Graduate Students

Working towards decarbonization with the power of ammonia

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 01:34:39 +0000

Working towards decarbonization with the power of ammonia Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/24/2024 - 19:34

Jatinder Sampathkumar

Jatinder Sampathkumar is a PhD graduate from Mechanical Engineering and is currently working on new renewable energy technologies at Amogy.

Jatinder Sampathkumar

Tell us about your current role. What are you working on?

I am a senior systems engineer at Amogy, where I facilitate collaboration between the research and development (R&D) and product development teams. I’m part of the team responsible for designing, packaging, manufacturing, testing and integrating our product's hardware elements. I collaborate closely with our customers to understand their specific needs and interface with certification and regulatory bodies to ensure our products meet safety standards and help shape new regulations for ammonia-powered systems.

What makes ammonia interesting as an energy source?

Ammonia, a century-old chemical produced from hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen, has traditionally served as a fertilizer precursor. It has a superior energy density compared to hydrogen and existing battery chemistries and can provide a carbon-neutral solution for transporting and storing clean energy. Technological advancements including efficient ammonia cracking, direct ammonia propulsion and hybrid fuel blends have opened new avenues for its use in transportation. The existing infrastructure, public familiarity and technological maturity of ammonia from its agricultural applications also contribute to its potential as an energy source.

What kinds of applications are a good fit for Amogy's technology? Where do you see it making an impact?

Currently, the shipping industry is responsible for 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions through its annual consumption of 300 million tons of fossil fuels, making it a key focus area for Amogy's products. Amogy recently sailed the world's first carbon-free, ammonia-powered vessel, marking an important step in demonstrating the capabilities of carbon-free sustainable solutions. Our technology can also be easily adapted for electricity generation in other sectors, such as stationary power generation for critical infrastructure sites, off-grid or remote locations and port-side applications.

How does what you do now connect back to your work as a PhD student?

My research with the Labbe and Boulder Experimental Electronics and Manufacturing (BEEM) labs focused on designing and manufacturing miniature flow devices for evaluating sustainable fuel candidates at the molecular level. I dedicated significant time to applying core mechanical engineering principles to enhance existing experiments that assess the chemical behavior of these fuels. I continue to apply this expertise at Amogy, where we translate experimental findings and theoretical models into practical product capabilities. My experience in the graduate design program has also been instrumental in equipping me with the tools to tackle design challenges from a user-centric perspective. It has emphasized the importance of iterative design as we move from ideation to the operational deployment of products.

What advice do you have for students interested in working on new, more sustainable energy sources?

Sustainable energy development is an urgent global priority, particularly as we strive to combat climate change and diversify our energy sources. One of the most essential skills to cultivate is curiosity. Staying informed about the rapidly evolving energy landscape is crucial. Understanding which technologies are being explored and identifying key sectors for diversification can drive meaningful progress. Engaging in interdisciplinary learning is also vital, as creating sustainable solutions requires collaboration among individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Jatinder Sampathkumar is a PhD graduate from Mechanical Engineering and is currently working on new renewable energy technologies at Amogy.

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Interning with NASA

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2024 19:54:30 +0000

Interning with NASA Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/08/2024 - 13:54

Tyler Huebsch

Tyler Huebsch is a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering. He completed an internship with the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions team at NASA.

Tyler Huebsch

Where did you intern and what was exciting for you about that opportunity?

I interned part-time for NASA during the spring of 2024. I worked on their Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) team which focuses on identifying new solutions to particularly wicked problems. Wicked problems involve complex, interconnected, and contradictory stakeholders that become difficult or impossible to solve when trying to address every requirement. The specific area of research I focused on was powering sustainable airports in 2075.

I was excited to be a part of a speculative research project. Speculative research and design are processes that uncover alternative approaches to solving future problems. This type of research allowed me to think creatively and reimagine my preconceived idea of research while still pulling technical information from my engineering background.

What kinds of projects have you had a chance to work on during your internship?

I mainly worked on the “Powering Sustainable Airports in 2075” project focusing on powering air-side airport infrastructure and the human factors that will drive the infrastructure changes of the future. These opportunities are helping NASA build a hydrogen coalition that will determine a framework for carbon-free, sustainable power generation at airports.

My research analyzed the fuels and energy generation technologies that will be powering aircraft and airports. The energy dependence airports had on the aircraft revealed opportunities like on-site power generation, carbon-free fuel analyses, and a decentralized airport energy system.

