RICHLAND, Wash. – A Washington State University Tri-Cities student mechanical engineering team created a working prototype of a solar water purifier that they hope will one-day be used in developing countries where access to clean water is scarce.

The project was led by recent engineering graduates Mitch Blocher, Daniel Lara, Alex Andres, Sergio Alvarado and Zachary Garcia under the advisement of their instructor, Steve Jordan, who also sponsored the project. The group created the project as part of their senior design capstone engineering course.

“The foundation to this project is based on a similar senior project from the past in which a group was tasked with developing a solar milk pasteurizer,” Andres said. “When our advisor came up with the idea of taking this solar milk pasteurizer and implementing it into a solar water purification system, his first thought was to make it portable and user-friendly enough to send out to third world countries without access to purified water.”

The system uses a solar reflector, positioning system, pumping system, electronics and a heat exchanger to regulate heat, pump water through the system and purify the water out of a standard bucket or other water container. The system, they said, had to be relatively simple, as the parts needed to be locally sourced and able to be fixed in developing countries.

“First, recognizing that the design of this system revolved around a well-thought-out control system, breaking down the complex processes into a simpler, high-level subsystem based on their tasks greatly helped,” Blocher said. “From there, each sub-system could be designed because we knew what function each system, sensor and part needed to perform, as well as how it interfaced with other components.”

Blocher said their final design had to meet specific portability and weight criteria, in an effort to ensure it was portable. He said when fully assembled, the system stands six-feet tall and nearly four-feet in width, but it can be broken down small enough to fit in a backpack, where it weighs 20 pounds.

Lara said one of the most challenging parts of the project was the COVID-19 pandemic and the limitations that it presented. He said trying to pull together their project in a remote environment, which still required physical assembly, proved difficult, but they made it work.

Andres said availability of materials and components amid the pandemic also proved challenging.

“That being said, ���سԹ� gave us as much opportunity as permitted to supplies and resources” he said. “Our advisor was also very cooperative and dedicated to getting us all we needed to accomplish our design.”

Lara said it feels humbling to know that they were able to contribute a new design that is easy to manufacture and even easier to transport in an effort to provide a commodity, which is growing scarcer and scarcer each year.

“It feels gratifying to know that we were able to design a functioning prototype to show people that it is indeed possible to build a system such as this when there are few options available on the market,” he said.

“Engineering is all about innovation,” Andres said. “It has truly been a privilege to not only come up with a solution to a worldwide crisis, but to do so working side-by-side with other brilliant engineering students, advisors and faculty has been even more rewarding. It is truly a moment that I believe will stick with every one of us for the rest of our lives.”

The team hopes that future engineering teams will take the project and advance particular components so that they can one-day send it overseas for implementation in the developing world.

By Karen Hunt, WSU Office of Research

Batteries developed by Shuo Feng could someday revolutionize the nation’s power grid and help electric vehicles go further on one charge than ever before.

Feng is one of five students who completed their doctorate program through the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Washington State University Distinguished Graduate Research Program (DGRP) in May.

The DGRP plays an important role in training the next generation of researchers and scholars and provides an important conduit for WSU students to work on a nationally relevant project central to PNNL’s mission, conducting fundamental science or applied research relevant to energy, earth systems or national security.

“I am working on developing high energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries which can be used in future power grids and electric vehicles,” said Feng. “During the last two years, our team at PNNL has thoroughly discussed the challenges in practical sulfur cathodes and elucidated the design principles of sulfur cathodes for practical applications. Our investigations on material synthesis, cathode porosity, and electrolyte permeability provided a basis for the next phase of lithium-sulfur battery research.”

The PNNL-WSU DGRP is designed to help doctorate students work collaboratively with faculty at WSU and scientists at PNNL. In this program, the students complete their course work and qualifying exam at WSU and then transfer to PNNL for the remainder of their research. This provides students the opportunity to leverage PNNL’s state-of-the-art research infrastructure and to work directly alongside their advisors and other collaborators at PNNL.

“The PNNL-WSU Distinguished Graduate Research Program is a unique opportunity that taps into the knowledge and world-class capabilities available at both institutions,” said Asaph Cousins, professor in the School of Biological Sciences and WSU DGRP program manager.

The DGRP plays an important role in training the next generation of researchers and scholars and provides an important conduit for WSU students to work on a national project central to PNNL’s mission.

