluable assistance and manufacturing expertise of Floyd Vilmont, Lab Coordinator who has played a key role in the success of the club. 

“Floyd is the largest constant in the club,” says Sam, “He has seen the Baja team through all of its race seasons since the team’s foundation in early 2000.”

Current and prospective students interested in joining the club/team should contact either Sam or Owen, or stop by the prototype lab at 122 Votey Hall. All UVM students are welcome to join and are promised a hands-on, educational experience different from any other available.

SAE International is a global association of more than 128,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries, with core competencies in life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development.

For more information visit on SAE Baja: http://students.sae.org/competitions/bajasae/about.htm

For more information on the Baja East race visit: www.bajasaeauburn.com/

For more information on the UVM SAE Baja visit: http://thelynx.collegiatelink.net/organization/society-of-automotive-engineers--mini-baja

Contact information:

Sam Flinkström: sflinkst@uvm.edu

Owen Teetor: oteetor@uvm.edu

Visitors: Baja Room - 122C Votey Hall (South-West Corner, 1 Floor)  from 9am-4pm, M-F

Collaborative Research

Dr. Britt Holmén

Dr. Holmén leads the UVM Transportation-Air Quality Laboratory (TAQ Lab) which aims to understand and model factors affecting vehicle exhaust emissions as they relate to effects on human and environmental health. With a focus on unregulated pollutants such as air toxics and nanoparticles, both primary exhaust composition and secondary transformation processes are quantified at high temporal resolution under real-world vehicle operating conditions. Studies on hybrid and conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles operating on diverse fuels, including biodiesel blends from multiple feedstocks, position the TAQ Lab with a unique dataset for modeling tailpipe emissions of the future on-road vehicle fleet.

"This renovation greatly improves our bio- and chemical-related engineering research facilities and capabilities for growth. More importantly, by linking faculty with different expertise, the space will foster student and faculty interaction across subdisciplines within engineering," says Dr. Holmén, associate professor in the School of Engineering whose environmental engineering research focuses on characterizing processes affecting the transport and fate of organic chemicals and airborne particles from agriculture and transportation sources. Dr. Holmén’s expertise ranges from the study of nanoparticles in vehicle exhaust to herbicide gas/particle partitioning at the farm scale.

The UVM Transportation Research Center (TRC), co-founder of the UVM TAQ Lab, was founded in 2006 and is a hub for innovative and interdisciplinary research, education and outreach on sustainable transportation systems and solutions.

Dr. Jane Hill

The Hill Lab is focused on two primary research areas. The first area centers on the development of technologies to rapidly determine the identity of pathogenic bacteria. Mass spectrometry is the primary tool used to rapidly “fingerprint” bacteria in contexts ranging from food to the human lung. The second area focuses on studying how organic phosphorus compounds are cycled in the environment, with an emphasis on directing the release of phosphate near plant roots rather than in places where it can leach into nearby waterbodies and cause algal blooms.

“Our work to develop and test technologies to rapidly diagnose infectious disease is enhanced by this joint facility,” says Dr. Hill, assistant professor in the School of Engineering. “It is also a great environment to do some research cross-fertilization.”

Dr. Mary Dunlop

The Dunlop Lab studies how microorganisms use feedback to respond to changes in their environment. The focus is on engineering novel control systems in cells and studying how robust, predictable behavior is achieved with naturally occurring feedback loops. Dr. Dunlop’s interest is in processes that are dynamic or stochastic and the researchers use fluorescent proteins and time-lapse microscopy to image single cells over the course of many hours. Solutions using engineered control systems are being applied to problems in bioenergy and medical research.

“My research group is pleased to have this space to support our interdisciplinary work on biological feedback control systems,” says Dr. Dunlop, assistant professor in the School of Engineering. “The opportunity for greater interaction with colleagues and students in the other research areas is an important step towards supporting transdisciplinary research within CEMS.”

