Announcing Fall 2023 PEAK Experiences Awardees
Several engineering students and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Fall 2023 PEAK Experiences Awards. Projects this fall are tackling a range of topics and modes with students developing an autobiographical zine, studying the development of amphibian limbs, building better rocket parts, and more.
| BASE CAMP AWARDS |
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| Farhad Ibrahimzade COE’26 & Julius Murphy COE’24 “Modular Gripper for Building in Space” Mentor: Professor Tom Consi, COE, Electrical and Comp Engineering Colonization of Mars has been a goal of many people, but in order to achieve this, safe structures have to be created. We are designing a modular gripper system for aerial drones to construct structures from various construction materials on other planets. The drone will be able to dock to various gripping mechanisms that can accommodate working with different kinds of materials to build structures autonomously. We are planning on displaying our final designs and results at the SEDS/NURobotics showcase night and hopefully, this will generate further interest in the project. |
| Stephen Sodipo COE’26 & Thomas Rowan COE’25, “Building a Modular 3D-Printed Robot Arm” Mentor: Professor Thomas Consi, COE, Electrical and Comp Engineering Remote-operated robot arms have the potential to make a huge impact in industries where detailed human work is required in environments where humans cannot always access them. We seek to build a robot arm that is capable of performing high-dexterity tasks by being controlled remotely through the gestures of another human. We will use computer vision and a depth-sensing camera to accomplish this. We hope to build a fully functional robot arm that can precisely track and follow the movements of a human arm to make the possibility of remote care and exploration a reality. |
| Ann Titus COE’26, “Loading of Paclitaxel in the Lamellar Phase of a Nonionic Surfactant and Drug Delivery Applications: Monte Carlo Simulation” Mentor: Professor Mona Minkara, COE, Bioengineering The purpose of this project is to find an optimized structure where Paclitaxel, a cancer drug is loaded into the bilayer of surfactant. Surfactants can help to carry the drug to the lungs which is where drug delivery is involved, for this project, this drug treats lung cancer and surfactant is found in the lungs. Monte Carlo simulations, a computational method will be used to model and analyze the data. There will be a configuration with the lowest free energy value, meaning it is the most optimal. The results will be shared at internal/external conferences and will be published. |
| ASCENT AWARDS |
| Sabrina Balmaseda Bouvé’25, “Review of Population Demographics in Human Studies on Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Reproductive System Outcomes” Mentor: Professor Julia Varshavsky, Bouvé, Health Sciences This research summarizes reporting on racial and/or ethnic subgroups from US studies on PFAS and reproductive system outcomes. Studies were exported from the PFAS-Tox Database to Excel. Articles were screened for population demographics. Descriptive statistics will be calculated for subgroups from US and California studies, and compared to 2010 Census data. A nonparametric statistical test will then be conducted. Findings will summarize which subgroups are overlooked, enabling future research to be more inclusive of BIPOC populations. Based on these findings, I will submit a paper to a scientific journal, and an abstract and presentation to present at a scientific conference. |
| Dhwani Bhatt COE’26, “Investigating the Biochemical Methane Potential of an Organic Waste Substrate for a Clean Energy Biogas Project in Rural Uganda” Mentor: Professor Annalisa Onnis-Hayden, COE, Civil & Environmental Engineer This research aims to determine the biochemical methane potential of a specific organic waste substrate using a respirometer sensor method to determine its theoretical methane yield and assess its potential as feedstock for a biodigester. The study will be conducted within the context of a rural Ugandan school by calculating the theoretical methane yield of the school’s organic waste to aid in the technical designing of a biodigester system for the school. Results will contribute to the implementation of a desperately needed clean energy biogas system in a rural school to replace current unsustainable sources of firewood and diesel generators. |
| Alyssa Chen Khoury’26 & Suubi Magoola CAMD’27 “A New Domain” Mentor: Professor Luke Landherr, COE, Chemical Engineering Despite billions of dollars being poured into diversity measures in the tech industry, numerous marginalized communities remain starkly underrepresented in tech. A New Domain is an educational visual novel that sets out to encourage and empower youth of marginalized identity to explore Computer Science. Featuring a curriculum inspired by Northeastern’s Fundamentals of Computer Science I & II and Discrete Structures courses, this video game will teach the tenants of Computer Science in an accessible, engaging manner. At the end of the semester, the demo will be released, featuring the first three chapters of the game. |
