Coe Annual Report
-
Upload
-southernpost -
Category
Documents
-
view
7 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Coe Annual Report
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
1/36
University of Wisconsin-Madison
ENGINEERING
ANNUAL REPORT 2009
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
2/36
2 20082009 HigHligHts
8 College Departments
8 Biomedical Engineering
10 Chemical and Biological Engineering
12 Civil and Environmental Engineering
14 Electrical and Computer Engineering
16 Engineering Physics
18 Engineering Professional Development
20 Industrial and Systems Engineering
22 Materials Science and Engineering
24 Mechanical Engineering
26 interDisCiplinary Degree programs
28 private support
30 College DireCtory
32 College inDustrial aDvisory BoarD
The College of Engineering Annual Report is printed via gift funds
administered through the University of Wisconsin Foundation.
2009 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
Published October 2009.
www..wc.d/w/
ne can argue that science ac
progress through the relentles
pursuit of disassembly over th150 years. To understand the incredibly co
questions that underlie the biological and
physical sciences, scientists meticulous
divided the questions into their componen
The rapid increase in scientic discipline
the last century provided us with an oppo
to make insurmountable challenges more
approachable. This specialization has se
the world extremely well, giving us insigh
the building blocks of physical matter an
living things, as well as enabling tremendadvances in human health and quality o
The next 150 years, on the other hand
be dened by how well we reassemble t
knowledge in an integrated way. Leading
in the public and private sector recognize
next big discoveries, and the next big so
will likely be found at the intersections of
powerful disciplines we have constructe
The rapidly developing Wisconsin Inst
for Discovery (WID), located directly beh
in this photo, will establish UW-Madison as a world leader in taking
Message from Dean Paul S.
O
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
3/36
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
This annual report includes a number of
accounts of innovative faculty taking the
academic experience in new directions. Forexample, one professor created animations
as powerful tools to help students visualize
challenging concepts in statics. Another
professor developed a certicate program to
help engineering students build meaningful
bridges into the arts, humanities and social
sciences at UW-Madison.
The concept of transcending boundaries
is at the core of UW-Madison values.
The century-old Wisconsin Idea holds that
the universitys benets should extend tothe citizens of the state, nation and beyond.
In conversations with students, I
frequently mention that engineers will play
a role in solving every major challenge
facing society. Yet these complex problems
will not be solved exclusively by engineers.
In order to truly make a difference, engineers
will need to contribute to culturally and
intellectually diverse teams.
Through Engineering Beyond Boundaries,
we hope to make that diversity come to lifefor our students.
Engineering Beyond Boundaries:Education for a rapidly changing world
integrated approaches to science and medicine. When completed in spring 2011,
WID not only will support a wide range of interdisciplinary research, but it also will
bridge the gap between the public and private sectors to quickly bring essentialhealth advances to patients.
This shift toward more integrated thinking and problem solving has major
implications for how we educate future engineers at the UW-Madison College
of Engineering. Building on the past ve years of progress from the Vision 2010
Initiative, we have put in place a long-term educational transformation called
Engineering Beyond Boundaries.
This initiative will encourage faculty
and staff to rethink our academic culture
to address important shifts, including:
Going beyond traditional engineering
boundaries.
Going beyond the boundaries of the state and nation to prepare students
to work and succeed in many different countries, cultures and languages.
Going beyond the boundaries of the college itself, with programs supporting
greater connections across disciplines such as biology, medicine, business
and the humanities.
Going beyond the boundaries of the classroom, with new technology and multi-
media strategies that allow faculty to expand their educational approaches.
Going beyond the boundaries of conventional thinking about engineering
education and recasting our content and approaches for a rapidly
changing world.
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
4/36
2
20082009 HIGHLIGHTS
Wisconsin Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering Rolf Reitzand his students(pictured at
right)have developed a novel technique in which an engine can, in real time, blend gasoline and diesel
fuels to create an optimal mix, increasing fuel efciency by an average of 20 percent. If all U.S. cars
and trucks could achieve fuel-efciency levels demonstrated in the research, transportation-basedoil consumption would drop by one third. Reitz presented his ndings August 3, 2009, at the U.S.
Department of Energy Diesel Engine-Efciency and Emissions Research Conference.
An experimental approach to wound healing could take advantage of silvers antibacterial properties,
while sidestepping the damage silver can cause to cells needed for healing. Working with John T. and
Magdalen L. Sobota Professor of Chemical and Biological EngineeringNicholas Abbott, postdoctoral
researcher Ankit Agarwal crafted an ultra-thin material carrying a precise dose of silver. In tests in lab
dishes, the low concentration of silver killed 99.9999 percent of the bacteria but did not damage cells
called broblasts that are needed to repair a wound. Agarwal presented his results August 19, 2009,
at the American Chemical Society Meeting.
Turning current nanoscale friction theory upside-down, Materials Science and Engineering Assistant
ProfessorIzabela Szlufarskaand colleagues used computer simulations to demonstrate that atomic-
level friction occurs much like friction generated between large objects. While the current theories center
around the idea that nanoscale surfaces are smooth, in reality, nanoscale surfaces resemble a mountain
range, where each peak corresponds to an atom or a molecule. The team, which included materials science
and engineering graduate student Yifei Mo and Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor Kevin
Turner, found that friction is proportional to the number of atoms that interact between two nanoscale
surfaces. The researchers published their ndings in the February 26, 2009, issue of the journalNature.
Healthy broblast cells (green)
in a low dose of silver
RESEARCH ADVANCES
From left: Reed Hanson, Rolf Reitz,
Derek Splitter and Sage Kokjohn
Atom-level view of the nanoscale interface between amorphous carbon and diamond. At such
a small scale, the surfaces are rough, although researchers have been treating them as smooth.
Wisconsin Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering Rolf Reitzand his students(pictured at
right)developed a novel technique in which an engine can, in real time, blend gasoline and diesel fuels
to create an optimal mix, increasing fuel efciency by an average of 20 percent. If all U.S. cars and
trucks could achieve the fuel-efciency levels demonstrated in the research, transportation-based oilconsumption would drop by one third. Reitz presented his ndings August 3, 2009, at the U.S. Department
of Energy Diesel Engine-Efciency and Emissions Research Conference.
In early April 2009, biomedical engineering Ph
student Adam Wilson posted a status update
on the social networking website Twitterjust
by thinking about it. Just 23 characters long,
his message, using EEG to send tweet,
demonstrated a natural, manageable way inwhich locked-in patients can couple brain-
computer interface technologies with modern
communication tools. To facilitate the message
Wilson used a simple communication interface
and Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professo
Justin Williamsdeveloped with colleagues at
the Wadsworth Center in Albany, New York.
Cells die (red) in a
slightly higher dose of silver
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
5/36
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Engineering designstudents affection-ately call it team time,
the part of class when
they brainstorm topics,discuss applications,
organize a game plan and generally take a design
idea through its necessary paces.
The one cardinal rule of team time, says
Engineering Physics ProfessorWendy Crone, is
that there never seems to be enough of it.
Crone and Biomedical Engineering Associate
Professor Naomi Cheslerdecided to tackle this
time management challenge by turning to the
burgeoning eld of online video. Using some of the
top experts from both on and off the
UW-Madison campus, the team cre-
ated a library of two dozen lectures
that cover the core principles of
design, including communication,
design considerations, the
design process and patents
and literature.
Before each topic is
covered in class, students
view the corresponding
video, slides and resource
links. Topics include human
factors and ergonomics, codes
and standards, oral and poster pre-
sentations, achieving FDA approval, working in
teams and conict resolution. They come to class
ready to discuss the principles, rather than hear
them for the rst time.
The 100-plus biomedical engineering students
involved in the 2009 pilot project responded
positively to the video enhancementsin fact,
a post-class survey found that 61 percent of
students preferred the video lectures, compared
to only 15 percent favoring in-class lectures.
Theres a strong reason for that preference,
Crone says. This video option enables students
to gain more exibility in the classroom through
more independent work outside of class. They
can now use that valuable class time to its
best advantage.
