Simulation Studies of a Spinal MRI Coil

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Frank Alexander

This paper highlights the accomplishments of an international technical internship at Time Medical Corporation as well as the benefits of participating in the International Research and Education in Engineering program . An approach to increasing the signal to noise ratio for a saddle type spinal …

Joint Research on Volumetric Particle Streak Velocimetry

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Doug Barker

This report provides an overview of my (Doug Barker’s) summer IREE experience in Tsinghua University and the Volumetric Particle Streak Tracking (VPSV) project hosted by Professor Li Xianting and the CFD&R group. The research project was to identify error sources in an experimental flow …

Campus Energy Management System

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Nicholas Bertrand

This report summarizes the results of a three month research program at Tongji University funded by the NSF International Research and Education in Engineering program. Nick Bertrand spent the summer of 2010 at the Research Center for Green Building and New Energy developing a campus energy …

Inverter Efficiency in a Solar Powered Dehumidifier System

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Justin Boone

The purpose of this report is to provide a detailed description of the research experience in Shanghai, China this past summer. Details of the completed research are included as well as discussions about the overall experience in a foreign country. Various culture standards and practices that were …

Calibration of Permeable Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Emily Dawn Calandrelli

The amount of power obtained from fuel cells can be measured from the flowrate of hydrogen that passes along the anode side of the cell apparatus. This hydrogen fuel is flowed through one side of the anode while oxygen from the air is channeled to the cathode on the opposite side of the cell. The …

Low-cost test methods for measuring LED lumen maintenance

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Christopher R Carlsen

From June 12th to August 15th, 2010, I conducted research on two simple, low-cost test methods for measuring the LED lumen maintenance of small-scale, off-grid lighting products. I made parallel photometric measurements using two low-cost apparatus and a spectrophotometer-integrating sphere system, …

Role of DKK3 in mTOR Hyperactivation-Mediated Tumorigenesis

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Amanda Chen

The research collaboration coordinated by the IREE program allowed for an undergraduate Biomedical Engineering major from Vanderbilt University to travel to Beijing, China to perform research at Peking Union Medical College for ten weeks. To prepare for the research experience, the student …

Feature Subset Selection: A Survey

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Bradley Jordan Collins

With the advent of means to gather and store large amounts of data has come a proliferation of large and complex datasets. Machine learning and clustering algorithms have been developed in order to automatically derive conclusions and meaningful information from such datasets; however, large …

Projected Sedimentation in the Lower Jinsha Dams and Potential Management Strategies

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Kara DiFrancesco

The filling of reservoirs with sediment threatens the lifespan of all dams, and the sediment rich waters of China’s major rivers present severe challenges to maintaining the performance of the country’s ~26,000 large dams. The interruption to sediment and nutrient exchange caused by dams can …

Cash Flow Matching: a Dynamic versus a Risk Management Approach

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Michael Dziecichowicz

This award allowed for travel to Hong Kong in order to research alongside Dr. Alfred Ka Chun Ma at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Specifically, the objective of this research experience was to extend the applicability of cash flow matching techniques that are implemented by …

Product Integrity Concerns in Low-Cost Sourcing Countries Counterfeiting: East vs. West

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Sarah Mace Farmerie

While consumers are probably most familiar with counterfeit purses, and more recently, counterfeit pharmaceuticals, misrepresented and inferior products are rampant in the construction industry. Some of the most dangerous counterfeited items are electrical and steel components that are relied on …

International Experiences Working on Salmonella Detection Methods in China

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Carol Rose Faulhaber

According to ABET,1 upon graduation, engineering students should have an understanding of the impact of their work in a global context. In this project, IREE funding was used to send an engineering student from Iowa State University to Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) in China. The student …

Efficient Genetic Engineering with Rolling Circle Amplification

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Yueyang Frances Fei

The object of this report is two-fold: presenting relevant information about the IREE program with regards to preparation for and life in China while also providing some important details concerning the research conducted in China. As an undergraduate, I worked at Peking Union Medical College in …

Renewable Energy and Bioproduct Engineering

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Michael P Garver

The IREE experience was invaluable. As important as the research accomplished were the relationships built as well as the cultural and introspective insights gained. Furthermore, one developed an informed vision of the future of China and the United States. China has progressed greatly in the past …

Theoretical Approach to Develop and Open Thermals Energy Storage (TES) System

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Itzel Guadalupe Godinez

As a young American engineer, I want to help my country maintain its prestigious role in creating innovative and ground-breaking research. To expand our projects we must be able to cross the physical territorial boundaries and take an active role in promoting multidisciplinary, multinational …

Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment in the North China Plain

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Gregory Rowe Hayes

The North China Plain (NCP), a 320,000 km2 section of northeastern China home to over 200 million people, is facing a water crisis of epic proportions. As a large portion of the natural streamflow has been reduced to a trickle over the past six decades by the relentless water diversions for the …

Adapting Efficient Subwindow Search for Embedded System Applications

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Andrew Michael Head

As a site-placed IREE 2010 Awardee, I spent eleven weeks at Intel China Research Center in Beijing adapting the state-of-the-art Efficient Subwindow Search (ESS)1 computer vision algorithm for its future use in Intel embedded system software. This required an investigation of current novel machine …

Wirelength Analysis for a 3-Dimensional Asynchronous Circuit

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Michael Hinds

The research experience was very positive and allowed me to better understand Chinese language, culture, and engineering. During the summer, I was able perform important analysis on 3D NCL circuit design methodologies and formulate ideas for improving the methodologies. This research has …

The Use of Air Stripping in Emergency Water Treatment for the Removal of Cholorform

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Jennifer Megan Howells

My deep interest in China both culturally and academically drove me to seek the means by which to conduct research there in my specific field: water treatment. During my stay in China, I researched the use of air stripping as an emergency treatment method at Tsinghua University. Through our …

Augmented Reality

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Richard Donal Jassel

This poster describes the activities of a student participant while conducting research towards his Master’s degree in Beijing, China from May 31, 2010 to August 19, 2010. The research opportunity was sponsored by the US National Science Foundation’s International Research for Engineer’s …

Full Public Health Risk Modeling for Non-Motorized Transportation in Shanghai, China

09 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Brian Casey Langford

An increase in the mode share for non-motorized transportation modes can be beneficial to public health; as such an increase could lead to reduced air pollution from automobile emissions as well as reduced risk of diseases such as obesity and hypertension for users. However, as the number of trips …

Finite-element Model of a Thin-film Solar Cell

12 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Yiyang Li

I accepted a self-placed IREE award to research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) under the supervision of Prof Xudong Xiao. At CUHK, I developed a finite-element model of a thin-film solar cell and used that model to optimize the design of a metal grid to collect the current and …

Tongji University and the 2011 Solar Decathlon – America

12 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Brad Lutz

The Solar Decathlon competition is a significant opportunity for students to gain real world experience in sustainable home design. These homes are full sized homes with all the amenities a normal house has. They also are built to produce as much energy as they use from photovoltaic panels. The …

Surfaced Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy on Anodized Titanium Oxide (ATO)

12 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Stephen Ma

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful tool for analyzing the structures of molecules. In the 1970s, it was found that molecules adsorbed onto certain noble or transition metals such as gold and silver, yielded five times the enhancements per molecule of the Raman scattering …

Discovering Chinese Culture while Mathematically Modeling Tuberculosis

12 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Kyla Maletsky

During the IREE summer research opportunity in China, I furthered my education in both applied mathematics and global awareness. My orienation in Shanghai prepared me well for the cultural differences and encouraged me to be more discerning about the opinions I form about the world. Researching …

Comparative characterization of two Staphylococcus aureus thermostable nuclease

12 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Kirstin Kiang Mielke

The Food Safety and Microbiology Lab of Shanghai Jiao Tong University is striving to advance the technology of bacterial contamination detection of food products. In an effort to improve upon expensive testing that can take days at a time; students are developing detection methods that identify …

Production of Synthetic Petroleum Substitute Using Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS)

12 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Ruqaiya Musa Muhammad

The need for cleaner energy cannot be over emphasized especially with the reoccurring environmental degradation issues associated with fossil fuels. Fisher-Trospch Synthesis (FTS) is one of the feasible options in cleaner energy production which uses synthetic gas sourced from coal, natural gas …

Synthesize CdSe/CdS Core/Shell Quantum Dots Using SILAR Technique and Silver Nanocrystals for Low Threshold Random Lasing Application

12 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Roman Wuoc-Yoong Olac-vaw

CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots were successfully synthesized using Successive Ion Layer Absorption Reaction (SILAR) at Xian Jiaotong University, Xian, China during 10-week International Research Education Exchange (IREE) China 2010 program. Highly luminescent CdSe core quantum dots were grown at …

Experimental Investigation of Optimal Pressure for Commercial Air-source Transcritical CO2 Heat Pump Water Heaters

