Summer Program for Undergraduate Research Projects for 2024
The CU Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (CU SPUR) program takes place over 10 weeks each summer. There is funding for up to 40 undergraduate engineering students to work in research labs and only available to CU Boulder Engineering students. Students will work for ten weeks, up to 30 hours per week over the summer.
CEAS students in good academic standing were sent an email on Feb. 13 with a link to apply.
Timeline
- Project list released: Feb. 13
- Watch "Preparing to Apply for SPUR/DLA"
- Deadline to apply: March 17
- Students notified of decision: April 8
- Summer 2024 program dates: May 28 - Aug. 2
Projects are listed by department or program. Review the "desired major" section of each project for eligibility to apply.
Aerospace Engineering Sciences Applied Mathematics ATLAS Institute Biomedical Engineering Chemical & Biological Engineering Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering Colorado Space Grant Consortium Computer Science Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering Engineering Education Engineering Management Program Environmental Engineering Integrated Design Engineering Material Science Engineering Mechanical Engineering
Projects for Colorado community college students only
- Battery cell fabrication and testing
- Characterization of solid-state lithium-ion batteries
- COSGC Climate and plant stress monitoring along the Front Range
- Electrifying Colorado: Past and Present Environmental Hazards
- Identifying and exploring drivers of and barriers to implementing water reuse
- Self-Reporting Physics Simulations
Project Description
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have the potential to displace lithium-ion batteries based on their promised low costs and abundant supply chain but have been limited by insufficient cycle lifetimes and energy density. Ban’s team addresses these issues through a proprietary low-cost, safe electrolyte platform and electrode design. We propose to recruit a student from community college to work with Ban’s team to build prototype pouch cells with our technology. The research activities in fabricating pouch-type sodium-ion cells encompass a multi-step process, beginning with electrode preparation and cell assembly. Electrode Preparation involves the fabrication of both cathode and anode electrodes. It requires hands-on experience in handling chemical materials and waste management. Cell Assembly demands a high level of precision and attention to detail. It involves working within an Argon-flowing glove box, with numerous cell parts, demonstrating great housekeeping skills. The researcher's ability to work with precision, attention to detail, and hands-on proficiency is crucial in ensuring the successful fabrication of pouch-type sodium-ion cells.
Preferred Requirements:
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To be considered for a summer research position, students must have completed undergraduate courses in either chemistry, materials science, or electrochemical science and engineering.
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Preference will be given to students with ability of working in a high level of precision and attention to detail, handling chemical materials and waste management.
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The position will require the student to be available to work for at least 5-hour blocks, up to 35 hours per week for ten weeks during the summer.
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The student will have the opportunity to attend both group meetings and individual meetings with Prof. Ban. Additionally, the student will have ample opportunities to work within our global collaborative projects.
Hosting the following students: Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering
Contact
Chunmei Ban, Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
Email: chunmei.ban@colorado.edu
Nick Singstock, Graduate Student
Email: nicholas.singstock@colorado.edu
Project Description
Solid-state lithium-ion batteries present a promising pathway to increased energy density by safely enabling Li-metal anodes. However, capacity fade with cycling prevents broad commercial adoption. This project broadly aims to characterize and understand capacity fade mechanisms in the cathode.
Specifically, this project aims to use X-ray computed tomography (XCT) to correlate capacity fade with chemo-mechanical causes such as cathode/electrolyte interfacial contact and cathode distribution through the electrolyte. XCT is a 3D imaging technique, similar to a CAT or CT scan, which uses a series of X-ray projections (radiographs) to then reconstruct a 3D tomogram. The intern will learn to build and cycle solid-state batteries in a glovebox, characterize them on the XCT, and visualize, analyze, segment, and interpret the data.
Please contact Dylan Hamilton (dylan.c.hamilton@colorado.edu) with a current CV/resume if interested and we can set up a time to meet to discuss the project.
Requirements:
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The intern should be excited to use science to help further the green energy transition!
Hosting the following students: Community College Student (from Colorado)
Project Website
https://www.colorado.edu/lab/toney-group/
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Michael Toney, Faculty
Materials Science and Engineering
Email:Michael.Toney@colorado.edu
Dylan Hamilton, Graduate Student
Email: dylan.c.hamilton@colorado.edu
Project Description
Students will be building and testing handheld spectroscopy instrumentation, based on NASA’s STELLA project. Instruments will be tested in both lab and field settings. Of primary interest is the monitoring of plant stress over time, but some environmental monitoring may also be included. This is part of the development of a new climate and biology focused project being developed for the Colorado Space Grant Consortium. Project goals include measuring local impacts of climate change, enabling local participation with data collection and connecting educators with NASA climate and engineering resources.
Hosting the following students: Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering
Contact
Barbra Sobhani, Faculty
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Email: barbra.sobhani@colorado.edu
Project Description
Electrification is an important part of the global transition from fossil fuels and green energy is a rapidly growing industry. However this transition requires complex ethical decisions from researchers, practitioners, and engineers and contemporary debates have long histories. In CO the state’s mining past, patterns of settlement, and contentious relationships with federal regulators complicate efforts at truly ethical energy transition. I am seeking a community college researcher to identify past and present case studies in electrification and energy transition throughout the state. The end result will be a list of narratives/issues for a new book project and a public website identifying key issues and locations.
The student researcher would help locate CO sacrifice zones — places contaminated by energy development - and identify key people, dates, policies, and catalysts for CO’s energy transition to help identify their long-term public health and environmental impacts. The workflow would include a mix of examining news sources, archives, and academic literature, conducting site visits with the PI (when geographically possible), and possibly interviewing people.
Requirements:
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While a portion of the work can be done remotely, students must have the ability to travel to Boulder for regular meetings with the PI. Site visits/on-site archival work is not mandatory, but desired when possible.
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Student should be detail-oriented and able to take organized, written notes.
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Ideally, the student will have an interest in the social and ethical implications of engineering development.
Hosting the following students: Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering,Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Sarah Stanford Mcintyre, Faculty
Herbst Program
Email: Sarah.Stanfordmcintyre@Colorado.edu
Project Description
This project seeks to understand the factors that enable water reuse projects to be implemented and continue to be used across the country. Climate change necessitates reduced water use; this EPA-funded project seeks to understand how to successfully implement water reuse projects. We are studying several projects across the country, including both successful and attempted (but not successful) projects. The selected SPUR student will work with the GRA to compile case study reports for each utility based on data collected from interviews and documentation. Further, using a calibration guide, which helps assess the extent and presence of different factors in case studies, the SPUR student will help the GRA to assign a value for each factor in each case study. This work will contribute to a cross-case analysis that will enable us to determine the pathways, or combinations of factors, that enable successful water reuse implementation.
Preferred Requirements:
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Interest in reading and significant amounts of academic and non-academic literature
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Ability to collect information independently using resources available (the internet, library databases, and so on)
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Interest in learning and applying qualitative coding to identifying, analyzing and exploring drivers and barriers to successful water reuse implementation
Hosting the following students: Community College Student (from Colorado)
Project Website
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Amy Javernick Will, Faculty
Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering
Email: amy.javernick@colorado.edu
Prakriti Sardana, Graduate Student
Email: prakriti.sardana@colorado.edu
Project Description
Thanks to advances in computing power and algorithms resulting from applied mathematics, it is now possible to simulate highly complex physical events on the computer. The area known as “computational physics” produces very sophisticated software for this purpose. The software is often developed over decades with contributions from several physicists, engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians. A challenge when using such software is knowing exactly what calculations are being performed, which models are activated, and what approximations are being made. While user’s manuals exist, they can be thousands of pages and are, by nature, passive. In this project, we seek to develop a framework for software that can process computational physics source code, monitor that code when it is executing a model, and produce a user-friendly technical report on the details of the physics models and algorithms used in the simulation.
Requirements:
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The student must have taken one semester of Calculus and must be somewhat familiar with C/C++.
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They must have taken one semester of Physics.
Hosting the following students: Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Scott Runnels, Faculty
Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering
Email: scott.runnels@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
- Analyzing Jupiter's Radio Emissions as a Source for Echo Detection
- Design, Fabrication, and Assemble of GPS/GNSS Receivers/Enclosures
- Gas Separations with Ionic Liquid Membranes for Space Applications
- GPS/GNSS performance/accuracy improvements in the android mobile phone
- GPS/GNSS software defined radios
- Identifying Cognitive Security Challenges in Low Information Dense Environments
- Measuring Psychological Safety in Human-Robot Teams
- Metrics and Models for Real-Time Inference of Trust in Human-Autonomy Teaming
- Passive radar sensing using ambient radio noise to monitor glaciers
- Precision Landing System for the DataHawk UAV
- Pressure Sensor Development and Testing for Compression Garments
- Rugged Flush Air Data System for the DataHawk UAV
- Virtual Reality for Satellite Operations and Training
- xGEO Robust and Adaptive Space Domain Awareness (xRADAR)
Project Description
Passive radar sounding is an emerging remote sensing technique that recycles ambient radio emissions for Earth and planetary observations. While passive sounding has been demonstrated using the Sun, it has never been demonstrated using Jupiter’s auroral radio emissions. The main challenges are that Jovian radio bursts and auroral emission have a non-ideal, dynamic spectrum, and the detection of Jovian bursts requires carefully planned observation time windows.
Fortunately, Io-driven Jovian radio bursts are predictable with a high degree of confidence. The goal of this project is to use software for tracking Jupiter’s source location and predicting burst characteristics (time, frequency, and bandwidth) to plan and design passive sounding experimental demonstrations. This project will synthesize source location with temporal availability by using a Jupiter Probability Tool to analyze Jovian burst lifetimes, instantaneous bandwidths, and probability of occurrence for planning passive sounding demonstrations. A passive radar demonstration with Jovian bursts would provide a significant advancement and proof of concept for using other emissions from Earth, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Requirements: Programming experience with Matlab (preferred) and/or Python.
Project Website: https://stpeters54.wixsite.com/my-site/research
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Sean Peters, Faculty
Email: sean.peters@colorado.edu
Project Description
The RF & SatNav Lab designs and fabricates cutting edge GPS/GNSS receiver prototype hardware. These are often only suitable for benchtop experiments given the fragilities in the initial prototype designs. It is desirable to harden these, taking them to a field deployable higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) which include fabrication of housing (3D printing possible), potentially improved PCB design, considerations of environment conditions (operational environments, and temperature, potential cooling), and power considerations. This will allow the desired next level field testing. Efforts could be focused on PCB design or ruggedized housing - any/all elements that would enable operation within a more robust test environment.
Requirements: Should be comfortable/interested/experienced in working in the machine shop/ITLL and plenty of introductory courses for this with the ITLL. Even better if some programming/embedded development for testing of the enclosures/GPS devices.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Dennis Akos, Faculty
Email: dma@colorado.edu
Project Description
This NASA-funded project explores the development and use of supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) for different gas separations in spaceflight. SILMs consist of an ionic liquid (IL) sorbent trapped in the pores of a membrane support. The IL selectively binds to and transports the target gas across the membrane, facilitating a focused and efficient gas separation. The gas separation applications include CO2 capture for atmospheric management and life support in a space habitat, capture of sulfur compounds from lunar soil, and purification of reaction product streams containing H2O, CO, CO2, CH4, H2, and O2, to name a few examples. Because of the overlap of the gases involved, this work may be applicable to many earth-based industrial processes as well.
Under the mentorship of a PhD student, your role will consist primarily of laboratory work: set-up and running of gas separation experiments, physical and chemical characterization of ionic liquids and membranes, and production of SILMs for future testing. As the summer progresses, you will also participate in experimental design and research planning.
Requirements: Student expected to have taken coursework in physics, and mass or heat transfer. Laboratory and LabView experience desired.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
James Nabity, Faculty
Email: james.nabity@colorado.edu
Bharath Tata, Graduate Student
Email: bharath.tata@colorado.edu
Project Description
Google has contributed toward the exploration of improving the GPS/GNSS performance within the Android Mobile phone through its past "Decimeter Challenge" and it is expected to conduct a 2023 decimeter challenge. The RF & SatNav Laboratory has extensive experience in working with the GPS/GNSS within Android phones and is exploring participation in this forthcoming challenge. Participating students would be expected to have a strong programming background (C/C++/Matlab/Python are all possible as well as Java, perhaps with Android Studio Development). GPS/GNSS experience is not required but definitely helpful. We expect to explore advanced signal processing of the measurements, use of the inertial sensors (gryo, mag, accel), and map matching to optimize the accuracy of these devices. Have a look at this for more details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN8IZgRJBSM&ab_channel=InstituteofNavigation.
Requirements: Strong programming skills, interest in mobile phone platforms and GPS/GNSS.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Dennis Akos, Faculty
Email: dma@colorado.edu
Project Description
The RF & SatNav Laboratory has a long history of innovating software defined radios for GPS/GNSS. This project is to further that effort and many different directions are possible: (a) working with the antennas & radio frequency (RF) front ends; (b) Embedded programming like that in the Xilinx Zynq (FPGA work); and (c) furthering the signal processing algorithms to make the GPS/GNSS result more accuracy and processing faster(SIMD and GPU implementations). No experience with GPS/GNSS is required, however the candidate should be experienced in programming under Linux and proficient with C/C++, Matlab (or Python), and development tools (git, VCode, ...)
Requirements: Strong programming skills, experience in Linux, interest in satellite navigation systems
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Dennis Akos, Faculty
Email: dma@colorado.edu
Project Description
Today’s world is full of misinformation and disinformation which seeks to undermine the way we think and make decisions. We aim to understand how humans currently protect themselves from these types of threats and how access to information influences decision making in challenging scenarios. The purpose of the study is to understand what challenges people face when working in an environment with limited access to information (for example, an astronaut with limited communication channels to ground control). We also want to know how people approach said challenges. To do this we are conducting interviews that asks subject matter experts about how they approached challenges in times when you had limited access to information.
In this project, you may help conduct interviews with these experts, code their responses to important themes using MaxQDA, and help analyze what themes are of greatest importance.
Further, we work with a diverse, multi-university team that has expertise in aerospace, neuroscience, and sociology. This research has multiple objectives and there may be development in UNITY and mockup hardware to meet desires for future research objectives.
Requirements:
- Potential flexibility needs in scheduling to conduct in-person and remote interviews based on availability of subject matter experts.
- Ability to attend regular in person meetings.
- Desire to conduct and learn qualitative data analysis.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Allie Anderson, Faculty
Email: allison.p.anderson@colorado.edu
Erin Richardson, Graduate Student
Email: Erin.Richardson@colorado.edu
Project Description
One of the most important qualities of a successful team is establishing psychological safety—the “shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking”. In addition to the complexities associated with human teams, there is another layer added with the introduction of robotic systems since they do not possess the same social behaviors yet are increasingly in close collaboration with humans. Standardized methods of measuring psychological safety are not yet established, so the goal of this work is to develop unobtrusive methods of measuring psychological safety in human-robot teams.
This study will investigate vocal and psychophysiological signals as measures of psychological safety through observed interactions between human participants and a robot arm (Franka Research 3 7-DOF arm). The participants will perform tasks that are collaborative, competitive, and have clear success metrics. The SPUR student will learn how to conduct experiments with human participants, develop skills in physiological signal processing, and work closely with the FR3 robotic system. We seek students with some coding familiarity and willingness to learn new things.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Katya Arquilla, Faculty
Email: katya.arquilla@colorado.edu
Jasmin Chadha, Graduate Student
Email: jasmin.chadha@colorado.edu
Project Description
We currently aim to collect physiological data via a suite sensors from human participants that are interacting with a simulated autonomous system "teammate". We use neurophysiological sensors (fNIRS, EEG) and psychophysiological sensors (EDA, ECG, eye-tracking, respiration). We then aim to build metrics and models from physiological data that will be able to infer and predict trust in novel participants in novel situations in near real-time.
Requirements: Human subject testing requires the student be in the lab. Each testing session requires ~3 hours of the student's time in one block. There are multiple testing sessions per week. Human subject testing requires the student be very detailed-oriented and able to troubleshoot issues with hardware and software associated with the physiological sensors in real-time.