Dr. Rachael Oldinski

Dr. Oldinski is the director of the Engineered Biomaterials Research Laboratory in the School of Engineering. Dr. Oldinski’s research encompasses the fundamental understanding and development of polymeric materials for biological applications with a specific emphasis on tissue regeneration and drug delivery. The research in her laboratory involves: (i) developing novel polymeric materials and precursors; (ii) utilizing processing techniques to fabricate scaffolds with the desired micro- and macroscopic structures both spatially and temporally; (iii) investigating the interaction of cells with these materials while developing materials-based techniques to control cell differentiation; and (iv) using polymers to control the delivery of therapeutic molecules.

“The interdisciplinary research of my students will be enhanced by the close proximity of distinguished professors and their respective students,” says Dr. Oldinski, an assistant professor in the School of Engineering and an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation in the College of Medicine.

The renovation and creation of this new laboratory space is the result of a commitment from the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences to empower the research faculty and to enhance the undergraduate teaching experience for students.

For more information on the UVM Transportation Center visit: http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/

For more information on this research contact:

Britt Holmen <baholmen@cems.uvm.edu>

“Our work to develop and test technologies to rapidly diagnose infectious disease is enhanced by this joint facility,” says Dr. Hill, assistant professor in the School of Engineering. “It is also a great environment to do some research cross-fertilization.”

"This renovation greatly improves our bio- and chemical-related engineering research facilities and capabilities for growth. More importantly, by linking faculty with different expertise, the space will foster student and faculty interaction across subdisciplines within engineering," says Dr. Holmén, associate professor in the School of Engineering whose environmental engineering research focuses on characterizing processes affecting the transport and fate of organic chemicals and airborne particles from agriculture and transportation sources.  Dr. Holmén’s expertise ranges from the study of nanoparticles in vehicle exhaust to herbicide gas/particle partitioning at the farm scale.

“My research group is pleased to have this space to support our interdisciplinary work on biological feedback control systems,” says Dr. Dunlop, assistant professor in the School of Engineering.  “The opportunity for greater interaction with colleagues and students in the other research areas is an important step towards supporting transdisciplinary research within CEMS.”

“The interdisciplinary research of my students will be enhanced by the close proximity of distinguished professors and their respective students,” says Dr. Oldinski, an assistant professor in the School of Engineering and an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation in the College of Medicine.

The Dunlop Lab studies how microorganisms use feedback to respond to changes in their environment.  The focus is on engineering novel control systems in cells and studying how robust, predictable behavior is achieved with naturally occurring feedback loops.  Dr. Dunlop’s interest is in processes that are dynamic or stochastic and the researchers use fluorescent proteins and time-lapse microscopy to image single cells over the course of many hours. Solutions using engineered control systems are being applied to problems in bioenergy and medical research.

The Hill Lab is focused on two primary research areas. The first area centers on the development of technologies to rapidly determine the identity of pathogenic bacteria. Mass spectrometry is the primary tool used to rapidly “fingerprint” bacteria in contexts ranging from food to the human lung. The second area focuses on studying how organic phosphorus compounds are cycled in the environment, with an emphasis on directing the release of phosphate near plant roots rather than in places where it can leach into nearby waterbodies and cause algal blooms.

Dr. Holmén leads the Transportation-Air Quality Laboratory (TAQ Lab) which aims to understand and model factors affecting vehicle exhaust emissions as they relate to effects on human and environmental health.  With a focus on unregulated pollutants such as air toxics and nanoparticles, both primary exhaust composition and secondary transformation processes are quantified at high temporal resolution under real-world vehicle operating conditions.  Studies on hybrid and conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles operating on diverse fuels, including biodiesel blends from multiple feedstocks, position the TAQ Lab with a unique dataset for modeling tailpipe emissions of the future on-road vehicle fleet.

Dr. Oldinski is the director of the Engineered Biomaterials Research Laboratory in the School of Engineering. Dr. Oldinski’s research encompasses the fundamental understanding and development of polymeric materials for biological applications with a specific emphasis on tissue regeneration and drug delivery. The research in her laboratory involves: (i) developing novel polymeric materials and precursors; (ii) utilizing processing techniques to fabricate scaffolds with the desired micro- and macroscopic structures both spatially and temporally; (iii) investigating the interaction of cells with these materials while developing materials-based techniques to control cell differentiation; and (iv) using polymers to control the delivery of therapeutic molecules.