Was there a particular challenge you encountered that really pushed you to learn something new?

I had to learn how to solve problems from a more creative lens. In school, I solved problems that were very well-defined and laden with technical material. The problems we were solving in my internship were inherently wicked and had undefined future states. This internship forced me to step out of my comfort zone to solve problems. I learned techniques like backcasting, data storytelling, wicked problem-solving, and lateral thinking. Going forward, I will be able to apply these new tools to future problems and projects.

What advice do you have for other students interested in pursuing a similar opportunity?

Don’t be afraid to apply to any job posting that you find interests you! I never could have imagined myself working at NASA simply because I didn’t have a degree in Aerospace. Even after I got the job offer, I felt I wasn’t qualified enough to work there. After a few weeks, I realized that I was selected for a reason and was able to contribute every day to the team. Even if you don’t meet every qualification on a job posting, still be sure to put your resume in the mix. It could lead to an incredible opportunity for you!

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PhD students earn top National Science Foundation fellowships

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 22:51:12 +0000

PhD students earn top National Science Foundation fellowships Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 04/24/2024 - 16:51

Jeff Zehnder

The National Science Foundation has bestowed three prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards to University of Colorado Boulder mechanical engineering graduate students.

The national awards recognize and support outstanding grad students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees.

PhD students Reegan Ketzenberger, Caleb Song, and Jennifer Wu are each receiving the honor for 2024. Find out more about their research below.

Awardees receive a $37,000 annual stipend and cost of education allowance for the next three years as well as professional development opportunities.

Two mechanical engineering PhD students, Alex Hedrick and Carly Rowe, also received honorable mentions from the National Science Foundation program.

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Q&A with November graduate students of the month Samuel Lamont & Amiy Yadav

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 15:28:05 +0000

Q&A with November graduate students of the month Samuel Lamont & Amiy Yadav Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/30/2023 - 08:28

The Kenneth Johnsen Graduate Student of the Month awards recognize outstanding students who excel academically and are an exemplar for the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Samuel Lamont

What is your hometown?

My hometown is called Bristol and is located in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York.

What schools have you attended?

I did my undergraduate education at SUNY Binghamton and spent 10 months at École Polytechnique in Palaiseau, France, during the fourth year of my PhD.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy cooking, hiking, and playing games, but I prefer to spend most of my free time rock climbing with my friends

Can you tell me a little bit about your research?

I study the unique mechanical behaviors of dynamic polymer networks. These are ubiquitous in both biological and engineering materials and their dynamic nature is commonly leveraged to enable “smart” functionalities such as self-healing, high extensibility, and time-dependent response. My research involves developing theoretical models that connect the micro-topology of these networks to their emergent behavior.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Certainly pursuing research in the field of theoretical solid mechanics. Wherever that research takes me, in terms of location and position, is much more difficult to predict.

What is your favorite thing about attending CU Boulder for your graduate degree?

Easy access to the mountains!

Is there anything else we should know about you?

As the youngest of six children, I have always had a competitive spirit. Those around me know that I am always up to be challenged to a game of cards, pool, or chess (or anything else, really!).

Amiy Yadav

What is your hometown?

My hometown is in Lucknow, India.

What schools have you attended?

I did my undergraduate in bachelor’s of technology in mechatronics engineering from the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to hike in my free time. Or go for a run when there is time restrictions. I really like to do nature photography as well, which coincides with my hiking activities.

Can you tell me a little bit about your research?

Currently, I’m program assistant for senior design. I don’t have a research topic yet.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would love to start business for automated medical equipment or be in a higher ranks in a research and development department of a robotic surgery team.

What is your favorite thing about attending CU Boulder for your graduate degree?

My favorite thing about CU Boulder is the people. I’ve met such amazing group of wonderful individuals especially the professors who guided and supported me to the highest capabilities throughout my program.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

I’m currently trying to hone my entrepreneurial skills which would advocate me in starting a new business.

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Faculty, staff and students celebrate diversity at the ME Fall Festival

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:17:27 +0000

Faculty, staff and students celebrate diversity at the ME Fall Festival Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/16/2023 - 09:17

Michael Lock Swingen

The Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering hosted its third-annual ME Fall Festival on Oct. 12. The event, sponsored by the department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Working Group, celebrates the diversity of cultures within the department.

ME faculty, staff and students gathered to share their own traditions, learn about their peers’ backgrounds and build community. The event also highlighted the holidays and observances that student groups and faculty recognize during the fall season.

