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Jobs/Internships

CRESST II Graduate Student Project Opportunities at NASA/GSFC

Graduate student projects are available in the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)  Astrophysics Science and Solar System Exploration Division through the Center for Research  and Exploration in Space Science and Technology II (CRESST II) (https://cresst2.umd.edu/). Three NASA sponsors are looking for six graduate students in the fields of astronomy,  astrophysics, physics, and engineering to work on research projects at NASA/GSFC. Interested  graduate students should review the available projects below and follow the instructions to apply. 

Project #1: Gravity Science from Spacecraft Orbit Determination 

The goal of this project is to advance our understanding of the methodology and applications of  the analysis of spacecraft tracking data through orbit determination. Existing tools and radio  tracking measurements acquired by NASA planetary missions will be analyzed to derive  geophysical parameters important to our understanding of planets, moons, and small bodies.  New or improved force and measurement models will be developed to test hypotheses from  recent publications in the literature. Simulation studies will also be performed to assess possible future instrument and mission concepts. The students will be introduced to recent studies at  GSFC, will take charge of a project with guidance, and will grow skills in state-of-the-art  analysis and estimation methods applied to planetary science. Successful candidates should have  some background and/or skills in physics, linear algebra, and programming languages (Python  and/or FORTRAN). 

​The candidates will work with Dr. Erwan Mazarico in the Planetary Geology, Geophysics, and  Geochemistry Laboratory at NASA/GSFC. Funding is available for two students to start work as  soon as May 1, 2021 and will last for a period of 1-2 years, dependent on future funding.  ​

Project #2: X-ray Studies of Normal Galaxies 

Projects are open for the use of Chandra, NuSTAR, XMM and/or other X-ray missions. The  project would involve doing X-ray data analysis to study point source populations (neutron stars  and black holes) as well as the hot interstellar medium in both nearby and distant galaxies. The  student would use both standard tools for X-ray data analysis as well as write code in e.g.,  Python and would be expected to write papers and make presentations on their work. The lab has a group of approximately six Ph.D. scientists working on a range of topics concerning X-ray  emission from normal galaxies. Successful candidates should be proficient with UNIX/LINUX,  computer coding (Python or other languages), writing in Latex, and a willingness to work in a  team.

​The candidate will work with Dr. Ann Hornschemeier in the X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory at  NASA/GSFC. The project is open to one student and the project start date, duration, and possible  funding will all be individually discussed between the candidate and Dr. Hornschemeier. ​

Project #3: Cosmology and Submillimeter Astrophysics 

Students with physics, astronomy, engineering, or computer science backgrounds can play a  major role for flight projects to develop instrumentation and analyze data from balloon-borne  measurements of the cosmic microwave background and the diffuse interstellar medium. Current 

and planned projects include the PIPER measurements of the cosmic microwave background,  AMEX measurements of anomalous microwave emission, Dust Buster measurements of  interstellar dust, and BOBCAT technology development for a future balloon-borne “Great  Observatory”. Successful candidates will have useful skills in some subset of instrumentation,  data analysis, cryogenics, and mechanical engineering, plus a strong desire for hands-on development of flight hardware. Previous students have had backgrounds in physics, astronomy,  or engineering. 

The candidates will work with Dr. Alan Kogut in the Observational Cosmology Laboratory at  NASA/GSFC. The project is open to three students and the project start date, duration, and  possible funding will all be individually discussed between the candidate and Dr. Kogut. 

Instructions to Apply 

Applications will be reviewed, and positions will be filled on a rolling basis. Submitting your  application promptly will ensure your application is reviewed while the position is still open. Restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may require that the successful candidate  work remotely, at least initially. To apply, submit the following materials via email to the  CRESST II Program Associate, Katherine McKee (katherine.s.mckee@nasa.gov): 

• Curriculum Vitae 
• 1–2-page Statement of Research Interests 

For additional information about CRESST II and the graduate student opportunities, contact Katherine McKee.​

Categories
Announcements Defenses

Thesis Defense – Haafiz Husker

Title: INFLATABLE ACOUSTIC METAMATERIAL

Author: Haafiz Husker

Committee Members:
Dr. Amr Baz (Adviser – Chair)
Dr. Balakumar Balachandran
Dr. Hosam Fathy

Exam Time:  May 20, 2021 (Thursday) at 9:30AM

Abstract: Acoustic metamaterials thus far have been either passive or employed stacking to produce wide range of results. With the advent of advanced additive manufacturing techniques, the ability to create novel metamaterials have increased. Usually these Acoustic Meta Material are passive like in case of Membrane-type and Plate-type metamaterials. They are usually thin membranes or plates consisting of periodic unit cells with added masses. Numerous studies have shown these metamaterials exhibit tunable anti resonances with transmission loss greater than their corresponding mass-law. In these studies, the tunability is usually produces with complex electrical architecture and furthermore, in most of the investigations it is assumed that the unit cell edges of the metamaterial are fixed.