The renovation and creation of this new laboratory space is the result of a commitment from the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences to empower the research faculty and to enhance the undergraduate teaching experience for students.

UVM engineering students have returned from the University of Amherst with a First Place Plaque for Aesthetics from the Eastern Regional Steel Bridge Competition held March 30-31, 2012 in Amherst, Massachusetts.  MIT and Universite Laval took the top two spots for load, and UNH placed 3rd.

“Our 2012 steel bridge was shoulders above last year's entry," says Ryan Davenport, a senior civil engineering student originally from Poultney Vermont. "Unfortunately we were heavily penalized for lateral deflection, but we had the most creative and innovative bridge at this year's competition by far.”

A part of the Steel Bridge Competition involved a student Mead paper presentation by team member Jared Grigas related to globalization and ethics. Grigas placed 6th in this event.

The UVM team’s steel bridge held 1500 pounds on the main span and 1000 pounds on the cantilever.  In the end the UVM team, along with half of the teams that competed, was disqualified from the load competition event for failing a load test.  

To view a video of the UVM team building the steel bridge, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j83MgmxSaWA.

This inter-collegiate challenge is sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and requires students to design, fabricate and construct a steel bridge.  During the process students also gained other skills such as management techniques, steel design and fabrication and how to sequence construction for maximum efficiency.

The overall goal of the competition is to have the most efficient and inexpensive bridge. The competition categories included: display, construction speed, lightness, stiffness, construction economy, and structural efficiency. To quality to compete, bridge components had to fit within a 3' x 6" x 4" rectangular box. Students were judged on the quick assemble of the 23-foot-long steel bridges designed and fabricated prior to arrival according to specific design requirements. Once constructed each bridge was tested for lateral sway by a horizontal load of 75 lbs, and by 2500 lbs of vertical load measuring total aggregate deflection. Each element of the entire competition -- from construction time, amount of builders, and weight due to deflection -- equates back to cost.

For more information contact:  Ryan Davenport rddavenp@uvm.edu

For more information visit: http://www.clemson.edu/ces/steel-bridge/

Although there is no concern about the overall structural safety of the bridges under normal traffic loads, VTrans reroutes overloaded vehicles along other highways. Those overloaded vehicles that are permitted to cross the structures must do so by traveling down the centerline at a maximum speed of 5 mph. With the current SHM system in place in conjunction with nearby weigh in motion (WIM) stations, more accurate understanding of the bridges response to loading will be obtained, enabling the agency to maximize the safe use of the transportation infrastructure.

Under U.S. law, trucks can weigh a maximum of 80,000 pounds on interstate highways. However, Maine and Vermont allow 100,000 pound trucks on their interstates as trucks are the only transportation mode that logging and paper companies can use to haul felled trees and other forest materials. With truck miles virtually doubling during the last 20 years, big brand companies are now pressing more states for heavier load capacities with the argument that higher weight limits nationwide will allow trucks to drive fewer miles, thereby consuming less fuel in a time of rapidly rising diesel fuel prices.

With the average age of our nation’s bridges at 43 years, and the average bridge built to have a service life of 50 years, the added stress to our nation’s bridges with vehicles bearing heavier loads presents a significant challenge.  By taking this real-time bridge health monitoring initiative, VTrans will be able to better understand the levels of live loads and the reliability of similar bridges. Lessons learned from the project can be applied to other bridges in Vermont and nationwide by allowing structural design engineers to better predict a bridge’s response to future loads, ultimately increasing safety and improving the reliability in the flow of commerce.

This project was co-funded by the US DOT National University Transportation Center grant.

Over thirty-five Capstone Design projects developed by teams of civil, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering seniors will be on exhibit on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 in the Davis Maple Ballroom from 4:30 - 7:30 pm.  In addition, the newly created UVM Fabrication Lab (FAB Lab) in Votey  22A will be open to the public from 3 to 4 pm.