During weeks that human subject testing is slow, the student would assist in analyzing psychophysiological and neurophysiological data. It is helpful if the student has already taken a signal processing class, but this is certainly not required!
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Sarah Leary, Faculty
Email: sarah.leary@colorado.edu
Allie Anderson, Faculty
Email: apanders@colorado.edu
Project Description
Ice-penetrating radar observations are critical for understanding and predicting future ice sheet behavior and contribution to global sea-level rise. However, traditional ice-penetrating radars must transmit a powerful electromagnetic pulse and record the echo's delay time and power to measure ice sheet thickness and subsurface conditions. If passive radars could recycle ambient radio emissions (natural, radio-astronomical, and anthropogenic) to use as the signal source to monitor the subsurface of glaciers, this technique could allow for long-term monitoring stations with relatively low cost and easy installation.
The goal of this project is to identify and characterize using frequency and correlation analysis which ambient electromagnetic signals are feasible and practical for passive radar sensing of glaciers. This project will involve modeling the signal waveforms and evaluating the passive radar system performance in MATLAB in terms of available frequencies, bandwidth, range, and resolution.
Project website: https://stpeters54.wixsite.com/my-site/research
Requirements: Programming experience with Matlab (preferred) and/or Python.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Sean Peters, Faculty
Email: sean.peters@colorado.edu
Project Description
This project will evaluate various sensors that can provide fast, accurate relative ground position measurements suitable for the DataHawk small UAV, in order to improve the precision and safety of autonomous landing operations over various types of unimproved terrain. This will involve integration of sensors into the DataHawk airframe and autopilot, experimental flight testing, and analysis of flight data. Sensors will be selected based on first-principles analysis of suitability for this application, laboratory testing of selected prototypes, and integration and flight testing of the most suitable sensors on the DataHawk vehicle. Sensing technology to consider can include radar, sonar, lidar and imaging approaches.
Requirements: Work involves engineering design, prototype construction, and laboratory and field testing of various sensors. Experience with building/testing technical projects is desired, as well as with embedded programing and data analysis. Experience with building/flying RC aircraft is a plus.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering,Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Dale Lawrence, Faculty
Email: dale.lawrence@colorado.edu
Project Description
Compression garments are used in medical, athletic, and recreational industries but very little is known about the interface between the compression garment and the skin due to the unreliable measurements of current measurement systems. To progress the development of alternative spacesuits designs, such as mechanical counter pressure, low profile pressure sensors with high accuracy and reliability must be developed. Over the course of the Summer, a comprehensive test plan will be developed, fabricated pressure sensors will be tested, results will be analyzed, and fabricated pressure sensors will be characterized for success criteria. Ultimately, the results from this work will contribute to continued improvement and understanding of textile based pressure sensors for novel Martian spacesuit development.
Requirements: Ideally students would have experience with softgoods, wearable e-textiles, or electrical system.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Allie Anderson, Faculty
Email: apanders@colorado.edu
Ella Schauss, Graduate Student
Email: Gabriella.Schauss@colorado.edu
Project Description
This project will design and develop a suite of pressure sensors mounted in the DataHawk small UAV to measure airspeed, angle of attack, and sideslip in flight. It is anticipated that a 3D printed pressure manifold will need to be designed to fit the DataHawk airframe and accommodate the pressure sensors. This system will be tested in the CU wind tunnel facility to develop calibrations and then tested in flight. The design of the system will need to weigh various trade-offs, including cost, manufacturability, ease of integration on the airframe and with the autopilot, ruggedness, field maintainability, and immunity to plugging from precipitation, icing, and debris accumulation.
Requirements: This project involves hands-on laboratory work as well as field testing and data analysis. Experience with building technical projects and with Matlab and SolidWorks is desired. Experience building/flying RC aircraft is a plus.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering,Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Dale Lawrence, Faculty
Email: dale.lawrence@colorado.edu
Project Description
Virtual reality (VR) may be a beneficial way of monitoring satellites during spacecraft operations, or as a way to train operators on how to operate satellites. However, there are questions as to if VR is a suitable display type for these tasks. Students will work closely with faculty and graduate students to help answer this question. Students will assist in human subject testing, testing participants' ability to perform or learn a task using various displays, including VR. Students may also assist in developing tasks and writing code to process and analyze data. The student will learn skills necessary for conducting human subject testing and data analysis.
Requirements: Maintain a flexible schedule to accommodate human subjects, attend meetings, familiarity with coding (may use MATLAB, R, Unity/C#)
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics,Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering,Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Allie Anderson, Faculty
Email: apanders@colorado.edu
Savannah Buchner, Graduate Student
Email: Savannah.Buchner@colorado.edu
Project Description
The Bioastronautics Research Group in the Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences is conducting a series of experiments exploring how a virtual reality (VR) interface can potentially help human operators more intuitively understand the complex visualizations necessary for orbital trajectory and complex mission design. As part of these experiments, we will be developing a virtual reality environment which can visualize orbits and enable human-in-the-loop orbit trajectory optimization.
The student will assist in VR program and model development, depending on their background and capability. The student may also assist in collecting data from our pilot experiments and help process and clean the data. The SPUR student will attend weekly meetings with professors and graduate students in addition to working in the laboratory on the research.
Requirements:
- Completed at least 1 undergraduate course in computer programming
- Interest in virtual reality development, human factors design, and orbital dynamics
Highly Preferred:
- Experience with Unity, C#, and/or Python
- Experience working on software with multiple people at the same time
- Experience conducting human subject research
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics,Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering,Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Allie Anderson, Faculty
Email: apanders@colorado.edu
Jana Cuberovic, Graduate Student
Email: jana.cuberovic@colorado.edu
CU student only
Project Description
Image you could just scan a 3D component via a laser scanner or x-ray imaging, click a few buttons, and get a graph showing the stress or flow field in or around the component. Or even better, the computer generates a new, optimized shape of the component.
We are only a few steps away from realizing this vision. In Prof. Kurt Maute’s research group, we develop and use a software system, MORIS, to study new methods for multi-physics analysis and design optimization. However, we currently require complex and flexible user input to explore new topics and ideas. The goal of this project is to streamline the process for setting up and modifying inputs into MORIS with an improved user interface. This approach will then be tested with new MORIS simulations.
By this summer, a first version of a basic graphical user interface (GUI) will have been developed. This GUI will create inputs for MORIS simulations. The goal of the SPUR project is to further improve the GUI and study its applicability to numerical simulations and design optimization of practical problems. The student will develop interesting and innovative application examples and create tutorial videos.
Requirements: This project requires programming skills, C++ and/or Python, as well as a basic background in solid and fluid mechanics.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Kurt Maute, Faculty
Email: kurt.maute@colorado.edu
Adam Christopherson, Graduate Student
Email: adam.christopherson@colorado.edu
Project Description
Long duration exploration missions (LDEM), such as a mission to Mars, create new challenges for human spaceflight crews. One of these is the challenge of providing sufficient training, which must help astronauts gain complex skills and retain those skills over long periods of time. In the Trinity project, we are creating 3 virtual reality training scenarios: a spacecraft landing simulation, exploring the surface of Mars in a rover, and maintaining systems inside a habitat. We are looking for a student who can support data collection for training and testing within these environments.
The primary task is running data collection sessions, where research participants will come to train in VR and undergo skill assessments. This requires a highly organized, responsible individual who can professionally communicate with participants and can manage a complex schedule. The second task is supporting the continued development of the VR training environment. An ideal student for this task has experience in C# and/or Unity, and familiarity with GitHub. You will support the creation of game logic such as difficulty adjustment and task scoring, and creation of immersive 3D assets.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/faculty/anderson/research-projects
Requirements:
- Experience using virtual reality
- Strong organizational and scheduling skills
- Some familiarity with software, including the use of GitHub
- Familiarity with MATLAB and using toolboxes
Preferred experience with:
- Development experience with Unity game engine
- C# programming language skills
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Allie Anderson, Faculty
Email: Allison.P.Anderson@colorado.edu
Luca Bonarrigo, Graduate Student
Email: luca.bonarrigo@colorado.edu
Project Description
As we return humans to the moon, there is concern over the performance of astronauts during the lunar landing segment of the mission. Adaptation to microgravity during transit has been shown to cause spatial disorientation and off-nominal performance upon entering a gravity environment. To protect our astronauts, we are developing a countermeasure-triggering system to reduce spatial disorientation. In this project, we are simulating gravity transitions and lunar landings on two of our human-rated motion devices. Then, using a spatial disorientation metric to activate countermeasures for pilots, we plan to track performance in manual control tasks as a function of the countermeasure.
Students working on this project can expect to work directly with human subjects, operate our human-rated motion devices, and perform analysis on the data collected. Students will gain familiarity with LabView, and the many peripherals used during this experiment. Additionally, students will become familiar with the human vestibular system and the related challenges caused by extended exposure to microgravity. Students interested in human spaceflight are encouraged to apply.
Requirements:
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Be available to work in one 5-hour block
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Be able to lift 50 lbs
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Torin Clark, Faculty
Email: torin.clark@colorado.edu
Taylor Lonner, Graduate Student
Email: taylor.lonner@colorado.edu
CU student only
Project Description
We are seeking a highly-motivated undergraduate research assistant to work with a team of researchers investigating methods for secure use of 5G networks in a government/commercial setting. As a research assistant, you will assist in the development of 5G simulation software and software that aims to protect the identities, locations, and communication connections of the network users from being identified. Additionally, the software aims to mask any patterns from being identified in network traffic, while also adding a level of noise or "false flag" traffic. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to learn how research is conducted at the highest level and will be expected to independently expand your skills and knowledge related to the research.
Preferred Major: Applied mathematics, mathematics, computer science, or similar -- successful applicants will have shown completion of higher-level math and computer science courses: i.e.. at least one numerical analysis course AND linear algebra (APPM 3310) AND network systems AND evidence of writing ability.
Requirements:
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Ability to work on a team
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A desire to learn, share ideas, and communicate with others
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Openness to new ideas
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Experience using at least one object-oriented programming language for scientific computing
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Python
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Interest in government work.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering Physics
Contact
James Curry, Faculty
Email: james.h.curry@colorado.edu
Stefan Tschimben, Post Doc
Email: Stefan.tschimben@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
- AR Time Vault
- Cartoonimator: A Low-cost, Paper-based Animation Kit for Computational Thinking
- Community-Based Digital Twins
- Dream Mesh: A Speech to 3D Model Generative Pipeline in Mixed Reality
- DualStream: Spatially Sharing Selves & Surroundings using Mobile Devices and AR
- Marking Material Interactions with Computer Vision
- Modular Paper Robot
Project Description
The AR Time Vault is designed as an indispensable companion for frontline workers in various industries, empowering them to effortlessly recall past events. It not only comprehends the intricacies of your activities but also meticulously captures and archives essential details, turning every moment into a treasure trove of knowledge. Harnessing the power of natural language, users can effortlessly retrieve a wealth of insights and recordings from the past in augmented reality.
Your job could be detecting hand gestures in a VR (Virtual Reality) or AR (Augmented Reality) environment and then embedding the 4D playback into virtual objects; programming unity making 3D models of objects; or applying AI techniques and Large Language Model (LLM) to create text prompts and convert them into 3D models to be displayed and interacted in a Mixed Reality experience.
Requirements: Computation, Coding
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Ellen Yi Luen Do, Faculty
Email: ellen.do@colorado.edu
Ada Zhao, Graduate Student
Email: ada.zhao@colorado.edu
Project Description
Computational thinking has been identified as an important skill for children to learn in the 21st century, and many innovative kits and tools have been developed to integrate it into children’s learning. Yet, most solutions require the use of devices like computers or other expensive hardware, thus being inaccessible to low-income schools and communities. We present Cartoonimator, a low-cost, paper-based computational kit for children to create animations and engage with computational thinking. Cartoonimator requires only paper and a smartphone to use, offering an affordable learning experience. Children can draw the scenes and characters for their animation on the paper, which is printed with computer vision markers. We developed the mobile web app to provide an interface to capture keyframes and compile them into animations. In this paper, we describe the implementation and workflow of Cartoonimator, its deployment with children at a local STEAM event, and a planned evaluation for the kit.
You may be hosting hands-on workshop with the Cartoonimator software with people to create their animations. You may be making paper back drops or characters for the animations. You may be programming robots with AR markers that would be driven by computer vision, using a mobile phone or a camera.
Project Website: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3585088.3593886
Requirements: Coding, Computer Vision, AR Markers, Computational Thinking
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Ellen Yi Luen Do, Faculty
Email: ellen.do@colorado.edu
Krithik Ranjan, PhD Student
Email: krithik.ranjan@colorado.edu
Project Description
We will create a Digital Twin that is distributed, owned, and run by the community. Community members contribute data through personal smart devices like mobile phones and IoT devices, and incorporate external data feeds, providing a real-time glimpse of the world around us created by the nodes in that moment. All inputs are aggregated and visualized in real time. We will research how to present the Digital Twin information on different devices, considering the spatio-temporal nature of the contributed data. We will research how Machine Learning can play a role in sensing and presenting Digital Twin information. We will research how to offer community members control over what is sensed and what is contributed to the Digital Twin, considering privacy.
You will help building Digital Twins (virtual models of physical objects) simulations for different scenarios with 3D modeling, programming, crafts, Sony Toio robots, etc. You may be working on physical model building, or 3D and virtual reality model building. You may be programming the interaction using machine learning or other AI techniques. You may be programming the little toio robots or other DIY interactive objects.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/atlas/david-hunter
Requirements: Geometry, Robotics, Computation, Coding
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Ellen Yi Luen Do, Faculty
Email: ellen.do@colorado.edu
David Hunter, PhD Student
Email: David.Hunter@colorado.edu
Project Description
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) models have risen to prominence due to their unparalleled ability to craft and generate digital assets, encompassing text, images, audio, video, and 3D models. Leveraging the capabilities of diffusion models, such as Stable Diffusion and Instruct pix2pix, users can guide AI with specific prompts, streamlining the creative journey for graphic designers. However, the primary application of these models has been to graphic content within desktop interfaces, prompting professionals in interior and architectural design to seek more tailored solutions for their daily operations. To bridge this gap, Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) technologies offer a promising solution, transforming traditional 2D artworks into engaging 3D interactive realms. We are working on ”Dream Mesh,” an MR application MR tool that combines a Speechto-3D generative workflow based on the Dream-Fusion model without relying on pre-existing 3D content libraries. This innovative system empowers users to express 3D content needs through natural language input, promising transformative potential in real-time 3D content creation and an enhanced MR user experience.
Your job could be programming unity making 3D models of objects, and/or applying AI techniques and Large Language Model (LLM) to create text prompts and convert them into 3D models to be displayed and interacted in a Mixed Reality experience.
Project Website: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YIY-lVOZvQTXl7gQjhnDGzoO98R6_nCR/view
Requirements: Geometry, Robotics, Computation, Coding
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Ellen Yi Luen Do, Faculty
Email: ellen.do@colorado.edu
Suibi Che Chuan Weng, PhD Student
Email: suibi.weng@colorado.edu
Project Description
Current remote communication tools partially address each of these aspects. Video calls convey real user representations but without spatial interactions. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) experiences are immersive and spatial but often use virtual environments and characters instead of real-life representations. Bridging these gaps, we are working on DualStream, a system for synchronous mobile AR remote communication that captures, streams, and displays spatial representations of users and their surroundings. DualStream supports transitions between user and environment representations with different levels of visuospatial fidelity, as well as the creation of persistent shared spaces using environment snapshots. DualStream can enable spatial communication in real-world contexts, and support the creation of blended spaces for collaboration. We discuss new opportunities for designing more widely accessible spatial communication tools, centered around the mobile phone.
You may be programming interactions for mobile phones or tablet computers with networking communication protocols. You may be making 3D models in Virtual Reality for different collaborative use cases. You may be implementing integration with other hardware (camera, and other peripherals).
