Photoluminescence, electrophoresis, and nanoparticles may not be topics as commonly discussed as behavior, medicine and memory, but these areas and more share the spotlight on Mountain Lion Research Day at UCCS.
Mountain Lion Research Day, now in its third year, showcases the research of students, faculty, and staff across campus. This year’s all-day event is scheduled for April 1 in Berger Hall.
Bev Wasinger, program assistant, El Pomar Institute for Innovation and Commercialization, said Mountain Lion Research Day shows the community and region the wide range of innovation and academic exploration going on at UCCS and gives faculty the opportunity to become better acquainted with research being conducted by their colleagues.
Poster exhibition is one of the most visible features of research day. Participants submit posters illustrating aspects of the processes, goals and findings of their research for public display, Wasinger said. As many as 75 posters from the College of Business, College of Education, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the Beth-el College of Nursing and Health Sciences will be featured. The School of Public Affairs, the National Institute of Science, Space, and Security Centers and EPIIC will also be represented.
Posters will be on display for viewing 7:30-8:30 a.m., and participants will be on hand to present their posters from 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Among this year’s topics is “Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy in Water-Vapor Temperature,” submitted by Maximillion Poppler, a graduate student studying mechanical and aerospace engineering.
“In the simplest of terms,” Poppler said, “we’re measuring the temperature of gases using a laser; specifically water vapor in this case.”
He described how his laser is tunable to specific wavelengths that reveal light absorption at the molecular level of gas. This method allows temperatures to be measured in volumes of gas too small to register on a thermometer or in conditions too extreme for conventional equipment. A laser could collect such data in rocket exhaust for example. Similar techniques could be used on other gases measuring factors such as the presence of carbon monoxide or other toxic gases.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to show people what we’re doing,” Poppler said. “Mountain Lion Research Day lets people know about our work, and how it ultimately benefits everyone.”
Project areas range from diet and exercise to industry and technology to crime and punishment. Medical marijuana, leadership communication, home remedies and tornado warnings are among the various topics.
Katie Kaukinen, associate professor, School of Public Affairs, Andrew Subudhi, assistant professor, Biology Department, and Greg Plett, associate professor, College of Engineering and Applied Science, are featured speakers. The keynote speaker is John Ryan, a partner in ONSET Ventures, Menlo Park Calif., a firm that helps entrepreneurs take ideas to the marketplace.
Mountain Lion Research Day, sponsored by EPIIC, is a come-and-go event. For more information, or to make reservations to attend the research day luncheon, contact Wasinger, 255-3631 or [email protected].
Leave a Reply