The evening’s events are free and open to the public. Each team has worked with an outside company, non-profit, entrepreneur or community or on UVM School of Engineering research projects to undertake system- and product-design projects that address a variety of timely problems.

The 2012 project Partners include:

ARA – An improved UAV wind measuring system
Burlington Electric Company
Camp Ta-Kum-Ta
Department of Energy – An algae growing flume
ECHO – Interactive art exhibit
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters – A cold beverage brewer
GreenSea – A ROV test facility
Goodrich – A precise positioning mechanism and a compact energy harvesting system
IBM – A improved valve for semiconductor manufacturing
Idea Well Done – A portable steam cleaning device
MITRE – A radar based warning system for cyclists
NASA – A zero-emissions snow tractor, a ferromagnetic gyroscope and a microsatellite design
National Park Service – A solar water heating system for historic homes
Pedal Power – A human power mechanical and electrical energy source
Proctor Maple Research Center – A wireless sensor network for sap flow monitoring
Public Works Department of the City of South Burlington
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Vergennes
The Intervale Center
Town of Essex
Town of Williston
Town of Granville
UVM Baja – An improved front suspension for an off road vehicle
UVM Clean Energy Fund – An educational solar installation for Votey Hall
UVM Extension – A compact baler for small hops farmers
UVM Physical Plant
UVM Rubinstein School & Plant and Soil Science Department
UVM Transportation and Parking
Vermont Agency of Transportation
Village of Essex Junction

“Real-world projects require integration of student knowledge of engineering topics from several disciplines as well as original creative thinking,” says Jeff Frolik, professor in the School of Engineering.  “Each team has one or more mentors from the faculty of CEMS and other UVM Colleges, and most work directly with engineers and professionals from off-campus partners.”

About half of these projects are service-learning projects with local communities and non-profits. Other faculty members involved with the School of Engineering’s Senior Design program include Drs. Nancy Hayden, Steve Titcomb, John Novotny and Mandar Dewoolkar, also from the School of Engineering. 

Opportunities for 2012-2013

Interested companies of all sizes, consumer advocacy groups, industry organizations, communities, non-profits, entrepreneurs and faculty research groups are encouraged to suggest projects for Academic year 2012-2013 by contacting Mike Rosen (mrosen@cems.uvm.edu) or any of the course instructors listed below.

Mandar Dewoolkar & Nancy Hayden (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Jeff Frolik (Electrical Engineering)
John Novotny (Mechanical Engineering)
Steve Titcomb (Electrical Engineering)

“This prestigious award reflects the exceptional research accomplishments being made by members within CEMS,” says Bernard “Chip” Cole, Interim Dean of the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences.  “It is inspiring to have yet another notable national recognition for CEMS research.”

“It is truly an honor to be recognized nationally for this research,” said Dr. Bean. “The long-term goal for this work is to detect P. aeruginosa volatiles with a breath test, enabling the patient's medical team to identify important bacterial phenotypes, such as antibiotic resistance, as they arise in the lung.”

Dr. Bean joined the Laboratory of Prof. Jane Hill in 2009 as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the School of Engineering.  Her research focuses on the application of mass spectrometry to the study of infectious disease.  She received her Ph.D. in chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2008, and was a Postdoctoral Research Associate for the School Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University prior to arriving at UVM.

“Dr. Bean is being recognized for her talent as junior investigator who the CFF predict will be a leader in the field. She is an exceptional scientist,” says Prof. Jane Hill, Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering,

RESEARCH SUMMARY

A primary cause of morbidity and mortality for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is lung damage caused by chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a.) infections. Once P.a. infections are established in the lung, the P.a. mutates to become antibiotic (Ab) resistant. Therefore, early clearance of the P.a. infection is essential for long-term patient outcomes; once treatment of a P.a. infection fails, the infection becomes established and the bacterium evolves to become highly resistant to treatment and damages the lung.

