Sobolev discusses high-performance concrete on Wisconsin Public Radio
Professor Konstantin Sobolev, civil & environmental engineering, was a guest on the show, “Wisconsin Today,” on Wisconsin Public Radio on Aug. 8. He discussed the new NSF-supported Concrete Advancement Network, an academic-industry research collaborative focusing on sustainable and high-performance concrete.
He discussed how to improve concrete’s sustainability and described two research projects his lab is working on: a protective coating that lengthens concrete’s service life, and “smart” concrete that can remotely signal when deterioration is occurring.
Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium funds out-of-this-world UWM engineering research
Imagine a robotic arm that could one day allow scientists to hold and “touch” objects on other planets without leaving Earth. Or a model that will give scientists a full picture of how a new, 3D-printed metal super-alloy will behave in the harsh conditions of air and space travel.
UWM engineering students are working on both projects this summer with research funding from the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC).
Researchers from a variety of disciplines are presenting at the WSGC’s annual conference, hosted this year by UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science on Aug. 9 at the Student Union.
In the last year, the WSGC has awarded $86,000 in grant money for student fellowships and faculty research at UWM in engineering, geosciences and physics.
The college garnered more than half of that amount, including $15,000 to Nathan Salowitz, associate professor, mechanical engineering, who is coordinator of the conference. Two faculty members, Qingsu Cheng and Priyatha Premnath, both assistant professors, biomedical engineering, each received $10,000 in research grants.
Also, Aaron Brandner, junior, biomedical engineering, was awarded the 2024 WSG Undergraduate Scholarship of $3,000.
Here, we take a closer look at two student research projects.
Rocole has always been interested in robots and he began building robotic arms with Legos while he was still in grade school. While most kids that age don’t know what prosthetics are, Rocole was introduced to the idea because his dad was a Marine Corps sergeant during the Iraq War.
He is interested in creating prosthetics with robot features to help lower-arm amputees. But, because he is focused on reducing the cost and making the devices easier to use, he felt the project fit the grant’s space-related requirement.
“A robotic arm could be very useful in remotely exploring an environment in space with data collection from it happening back on Earth,” he said. “For example, by picking up a rock, the arm could tell you things like weight and texture.”
Rocole’s design uses flexible tubing to connect components of the arm, providing comfort to the wearer. Other unique aspects include “five-finger” control and a sensory feedback method called “mechanotactile” – it ties the intensity of the arm’s grip to different levels of pressure to the remaining limb.
Of course, that would be different from person to person, so his next step is to recruit and work with actual patients to calibrate the levels of pressure. Already, Rocole has taken the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps entrepreneurial training at UWM to assess his prototype’s commercial prospects.
“I’m really grateful to be working with Dr. Rahman here and have access to all of his resources,” Rocole said. “I feel like I’m definitely putting my college tuition to good use.”
Harry Smith, doctoral student, Mechanical Engineering Advisor: William Musinski
About two years ago, NASA scientists created a 3D-printed metal “super alloy,” designed for superior strength in extremely high temperatures. Called GRX-810, the alloy is primarily a combination of nickel, cobalt and chromium that can withstand the temperature extremes of space travel.
Harry Smith, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering, is developing a model that will reveal more information on GRX-810, a new “super alloy” designed for strength at high temperatures. (UWM Photo/Troye Fox)
More testing is needed, however, to further understand and enable the use of GRX-810 by NASA and other original equipment manufacturers for aerospace applications. The process of making the 3D-printed alloy often results in changes to its microstructure and may introduce defects that affect the material’s strength and crack development.
Existing models that predict a material’s mechanical properties in various testing conditions do not take into account the potential changes in the microstructure that may occur in GRX-810.
With WSGC funding Smith will devise a computational model that can predict at what temperature the material’s strength is affected.
Metals are crystalline materials at the microscale, meaning the alloy will behave differently if their internal crystals are arranged differently, Smith said.
“I’m using what are called constitutive equations to define how the crystals will react under load,” he said. “Then I can simulate how a chunk of this material behaves at different temperatures.”
Once the simulations are completed, he will calibrate them to the experimental data, so that the two match, he said.
Smith is working on his PhD with the goal of teaching one day in an area of computational science.
“I wasn’t super passionate about material science specifically, but I do really like computational science,” he said. “So, Dr. Musinski opened the door to that for me.”
UWM engineering and architecture join forces to teach MPS students building skills
Elizabeth Young (left), a junior in civil engineering, and Danya Almoghrabi, a recent master’s graduate of architecture, volunteered to teach MPS students building skills. CEAS Dean Brett Peters congratulates the MPS students on their camp accomplishments. (Photo by Alvin Connor, Milwaukee Public Schools)MPS students and mentors celebrate the completion of the Beerline Pavilion design/build camp. (Photo by Alvin Connor, Milwaukee Public Schools)MPS students and their families sit on furniture they made as part of the Beerline design and build camp. The camp was cosponsored by the UWM College of Engineering & Applied Science and the UWM School of Architecture & Urban Planning with Riverworks Development Corporation. (Photo by Alvin Connor, Milwaukee Public Schools)
Twenty-one high school students from Milwaukee Public Schools proudly displayed the plaza enhancements they completed at the Beerline Pavilion in the Riverwest neighborhood in June.
