Honors Program: February 2023 Newsletter

Honors Program Newsletter: February 2023

Message From the Director

Clarkson Honors students spent this past fall semester pursuing an impressive array of experiences. Our Honors Program sophomore course, Introduction to Community Engagement, put students to work volunteering with several partners in the local community. Fourteen of our Honors students were privileged to assist the town of Waddington with preserving their history, from documenting artifacts to developing a digital walking history tour. Those community connections and real-world training are invaluable for our students. Their interpersonal skills, enriched by research in their fields, come to fruition in later years. A trio of our seniors — Jennifer O'Brien ’22, Mary Donnelly ’22, and Gracie DeLaBruere ’23 — all shared their ongoing work at a variety of conferences. In Clarkson Honors, much of our learning happens outside the classroom.

— Kate Krueger, Director, University Honors Program / Professor of Literature

Preserving History

Image
Students working on the honors project

Clarkson Honors students take community engagement seriously. There’s even a class about it. Students in Introduction to Community Engagement are working with peers in the University’s construction engineering management program to help preserve and display historical artifacts in the village of Waddington, New York.

 

National Presence

Image
Julia Brzac
Julia Brzac

Gracie DeLaBruere ’23 stepped onto the national stage this November when she and her classmates presented research at the 63rd Annual Psychonomic Society Meeting. She has been working with Professor Andreas Wilke on a project that examines statistical thinking in children.

 

Making An Impression

Image
Students winning the best poster award

Recent Honors graduate Jennifer O’Brien ’22 ended her time at Clarkson in style, winning the Best Undergraduate Poster Award at the Hudson Mohawk AVS (formerly American Vacuum Society)  fall meeting. Her poster exhibited research that she and co-researchers published in the October issue of Small. 

Read More About the Award

Electrical & Computer Engineering Newsletter: March 2023

Electrical & Computer Engineering Newsletter: March 2023

Message From the Chair

The faculty in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering are not just dedicated teachers who provide a world-class education; they are also leaders in their research who receive national and international recognition for their work. This issue highlights some of their awards, as well as that of the University’s top leader. It just goes to show that the culture of innovation at Clarkson starts from the top down.

— Paul McGrath, Professor/Chair of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Grant Renewed

Image
Daqing Hou and Yu Liu
Daqing Hou and Yu Liu

Budding engineers looking to learn about high performance computing will have another three years of opportunities. The NSF has renewed its grant to Clarkson that funds the Research Experiences for Undergraduates site on High Performance Computing With Engineering Applications, which is co-led by ECE Professors Daqing Hou and Yu Liu.

Read More About the Grant Renewal

Work Honored

Image
Stephanie Schuckers

Stephanie Schuckers’ work as director of CITeR, the Center for Identification Technology Research, revolves around using biometrics to recognize human identities. Now, she has been recognized as one of a select group of electrical and electronics engineers. The IEEE named her a Fellow for “her contributions in biometric recognition systems.”

Read More About the Fellowship

Civil & Environmental Engineering Newsletter: March 2023

Civil & Environmental Engineering Newsletter: March 2023

Message From the Chair

In this issue of our newsletter, I would like to highlight faculty achievements in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Our faculty are wholehearted in their efforts to improve society and the environment through engineering, and to share their knowledge with younger generations. The honors they have received are well deserved, and I am very proud to share news of them with you.

— Steven Wojtkiewicz, Professor/Chair of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Research Funded

Image
Yang Yang

Professor Yang Yang is very busy. He recently received a three-year research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Alliance of Water Innovation to fund his work in dehalogenation of emerging contaminants. This is in addition to an NSF CAREER Award that will fund his research in treating and destroying PFAS solid wastes.  

Read More About his Grant

Rare Honor

Image
Sulapha Peethamparan

In keeping with the department’s goal of improving the world through sustainability and better environmental health, Professor Sulapha Peethamparan’s research focuses on sustainable concrete. She has contributed so much to the field, in fact, that she was elected a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute — an honor that less than 5% of members receive. 

Read More About Professor Peethamparan’s Research

Concrete Award

Another faculty member to be recognized by the American Concrete Institute is Professor Robert Thomas, who received the Young Member Award for Professional Achievement. During his time as a member, Thomas has chaired committees, organized convention sessions and mentored students and young professionals, all while performing his own concrete research.

Read More About his Reward

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Newsletter: March 2023

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Newsletter: March 2023

Message From the Chair

Students and faculty in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering make an impact in their fields of study. The articles we are sharing this month highlight their contributions, as well as the recognition they have received from industry and academia. Please enjoy reading more about their accomplishments.  

— Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy, Professor/Chair of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Space Solutions

Image
Selma Mededovic Thagard

Blue Origin may be aiming for outer space, but it has its sights set on Clarkson. Professor Selma Mededovic Thagard was a recent recipient of one of its grants, which will fund her research on using non-thermal plasma to purify wastewater on space flights. In phase one of her project, she will develop several lab-scale plasma systems.

Read More About Space Solutions

On the Scene

Image
Students attending the Eastern Analytical Symposium

Chemical engineering major James Lowe ’23 got a taste of the national academia scene this past fall. He, along with other undergraduate and graduate students from Clarkson’s Biochemistry and Proteomics Laboratories, attended the Eastern Analytical Symposium — one of the largest chemistry conferences on the East Coast. 

 

The Shape of Water

Image
L-R: Dr. Taeyoung Kim and Dr. Soryong Chae
L-R: Dr. Taeyoung Kim and Dr. Soryong Chae

As the question of a plentiful water supply becomes increasingly pressing, Professor Taeyoung Kim is searching for a cost-effective and energy-efficient method for groundwater desalination. To support his endeavors, the Department of the Interior awarded him and his University of Cincinnati collaborator $250,000 for their research.