            Current methods for diagnosing and characterizing P.a. lung infections require recovering bacteria from the lung, followed by lab tests. However, it is well established that P.a. Ab susceptibility and mucoidy (sliminess) are a function of its environment, and laboratory results do not reflect what is happening in the lung. Therefore, a critical component of infection treatment and control - Ab choice and dosing - is less sophisticated and useful than it could be.

            The goal of this research is to identify volatile P.a. biomarkers that can be used to detect Ab resistance, mucoidy, and other clinically-important traits by analyzing patients' breath. This goal will be achieved in two stages. First, mutations will be introduced in P.a. genes for Ab resistance, mucoidy, and quorum sensing, and the volatile biomarkers of these mutations will be identified. Second, the robustness of these biomarkers will be validated using artificial neural network analyses of the volatiles produced by P.a. isolates collected from CF lungs. These data will advance the development of a breath test for diagnosing and characterizing P.a. lung infections.

 
For more information contact:

Heather Bean, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Vermont

heather.bean@uvm.edu

For more on this research visit:

 http://www.uvm.edu/~cems/soe/?Page=grad/bioe/default.php&SM=grad/_gradmenu.html

Patterson, a senior undergraduate student in civil engineering, was selected for this prestigious award for her outstanding academic achievements and for excellence in studies and research; as well as for significant service contributions to fellow students, UVM and the community. 

Patterson’s accomplishments extend beyond her academic abilities. She was named "Female U.S. Junior Skier of the Year" in 2010 by Ski Racing Magazine and has accrued thirteen career victories on the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) circuit.  Patterson is a four time NCAA All-American and two time UVM Women's Skiing MVP, and she has represented the U.S. at World Junior Championships in 2010 and at U23 World Championships in 2011.

February 19-25, 2012 was National Engineers Week bringing recognition to more than 75 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies, dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers among young students and by promoting pre-college literacy in math and science. Engineers Week also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineers' contributions to society. Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, it is among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts.

 Our congratulations to Caitlin!

“Linking UVM students to applying their knowledge to address real world problems of local communities and non-profits is the focus of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Senior Capstone Design Course,” say Mandar Dewoolkar and Nancy Hayden, associate professors and course instructors, in the School of Engineering.

The UVM student design team was comprised of: 

Jacquelyn Kline, BS Civil Engineering 2010, originally from Johnstown, NY;

RuthAnne Steger, BS Civil Engineering 2010, originally from Duxbury, VT;

Josh Tyler, BS Environmental Engineering 2010 & current MS Civil & Environmental Engineering candidate, originally from Arcata, CA; 

Ashley Walenty, BS Civil Engineering 2009, originally from Lake Placid, NY; and

Kelly Wasserbach, BS Civil Engineering 2009, originally from Durango, CO.

Both the Town and the student design team had the goal of incorporating as much recycled construction material as possible in their design. They created a design that allowed the subbase for the lot to be made of recycled crushed glass from the Chittenden Solid Waste District and recycled crushed asphalt stockpiled at the town landfill. They also designed the lot to contain a stormwater treatment system with a natural rain garden to treat surface water runoff, and used energy efficient LED lighting to illuminate the lot at night.  The new 19 space area is located on south side of Vermont Route 2A, at the 289 Essex off-ramp.  The project was made possible by a $75,000 grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation to the Town of Essex in 2007.

For more information on the UVM Civil and Environmental Senior Capstone Design Course, contact: Mandar Dewoolkar Mandar.Dewoolkar@uvm.edu – 656-1942 or Nancy Hayden njhayden@uvm.edu – 656-1924.

Dr. Rizzo is an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Computer Science in the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. Her colleagues write that “she is a ground breaker for women in engineering and serves as an important role model -- a natural leader with the ability to achieve consensus on thorny issues while not compromising her core beliefs.”

She joined UVM in 2002 and holds undergraduate degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut, Fine Arts from the University of Florence in Italy and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine and University of Vermont, respectively.

The Jackie Gribbons Leadership Award is named after Jackie Gribbons, a UVM Professor Emerita who served as UVM Coordinator of Graduate Student Internships in the Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration, and as Assistant Professor, Senior Associate to the Senior Vice President, Director of Staff Professional Development and Dean of Women.