| Joshua Cheng COE’24 & Thomas Davies COE’24, “Building an Autonomous Surface Vehicle to Lower the Barrier to Entry for Marine Research” Mentor: Professor Thomas Consi, COE, Electrical and Comp Engineering For much of its existence, marine research conducted by autonomous vehicles has had an incredibly high barrier to entry. Vehicles were bulky and were often extremely expensive. Recently, efforts have been made to decrease the price of research in the marine field with the Jetyak from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Our goal is to take this even further and build a motorized dual-pontoon autonomous craft designed to further lower the barrier to entry for autonomous marine research. The dual pontoon design will allow for larger sensor payloads to be attached to the craft, and make for easier steering. |
| Eda Erdogmus COE’26, “Characterizing the Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Physical Activity to Mitigate Neurovascular Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease” Mentor: Professor Abbas Yaseen, COE, Bioengineering This project seeks to characterize brain metabolism and blood flow and the neuroprotector effects of physical exercise on Alzheimer’s Disease, as physical exercise has been shown to reduce many of the negative side effects of aging at the molecular level. As a continuation of an ongoing project, we will use molecular biology analysis such as Western Blot and Immunofluorescence alongside data acquired from advanced two-photon microscopy. We expect to find strong correlations between chronic forced physical exercise and preserved neuronal function, blood vessel density, reduced counts of damaged proteins, or oxygen extraction fraction, suggesting a conservation of key brain mechanisms. |
| Amanda Ferrante COE’26, “Elucidating the Effects of Cholesterol on the Function of Surfactant Protein C using Atomistic Molecular Dynamics” Mentor: Professor Mona Minkara, COE, Bioengineering This study investigates the role of Surfactant Protein C (SP-C) in the pulmonary surfactant (PS) system – a complex lipid-protein system in lung alveoli essential for breathing. SP-C plays a crucial role in maintaining surface pressure and structure in the lungs, and recent findings suggest that SP-C may interact with cholesterol, altering membrane structure. Given the health significance of elevated cholesterol, using atomistic molecular dynamics to simulate systems of five different cholesterol concentrations to understand its impact on SP-C gives insight into how this mechanism functions with clinical applications in synthetic surfactant treatments. Findings will be shared at internal conferences. |
| Alexander Kodak COS’26, “Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Mixed-Metal Photocatalyst” Mentor: Professor Hannah Sayre, COS, Chemistry & Chemical Biology The research project will be focusing on developing a novel complex that will show photocatalytic activity. The proposed complex will consist of three ruthenium centers and two platinum centers that are able to enhance the photophysical properties previously studied. This photocatalyst will contribute to a growing collection of multimetallic complexes that when shined with lower energy red light have the potential to sustainably power pharmaceutical reactions, hydrogen fuel production, and other important redox reactions. |
| Tanishka Kucheria COE’24, “Enhancing Direct Air Capture Efficiency: Integration of Taylor Flow in Microchannel Electrochemical Systems” Mentor: Professor Magda Barecka, COE, Chemical Engineering This research aims to revolutionize Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems by integrating Taylor flow to address mass transfer limitations, a significant hurdle in current DAC systems. This project promises enhanced efficiency and longevity by employing an innovative Taylor-flow system with closely spaced electrodes, leading to cost-effective CO2 capture. Methods include utilizing a novel microchannel flow cell and testing for optimum gas separation under varied conditions. Successful validation of this approach would be a significant step toward combatting climate change. Results will be disseminated through academic channels and publicity materials, with hopes of influencing future research and industry applications. |
| Charlie Lange COE’26, “Development of Visual Models of Quantum-Spin Properties to Aid Undergraduate Learning” Mentor: Professor Camille Gomez-Laberge, COS, Physics The purpose of this project is to develop visual methods for representing the abstract, mathematical concept of relativistic, quantum spin in theoretical particle physics. This project seeks to utilize projective geometry and topological methods to express the behaviors of particle spin based on the manipulation of its internal properties. The goal is to produce a mathematically accurate exhibit that helps students understand particle spin concepts without requiring an understanding of the underlying equations. |