In this study, an innovative method is explored to create an active metamaterial that can be easily tunned. The proposed method distinguishes itself from past contributions by employs a unique unit cell design that is fabricated via advanced additive manufacturing to create a meta-material that exhibits negative Poison’sratio with adjustable unit cell edges for greater transmission loss than its mass-law would otherwise suggest. The membrane like Meta-material is tuned by inflating itself with pressurized air. The pressurization leads to large non-linear deformation and geometric stiffing in the membrane apart from adding mass by expanding its elastic unit cell edges. Which is exploited to adjust the eigen-modes and sound loss of the structure.

The veracity of this proposed design is then investigated analytically and experimentally. The metamaterial is manufactured using elastic material called Agilus- 30 via Multi-jet Manufacturing and is tested in an impedance tube to see its trans- mission loss. Finite elemental analysis is done to reduce the computational effort in creating an analytical model. The finite element analysis is compared with the experimental results to arrive at a consensus. The proposed metamaterial is then tested in real life application by conducting frequency response on a headphone with the IAMM installed to truly understand, the performance of such a setup. The results of these tests indicate the range of performance across low and high frequency as well as the versatility of the metamaterial to be adapted into any size as per the                                               requirement.

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Announcements Defenses

Thesis Defense – Hyun Seop Lee

Title: Temperature Dependent Characterization of Polymers for Accurate Prediction of Stresses in Electronic Packages

Author: Hyun Seop Lee

Date/Time : May 18, 1~3 pm

Committee members:
Prof. Bongtae Han (Chair)
Prof. Abhijit Dasgupta
Prof. Patrick McCluskey
Prof. Peter Sandborn
Prof. Sung W. Lee (Dean’s representative)

Abstract: Epoxy molding compound (EMC) is a thermosetting polymer filled with inorganic fillers such as fused silica.  EMC has been used extensively as a protection layer in various semiconductor packages.  The warpage and the residual stress of packages are directly related to the thermomechanical properties of EMC.  As the size of semiconductor packages continues to shrink, prediction of the warpage and residual stress becomes increasingly important.  The viscoelastic properties of EMC are the most critical input data required for accurate prediction.  In spite of the considerable effort devoted to warpage prediction, accurate prediction of warpage remains a challenging task.  One of the critical reasons is the inappropriate assumption about the bulk modulus – time and temperature “independent” bulk modulus, which is not valid at high temperatures.  

In this thesis, a novel experimental method, based on an embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor, is developed, and implemented to measure a complete set of linear viscoelastic properties of EMC just from a single configuration.  A single cylindrical EMC specimen is fabricated, and it is subjected to constant uniaxial compression and hydrostatic pressure at various temperatures.  Two major developments to accommodate the unique requirements of EMC testing include: (1) a large mold pressure for specimen fabrication; and (2) a high gas pressure for hydrostatic testing while minimizing a temperature rise.  The FBG embedded in the specimen records strain histories as a function of time.  Two linear viscoelastic properties, Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio, are first determined from the strain histories, and the other two elastic properties, Shear modulus and Bulk modulus, are calculated from the relationship among the constants.  The master curves are produced, and the corresponding shift factors are determined.  Validity of three major assumptions associated with the linear viscoelasticity – thermorheological simplicity, Boltzmann superposition and linearity – are verified by supplementary experiments.  The effect of the time-dependent bulk modulus on thermal stress analysis is also discussed.