VWHE is an organization affiliated with the Office of Women in Higher Education at the American Council on Education dedicated to serving women in higher education at all professional levels. Its mission is to assist women in the pursuit of careers in higher education. 

For more on VWHE visit: http://www.vwhe.org/

For UVM news article regarding other VWHE awardees visit:

http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/?Page=news&storyID=12606&category=ucommall

Contact email Donna M. Rizzo:drizzo@cems.uvm.edu

“Foundation scour is one of the main causes of bridge failures, and in the recent case of the bridge failures in Vermont during tropical storm Irene this phenomena played a major role” says Hernandez. “Most bridges are visually inspected and repairs are made depending on the outcomes of such inspections; however it is not always possible to detect weak bridge foundations using visual inspection, mainly because they are not easily accessible. In addition, many of these structures were built using steel reinforced concrete and although reinforced concrete is a safe, versatile and economic material for bridge construction, uncoated reinforcing steel rebars can corrode with time; and in cold regions such as Vermont, permeation of deicing salts mixed with water is one of the major contributors to corrosion. Modern reinforced concrete bridges are built with coated steel rebars which significantly enhances durability,” Hernandez remarked. “Once a severely weaken structure is affected by an extreme event, such as Irene, the probability of survival are usually low.”

Hernandez emphasized “My research in structural health monitoring aims at detecting these hidden weaknesses in structures by examining vibrations induced by operational loads. If such weaknesses are detected and repaired with enough time prior to an extreme event, catastrophic bridge failures could be prevented.”

Dr. Hernandez is an Assistant Professor in the civil engineering program and received his PhD in civil engineering as a Fulbright scholar in 2007 from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. 

His research focuses on vibration based structural health monitoring and diagnosis of civil infrastructure systems, structural safety and reliability analysis, structural dynamics, earthquake engineering and optimal state and parameter estimation in second order systems.

To listen to VPR interview visit: http://www.vpr.net/episode/52148/#comments

For more information on Hernandez’ research visit: http://www.emhernandez.com

Contact information:
Eric Hernandez
Votey 359
Phone 656-3334
Eric.Hernandez@cems.uvm.edu

“Doing this research with Dr. Rizzo will expand my understanding of watershed-level impacts on drinking water treatment in rural Honduras,” said Scott.  “My goal is to empower rural communities with the knowledge and skills that improve their quality of life” he further added.

This prestigious fellowship is awarded to select M.S. and Ph.D. candidates who demonstrate exceptional intellectual merit and the potential to achieve broad impact in their respective fields.  Scott’s interest in water systems research began in 2005, where, in collaboration with Dan Baker, professor in UVM Community Development & Applied Economics (CDAE), he designed and constructed a slow-sand filtration system for a rural community in Honduras.  Scott came to UVM from St. Michaels College through the articulation agreement which is a collaborative effort between the two institutions. After arriving on campus, Scott, through involvement with UVM’s Engineers Without Borders (UVM-EWB), developed his ongoing efforts in Honduras where he returns regularly to provide mentoring and technical assistance to undergraduate engineering students. 

His graduate work with Dr. Rizzo will focus on the application of new dynamic modeling/computational methods to the field project design.  Scott will also draw expertise from a variety of departments across campus and will also continue to work with Dr. Baker in CDAE. 

“The new complex systems methods and technology in watershed modeling contain practical applications to small-scale drinking water treatment systems,” says Scott. “These new applications will provide a platform for more innovative project designs.”

Kelsey's fascination with engineering began during a high school CAD course at Middlebury's Hannaford Career Center. "It just sparked my imagination," said Kelsey. "I chose UVM because it was a perfect combination: far enough away from home, with a strong engineering program."

