COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & SCIENCE

In this project, we will perform various studies to develop novel square wave voltammetry (SWV) waveforms with optimized operating parameters (e.g., pulse height, pulse width, pulse frequency, scan rate, initial/final potential) and pre-concentration voltage/time. We will utilize the data obtained from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for multi-layer graphene electrodes to estimate the frequency of the square waveforms.  We will determine the frequencies at which impedance is minimum (i.e., a high detection current signal) and apply them to determine the operational frequency of the pulses for which we can obtain the highest sensitivity for each heavy metal. Also, we will use multivariate analysis and Pearson’s correlation function to evaluate the nanocomposite network coatings for sensor performance.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are nanomaterials that are smaller than 5 nanometers that can emit light. They are the next generation of optical probes for imaging and sensing applications because of their superior photostability, no known chemical toxicity, and excellent environmental sustainability. With tunable surface functionalization, CQDs have shown promise in sensing heavy metal ions from environmental and biological samples. The summer student will learn how to synthesize CQDs and tune their photoluminescence color by varying the synthesis methods or solvents and coating materials. The student will also learn how to assemble CQDs into strip sensors for use in detecting heavy metal ions, measure colors of light emission from tests, and learn how to create calibration curves to correlate the emitted light to the concentration of heavy metal ions in solutions.

Students will develop practical skills in economic analysis with data. We will learn about key macroeconomic aggregates and their importance. Once we establish the theoretical foundation, we will analyze data and draw economic insights from our analyses. At the end of the program, each student will have written a basic economic report on a specific macroeconomic topic.

The literature review will examine the social dimensions and impact of environmental threats. It will examine how environmental pollution affects us on micro and macro levels. The review will particularly focus on the disproportionate burden of pollution placed on disadvantaged communities, including communities of color. The review will also examine the environmental justice movement aimed at addressing practices that unfairly burden low-income people and racial minorities with disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards.

We will develop some theoretical backgrounds in data analysis, including the definition of population, sample, random variables, and their distributions. Furthermore, we will introduce some classical statistical methods with R language (a basic statistical program), including hypothesis testing, confidence interval, and linear regression modeling.

Learn and apply various biochemical and molecular biology skills to study the impact of metal exposure (e.g., arsenic) on the male reproductive system. Target organs, including the prostate, sperm, and testis, will be investigated. The research goal is to understand the mechanisms of how metal exposure affects the physiological functions of the target organ and predisposes to the risk of cancer development, as well as to discover sensitive surrogate biomarkers for exposure. We will also extend our investigation to study the outcomes across multiple generations.

The goal is to select sites from impaired waterbody lists and to perform water quality assessments at regular intervals. This includes multiple visits to the 3‒4 selected sites to achieve the goal of acquiring proper samples to be tested for pH, turbidity, and salinity testing before conducting measurements for other analytes.

Trace analysis of heavy metals and toxic chemicals is generally performed using bulky, sophisticated, and expensive lab-based techniques with complex analytical procedures. This is impractical for large-scale, real-time in situ environmental monitoring. One of the purposes of this summer project is to test the printability of flexible electrochemical sensors to detect toxic heavy metals in real samples reliably and repeatably using low-cost, scalable additive electronics manufacturing processes (e.g., ink-jet and aerosol-jet printing). The student will establish the structure-property-processing correlations for graphene-based electrode materials by investigating the connections between ink rheology and printed device microstructure. The student will characterize the structural defects (e.g., edge defects) present in exfoliated graphene nanosheets, perform cyclic voltammetry (CV) of the electrodes, and integrate them into packages for advanced electrochemical testing with the FUTURE Sensors team.