Project Website: https://rishivanukuru.com/assets/documents/papers/ismar2023dualstream.pdf
Requirements: Spatial Reasoning, Coding
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Ellen Yi Luen Do, Faculty
Email: ellen.do@colorado.edu
Rishi Vankuru, PhD Student
Email: rishi.vanukuru@colorado.edu
Project Description
The electronics-centered approach to physical computing presents challenges when designers build tangible interactive systems due to its inherent emphasis on circuitry and electronic components. To explore an alternative physical computing approach we have developed a computer vision (CV) based system that uses a webcam, computer, and printed fiducial markers to create functional tangible interfaces. Through a series of design studios, we probed how designers build tangible interfaces with this CV-driven approach. In this paper, we apply the annotated portfolio method to reflect on the fifteen outcomes from these studios. We observed that CV markers offer versatile materiality for tangible interactions, afford the use of democratic materials for interface construction, and engage designers in embodied debugging with their own vision as a proxy for CV. By sharing our insights, we inform other designers and educators who seek alternative ways to facilitate physical computing and tangible interaction design.
You would help in making AR (Augmented Reality) markers (e.g., print, draw, popup) in different modes (visible, deformed, etc.). You may be programming the interaction using the Beholder platform. You may be working on creating games, simulations, to interact with mobile robots, or household devices (internet of things).
Project Website: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3544548.3580643
Requirements: Coding, Computer Vision, Augmented Reality Markers
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Ellen Yi Luen Do, Faculty
Email: ellen.do@colorado.edu
Peter Gyory, Post Doc
Email: peter.gyory@colorado.edu
Project Description
Modular robots have proven valuable for STEM education. However, modular robot kits are often expensive, which makes them limited in accessibility. This research focuses on using paper and approachable technologies to create modular robots. The paper modular robot kit design involves three core technologies: paper circuits, sensation feedback mechanisms, and 3D geometry. The goal is to integrate these technologies to design and build functional paper modular robots. The kit will include various modules for inputs, outputs, and other functions. This research will address the considerations and technologies for paper as an interactive material, providing a guideline for future research and development of paper-based interaction.
To assist in the modular paper robot making and communications between them. You may be working on paper crafts for the modular robot units that have different geometry shapes. You may be working on the inner mechanism, electronic circuits, magnets, conductive tapes and threads. You may be programming on the communication protocols via blue tooth to the individual units, or the interface for the circuit design and fabrication, or the programming of the sensing and actuations of different modes (light, sound, distance, touch, movement, etc.)
Project Website: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3623509.3634899
Requirements: Geometrics, Robotics, Computation, Electronics
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Ellen Yi Luen Do, Faculty
Email: ellen.do@colorado.edu
Ruhan Yang, PhD Student
Email: Ruhan.Yang@colorado.edu
CU student only
Project Description
Commonly-used materials for 3D printing like PLA are great for prototyping but exacerbate global environmental challenges by increasing use of plastic materials; creating more waste output; and having high energy usage. Building on our experience developing sustainable materials (such as a spent coffee ground material for 3D printing), this project examines creating sustainable 3D printing materials that can be used for prototyping and functional objects. We have already developed a bio-based material solution for mechanically-strong objects and begun explorations with another for flexible objects. The goal of this project is explore the printability of these materials, characterize their properties, and examine their functional applications in Human-Computer Interaction and rapid prototyping. We are aiming to publish the results of this work at a conference in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
Project Website: https://utilityresearchlab.org/
Requirements: We’re very interested in working with highly-motivated students. The ideal candidate should have:
- Strong experience with desktop 3D printing (including debugging printer issues)
- Experience with computer-aided design (CAD) such as Fusion360, Solidworks, etc.
- Familiarity/experience with materials characterization such as tensile strength testing.
- An interest in sustainability and human-computer interaction (HCI).
If you are interested in this project, please reach out with your CV/resume, and a portfolio (if applicable).
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Michael Rivera, Faculty
Email: mrivera@colorado.edu
Xin Wen, PhD Student
Email: xin.wen@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
- Alternative sanitation compost project
- Characterizing the Cathode Electrolyte Interphase in Li-ion Batteries
- Droplet Motion in Microchannels
- Experimental Investigation of Collisions of Liquid Coated Particles
- Improving membrane purification by understanding the solvation of ions in water
- Using machine learning approaches to improve sampling in protein simulations
Project Description
This project will study the use of ecological sanitation to restore degraded soils and prevent nutrient leaching that leads to eutrophication of water bodies. The first part of the project will be to collect waste from dry, "composting" toilets that we distribute to various locations. We will then construct a compost pile and monitor variables like temperature and moisture to measure progress. The second part of the project will be lab-based. We will obtain soil samples from various local sites and apply (1) biosolids from the local wastewater treatment plant and (2) compost from food waste. We will incorporate the biosolids/compost into the soils and use advanced imaging techniques to evaluate changes in soil structure from compost application. Then, we will use advanced spectroscopic techniques to measure nutrient content, speciation, and nutrient-soil interactions. Finally, we will simulate heavy rainfall through the compost-amended soils to determine the impact of compost application on nutrient leaching. Imaging and spectroscopic measurements will be used to understand leaching properties. (In future years, we will perform the same analysis with compost made in part 1).
Requirements: The student will probably be doing a variety of tasks including some physical labor, literature review, lab work, and data analysis. We can tailor the tasks to whatever the student is most interested in (and accommodate if any tasks don't work). This is the beginning of the project so it will include a good amount of troubleshooting. It would be great to have someone who is excited about the project and wants to get creative!
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Trisha Nickerson, Faculty
Email: trisha.nickerson@colorado.edu
Michael Toney, Faculty
Email: michael.toney@colorado.edu
Project Description
Ni‐rich cathodes (e.g. LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2, or “NMC 811”) are a promising next-generation cathode in Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to a high capacity and operation voltage. However, the cathode surface undergoes several reactions with the electrolyte that lead to a structurally complex region called the cathode‐electrolyte interphase (CEI). The CEI impacts cell performance through degradation modes that leads to capacity loss. Characterization of the CEI proves challenging given the dynamic nature of the very thin layer (<10nm) along with a complex structure and composition.
In this project, we will use surface-sensitive techniques in house and at National Laboratories. Techniques we will use include near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GI-XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Through these techniques we will probe both the composition and structure of the CEI on NMC811 surfaces. This project will lead to a new understanding of the initial formation of CEI during lithiation/de‐lithiation, and how the CEI evolves over the cycle life of a battery.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/toney-group/
Requirements: Required coursework: General Chemistry, General Physics
Preferred experiences (optional):
- Advanced course work in thermodynamics, kinetics, materials, and inorganic chemistry
- Basic programming skills (e.g., Python, MATLAB)
- An interest in renewable energy, batteries, electrochemistry, and/or materials characterization
Learning outcomes:
- Learn how to assemble various types of LIBs and program electrochemical cycling for those batteries.
- Learn how to analyze electrochemical data from your batteries and display the data with basic plotting and programming in Python.
- Understand characterization techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to understand the battery materials.
- Acquire and interpret characterization data with the techniques listed above.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Michael Toney, Faculty
Email: michael.toney@colorado.edu
Elizabeth Allan Cole, Graduate Student
Email: Elizabeth.Allan-Cole@colorado.edu
Project Description
The motion of deformable drops in microchannels has various applications, including targeted drug delivery, lab-on-a-chip devices, micro-chemical reactors and generation of emulsions. As droplet microfluidic applications become more sophisticated, fundamental understanding of the physics of drop motion in bounded domains is important for designing such systems. This project involves the study of viscous flow through narrow channels and the motion of tiny particles/droplets suspended in them. We will investigate the motion of small drops subjected to a background flow consisting of viscous fluid in a flow cell. As it flows through the channel, the droplet deforms due to viscous forces. The dynamics of the drops will be studied experimentally through imaging and 2D velocimetry. The experiments will be conducted in flow-cells of different geometries, including straight, constricted, and bifurcated structures. The experimental results are then compared with theoretical results simulated using our in-house numerical solver for the Navier-Stokes equations at low Reynold’s number. Interested students will be guided to work on drop experiments and image processing.
Requirements: The student should have taken courses in physics, chemistry and mathematics. Courses in computer programming and fluid mechanics are desirable but not required.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Creative Technology & Design, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Robert Davis, Faculty
Email: robert.davis@colorado.edu
Rajarshi Chattopadhyay, Graduate Student
Email: rajarshi.chattopadhyay@colorado.edu
Project Description
Collisions and flows of wet particles (i.e., solid particles coated with thin liquid layers) occur in a variety of natural (e.g., avalanches, river sediments, and landslides) and industrial (e.g., filtration, particle coating, and agglomeration) processes. Most of the experimental studies in this domain have been limited to normal and oblique collisions between a sphere and a wetted plane, between two wetted spheres and head-on colinear collisions of three wetted spheres Thus, there exists a gap in literature, for experimentally investigating the dynamics of oblique collisions of three wetted spheres. In the current project, the student will perform experiments involving oblique collisions of three (or more) wet spheres. They will also perform video analysis using MATLAB to track the motion of individual spheres and use those experimental data to validate the theory developed by the Davis group for demonstrating oblique collisions between three wet spheres. Through this project, they will obtain a degree of proficiency in doing both experimental work and computational modeling of such wet-particle systems using the principles of microhydrodynamics and transport phenomena.
Requirements: This project requires prior knowledge in fundamental fluid dynamics and solid mechanics. Prior experience with experiments is preferred. A background in coding though desired is not necessary. Furthermore, a basic understanding of calculus and linear algebra would help.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Engineering Physics, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Robert Davis, Faculty
Email: robert.davis@colorado.edu
Souradeep Roychowdhury, Graduate Student
Email: souradeep.roychowdhury@colorado.edu
Project Description
Better designed reverse osmosis polymer membranes that to exclude ions while still allowing water to pass through are necessary for improved desaliantion and purification. Similarly, nanofiltration membranes that can selectively allow some ions through while retaining others are needed for improved remediation of wastewater or purification of lithium from natural sources.
One of the hypotheses in our lab and with our collaborators is that the kinetics of ion transport through membrane pores is primarily a function of hydrated ion size and solvation thermodynamics, which are salinity-and pressure-dependent. We thus need improved information about how these factors change as a function of salinity and pressure. In order to capture these trends, the student will use classical water and ion models to examine a range of common cations and anions, examining the changes of the hydration shell structure, the free energy of hydration, and free energy of sequential removal of waters from the solvation shell as a function of pressure and temperature. This data set will provide a starting point to examine correlations between ion solvation properties and their membrane transport.
Requirements: Students should have some experience programming as well as having taken introductory chemistry, calculus, and statistics.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Michael Shirts, Faculty
Email: michael.shirts@colorado.edu
Nate Schwindt, Graduate Student
Email: Nathanael.Schwindt@colorado.edu
Project Description
Recent advances in generative machine learning such as AlphaFold have made it possible to predict the crystal structures of proteins with high fidelity to these experiments. However, these experimentally determined crystal structures, which approximate the protein configuration with a single structure, are only a limited approximation to the true behavior of proteins, which in reality consist of a dynamical, fluctuating structural ensembles, rather than single frozen configurations.
The student on this project will test the ability of generative models trained on protein-peptide crystal structures to identify initial diverse ligand-protein conformations that enable improved sampling of the relevant conformational ensembles, and investigate other ways to combine both molecular dynamics and machine learning together to accelerate the generation of full structural ensembles.
Requirements: Students should have taken introductory biology as well as calculus and statistics.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Physics
Contact
Michael Shirts, Faculty
Email: michael.shirts@colorado.edu
Anika Friedman, Graduate Student
Email: anika.friedman@colorado.edu
CU student only
- Design and Fabrication of Active Magnetic Particles with Complex Geometries
- Programming active microparticle trajectories using stenciled-on complex patches
- Simulation and Experimental Evaluation of Magnetic Microrobot Swimming
- Synthesis of Novel Liquid Crystal Mesogen Monomers for Enhanced Actuation
- Synthesis of soft, color-changing cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers
Project Description
Magnetic interactions provide an effective means for controlling microscale active matter due to their orientational specificity and long-range behavior. Additionally, rolling microscale particles offer a means to break symmetry in microfluidic systems to enable locomotion. In previous work, spherical magnetic rollers have been fabricated and well-explored. The goal of this project is to apply similar techniques to fabricate rolling particles of complex 3D geometries inspired by topological mathematics, and fluid mechanics. By examining symmetry-breaking geometries, we hope to fabricate particles with potential for efficient locomotion, directional control, and possible applications in biological systems. Additionally, the locomotion of these particles will be evaluated using remote manipulation in environments of complex rheology and geometry designed to mimic biologically relevant systems. This analysis may enable new active particle geometries capable of efficiently navigating the multifarious environments of the human body. In this project, students will gain hands-on experience with clean room fabrication, microscopy, experimental design, and general laboratory techniques.
Requirements: None
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Wyatt Shields, Faculty
Email: Charles.Shields@colorado.edu
Project Description
Active matter and microrobots rely on particles with precise asymmetries, such as surface patches or overall shape. They assemble into complex structures and/or move with controlled trajectories due to magnetic, acoustic, and electric fields, and solute gradients. Many particles used today rely on fabrication methods that limit accessible particle and patch designs . We created a method to fabricate polymeric particles of any shape with precisely placed and arbitrarily shaped metallic patches using stencils. This lets us create more complex particle designs and study their motions within various external fields. The goal of this project is to study how changing the metallic patch shape on a spherical particle affects its trajectory within an AC electric field. It is well known that particles half-coated in gold will move in a straight line perpendicular to the electric field and certain changes to the patch shape can result in helical trajectories. We want to understand these effects further in order to inversely design patches that lead to new and well-defined trajectories. Some applications include biosensing and cargo delivery. This project could also explore magnetic assembly.
Requirements: None
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Engineering Physics, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Wyatt Shields, Faculty
Email: charles.shields@colorado.edu
Kendra Kreienbrink, Graduate Student
Email: kendra.kreienbrink@colorado.edu
Project Description
Microrobots offer promising solutions to challenges in chemistry, biomedicine, and environmental monitoring. While the term “microrobot” implies specifically designed pieces of equipment capable of performing autonomous tasks at the microscale, predicting the actuation and transport of reconfigurable microrobots in low Reynolds number environments, especially non-Newtonian fluids, remains a challenge. Successful prediction of these mechanics is a pivotal step towards successful adoption of microrobot technologies into biological systems. The goal of this project is to develop a framework to simulate the fluid mechanical behavior of magnetically foldable microrobot systems developed by our lab. These simulations will be employed to determine fundamental relationships between microrobot actuation and dynamics of the surrounding environments. In particular, we will be studying behavior in shear-thinning and shear thickening-fluids and well as geometrically complex environments, all of which hope to imitate biologically relevant systems. In this project, students will gain hands-on experience with COMSOL Multiphysics, computational and theoretical fluid mechanics, and python coding.
Requirements: Should have coding experience and general knowledge of fluid mechanics
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Wyatt Shields, Faculty
Email: charles.shields@colorado.edu
Collin Kemper, Graduate Student
Email: coke9481@colorado.edu
Project Description
Recent literature findings have shown that decreasing the number of aromatic rings in the core of liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) monomers from three to two has increased the actuation response of elastomers while also enabling it to occur at a lower temperature. These findings help lower the hurdles to implementation of thermotropic liquid crystal elastomer actuators for purposes of soft robotics or artificial muscles by making the actuation response more rapid and at more practical temperatures. This project will be organic chemistry intensive as the student will work to synthesize a series of two-ringed core LC monomers that have their basis in these recent findings, but explore the chemical opportunity space to enhance actuation response even greater. Upon synthesizing the monomers, LCE films will be fabricated and their mechanical and thermomechanical properties tested.