Kelsey's internship experience expanded her knowledge and understanding of engineering, allowing her to apply her classroom learning to a hands-on environment. IBM's Integration Department acts as a hub for addressing and solving problems that occur during manufacturing processes. Kelsey started there with a mentor and then began taking over tasks. One of the challenges she worked on was an experiment that involved the creation of a new manufacturing process for wafers that had not been done at IBM before. "The results were very successful," says Kelsey. "The new wafer process has improved yield and solved a signature defect."

And who were key individuals in CEMS who made a difference in Kelsey's education? She responded without pause:

"Joan 'Rosi' Rosebush, Director of Student Success, was just incredible teaching and helping with mathematics classes."

"Joan Jordan, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, gave key advice for engineering classes, what to take and how to handle all of them."

For more information regarding IBM visit: http://www.ibm.com/us/en/

The UVM/GIV Engineering Institute is a week long program that provides high school students interested in careers in mathematics, engineering and computer science with hands-on projects related to sustainable engineering practices such as: Renewable/Sustainable Energy, to examine the power and impact of wind and biomass; Robotics, to apply artificial intelligence to perform specific tasks; Aerospace Engineering, to create prototype aeronautical devices and atmospheric probes; Engineering Design, to create a working tool for technicians restrained to a wheelchair; and Earth Systems Engineering, to examine the impact engineering has on our environment.

Governor Shumlin’s Initiative

Governor Shumlin emphasized the need for this generation to work hard to address our global sustainability issues.  His new initiative is designed to help ensure that Vermont students are hired by Vermont companies. His plan will provide $1500 annually as a cash payment for up to five years and is designed to help Vermont employers attract much needed engineering and technology talent to Vermont and help recent graduates pay off college debt.  

 “The bold initiative announced today by Governor Shumlin represents a critical investment in our young people and it will make Vermont more attractive to new industries and to the highly-skilled technological professionals that our industries need to be successful,” says  Bernard “Chip” Cole, Interim Dean of the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences.

 “Governor Shumlin's initiative is a major step forward and will help build the Vermont workforce of the future,” said Assistant Dean, Doug Dickey.  “UVM is proud to be an integral contributor to the science and technology workforce in Vermont by providing well-trained, highly-skilled graduates, many of whom would like to remain in our beautiful state to work and raise families. “

As a member of multiple student groups including Volunteers in Action and Senior Class Council, Veronneau was not only an active campus citizen with extra-curricular activities, but academically as well.  In fact she was the only woman to graduate with a degree in electrical engineering from UVM in 2004. She then went on to earn her master’s in business administration in 2009, while simultaneously working at IBM.  As an alumna, Michelle has been a tireless supporter of the UVM Fund, serving as a member and eventual vice-chair of the Young Alumni Committee, the University’s peer-to-peer, volunteer fundraising group.  Michelle has also served on the Alumni Association Board’s awards committee for the past two years. Ever the UVM advocate, Michelle was also a participant in the class of 2004’s fifth Reunion committee.

Other awards to be presented are:  Distinguished Service Award - Leon Heyward '81and Louise Magram Weiner '61 - both College of Arts and Sciences;  Alumni Achievement Award - John Dineen '86, Diane Green '76(EMBA), Bruce Rockowitz NG'80(College of Arts and Sciences), Martin St. Louis '97(CALS), Tim Thomas '97(College of Arts and Sciences); Outstanding Young Alumni - James Bishop '04(BSAD), Katie Murphy '06(College of Education & Social Services).

The UVM Reunion and Homecoming Weekend will continue on Saturday, October 15 in the Davis Center, Mansfield Room and will showcase Entrepreneurship at UVM as well as highlight classes and resources available at UVM for budding entrepreneurs.

For more details visit:  http://alumni.uvm.edu

For more information, contact:

Eileen Dudley ’92, Director of Reunion and Homecoming Program
Career Services Liaison, Development and Alumni Relations
University of Vermont, 411 Main Street
Burlington, VT 05401-3411

Tel:  802-656-9497    Fax: 802-656-8678

Ann Fiedler ’12, a mechanical engineering major and an Honors College student, has been awarded a 2011 Science, Mathematics & Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship from the Department of Defense. The SMART Scholarship for Service program supports students who demonstrate outstanding ability and special aptitude pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The program also aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at the Department of Defense laboratories. Fiedler, a Scotch Plains, N.J. native, is the first UVM student to receive this scholarship.

