Macromolecules Innovation Institute

2008 SURP Students

 

Field-Responsive Materials REU

• John Bowen, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Facuty Sponsor: Mark Paul (Mechanical Engineering)
  "Exploring Chaos using Numerical Simulations of Simple Models"

• Heejun Choi, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Alan Esker (Chemistry)
  "Adsorption of Phospholipid Bilayers onton Pullulan-modified Cellulose Surfaces"

• Kelly Daly, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Paul Deck (Chemistry)
  "Progress Toward a Highly Fluorinated, Sulfonated Diels-Alder Polyphenylene for Use as a Proton Exchange Membrane in Hydrogen Fuel Cells"

• Lauren Force, Kings College, Wilkes-Barre, PA; Faculty Sponsor: Richard Turner (Chemistry)
  "Dumbbell-Shaped Polysulfones with Hyperbranched Ionic End Groups"

• Joseph Gilpin, University of Dallas, Irving, TX; Faculty Sponsor: Victoria Soghomonian and Jean Heremans (Physics)
  "Influence of Magnetic Molecules on Electron Spin Scattering in InAs"

• Damian Illings, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO; Faculty Sponsor: Maren Roman (Wood Science and Forest Products)
  "Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulose Nanocrystals for Use in Targeted Drug Delivery Systems"

• Jacquelyn McRae, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Robert Moore (Chemistry)
  "Manipulation of the Nanostructure of an Ionic Polymer Metal Composite via Post-Polymerization Sulfonation of the Ionomer Membrane"

• Nicholas Moon, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; Faculty Sponsor: Tim Long (Chemistry)
  "Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Class of PEG Ionenes with Varying PEG Length"

• Annaria Nardone, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Randy Heflin (Physics)
  "Electronic Devices by Ionic Self-assembled Multilayers (ISAMS)"

• Christian Reinholz, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; Faculty Sponsor: Judy Riffle (Chemistry) (no abstract)

• Alexander Rich, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Felicia Etzkorn (Chemistry)
  "Synthesis and Characterization of a Rhodamine Labeled Peptide for the Assay of Pin1 Inhibitors"

• Akia Scruggs, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Abby Morgan (MaterialsScience & Engineering
  "Gelatin and Albumin Microspheres for Drig Delivery in Bone Regeneration"

• Holly Sewell, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; Faculty Sponsor: Rick Davis (Chemical Engineering)
  "Formation of Magnetite Clusters using a Confined Impinging Jet Mixer"
   

Materials and Processes for PEM Fuel Cells REU

• Kyle Bryson, Penn State University, University Park, PA; Faculty Sponsor: Robert Moore (Chemistry)
  "A Novel Polystyrene Derivative Designed for PEMFCs"

• Geoffrey Campbell, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI; Faculty Sponsor: Donald Baird (Chemical Engineering)
  "Effects of Solvent-casting Conditions on the Final Properties of Disulfonated Poly(arylene ether sulfone) Copolymer Films for Fuel Cell Proton Exchange Membranes"

• Timothy Garvey, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS; Faculty Sponsor: Jim McGrath (Chemistry)
  "Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Study of a Novel Poly(arylene ether benzonitrile) and Disulfonated Poly(arylene ether sulfone) Multiblock Copolymer Membrane"

• Timothy Gray, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: David Dillard (Engineering Science and Mechanics)
  "Development of a Novel Test Fixture to Quantify Mechanically Induced Electrical Shorting of Proton Exchange Membrane for Fuel Cell Applications"

• Christopher Horvath, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY; Faculty Sponsor: Nakhiah Goulbourne (Mechanical Engineering)
  "Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites as Residual Stress and Humidity Sensors for PEM Fuel Cells"

• Craig Keys, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Mike Ellis (Mechanical Engineering)/Chris Cornelius (Chemical Engineering)
  "Conductivity of Electrolyte Membranes Within Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells"

• Joshua Kezele, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA; Faculty Sponsor: Michael Von Spakovsky (Mechanical Engineering)
  "Development and Testing of Micro-tubular Fuel Cells for United States Air Force Micro-Aerial Vehicles"

• Erin Littleton, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Alan Esker (Chemistry)
  "Solvent Mass Uptake Studies of Biphenyl Poly(Arylene Ether Sulfone) Copolymer Thin Films via Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring"

• Emily Mieritz, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO; Faculty Sponsor: Scott Case (Engineering Science and Mechanics)
  "Blister Testing: Correlating Pressure and Displacement Data to Determine Biaxial Stress States on Gore® 57 Membrane for Hydrogen Fuel Cells"

• Katherine Radavich, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; Faculty Sponsor: Ishwar Puri (Engineering Science and Mechanics)
  "Flame Synthesized Carbon Nanostructures as Anodes in Microbial Fuel Cells"

• Duane Rollins, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Bob West (Engineering Science and Mechanics)
  "Characterization of the Membrane Material Found in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs)"

• Jessica Wright, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Mike Ellis (Mechanical Engineering)
  "Coefficient of Hygral Expansion for NR-211"

Macromolecular Interface with the Life Sciences IGERT REU

• Jenny Bey, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Jim Tanko (Chemistry)
  "Kinetic Isopope Effect Studies of para-Substituted-N, Ndimethylanilines"

• Dong-Chun Choi, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Maren Roman (Wood Science and Forest Products)
  "Ink‐jet Printed Cellulose Nanocrystal Substrates for Cell Micropatterning"

• Paul Kim, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Kevin Zhou (Food Science and Technology)
  "Antiproliferative Effect of Various Fruits against Human Breast Cancer Cell Grown in Vitro"

• Allison Pagano, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Webster Santos (Chemistry)
  "Cloning of Alpha-synuclein and Firefly Luciferase Fusion Constructs"

• Christine Sargent, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Faculty Sponsor: Andrea Dietrich (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
  "Production of Metallic Flavor Compounds by Oxidation of Oral Cell Membrane Fatty Acids and its Prevention by Antioxidants and Chelating Agents"