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Felipe Trabasso Ortega

I have had an excellent experience at Xi’an Jiaotong University. Throughout the entire summer, my peers in the laboratory of Heat Pump Water Heaters have been extremely hospitable. They have invited me to not only take part in their work, but also in their day-to-day lives in Xi’an. I could not …

Measuring the Effectiveness of a Peer Mentoring Program

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Anna Lourdes Pereira

During the summer of 2010, I participated in the International Research and Education in Engineering (IREE) program. I was hosted by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, in Hong Kong. I had the opportunity to work with professors and students at the university on the development of a …

Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Lipids in Three Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Yizhi Qi

For the 2010 IREE program this past summer, I was assigned to collaborate with Dr. Zhili Li’s laboratory at Peking Union Medical College to work on a project on lipid analysis of three pancreatic cancer cell lines using Mass Spectrometry Imaging. I attended orientation in Shanghai where I …

Practical Extrapolation of the IAC and SEN Programs to China Industries

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Mindy Ren

Under this year’s 2010 International Research and Education in Engineering (IREE) Program, Mindy Ren, a research intern from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory collaborated with the DOE’s EERE’s China counterparts to replicate two federal energy programs, IAC (Industrial Assessment Centers) …

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Efficiencies Using Biological Nutrient Removal Processes

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Allison N. Ribachonek

Ms. Ribachonek’s undergraduate coursework introduced her to the myriad issues within the field of civil engineering. As she has taken more specialized courses, she has become increasingly interested in environmental engineering. Studying civil engineering with an environmental concentration has …

Earthquake Engineering and Structural Health Monitoring Research at Hunan University

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Roger Neil Rovekamp

In the field of Earthquake Engineering the area of Structural Health Monitoring is receiving a great deal of attention. Using Structural Health Monitoring a structure can be characterized as being healthy and safe or unhealthy and in need of repair. Central to this area is the practice of …

Finite Element Analysis to Improve Dimensional Accuracy in Nanomanufacturing V-Shape Microgrooves

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Michael Patrick Sealy

This summer I had the opportunity to collaborate and work with Dr. Fengzhou Fang at Tianjin Universityâ��s College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering. My research focused on improving the machine cutting process known as v-shape microgrooving. As the demand for product …

Effects of Material Properties on Crack Propagation Velocity in a Polymer

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Chirona Rose Silverstein

I spent the summer at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China working in the Department of Engineering Mechanics. I was collaborating on research with a graduate student there who is studying the material properties of polymer films and the effects of these properties on the propagation speed of a …

Experimental Study On Thermal Comfort and Cooling Ceilings

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Anna Simon

Buildings account for 301 and 252 percent of total energy use in the United States and China, respectively, with more than half of that energy powering HVAC systems. Cooling ceilings are one such technology that has the ability to save energy, while still air-conditioning a room. The extent to …

Thermopower in Spin Degenerate Spinel Oxides

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Taylor David Sparks

Spinel samples of the (FexMn1-x)Ni2-yCryO4 (x=0,0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1; y=0, 1, 2) were synthesized. Phase pure spinel samples were densified and thermoelectric properties were measured from room temperature up to 700oC. Thermal conductivity of the series ranged between 5-8 W/mK, alloy scattering was …

Expression of Chlorella protothecoides phytoene desaturase in E. coli

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Michelle Stolzoff

Lutein is a member of the xanthophyll family of carotenoids responsible for eye health and the prevention of other oxidative damage. Humans are unable to synthesize lutein, and must obtain it through a diet rich in brightly colored plants and egg yolks. Currently, lutein is mostly harvested from …

Understanding of Structural Health Monitoring through Studying the Devices Used in Aerospace Medicine

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Yoshino Sugita

In summer 2010, the research on the treatment and prevention of the retina light damage on rats was perform as a part of the IREE 2010 China program. In this paper, the orientation in Shanghai, China, collaborative research with Forth Military Medical University (FMMU), border impact and merit of …

The sorption of Pb2+ to activated sludge with the competition of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds, Phenols, and Linear Alkyl Benzene

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Nicole Sullivan

The biosorption of lead onto activated sludge was examined in aqueous solution with respect to the contact time, temperature and particle size. The Langmuir and Freundlich models were applied to describe equilibrium isotherms, and the equilibrium partitioning data was described well by both models. …

Magnetic Nanoparticles in Polymer/DNA Layer-by-Layer Films: A Proof of Concept Study