The students’ work expanded a previous year’s collaboration to create a plaza along the Beerline Trail that could be used as a place for the community to gather.
Elizabeth Young, a junior in civil engineering, and Danya Almoghrabi, a recent master’s graduate of architecture, joined the team of mentors, teaching MPS students such marketable skills as woodworking, landscaping, welding and storm water control strategies.
“Just think of what you can do now, after the work you’ve done in this camp,” Brett Peters, dean of the College of Engineering & Applied Science, told the gathering at the June 14 reveal event. “As you plan for your careers, we want to continue our engagement with you.”
The camp gives students a wider view of what engineers and architects do, said Chris Beimborn, STEM-outreach specialist for the College of Engineering & Applied Science.
“I feel most proud about the way the students collaborate and support each other,” Beimborn said. “I hope that they will have this group of like-minded peers as a source of motivation going forward.”
“Aside from just learning skills, students gain a sense of power and efficacy in this camp,” said Krisann Rehbein, director of CDS. “Working collaboratively and using the wisdom and skills they already have to make our city a little bit better is an incredible accomplishment.”
Five faculty members from the college win UWM internal research funding
Metamaterials that can change shape, a study to determine how zero gravity conditions of space affect breast cancer, and a chemical-imaging instrument that can see the inside of pharmaceutical tablets are the three new research projects being funded by the UWM Graduate School’s Discovery and Innovation Grant (DIG) program. This yearlong, internal seed funding prioritizes new lines of research that have high external funding potential. Hats off to the five researchers from the College of Engineering & Applied Science!
Shape-shifting metamaterial
Daniel Schlitz, research scientist, civil engineering
Rani El Hajjar, professor, civil engineering
Chiu-Tai Law, professor, electrical engineering
The goal of this project is to invent a metamaterial that can change shape, articulate and grasp – like an octopus’ arm.
Metamaterials are engineered with repeating patterns of nano- and micro-scale structures that create unique properties or motion that cannot be found in conventional materials.
The research starts with a polymer that produces a small movement when subjected to an electric field. This material is then engineered into a metamaterial that amplifies the displacement of the polymer members. This means it is capable of locally expanding or contracting to create lifelike movement.
Many of the potential applications are in the field of robotics. The flexibility and potential for integrated sensors can make this an ideal material for soft robotics, where humans wear robotic devices, or the material serves as an artificial muscle for robot mobility.
The effect of microgravity on breast cancer
Qingsu Cheng, assistant professor, biomedical engineering
Changing gravity influences biological processes. In space, for example, astronauts can lose muscle mass faster than they would on Earth without proper diet and exercise.
But currently, the effect of reduced or zero gravity on breast cancer development – inhibition or progression – is not fully understood.
Cheng’s research focuses on the search for new treatments for breast cancer. In his project, he will use primary cells and patient-derived organoids to examine mammographic density in microgravity. Patient-derived organoids are 3D cell cultures that are grown in the lab from tissue samples taken from patients.
Breast tissue density is considered one of the main risk factors for the disease, behind BRCA gene mutation and aging. Results of the project could offer new knowledge of the impact of gravity on biological life and processes.
Hyperspectral spatial-frequency domain imaging of pharmaceutical tablets
Yongjin Sung, associate professor, mechanical engineering
Sung will develop a nondestructive chemical-imaging instrument that can see the inside of pharmaceutical tablets so that scientists can identify the distribution of their active pharmaceutical ingredients.
In drugs that are time-released or involve different delivery profiles, the active ingredients need to be properly distributed within to be effective. At issue are 3D printed tablets, in which a single tablet can contain more than one phase of active ingredients. This allows a patient who needs to take multiple medications to reduce their dose to a single tablet.
The ingredients are mixed in such a way that the various active components, which act in different ways, remain separate from one another.
Existing imaging methods do not work because the tablets are strongly absorbing and highly scattering. Sung will overcome these obstacles with cutting-edge hardware and software.
Energy engineering student org win honors
Congratulations to the UWM student chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), which was awarded the “Best Overall Chapter Performance Recognition Award” in the 2024 national competition.
In addition, mechanical engineering graduate student Areej Khalil was selected as the “Outstanding Student Chapter Member” in the same competition. Khalil is the current president of the college’s student AEE chapter. Ryoichi Amano is the faculty advisor.
Areej Khalil
The award recognizes chapters that have demonstrated notable contributions to move the energy profession and industry forward.
