Engineering Students Shine at Undergraduate Research Poster Day

Undergraduate engineering students who spent their summer vacations working alongside faculty members on real-world research projects took center stage at Villanova’s second annual Undergraduate Research Poster Day, a celebration of undergraduate research held on September 21.

The event, sponsored by the College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Department of Chemistry, and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, offers undergraduate researchers the opportunity to share the results, challenges, and next steps of their work with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and industry partners.

The College of Engineering was well represented again this year, with 16 students from mechanical, electrical and computer, and civil and environmental engineering presenting. Participants included:

• William Albert and Anderson Lebbad, “Unmanned Ground Vehicle as a Basis for Image-Based Dynamic Modeling Techniques,” advised by Dr. Garret Clayton, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Courtney Aquilina, “Probe for Monitoring Oxygen Saturation in the Muscle of Free-diving Whales,” mentored by Dr. Rosalind Wynne, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (advised by outside faculty)
• Kathleen Bommer, “A High-Speed Imaging Study of Zebrafish Embryo Freezing,” advised by Dr. Jens Karlsson, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Anthony Colalillo, “Modeling Physical Properties of PCF for Strain and Temperature Sensing,” advised by Dr. Rosalind Wynne
• Jude Coompson and Stephen Twigg, “Thermal Sensing with Microstructured Optical Fibers,” advised by Dr. Rosalind Wynne
• Kristopher Doll, “Finite Element Modeling of Hydroxyapatite Composites for Bone Implants,” advised by Dr. Ani Ural, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Jaime Fernandez, “Experiment on Natural Convection from a Surface Mounted Heat Source in an Inclined Shallow Enclosure,” advised by Dr. Alfonso Ortega, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research and The James R. Birle Professor of Energy Technology
• Stephen Kane, “Ductile Design of Open Web Steel Joists,” advised by Dr. Joseph Yost, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Katharine Duggan, “Mechanotransduction via the Endothelial Glycocalyx and its Implications to Cardiovascular Diseases,” advised by Dr. Qianhong Wu, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Thomas Motto, “Swarm Robotics,” advised by Dr. C. Nataraj, Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering
• Jeffrey Regensburg, “Motion Detection by Doppler Sonar in Underwater Acoustic Channels,” advised by Dr. Bijan Mobasseri, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Mark Reimlinger, “Multi-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber-based Anemometer,” advised by Dr. Rosalind Wynne
• Joseph Shook, “Alkali Activated Slag Cements,” advised by Dr. Aleksandra Radlinska, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Krista Sullivan, “Evaluation of Internal Composite (FRP) Reinforcements for Use in Infrastructure,” advised by Dr. Shawn Gross, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Stephen Twigg, “Ion Distribution in Ionomer and High Temperature Ionic Liquid Actuators,” mentored by Dr. Rosalind Wynne (advised by outside faculty)