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Kyle Alexander Sutton

Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)-coated magnetite nanoparticles were incorporated within a layer-by-layer (LbL) film also containing more traditional LbL components, including DNA and a polycationic component produced by crosslinking putrescine with bioreducible dimethyl 3,3´-dithiobispropionimidate …

A Comparison of Renewable Energy Potential in the US and China and the Role of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Martin Ton

The International Research and Education in Engineering (IREE) program was an extremely valuable program in accomplishing its goal in preparing and developing more globablly competent engineers. This particular research project that was performed was a survey of renewable energy potential in the US …

Integration of Part Localization with Attribute-based Classification for Visual Recognition

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Catherine Wah

The following report describes the NSF International Research and Education in Engineering program experience of the author and primary researcher. The host laboratory for this project was the Image and Video Processing Laboratory at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong. …

From Nanoparticle Chains to Nanorods: Control of Pb Doped ZnO Nanostructures by Laser Ablation

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Gordon Henry Waller

Pb doped ZnO nanostructures were created using millisecond pulse width laser ablation. Nanoparticle chains (NPCs) formed during ablations in air or of a pure Zn target, and when argon (Ar) flow was introduced it could be used to mediate the nucleation and growth of nanorods along the NCA from a …

International Collaboration to Study the Interaction Between PC12 Cells, Magnetic Nanoparticles, and a 50Hz Magnetic Field

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Kelsey Adele Whitesell

This summer I conducted research on the effect of 50Hz magnetic field and magnetic nanoparticles on the viability of PC12 cells (from the rat adrenal ganglia) with funding from the NSF IREE program. The aim of the research was to 1) better understand potential health implications of using magnetic …

Electrospinning a Better Photocatalyst for Hydrolysis

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Preeta Dhawan Willemann

I spent the summer of 2010 in Xi’an, China, working in the School of Energy and Power Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University as part of a fellowship awarded by the International Research in Engineering Education (IREE) Program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. My research project …

Hardware Threat Modeling and Traffic Sign Recognition

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Jordan Yust

This summer I researched at Tsinghua University in the Department of Automation in Beijing, China. Prior to my trip, I participated in a two week orientation program conducted at Purdue University. The orientation sought to prepare the other awardees and myself for our stay in China for the …

11 Weeks in Tshinghua from the Vantage Point of a Chinese-American

13 Dec 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Yan (Daisy) Zheng

Civil and Environmental research was performed at Tsinghua University understanding a wastewater treatment method allowing sulfur reclamation from biodesulfurization sludge. The research abroad vantage point is given from a Chinese-American student who, other than having been born in China, has …

Research and Industry in Solar Thermal Research Applications

28 Jun 2011 | Publications | Contributor(s): Ross Daniel Collins

This IREE grant allowed the researcher to travel to China, where he worked at the Institute for Refrigeration and Cryogenics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. While there, research was centered on evaluating the solar thermal research and industry sectors of the U.S. and China, and assessing the …

Discovering the potential of bioenergy microalga through DNA

28 Jun 2011 | Student Contributions | Contributor(s): Scott Fulbright

Microalgae are a promising source of biofuels and other bioproducts, with the potential to produce a significant portion of the world's future energy requirements. Nannochlorpopsis salina is one type of microalga currently being used for biodiesel production, because of its natural characteristics …

PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS CONCEPTUAL HOUSE

28 Jun 2011 | Student Contributions | Contributor(s): Timothy M Harrell

China has now passed the United States in emissions of carbon dioxide and will be emitting more with the energy needed to keep up with the rapid growth it has seen in the past few decades. Phase Change Materials (PCM) has a promising future in reducing the reliance on air conditioning and heating …

Simulations of the Comfort Level in a Solar Thermal Ceiling System Cooled Room

28 Jun 2011 | Student Contributions | Contributor(s): Alexander Holiday

Before any air conditioning unit's potential can be fully realized, the settings that produce the most comfortable atmosphere must be found. While real-life trials may be the most accurate, simulating different settings using proper software saves time and money. AirPak provides all the tools …

Semi-Degradable Porous Hydrogels for Controlled Release of IGF-1 for Cartilage Engineering

28 Jun 2011 | Student Contributions | Contributor(s): Claire E Martin

The International Research and Education in Engineering (IREE) award sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and organized by Purdue University facilitates the travel and research of a BS/MS student from Drexel University's School of Biomedical Engineering to Shanghai, P.R. China for …