“The DGRP sets students up for success in the next phase of their research career and beyond. The training and experience in a national laboratory setting allows these students to build on the knowledge from the classroom and learn how to tackle hard scientific questions and real-world technological challenges,” said Suresh Baskaran, director of research partnerships at PNNL.

Along with Feng, this year’s graduates are Xiaolu Li, Gowtham Kandaperumal, Benjamin Schuessler, and Monish Mukherjee, which is the largest group of DGRP students to graduate within a single semester.

“The DGRP offers a valuable opportunity to learn new technologies and communicate with scientists with different backgrounds in PNNL. It provided me with different angles to think about my research and dig deeper with cutting-edge technologies,” said Li. “The experience helped me to look into what I really want to do and plan the right career path for me.”

The program aligns WSU faculty and students with scientists and their research programs at PNNL to increase the number of STEM doctorate students at WSU who will then go on to work in universities, national laboratories and industry. The program matches students’ research interests with existing areas of collaboration between WSU and PNNL, such as nuclear science and engineering, electric power grid, bioproducts, catalysis, environment, water and soil science and engineering, and other emerging areas of collaboration.

“The opportunity presented by DGRP to work in a national laboratory setting has provided me with great exposure to the wide diversity of ongoing research projects at PNNL,” said Mukherjee. “This has immensely helped me envision relevant research problems and has prepared me for a career in research. Adapting to the research infrastructure at PNNL has also helped sharpen my skillset with analytical software tools and experimental facilities.”

The research topics for this graduating group of DGRP students cover a wide spectrum of topics: bioconversion of lignocellulose to lipids for the production of biodiesel, interface stereology in polycrystalline materials, development of high energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries, grid resiliency, and consumer participation in power systems via smart devices.

“My dissertation research focused on interface stereology in polycrystalline materials. In other words, extracting three-dimensional information from two-dimensional pictures. We developed a method of characterization that can assist in studying the performance behavior of a given material through another lens. While still in relative infancy, this project still has far reaching applications to materials and computational science with plenty of opportunity to explore and research further,” said Schuessler.

With real-world national laboratory experience, DGRP graduating students will start their early careers as scientists at PNNL and at other organizations, including those in industry.

“My next venture is working in the utility industry and bringing to the table my research specialization in the resiliency of distribution grids, analytics, and design. I am joining Commonwealth Edison as a senior engineer for the Chicago West region in the summer,” said Kandaperumal.

Device could have eventual impacts for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – A student electrical engineering team at Washington State University Tri-Cities is designing a prototype of a ventilator that they hope could one-day be used as a low-cost option compared to expensive commercially available devices on the market amid COVID-19 and beyond.

The team, comprised of students Jeremy Dyer, Garrison Wilfert, Aaron Engebretson and Aleksandr Arabadzhi, are designing the ventilator as part of their senior capstone project under the guidance and mentorship of engineering professors Mohamed Osman and Barbara Philipp. The team said even low-cost models commercially available are expensive – $10,000 and above. The shortage of ventilators amid COVID-19 has also created further cost challenges.

“Part of the reason for the price is the cost and access to the parts, with the other reason being cost of testing before putting it on the market,” Wilfert said. “I hope we develop a good working prototype of a ventilator and we can hand it off to future groups who can carry our research forward and possibly publish this research to offer a new low-cost ventilator.”

Complicated machine

Designing any type of medical device is complicated, let alone one that breathes for a person. The team said there are many ways in which the project could go wrong and cause devastating effects, which is why the team spent the past several months researching ventilators currently on the market, their components and how they function.

The team decided on an “invasive” type of ventilator, which is inserted into the tracheal tube, as compared to what are known as “non-invasive” ventilators. The reason for their decision is it would help cut down on costs and parts are more accessible.

The team specked out what parts they would need, including a specific type of microcontroller – effectively the computer on the device, to determine how breaths are given, moderated and controlled. In total, the estimated cost of parts for their prototype is $530.

They plan to spend the next semester building out and testing the prototype using a system that doesn’t feature any human testing, as conducting human testing requires extensive protocols and requirements. The team plans to use a “fake lung” to assess initial effectiveness of the ventilator. They will track data and determine what further modifications need to be made. Future groups, they said, can take the design and modify it, which could lead to eventual human testing down the road.

Dyer said he has two hopes for the project. The first is that Osman can use it as an example of complexities of such projects for underclassmen. His second hope is that another senior design group can further the project, effectively starting a chain of projects until they have a viable prototype that can be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He said after a few years, ���سԹ� could be responsible for making a fully-functional ventilator that will provide lifesaving capabilities.