The exibility of online delivery is another plus,
Crone says. Students not only access the material
when and where its convenient, they revisit and
review the areas where they need more help, and
skip concepts they have already mastered. And, as
someone who occasionally gets accused of talking
With mathematical representations of known
virus biology, Chemical and Biological Engineering
ProfessorJohn Yinand former graduate student
Kwang-il Lim showed, with computational
models, that simply shufing the order of the ve
genes in the vesicular stomatitis virus genome
has a huge effect on how well the virus grows
and how it interacts with its simulated host cell.
The research could help guide efforts to develop
vaccines or to study the genetic basis of other
viral characteristics, such as how a virus evolves
to become drug-resistant. Yin and Lim reported
their results February 6, 2009, in the journal
PLoS Computational Biology.
A team of materials researchers developed single-
material superlattices from silicon nanomembranes.
Essentially, the equivalent of heterojunction super-
lattices, the more efcient, easily manufacturedstrained-silicon superlattices could improve
devices that convert thermal energy into electrical
energy. Led by Erwin W. Mueller and Bascom
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Max Lagally, the team published its ndings in the
March 24, 2009, issue of the journalACS Nano.
Student Leo Walton
(wearing the electrode
cap), Adam Wilson
(foreground) and
Justin Williams
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
too fast in her le
Crone says som
students like the
of putting their in
on pause.We also hop
project would build community among stude
she says. It has done a fantastic job with t
because they interact heavily with each oth
week. There is less sitting and listening takin
Crone came to the design project with g
experience, having developed a series of o
guest lectures introducing engineering stud
research methodology. That program succe
not only in her course, but the materials ha
adopted by dozens of other ins
across the nation and world.
The video website has rece
nearly 3,500 unique visitors s
fall 2008, nearly half from
outside of Wisconsin.(
the site at: mrsec.wis
Edetc/research/index
A University of Conn
chemistry professor
the video on applying
undergraduate resear
opportunities essential
for his students.
With that success in hand,
applied for and received an Engineering
Boundaries grant in 2007 to expand into eng
design courses. Her project team includes C
Katie Cadwell, postdoctoral research assoc
the Materials Research Science and Engine
Center (MRSEC); and Greta Zenner, directo
education at MRSEC.
Through both projects, the MRSEC webs
features a combined 52 online videos cove
research, design and professional opportun
topicsareas that are at the core of the eng
undergraduate experience. Crone is excited
the possibilities of this online library being a
across the spectrum of design and researc
courses in eight college departments.
Crone notes that as an engineering phy
professor, she does not teach design. But t
part of the beauty of Engineering Beyond
Boundariesgiving faculty the incentive to
experiment outside of their comfort zone.
For me, it has been a permission slip to
the next cool thing, she says.
Wendy Crone:
Taking design courses
into the YouTube era
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
6/36
4
20082009 HIGHLIGHTS
Steenbock Professor of Chemical and Biologic
EngineeringJames Dumesicis leading the UW
Madison collaborators in the $18.5 million Nati
Science Foundation Engineering Research Cefor Biorenewable Chemicals at Iowa State Univ
The grant supports collaborative research at s
universities, three international institutions, an
nine industry partners aimed at transforming t
petrochemical-based chemical industry to on
based on renewable materials.
The National Cancer Institute awarded a ve-y
$8.6 million grant to the Center for Health Enha
ment Systems Studies. The grant established
Center of Excellence in Cancer Communicatio
Research II, through which a multidisciplinary
of scientists is conducting three studies that fon interactive cancer communication systems
The center also received a ve-year, $2.8 millio
grant from the National Institute of Alcohol Ab
and Alcoholism to study ways to reduce relap
Industrial and Systems Engineering Research
Professor and center DirectorDavid Gustafso
the principal investigator (PI) on both grants.
With funding totaling $7.4 million, Biomedical
Engineering Assistant ProfessorJustin Willia
a co-PI or collaborator on two National Institu
of Health projects that will enable him and his
colleagues to develop technology that could h
people with conditions such as ALS, high spin
cord injuries or brain-stem strokes to regain th
ability to communicate, and ultimately, to mov
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awarde
$5.3 million in continued funding for Project
HealthDesign, an initiative designed to create
new generation of personal health record sys
led by Lillian S. Moehlman-Bascom Professor
Industrial and Systems Engineering and Nursi
Patricia Flatley Brennan. The grant brings tot
project funding to approximately $10 million.
The Trace R&D Center received $4.75 million fr
the U.S. Department of Education National Inst
on Disability & Rehabilitation Research to estab
a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center.
funding will help Trace researchers continue t
improve the accessibility of technologies that
enable people with disabilities to par ticipate in
education, travel and the community. Industria
Systems Engineering and Biomedical Engineer
Professor Gregg Vanderheidendirects the ce
STUDENT INNOVATION
The Cllege f Egieerig ffers mriadpprtuities fr studet iati.Amg them are InnovATIon DAy, the
aual UW-Madis eet made up f
tw cmpetitis that reward iatie,
marketable ideas ad prttpes.
Electrical ad cmputer egieerig
studet Justi Beck ad pschlg adeursciece studet Daiel Garteberg
w the 2009 Schfs Prize fr Creatiit
ad $10,000 fr their sphisticated alarm
clock for the iPhone. Mechanical engineering
studet Michael Deau w the 2009 Tg
Prttpe Prize ad $2,500 fr his ec-
friedl edig machie.
Ather pprtuit fr studet iatrs
is the Tg Bimedical Egieerig Desig
Cmpetiti(bottom photo). Each Ma, earl
150 biomedical engineering students showcase
el deices that address real-wrld medicalchallenges. The students developed the devices
i bimedical egieerig desig classes.
Spsred b electrical ad cmputer
egieerig alumus Peter Tg ad the Tg
Famil Fudati, the cmpetiti recgizes
the studets effrts t desig ad create
prttpes ad pursue busiess pprtuities
i bimedical idustries.
4
Promoting entrepreneurship
through competition
RESEARCH FUNDING
(continued)
Michael Deau
From left: Justin Beck
and Daniel Gartenberg
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
7/36
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
With a wide grin,EngineeringPhysics Professor Mike
Pleshaproudly holds
up a thick textbook.Inside, the wide margins,
neatly formatted text and myriad gures evoke
the idea of engaging, understandable information.
Together, design and content ll an important role:
helping students master statics, the study and
analysis of structural equilibrium. Published via
McGraw-Hill in 2009, Engineering Mechanics:
Statics(and its companion, Engineering Mechanics:
Dynamics) is the result of an eight-year collabora-
tion among Plesha and co-authors Gary Gray and
Francesco Costanzo of the Penn State
University Department of Engineering
Science and Mechanics.
Statics is a required course for
nearly two-thirds of UW-Madison
engineering undergraduates.
For Plesha, the textbook
is only the rst step in his
unique approach to teach-
ing this difcult-to-master
subject. With funding
through Engineering Beyond
Boundaries, Plesha and PhD
student Jonathan Fleischmann
developed animations of free-body
diagram constructionand other difcult
conceptsthat enable statics students to visualize
the phenomena they study. This course is a
course in which the math isnt challenging, says
Plesha. Its the visualizationtaking a real-life
problem and replacing it with a mathematical
idealization. Thats where they struggle.
Students draw free-body diagrams to help
them analyze the forces acting on a free body: a
structure removed from its environment. Vectors in
their drawings show the direction and magnitude
of forces, such as contact, friction, weight due
to gravity and others, that act on the structure.
Based on their free-body diagrams, students then
write, solve and interpret the results of equations
that govern the structures equilibrium. The ability
to draw free-body diagramsthis is something
that theyll do in a good number of their courses
after this, says Plesha. Its an essential skill, and
if they dont develop that skill, itll adversely affect
them in a lot of coursework to followand in their
professional practice.
Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science and
Engineering and Pharmacology Assistant Professor
William Murphyis PI or a collaborator on four
research grants from the National Institutes ofHealth and National Science Foundation totaling
more than $4 million. The grants focus on various
aspects of biomaterials research. Among Murphy's
collaborators is Materials Science and Engineering
Assistant Professor Padma Gopalan.
John T. and Magdalen L. Sobota Professor of
Chemical and Biological Engineering Nicholas
L. Abbottand Chemical and Biological Engineering
Associate Professor Eric Shustawill work with
Professor Paul Bertics from biomolecular
chemistry and Professor Ron Raines from
biochemistry on a ve-year, $2.5M grant fromthe National Cancer Institute of the NIH to
pursue the development of novel molecular
analysis tools based on l iquid crystals.
Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical
Engineering Associate Professor Hongrui Jiangis
leading a multi-university, multidisciplinary research
program to develop biologically inspired intelligent
micro-optical imaging systems. This project earned
$2 million over four years from the National Science
Foundation through the prestigious Emerging
Frontiers in Research and Innovation program.
Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Kristyn
Mastersreceived $1.67 million over ve years from
the National Institutes of Health National Heart,
Lung and Blood Institute to use tissue-engineering
techniques to produce physiologically relevant
in vitromodels of diseased heart valves, and then
use those disease models as platforms for testing
therapeutic treatments such as statin drugs.
Among her collaborators is Mechanical Engineering
Assistant Professor Kevin Turner.
Biomedical Engineering Professor David Beebe
and collaborators received $1.4 million over three
years from the National Institutes of Health for
their project, Microchannel cell-based assays
to enable cancer research.
Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor
Leyuan Shihas received a four-year $1.2 million
grant from the National Institutes of Health to
study how to improve the quality of radiation
treatment planning for cancer patients, which
could benet the 60 percent of U.S. cancer
patients who receive radiation therapy.
Some free-bo
diagrams are rel
straightforward;
create more con
says Plesha. Thetions, which last
a minute, demonstrate the process for draw
free-body diagram and help students ensu
dont missor misinterpretforces.
One animated structure has a pin at one
roller at another point, and includes a pulley a
Because it includes multiple components, s
Plesha, this is the kind of problem thats dif
students. The animation begins by taking a
separates the structure from its environmen
arrows glide into place to indic
appropriate forces. Then, the r
goes away and the force-vect
appear. Next, the cable is cut
pulley drifts away, while
move in to show the fo
at those locations. Ot
animations demonst
force reactions for v
structure supports, b
of springs, mechanism
truss structures, and o
While the animations
important to student unde
of free-body diagrams, they als
are key instructional tools, says Plesha.
subject will be taught in increasingly larger
without blackboard and chalk, he says. It
whiteboard and a place to plug in a compu
Effective lecture materials are kind of a cha
and also an opportunitybecause there ar
things that are hard for students to visualiz
hard for instructors to convey.
Plesha and Fleishmann aim to develop 2
animations that instructors can incorporate
statics courses in technology-rich classroo
lecture halls. Plesha
also envisions an
additional benet to
students. Longer range,
I would like to see
the animations be a
resource for students
on a class website
that they can con-
sult independently
of the lectures, he says.
Michael Plesha:
Animations bring
statics concepts to life
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
8/36
6
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Conventionalwisdom mightsuggest that engineer-
ing and the arts and
humanities are at polarends of the academic
spectrumwith one dealing in exacting, technical
and applied science, and the other in creativity,
beauty and human expression.
Jeffrey S. Russellargues that some of the most
visionary engineers of the 21stcentury will be the
ones who successfully integrate the best of both
academic worlds. Engineers need to be broader
and deeper today, says Russell, professor and
chair of civil and environmental engineering. How
do engineers address major chal-
lenges in a proactive and meaningful
way, as opposed to being viewed as
a technician? The answer is to be
literate in the social, economic
and cultural issues, and still
have the technical depth to
address them.
Putting this together in a
four-year undergraduate
experience is a formidable
challenge for engineering
programs, which also face
higher required levels of rigor in
math, chemistry, physics and biology.
To help, Russell and colleagues created
Integrated Studies in Science, Engineering and
Society (ISSuES). The certicate program provides
a structure for students to maximize the impact of
their outside-of-engineering coursework and glean
more meaningful engagement in the arts, humanities
and social sciences. Launched in fall 2009, the
certicate received lead support from Engineering
Beyond Boundaries and expects to enroll 25
students each year over the rst four years.
Russell teamed on the project with Sarah
Pfatteicher, assistant dean in the College of
Agricultural and Life Sciences, and Daniel
Kleinmann, director of the Holtz Center for Science
and Technology Studies and chair of community
and environmental sociology.
The Holtz Center provides the per fect academic
partner for the certicate. Robert Holtz, a Wisconsin
native and successful engineer, and his wife Jean
formed the center in 2001 to help people better
address the social and cultural ramications of
technological change. Students in the certicate
6
Five College of Engineering faculty received pr
National Science Foundation CAREER awards,
recognize faculty members at the beginning of
academic careers who have developed creativprojects that effectively integrate advanced re
and education. The ve faculty award recipient
Industrial and Systems Engineering A
Professor Oguzhan Alagozis develo
modeling framework for disease scre
and diagnosis. He will focus on two broad area
research in breast cancer: optimizing cancer s
policies for various populations of women and o
follow-up decisions, such as biopsy and short-
follow-up recommendations. Alagozs work is t
study to use stochastic optimization technique
clinical data to nd cost-effective strategies focancer screening. His award totals $430,000.
Electrical & Computer Engineering Ass
Professor Stark Draperwill create alg
that could allow computers to better
streaming data in real time, thereby addressing
mental problem in digital communication techno
Computers are designed to handle data delivere
whole, which computers then process and pres
users. However, modern communication data is
commonly presented in an instantaneous strea
central technical question Draper will address is
feedback should be used to transmit delay-sen
data. His award totals $400,000.
Mechanical Engineering Assistant Pr
Dan Negrutis calculating granular o
dynamics with high-performance pa
computational hardware, and Negruts team has
simulations that can calculate all the collisions
10 million bodies in as little as four seconds. His
to solve dynamics equations with parallel com
has broad applications, ranging from construct
military vehicle design to looking at the movem
atoms. His award comes with a $408,911 grant.
Biomedical Engineering Assistant Pro
Brenda Oglewill develop a system to
accurately analyze and sort cell fusio
products, or hybrid cells, and to use the syst
conjunction with previously developed techno
examine the effects of heterotypic cell fusion o
cell function, bothin vitroandin vivo. Stem cel
with somatic cells is a regulated process capa
promoting cell survival and differentiation and c
be important in tissue development and repair
disease pathogenesis. Ogles award totals $40
FACULTY HONORSwill take one requiredcourse, Where Science
Meets Society,from the
Holtz Center, and have
academic advisors fromHoltz and engineering.
The certicate is built around four academic
tracksethics, leadership, design and general
on which students will build their own 16-credit
program. We want the students to own the
education, Russell says. There are guidelines and
suggestions, but what ultimately comes out of this
is a theme developed by the student, with the help
of faculty, to t a vision.
Elise Larson, a biomedical engineering under-
graduate and certicate student,
created a vision to understand the
junction of engineering and art and
to use trends in both elds to reect
the human factor in engineering
design. Larson fashioned a
group of courses in art
history, studio drawing and
material culture that will
make her more aware of
how her work as an engineer
is used, internalized and
interpreted by society.
Larsons example demonstrates
what Russell hopes to see from the
certicatestudents combining courses that
give added denition and relevance to their
professional goals. We underachieve in the
humanities and social sciences in the sense that
many students look at them as requirements that
must be satisedas we say, check off the box
as opposed to thinking about them in an intentional,
integrated development perspective, he says.
So far, students have entered the program with
diverse interests, including ethical questions involving
health and medicine, leadership skills and what it
means to be an effective leader, and policy issues.
Russell notes that the intersection of engineering
and art has long been recognized and says
humanities disciplines challenge engineers with
a different way of thinking.
Think about the incredible amount of preparation,
organization, creativity, movement, thought and
execution that goes into a dance recital, he says.
There are lots of similarities to engineering, but in
a completely different context.
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Jeffrey S. Russell:
Inspiring engineers
to think differently
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
9/36
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Mechanical Engineering Assistant
Professor Kevin Turneris studying the
underlying physics and mechanics of
adhesion during micro-transfer printinga process
that prints with solid materials rather than ink. Asilicon stamp is designed with a smooth side that
is used to pick up nano- or microstructures in a
substrate and set them down in another substrate.