The award is one of the most prestigious and lucrative awards available for undergraduate students in the STEM disciplines. As a SMART Scholar, Fiedler will receive a scholarship from the Department of Defense that will cover her full tuition and education related fees, an annual stipend of $25,000, paid summer internship opportunities, a health insurance reimbursement, a book allowance of $1,000 per academic year, professional mentoring and employment placement after graduation.

In exchange for the scholarship, Fiedler is obligated to fulfill a service requirement for the Department of Defense after she graduates from UVM. For her service requirement, Fiedler will spend at least a year working at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, N.H.

The SMART Program is administered by the American Society for Engineering Education, the Naval Postgraduate School, and is part of the National Defense Education Network. It aims to increase the number of scientists and engineers in the Department of Defense, and the program is particularly interested in supporting individuals who demonstrate an aptitude as well as an interest in conducting theoretical and applied research. As such, the program primarily targets what it calls, "hands-on-the-bench" researchers and engineers. The scholarship is extremely competitive; scholarship officials anticipated that this past fall 4,000 students from across the country applied for approximately 300 scholarships.

Since 2005, when the university put a centralized fellowship outreach and support program in place, 58 UVM students have won or been finalists in the country’s most prestigious and competitive competitions, including the Fulbright, Rhodes, Goldwater, Marshall, Udall, Truman, Madison, Gilman, and Boren Overseas scholarships.

The DOE Early Career Awards are designed to provide incentives for scientists to focus on mission research areas that are a high priority for the Department of Energy and the Nation through funding exceptional researchers during the crucial early career years, when many scientists do their most formative work. The awardees were selected from a pool of about 1,150 university- and national laboratory-based applicants. Selection was based on peer review by outside scientific experts.

Dr. Dunlop is an Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering (SoE) within UVM’s College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and received her Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology.

“We are thrilled to have one of our young faculty members be recognized with this prestigious award,” says Bernard “Chip” Cole, Interim Dean of the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. “She joins the ranks of CEMS faculty recognized throughout the U.S. and the world for their unique and groundbreaking accomplishments in their fields.”

“I am honored to receive this award,” says Dr. Dunlop. “One of the major challenges in microbial biofuel production is that microorganisms can only tolerate limited quantities of biofuel.  This project uses engineering approaches to make biofuel-production strains more robust and has the potential to greatly improve biofuel yields.”

For more information on this DOE Early Career Award visit:
http://science.energy.gov/news/in-the-news/2011/05-06-11/

For more information contact:

Mary Dunlop, Assistant Professor  - Email: mjdunlop@uvm.edu

Dr. Britt A. Holmen, associate professor in the School of Engineering,
is working with an interdisciplinary team of graduate students and
researchers at UVM's Transportation Research Center (TRC) to understand
the factors that affect tailpipe emissions as well as the local public
health challenges related to tailpipe emissions.According to Professor
Holmen, "Our work on quantifying tailpipe emissions under real-world,
hilly-terrain driving conditions is unique and intended to improve our
quantitative understanding of the key factors affecting second-by-second
(or "instantaneous") emissions episodes from both hybrid and
conventional vehicles.Furthermore, creation of the Transportation-Air
Quality Laboratory is a long-term resource for vehicle emissions and
health research here at UVM."

The UVM UTC is working to create educational programs to advance public
knowledge on how second-by second driving styles, hybrid vehicles,
climate, and topography affect emissions.The TRC offers eco-driving
educational workshops that provide simple, low-tech ways to reduce fuel
consumption and GHG emissions as well as save consumers money through
fuel-efficient driving.

For more on DOT RITA visit: http://utc.dot.gov

To read this article visit:
http://utc.dot.gov/publications/spotlight/2011_05_2/html/spotlight_1105_2.html

For more information about UVM UTC contact:
Britt A. Holmen, Associate Professor
E-Mail: baholmen@cems.uvm.edu