“After all is said and done, the result will be a ventilator that will save lives at a lower cost,” Dyer said.

Support from the experts

Two of the student engineering team members work locally as interns at Cadwell Industries, which develops medical equipment on a global scale. While their ventilator prototype doesn’t apply directly to the projects they are working on at Cadwell, which specializes in neurological devices, having experience in working with the company’s quality management and regulatory affairs team has helped in their own prototyping process.

“My experience at Cadwell provided some insight into what kind of research and development goes into projects like these,” Engebretson said. “We initially had some very insightful conversations with Cadwell’s quality assurance and regulatory affairs team. They had a lot to say about how they interact with head Cadwell engineers to inform them of standards that need to be followed. Working at Cadwell has also showed me just how much clinical knowledge is needed to build medical devices.”

Cadwell team members also connected the student team with a leading expert on ventilator development and systems – Robert L. Chatburn with the Cleveland Clinic.

“He has written an extensive amount of documentation on ventilators,” Engebretson said. “He has also been a part of several designs, including making his own using his electrical engineering experience, as well as serving on boards for developing ventilators.”

The team met with Chatburn several times before setting off on their own design and will continue to work with him to produce their prototype.

Philipp said connecting students with real-world expertise is vital to the students’ project development and overall engineering knowledge attainment.

“We are fortunate to live in a place with access to extensive engineering teams throughout the Tri-Cities Research District and beyond, for both senior project support and internships,” she said. “That experience helps connect students with not only how it is done in the real-world, but also helps the students network with potential future employers.”

Bringing varied expertise to the table

The team hopes to unveil their initial prototype this spring. Due to the complexity of the design and testing, Dyer said they are incredibly grateful and fortunate for the varied expertise that each student member brings to the team.

“I am on the power track, Aaron and Garrison are on the controls track and Aleks is on the embedded systems track,” Dyer said. “Our knowledge, combined, has been very helpful. Subsequently, our knowledge from our combined internships has been even more so … It has only been with the combined knowledge that we’ve succeeded.”

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities will welcome James Conca, senior scientist for UFA Ventures, Inc., who will discuss the current state and future of the nuclear waste disposal program in the United States as part of a joint engineering and science lecture series on Feb. 28 on campus.

Conca, whose background is in geochemistry and energy, will delve into the underlying issues of the current programming as it pertains to nuclear waste disposal, including cost and policy, and specifically of how it applies to Washington state.

The presentation will take place from noon – 1 p.m. in Floyd 224 at ���سԹ�. It is free and open to the public.

In addition to serving as a senior scientist, Conca is also a trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation, an adjunct professor at WSU in the School of Environment, an affiliate scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and a science contributor to Forbes Magazine.

View Conca’s contributing pieces in by visiting .

 

Media contacts:

Maegan Murray, ���سԹ� public relations/communication coordinator, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash – Being a female going into a largely male-dominated field is daunting for most. Add into the mix that you are the first in your family to attend college, the level of daunting reaches all new heights.

Growing up, Cynthia Castillo’s parents worked in the fields, where she would join them each summer. And while her parents and other family were really supportive in her education, she was unsure as to how to approach the college-going process, mainly because no one in her family had done it before.

The application process, while achievable, was intimidating. The financial aid application process, while possible, was unapproachable. But a high school counselor helped her along the way, making her college aspiration dreams not only seem possible, but conquerable.

When identifying what college was right for her, Washington State University Tri-Cities seemed like the perfect fit.

Not only would it allow her to live at home and stay close to her family, she could pursue a world-class education in engineering based on her love for math, practical application and logical thinking

She also enjoyed the idea of the small-school atmosphere, as it would allow her to easily connect with classmates and make friendships, and she could connect directly to internships at world-class internships just up the road.

Faculty and staff also helped her navigate the process that was new to her and her family.

“It was exactly what I was looking for,” she said. “It feels like a small community where everyone gets along. Everyone is really helpful. It’s also easy to get involved in different clubs and activities. It’s a great fit.“

Finding the right major

When researching what college majors were right for her, engineering seemed like the perfect fit because it would blend her love for math with a practical application of making the world a better place.

Initially, she pursued civil engineering as her degree emphasis, where she was excited about the prospect of designing and building structures like bridges, roads and more. But after taking a few courses in the subject, she realized that electrical engineering would be a better fit.

“I realized I liked the practical aspects of electrical engineering,” she said. “I could apply the theories directly into the field, and I like how it all seamlessly works together.”