| Yeongju Lee Bouvé’25, Chloe Chung COS’26, Grace Zhao COE’26, “Liquid Droplet Impact on Hydrophilic Powderbed” Mentor: Professor Xiaoyu Tang, COE, Mech & Industrial Engineering We aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of liquid droplets on powder beds, specifically on hydrophilic powder-bed through analyzing crater morphologies and penetration time through high-speed cameras. This research addresses a gap in knowledge regarding droplet-powder interactions, particularly in the application of 3D printing in the pharmaceutical industry. The findings have potential applications in optimizing printing parameters, enhancing print quality, and developing new materials for diverse applications. We are looking forward to finding the relationships between parameters including viscosity, impact speed, and cohesiveness of particles, and how they impact the fluid dynamics of physics. |
| Der Chi Lin COE’25, “Data Collection Pipeline for Practical Applications of Generative Design” Mentor: Professor Thomas Consi, COE, Electrical and Comp Engineering The allure of generative design is more apparent than ever with the introduction of ChatGPT-3 and there has been considerable speculation about its applications in engineering. Autodesk has been pursuing this with features in Fusion360 that have been released over the course of the last couple of years though there is little industry adoption due to the difficulty in collecting reliable data to input into the algorithms. This project seeks to create a generalized data collection pipeline for use in generatively designed geometry with a keystone application in custom midsole designs that address orthopedic needs on an individual basis. |
| Lily Miles COE’26, “Underwater Li-Fi Communication” Mentor: Professor Thomas Consi, COE, Electrical and Comp Engineering Standard wireless communication methods like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are unsuitable for underwater applications due to the water signal attenuation of radio waves. Consequently, underwater robotics relies on tethers for data transmission. Acoustic communication, while an option, is slow and energy-intensive. Light fidelity (Li-Fi) technology stands out: it transmits well underwater, with high data rates and low energy demands. This project introduces independent waterproof modules—a transmitter and a receiver—for pulse width modulation (PWM) and data communication. These modules Bridge surface control centers and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), potentially replacing tethers and granting ROVs newfound mobility and versatility. |
| Emma Nace COS’26, “The Influence of GCY on Neuronal Regeneration in C. elegans” Mentor: Professor Samuel Chung, COE, Bioengineering By studying lesion conditioning, which activates regenerative capacity, I aim to uncover how signals like cGMP influence gene expression to promote regeneration. Focusing on daf-11, a gene involved in cGMP production, I will create mutant worms and conduct laser surgeries on their neurons in order to understand how crh-1, which drives conditioning, and downstream signaling is affected by a daf-11 knockout. This 10-week project involves genetic analysis, laser surgery, and imaging. Successful outcomes may unveil novel insights into nerve regeneration in a mammalian model. I plan to share my results at future research conferences, including RISE in the Spring. |
| Ise Okhiria Khoury’25 & Alyssa Lee COS’25, “Search for Predictive Bipolar Biomarkers” Mentor: Professor Fatemeh Ghoreishi, COE, Civil & Environmental Engineer This project will investigate biomarkers of treatment outcomes for those with bipolar disorder. Biomarkers are biological indicators of how a disease is progressing through the body. Psychiatric biomarkers include genetic markers, brain structure, and protein levels in the body. Investigating these biomarkers of treatment outcomes will be achieved by creating an ML model. The model will be helpful in predicting which outcome treatments are linked to certain biomarkers. We aim to create a model that is the most accurate at predicting these outcomes. Improvement of predictive biomarkers can inform which treatment is best for each individual with bipolar disorder |
| Daniel Pitsch COE’24, “Analyzing Publishing Advances to Forecast Book Sales” Mentor: Professor Yakov Bart, DMSB, Marketing The book publishing industry’s selection and promotion processes, especially among large houses, are known to be opaque. Gauging how successful a book will be in the market has been difficult, both for publishers and outside observers This project looks to improve upon the existing, industry-standard predictions of success by building a model to forecast the sales of a book using publicly available advance deal data. The proposed research will culminate in a written report and presentation at RISE detailing all work done over the award period, as well as results on the model’s creation and effectiveness. |
