First GraMS Graduate Research Expo a success

11/11/2015 MechSE Communications

Written by MechSE Communications

 
On November 9, the Graduate MechSE Students organization (GraMS) hosted the first MechSE Graduate Research Expo. Thirty-five graduate students presented their research posters to their peers while honing their poster-presentation skills. The event was held at the Illini Union and began with a welcome from MechSE Department Head Tony Jacobi
 
Posters covered a variety of fields within mechanical engineering, including materials, fluids, controls, heat transfer, tribology, biomedical/biomechanics, manufacturing and optomechanics. 
 
While the primary focus was educational, ten faculty and senior graduate students were selected to evaluate the poster and oral presentations. Each poster was graded independently by three judges on the following categories: visual appeal and design; clarity of content; and verbal presentation. Awards included cash prizes. 
 
The winners of the competition are:
 
1st place: Ritu Raman, “Optogenetic Skeletal Muscle-Powered 3D Printed Biological Machines” (Advisor, Prof. Rashid Bashir).
 
2nd place: Matthew Williams, “Hierarchical Control for Dynamic Energy Management” (Advisor, Prof. Andrew Alleyne).
 
3rd place: Sohan Kale and Fereshteh Sabet, “Tunneling-percolation model for conductivity of nanocomposites” (Advisors, Prof. Martin Ostoja-Starzewski and Prof. Iwona Jasiuk).
 
GraMS said they appreciated the evaluation and feedback from eight of MechSE’s faculty and several graduate students during the event: 
 
Tony Jacobi
Amy LaViers
Nenad Miljkovic
Shelby Hutchens
Alison Dunn
Tonghun Lee
Mariana Kersh
Leonardo Chamorro
Hector Lopez
Neal Lawrence
 
GraMS president Dolaana Khovalyg said, “With the great success this year, we look forward to continuing the Graduate Research Expo in the years to come.”
 
 

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This story was published November 11, 2015.