Career connections while going to school

Like most of her classmates, Castillo said the ultimate goal of her college degree is to get a fulfilling job that will allow her to make a difference in the world and make her family proud. Her education at ���سԹ� helped connect her with an internship at Mission Support Alliance out at the Hanford Site.

While studying as a civil engineering student, she works at the Hanford site on the water and sewer utilities, helping to refine designs that would improve operations.

“I like it a lot,” she said. “It’s great to be able to apply what I’m learning at school into a job in an area that has a huge impact on the Tri-Cities.”

Throughout her internship, she said she has also enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the Hanford Site, its impact on not only the Tri-Cities, but also to the rest of the world, and also about how her direct work is impacting her local community.

“Before, I didn’t know really what they were doing out at Hanford,” she said. “But they have taken us interns on tours, including to the B Reactor – the first large-scale nuclear reactor in the world. We’ve learned so much about the history of the site and I now know way more than I did a few months ago. It’s all incredibly valuable.”

Female in a male dominated field

While Castillo admits that she was a bit intimidated to venture into a largely male dominated field of engineering, she said she has enjoyed the challenges that come with that.

“There aren’t very many females in this field, but it is great to be able to overcome those stereotypes of my ability to do the work, even if I didn’t come from a long line of engineers out at the Hanford Site,” she said. “I really like my classes and I love that I get to apply what I’m learning out in the field through my internship while I’m still going to school.”

Future in engineering

After graduating in a few semesters, Castillo said she would like to stay local and give back to the Tri-Cities through a career in engineering.

“I would like to work where I design systems, possibly for an electrical company or private engineering firm,” she said.

And after working for a few years, she hopes to pursue a master’s electrical engineering – hopefully from ���سԹ�.

“I have really enjoyed my experience here at ���سԹ�, and I feel like it is truly preparing me for a future that will make my family proud,” she said.

Interested in a career in engineering? Visit tricities.wsu.edu/engineering.

RICHLAND, Wash – Siendo mujer queriendo entrar en un campo predominantemente dominado por hombres podría ser desalentador. Además de ser la primera en su familia en atender la Universidad, el nivel de desaliento llega a un nivel aún más alto.

Mientras crecía, los padres de Cynthia Castillo, trabajaban en el campo, donde ella se les ayudaba cada verano.  Mientras sus padres y otros miembros de la familia la apoyaban en su educación, ella no estaba segura de como afrontar el proceso de ir a la universidad, principalmente porque nadie en la familia lo había hecho antes.

El proceso de la solicitud, mientras era alcanzable, también era intimidante. La solicitud de ayuda financiera mientras era posible, parecía inaccesible. Uno de los consejeros en la escuela preparatoria le ayudo con todo el proceso, haciendo sus sueños de ir a la universidad no solo posibles, pero conquistables.

Cuando identificaron que colegio era el apropiado para ella, La universidad estatal de Washington en Tri-Cities, se veía como la opción perfecta.

No solo le permitiría vivir en casa y estar cerca de la familia, ella podría obtener una educación de clase mundial en ingeniería basada en su amor por las matemáticas, en su aplicación practica y pensamiento lógico.

Ella también le pareció la idea de la atmosfera de una escuela pequeña, que le permitiría conectarse fácilmente con los compañeros de clase y hacer amistad, y también podría conectarse más adelante directamente con opciones de internado excepcionales.

La facultad y el personal también le ayudaron a navegar en el proceso que era nuevo para ella y la familia.

“Era exactamente lo que estaba buscando,” dijo ella. “Se siente como una pequeña comunidad donde todos se llevan bien. Cada persona aqui es realmente de mucha ayuda. También es fácil envolverse en diferentes clubes y actividades. Es una conexión perfecta”.

Mientras investigaba que especialidad seria perfecta para ella, la ingeniería parecia una opción perfecta para ella porque combinaría su amor por las matemáticas con una aplicación práctica para hacer el mundo un mejor lugar.

Inicialmente escogio ingeneria civil como su especialidad, emocionada de la perspectiva del diseñar y construir estructuras como puentes, caminos y más. Pero después de tomar algunos cursos en el tema, ella realizo que la ingeniería eléctrica sería lo más perfecto.

