Students are welcome to present posters at the meeting. Submit poster titles and abstracts to tamu.cuwip@gmail.com by Friday, January 3, 2020. Posters should be no larger than 3 feet by 4 feet and should be hung with pushpins or clips that are provided onsite.
- Posters must be hung no later than 1pm on Saturday, January 18
- Posters must be removed no later than 4pm on Sunday, January 19.
- Any poster left after 4pm on Sunday, January 19 will be removed by conference staff and discarded.
Poster Judging
Students presenting posters have the opportunity to participate in our poster competition. Those participating will be split into two groups: one group will be able to travel around and look at the other posters while the other group presents theirs; halfway through the poster session, the groups will flip.
The judges will travel around the posters to ask questions and judge the clarity of the content. Judging rubric will be posted closer to the conference date.
Poster abstracts
Below are some of the poster abstracts from our amazing CUWiP attendees!
1. Jacqueline Baeza-Rubio
Paul Trap R&D for Barium Tagging
Motivated by the possibility to observe individual and multiple trapped ions, we have built a Paul trap to explore regimes of stability. These traps suspend charged particles by using a saddle-shaped electric field that alternates and confines the motion of the particles to a small region without the need of physical walls. The system presented in this poster is a prototype for a future trap to be used inside a pressure vessel, with the goal of studying the survival time of Ba++ ions in pure xenon and xenon gas mixtures. This will allow for characterization of barium ion sources, a component of R&D towards barium tagging technology that may enable a background-free method to search for the ultra-rare process of neutrinoless double beta decay.
2. Z. L. de Beurs
Classifying X-ray Binaries Using Machine Learning
Consisting of a compact object that accretes material from an orbiting secondary star, X-ray binaries have been observed for more than half a century. However, there is still no straightforward means to determine the nature of the compact object: a neutron star or a black hole. We compare three classification machine learning methods (Bayesian Gaussian Processes, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Support vector Machines) to develop a tool for classifying the compact objects in X-ray binary systems.
Each machine learning method uses spatial patterns which exist between systems of the same type in 3D Color-Color-Intensity diagrams. We tested a Bayesian Gaussian Process model that has been used to classify sources observed with the RXTE/ASM with data from the more sensitive MAXI/GSC. Using the MAXI/GSC data, we reproduce the result that the model can accurately classify well-known X-ray binaries. However, we find that the model often misclassifies non-pulsing neutron star systems containing “bursters” as black holes when they are close to the boundary between black holes and neutron stars. We find that K-Nearest Neighbors and Support Vector Machines on average predict the correct classification with greater probability and speed than the Bayesian Gaussian Process, with exceptions for specific systems.
Overall, all three methods have a high predictive accuracy, indicating a feasible method to classify X-ray binaries into black holes, non-pulsing neutron stars, or pulsars; nonetheless, all three methods have a relatively high error rate for classifying burster systems.
3. Sierra Casten
Characterizing Galactic Binaries in the Cloud with LISA
LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is being designed to measure gravitational waves over a range of low frequencies from .1 mHz to 1 Hz. Once launched and functional, LISA will see 10s of 1,000s of sources simultaneously and having an efficient means of analysis will be crucial. Current analysis techniques were investigated to detect and characterize galactic binaries with LISA. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method was utilized to account for the amount of simultaneous sources. Additionally, this method was repeated and implemented on a cloud computing facility. Using cloud computing sets up a platform that can be manipulated to fit the needs of many computing situations and is ideal for large data. This platform was created from the ground up and has been used to reproduce the results of previous codes to demonstrate the ability and effectiveness of cloud computing. Because the specifications and number of computers can easily be chosen and altered by the user, the analysis with cloud computing becomes more efficient, significantly faster, as well as cost effective.
4. Victoria E. Catlett
Near-Infrared Accretion Diagnostics of Young Stellar Objects
Hydrogen emission lines in the Brackett series are thought to trace the accretion process in Young Stellar Objects (YSOs), arising when material from a protoplanetary disk impacts the stellar surface and is shock heated. We study the emission of 165 YSOs in the Taurus star-forming region to investigate how Brackett lines relate to stellar and disk properties. We use spectra from the Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrometer (IGRINS), which cover the H and K bands of the near-infrared with a resolving power of R~45,000. We also constructed the Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) of the YSOs using data from the 2MASS, PACS, SPIRE, and WISE surveys.