Turner will research how to improve micro-transfer
printing manufacturing techniques, which eventually
could produce a host of innovative technologies
as the process becomes more common. His award
totals $430,000.
the Global Enviro
Other courses in
ECE356: Electric
Processing for Al
Energy Systemslls the rst day
appears in the timetable. Another popular c
taught by Civil and Environmental Engineer
Professor Mike Oliva, delves into the challe
of zero-energy home design. Also on the lis
courses on biorening, electric power syste
and energy conversion technology.
Creativity and independence will shape
three- to six-credit capstone portion of the c
where students develop research or applied
around their own sustainabilit
themes. These types of oppor
are really important because o
students learn faster when t
engaged with real-world p
says Venkataramanan.
Mechanical engine
student Scott Tovsen
enrolled in the progra
interest in sustainab
increased after watc
global warming docum
An Inconvenient Truth. Hi
in math and science will en
him to develop useful innovatio
most interesting challenges relate to ma
the technology more efcient and cost-effe
because I believe that this is the main reas
sustainable technologies are not more wide
today, he says. I think that making the tra
to sustainable technology can be very easy
bit of good engineering and time.
Venkataramanan says the certicate co
a stepping-stone to work in NGOs or nonp
organizations devoted to sustainability. In th
sector, there is growth in the solar photovolta
wind energy economies. The eld also is ripe
entrepreneurship and two of his graduate s
are seeking venture capital interest in comp
ideas related to energy conversion and recy
The exibility also enables UW-Madison s
to explore how they might lead this cultura
technological change in ways they cant im
today. We have the Wisconsin Idea and it
identity that students pick up on as they go
their experience here, Venkataramanan say
sustainability will be another part of that tr
Having lunch thissummer at adowntown Madison
coffee shop, Giri
Venkataramananoverheard an animated
conversation among a group of graduate students
about sustainability. Thats hardly surprising fodder
for conversation in a major university town. But
the groups unique take on the subject grabbed
Venkataramanans attention. They turned out to be
nutritional science students who were organizing
a conference about the sustainability of the global
food supply, says the professor of electrical and
computer engineering. It really reinforced to me
how much campus-wide interest
there is in this topicand how no
one person can rightfully say what
sustainability is or should be. Sus-
tainability pervades everything.
That sustainability, as
a social ideal, can be so
broadly applied might be
its greatest strength from
a scholarly perspective.
Its also the guiding force
behind a new certicate
program in sustainability.
Developed by Venkataramanan,
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Associate ProfessorThatcher Rootand
Energy Institute Director Paul Meier, it debuted
in fall 2009 with the help of Engineering Beyond
Boundaries funding.
Core themes in the 16-credit program include
strategies for addressing carbon reduction and
climate change, minimizing resource utilization, and
developing restorative processes for land, water
and air. We modify the air, water and soilwe
harvest it, we use it but we dont always restore
it and put it back in the same place, he says. To
completely restore is impossiblethere will always
be some impact humans make but we can go
much further in improving the cyclic processes that
govern how we harvest and consume resources.
The program begins with a robust list of 22
courses that can be applied to a certicate, but
Venkataramanan expects it to grow and evolve
with the eld. One early example is a new fall
2009 course called Why We Conserve, taught by
Associate Professor Tracey Hollowaythrough
the Nelson Institute Centerfor Sustainability and
Giri Venkataramanan:
Harnessing the
sustainability movement
ENGINEERING
University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Council of the National Academy
of Sciences has named Industrial and
Systems Engineering Professor Emeritus
Stephen Robinson(top)and Steenbock
Professor of Engineering PhysicsRay
Fonck(bottom) national associates
of the National Research Council of the National
Academies. Robinson was a member of the National
Research Council Board on Mathematical Sciences
and Their Applications, and the National Research
Council Committee on Modeling and Simulation for
Defense Transformation. He currently is a member
of the National Research Council Committee on
Experimentation and Rapid Prototyping in Support
of Counterterrorism. Fonck was a ve-year member
of the National Research Council Board on Physics
and Astronomy, co-chair of the National Research
Council Burning Plasma Assessment Committee, and
a member of the National Research Council Fusion
Science Assessment Committee.
John P. Morgridge Professor and E. David
Cronon Professor of Computer Sciences
and Electrical and Computer Engineering
Gurindar (Guri) Sohi was among 65 engineers
and nine foreign associates elected to the National
Academy of Engineering in 2009. His research on
high-performance computer system design has led
to papers and patents that have inuenced both
research and commercial microprocessors.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Associate ProfessorZhenqiang (Jack) Ma
received a Presidential Early Career Award
for Scientists and Engineers in December 2008.
Ma is a leader in exible electronics, devices created
with extremely thin sheets of semiconductors, called
nanomembranes, only a few atoms thick.
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
10/36
8
www.bme.wisc.edu
Fused cells promising for tissue regeneration
8
BIOMEDICALENGINEERING
Tapping a leukemia virus for both inspiration and function, Assistant Professor Brenda Ogleand her
collaborators are studying the biological effects of fusing adult stem cells with cardiac muscle cells, or
cardiomyocytes. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, the researchers hope to learn more
about cell fusion processes and, ultimately, to use that knowledge to develop therapies for heart attack patients.
During a heart attack, cardiomyocytes die. Afterward, the body replaces those cardiac muscle cells with broblasts,
cells that form scar tissue instead of muscle tissue. At best, says Ogle, the heart pumps inefciently; at worst, it fails
completely. Fused with cardiomyocytes, stem cells could help restore lost heart muscle function.
Researchers generally acknowledge that cell fusion happens, yet they have just begun to study the mechanisms
through which stem cells fuse with mature cells , and how, genetically, they form a single, functional cell.
Viruses are experts at fusing with other cells. Ogles collaborators include virologists Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a professor of
pathobiological sciences, and Stacey Schultz-Cherry, a visiting associate professor of medical microbiology, both of whom
have extensively studied virus fusion proteins. Already, the researchers have shown that by adding a viral fusion protein
to the stem cell, they can dramatically increase the incidence of fusion between stem cells and cardiomyocytes.
Now, looking at both cardiac and stem cell microenvironments, they are studying the fused cells phenotype, or observable
characteristics. Drawing on Cardiology Professor Timothy Kamps expertise in cardiac electrophysiology, the group will
examine the cells mechanical and electrical function, as well as their ability to proliferate. Finally, the researchers will induce
an articial infarction, or heart attack, in animals and inject stem cells expressing the fusion protein into the affected region
to investigate how the cells engraft and to study their phenotype and function. Throughout the research, the team also will
monitor the fused cells for uncontrolled proliferation. If there is a way of controlling cell fusion, and if cell fusion is biologically
relevant in a benecial way, then it wil l have implications for tissue regeneration beyond myocardial infarction, says Ogle.
Assistant Professor Brenda Ogle
with PhD student Nicholas Kouris
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
11/36
Currently, the team is studying statin
effects on three-dimensional models that
represent varying levels and types of heart-
valve calcication. Someday, their realistic
in vitrodisease models could be useful for
high-throughput drug screening.
While the researchers hope to learn
how statins and other agents can stop or
slow heart-valve disease, they also aim to
increase their understanding of how cells
become diseased.
Additionally, their knowledge could
benet people who are engineering healthy
heart-valve tissue. A lot of what were
doing is identifying what not to put in your
heart-valve culture, says Masters.
and Laboratory Medicine Professor
Andreas Friedl, ProfessorDavid Beebe,
with Kevin Elicieri)
Clinical assays for circulating tumor
cell analysis (David Beebe, Medicine
Associate Professor Doug McNeel,
Medicine Assistant Professor Amye
Tevaarwerk, with Mark Burkhard and
Gleen Liu)
Orthopedic implant surfaces for
enhanced healing (Assistant Professor
William Murphy, Orthopedics and
Rehabilitation Associate Professors
Richard Illgen and Ben Graf and
Assistant Professor Matthew Squire,and Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
and Veterinary Medicine Professor
Mark Markel)
A closed loop neural activity triggered
stroke rehabilitation device(Assistant
ProfessorJustin Williams, Radiology
and Neurology Assistant Professor
Vivek Prabhakaran, Senior Lecturer and
Researcher Mitch Tyler,Neurology
Assistant Professor Justin Sattin, with
Dorothy Edwards)
Biomedical engineers, clinicians collaborate on translational research
TheW.H. Coulter Translational ResearchPartnership in Biomedical Engineeringoversight committee has selected its
fourth round of proposals for funding:
Targeted, accelerated MR spectro-
scopicimaging for treatment planning
to maximize neural function in stroke
patients(Medical Physics, Radiology
& Biomedical Engineering Associate
Professor Sean Fain; Radiology
Researcher Krishna Kurpad, with
Josh Medow of neurosurgery)
HYPRFLOW magnetic resonance
angiography(Medical Physics,
Radiology and Biomedical EngineeringProfessor Charles Mistretta; Radiology,
Neurology and Neurological Surgery
Professor Patrick Turski; Biomedical
Engineering, Radiology and Medical
Physics Associate ProfessorWalter
Block; and Medical Physics Assistant
Scientist Yijing Wu)
Nonlinear optical histopathology for
clinical use(Biomedical Engineering
and Clinical Pharmacology Associate
Professor Patricia Keely, Pathology
Popular worldwide for their cholesterol-lowering effects, statin drugs also showpromise for treating or preventing heart-valve disease. Yet, prominent recent researchboth supports and refutes that claim. Right now, its an area of great debate about
statins and heart valves, says Assistant ProfessorKristyn Masters. Do they stop the
progression of heart valve disease or not?