“Me di cuenta que me gustaban los aspectos prácticos de la ingeniería eléctrica,” dijo ella. “Yo podría aplicar las teorías directamente al campo, y me gusta cómo trabajan perfectamente juntas”

Conecciones profesionales mientras ir a la escuela

Como la mayoría de sus compañeros de clase, Castillo dice que el objetivo de su carrera universitaria es obtener un trabajo que le permita hacer una diferencia en el mundo y ser un orgullo para su familia. Su educación en ���سԹ� le ayudo a conectarse con un internado en Mission Support Alliance en el sitio de Hanford.

Mientras estudiaba ingeniería civil, ella trabajo en Hanford en los servicios de agua y drenaje, ayudando a refinar los diseños que mejorarían sus operaciones.

“Me gusta mucho,” dijo ella. “Es excelente poder aplicar lo que estoy aprendiendo en la escuela a un trabajo en un área que hace un gran impacto en los Tri-Cities.”

Durante su internado, dice ella, también a disfrutado la oportunidad de aprender más acerca de Hanford, el impacto que hace no solo en Tri-Cities, pero también en el resto del mundo, y también como su trabajo está haciendo un impacto directo en su comunidad local.

“Antes, realmente no sabía que hacían en Hanford,” dijo ella. “Pero nos han llevado en tours, incluyendo al Reactor B- el primer reactor nuclear de gran escala en el mundo. Aprendimos tanto acerca de la historia del sitio y ahora se mucho más de lo que sabía unos meses atrás. Es de un increíble valor.”

Mujer en un campo dominado por hombres

Mientras Castillo admite que estaba un poco intimidada en arriesgarse estudiar una carrera de ingeniería dominado por los hombres, dice ella que ha disfrutado los retos que han venido con esta decisión.

“No hay muchas mujeres en esta carrera, pero es bueno superar los estereotipos y ver mi habilidad para hacer el trabajo, aun si no vengo de una larga línea de ingenieros en el sitio de Handford,” dice ella. “Realmente me gustan mis clases y amo que pueda aplicar en el campo lo que estoy aprendiendo a través de mi internado mientras estoy yendo a la escuela.”

Futuro en la ingeniería

Después de graduarse en unos cuantos semestres, Castillo dice que le gustaría quedarse en la comunidad y contribuir a Tri-Cities por medio de su carrera en ingeniería.

“Me gustaría trabajar donde diseñe sistemas, posiblemente en una compañía eléctrica, o en alguna compañía de ingeniería privada” dice ella.

Y después de trabajar por algunos años, ella espera obtener una maestría en ingeniería eléctrica, – ojalá en ���سԹ�

“Realmente he disfrutado mi experiencia aquí en ���سԹ�, y siento que verdaderamente me ha preparado para un futuro que hará que mi familia se sienta orgullosa,” dice ella.

Estas interesado en una carrera en ingeniería? Visita tricities.wsu.edu/engineering.

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – Several Washington State University Tri-Cities students got to see first-hand how top-tier university research can impact their local community through the ���سԹ� Chancellor’s Summer Scholar Program supported by Washington River Protection Solutions.

Throughout the summer, selected students worked one-on-one with a university professor and graduate students to perform research pertaining to their degree interest. Each student receives funds to support their summer research projects from WRPS.

“Through the Chancellor’s Summer Scholar program, students pursuing a bachelor’s degree get the opportunity to be a part of intensive research that could positively influence the Tri-Cities community,” said Kate McAteer, vice chancellor for academic affairs at ���سԹ�. “Ranging from engineering, to the arts, to the sciences, there are a variety of opportunities for students to apply their skills in a real-world setting, which only further sets them up for success in their future career.”

This year, 10 students were selected for the program in the areas of computer science, the arts, materials engineering, bioengineering, environmental science, electrical engineering, and biological sciences.

Students were provided with $2,250 in funding to support their summer project, with the exception of one student group, who received $2,000 as a team. Many students also continue to work with their faculty mentors during the regular school year.

Willow of the Waste – Jared Johnson and Aaron Van Morris

Students Jared Johnson and Aaron Van Morris worked with Sena Clara Creston, clinical assistant professor of fine arts, to refine and re-engineer a robotic sculpture known as “The Willow of the Waste.”

The project is an designed to look like a tree, incorporating mechanical and electrical components. The tree is animated and interactive, with the branches slowly opening, closing and pulsating light to give the appearance of a living, breathing plant. Once the viewer approaches the tree, the branches open, inviting the viewer inside. The students are applying skills in circuit design, power distribution and coding from different inputs and outputs to improve upon an existing design. The interdisciplinary project combines engineering, computer science and the arts to create an interactive sculpture that also speaks to plastic waste, as it is made from discarded plastics like water bottles and shopping bags.