Requirements: Organic chemistry and organic chemistry lab
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering
Contact
Tim White, Faculty
Email: tim.white@colorado.edu
David Kennedy, Graduate Student
Email: dake2634@colorado.edu
Project Description
Cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers (CLCEs) are a class of soft optical materials that self-organize into a helicoidal structure. The rotation and periodicity of the refractive index across the thickness of the material results in reflection. The reflection is highly tunable and can be changed from the visible to MWIR and beyond. Our focus is on optimizing the chemistry to make CLCEs with homogeneous properties, tunable crosslink density, and low haze. Thiol-ene photopolymerization has been reported to be a one-step click chemistry that yields homogeneous polymers with controllable crosslink density. This project will include polymer synthesis, processing, and materials characterization using the thiol-ene chemistry to make reflective CLCEs. These materials will be explored for use in the consumer market, packaging, energy, ophthalmic, and AR/VR marketplaces.
Project website: https://www.colorado.edu/research/rpmgroup
Requirements: None
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering
Contact
Tim White, Faculty
Email: tim.white@colorado.edu
Alexis Phillips, Graduate Student
Email: Alexis.Phillips@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
- Aircraft Wing Crack Propagation Analysis
- Climate and hydrologic modeling to predict impacts on northern rivers and fish
- Climate Risks, Hazards, and Vulnerability for Incarceration Populations
- Environmental monitoring of a watershed that is being urbanized in Parker, CO
- Evaluating Risk Management Approaches in Drinking Water Utilities
- Improving Quality through Uncertainty Management
- Incorporation of climate change and climatic hazards in infrastructure design
- Instrumenting experiments of landslides failures caused by climate change
- Material Testing of Pipeline Encapsulation Technologies
- Perform Energy Assessments for Nonprofits Facilities
- Seismic Performance Classification of Hazard Resilient PVC Pipeline Systems
- Testing an upgraded Robotic Sand Pourer
Project Description
Fatigue failure is an area of utmost importance in all disciplines of engineering -- it is estimated that 80% of engineering failures occur due to fatigue, costing over $800 billion a year -- but is particularly in aerospace applications where mass requirements are very low, materials are high quality and expensive, and the loading conditions are extreme. The student will join the Center for Infrastructure, Energy, and Space Testing (CIEST) on a project which is testing the effects of extreme fatigue in aircraft wings. This project will take place using CIEST's 1,000,000 lb. load frame and entails testing two aircraft wing sections up to 6 of their standard operational lifetimes to determine crack initiation and propagation. The student will help develop a test procedure for identifying and documenting cracks as they appear in the wing section and will also come up with a method for analyzing data to determine and predict propagation behavior. The student's project results will be key pieces in the formal report to the project sponsor.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/center/ciest/
Requirements: MUST BE A US CITIZEN. Due to strict US military protocols, it is required that all faculty, staff, and students working on this project are US citizens. Statics and basic mechanics required. A course in structural analysis preferred, but not required. Experience with MATLAB is also preferred.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Davis Holt, Faculty
Email: davis.holt@colorado.edu
Brad Wham, Faculty
Email: brad.wham@colorado.edu
Project Description
Indigenous communities in the Arctic rely on rivers for subsistence fishing and winter travel. As Arctic rivers continue to undergo rapid transformation due to climate change, the future for these communities remains uncertain. The Arctic Rivers project aims to enhance our collective understanding of the impacts of terrestrial hydrologic change on the rivers, fish, and communities in the Arctic. As part of this project, the student will analyze data produced by regional climate and river models to assess both historical and projected climate impacts on Indigenous communities. This analysis will be combined with Indigenous Knowledge shared by community members, aiming to foster effective climate adaptation strategies. Engaging in this research will equip the student with valuable skills in coding, data management, and modeling, which are essential for academic or professional endeavors.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/research/arctic-rivers/
Requirements: Some coding experience in Python, MATLAB, or R is desirable, but there will be plenty of hands-on practice, so beginners are welcome.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Mike Gooseff, Faculty
Email: michael.gooseff@colorado.edu
Keith Musselman, Faculty
Email: keith.musselman@colorado.edu
Dylan Blaskey, Graduate Student
Email: Dylan.blaskey@colorado.edu
Project Description
Climate change impacts first and worst those who are socially and economically marginalized and who lack basic resources, rights, and agency. We refer to this state as ‘extreme risk’ and define populations exposed to extreme risk in relation to three variables: i) high exposure to compound climatic hazards; ii) high sensitivity through vulnerable physical, institutional, and socio-economic infrastructure; and iii) low adaptive capacity, such as for confined populations and individuals deprived of access to basic resources and rights around agency, health, safety, and welfare (schools, hospitals, prisons, public housing). In this summer project, we propose to bring together an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, designers, and organizational leaders to redefine the vulnerability of Colorado’s carceral ecosystem. We will, for the first time, account for the intersection of physical, institutional, socio-economic vulnerabilities, agency, and adaptive capacity in the context of ‘extreme risk’ populations. We will also quantify compound climatic hazards at local and regional scales, to assist the affected communities and decision makers in risk quantification and response.
Requirements: Engineering student interested in hazards engineering and quantification, remote sensing, coding, and conducting or participating in social science research impacting marginalized communities.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Shideh Dashti, Faculty
Email: shideh.dashti@colorado.edu
Project Description
Urban development transforms the natural hydrologic regime and has significant effects on baseflow and storm runoff. Previous studies have analyzed changes in streamflow driven by urban development in the Denver Metro Area and have found considerable effects on the magnitude and duration of streamflow and baseflow. We are building on this work by monitoring streamflow at West Stroh Gulch in Parker, CO, an intermittent stream in a watershed that has been slated for development. The monitoring aims to capture pre-development and post-development conditions on the streamflow regime.
The students participating in this project will take part in the environmental monitoring of West Stroh Gulch. The monitoring includes the following activities: streamflow monitoring using trail cameras and pressure sensors; in-situ measurements of infiltration with different instruments; land classification from aerial imagery using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software; in-situ water quality measurements and collecting stormwater runoff samples.
Students are not expected to have previous knowledge of any of the listed activities, but the willingness to learn about them and to be in the field
Project Website: https://aditibhaskar.com/parker-streamflow
Requirements:
- Student preferably (but not required) will have taken Engineering Hydrology (CVEN 4333).
- Student comfortable learning GIS.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering
Contact
Aditi Bhaskar, Faculty
Email: aditi.bhaskar@colorado.edu
Jorge Santiago Ramirez Nunez, Graduate Student
Email: santiago.ramireznunez@colorado.edu
Project Description
Regulatory agencies and drinking water utilities share responsibility for providing safe water to the public, which requires managing risk. Both the E. coli outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario, and the widespread lead contamination in Flint, Michigan, are examples of the consequences of drinking water service failures. To manage risk, utilities employ approaches that involve the identification of contamination sources, control barriers, and indicators that the control barriers are working. These indicators are not consistently used or agreed upon across utilities and different government agencies, making it difficult to understand how well risk management approaches and regulation work.
To understand the alignment between regulators and utilities on risk management and water safety indicators, we are studying their views of responsibility for water safety and indicators of risk management. Illuminating differences and similarities in these views may highlight opportunities for changes in policy.
The SPUR student will learn:
How drinking water utilities manage risk
How to use qualitative research to solve complex engineering problems
How engineering approaches are impacted by policy
Requirements: Interest in learning qualitative data collection and analysis techniques as applied to water issues. Previous experience with analyzing qualitative data (through coursework, past positions, or volunteer work) is preferred but not required.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Karl Linden, Faculty
Email: karl.linden@colorado.edu
Amy Javernick Will, Faculty
Email: javernic@colorado.edu
Emma Wells, Graduate Student
Email: Emma.Wells@colorado.edu
Project Description
Each of the steps involved in developing and manufacturing new products introduces imperfections. It is often difficult to know which step's imperfections are impacting the quality of the final product the most. In manufacturing a new kitchen appliance, for example, perhaps it is the imperfections in the temperature controller for an injection mold process. Or perhaps it is the unsteady pressure at which some adhesive is applied. In this project, we aim to develop a software framework that can help guide the research, development, and manufacturing of products made from unusual, complex materials. The software will integrate knowledge of the individual imperfections of each step in the manufacturing process and determine how they affect the quality of final product. Such software will be useful in reducing costs and improving quality in multiple areas of technology development.
Requirements: The student must be able to program in Python. They must be familiar with basic statistics, including what an “average” is and what is meant by “standard deviation.” They must have had one semester of Calculus and know how to find the minimum or maximum of a function using derivatives.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Scott Runnels, Faculty
Email: scott.runnels@colorado.edu
Project Description
This project entails assisting in interviews and building code documents used by various sub-disciplines within civil engineering to evaluate and synthesize the existing guidelines and practices in design of U.S. infrastructure for climate change and climatic hazards (e.g., drought, wildfire, flood, sea level rise, etc.). This study will contribute to a report for NIST that will initiate a new set of studies for improving existing guidelines that benefit practicing engineers and researchers in the future.
Requirements: Background in statistics and risk analysis, interest in civil infrastructure, quantitative and qualitative studies.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Shideh Dashti, Faculty
Email: shideh.dashti@colorado.edu
Project Description
Warming climates could increase the risk of landslides due to temperature changes affecting the strength of certain types of soils. Research is being carried out to better measure, understand and predict this risk. Centrifuge testing will be used to test the failure of slopes experiencing a warming temperature in a 'hypergravity' environment.
An important part of these experiments are the instruments that are used to measure the behavior of the soil and overall slope as the temperature is varied. In this project, the student will have the opportunity to learn about and test a variety of instruments (e.g., temperature probes, thermal cameras etc). The instrument performance will be benchmarked under different laboratory conditions, e.g., embedded in wet soil and/or surviving the centrifugal forces.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/center/ciest/
Requirements: None
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Srikanth Madabhushi, Faculty
Email: mscs@colorado.edu
Project Description
Legacy pipelines made of cast iron, wrought iron, and bare steel are responsible for a disproportionate number of gas leaks in the United State’s infrastructure system. Many systems have exceeded their intended design life with increasing vulnerability to failure. The Center for Infrastructure, Energy and Space Testing (CIEST) is leading an international project to investigate the performance of novel pipeline repair-in-place technologies which can be used to repair preexisting pipelines with a structural liner. The student will join CIEST to conduct testing on pipeline repair materials using CIEST’s material testing systems, a wide range of instrumentation, and resident expertise in materials. The results of this material analysis will be used in the classification of pipeline materials and the development of finite element models for predicting pipeline performance. The student will have the opportunity to analyze collected data, aggregate results, and aid in report preparation, including potential authorship on technical reports and publications. Opportunities to learn about polymers, pipe and liner material interactions, fatigue, and other advanced materials topics.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/center/ciest/
Requirements:
- Statics and basic structural analysis
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel
- Skilled in SolidWorks and/or AutoCAD are all desired
- Experience with MATLAB is also preferred
- Prior hands-on experience (e.g., carpentry, mechanic) would be helpful
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Dustin Quandt, Faculty
Email: dustin.quandt@colorado.edu
Brad Wham, Faculty
Email: brad.wham@colorado.edu
Project Description
Be part of teams to perform basic energy audits of facilities that are owned and operated by nonprofits. The duties include: (i) collect basic data about utility bills of the facilities; (ii) conduct basic on-site data collection of the lighting and heating/cooling systems as well as surveys of occupants, and (iii) perform utility data analysis (will be trained to perform this task).
Requirements: Basic understanding of building energy performance and some technical writing skills.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Moncef Krarti, Faculty
Email: moncef.krarti@colorado.edu
Nicholas Clements, Faculty/Lab Manager
Email: nicholas.clements@colorado.edu
Project Description
As technological advancements improve water distribution systems’ ability to accommodate significant ground deformations associated with earthquakes, fault rupture, landslides, liquefaction-induced lateral spreading and other natural hazards, municipalities and pipeline designers need a systematic method to define and classify the seismic response and capacity of new and developing pipeline systems. The Center for Infrastructure, Energy, and Space Testing performs tests on 6-in. diameter PVC pipelines with several different mechanically restrained joints. The results focus on categorizing the response of each tested PVC pipeline system into seismic performance classes. Students will join CIEST to help conduct full scale, pressurized testing on these systems, and assess the performance of each test to help identify the seismic performance classification of each system. The scope of testing includes axial tension, axial compression, axial cyclic, bending, and biaxial loading. The project is taking place in CIEST’s structural dynamics and materials testing laboratory. Hands-on laboratory experience will be gained through full-scale tests.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/center/ciest/
Requirements:
- Statics and basic structural analysis; proficiency in Microsoft Excel
- Skilled in SolidWorks and/or AutoCAD are all desired
- Experience with MATLAB is also preferred
- Prior hands-on experience (e.g., carpentry, mechanic) would be helpful
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Davis Holt, Faculty
Email: davis.holt@colorado.edu
Brad Wham, Faculty
Email: brad.wham@colorado.edu
Project Description
An automatic robotic sand pourer (similar to a 3D printer) is currently used to prepare geotechnical laboratory and centrifuge models for teaching and research purposes. The machine has recently been upgraded to allow continuous measurements of the sand models being prepared. This project involves testing and benchmarking the sand pourers capabilities and will have many opportunities for hands-on experience of using technology to improve laboratory model preparations.
The quality of the models prepared with the upgraded sand pourer will be tested using centrifuge experiments. This is an exciting opportunity to learn about and experience how 'hypergravity testing' is used in a geotechnical and civil engineering context.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/center/ciest/
Requirements: Basic structural and/or mechanical analysis and an interest in laboratory testing or civil/geotechnical engineering. Experience or interest in programming (e.g. Python or Matlab) would also be valuable.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors:
Contact
Srikanth Madbhushi, Faculty
Email: mscs@colorado.edu
Mohammad Alrubaie, Graduate Student
Email: mohammad.alrubaie@colorado.edu
CU student only
Project Description
Public transportation and therapeutic settings are some of the highest density and highest tactile/aerosol exposure environments urban dwellers encounter. The candidate will conduct a modern literature review of these settings in this context as well as participate in microbial surveys (sampling campaigns) with the international MetaSub consortium (Stockholm, Sweden) and social health systems.
Requirements: The student must be fluent in Swedish and English.
Project website: https://www.colorado.edu/faculty/hernandez/
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering
Contact
Mark Hernandez, Faculty
Email: mark.hernandez@colorado.edu
Project Description
The SPUR student will take a lead role in analyzing high-speed videos of a sniffing mouse. The student will generate biomechanical datasets, and help test a laboratory facility to replicate sniffing flows. The student will be mentored by faculty and graduate students. Our goal is to provide an effective research training environment, and to enable the student to actively participate in research activities.
Sniffing is a prototypical modality for sensing odor cues in the environment. Sniffing flows modify odor cues, and the influence factors such as temporal sniff forcing, naris morphology, and ground proximity on odor mixing and entrainment remains relatively unknown. Results from this effort will be used to inform experiments characterizing the fluid dynamics of realistic sniffing flows, which can inform bioinspired chemical sensors.
The SPUR student will receive training on running instruments, acquiring, and processing data, and analyzing results. The student will attend weekly lab meetings to share progress and learn about other research projects. The student will also have the opportunity to interact with our colleagues in in the Odor2Action Network.
Requirements: The student should be eager to learn to use specialized instrumentation, and to write simple computer code to acquire and process data. While we will provide active mentoring (our lab was previously recognized for outstanding SPUR mentoring), the student will also need to think and work independently. Experience with hands-on laboratory work, scientific imaging, 3D printing, data processing and technical writing would be helpful. Our lab is a fun and friendly place to work. We try to have flexible hours, to work in a team environment when appropriate, and to produce science of the highest possible quality.
Project websites: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/ecological-fluids | https://www.odor2action.org
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
John Crimaldi, Faculty
Email: crimaldi@colorado.edu
Aaron True, Faculty
Email: aaron.true@colorado.edu
Project Description
The SPUR student will take a lead role in running experiments to measure chemical signatures emanating from a person carrying a simulated explosive device. The student will be mentored by faculty and graduate students. Our goal is to provide an effective research training environment, and to enable the student to actively participate in research activities.