Masters, Mechanical Engineering Assistant ProfessorKevin Turner, University of
Pittsburgh Biomedical Engineering Professor Michael Sacks and their graduate students
received nearly $1.7 million from the National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung and
Blood Institute to study tissue disease processes. They are designing diseased heart-
valve tissue in the lab and plan to use the tissue as a platform to learn whether they can
prevent heart valve disease, stop its progression, or cure it.
Statins gure heavily into their research. Initially, the group created two-dimensional
diseased tissue models. The researchers treated the cell cultures with agents that
increase calcication in the models, and with statins they showed disease inhibition
and even regression. On a molecular level, were understanding a lot more about whats
happening to these cells as theyre becoming more calcied, says Masters.
Based on their newfound knowledge of cell-signaling mechanisms, the researchers
also identied other agents that, in theory, also could prevent, stop or slow heart valve
calcication. This may lead us toward potentially identifying other drug classes that may
or may not exist right now, says Masters.
Diseased tissue could provide clues to heart valve health
Development of a biomimetic microlens
array for improved medical imaging in lap-
aroscopy and endoscopy(Electrical and
Computer Engineering and Biomedical
Engineering Associate Professor Hongrui
Jiang, Surgery Associate Professors Jon
Gould and Charles Heise, and postgrad
trainee Carter Smith)
The Coulter Translational Research
Partnership in Biomedical Engineering
fosters early-stage collaborations between
UW-Madison biomedical engineering
researchers and practicing physicians. The
collaborations will enable researchers to
deliver advances more quickly to patients.
The Biomedical Engineering Center for
Translational Research promotes and
facilitates these collaborative efforts.
The center develops partnerships,
cultivates new translational research
projects based on clinical practice needs,
identies and supports promising biomedical
engineering collaborative research projects,
and rapidly translates solutions into the clinic
by fully using UW-Madison campus resources
for technology transfer and commercialization.
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
12/36
10
CHEMICALANDBIOLOGICALENGINEERING
Interdisciplinary center facilitates connections via nanotechnology research
conduct basic research on communicatio
and public opinion related to how lay
audiences make sense of complex
information conveyed through the Interne
An ambitious and unique education and
outreach program cultivates the next
generation of nanoscale science and
engineering experts with diverse and
interdisciplinary backgrounds.
My faculty colleagues and I are very
excited to have garnered the resources
to continue to expand interdisciplinaryresearch on campus, break down college
and departmental barriers, provide share
facilities to internal and external users,
build connections to regional industries
through our advanced materials industria
consortium, offer opportunities for under-
graduates in the research enterprise, and
increase campus diversity, says Milton J
and A. Maude Shoemaker Professor Paul
Nealey, NSEC director.
Beyond borders: Puerto Rican partnership piques interest in science
At UW-Madison, co-PIs on the effort a
NSEC Director and Milton J. and A. Maude
Shoemaker Professor Paul Nealey and MR
Director and Howard Curler Distinguished
ProfessorJuan de Pablo, while University
Puerto Rico Mayaguez Chemical Enginee
Professor Nelson Cardona Martinez direc
the effort, with Chemistry Professor Juan
Lpez Garriga and University of Puerto Ri
Cayey Chemistry Professor Luiz Fernand
Torres. This partnership demonstrates th
to preserve our long-standing relationship
with partner institutions, including Puerto
Rico, it is essential that we develop perso
ties and professional connections to the
faculty at such institutions, says de Pab
An essential component of the partners
relies on MRSEC Director of Education Gr
Zenner and NSEC Education and Outreac
Coordinator Andrew Greenberg. This strat
partnership expands and strengthens ou
educational and outreach innovations to
much broader audience, reaching beyond
Wisconsin and Puerto Rico, says Nealey
10
www.engr.wisc.edu/che
Capitalizing on a long-standing relationship with the University of Puerto Rico, a research,educational and outreach initiative aims to broaden participation of underrepresentedgroups in the science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, disciplines.
To date, the Partnership for Research and Education in Materials has received $1.2
million in National Science Foundation (NSF) funding. It has now grown to include three
University of Puerto Rico campuses: Mayaguez, Cayey and Rio Piedras. At UW-Madison,
partners in the effort hail from two interdisciplinary NSF-funded centers, the Materials
Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) on Nanostructured Interfaces and
the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC).
Combining both experimental and theoretical approaches, these centers focus on
developing and characterizing novel materials, such as beta-peptides and poly-beta-
peptides, engineered nanoparticles, liquid crystals, and multifunctional nanoporous
materials. Innovative applications for their research include developing antimicrobial
agents, minimizing potential environmental effects of engineered nanoparticles, engineering
liquid-crystal-based materials for chemical and biological sensing or cell-culture applications,
and constructing nanostructured materials that can chemically transform sustainable
biological feedstocks into fuels and specialty chemicals.
The partnership exposes kindergarten through 12th-grade students to state-of-the-art
materials science via educational and outreach efforts that include the University of Puerto
Rico Mayaguez Science on Wheels Educational Center. At the college level, the initiative
includes programs that increase Hispanic and female undergraduate student participation
in STEM disciplines and ultimately, in materials science and nanotechnology graduate
programs and in the workforce. For young underrepresented and female faculty, the team
has implemented a mentoring program that enhances their retention and success rate.
The UW-Madison Nanoscale Scienceand Engineering Center (NSEC)addresses grand challenges associated
with directed assembly of nanoscale
materials into functional systems and
architectures through self-assembly,
chemical patterning and external elds.
Recently, the National Science
Foundation renewed NSEC funding for
ve years, bringing the total investment in
nanotechnology at UW-Madison through
this mechanism to nearly $30 million. Oncampus, more than 100 faculty, staff and
students participate in NSEC activities.
The NSEC includes three interdisciplinary
research teams. In the rst, researchers
explore new materials and processes to
improve the performance of advanced
materials using self-assembling block co-
polymers. Another team studies directed
assembly of synthesized biologically
inspired organic nanostructures in which
functional side-chains display unique
ordering, both in sequence along a back-
bone and in three-dimensional arrangement
in space. A third group explores, harnesses
and uses non-equilibrium processes,
including external elds, to manipulate
nanoparticle and macromolecule assembly.
Outcomes of these transformative
and interdisciplinary activities are to
revolutionize nanomanufacturing and
discovery and control of new materials
and material architectures. Applicationsinclude, for example, data storage and
integrated circuits, new materials with anti-
fungal properties, development of optical
mapping platforms for high-throughput
analysis of entire genes, and development
of liquid-crystal plasmonic-based sensors
for toxicants and biomolecules.
NSEC research teams also investigate
the biological effects and environmental
fate of engineered nanoparticles and
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
13/36
A
Exploiting E. colifor producing ethanol
giant vat of plant material
covered in E. colimay not
be appetizing, but it doeshold promise for producing abundant,
renewable energy. The Great Lakes
Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) is
supporting researchers in a variety of
disciplines working to convert cellulosic
biomass into advanced biofuels.