Flexible sensors for robotics – Mikaela Matkowski

Student Mikaela Matkowski worked with Amir Ameli, former assistant professor of engineering, to investigate the sensing behavior of 3d-printed sensors that can be used in a range of robotics.

She used a material called thermoplastic polyurethane with various weights of multiwalled carbon nanotubes to produce a material that has excellent conductive properties and reacts well to compression and stretching. She analyzed the pressure and touch sensing abilities, as well as the electrical resistance behaviors of the printed sensors. The sensors have potential application in robotics hands that, when used to touch a surface, have the ability to appropriately register contact of the hand to the object.

Refining a waste material for commercial bioproducts production – Yesenia Che

Student Yesenia Che worked with Bin Yang, associate professor of biological systems engineering and doctoral student Xiaolu Li to find a seamless and cheaper way to refine a high-value product in the biofuels creation process that is used for many commercial products.

Lignin, a primary material comprised in the cell wall of plants, is a large waste product in the biofuels creation process. Vallinin is a valuable product derived from lignin that can be used for a range of bioproducts. It is currently used in various fields, including food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The price for the material, however, tends to be unstable due to cost and complicated procedures required for producing the material from lignin. Che worked with Yang to use a bacteria that degrades lignin and allows for the easier refinement and production of vallinin that doesn’t require the use of the whole plant cell for extraction – a process known as a cell free system. This process may lead to an effective technique for the production of natural vanillin at low cost.

Identifying nutrient limitations in Cascade Mountain Range for understanding nitrogen fixation – Jeannette Lilly

Student Jeannette Lilly worked with Sarah Roley, assistant professor of environmental science, and graduate student Erica Bakker to analyze nutrient limitation in the Cascade Range that could lead to better understanding of where nitrogen fixation occurs in freshwater streams in the Pacific Northwest.

Nitrogen fixation converts nitrogen gas into a nutrient that is essential for all life. While there has been extensive research on nitrogen fixation in the open ocean, estuaries and lakes, comparatively little research has been done on nitrogen fixation in freshwater streams. Nitrogen fixation typically occurs in nutrient-poor streams like those in the Cascades. It may be critical to supporting the food web, including insects and fish, in Cascadian streams. Jeanette established the nutrient status of the study streams, which helps to predict where this process is important.

Finding ways to reduce methane production using bioengineering – Tina Tran

Student Tina Tran is working with Birgitte Ahring, professor of biological systems and chemical engineering, and doctoral student Supriya Karekar on the bioengineering of cow rumen microbiota by bio-augmentation with selected microorganisms to reduce methane production from the rumen.

Ruminants such as cows and sheep are major contributors of greenhouse gas coming from the methanogens inhabiting the rumen. Methane is more than 20 times more potent as a greenhouse gas compared to carbon dioxide. In the laboratory, they are working with rumen model systems and are trying to find ways to mitigate the problems of methane release by substituting methanogens with other and potentially more beneficial microorganisms. The specific focus is on homo-acetogenic bacteria, which potentially could replace methanogens in the rumen while producing beneficial products, which can promote livestock production.

Improving efficiencies of home heating and cooling systems – Arturo Gutierrez Larios

Student Arturo Gutierrez Larios worked with Mohamed Osman, professor of electrical engineering, to identify ways to increase the efficiency of home heating and cooling systems through the implementation of better temperature regulations systems.

Gutierrez Larios developed a concept based on what is known as the Internet of Things, where the internet can be extended to an infinite amount of applications through components like sensors and wireless communication between devices. His system implements multiple temperature sensors that are connected through a network, as opposed to utilizing a single temperature sensor as is common in homes today. A temperature controller receives information from the sensors in each room, and the controller sends commands to the network to adjust the airflow of each register based on comparisons made on the calculated temperature differentials. Temperature settings are managed through a smartphone app. The system helps minimize wasted energy in homes.

Studying jaw protusion in fish for insights into evolutionary changes in organisms – Ellie Barber and Danielle Ringo

Students Ellie Barber and Danielle Ringo are working with Jim Cooper, instructor of biology, to study why jaw protrusion does or does not occur during the development in fish that could lead to insights into how organisms evolve and when.

Fish develop different feeding biomechanics in their lifespan that determines their economic feeding niche and where they fall on the food chain. Using high-speed filming techniques, the team is working to pinpoint the precise phase during metamorphosis in which the feeding biomechanics of young fish begin to resemble that of adult fish with protrusile jaws. By using gene expression labelling and transcriptome comparative analysis, they hope to gain a clearer insight as to exactly how and why these morphological changes occur in the wild.