Many national security agencies in the US are interested in the detection of chemicals indicating the presence of explosive threats. However, little is known about where, and how quickly, odors travel from person-borne sources into the environment. This project will evaluate how factors such as wind speed and odor source location affect PBIED plume dispersion. Results from this effort will be used to inform protocols and technologies for the detection of explosive threats in national security contexts.
The SPUR student will receive training on running instruments, acquiring, and processing data, and analyzing results. The student will attend weekly lab meetings to share progress and learn about other research projects. The student will also help provide content for a final report to submitted to US national security agencies.
Requirements: The student should be eager to learn to use specialized instrumentation, and to write simple computer code to acquire and process data. While we will provide active mentoring (our lab was previously recognized for outstanding SPUR mentoring), the student will also need to think and work independently. Experience with hands-on laboratory work, 3D printing, data processing and technical writing would be helpful. Our lab is a fun and friendly place to work. We try to have flexible hours, to work in a team environment when appropriate, and to produce science of the highest possible quality.
Project websites: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/ecological-fluids | https://www.odor2action.org
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
John Crimaldi, Faculty
Email: crimaldi@colorado.edu
Aaron True, Faculty
Email: aaron.true@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
Project Description
The Great Lunar Expedition for Everyone (GLEE) aims to demonstrate a new modality for planetary science data collection using a large network of deployed chipsats. Each LunaSat will autonomously record and transmit thermal, magnetic, acceleration, and regolith capacitance data using a radio mesh network. The LunaSat network will produce hundreds of simultaneous datasets to construct time-varying spatial maps of Lunar phenomena, providing a critical characterization of the Lunar environment for future human exploration and settlement missions. We are looking for multiple team members in the Electronics, Software and Science subteams. Members of the GLEE electrical subteam will work on the design and testing of the LunaSats embedded system to meet mission requirements. Students on the GLEE Software subteam will lead the development of embedded software for the LunaSat, writing code, RF communications, data visualizations, and functionality testing, using C++ (Arduino) and Python. Interns on the Science subteam will work on lab and field testing and data modeling proving effectiveness at conducting science on the Lunar surface.
Project website: https://www.glee2023.org/
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student,Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Barbra Sobhani, Faculty
Email: barbra.sobhani@colorado.edu
Project Description
A team of undergraduate students working at Colorado Space Grant Consortium submitted an application to the High Altitude Student Platform (HASP) and their project was accepted to fly in September of 2024. HASP is a national program managed by Louisiana Space Grant Consortium and NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The HASP platform can carry up to 12 student payloads to an altitude of 36 kilometers for up to 20 hours. The CU team expect to loose several team members at the end of the spring semester, and therefore would like to invite new team members to join this effort in the summer semester.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Veronica Corral Flores, Faculty
Email: vcorral@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
- Adaptations of honeybee swarms in response to environmental perturbations
- Efficient structural analysis for soft robotics
- Ensuring Robustness of Real-World Distributed Systems
- HCI Research on Apps for Endangered Language Documentation
- Integrating Large Language Models with Program Synthesis
- NLP System for Creation of Educational Materials for Indigenous Languages
- Quantitative analysis of Front Range firefly populations via spatiotemporal char
- Ratel-FreeCAD: integration and education in structural mechanics
- Safer scientific computing in Rust
Project Description
Honeybee swarms, made up of a queen bee and thousands of workers, hang suspended from structures in nature for periods ranging from hours to several days while they search for a new hive. During this time, the swarm is subject to wind, rain, and temperature changes. We will investigate how swarms adapt their global structure to buffer against these environmental perturbations. Timelapse x-ray computed tomography will enable us to see beyond the surface of the three-dimensional, opaque swarm to observe the dynamic internal architecture. We will characterize the spatiotemporal changes in the structure of the swarm and develop image processing methods to track the motion of bees throughout the swarm. Informed by experiments, we will develop a model to elucidate how individual bees utilize local information to generate adaptive changes to the swarm’s global structure in response to environmental perturbations.
Project website: https://www.peleglab.com/
Requirements: Some experience with either python, matlab, or arduino programming will be useful for data acquisition and/or image processing. Experience with bees is not required, but students should be open to interacting with honeybees and willing to learn how to handle bees and beehives and open to working with bees in an experimental context.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Orit Peleg, Faculty
Email: orit.peleg@colorado.edu
Danielle Chase, Post Doc
Email: danielle.chase@colorado.edu
Project Description
Pneumatic-actuated soft robotics are an exciting low-cost, lightweight technology with a vast design space enabled by 3D printing. Design requires large-deformation simulation of thin-walled nearly-incompressible materials across a range of loading conditions. This regime is known to be challenging to ensure accuracy within widely-implemented variants of finite element analysis. Ratel is an open source finite element analysis package that employs new data structures and algorithms to improve accuracy and efficiency and to use GPUs. This project will study accuracy and efficiency of Ratel versus existing solvers such as FEBio (open source) and Abaqus (commercial) for a range of problems important to soft robotics. It will also conduct validation using experimental data.
Project website: https://ratel.micromorph.org
Requirements: Interest in mechanics and high-performance computing. Familiarity with CAD and/or meshing will be beneficial.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Jed Brown, Faculty
Email: jed.brown@colorado.edu
Project Description
Distributed Systems are the workhorses of the modern-day computing. Major web services, such as Google and Amazon, rely on a network of servers distributed across the world to ensure maximum reach with low latency and high availability. Unfortunately, building distributed systems is hard and error-prone due to overwhelming complexity of dealing with several possible failure scenarios, which are hard to account for using testing alone. Consequently, there is a need for advanced program analysis and verification techniques to help programmers find vulnerabilities and ensure robustness of deployed systems. This project aims to develop a class of such techniques. In particular, we aim to extend the utility of Abstract Interpretation -- a technique successfully used in several real-world software systems, to analyze real-world distributed programs. Successful execution of this project would result in developer tools that drastically improve the productivity of systems engineers at web companies and government agencies.
Requirements: Students must be comfortable programming in at least one programming language. Experience in competitive programming (e.g., ACM ICPC, Leetcode, or TopCoder).
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Gowtham Kaki, Faculty
Email: gowtham.kaki@colorado.edu
Evan Chang, Faculty
Email: evan.chang@colorado.edu
Project Description
50-90% of the world's approximately 7,000 languages are in danger of extinction by the year 2100, and the linguists who record their grammars have adopted application software in order to facilitate the process of documenting them.
There are two apps that have been dominant in this space for at least the past 15 years. However, despite their wide use, these apps are widely regarded as suffering from major design and usability flaws. Despite wide informal consensus on these flaws, no study has yet been done examining their origins and possible remedies.
In this interdisciplinary project, we invite a student to lead an effort under our mentorship to better understand this issue, drawing on methods and research from HCI, ethnography, software engineering, and linguistics. Drawing on ample data from mailing lists and other publications documenting these apps' use, the student will develop their ideas and narratives, with the ultimate goal of a publication in a conference or journal in any of the aforementioned fields.
We view this project as an excellent fit for a student who is interested in learning more about human factors and product design.
Requirements: While not strictly necessary, we expect that students with some background in software engineering and some familiarity with linguistics would be especially well prepared to pursue this project.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Katharina von der Wense, Faculty
Email: katharina.kann@colorado.edu
Luke Gessler, Post Doc
Email: luke.gessler@colorado.edu
Project Description
Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have been surprisingly effective at generating code to solve basic programming problems such as list manipulations and UI event handling. Unfortunately, there generated code does not come with any soundness guarantees and is often subtly wrong. While issuing hints as subsequent prompts may lead LLM to fix the error, there is no guarantee that it does. Moreover, identifying the error and issuing appropriate hints is a hard problem. This project aims to address this problem by integrating LLMs with conventional Program Synthesis techniques, thus combining the effectiveness of the former with mathematical guarantees of the latter. Last year's SPUR project resulted in generation of an LLM that works locally and is fine-tuned on the text-to-SQL tasks. This year, our focus will be on integrating this LLM in a tight loop with Program Synthesis tools such as Prose, Scythe, and PatSQL. This project is a great opportunity for junior and senior level students to work on LLMs and functional programming (Haskell etc), and demonstrate to the world the power of combining neural and symbolic reasoning.
Requirements: Students must be comfortable programming in at least one programming language. Experience in competitive programming (e.g., ACM ICPC, Leetcode, or TopCoder) or Functional Programming (Haskell, OCaml, Lisp etc) is a plus.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Gowtham Kaki, Faculty
Email: gowtham.kaki@colorado.edu
Ashutosh Trivedi, Faculty
Email: Ashutosh.Trivedi@colorado.edu
Project Description
We invite a student to collaborate with us on an natural language processing (NLP) system for creating educational materials for indigenous languages.
Many indigenous communities in the United States and elsewhere desire computational assistance in the creation of pedagogical materials for the maintenance of their languages, and this is a topic of ongoing research for NLP researchers.
Our goal is to create a system that can take existing sentences in a given target language and perform grammatical modifications to it to produce a new sentence. E.g., if our target language were English, we might want the system to modify the sentence "I run every day" so that the tense is past instead of present, yielding "I ran every day".
Your job will be to work with our lab's PI and postdoc to create a system which can perform this task, which you can find in more detail here: https://github.com/AmericasNLP/americasnlp2024/tree/master/ST2_Education...
We view this project as an excellent fit for a CS major or minor who is interested in discovering what research is like in modern NLP and who is eager to learn methods in deep learning.
Requirements: The student must be proficient in the basics of computer programming, equivalent to at least a course in introductory programming and data structures. Ideally, the student would also have some experience with natural language processing and deep learning libraries such as PyTorch, though this is not strictly necessary.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Katharina von der Wense, Faculty
Email: katharina.kann@colorado.edu
Luke Gessler, Post Doc
Email: luke.gessler@colorado.edu
Project Description
The applicant will be part of a small project team working towards understanding firefly species diversity and flash patterns in Colorado. This requires coordinating with and training community science volunteers around the state, project management, location scouting, field work filming fireflies, and video post-processing and computer vision analysis on acquired data. There is potential for this appointment to continue through the 2024 fall semester , so ongoing availability is preferred.
Project Website: http://www.peleglab.com
Requirements: The applicant should have a strong understanding of Python, especially the Pandas and plotly frameworks, as well as familiarity with Linux-based OS and Matlab. Familiarity with GoPro Max camera operation and associated software is a huge plus. Familiarity with static web development, JavaScript, html/css, and google maps API development. Computer vision skills not required but encouraged.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Orit Peleg, Faculty
Email: orit.peleg@colorado.edu
Owen Martin, Graduate Student
Email: Owen.Martin@Colorado.EDU
Project Description
Computational simulations using finite element analysis (FEA) are an important aspect of everyday engineering. FreeCAD is an open-source 3D parametric modeling software package allowing engineers to design components with complex, real-world geometries. FreeCAD’s FEM workbench enables an integrated workflow, but only supports solvers based on classical methods, thus limiting efficiency, accuracy, capability to solve large problems, and use of GPUs. Alternatively, the user may export their FreeCAD models/meshes for use in external solver and analysis packages. This project will focus on creating a FreeCAD plugin for Ratel, an open-source solid mechanics library, which will allow for streamlined solid mechanics simulations capable of running at scale and on GPUs. This project will involve programming in Python and developing educational examples similar to those used in courses like MCEN 4173 and CVEN 4511. This work will use Ratel (which depends on libCEED and PETSc), Python, and FreeCAD.
Project website: https://ratel.micromorph.org
Requiremtents: Familiarity with Python for data analysis and programming would be helpful. Familiarity with CAD and possibly FEA software would also be helpful.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Jed Brown, Faculty
Email: jed.brown@colorado.edu
Karen Stengel, Graduate Student
Email: karen.stengel@colorado.edu
Project Description
Rust is a new systems programming language that is rapidly growing in popularity, but library support for parallel and GPU-enabled scientific computing remains limited. As compared to the status quo languages of C, C++, and Fortran, use of Rust creates the opportunity to make scientific software more accessible, safe, reliable, easier to extend and maintain, and easier to package and distribute. The SPUR student will have an option of focusing on pragmatic use of Rust for scientific computing (comparing the experience to traditional languages) or fundamental primitives to ensure safety/invariant-preservation (such as dimensional consistency or parallel/GPU semantics). In both cases, the goal is to enable greater adoption of Rust and increased reliability of scientific libraries and applications.
Requirements: Familiarity with Rust. Some experience with numerical computing, type systems, and/or parallelism would be helpful, but is not necessary.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Jed Brown, Faculty
Email: jed.brown@colorado.edu
Jeremy Thompson, Research Associate
Email: jeremy.thompson@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
- 3d printed antenna composites and use of SDRs for RF applications
- Accelerated Multi-Cloud Networking
- Acceleration of Dynamic Spatial Integrated Assessment Model
- Analog circuit design for diode temperature sensor
- Antennas for HF communications - hands on design and characterization
- Cloud AI Cost Estimator
- Data Curation and Discovery for Synthetic Biology
- Design of a microwave package for superconducting quantum devices
- Digital Backbone for Synthetic Biology
- Emulate the Internet (with containers and Kubernetes)
- Estimation of Wave-like Motion in Biological and Engineering Applications
- Ring resonators for superconducting qubit dielectric loss investigations
- SynBioHub3 - An Interactive Genetic Design Repository
- SynBioSuite: A Tool for Improving the Workflow for Genetic Design and Modeling
Project Description
Topic 1: The project looks to design, fabricate, and test 3D printed electromagnetic absorbers and impedance surfaces across a wide bandwidth. Such structures are used to improve the performance (pattern and isolation) of antennas placed near scatters or collocated with other antennas. These will be integrated with antennas and SDR radio from topic 2.
Topic 2: The student will implement spectrum sensing and direction finding algorithms on a multichannel coherent software-defined radio (SDR). The GNURadio signal processing development toolkit will be used, however, implementation will require development of custom Python code blocks. The radio will be integrated with the antenna system that is 3d printed and supported by the topic 1 research.
Requirements:
- Topic 1: The student candidate should have taken ECEN 3410 and be excited to learn more about electromagnetics. Some experience with CAD tools or CEM simulation software (HFSS or FEKO) would be useful but is not essential.
- Topic 2: Understanding of SDRs and their potential use is desired but not mandatory.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Dejan Filipovic, Faculty
Email: dejan.filipovic@colorado.edu
Collin Wallish, Graduate Student
Email: collin.wallish@colorado.edu
Project Description
Companies are moving towards more multi-cloud deployments, where different parts of their infrastructure reside on different clouds like Amazon, Google, or Microsoft's. An emerging challenge is that to connect all of this infrastructure securely and efficiently is difficult. And it's a skillset that many companies don't have. We're looking to build a unified abstraction across clouds, and simplify cloud networking. You'll work a lot in Linux performing networking tasks, including using the emerging eBPF technology, and work with different cloud platforms to automate the interconnection of distributed applications.
Project website:
Requirements: Ideally, know networking, but I have a short coursera course you could take as prep (or learn on your own).
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Contact
Eric Keller, Faculty
Email: eric.keller@colorado.edu
Project Description
Global warming and inflation pressures are foremost policy concerns. Policy-makers use sophisticated economics models to gain quantitative insights in the design of effective policy. Recent years have witnessed unprecedented advancements in the breadth and scope of these models, with the incorporation of policy-relevant sources of heterogeneity (like household models, and high spatial resolution in climate change models) . However, their design and the class of questions that can be answered are limited by hardware. In this project we will investigate an FPGA design to accelerate the dynamic spatial integrated assessment model. In particular we are interested on investigating methods from approximate computing for the FPGA design to improve the data streaming rate of the model.
Requirements: Experience working with FPGA.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Environmental Engineering
Contact
Tamara Lehman, Faculty
Email: tamara.lehman@colorado.edu
Project Description
This hands-on project involves designing and testing a number of analog circuits that will be used to measure temperature of a diode that is embedded into an RF integrated circuit. The end goal of the research is to be able to measure on-chip temperature of an RF power amplifier while it is running -- important for reliability and general performance metrics like output power and energy efficiency. While no RF background knowledge is required, we will teach you about the relevant topics to give context to the research.