For two years, the GLBRC has
funded Assistant Professors Christos
Maravelias (left)andJennifer Reed
(right), who are developing computa-
tional approaches to help increasethe amount of ethanol that E. coli
can produce.
Every plant synthesizes a type of
carbohydrate called cellulose, making
it the most abundant organic material
on the planet. Found in inedible parts of plants, cellulose is composed of a high-
energy sugar called glucose, which can be fermented in tanks with E. coli or other
bacteria. Enzymes in the bacteria break down glucose, producing ethanol asa byproduct of the fermentation process.
Reeds and Maravelias models help narrow the eld for researchers searching
for an optimal ethanol-producing strain of E. coli. Reed and her team start by looking
at the E. coligenome and identify the enzymes and the biochemical reactions
particular enzymes can catalyze. She then models how cells re-route metabolism
when particular enzymes are added or removed. Maravelias and his team are working
to include regulatory networks into the models. Regulation determines which
enzymes are expressed in certain conditions, such as increased or decreased
oxygen environments, which in turn affect bacteria cell behavior.
Thousands of modied bacteria strains are possible, and Reed and Maravelias
can make hypotheses about which strains would make the most ethanol. Thisnarrowing of the eld saves time and resources for their GLBRC collaborators
experimenting with actual bacteria.
Reed says the partnership with GLBRC is mutually benecial. This is a great
opportunity to work with people who are experts in microbiology and understand
regulation and metabolism in E. coli, she says.
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
14/36
12
www.engr.wisc.edu/cee
CIVILANDENVIRONMENTALENGINEERING
12
As climate changes,
team explores new ways to manage stormwater
n recent years, climate change has sparked more intense rainfalls and severe oodsboth of which have displaced
residents and caused millions of dollars in damage across the United States and around the world.
Here in Wisconsin, ProfessorKen Potter(left)views those events as an opportunity to engage stakeholders
people who design, regulate and manage water systemsin university research that could help them make more informed
water-related decisions.
Potter is leading an interdisciplinary team of researchers who, in part, are analyzing climate model projections for Wisconsin
to improve stormwater-related infrastructure design and management methods. Such infrastructure includes storm sewers,
stormwater detention ponds, bridges, and wastewater treatment plants. I think ooding problems are going to continue,
says Potter. The public is very frustrated. They want to see things designed better. When things are underdesigned, its the
homeowner who gets stuck.
The team is combining traditional university-based research with regular meetings that seek input from water engineers,
regulators and managers. Potter hopes this two-way problem-solving approach leads not only to positive policy and methods
changes, but also establishes a roadmap for similar collaborative efforts across the country. This interdisciplinary process
ensures that we use leading-edge university research to develop relevant, up-to-date stormwater infrastructure design tools
and strategies our stakeholders are willing and able to put into practice, says Potter.
His collaborators include Engineering Professional Development Professor David Liebl (right), Agronomy and Environmental
Studies Assistant Professor Chris Kucharik, and Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences Senior Scientist Stephen Vavrus and Assistant
Scientist David Lorenz. A $247,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is funding the project.
I
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
15/36
Middle East air quality study bridges borders and transcends science
An unprecedented effort to collectair pollution data in the Middle Easthas united researchers in a region mired
in conict.
Scientists in Israel, Jordan and
Palestine initiated the four-year project
with funding through the U.S. Agency for
International Development Middle East
Regional Cooperation Program. Research
partners included the Jordanian Society
for Sustainable Development, Al-Quds
University, and the Arava Institute of
Environmental Studies. A world leader in
developing tools to identify the sources of
atmospheric aerosols and from the data,
assess the effects on health, climate
and the environment, ProfessorJamie
Schauerserved as their advisor.
The study area spans three inter-
national boundaries within an area the
size of the Los Angeles air basin, and
Environmental road trip: Rating system to assess green highways
Professors Tuncer Ediland Craig Bensonare leading an effort they hope will turnmany U.S. highways green. The team, which includes PhD student Jin Cheol Lee,ProfessorJeffrey Russell and Engineering Professional Development and CEE Assistant
ProfessorJim Tinjum, is developing a system to assess, rate and recognize highways
based on their environmental impact. The researchers liken their rating system to the U.S.
Green Building Council LEED certication for high-performance green buildings. There is
no such equivalent for highway systems, says Edil.
The rating system will include targets, such as reduced construction-related
greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and landll waste. Assessors will
score highways based on stormwater management practices and other environmental
considerations, as well as life-cycle cost and recycled materials content. We think that
one way to have a major impact on improving the greenness of highways is to substitute
recycled materials as much as possible, says Edil.
For decades, he and Benson have studied industrial byproducts, including coal-
combustion byproducts, foundry sand and slag, reclaimed asphalt shingles and pavements,
scrap tires, and other materials for benecial use in construction. A few years ago, with
colleagues at the University of New Hampshire, the two established the Recycled Materials
Resource Center, which focuses on increasing wise and safe use of recycled materials
for transportation infrastructure. Among their advances, the researchers have studied
recycled materials environmental effects and established their technical equivalencies to
traditional construction materials. They have made technical recommendations for using
such materials in highway construction to transportation agencies and are developing
standards and specications.
The researchers currently are developing software that will enable highway designers
to compare the benets of choosing standard or recycled materials. They hope the rating
system will encourage innovation and
environmentally sensitive practices in the
road-building industry.
The team is developing the system
in consultation with the Wisconsin
Department of Transportation. Edil hopes
departments of transportation nationwide
will adopt it. I think its going to encourage
more use of recycled materials, resulting in
sustainable construction and sustainable
growth. This is our way of approaching
sustainability, though highway construction,
he says.
Funding for the industrial byproducts
research comes from a variety of sources,
including the Federal Highway Administration
and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy,
the National Science Foundation, the
Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of
Transportation, the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources, the Electric Power
Research Institute, the foundry and electric
power industries, and byproducts marketing
rms, among others.
mitigation. The project was wildly
successful in the sense that weve
collected detailed chemical data about
aerosols and particulate matter that has
never been collected in the region before,
he says.
In addition, the project was personally
meaningful for Schauer, who is deeply
committed to sharing his tools and
knowledge with researchers worldwide.
Its amazing to be involved in research
that transcends just science and
engineering. The broader impacts of
this study are beyond anything that I
had anticipated to participate in within
my research efforts, he says.
has air-pollution levels that do not meet
World Health Organization standards.
In 11 locations, the researchers set up
air-monitoring sites and collected samples
every sixth day for a year. They chemically
analyzed the samples and studied the
data to identify and better understand
particulate matter sources.
Schauer helped the researchers design
the study, choose sampling devices, train
staff to operate the sample collectors,
develop chemical analysis strategies and
quality-control measures, and analyze the
data. He says the project goals were very
focused on capacity-building and bringing
the groups together.
From a scientic standpoint, Schauer
says the research forged new ground
and paved the way for future cooperation
among Israel, Palestine and Jordan for
environmental research and air-pollution
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
16/36
14
ELECTRICALANDCOMPUTERENGINEERING
Curved photodetectors sharpen images
New framework yields robust circuits
new generations of powerful integrated circuits, which drive most electronic devices,are produced every few years, and in each generation, the circuit componentsbecome smaller and smaller. The ever-decreasing size of components presents new design
challenges for developers that can result in fabrication imperfections, especially as circuit
components approach the nanoscale and become less tolerant of these imperfections.
The low tolerance may mean the variations in the performance level could be too
signicant, making the circuits difcult to mass-produce and send to market for use in
products ranging from computers and cell phones to television sets and cars.
Correcting imperfections is difcult because circuits include as many as billions of tiny
components that may execute billions of commands per secondmeaning developers
are challenged to pinpoint exactly where and when imperfections occur. It is important,
then, to prevent manufacturing imperfections early in the design process.
Assistant ProfessorAzadeh Davoodihas developed a mathematical framework for
fabricating integrated circuits that are robust with respect to manufacturing imperfections.
The framework gives developers a chance to prevent some imperfections before even
creating a prototype, which could improve the integrated design process overall. Her
framework is unique because it requires very little information about the manufacturers
processes to make robust predictions. Often, manufacturers do not keep or release
detailed data on their processes, and the new framework will allow designers to create
circuits with fewer manufacturing errorswithout knowing details about those errors.