| Julia Rasmussen COE’26, “Mobile Musical AI” Mentor: Professor Victor Zappi, CAMD, Music This project will integrate two music AI models into an open-source framework that allows developers to turn Android phones into fully functional music devices. This helps democratize the field of music technology – embedded devices are often expensive, whereas Android phones are commonplace around the world. The incorporation of AI models into this framework gives developers access to novel technology. Two music models will be redesigned with documentation written about the models’ training, allowing users to adjust any parameters when training models of their own. We plan to share the results at RISE and the Sound and Music Computing Conference. |
| Daisy Roberts COE’25, “Carbon Dioxide Electrolysis at Polymerized Cuprous Oxide Cathodes” Mentor: Professor Magda Barecka, COE, Chemical Engineering CO2 electrolysis is a field of sustainability research that involves using an electrolytic cell to reduce carbon dioxide back into useful hydrocarbons like methane and ethylene, essentially developing a way for natural gas to become “renewable”. My project intends to maximize ethylene production through CO2 electrolysis by combining two research-supported compositions of the cathode in the electrolytic cell: the incorporation of a polymer into a copper oxide cathode. I anticipate the ethylene efficiency of my developed cathode to be higher than the stated methods used on their own and plan to explore three different cuprous oxide cathodes to be polymerized. |
| SUMMIT AWARDS |
| Luke Bagdonas COS’25, “Sunlight Driven Photochemical Degradation of Spartina alterniflora Detritus” Mentor: Professor Aron Stubbins, COS, Chemistry & Chemical Biology This project analyzes how photodegradation affects the composition and production of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from living and senesced Spartina alterniflora litter. Through chemical analyses, important insights can be made about the role sunlight has on the production kinetics and reactivity of photo-released DOC and the impacts these findings have on carbon cycling within salt marsh ecosystems. Results from this project are planned to be presented and published in future semesters to contribute to a growing knowledge base about how to predict and mitigate further impacts of climate change on these important carbon-sequestering environments. |
| Kourtney Bichotte Dunner COS’25 & Sneha Vaidya COS’25, “Growing Seeds of Kinship Zine” Mentor: Professor Kelsey Pieper, COE, Civil & Environmental Engineer Our zine targets Northeastern students, sparking dialogue on reciprocity, and environmental stewardship. In an era of rapid digital consumption, zines democratize knowledge, offer a remedy for modern visual fatigue, and foster community and kinship often missing in mainstream media. Grounded in indigenous wisdom and a framework of food sovereignty, our zine centers on reciprocity, emphasizing relationships and community agency. Through the integration of art and climate justice, we aspire to foster land connections within our campus and the Boston urban landscape. |
| Alex Chiommino COE’25 & Rebecca DeBoard COE’25, “Quadruped Robot for Programming Research and Learning Platform” Mentor: Professor Alireza Ramezani, COE, Electrical and Comp Engineerng This project focuses on the development of a four-legged robot capable of standing and walking. Drawing inspiration from biology and anatomy, a quadrupedal design enables the robot to navigate diverse terrains more effectively than traditional wheeled robots. Movement will be achieved using custom actuators, sensors, and a lightweight structure. Beyond its immediate goals, the robot is envisioned to serve as a versatile research and development platform for Northeastern’s Robotics Club, with potential applications including advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, and computer vision. |
| Aunjoli Das COS’24, “The Effects of Sunlight on the Dissolved Organic Carbon Released by Sugar Kelp (Laminaria saccharina) and Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum)” Mentor: Professor Aron Stubbins, COS, Marine & Environment Sciences The objective of this research is to evaluate how sunlight affects the breakdown of DOC (dissolved organic carbon) released by two important species of macroalgae: Sugar Kelp and Rockweed. I will meet this goal by: 1) assessing DOC production from algae; 2) assessing the proportion of DOC that resists breakdown from sunlight. The results will quantify the proportion of carbon that remains not broken down and sequestered in deep waters. This information is important to understanding of the full capacity of macroalgae to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. I will present my findings at the Spring 2024 RISE conference. |