Janet Tsai, associate teaching professor and chair of the DEI Working Group, explained the origins of the ME Fall Festival.

"The ME Fall Festival was inspired by the idea that there are lots of ways our students, staff and faculty mark the Fall season from Diwali and the Mid-Autumn Festival to Día de los Muertos and Halloween," Tsai said. "Timing the Fall Festival close to Indigenous People's Day also offers a chance to discuss CU Boulder's Land Acknowledgment and reconcile our local history with our current campus. The ME DEI Working Group has sponsored the Fall Festival for three years now, and it has become a highlight of our Fall semester here in Mechanical Engineering."

“After the summer of 2020, a lot of members of our department felt like we should be doing more in the area of diversity and inclusion,” said Tsai. “It was just people who wanted to start talking more and really trying to think about how we can make our department more welcoming and hospitable to everybody.”

The event had a land acknowledgment poster placed in the courtyard where the event was held and included a statement from the Center of Native American and Indigenous Studies suggesting action to address continuing inequities.

“These are great conversations for us to be having to make sure that people don't just read the land acknowledgement and feel like they're done, but actually try to engage,” said Tsai.

Event attendees participated in activities and games, including a raffle with a chance to win prizes and a cricket station where you could practice batting, which was hosted by The American Association of Engineers of Indian Origin (AAEIO). There was also homemade salsa made by lecturer Carmen Pacheco-Borden’s company Carmen’s Salsa, as well as coffee made from beans from around the world and brewed by students in the Design of Coffee course.

The ME Fall Festival offered student affinity groups an opportunity to increase their visibility across the department. Here’s what students had to say about their experiences in these organizations:

Jerry Nguyen, The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE): “Our main goal is to build community with Asian scientists and engineers. But we also offer professional development opportunities. Students get to go to national conferences and meet other people from other chapters and employers from all over the world. We also invite employers to our club meetings to talk to students and do professional development.”

Angelina Miller, Women of Aeronautics & Astronautics (WoAA) : “The club was created in spring of 2019 and was basically designed to help marginalized genders in the aerospace community to find a place where they can help meet other people and bring more of a community to them so that they don't feel alone. And we also try to offer a bunch of professional and technical opportunities for them to grow.”

--Pradyumna Rao, The American Association of Engineers of Indian Origin (AAEIO): “When I arrived in the United States from India, I made some mistakes as an undergraduate that I felt were unnecessary. With a little bit of guidance, with a little bit of support, I felt like I could have made more out of my academic experience. Our organization's aim is quite simple. We want to make sure that our members, when they come here, they can make the most inside the classroom as well as outside.”

--Isaac Chavarria,The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE): “We’re trying to help Hispanics have a connection to the professional world through either older students, alumni or professors. It’s proven that having a community helps you do better in school. Being able to offer that to other Hispanics and being the person who guides this society is such a blessing.”

The ME Fall Festival, sponsored by the department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Working Group, celebrates the diversity of cultures within the department.

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Teamwork leads CU Boulder Racing Team to victory at Formula SAE

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:53:04 +0000

Teamwork leads CU Boulder Racing Team to victory at Formula SAE Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/24/2023 - 09:53

Michael Lock Swingen

The CU Boulder Racing Team recently competed in the Formula SAE student design competition, rising above 101 other university teams from across the world to come in 20^th overall.

Put on by the Society of Automotive Engineers, the FSAE competition challenges students to design, build and race a car, all while adhering to a strict set of rules and guidelines that encourages them to create unique and innovative designs within those constraints.

Few expected that the CU Boulder Racing Team, which includes more than 80 members who range from first-year to PhD students, would distinguish themselves this year, since the team was revived just three years ago after a long hiatus.

“Although we’re a new team, we are doing things the right way,” said Project Manager Joshua Hansen, “and trying to the push our university’s name in the right direction in what is a great worldwide competition.”

The four-day competition, which took place this year at the Michigan International Speedway, is a whirlwind event.

The competition is divided into two broad categories: dynamic events and static events. Static events involve technical inspections, presentations and design review, while the dynamic events involve skidpad, acceleration, autocross and endurance tests and races.

“You go from driving the car as fast as you possibly can, and then in 20 minutes, you’re in a design presentation, talking to a judge that knows way more than you do and getting grilled on your engineering decision-making,” Hansen laughed.

And the faster you get through one section or test of the competition, the quicker you can prepare for the next. In other words, time is of the essence.