In the next year, Davoodi plans to expand her research to creating debugging tools
that could reduce the number of circuit prototypes developers have to create. Davoodi
will research the root causes of component failures and generate predictions about future
failures. This work could help developers more quickly advance circuit designs to mass
fabrication. A grant from the National Science Foundation supports Davoodis research.
Professor Zhenqiang (Jack) Ma, Erwin W. Mueller and Bascom Professor of MaterialsScience and Engineering Max Lagallyand University of Michigan Professor PallabBhattacharya have developed a exible light-sensitive material that could revolutionize
photography and other imaging technologies.
When a device records an image, light passes through a lens onto a photodetector array
a light-sensitive material like the sensor in a digital camera. However, a lens bends the light
and curves the focusing plane. In a digital camera, the point where the focusing plane
meets the at sensor is in focus, but the image becomes more distorted the farther it is
from that focal point. Thats why some photos can turn out looking like images in a
funhouse mirror. High-end digital cameras correct this problem by incorporating multiple
panes of glass to refract light and atten the focusing plane. However, such lens systems
like the mammoth telephoto lenses sports photographers useare large, bulky and
expensive. Even high-quality lenses stretch the edges of an image somewhat.
Inspired by the human eye, Mas curved photodetector could eliminate that distortion.
In the eye, light enters though a single lens, but at the back of the eye, the image falls
upon the curved retina, eliminating distortion. If you can make a curved imaging plane,
you just need one lens, says Ma. Thats why this development is extremely important.
The team creates curved photodetectors with specially fabricated nanomembranes
extremely thin, exible sheets of germanium, a very light-sensitive material often used in
high-end imaging sensors. Researchers then can apply the nanomembranes to any polymer
substrate, such as a thin, exible piece of plastic. Currently, the group has demonstrated
photodetectors curved in one direction. Ma plans next to develop hemispherical sensors.
www.engr.wisc.edu/ece
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
17/36
AThe Vestas/UW-Madison partnership
already yielded a major grant from the
U.S. Department of Energy for developinga new wind energy curriculum. In addition
to Jahns, Professors Chris DeMarco (right)
and Giri Venkataramanan(center), and
Associate Professor Bernie Lesieutre
and Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
Assistant Professor Ankur Desai are
participating in this initiative.
The Vestas partnership is an exciting
addition to the range
of energy
research and education at the college,says DeanPaul Peercy. Once we solve
energy storage issues, wind power
could supply as much as 20 percent
of the nations energy needs by 2030.
Our students will be highly motivated to
participate in this growth industry.
Vestas partnership powers wind energy research
recent partnership between the College of Engineering and Vestas, the
worlds largest manufacturer of wind turbines, promises to propel wind
energy research and education at UW-Madison. Under the partnership,which began in spring 2009, Vestas will provide funding to support as many as 10
graduate and undergraduate students working on wind technology projects. The
company also is establishing a research and development ofce in Madison that
will enable its researchers to work with faculty and students to conduct sponsored
research projects and assist with technology transfer.
Wind energy is a rapidly growing source of new power generation around the
world, says ProfessorThomas Jahns(left), who co-directs the Wisconsin Power
Electronics Research Center and helped establish the partnership. Key partnerships
such as this one provide win-win opportunities for our faculty, students and industry
partners to accelerate the development of advanced wind power technology.
Vestas plans to support professorships at UW-Madison that will encourageinnovative research and development of new curriculum
materials in the alternative energy eld. The ultimate
objective is to use this new partnership as a foundation
for launching a new multidisciplinary research center
focused on integrating wind power and other renewable
energy sources into the electric utility grid.
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
18/36
16
www.engr.wisc.edu/ep
ENGINEERINGPHYSICS
16
The eyes have it: Analysis improves artificial lens design
D
uring cataract surgery, an
ophthalmologist generallyreplaces a cloudy lens with
an articial one thatin theoryshould
help a patient see more clearly.
Made of plastic, acrylic or silicone
and available in either exible or
rigid varieties, current articial lenses
arent designed to mimic natural lens
function. Consequently, patients
gain unobstructed vision but require
glasses to help them focus on objects
up close.The problem has bothered medical
doctor Gerald Clarke for some
time. Based in Appleton,
Wisconsin, Clarke and
colleagues own OptiVision Laser Centers and offer eye-care services, including
LASIK vision-correction and cataract surgeries, in three Wisconsin cities.About ve years ago, Clarke developed a biomimetic articial lens design, which
takes into account the way eye muscles control lens curvature to adjust focus. H
submitted a patent application for the design and asked ProfessorJames Blanchar
(left)and Researcher Carl Martin(right)to evaluate it before he prototypes it.
The two are conducting a nite-element analysis, but the process is anything
but straightforward. Optics researchers lack a clear understanding of eye muscle
forces, so Blanchard and Martin are applying assumed forces in their calculations
In addition, Clarkes design incorporates a silicone oil pocket in the center of a so
lens, and few researchers have experience in nite-element models of materials th
combine liquids and solids. Blanchard and Martin, however, recently applied simila
techniques in a study of safe nuclear reactor design.Although their analysis of Clarkes lens is still underway, Blanchards
and Martins initial calculations showed theres room for
improvement. Weve already made some design decisions
based on what theyve showed us, says Clarke.
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
19/36
Nuclear research and development earns major DOE support
Fusion researchers demonstrate self-organizing plasma
goes around the torus and one that goes
up, he says. The magnetic eld lines are
like a helixthey just spiral up from the
bottom of the machine to the top.Using the plasma torches, the group
injects current from below, along those
helical magnetic eld lines. The current
spirals up and hits the top of the machine.
Under appropriate conditions, it becomes
unstable and naturally collapses into a
lower-energy state. The lowest-energy
state under those conditions is a standard
tokamak plasma, says Fonck. So, the
plasma organizes itself into a tokamak,
which is a relatively complex system.
It stays that way until the group turns
off the current, he says.
The technique has become one of
the groups main focus areas. Locally, it
provides a path for the researchers to
deliver current to Pegasus and someday
achieve the high-pressure plasmas theyre
aiming for. Globally, the technique may
scale up to full-size reactors. Thats a big
deal in the international spherical tokamak
community, says Fonck.
The lens design,shown in two halves
reactors under development will operate much more efciently, but at the same time, must
withstand higher temperatures, pressures and radiation ranges. Research in these and
other areas lays the groundwork for building more efcient reactors over the next 20 years.
The Wisconsin Institute of Nuclear Systems and the faculty and staff involved in the
funded projects are uniquely positioned to provide both basic science and applied engineering
research studies for generation IV nuclear reactor technologies and their associated materials
and fuel cycle development, says Wisconsin Distinguished Professor Michael Corradini.
The research projects fall primarily under two DOE thrusts: the advanced fuel-cycle
initiative and next-generation nuclear plant/generation IV nuclear systems. The research
includes studies of nuclear fuels and fuel coatings, nuclear waste separation technology,
reactor analysis, reactor cooling technologies, advanced reactor concepts, and advanced
reactor materials.
Researchers involved in the projects include Associate Professor Todd Allen, Senior
Scientist Mark Anderson, Research Associate Guoping Cao, Materials Science & Engineering
Professor EmeritusY. Austin Chang, Professor Michael Corradini, ProfessorWendy Crone,
Assistant ProfessorDane Morgan(also materials science & engineering), Mechanical
Engineering Associate Professor Greg Nellis, Distinguished Research Professor Kumar
Sridharan, Assistant Professor Izabela Szlufarska(also materials science & engineering),
Adjunct Professor Tim Tautges, Associate Professor Paul Wilsonand Research Associate
Yong Yang.
When Steenbock Professor Ray Fonckandhis students built Pegasus, a tokamak-style, or donut-shaped, fusion science
experiment nearly 12 years ago, they hopedit would show the potential of a very-
low-aspect-ratio design that may allow
researchers to develop smaller fusion
systems in the future.
Now, they have demonstrated a
technique that enables them to start
Pegasus and create a stable plasma
without using a solenoid. Theres always
been a need to nd a way to start these
tokamak plasmas without inductive current
from a solenoid magnet down the center, and
to hold them together without inductive current
drive, says Fonck.