| Elizabeth DeToma COE’23, “Using In-Situ Raman to Study the Incorporation of Cations from Different Alkaline Electrolytes into a Layered Manganese Dioxide Electrode” Mentor: Professor Joshua Gallaway, COE, Chemical Engineering Alkaline zinc-manganese dioxide is a safe, low-cost option for grid-scale energy storage, but its bismuth-aided rechargeability mechanism needs to be understood in order to take full advantage of this technology. This project will use Raman spectroscopy to characterize the surface of alkaline manganese dioxide cathodes with and without a bismuth additive under various alkaline electrolytes. This will help determine if bismuth affects the rechargeability through the interlayer environment of layered manganese dioxide. The results of this project will be shared at RISE with the possibility of being included in a peer-reviewed publication. |
| Jennifer Field COS’24, “Self-Powered Smart Cane” Mentor: Professor Canek Fuentes Hernandez, COE, Electrical and Comp Engineering The Self-Powered Smart Cane project consists of the development of power-autonomous surfaces that sense, compute, and communicate to improve visually impaired individuals’ 3D awareness of the environment. The cane will use organic light detectors that will capture energy to be transferred to a haptic feedback system which will act as a proximity detector to objects in their surroundings. Through user interviews, user needs can be translated into engineering solutions which can be prototyped using techniques such as 3D and ink-jet printing. The project hopes to develop an assistive technology that can improve the lives of people with visual impairments. |
| Thomas Goodwin COE’24, “Optimizing Conductivity in Solid-State Lithium-ion Cathodes” Mentor: Professor Joshua Gallaway, COE, Chemical Engineering Solid-state batteries offer a safer, higher-energy density alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries containing flammable liquid electrolytes. The goal of this project is to optimize the amount of carbon black additive included in Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cathodes for composite solid-state electrolyte batteries to improve electrical conductivity. It will be determined whether the addition of carbon black impedes ionic conductivity in solid-state systems as well as if increasing the thickness of the cathode has a linear effect on the observed electronic conductivity of the cathode. Results will be presented at Northeastern’s RISE expo and published in an academic journal. |
| Oliver Hugh COE’25, Louis Foley COE’25, Joseph Dispirito Khoury’25, “IoT NFT Hydroponic System: Optimizing Efficiency, Monitoring, and Control” Mentor: Professor Mehdi Abedi, COE, Mech & Industrial Engineering Hydroponics, the process of growing crops with a nutrient solution instead of soil, is a promising solution to meet the world’s growing food demands in a manner far more sustainable and efficient than traditional agriculture. We plan to build a closed-loop Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic system with industrial applications that will monitor environmental growth factors in our system. The system will wirelessly relay that information to a laptop, where custom software can display, log, and control remotely. Designs will be published in a public repository, and we hope to share our prototype with local urban agriculture organizations in Boston. |
| Aidan Kenny COE’24, “Artistic Algorithms: Human-Computer Collaboration in Generating Accessible Abstract Art” Mentor: Professor Mark Sivak, CAMD, Art and Design This interdisciplinary research project seeks to develop an accessible machine for generative abstract art, bridging the fields of mechanical engineering, art, and product design. Many artistic endeavors are inaccessible due to financial, physical, and cognitive barriers whereas the proposed system aims to simplify art creation. The project’s four phases encompass mechanism design, simulation, user interface development, and product finalization. The end result is a human-centered product that makes creating abstract line drawings easy and engaging. Dissemination includes submission to the Conference on Computer-Human Interaction and presentation at Northeastern’s RISE. |
| Madison Morgan COE’25, “Investigation into the Health Literacy Rate of the DeafBlind Community” Mentor: Professor Chiara Bellini, COE, Bioengineering I am researching how the electronic health literacy rate of DeafBlind(DB) individuals impacts their ability to understand their care in a medical setting. I aim to determine the root cause for a poor health literacy rate within the community and propose possible solutions. I will use the eHLQ to assess the Boston DB community’s ability to understand common technology and health vocabulary. Secondly, I am interviewing hospital staff using the Survey of DeafBlind Clinicians (SDBC) to assess the accessibility level of hospital policies. I wish to publish my findings in the Journal of DeafBlind Studies in Communication. |