Categories
Jobs/Internships

Faculty Vacancies at PolyTechnic Universities

It gives me great pleasure to present you the next issue of our academic newsletter which includes open faculty and research positions in engineering and technology, ranging from senior executive roles through to academic posts and research related positions, from polytechnic universities worldwide. You can view the full listings on PolytechnicPositions.com


Associate/Assistant Professor of Cyber Security/Electronic and Computer Engineering

The Open University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Postdoctoral Scholar in Hydrodynamic Modelling and Wave Energy Technology

Oregon State University

United States

Lecturer/Assistant Lecturer in Environmental Science

The Open University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Researcher in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Soft Condensed Matter and Polymer Physics

Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V.

Germany

Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering

McMaster University

Canada

Professor in Analytical Chemistry

Ramon Llull University IQS School of Engineering

Spain

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor (Tenure Track) in Industrial Informatics for Energy System Disruption

LUT University

Finland

Professor in Environmental and Chemical Engineering

Ramon Llull University IQS School of Engineering

Spain

Professor in Mathematics

Ramon Llull University IQS School of Engineering

Spain

Professor in Materials Science and Engineering

Ramon Llull University IQS School of Engineering

Spain

Categories
Announcements Defenses

Dissertation Defense – Jonathan Kordell

Title: Parametric Design and Experimental Validation of Conjugate Stress Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring

Author: Jonathan Kordell

Date/Time: Date/Time – May 13, 2021 at 10am EDT

Examining Committee:
Dr. Abhijit Dasgupta
Dr. Miao Yu
Dr. Bongtae Han
Dr. Amr Baz
Dr. Hugh Bruck
Dr. Inderjit Chopra

Abstract:
In this dissertation, conjugate stress (CS) sensing is advanced through a parametric evaluation of a surface-mounted design and through experimental validation in monotonic and cyclic tensile tests. The CS sensing concept uses a pair of sensors of significantly different mechanical stiffness for direct query of the instantaneous local stress-strain relationship in the host structure, thus offering measurement of important health indicators such as stiffness (modulus), yield strength, strain hardening, and cyclic hysteresis. In this study, surface-mounted CS sensor designs are parametrically evaluated with finite element modeling, with respect to the sensors’ location, thickness, and modulus and the external loading state. An analytic pin-force model is developed to infer the host structure’s stress-strain state, based on the strain outputs of the CS sensor-pair.  Two CS sensor designs are fabricated – the first employs resistive foil strain gauges and the second employs fiber optic sensors – and paired with the pin-force model for experimental demonstration of the measurement of: (i) stress-strain history of three different metal bars (aluminum, copper, and steel) as they experience monotonic tensile loads well into plasticity and (ii) stress-strain hysteresis of a steel bar as it is subject to cyclic tensile fatigue. In the cyclic tests, two machine learning algorithms – anomaly detection and neural net classification – are used in conjunction with the estimated host stiffness from the CS sensor and pin force model to predict the failure time of the steel beams.

Categories
Announcements Defenses

Dissertation Defense – Seyed Fouad Karimian

Title: THERMODYNAMIC AND INFORMATION ENTROPY-BASED PREDICTION  AND DETECTION OF FATIGUE FAILURES IN METALLIC AND COMPOSITE  MATERIALS USING ACOUSTIC EMISSION AND DIGITAL IMAGE  CORRELATION

Author: Seyed Fouad Karimian

Date: Thursday, May 6th, 2:00 – 4:00 PM. 

Zoom Link: https://umd.zoom.us/j/9968970907

Examining Committee:
Professor Mohammad Modarres, Advisor and Chair  
Professor Hugh Bruck, Co-Advisor 
Professor Aris Christou 
Professor Abhijit Dasgupta 
Professor Katrina Groth 
Professor Norman Wereley, Dean’s Representative

Abstract:
Although assumed to be identical, manufactured components always present some  variability in their performance while in service. This variability can be seen in their  degradation path and time to failure as they are tested under identical conditions. In  engineering structures and some components, fatigue is among the most common  degradation mechanisms and has been under extensive study over the past century. A  common characteristic of the fatigue life models is to rely on some observable or  measurable markers of damage, such as crack length or modulus reduction. However, these  markers become more pronounced and detectable toward the end of the component or  structure’s life. Therefore, more advanced techniques would be needed to better account for a structure’s fatigue degradation. Several methods based on non-destructive testing  techniques have developed over the past decades to decrease the uncertainty in fatigue  degradation assessments. These methods seek to exploit the data collected by sensors  during the operational life of a structure or component. Hence, the assessment of the health  state can be constantly updated based on the operational conditions that allow for  condition-based monitoring and maintenance. However, these methods are mostly context dependent and limited to specific experimental conditions. Therefore, a method to  effectively characterize and measure fatigue damage evolution at multiple length scales  based on the fundamental concept of entropy is studied in this dissertation. The two  entropic-based indices used are: Thermodynamic entropy, and, Information entropy. 