Determining impact of fungi on tomato plants – Javier Chavez Lara

Javier Chavez Lara is working with Tanya Cheeke, assistant professor of biology, to determine the impact of a type of fungi on the growth of tomato plants, specifically comparing highly-bred tomato plants with less-domesticated wild type varieties.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi forms symbiotic relationships with most plant species by colonizing plant roots to provide the plants with nutrients and water in exchange for carbon. Plants grown in conditions of high fertilization and other agricultural practices reduce the ability of the fungi to colonize their roots. Chavez Lara hypothesizes that the less-domesticated wild-type varieties will have a greater growth response with the fungi than the highly-bred tomato plants. The project will allow for the development of a model system to test mechanisms that regulate the level of the fungi colonization in plant roots.

By Tina Hilding, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University researchers have developed an environmentally-friendly, plant-based material that for the first time works better than Styrofoam for insulation.

The foam is mostly made from nanocrystals of cellulose, the most abundant plant material on earth. The researchers also developed an environmentally friendly and simple manufacturing process to make the foam, using water as a solvent instead of other harmful solvents.

The work, led by Amir Ameli, assistant professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and Xiao Zhang, associate professor in the Gene and Linda School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, is published in the journal .

Researchers have been working to develop an environmentally friendly replacement for polystyrene foam, or Styrofoam. The popular material, made from petroleum, is used in everything from coffee cups to materials for building and construction, transportation, and packaging industries. But, it is made from toxic ingredients, depends on petroleum, doesn’t degrade naturally, and creates pollution when it burns.

While other researchers have created other cellulose-based foams, the plant-based versions haven’t performed as well as Styrofoam. They are not as strong, don’t insulate as well, and degraded at higher temperatures and in humidity. To make cellulose nanocrystals, researchers use acid hydrolysis, in which acid is used to cleave chemical bonds.

In their work, the WSU team created a material that is made of about 75 percent cellulose nanocrystals from wood pulp.  They added polyvinyl alcohol, another polymer that bonds with the nanocellulose crystals and makes the resultant foams more elastic. The material that they created contains a uniform cellular structure that means it is a good insulator. For the first time, the researchers report, the plant-based material surpassed the insulation capabilities of Styrofoam. It is also very lightweight and can support up to 200 times its weight without changing shape.  It degrades well, and burning it doesn’t produce polluting ash.

“We have used an easy method to make high-performance, composite foams based on nanocrystalline cellulose with an excellent combination of thermal insulation capability and mechanical properties,” Ameli said. “Our results demonstrate the potential of renewable materials, such as nanocellulose, for high-performance thermal insulation materials that can contribute to energy savings, less usage of petroleum-based materials, and reduction of adverse environmental impacts.”

“This is a fundamental demonstration of the potential of nanocrystalline cellulose as an important industrial material,” Zhang said. “This promising material has many desirable properties, and to be able to transfer these properties to a bulk scale for the first time through this engineered approach is very exciting.”

The researchers are now developing formulations for stronger and more durable materials for practical applications.  They are interested in incorporating low-cost feedstocks to make a commercially viable product and considering how to move from laboratory to a real-world manufacturing scale.

The work was supported by the US Department of Agriculture and WSU’s Office of Commercialization.

By WSU Insider

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Washington State University Board of Regents approved the design and construction of a 40,000-square-foot academic building for undergraduate studies in biology, chemistry and education in science, technology and math, or STEM, fields.

The $30.4 million facility is being funded by the state legislature. The budget bill financing the project is awaiting Governor Jay Inslee’s signature.

The building will sit west of the Consolidated Information Center and house a dozen labs for physics, biology, chemistry and anatomy/physiology. It will have two 96-seat classrooms and a central gathering area with stadium seating for large group presentations and community gatherings. Preliminary site work will begin in October and construction will be completed in spring 2021.

The Regents also approved the schematic design for the planned WSU Pullman baseball clubhouse at the current Bailey‑Brayton Field. The board approved the $10 million building’s design and construction at its January meeting, with the improvements to be paid for with private donations.  The project will include a locker room, pitching lab, academic area, team meeting rooms, and areas for Cougar equipment and training. Construction will commence in August and conclude a year later, assuming a sufficient amount of pledged donations are collected.