The student will begin by building up the individual circuit blocks (op-amp circuits, transistor-based current sources, lock-in amplifier, etc.), then will test them with a standard diode, and finally put the whole system together to measure with ICs we have designed for this purpose. To know what to expect at the bench, we will also simulate the circuits in LTSpice.
Our goal is to publish a conference paper on this technique, and the student will be encouraged to help author that work.
Requirements: Student must have taken ECEN 3250, and have some hands-on laboratory experience. ECEN 2420 is preferred but not necessary.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Integrated Design Engineering
Contact
Taylor Barton, Faculty
Email: taylor.w.barton@colorado.edu
Grace Gomez, Graduate Assistant
Email: grace.gomez@colorado.edu
Project Description
"Interest is resurging in antennas and arrays in the high frequency (HF) band, spanning 3-30 MHz. The ionosphere of the earth refracts radiation at these frequencies back towards the surface allowing for beyond-line-of-sight communications and radar without relying on repeaters or satellites, critical in the case that this infrastructure becomes unavailable. The primary challenge at these low frequencies is the long wavelength, spanning 100 to 10 meters, which historically has necessitated large antennas or tuned narrowband coverage. Additionally, due to the large wavelengths, measurement and characterization of antennas and arrays at HF is extremely difficult. Over the summer, opportunities to work in this band include simulation and design of miniaturized antennas while considering the impacts of realistic materials and earth ground; creative approaches to fabrication of such antennas, which are on the scale of centimeters to meters; outdoor field tests in Boulder and surrounding areas, which can include contact with ham radio operators around the US and possibly the world; and programming and operating drones to characterize HF antennas and arrays."
Requirements: ECEN 3410 is highly desired, ECEN 3400 is desired, ECEN 2420 is mandatory
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics
Contact
Dejan Filipovic, Faculty
Email: dejan.filipovic@colorado.edu
Songyi Yen, Post Doc
Email: songyi.yen@colorado.edu
Project Description
Cloud providers are introducing new products to simplify AI processing - e.g., Amazon SageMaker, Azure Machine Learning Studio, and Google Vertex AI. The problem is that you really don't know how much it's going to cost you until after you run your model and data set. In this project, you'd work to fix that. We're building an approach where developers can estimate the cost to run their specific model and data set on various platforms. We do this by running a subset locally, and extract features from that run and use a model of the various platforms to make an estimate. In the project, you will help out through activities such as building up the model of the cloud platforms through running workloads in the cloud, assemble local infrastructure, and/or write software to help automate the whole process.
Requirements: None
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Contact
Eric Keller, Faculty
Email: eric.keller@colorado.edu
Project Description
Synthetic biology designed systems have many applications in areas including environmental, man- ufacturing, sensor development, defense, and medicine. However, currently the progress and useful- ness of synthetic biology is impeded by the time required for literature studies and the replication of existing but poorly documented work. This project proposes to move away from post-hoc and towards integrated curation to create truly digital publications. This research has two main research aims: 1) the creation of an integrated curation framework and 2) the development of a search framework that takes advantage of the curated data provided by the interface. Upon completion of these aims, we will have made it easier for authors to submit genetic design information in accordance with the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) principles, and thus, enabling the ability of researchers to search for sequences and related genetic designs. The SPUR student on this project will work on software tools for data curation (SeqImprove), data storage (SynBioHub), and/or data discovery (SBOLExplorer).
Project website: http://geneticlogiclab.org
Requirements: Experience with programming using Python, Java, and/or Javascript would be beneficial.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering
Contact
Chris Myers, Faculty
Email: chris.myers@colorado.edu
Chunxiao Liao, Graduate Student
Email: Chunxiao.Liao@colorado.edu
Project Description
Time-dependent surface treatment experiments require superconducting microwave devices to be packaged quickly and efficiently. In this project, a student will design a machined cavity that will couple to on-chip superconducting quantum devices for control and readout, allowing rapid packaging and subsequent cooldown of devices.
Requirements: Student must have a good understanding of electromagnetic fields. Prior experience with microwave simulation software such as Ansys HFSS is an asset.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Corey Rae McRae, Faculty
Email: coreyrae.mcrae@colorado.edu
Project Description
The Myers research group at the University of Colorado Boulder is developing a comprehensive plan for storing and sharing data for the Army Center for Synthetic Biology. This digital backbone will be composed of an instance of the SynBioHub data repository, and it will be coupled to various software tools via its API to both curate data being generated by the other participants, as well as provide easy access to participants for further analysis. The software tools used will include Cello, iBioSim, SynBioSuite, Excel2SBOL, Synbict, among others. The digital backbone will be connected to experimental data storage systems (BioMADE, Flapjack and Experimental Data Depot). Robust data management practices are crucial to promote a reproducible design-build-test-learn (DBTL) cycle for synthetic biology (SynBio) applications. These data management practices are built upon a set of software tools to capture information, data standards to encode the information in machine-readable formats, and digital repositories to support data sharing. The SPUR student on this project will be testing and refining this workflow using data from our collaborators.
Project website: http://geneticlogiclab.org
Requirements: Experience with software languages such as Python and/or Javascript would be beneficial.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering
Contact
Chris Myers, Faculty
Email: chris.myers@colorado.edu
Gonzalo Vidal, Post Doc
Email: gonzalo.vidalpena@colorado.edu
Project Description
The Internet is perhaps the greatest advance in computing in decades, and yet, the pace of innovation is glacial. This is due to the fact that in networking research, the only real large-scale test of new capabilities, such as new secure routing, is to release it in the wild and hope it works -- so, everything relies on a lot of discussion. We think we can change that. Imagine if each individual network on the Internet (of which there are over 100,000) were a container and we could connect them together in the topology of the Internet. The topology has been measured (by other groups), but this scale application requires pushing the limits of container orchestration technology. In this project, you'll become intimately familiar with Kubernetes, a highly valuable skill to have (it's what powers all of Google's internal applications, and each cloud provider has a Kubernetes product). You'll work on the networking component, and the scheduling component.
Requirements: Ideally, know about networking, but I have a short coursera course that you can take in prep.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Contact
Eric Keller, Faculty
Email: eric.keller@colorado.edu
Project Description
Many systems exhibit wave-like motion, e.g., crawling locomotion of soft-bodied organisms is achieved through waves along their bodies; recent advancements in sensors, actuators and elastic materials have led to soft-robotic systems with similar motion. Also, ingestible robotic pills interact with wave-like contractions in the digestive tract. Given the prevalence of this motion in biological systems and the relation to robotic applications, it's important to develop methods to estimate the state of these "wave-like" systems.
We have observed (numerically/analytically) a surprising relationship between the amount of computation required for this estimation with system properties such as wave speed. This project will (1) investigate these relationships analytically/numerically, considering, e.g., notions of entropy, dispersion & (2) explore additional models of wave-like motion in biological/engineering systems through reading and simulations.
This will contribute to broader objectives of developing methods to leverage embedded sensing, computation, and communication for soft robots, & better understanding the role of proprioception in crawling locomotion of soft-bodied organisms.
Requirements: The student should be comfortable with ordinary differential equations and familiar with (or interested in learning about) partial differential equations. Basic programming knowledge in Python or Matlab is required. Having taken APPM 4350, 4440, or 4360 would be helpful, but not necessary.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Emily Jensen, Faculty
Email: ejensen@colorado.edu
Project Description
Ring resonators could provide a more homogenous participation profile than standard coplanar devices for probing dielectric losses that currently limit superconducting qubit performance. The student will identify design parameters from literature and perform electromagnetic simulations to design resonators with a specific resonance frequency and coupling to control lines. These device will then be fabricated and compared to standard coplanar devices.
Requirements: Student must have a strong background in electromagnetism. Sonnet, COMSOL and/or HFSS simulation experience is an asset.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Corey Rae McRae, Faculty
Email: coreyrae.mcrae@colorado.edu
Project Description
Synthetic biology has the potential to lead to new or more efficient production of medicines, fuels, and other important compounds. Crucial to the success of synthetic biology is effective standards for the storage and sharing of genetic design knowledge between researchers and institutions. This project will develop SynBioHub3, an interactive data repository that will accelerate the pace of discovery and innovation for this critical emerging field. The SPUR student on this project will work on testing and documentation for SynBioHub3.
Project website: http://geneticlogiclab.org
Requirements: Experience with programming with Python, Java, and/or Javascript would be beneficial.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering
Contact
Chris Myers, Faculty
Email: chris.myers@colorado.edu
Project Description
Synthetic biology research has led to the development of many software tools for designing, constructing, editing, simulating, and sharing genetic parts and circuits. Among these tools are SBOLCanvas, iBioSim, and SynBioHub, which can be used in conjunction to create a genetic circuit design following the design–build–test–learn process. However, although automation works within these tools, most of these software tools are not integrated, and the process of transferring information between them is a very manual, error-prone process. To address this problem, this work automates some of these processes and presents SynBioSuite, a cloud-based tool that eliminates many of the drawbacks of the current approach by automating the setup and reception of results for simulating a designed genetic circuit via an application programming interface. The SPUR student on this project will be adding new features to the SynBioSuite tool to enable wider support of modeling and analysis capabilities.
Requirements: Programming experience with languages such as Python, Java, and Javascript would be beneficial.
Project website: http://geneticlogiclab.org
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering
Contact
Chris Myers, Faculty
Email: chris.myers@colorado.edu
Gonzalo Vidal, Post Doc
Email: gonzalo.vidalpena@colorado.edu
CU student only
Project Description
The students will be learning industry-standard full-wave electromagnetic design tools and applying it to design of near-field antennas to be placed on the skin and connected to a microwave receiver for passive non-invasive internal body thermometry. The receiver (radiometer) is made by the graduate students in Prof. Popovic's group. The undergraduate students will be primarily involved in: (1) designing several near-field antennas for placement on the skin on different parts of the human body; (2) validating the design and simulations using two different electromagnetic simulation tools (HFSS and Sim4Life); and (3) researching and making tissue phantoms for experimental validation of their designed antennas.
Requirements:
- Electromagnetics: ECEN 3400 (minimum) and ECEN 3410 (desired)
- Circuits 1,2 (minimum) and Microelectronics (desired)
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors:
Contact
Zoya Popovic, Faculty
Email: zoya.popovic@colorado.edu
Jooeun Lee, Graduate Student
Email: joeeun.lee@colorado.edu
Project Description
This project is working to improve the performance and ease-of-use of computational tools used for population genetics - these tools are used to generate and test biological hypotheses about human evolution and ancestry. In particular, the student on this project will be working in the C and Python programming languages to extract key statistics from simulated and sampled genomic data. Depending on the resulting performance, this project may involve the use of machine learning libraries, such as the TensorFlow platform and the Keras library.
This project is a collaboration between faculty in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department and the Anthropology department.
Requirements: Student should be proficient in Python and C programming languages.
Project website: https://www.villanealab.com/
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics
Contact
Joseph Izraelevitz, Faculty
Email: joseph.izraelevitz@colorado.edu
Fernando Villanea, Faculty
Email: fernando.villanea@colorado.edu
Project Description
The CU Center for Environmental Technology will be conducting a US-wide survey of radio frequency emissions occurring a K-band during the early summer of 2024. The survey will involve operating a sensitive microwave radiometer during a large circuit covering a number US roads and cities. Support of this project in the area of operating the instrument and archiving and analyzing the measured data is currently being solicited. The successful applicant will be able to help operate the vehicle and instrument during an extended field experiment and have a strong interest in both wireless radio communications and satellite weather forecasting.
Requirements: Students must have experience in at least an introductory course in radio electronics, wireless communications, or electromagnetics. Students must also have a valid drivers license and be willing to be on a field experiment for an extended period of time (up to two weeks).
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Albin Gasiewski, Faculty
Email: al.gasiewski@colorado.edu
Project Description
The students will be working on a team that is developing a wireless powering "yoga mat" for delivering power to energy-denied environments using microwave (10GHz) beaming. The microwave transmitter is designed by graduate students. The receiver is an antenna array loaded with rectifier circuits, and the students will be researching rugged materials that can be used for making the antennas and circuits. If they have enough background, students can also do some design. They will also be learning how to test the properties of the materials at microwave frequencies using network analysis and circuit/electromagnetic simulations.
Requirements: Students should have some electromagnetics knowledge, preferably ECEN 3400 and 3410, as well as some circuits knowledge (Circuits 1 and 2).
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Contact
Zoya Popovic, Faculty
Email: zoya.popovic@colorado.edu
Jack Molles, Graduate Student
Email: jack.molles@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
Project Description
This Building a Legacy grant will collaborate between CU Boulder and Tuskegee University to pioneer a "living-learning lab" through design-build projects centered on socially and ecologically sustainable agricultural-land infrastructure experiments. The project is based in Tuskegee, Alabama, pivotal to Black history in the United States. Since this is the first year of the grant, students chosen this year will be a part of our Creation phase, which includes creating the larger vision of the living learn lab and other possibilities through community engagement and feedback. DLA students will be in charge of data collection, interviews, and other engagement activities with opportunities to travel.
Project website: www.stemlegacy.org
Requirements: Most of the work is asynchronous.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering,Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Jessica Leeker, Faculty Director of Undergraduate Education and ESCEND, Stephen M. Dunn Professor of Engineering Management and Entrepreneurship
Email: jessica.leeker@colorado.edu
Ang Thieman Dino, Faculty
Email: angela.thieman@colorado.edu
Lyndsay Ruane, Graduate Student
Email: lyru9885@colorado.edu
CU student only
Project Description
It is critical to incorporate inclusive practices in engineering curriculum which prepares neurodiverse students to achieve their full potential in the workforce. This research study seeks to capitalize on the unique strengths of marginalized neurodiverse engineering students. In this study, the innovation self-efficacy of engineering students who self-identify as neurodiverse was explored before and after a curricular intervention, which has been shown to have the potential to enhance innovation self-efficacy, in an environmental engineering target course. A previously validated survey was used and among the 47 responses on the pre-survey, 13% of the students self-identified as neurodiverse and an additional 19% indicated that they were maybe neurodiverse. This included a much higher percentage of the female than male students in the course (23% vs. 5% neurodiverse). Through this CU SPUR program, the quantitative data generated from these surveys will be further analyzed to design the qualitative phase of this research (e.g., refining the survey questions, Qualtrics entry, design of focus group questions, interview of participants, coding the data and analysis).
Requirements: A student with background in any engineering and applied science program could apply for this position and highly preferred if experienced in statistical data analysis.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Azadah Bolhari, Faculty
Email: azadeh.bolhari@colorado.edu
Angela Bielefeldt, Faculty
Email: angela.bielefeldt@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
Project Description
This project represents a joint effort between CU Boulder and Tuskegee University to foster profound changes in undergraduate education. Our goal is to build a community of practice and establish a dynamic platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Students participating in this project will be critical in data gathering and analysis. Their primary responsibilities include:
- Transcription of Interviews: Accurately transcribing recorded interviews to facilitate detailed analysis.
- Qualitative Coding: Analyzing transcripts and other qualitative data to identify key themes and patterns.
- Document Management: Efficiently organize and maintain project documents for easy access and reference.
- Website Updating: Keeping the project's online presence current with the latest findings and updates.
Through these activities, students will gain hands-on experience in qualitative research methodologies, enhancing their data analysis and knowledge dissemination skills.
Project website: www.stemlegacy.org
Requirements: Remote Work Flexibility: This project is primarily conducted remotely, allowing students to work from any location. Participants should have a suitable environment for focused work and be able to coordinate with team members across different time zones if necessary.
Technology Requirements:
- Working Computer: Students must have access to a reliable computer with sufficient processing power and internet connectivity to handle data analysis and online collaboration tools effectively.
- Software Proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is essential for data organization, analysis, and reporting.