The objectives of this dissertation are to develop new methods for fatigue damage detection  and failure prediction in metallic and FRP laminated composite materials by using AE and  DIC techniques and converting them to information and thermodynamic entropy gains  caused by fatigue damage.  

1. Develop and experimentally validate fatigue damage detection, failure prediction,  and prognosis approaches based on the information entropy of AE signal waveforms  in both metallic and FRP laminated composite materials. 

2. Develop and experimentally validate fatigue damage detection, failure prediction,  and prognosis approaches based on thermodynamic entropy using the DIC technique  in both metallic and FRP laminated composite materials. 

3. Develop a framework for RUL estimation of metallic and FRP laminated composite  structures based on the two entropic measures.

Categories
Announcements Graduate Office Workshops, Seminars, & Events

Spring 2021 Virtual Award Ceremony

On Thursday, April 29, the Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate Office hosted an online event celebrating the many achievements and successes of M.S. and Ph.D. students in mechanical and reliability engineering.

2021 GRADUATE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Ruben Acevedo
Outstanding Student Paper Award, IEEE Conference on Micro-electronics Mechanical Systems

Etha Ankit
Outstanding Graduate Assistant (GA) & Clark School Future Faculty Award
Advisor: Siddhartha Das

Dushyant Chaudhari
Departmental 3-Minute Thesis Winner
Advisor: Stanislov Stoliarov

Rishabh Chaudhary
STLE Philadelphia Section Scholarship & IPC Student Member Scholarship

Shao-Peng Chen
Best Teaching Assistant (TA) for a Class Under 100 | ENME 464

Sergio Cofre-Martel
1st Place Graduate Student Winner – 2020 SER2AD
Student Safety Challenge
Advisor: Mohammad Modarres & Enrique Lopez Droguett

Camila Julian Correa
Willie M. Webb Reliability Engineering 2020 Summer Fellowship

Abhishek Deshpande
Ph.D. fellowship from IEEE’s Electronics Packaging Society (EPS)
Advisor: Abhijit Dasgupta

Weiping Diao
Outstanding Graduate Assistant (GA) & the Anne Wyle Dissertation Fellowship
Advisor: Michael Pecht

Sara Honavar
Inaugural Amazon Lab126 Ph.D. Robotics Fellowship Recipient
Best Teaching Assistant (TA) for a Class Under 100 | ENME444
Advisor: Yancy-Diaz Mercado

Chien-Ming Huang
Best Teaching Assistant (TA) for a Class Under 100, Runner Up | ENME 462
Advisor: Eleanora Tubaldi

MD Turash Haque Pial
Clark School Future Faculty Award

Keshav Rajasekaranv
Best TA – Runner Up – ENME 361
Advisor: Miao Yu

Keshav Rajasekaran
Best Teaching Assistant (TA) for a Class Over 100 | ENME 361

Suraj Ravimanalan
IPC Student Member Scholarship & UMD ISSS Roberta Ma Scholarship

Rishi Roy
Best Teaching Assistant (TA) Runner-Up | ENME 331

Harnoor Singh Sachar
Finalist for the Padden Award
Symposium of the Division of Polymer Physics of the American Physical Society
Advisor: Siddhartha Das

Gyeong Sung Kim
Link Foundation Fellowship, Solar-thermal Desalination PrizeSuraj Ruval
Best Teaching Assistant (TA) for a Class over 100 – ENME350
Advisor: Amr Baz

Ali Tivay
Outstanding Graduate Research Assistant  
Advisor: Jin-Oh Hahn

Chu Xu
Best Student Paper, ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conferecne
Advisor: Hosam Fathy,

Rui Xu
Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
Advisor: Arnaud Trouve

Categories
Defenses

Thesis Defense – Aishwarya Prashant Gaonkar

Title: ASSESSMENT OF THE  FIDES RELIABILITY PREDICTION METHODOLOGY

Author: Aishwarya Prashant Gaonkar

Advisory Committee:
Professor Michael G. Pecht
Professor Peter Sandborn
Professor Patrick McCluskey
Professor Diganta Das

