Macromolecules Innovation Institute

2007 SURP Students

 

Field-Responsive Materials REU

• Michael Allen, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Tim Long (Chemistry)
  "Synthesis and Characterization of Polysulfobetaines"

• Clairette Angeli, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Harry Dorn (Chemistry)
  "Purification of Trimetallic Nitride Template Endohedral Metallofullerenes by Chemical Reaction of Eutectic 9 methylanthracene with Fullerenes"

• Peter Bailey, University of South Carolina - Upstate, Spartanburg, SC; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Harry Gibson (Chemistry)
  "Chelidamic Acid: a Key Component of Cryptand Hosts for Self-Assembly of Supramolecular Polymers"

• Ryan Cronshaw, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kevin Edgar (Wood Science)
  "The Esterification of Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Its Applications as a Drug Delivery Vehicle"

• Samantha Farris, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Alan Esker (Chemistry)
  "Air/Water Interface Study of Poly(ethylene glycol) Monostearate Esters and Magnetic Nanoparticles Stabilized with PEG Surfactants"

• Jeremy Jones, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Felicia Etzkorn (Chemistry)
  "Synthesis of Collagen Mimic"

• Alexander Jordan, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rick Davis (Chemical Engineering)
  "Confined Impingement Jet Mixing to Obtain Controlled Size Distributions of Polymer-Stabilized β-Carotene Nanoparticles"

• Arielle McNeill, University of South Carolina - Upstate, Spartanburg, SC; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Richard Turner (Chemistry)
  "Synthesis and Solution Properties of Poly(Sodium Styrene Sulfonate- Alt-Sodium-N(4-Sulfophenyl) Maleimide)"

• Christian Reinholz, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Judy Riffle (Chemistry)
  "Stability Studies of Magnetite Nanoparticles"

• Margarita Smith, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mark Paul (Mechanical Engineering)
  "Quantifying the Dynamics of Thermoelastically Driven Nanoscale Beams in Fluid"

 

Materials and Processes for PEM Fuel Cells REU

• Haley Carney, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Mike Ellis (Mechanical Enginee
  "Fabrication and Evaluation of Gas Diffusion Media with Low In-Plane Resistance"

• Thomas Cochell, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO; Faculty Sponsor: Ishwar Puri (Engineering Science and Mechanics)
  "Impact of Carbon-Nanostructured Anodes on Escherichia coli Biofilm Formation and Viability for use in Microbial Fuel Cells"

• Justin Curd, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Tim Long (Chemistr)
  "Synthesis and Characterization of Phosphonium Ionenes"

• James DeJesus, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Von Spakovsky (Mechanical Engineering)
  "Enhancing the Conduction Layer Performance for the Cathode and Anode of Micro-tubular Fuel Cells for Micro Air Vehicle"

• Stuart Dunn, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. James McGrath (Chemistry)
  "Synthesis and Characterization of Ion-containing, Hydrocarbon-based Multiblock Copolymers as Novel Proton Exchange Membranes"

• Timothy Gray, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David Dillard (Engineering Science and Mechanics)
  "Stress Relaxation Fixture, A Method For Testing Thin Film Specimens"

• Jacob Grohs, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Scott Case (Engineering Science and Mechanics)
  "Evaluating the Time and Temperature Dependent Biaxial Strength of Gore® 57 Using a Pressure Loaded Blister Test"

• Margarite Parker, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Donald Baird (Chemical Engineering)
  "The Effect of Graphite Type on Bipolar Plate Composites for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell"

• Beth Tucker, Roanoke College, Roanoke, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Alan Esker (Chemistry)
  "Characterization of Swelling Behavior in Thin Films of Biphenyl Poly(Arylene Ether Sulfone) Copolymers"

 

 

Macromolecular Science and Infrastructure Engineering IGERT REU

• Maggie Ashworth, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Judy Riffle (Chemistry)
  "Biodegradable Polymer Nanospheres"

• Heather Masters, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kevin Edgar (Wood Science)
  "Modification of Carboxymethylcellulose and its Properties Related to Drug Delivery"

• Reza Montazami, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Randy Heflin (Physics)
  "Electrochromic Properties of ISAM device Based on PANI and PASA"

• Cullen O'Connor, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Scott Case (Engineering Science and Mechanics)
  "Fatigue Damage of E-Glass/Vinyl-Ester Composites Under Fully Reversed Loading"

• Timothy Vadala, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Judy Riffle (Chemistry)
  "Well Defined Multifunctional Magnetic Nanoparticles"

 

 

Macromolecular Interfaces with Life Sciences IGERT REU

• Shaheen Ahmad, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kevin Zhou (Food Science & Technology)
  "Antioxidant Capacity and Components of Virginia Grapes"

• Jena Highkin, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ed Smith (Animal and Poultry Sciences)
  "Molecular and Biochemical Analysis of Oxidative Stress in Toxin- Induced Dilated Cardiomyopathy Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)"

• Rory Polera, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Andrea Dietrich (Civil & Environmental Engineering)
  "Formation and Sorption of Trihalomethanes in Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride and Polyethylene Pipes Used in Drinking Water Distribution Systems"

• Carolyn Robinson, Clark-Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Tim Long (Chemistry)
  "Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Poly(ethylene glycol) – Glutathione Conjugates for Biomedical Applications"

• Amanda Shea, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Susan Duncan (Food Science & Technology)
  "Oxidation of Algae Oil, Flax Oil, and Milk fat and the Effect of Chitosan and Lipoic Acid"

• Stephanie Zimmeck, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jim Tanko (Chemistry)
  "Solvent Effects on the Kinetics of the Hydroxyl Radical Generated from N-hydroxypyridine-2(1H)-thione"