- Website Development Skills: Some basic knowledge in website development or maintenance is required, as students will be involved in updating the project's website with recent findings and information.
- Communication: Given the remote nature of the project, students must be proficient in written and verbal communication and be comfortable using various online communication platforms
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering,Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Jessica Leeker, Faculty Director of Undergraduate Education and ESCEND, Stephen M. Dunn Professor of Engineering Management and Entrepreneurship
Email: jessica.leeker@colorado.edu
Laura MacDonald, Faculty
Email: laura.a.macdonald@colorado.edu
Lyndsay Ruane, Graduate Student
Email: lyru9885@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
Project Description
The quality of drinking water can change substantially from the time it leaves the treatment plant to the time it reaches consumers' tap. This project involves using emerging UVC LED technologies to combat the growth of pathogenic bacteria within drinking water distribution systems to help ensure safe drinking water. The student will help run bench-scale experiments on UV disinfection of bacteria, utilizing basic microbiology techniques such as cell culturing and enumerating bacteria. The student involved in this project should have interest in microbiology, drinking water, and treatment systems.
Requirements: The student should preferably have taken a microbiology course and a science course with a lab component.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Creative Technology & Design, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Karl Linden, Faculty
Email: karl.linden@colorado.edu
Madison Ferrebee, Graduate Student
Email: madison.ferrebee@colorado.edu
Project Description
The Marshall Fire was a grassland fire that occurred in December 2021. It burned areas in the Coal Creek basin in the Colorado Foothills. Grasslands are vulnerable ecosystems due to fire suppression compounded by increased severity of drought. One site on Coal Creek that has been monitored for post-fire impacts is an important habitat for threatened biota, e.g. the Northern Leopard frog. This site is not only recovering from burn impacts, but is also impacted by an upstream diversion dam, which traps sediment and leads to downstream bank incision. Ecosystem recovery at this site was observed through the appearance of sensitive benthic insects in the second year of monitoring. During an evaluation of habitat in Coal Creek, two logjams were found to increase rates of hyporheic exchange. The habitat heterogeneity created by logjams and increased hyporheic flow may have promoted recovery by providing refugia for benthic insects. Identifying refugia can inform management actions such as installation of beaver dam analogs. This project will assess the benthic insects in habitats near the logjams and measure important habitat parameters, such as flow conditions and water quality.
Requirements: The student should have taken a course in applied ecology, environmental microbiology, water chemistry, or hydrology. The student should be available to work for a full day in the field with some flexibility because the field schedule is weather dependent. The other work periods will be in the lab and would involve working 4-5 hr at a time.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Diane MckNight, Faculty
Email: diane.mcknight@colorado.edu
Camryn Miller, Graduate Student
Email: Camryn.Miller@Colorado.EDU
CU student only
Project Description
A decade ago, the invasive diatom Didymosphenia geminata became abundant in several streams in Boulder County. This diatom, a.k.a. “didymo” or “rock snot”, can form nuisance blooms that can cover streambeds, with mats that can be several cm thick. Studies of didymo blooms in Boulder County found that the high flows during the spring snowmelt were important in limiting didymo blooms during the following summer. Monitoring the abundance of didymo in South Boulder Creek is required to understand the persistence of didymo and the impact the blooms may have on the food web. This project will document during the abundance of didymo in the creek, along with water quality parameters and streambed characteristics, such as nutrients, pH, flow, and cobble size. The project will assess benthic insect populations and the presence of other algae comprising the periphyton. These results will be useful to resource managers responsible for the management of South Boulder Creek, which is an important recreational resource, especially for anglers.
Requirements: The student should have taken a course in applied ecology, environmental microbiology, water chemistry, or hydrology. The student should be available to work for a full day in the field with some flexibility because the field schedule is weather dependent. The other work periods will be in the lab and would involve working 4-5 hr at a time.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering
Contact
Diane McKnight, Faculty
Email: diane.mcknight@colorado.edu
Lane Allen, Graduate Student
Email: lane.allen@colorado.edu
Project Description
This research explores a learning environment that may foster innovation in engineering curriculum. In this study, the innovation self-efficacy of undergraduate engineering students in a target course before and after a curricular intervention. A design mentor and an education mentor outside of the course supported the students through their engineering design process. During the start and end of this curricular intervention, a survey was administered to measure students’ shift in: 1) Innovation Self-Efficacy, 2) Innovation Interests, and 3) Innovative Work. Formal feedback from the mentors will be utilized in interpreting the survey outcomes. Through this CU SPUR program, the quantitative data generated from these surveys will be further analyzed to design the qualitative phase of this research (e.g., refining the survey questions, Qualtrics entry, design of focus group questions, interview of participants, coding the data and analysis). The findings of this research can assist engineering educators in adopting practices that can boost innovation self-efficacy of engineering students to generate nove
Requirements: Student with background in any engineering and applied science program could apply for this position and highly preferred if experienced in statistical data analysis.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Azadeh Bolhari, Faculty
Email: azadeh.bolhari@colorado.edu
Angela Bielefeldt, Faculty
Email: Angela.Bielefeldt@colorado.edu
Project Description
Reverse osmosis (RO) processes are used in wastewater treatment to remove organics from the water so the water can be re-used. Membrane fouling occurs when organics from water are deposited onto the membrane. This project will be evaluating membrane fouling in reverse osmosis using real wastewater samples pre-treated by UV light. The first step will be to run pure water through the membranes at a constant pressure. Then, we run different UV and non-UV treated wastewaters through the membrane RO unit for a fixed amount of time. We will be calculating the permeability of the membranes and the fouling rate for the different wastewaters. At the end of the run, the permeate water, reject water, and membrane samples will be analyzed to compare. The results will help in determining the effect of UV treatment on efficiency of membranes for treating wastewaters.
Requirements: The student must be available for at least three 3 hour blocks.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Karl Linden, Faculty
Email: karl.linden@colorado.edu
Akash Bhat, Graduate Student
Email: akash.bhat@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
Project Description
Due to the public health risk of lead in drinking water. the EPA revised the Lead and Copper Rule to lower the lead trigger level; a regulation that many water utility companies will fail to meet with their current corrosion control treatment (CCT). CCTs are designed with little scientific knowledge about the 3D microstructure of the scales. We show the use of novel imaging techniques, including X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRD-CT) and absorption computed tomography (XCT), to provide spatially resolved composition and phase distribution data that is unparalleled by any traditional pipe scale analysis method. These show the 3D-heterogeneity of the scales through the analysis of x-ray scattering and absorption contrast imaging.
The student will be using these characterization methods among others (pXRD, SEM, SAXs) to analyze lead pipe scales. One specific aspect of the project that they would likely focus on is using these methods to analyze the microstructure of pipe scales as they dry to give us better insight into corrosion.
Requirements: None
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student,Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Michael Toney, Faculty
Email: michael.toney@colorado.edu
Sheldon Masters, Faculty
Email: Sheldon.Masters@colorado.edu
Project Description
Our research team is focused on the advancement of thin film semiconductor electronics for application in solar energy technologies. Specifically, we are working to improve the scalability and reproducibility of solution-processed metal halide perovskite and organic photovoltaic thin films. These technologies are central to attaining affordable and sustainable solar energy solutions, yet face technical challenges, such as achieving uniform film deposition and drying over large surface areas.
Aim:
We are committed to designing a custom-built blade coater deposition tool, one that will allow us to study the crystallization and formation dynamics of solution-based solar cells using state-of-the-art materials characterization techniques. This initiative is crucial for enhancing control over the scalable deposition process and for gaining a deeper understanding of the drying dynamics of thin films. We are inviting students from diverse engineering fields to contribute to the design, testing, and integration of this innovative equipment.
Literature providing additional project context is available at [OSTI.gov](https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1605079).
Requirements: We're inviting students from all engineering disciplines to apply! Ideal candidates will have some coursework in engineering design. A background in chemistry or materials science is not required if there is a willingness to learn. The role involves both office and lab work, including full lab days.
Students may collaborate with graduate students on:
- Component Design: Utilize Solidworks, AutoCAD, etc.
- Parts Fabrication: Develop machining skills with lathes, mills.
- Programmed Automation: Learn Python-based automation, LabVIEW, Arduino.
- UI Development: Create control interfaces for the bladecoater system using Python, LabVIEW.
- Fluids Simulation: Apply fluid dynamics principles with ANSYS, COMSOL.
- Chemical Synthesis: Learn wet glovebox chemistry of solar cell solutions.
- Characterization: Gain experience with Profilometry, Interferometry, XRD, UV-Vis, etc.
- Thin Film Fabrication: Acquire practical skills in fabricating and measuring solar cell films.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student,Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Michael Toney, Faculty
Email: michael.toney@colorado.edu
Keith White, Graduate Student
Email: Keith.White@colorado.edu
Project Description
As Li-ion battery manufacturing continues to grow, it is important to carefully choose constituent materials that will be most sustainable over time. There is a strong push to eliminate Co from Li-ion battery cathodes. One potential replacement is the Li- and Mn-rich (LMR) cathode that utilizes a stoichiometric excess of Li to achieve higher capacities. This allows for charging to higher voltages than conventional metal oxide cathodes while primarily utilizing materials that can be sourced locally.
The student for this project will learn the operation of the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) instrument at CU to be used in analyzing the development of nanopores during high-voltage Li extraction of certain LMR cathodes. These nanopores are believed to result from O2 formation within the layered-oxide cathode as a result of a side-reaction during the high-voltage charge. This project will include design and assembly of an in situ battery cell with the LMR cathode and a Li metal anode that will allow for the correlation of measurements from pristine material to post high-voltage charging.
Requirements: Students should have experience in experimental design. Some experience in electrochemistry preferred, but not required.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student,Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Michael Toney, Faculty
Email: michael.toney@colorado.edu
Bryce Knutson, Graduate Student
Email: brkn8839@colorado.edu
CU student or Colorado community college student
- 3d printing novel static mixer elements for water desalination studies
- Design and Fabrication of Novel Vascular Grafts
- Fabrication and testing of strong and tough granular materials and structures
- High conductivity Copper
- Impact of mechanical forces on metastatic cancer cells in a bone organoid
- Modeling the link between design and well-being outcomes of campus transport
- Modeling the transport and dispersal of robotic jellyfish in wavy flows
- Optimizing the morphological and kinematic parameters of robotic jellyfish
- Power Hungry
- Predicting Jet Fuel Reactivity
- Pressure Cuff with Distributed Force Sensing Capabilities
- Stakeholder Perspective-Taking During Engineering Problem Formulation
- Stiff morphing structures inspired from fish fins
- Thermomechanical Adhesion between Porous Membrane and Polymers
Project Description
3d printing static mixer elements with variable polymers, sizes and shapes requires some trial-and-error to determine what machine settings (temperature, time, distance, etc) and supportive, sacrificial features are needed. The project seeks a clever technical assistant to expand the range of experimental mixer elements. There will also be opportunities for the student to help with the experimental testing of the in-line mixers during desalination operations.
Requirements: Familiarity with CAD drawing software (like Solidworks or Blender) is an advantage. Some understanding (prior coursework) of polymers and chemistry of materials is valuable.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
John Pellegrino, Faculty
Email: john.pellegrino@colorado.edu
Ajeet Singh, GRA
Email: ajeet.singh@colorado.edu
Project Description
Vascular grafts play a critical role in the contemporary management of a wide range of clinical conditions, including atherosclerosis, aneurysm, congenital malformation, vasculitis and stroke. The use of synthetic polymer for graft fabrication, however, has been associated with thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia, resulting from platelet accumulation, blood clotting and tissue overgrowth, respectively. Therefore, there remains a substantial unfulfilled need for regenerative materials that provide long-term patency of vascular grafts. Herein, we are developing regenerative vascular implants or implant coatings made of electrospun co-axial nanofibers. Building on our existing fabrication process, we are further examining how several manufacturing parameters influences implant materials properties, which are important for the preclinical translation. In particular, the addition of an amphiphilic stabilizer and anticoagulants are being explored for their respective impact on increasing the layer adhesion and hemocompatibility performance of implant materials.
Requirements: Have taken physiology or biochemistry or advanced biology classes.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Wei Tan, Faculty
Email: wei.tan-1@colorado.edu
Aurora Battistella, PhD Student
Email: aurora.battistella@colorado.edu
Project Description
Typical granular materials (e.g. sand) are far from optimal in terms of mechanical performance: The load transfer between individual grains is highly localized to small contact areas, and stresses in granular media are only transferred along highly localized force lines. The randomness of typical granular materials also makes it hard to design and achieve high stiffness, high strength, or any other advanced structural features or functionalities. We have recently assembled millimeter-scale 3D printed grains of specific geometries, which are at least 10 times stronger than traditional granular materials. They also display a rich set of mechanisms: Nonlinear deformations, crystal plasticity, geometric strain hardening, micro-buckling. In this project you will work in collaboration with a PhD student on the fabrication and testing of granular crystals. Fabrication involves 3D printing, injection molding and vibration-assisted assembly. Experiments include compression tests, puncture tests and impact tests using high-speed photography and image analysis. You will present your results at weekly group meetings.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/barthelat/
Requirements: Course in Solids Mechanics or equivalent.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Francois Barthelat, Faculty
Email: francois.barthelat@colorado.edu
Project Description
Producing high conductivity copper infused with graphene from ordinary carbon and copper by the flash method. The project involves the synthesis of such a composite,, characterization of graphene and measurement of the electrical conductivity..
Requirements: An interest and experience in working with software and electrical equipment.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Rishi Raj, Faculty
Email: rishi.raj@colorado.edu
Project Description
Bone metastatic cancer is devastating and incurable. Many cancers, including breast, preferentially spread to the skeleton. In the skeleton, physical activity (e.g., exercise) causes mechanical stresses to arise in bone tissue and these stresses regulate bone strength. Research in our lab showed that heightened mechanical stresses can inhibit metastatic tumor formation, but we do not know the mechanisms by which stresses in bone affect tumor cells directly. To this end, we are investigating how compression and fluid flow, the forces that occur in the skeleton, regulate breast cancer cells in an in vitro bone environment. This project will involve i) learning cell culture and general wet lab endpoint biological assays, ii) generating the bone organoid system, and iii) applying mechanical stresses to the organoid using our custom bioreactor to analyze cancer cells behavior/phenotype. There is also an opportunity for some design work on our current fixtures if the SPUR student would like. This project is part of a larger PhD research project-the grad student will work with the SPUR student in the lab. The SPUR student will meet the PI regularly. No prior biology knowledge is required.
Requirements: The student will have to complete some online safety training upon joining the lab.
Project website: www.LynchLab.org
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Engineering Physics, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Maureen Lynch, Faculty
Email: maureen.lynch@colorado.edu
Project Description
This project is part of the work being conducted in the Burleson Global Design Group to advance engineering methodology so that solutions have improved social outcomes. Our team's long-term goal is to create actionable methods for designing physical products that enhance end-users' physical, mental, and social well-being. The overall objective is to identify the link between personal mobility device designs on campus (e.g., scooters, bicycles, walking) and personal well-being outcomes by conducting an observational and interview-based study of CU students. Out central hypothesis is that different design features of personal mobility devices will result in quantifiable differences in the personal well-being outcomes of users. We have developed a conceptual framework for this link, but have yet to translate it into actionable steps. The Burleson Global Design Group is partnering with Clemson University (specifically, Prof. Chris Mabey and his research group) to conduct this analysis at our respective universities. The selected student will lead data collection and analysis at CU Boulder, while having the opportunity to remotely engage with our collaborators at Clemson.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/burlesonglobaldesigngroup/
Requirements: The following are encouraged for undergrad applicants:
- Students with experience in human-centered design principles or design for well-being techniques (or, students who are especially excited and interested to learn these techniques)
- Experience with statistics
- Experience and skill engaging with others (e.g., conducting interviews)
- Ability to self-organize
- Students interested in remote collaboration with others at another institution (in this case, Clemson University)
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Grace Burleson, Faculty
Email: grace.burleson@colorado.edu
Project Description
Next-generation bioinspired underwater vehicles are a promising tool for oceanography and environmental monitoring by using advantageous evolutionary traits from nature. For example, jellyfish are the most energy-efficient organism in the animal kingdom. Bioinspired robots that model jellyfish could benefit from similar fluid-structure interactions, e.g., vortex-vortex interactions, for enhanced locomotion. This project will explore the motion of robotic jellyfish in wavy flows, relevant for coastal and surface conditions. By adapting mathematical models that describe the fluid dynamics of particles in waves, we aim to develop theory to calculate the motion of inertial, hemiellipsoidal particles (i.e., jellyfish robots) in a linear wave field. The student will model different morphological and kinematic parameters, depth in the water column, and wave parameters to determine the robot’s orientation and position. Additional work will incorporate the robot’s own motion in the flow. Because jellyfish are planktonic (primarily carried by currents) success will determine the feasibility of deploying jellyfish robots in waves or whether these robots can be used only in pelagic waters.