The researchers published details of their advance
in the June 5, 2009, issue ofPhysical Review Letters. They
refer to their method as lighting the match. The method, which
incorporates a plasma torch developed by UW-Madison physics
researchers, addresses limits on magnetic eld capacity in low-aspect-ratio tokamaks
and could scale up to some of the worlds largest tokamak experiments.
For its method, Foncks group turns on the magnetic eld that encircles Pegasus
around the long, toroidal direction. Next, the researchers turn on the vertical magnetic
eld that holds the plasma in placesomewhat like how a tire connes an inner tube.
And so you end up with a magnetic eld that spirals, because its got a component that
W ith more than $5 million in U.S.Department of Energy (DOE)funding, UW-Madison engineers are
leading 10 cutting-edge research projects
that will advance next-generation nuclear
energy technologies.
Under the Nuclear Energy University
Program, the DOE awarded three-year
funding to 71 projects at 31 U.S. universities.
In addition to their lead role on 10 projects,
UW-Madison engineers are collaborating
with Texas A&M University on two
other projects.
According to the DOE, advanced nuclear
technologies research and development is
key to addressing the global climate crisis
and moving the nation toward greater use
of nuclear energy.
Nuclear reactors are a near-zero-
carbon energy source. The advanced
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
20/36
18
www.engr.wisc.edu/epd
ENGINEERINGPROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT
Assessment will help international companytrain the ideal energy engineer
Founded nearly 125 years ago and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, JohnsonControls Inc. is a global leader in automotive interior systems, building efciency, andpower solutions. Also a global leader in energy efciency and sustainability, the company
has an aggressive growth strategy that calls for scores of specially trained energy
engineers. Yet, demand for these project development engineers far outpaces the current
and projected supply, says Suzanne Sherry, director for learning and development for the
Johnson Controls North America Building Efciency business. Compounding the shortage
of engineers is the dynamic state of engineering, she says. Rapidly changing technologies,
new methods and emerging discoveries require frequent retooling of the workforce.
With the companys professional education needs in mind, Sherry and her team
collaborated with Faculty Associate Tom Smithand Associate Faculty Associate
Carl Viethon a study that could increase Johnson Controls understanding of the ideal
energy engineers core knowledge, behaviors and skills.
Smith and Vieth conducted a needs assessment and identied eight key performance
attributes: personal effectiveness, academic preparation, technical knowledge, business
acumen, leadership, innovation, managing change, and ability to work globally. What
were providing is an independently validated model that Johnson Controls can use to
determine training needs, says Vieth, who is EPD director of corporate education.
The assessment results will provide Johnson Controls with a baseline of where the
entire project development engineer group currently resides in relation to the model
UW-Madison has constructed, says Sherry. Johnson Controls will collaborate with EPD
to design and develop a curriculum path to assist the project development engineer
organization in achieving its goals, she says.
ike giant owers with sleek, breeze-rufed petals, wind turbines have multiplied in recent years on landscapes across
the country. U.S. government leaders are committed to continuing that growth, pledging some $3 billion in July 2009 renewable-energy projects they hope will stimulate the economy and double alternative-energy production by 2012.
Wind power will play a major role in this expansion, and with its newly announced suite of wind-energy courses for engineers
utility employees, contractors and technicians, UW-Madison is poised to train the people who will design, site, build and maintai
wind farms. Theyre out there, theyre practicing, theyre shifting from other areas in engineering and construction into this
and they need the training, says Assistant ProfessorJames Tinjum(below, left).
With startup funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the new courses build on a successful existing offering that
largely covers electrical engineering aspects of wind energy. Assistant Faculty Associate Mitch Bradt(below, right) leads the
course Fundamentals of Wind Power Plant Design, which culminates with a tour of a Wisconsin wind farm.
He and Tinjum will develop and program the new courses. The rst, scheduled for November 2009, will cover civil engineerin
aspects of wind energy project design and construction. Featuring 16 national experts in areas ranging from engineering and
construction to law and government policy, the course will tackle wind energy from a broad range of perspectives.Designed for industry professionals, a second course will teach attendees how to evaluate and plan wind energy
sites, while a thirddelivered via webinarwill address wind farm and wind turbine operations and maintenance.
In addition, Tinjum and Civil and Environmental Engineering Assistant ProfessorJames Schneider
will develop and teach a three-credit, semester-long design course for undergraduate and
Wind courses fuel green economy
18
L
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
21/36
Capitalizing on technology: Multitude of courses
engages and educates distance learners
graduate students. The class capitalizes on Schneiders expertise in foundations and Tinjums
experience in civil design and will include guest lecturers discussing wind energy project design,
construction and operation.
Overall, the offerings highlight a growing area of expertise in wind energy at UW-Madison.Several electrical and computer engineering faculty also actively pursue wind-
related research and, in April 2009, entered into a long-term research, development
and educational partnership with leading wind-power technology company Vestas.
We are good at addressing the multidisciplinary aspects of wind energy, says Tinjum.
We cover all the bases.
At UW-Madison, a busy practicing engineer can receive the right distance educationin as little as a couple of hours or as long as a few years, with myriad options between.Building on several successful, internationally recognized distance-degree programs, the
department is increasing the number and variety of educational offerings for students in
Madison and around the world.
Were rapidly using some of our existing platforms and tools and reconguring those
into a more digitally friendly learning environment, says Associate Faculty Associate
Carl Vieth, director of corporate education. From what we hear from our customers, thats
going to be much more where we need to be. And it allows us to serve more people.
For the shortest educational time frame, one-hour webcast courses cover a specic
technical topic. Divided into a series of one- or two-hour sessions totaling about 20 hours,short courses at a distance explore a topic in more depth and combine webcast,
teleconferencing and videoconferencing technologies with self-directed readings and
problem-solving exercises.
Recorded in on-campus classrooms, credit courses at a distance mirror the structure
and ow of campus courses such as those in power engineering, polymer engineering or
biomedical engineering. Some 250 students annually enroll in credit courses at a distance,
which ll a particular educational need or combine into an entire degree program.
Celebrating its 10thanniversary in 2009, the Master of Engineering in Professional Practice
distance-degree program has received numerous national and international awards.
Nearly 250 students have graduated from this two-year program, which offers a blend of
technical and management expertise and prepares them for engineering leadership roles.
A 2009 United States Distance Learning Association best practice award recipient, the
Master of Engineering in Engine Systems is a three-year applied degree program for early-
to mid-career engineers who work in the internal-combustion engine industry. For more
than 30 years, students have studied technical Japanese through UW-Madison, and those
who enroll in the Master of Engineering in Technical Japanese distance-education program
can complete the degree at their own pace, from any location.
Vieth cites these programs success as evidence students can complete technically
rigorous courses online. He says distance opportunities will continue to play a key role
in educating students at all levels. I think the requirements of the current and future
economic environment will necessitate that not only EPD, but the campus, really think
about how to engage learners in different ways, using technology, he says. Were in
good shape here in EPD, looking forward.
-
5/22/2018 Coe Annual Report
22/36
20
INDUSTRIALANDSYSTEMSENGINEERING
Selling a product isnt the only way manufacturers can generate income. Many alsorely heavily on revenue from after-sale service plans, which are maintenance plansto prevent and x product malfunctions. After-sale service care can make up as much as
50 to 70 percent of a companys total revenue, and accurate tools to help manufacturers
develop appropriate maintenance schedules are crucial. Associate Professor Shiyu Zhou
is researching fundamental, cost-efcient methodologies for manufacturers to deliver
optimal after-sale service care to their customers.
Zhou has developed techniques for GE Healthcare to help the company conduct after-
sale service for complex medical equipment such as MRI or CT machines. These types
of machines generate data logs that record everything that happens, from turning on the
machine and taking an image to a critical failure in a specic mechanical component. Zhou,
in collaboration with University of Iowa Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Assistant
Professor Yong Chen, encodes the data from those logs into a mathematical model that
can predict a failure. The prediction allows maintenance technicians to either prevent the
failure or have a spare part on hand to quickly repair the machine when a failure occurs.
The specic model Zhou has developed is a kind of survival model, which is a statistical
technique widely used in reliability engineering. The model can quantitatively describe the
relationship between non-failure events, called benign events, and critical failure events
recorded in the lo