UWM’s student chapter was established in late 2022 and is the only one in Wisconsin. At the April meeting ofthe Wisconsin Association of Energy Engineers, the student organization presented its plans for the coming semester and were nominated for the awards.
The group established a new Instagram page and introduced middle school students at Al Salam School tothe fundamentals of energy during the last year.
Gift supports energy engineering research in constructing large wind turbines
Most wind turbine towers taller than 100 meters are concentrated in the Midwest and Northeast. A $35,000 gift from Invenergy will support energy engineering research into an alternative foundation system for these large, onshore multi-megawatt wind turbine generators.
Tubular towers needed to support large, wind turbine generators are difficult to build, said Sam Helwany, professor, civil & environmental engineering, who received the funding.
Helwany
Such foundations require extensive excavation work with heavy machinery, labor-intensive steel reinforcement, and the removal of groundwater. They also involve a large crane to position the tubular tower at the center of the foundation.
In contrast, he said, the pile foundation system, sporadically used for small and medium-size onshore wind turbines, is easier to construct because it substantially reduces the amount of required construction materials.
With the funding, Helwany will provide a preliminary investigation of the design and optimization of pile foundation systems to verify their long-term reliability with large wind turbine generators.
17 CEAS student athletes named to Horizon League Spring 2024 Honor Roll
Hats off to the 17 student athletes from our college who joined 145 from UWM who not only demonstrated their commitment as proud competitors in sport, but also earned a place on the 2024 Horizon League Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Candidates for the Honor Roll must meet three criteria: Participation in at least one of the League’s sports during the most recent (or current) season, completion of three semesters (or four quarters, where applicable) as a full-time student at the same member institution, and a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale).
Men’s Track and Field Nate Griepentrog, senior, biomedical engineering EJ Kruse, senior, computer engineering Lucas Thibert, sophomore, mechanical engineering Bryce Tome, senior, computer science
New master’s degree in connected systems engineering prepares students to ‘future proof’ their careers
The College of Engineering & Applied Science is now enrolling students for the fall launch of its new master’s of science degree program in connected systems engineering. This first-of-its-kind program in Wisconsin combines engineering, business and data science with real-world applications in advanced manufacturing.
Coursework includes topics that are increasingly relevant to manufacturing, such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the digital supply chain and more.
The interdisciplinary major will be offered by the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department in collaboration with UWM’s Lubar College of Business and UWM’s Connected Systems Institute.
This master’s program is designed to attract and empower students who seek to upskill or reskill to prepare for current and future careers in the advanced manufacturing and service industries.
Eighty-three percent of 400 executives recently surveyed for the 2021 Wisconsin Manufacturing Report stated they were having difficulty finding the right talent in manufacturing data analytics, AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, robotics and automation, among other key skills related to Industry 4.0.
“We believe this interdisciplinary master’s program is a critical step to closing the current industry knowledge gap and preparing a pipeline of future industry leaders,” said Michael Cook, Rockwell Automation’s director of global industry-academia and engagement. “We fully support this program.”
The degree requires 31 credits, consisting of a set of core courses in connected systems engineering that will involve students working on case scenarios using the CSI’s automated manufacturing testbeds.
One major focus of CSI, which has onsite manufacturing testbeds and a digital twin lab, is to understand business challenges faced by manufacturers and work with them to incorporate AI and other smart technology solutions to improve their business operations.
Students may select electives representing focus areas including industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, enterprise resource planning, digital supply chain management, mechatronics and robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity.
The program is designed to be completed in three semesters of full-time enrollment with students taking 10 to 11 credits per semester. Part-time students can complete the program in as few as five semesters.
Seifoddini presents and is honored at IEOM Society conference
Hamid Seifoddini, associate professor, industrial and manufacturing engineering, was a plenary speaker at the 9th North American Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) in Washington, D.C. in June. He spoke at the session titled “Digital Manufacturing and Industry 4.0” and presented a joint paper, “Applications of Industry 4.0 Technologies in Digital Construction,” the first author of which is Benyamin Sadeghi (’24 PhD industrial engineering).
Seifoddini also received the “Distinguished Outstanding Professor Award” from the IEOM Society in recognition of his research and teaching in cellular manufacturing.
College’s student chapter of ITE draws honors
Members of the College’s Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) student chapter received the 2024 Momentum Award at the ITE Great Lakes District annual meeting in June.
The Momentum Award is given to one of the 27 student chapters in the district that has experienced the most improved involvement in the past year.
The 15-member UWM organization began its revival last fall. Since then, the group has amped up its activities, volunteering around Milwaukee, attending professional meetings, and co-hosting events with other College organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Tom Shi, assistant professor of civil & environmental engineering, is the organization’s faculty advisor.
The Great Lakes District is comprised of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
New students can get involved by checking out the group’s Instagram or Link Tree.