Date/Time: Wednesday, April 21 9:00-11:00AM

Abstract: The FIDES Guide is a reliability prediction handbook published by a group of European defense and aerospace manufacturers under the supervision of the French Ministry of Defense. FIDES assumes the
hazard rates of electronic systems follow a bathtub curve, and only predicts reliability for the useful life
period using a constant failure rate metric. The inapplicability of the bathtub model to predict the hazard
rate of electronic components, products, and systems is examined. The appropriateness of FIDES model
factors as inputs to a reliability prediction is assessed. It is shown that FIDES uses inappropriate
reliability prediction metric and combines reliability prediction with supply chain risk assessment. The
claim of FIDES being based on the physics-of-failure is assessed and shown to be false. FIDES guide is
evaluated using the questionnaire provided by the IEEE Standard 1413 and it is shown that FIDES lacks
the key attributes that make a reliability prediction useful and accurate.

Categories
Defenses

Dissertation Defense – Ruben Acevedo

Title: INVESTIGATING FLUIDIC ENHANCEMENTS FOR SOFT ROBOTIC APPLICATIONS

Author: Ruben Acevedo

List of Committee Members:
Professor Ryan D. Sochol, Chair/ Advisor
Professor Hugh A. Bruck
Professor Miao Yu
Professor Don DeVoe
Professor Peter Kofinas, Dean’s Representative

Day/Time: Wednesday April 14 @ 1:00 pm

Abstract: Over the past decade, the field of soft robotics has established itself as uniquely suited for applications that would be difficult or impossible to realize using traditional, rigid robots. However, soft robotic systems suffer from two limitations: (i) the inability for soft robots to withstand and transfer high forces and (ii) the tyranny of interconnects for in which each individual fluidic soft actuator either requires its own power source or for the input fluid to be regulated by external electronic valves. In this dissertation, we investigated how to fluidically enhance soft robotic systems to reduce their inherent limitations through the use of negative pressure via layer jamming for programmable variable stiffness and fluidic control via microfluidic circuitry. More specifically, we investigate the use of layer jamming to enhance soft robotic capabilities in (i) a multifunctional sail, (ii) a soft/rigid hybrid robot, and (iii) a multimode actuator and studied the effects layer decohesion has on the mechanical response of layer jamming composites. We also investigated the efficacy of a PolyJet multi-material additive manufacturing strategy to fabricate complete soft robots with fully integrated microfluidic circuitry components such as microfluidic diodes, capacitors, and transistors under three fluidic analogues of conventional electronic signals: (i) constant-flow (i.e., “direct current (DC)”) input conditions, (ii) “alternating current (AC)”-inspired sinusoidal conditions, and (iii) a preprogrammed aperiodic (“variable current”) input. Having fluidically enhanced soft robotic systems will eliminate the need for electronic valves and processors while enable the capability of withstanding and transferring forces found in normal day to day activities, to accelerate their adaptation into mainstream applications. The work to reduce the inherent disadvantages of soft robotic systems offers unique promise to enable new classes of soft robots.

Categories
Fellowships & Scholarships Jobs/Internships

U.S. FDA/CDRH Full-Time Summer Engineering Internship Opportunity, Silver Spring, MD

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Division of Applied Mechanics (DAM) in the Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories (OSEL) is seeking a graduate Material, Mechanical, and/or Biomedical Engineering student (Masters level or above) for a paid research opportunity.  The student will work with the Additive Manufacturing (AM) Program team.  Research will focus on AM lattice performance and/or Topology Optimization (TO) for AM.  

The student’s responsibilities may include:

  • Designing samples and fixtures.
  • Fabricating samples and fixtures.
  • Conducting Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations.
  • Exploring TO workflows.
  • Conducting experiments (includes using a high capacity load frame).
  • Analyzing data.
  • Imaging specimens.

Prior experience with laboratory work, AM, FEA, optimization theory, operation of load frames, and porous materials is preferable. The student should have hands-on experience in mechanical testing and a good working knowledge of mechanics of materials.  The student will work in the U.S. FDA’s Silver Spring, MD campus.
Please e-mail cover letter and resume to Dr. Daniel Porter (Daniel.Porter@fda.hhs.gov)