Watch video of CU Boulder Racing Team's car CB3 in action.

After being one of the first teams to pass the static technical inspection that confirms a car is safe and compliant with the rules and regulations, the CU Boulder Racing Team fueled up their car and brought it to the tilt test. There, judges strapped down their car onto a moveable platform and tilted it at a 45-degree and then at a 65-degree angle, all while a driver was strapped into the seat.

As the judges checked the car for fuel leaks, the test also assessed the weight distribution and center of gravity of the car, verifying that it would not tip over until a specified angle of tilt is reached by the platform.

After that, the team moved on to noise inspection. According to FSAE rules and regulations, every car must be under 98 decibels at idle and under 110 decibels at two-thirds the car’s maximum speed.

At first inspection, the team failed the test. Every team has multiple attempts to pass a test, but it also means the team is slowed down and lacks time and preparation for other parts of the competition.

As the team wheeled their car over to their business presentation, Hansen had one of his team members take the muffler off the car, run it back to the paddock, repack it with fiberglass to dampen the sound, run it back to the business presentation and reinstall it on the car. After the business presentation, the team then wheeled the car back to the noise inspection and passed.

“It’s inspiring to have a team dynamic where everyone is dedicated to having the car perform at its best,” Hansen said.

With so many moving parts, Hansen said clear communication and teamwork were essential to the design and manufacturing processes of building the race car.

“For example, there can be 50-60 people working on the race car at any given time during the manufacturing process,” Hansen said. “It was important that we stayed organized throughout the entire process.”

The design of the race car was organized into three different sections: chassis, powertrain and aerodynamics. If the chassis is the skeleton, the powertrain is musculature system that includes the engine and any component that converts the engine’s power into movement.

Since the FSAE rules and regulations require all engines be under 710 cubic centimeters, every race car uses a motorcycle engine, with most teams using a one- or four-cylinder engine, depending on each team’s strategy on the power/weight ratio of their vehicle.

“Our car is unique because it uses a two-cylinder engine,” Chief Engineer Kayla Ployhar said. “With a two-cylinder, we can see torque across more of the RPM range of the car, while using less fuel at the same time.”

Their strategy paid off during the dynamic events of the competition. “For the acceleration race, we placed 15^th out of 121 teams,” Ployhar said. “That definitely proved our theory that we struck the right balance between having a light engine while still having a high amount of power.”

The team also placed 7^th in efficiency, 25^th in the endurance competition and 45^th in autocross.

“It blew me away how well the team did this year,” Faculty Adviser Jeff Knutsen said. “It made me proud that it was my school.”

For next year, the team hopes to develop an aerodynamics package for the car, while streamlining their design and manufacturing process as well. They also plan to lease an industrial space in Boulder that can house their shop and serve as their place of operations.

“I come from the older days of the team when our goals were just trying to qualify at the competition,” Ployhar. “It’s so exciting to see us go from that to being competitive.”

“You can never build the perfect car,” Hansen said. “But it’s that pursuit of perfection that makes it worthwhile.”

The CU Boulder Racing Team recently competed in the Formula SAE student design competition, rising above 101 other university teams from across the world to come in 20th overall.

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CU Boulder to offer new degree programs in robotics

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 20:43:24 +0000

CU Boulder to offer new degree programs in robotics Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/17/2023 - 14:43

The University of Colorado Boulder will offer a master’s and doctorate program in robotics starting in the fall to meet the growing demand of students and the industry.

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Western’s Rady school expands its programming

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 19:42:27 +0000

Western’s Rady school expands its programming Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/10/2023 - 13:42

Western Colorado University (WCU) is making strides in its engineering and outdoor industry programs, which local tourism and economic development experts think could make way for an economic boost for the Gunnison Valley and for the university.

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Mechanical Engineering Spring 2023 Graduation Ceremony

Anonymous — Mon, 08 May 2023 21:39:29 +0000

Mechanical Engineering Spring 2023 Graduation Ceremony Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/08/2023 - 15:39

Congratulations to all of the spring 2023 mechanical engineering graduates! Miss the ceremony? Watch the video recording here.

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Faces of Engaged Scholarship: Aniya Khalili

Anonymous — Mon, 01 May 2023 21:07:34 +0000

Faces of Engaged Scholarship: Aniya Khalili Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/01/2023 - 15:07

PhD student Aniya Khalili was looking for a research lab that would match her values. She found that match in 2019 with Professor Shelly Miller and was introduced to the practice of community-engaged scholarship.

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