| Ashka Patel COE’24, Priya Raval COE’23, Miti Patel COE’24, “Quantitative Point of Care Lateral Flow Assay of Ferritin” Mentor: Professor Timothy Lannin, COE, Bioengineering Anemia caused by iron deficiency is highly prevalent, however, existing methods for iron deficiency diagnosis can be costly and need to be performed in lab or clinic settings. In collaboration with Synthera Health, our team aims to develop a novel rapid testing device that enables low-cost iron deficiency diagnosis for people globally. We will develop an assay that leverages antibodies and labeling nanoparticles to quantify blood ferritin with no additional equipment. We aim to patent the resulting technology and present our findings at RISE 2024. |
| Justin Roffman COE’24, “Bridging the Gap: Exploring Materials and Manufacturing Processes to Reach Professional Grade User Experiences” Mentor: Professor Mark Sivak, CAMD, Art and Design This study aims to analyze how a university-level mechanical engineering project can produce a professional user experience, and thereby compete with industry-level products. The specific impact of material choice, manufacturing processes, and surface finishes on the final UX is discussed. The purpose of this study is to elevate a prototype to a level in which the aesthetic finish enhances the fundamental functionality. The outcomes of this study include a database of materials and manufacturing processes along with the emotional reactions they generate. In addition, the paper gives recommendations to support and develop a project by leveraging these components. |
| Henry Silverstein COE’25, “Internally Flanged Mechanical Rocket Separation System” Mentor: Professor Andrew Gouldstone, COE, Mech & Industrial Engineering This project intends to do a more thorough analysis, both with simulation and mechanical testing, of a mechanical separation device designed in AeroNU. The clamp derives many design features from a Marman clamp, a commonly used system for mechanical separation. However, these features are placed on the inside of the tubes being coupled (the airframe of the rocket), enabling its use on smaller-diameter rockets. Using finite element analysis to evaluate stress and maximum load and mechanical testing to confirm this analysis, the effectiveness of the design will be determined relative to comparable mechanisms. |
| Zachary Stolberg COS’24, “Elucidating the Role of GABA in the ENS” Mentor: Professor Abigail Koppes, COE, Chemical Engineering GABA and its receptors have been implicated in multiple inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases such as Irritable Bowel Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, making it and its receptors common targets for therapeutics. By inducing an artificial inflammatory environment with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in an enteric neuron culture, we hope to see a difference in expression between excitatory GABA-A receptor expression and inhibitory GABA-B receptor expression between control and experimental groups. The expression will be evaluated with immunocytochemistry and qPCR, allowing for the visualization and quantification of both receptors. We predict that GABA-A will dominate since inflammatory states are typically associated with greater excitation. |
| Katie Tschoepe COE’25, Scott Pozder Khoury’24, Zachary Hoglund COE’24, “Developing Tailored Solutions to Address Medical Device Shortages in Ghana” Mentor: Professor Joshua Hertz, COE, Mech & Industrial Engineering Members of the student-led organization Innovators for Global Health (IGH) will design and produce medical devices in response to prior work done in Accra, Ghana earlier this year. These devices include a suction pump stopper, an oxygen line splitter, and a hospital bed. Members will also begin an IGH chapter in Ghana through this project. This project aims to fulfill the needs assessed in their partner hospitals, to inform sustainable development of medical technology, and to promote an understanding of the need for this type of development. Results from this project will be shared at RISE and in Ghana. |
| Cassandra Vongrej COS’25, “The Importance of Macroalgal Dissolved Organic Carbon Release as a Carbon Dioxide Reducing Technology (Continued)” Mentor: Professor Aron Stubbins, COS, Marine & Environment Sciences Carbon dioxide is a main contributor to global warming due to increasing atmospheric concentrations. To mitigate the impacts of climate change, natural and engineered carbon dioxide reduction (CDR) is required. The growth of macroalgae is one CDR pathway, as macroalgae sequester large amounts of carbon in the form of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which can be further characterized. Here, wild sugar kelp ( Laminaria saccharina ) and rockweed ( Fucus distichus and Ascophyllum nodosum) will be grown to analyze DOC release and its resistance to biodegradation. These results will be shared to provide knowledge on algal carbon cycling and potential climate change mitigation. |