Other items the Regents approved included the refunding of Trust and Building Fee Revenue Bonds originally issued in 2009 and the creation of a new Center for Arts and Humanities.

Refinancing 2009 Bonds will save millions

The Board of Regents approved a resolution to authorize the issuance and sale of bonds to refinance the 2009 Trust and Building Fee Revenue Bonds, with a maximum per amount not to exceed $83,850,000.

In the current market, the refunding transaction is estimated to result in $7.3 million or 9.3% net present value savings over the remaining term of the bonds. Trust Land and Building Fee revenues are restricted for capital purposes only. Thus, the estimated annual savings of approximately $670,000 would accrue back to the trust and building fee revenue accounts.

The University originally issued the Trust and Building Fee Revenue Bonds in December 2009 to finance multiple projects including: construction of a Veterinary Medical Research Building on the Pullman campus, a portion of the costs of construction of Applied Technology Classrooms on the Vancouver campus, and a portion of the costs of construction of the Global Animal Health – Phase 1 research building on the Pullman campus.

New center reinforces WSU’s commitment to the arts and humanities

The new Center for Arts and Humanities will serve as an organizing point for creative and scholarly activity and public engagement in the arts and humanities, with the further potential to support innovative teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The Center’s primary goals will be to expand WSU’s capacity for foundational research in the arts and humanities, nurture interdisciplinary connection and collaboration, increase the public visibility and outreach of WSU arts and humanities faculty, and to catalyze WSU’s engagement with emergent fields of humanistic and artistic knowledge.

Working in concert with academic departments, which will remain centers of more specialized, field­-specific inquiry, the Center will advance a broader agenda, one that crosses traditional scholarly boundaries, encourages innovation, and advocates for the vital contribution of the arts and humanities to the public good.

Media Contact:

• Phil Weiler, vice president for marketing and communications, 509‑335‑1221, phil.weiler@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – It was engineering that brought student Anthony Michel to Washington State University Tri-Cities and it was the study abroad opportunities that brought a cultural enrichment.

Michel, a Tri-Cities native, had studied the Japanese language and culture for several years before coming to WSU after transferring from Columbia Basin College for the engineering program. Attending ���سԹ� meant he could plan his rigorous class schedule around a semester trip to Japan where he would interact with locals, improve his Japanese fluency, as well as experience new opportunities typically only offered in eastern Asia.

“Before going to Japan, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my interest in Japanese, but after going there, I want to go back,” he said. “It was an amazing experience. I could potentially become a mechanical engineer and also apply my skills in Japan.”

School in Japan

While studying in Japan, Michel took more than 10 credits including courses in linguistics, Japanese, aikido, which is a form of martial arts, as well as a few others.

“All of them but one met only once a week,” he said. “Comparatively speaking, the

college that I was going to requires credits are kind of light so you can also immerse yourself into the culture. It worked well because I got to practice my Japanese while learning more about the country, itself.”

Because he was attending a school specializing in foreign language, he took courses with students from the United States, France, China and Korea. For many, the only common language among each of the students was Japanese, which meant they put their practice of the language to good use.

“It was really cool because you can’t communicate in English because most of the other people spoke other languages,” he said. “I definitely improved my Japanese while I was there.”

Michel also got to make friends with a variety of Japanese students, most of which who shared dorms with himself and his course peers.

“Most of the Japanese students there were learning English,” he said. “I was able to make some pretty good friends.”

Worldly cultural experiences

While living in the dorms and visiting other cities in Japan, Michel learned about the Japanese style of living, which often times is smaller in scale.

“Over there, everything is very compact because they are limited in many cities on space,” he said. “My dorm room was very small and the hotel rooms, especially, were really small.”

And in addition to his courses, Michel got to visit a variety of interesting places. During his first week, he and his classmates traveled from Nagasaki to Onsen, where they experienced the Obama Onsen hot spring resort, which is famous for its lengthy hot spring that participants put their feet in.

He also ventured to Sasebo, which is about 1.5 hours north by car from Nagasaki. There, he visited a military base, which offers a variety of American foods, an amusement park and a variety of Dutch-themed buildings. He also visited Fukuoka, which resides on the northern shore of Japan’s Kyushu Island, among others.

“As students of the program, we got to experience a variety of different spots meant

to expose new students to the country,” he said. “It was pretty great.”

Value of studying abroad

Looking back on his experience, he said he would definitely recommend the opportunity to study abroad to other students.

“It’s a great opportunity to experience a culture besides your own,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to expand your mindset on the world, especially your expectations and view as an American.”