Project Website: https://nicolexulab.com/
Requirements: The project will involve computational models using MATLAB and/or other programming skills. Prior experience in MATLAB, Python, and fluid mechanics preferred.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Nicole Xu, Faculty
Email: nicole.xu@colorado.edu
Project Description
Jellyfish-inspired soft robots are a promising tool for ocean monitoring to track markers of climate change and observe natural animal behavior. Because jellyfish are energy-efficient swimmers (as shown in fluid dynamic mechanisms, including vortex-vortex interactions), bioinspired underwater vehicles can offer advantages such as enhanced energy efficiency and prolonged persistence for ocean applications. This project will explore the optimal body morphology and kinematics of robotic jellyfish using a theoretical model and experimental methods. First, the student will conduct parameter sweeps by modeling a robotic jellyfish as a hemiellipsoid, using an in-house hydrodynamic jetting model (MATLAB) to determine swimming speed as a function of geometric and time-dependent variables. Additional work will incorporate paddling behaviors and body flexibility into the swimming model. Next, the student will build physical jellyfish microrobots (composed of a flexible body, actuators, and external power supply) to conduct experiments in a tank to validate the model. Success in this project can lead to more complex jellyfish robots with enhanced capabilities for real-world deployment.
Project Website: https://nicolexulab.com/
Requirements: The project will involve both computational models using MATLAB and experimental methods to build swimming robots. Prior experience in MATLAB, robotics, and fluid mechanics preferred.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering,Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Nicole Xu, Faculty
Email: nicole.xu@colorado.edu
Project Description
We are working on many engineering hurdles to create a fuel cell for biomedical applications. We would like it to use glucose and oxygen harvested from blood. The project includes tasks related to materials, catalysts, electrochemistry, and device fabrication. We will match the tasks to the student researcher(s). We are collaborating with a group at CU Anschutz so some work may be done on the Anschutz campus.
Requirements: A rising senior would be best prepared.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
John Pellegrino, Faculty
Email: john.pellegrino@colorado.edu
Caleb Song, GRA
Email: caleb.song@colorado.edu
Project Description
Jet fuels are complex chemical mixtures that take milliseconds to ignite on the ground, but can struggle to reignite if an aircraft engine stalls. Using quantum chemistry codes, we can predict the reactive energies of jet fuels, and using statistical reaction rate codes, accurately predict how fast a fuel reacts and how the chemistry can change at different ignition conditions. This is important since we cannot safely observe changes in ignition when a plane needs emergency relight after stalling in the air. For this project, you will be working with a graduate student to determine the reactivity of an important ignition chemical intermediate. The energies and reaction rates you calculated will be used directly in chemical models to predict ignition behavior in engines at different conditions (engine ignition at ground level and engine ignition after flame out (i.e. after an aircraft engine stalls)). This information ultimately will help aircraft engine designers create new safety mechanisms for engine relight after stalling.
Requirements: Sophomore standing or later required. Students will find this project easier if they have taken thermodynamics previously.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Nicole Labbe, Faculty
Email: nicole.labbe@colorado.edu
Pray Shah, Graduate Student
Email: Pray.Shah@colorado.edu
Project Description
Many patient populations such as those with diabetes, amputation, or lymphedema experience undesirable volume fluctuations in their limbs and could benefit from applied compression. The purpose of this project is to validate a system that can sense 3D deformations across a flexible surface in order to compensate for these volume fluctuations. To do this, we will use a previously developed sensing and actuation system consisting of magnets embedded into a silicone mold that allow us to quantify changes in magnetic field associated with surface deformation and then actuate pneumatic pouches to provide distributed pressure as desired. This project will involve implementing this previously developed system onto a pressure cuff that can measure volume fluctuations and provide compensation in real-time for pilot participants. Pressure quantified in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the skin will be validated against an existing distributed pressure-sensing system.
Requirements:
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Majors: Experience with MATLAB and mechatronics desired; more senior students prioritized for this project.
Contact
Cara Welker, Faculty
Email: cara.welker@colorado.edu
Mark Rentschler, Faculty
Email: mark.rentschler@colorado.edu
Project Description
Problem formulation and problem framing are important stages during design where teams investigate underlying needs, identify constraints, and define overall project goals. This process often involves engaging with stakeholders (e.g., end-users, broader public) to learn about their experiences and perspectives related to the problem at hand. Specifically, “Stakeholder perspective-taking” (i.e., the ability to adopt another person’s point of view) is a critical skill for engineers involved in early-stage problem exploration and framing. Our team preliminarily defined a spectrum of stakeholder perspective taking during problem framing deliberations (see prior work: https://bit.ly/3w4d9Re). The selected student will build on this prior work to further define, evaluate, and iterate this framework through real-world observations of professional engineers formulating problems at a large, prominent engineering organization in the U.S. The student will observe meetings and qualitatively code transcripts for instances when decisions or judgements are made by the team members. They will categorize the instances along the spectrum and suggest iterations to the framework.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/burlesonglobaldesigngroup/
Requirements: The student must be a U.S. citizen.
The following are encouraged for applicants:
- Students with experience in human-centered design principles (or, students who are especially excited and interested to learn these principles)
- Strong writing skills
- Experience (or strong interest) in qualitative data analysis
- Ability to self-organize
- Students interested in remote collaboration with others at another institution (in this case, a large engineering organization in the U.S.)
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering,Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Grace Burlseon, Faculty
Email: Grace.Burleson@colorado.edu
Project Description
Morphing materials are typically either very compliant to achieve large shape changes, or very stiff but with small shape changes that require large actuation forces. Interestingly fish fins overcome these limitations: Fish do not contain muscles, yet they can change the shape of their fins with high precision and speed while producing large hydrodynamics forces without collapsing. In this project, you will fabricate and test “stiff” morphing structures inspired from the individual rays in natural fish fins. Fabrication involves 3D printing and laser cutting. Experiments will be performed on our custom, multi-axis loading platform. You will present your results at weekly group meetings. The design guidelines that will emerge from this project will lead to stiff morphing bioinspired structures for a variety of applications in aerospace, biomedicine, or robotics.
Project Website: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/barthelat/
Requirements: None
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Francois Barthelat, Faculty
Email: francois.barthelat@colorado.edu
Prashant Kunjam, Graduate Student
Email: prashant.kunjam@colorado.edu
Project Description
Membrane technologies play significant roles in addressing major societal challenges from water treatment, CO2 capture, biomedical applications, and chemical separations. There have been significant efforts in developing novel membrane materials with better efficiency and performance. However, for these novel membranes to be applied in practical applications, they must be adhered (or "bonded") to supporting polymeric substates. To achieve high-throughput bonding, industrial manufacturing also uses thermal mechanical loading. Presently, the adhesion mechanism between the porous membranes and supporting polymer under these conditions remains unclear.
In this project, we plan to develop a blister-type testing setup to quantify the adhesion between membrane and polymer. The apparatus, once established, will further applied to examine the impact of thermomechanical bonding conditions (temperature, pressure and duration) on the adhesion strength achieved. Furthermore, we will apply this measurement capability to test membrane adhesion and reliability under practical membrane processes used in bioseparation with varying feed conditions and pressure loading.
Requirements: Students have taken freshman chemistry.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student, Community College Student (from Colorado)
Desired Major: Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Contact
Yifu Ding, Faculty
Email: yifu.ding@colorado.edu
Rajan Jain, Graduate Student
Email: Rajan.jain@colorado.edu
CU student only
- Bone mechanical changes in type 1 diabetes
- Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Secondary Batteries
- Housing for Printed Electronic Sensors for Hydroponic Farms
- Mechanical and Transport Properties of Low-Density Polymer Films
- Novel Enzymatic/Microbial Activity Sensors for Monitoring Soil Nitrogen Cycle
- Optogenetic control of tissue-engineered robotic jellyfish using smooth muscle
- Thin Coating for Metallic Vascular Stents
Project Description
Patients with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) fracture bones more than 4x the general population. Poor, fracture prone bone properties are thought to result from excess blood glucose, yet these fracture rates persist even in patients who effectively use insulin to maintain low glucose levels. Our team is working to understand how other aspects of T1D contribute to weaker bones. This SPUR project will utilize experimental tools including mechanical testing, biomedical imaging, and Raman spectroscopy to evaluation how bone properties, 3D structure, and biochemical composition are altered in a mouse model of T1D. This project will involve analyzing micro-computed tomography images of mouse bones to quantitatively evaluate bone structure and porosity. We will use techniques including Raman spectroscopy to evaluate for bone material chemistry. We will correlate structural and biochemical measures to bone stiffness and strength measures from mechanical testing tests and to blood glucose levels. The student will be expected to prepare a scientific presentation and draft a conference abstract that will be submitted to the Anschutz Medical Campus D'Ambrosia musculoskeletal conference in Fall 2024.
Requirements: Preferred completion of core chemistry coursework. Also preferred for MCEN or BMEN students to have completed MCEN 2063 or equivalent (Mechanics of materials).
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Virginia Ferguson, Faculty
Email: virginia.ferguson@colorado.edu
Project Description
Sodium, abundant and widely distributed in the Earth's crust, emerges as an appealing candidate for energy storage solutions, offering a potential remedy to concerns over supply chain limitation caused by lithium resource scarcity in lithium-ion batteries. Currently, Sodium ion batteries (SIB) manufacturing has remained small-scale due to the worse performance of current commercial SIBs relative to lithium-ion batteries, specifically lower cycle life and lower energy density. Ban’s team addresses the SIB limitations via the development of new electrolyte platform developed at CU Boulder and the investigation of the electrolyte-electrode interphase to extend lifetime and improve high-rate charging performance.
Given our promising results from electrolytes, we’d like to investigate cathode materials for sodium-ion electrochemistry to improve energy density and cycling performance at low and high operating temperatures. The undergraduate student will be recruited for this project with the research focusing on demonstrating high-energy-density cathode materials with long cycle life and shelf life through surface modification. The study includes chemical synthesis of cathode materials.
Requirements: To be considered for a summer research position, students must have completed undergraduate courses in either chemistry, materials science, or electrochemical science and engineering. Preference will be given to students with prior research experience in electrochemical materials. The position will require the student to be available to work for at least 5-hour blocks, up to 30 hours per week for ten weeks during the summer. The student will have the opportunity to attend both group meetings and individual meetings with Prof. Ban. Additionally, the student will have ample opportunities to work within our global collaborative projects.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Chemical Engineering
Contact
Chunmei Ban, Faculty
Email: chunmei.ban@colorado.edu
Kaitlin Garmen, Graduate Student
Email: kaitlin.garman@colorado.edu
Project Description
As a part of an NSF Partners for Innovation (PFI) grant, we are developing a deployable sensor system for commercial hydroponic growing facilities. The project will involve the design and fabrication (3D printing / machining) of a housing that can mount readout electronics and disposable sensor strips. The goal is to iterate the housing a few times and optimize its user-friendliness for the farm,
Requirements: Student must be proficient in CAD and ideally have some electronics experience. Ideally the student can work in 3+ hour blocks at a time throughout week. Student must also meet for weekly updates with the Post Doc managing the project.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Greg Whiting, Faculty
Email: gregory.whiting@colorado.edu
Elliott Strand, Post Doc
Email: elliot.strand@colorado.edu
Project Description
This project aims to quantify the mechanical and transport properties of a novel type of low-density polymer films containing glass micro balloon (GMB). GMB-containing polymer films have significantly reduced density but improve mechanical strength. The project aims to systematically determine both the mechanical properties (strength, ductility, impact resistance) and transport properties (permeation of CO2 and moisture). Furthermore, the project will aim to examine the impact of breakage of GMB on the mechanical and transport properties of the composite films. The plan experiments including dynamic mechanical testing, tensile tests, gas permeation tests, and impact tests.
Requirements: Hands-on experiments.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering
Contact
Yifu Ding, Faculty
Email: yifu.ding@colorado.edu
Ricardo Lovison, Graduate Student
Email: riccardo.lovison@colorado.edu
Project Description
Agricultural soils are the largest source of nitrous oxide greenhouse gas emissions globally. The enzymatic and microbial processes involved in the soil nitrogen cycle are notoriously difficult to characterize and are typically limited to laboratory techniques which are time and labor intensive. Our lab is utilizing novel, biodegradable materials to develop elegantly simple printed microbial/enzymatic activity sensors that can be placed in the soil and remotely interrogated in order for the user to better understand soil decomposition activity. Throughout the summer, the SPUR student will work with unique materials to develop, improve, characterize, and test printable inks and devices. Testing could include deploying sensors in soil or compost tea in the lab, or even in outdoor field environments. If interested, the student will also have the opportunity to work with data collection electronics. The student is expected to work independently but will be encouraged to explore new materials or sensor ideas.
Project website: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/whiting/research
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Environmental Engineering
Contact
Gregory Whiting, Faculty
Email: gregory.whiting@colorado.edu
Madhur Atreya, PostDoc
Email: madhur.atreya@colorado.edu
Project Description
This project aims to combine cultures of smooth muscle cells with elastomers to create biohybrid constructs in which motility can be controlled optogenetically. Such tissue-engineered constructs are a promising tool for medicine and in vitro testing. Although prior work has focused on cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscles, smooth muscles are more similar to the structure of invertebrate swim muscle rings in jellyfish. In these studies, we will leverage light-activated smooth muscle cells that express channelrhodopsin from a mouse model currently in the Calve lab. The student will culture cells from mouse bladders and establish excitation parameters to control repeatable contractility, in addition to working with the Xu lab to develop elastomer-based scaffolds to grow patterns of smooth muscles for locomotion, with the aim of developing a free-swimming jellyfish-like robot. The goal is to integrate expertise and methods from the Xu and Calve labs to develop the first smooth muscle-based biohybrid robot. Success in this project has implications for studying bladder contraction and disease models in vitro, incorporating the 3D geometry of a microscale bladder.
Requirements: The project involves experimental work in biology and cell culture. Experience with dissections, immunohistochemistry, and/or mechanical testing are helpful, but not required.
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Architectural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Creative Technology & Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Engineering, Integrated Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Sarah Calve, Faculty
Email: sarah.calve@colorado.edu
Nicole Xu, Faculty
Email: Nicole.Xu@colorado.edu
Project Description
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally. Coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular diseases are the three most common Cardiovascular disease conditions and are often treated with a vascular stent. More than two million people get some type of vascular stent implanted each year and failure rates for different stenting procedures can vary from 5% to a staggering 75% in the 1st year. Depending on the anatomic location of the diseased blood vessel, metallic stents can vary in their geometrical and structural designs but still share similar failure points: restenosis (lumen narrowing induced by vascular injury and inflammation) and thrombosis (blood clotting). Our coatings offer a unique solution to reduce the inflammation and thrombogenicity associated with vascular stents. Through the integration of precision polymer chemistry and micro-structure design, we aim to further optimize the interation between a metallic stent and blood vessel.
Requirements:
Hosting the following students: CU Boulder Student
Desired Majors: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Wei Tan, Faculty
Email: wei.tan-1@colorado.edu
Richard Johnson, PRA
Email: richard.d.johnson@colorado.edu