We detected Brackett-g emission from 105 stars in the sample. For those lines, we calculated the line peak, Full Width at Zero Intensity (FWZI), Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM), total flux, equivalent width, and asymmetry factor (AF), using a Bootstrap Monte Carlo method with 10 4 iterations to obtain measurement errors. We compare these values to a, the slope of an SED in the wavelength region of 2μm to 20μm, which indicates the presence and, roughly, the amount of a circumstellar disk of material. We expect sources with higher a values to experience more continuum veiling, which would lower their measured equivalent widths. Thus, we obtained veiling estimates for 84 of the sources and corrected the Brackett-g equivalent width measurements. Sources with very high a do not have the detectable absorption lines necessary to calculate veiling.
We find a loose trend between spectral slope and Brackett-g equivalent width. The FWHM seems independent from the spectral slope, implying that the characteristics of emission regions are similar despite varying accretion rates.
5. Anna Gilbert
A Study of the reactive surface of a single Zinc Oxide nanowire
A zinc oxide nanowire (ZnO nw) based device was fabricated and carrier dynamics through this wire was studies both in dark and in the presence of light. Results reveal a highly reactive surface even when the nanowire is in the dark, where the dark current measured at a field strength of 1.3 MV/m was 0.5 μA. The current was the same under the influence of green light and the same field. However, when exposed to a UV wavelength of 320 nm, corresponding to zinc oxide’s band gap energy of 3.36 eV, the device illustrated a significantly higher current of 2.5 μA and created localized damage to the device with prolonged exposure. During I-V measurements, we also discovered a reduction of current over short periods of time due to depletion of surface charges as a result of high electric fields on the device.
6. Ariel Hall
Exploring the Effects of Nanoparticles on Voltage-Gated Ion Channels.
Voltage-gated ion channels are largely responsible for the transport of various ions, such as sodium, calcium, and potassium, across the cell membrane. These ions consequently cause changes in the potential of the cell, stimulating other processes like the firing of neurons or contraction of muscle cells. To facilitate easier transport of these ions, nanoparticles have been suggested as possible transport mechanisms for various medications. In this study, the properties of voltage-gated ion channels in the cell membranes of HEKA cells were studied as relating to the use of added nanoparticles. Polarized and non-polarized nanoparticles were added in several concentrations to cell cultures, which were incubated for twenty-four hours. Cells were then studied using patch clamping on an automatic rig. Cells were exposed to two protocols (IV and Tails), during which the cell membranes were depolarized and then repolarized by applying appropriate voltage across the cell membrane. The current and voltage through the cell membrane was monitored and recorded for each cell. After analyzing the data collected through MATLAB, graphs of current vs. voltage for control cell groups not exposed to nanoparticles and groups of cells exposed to different concentrations of nanoparticles revealed that nanoparticles do not negatively affect the current passing through ion channels. Further research is required to ensure that the nanoparticles are in fact harmless to ion channels. Altogether, this allows nanoparticles to be considered as a possible transport mechanism for various compounds in medications, allowing medicines to work more efficiently in the body.
7. Nadia Hannon
Engineering Design with 3-D Printing: Innovative Solutions to Real-World Problems – The Anti-Heat Belt
Ever burn yourself on the metal end of your seat belt? That is a problem of the past with the anti-heat belt, a small device that simply goes over the metal part of the seat belt keeping it cool for when you come back to your car! Using the engineering design process, this device was carefully prototyped to create a functional solution to a problem.
8. Olga Hernandez
Survey of the Ecliptic Plane
Asteroid impacts are not a new phenomenon. Though they are a natural disaster, they might also be preventable. Detecting near Earth asteroids is the first step in removing Earth from the collision course. In this work, the processes and data I’ve acquired during observation nights searching for such asteroids is presented.
9. Rabia Husain
Optimization of superconductivity in sintered Fe(1+ε)Te(0.5)Se(0.5)
We ran ac magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and x-ray diffraction
tests on the “11”-structure superconductor Fe1+εTe0.5Se0.5 samples where ε = 0.05, 0.07, and 0.09. The samples were prepared in an inert argon-atmosphere glovebox, pressed into pellets of uniform mass and composition, and sintered in vacuum sealed quartz tubes. The sealed tubes of 1, 2, 4, and 8 pellets for ε = 0.07 and 1, 2, and 4 pellets for ε = 0.05 and 0.09 were fired together on a ramp of temperatures up to 600 degrees C over the course of around 110 hours. It was found that each tube of pellets that were fired together showed different appearances and superconducting properties between the tubes. It was found that in the process of firing, tellurium and selenium evaporated off the pellets and recondensed on the inside of the tubes, leaving a thin white coating on the tubes. These results continue to study the composition and its effects on superconductivity and begs the question whether the structure acts as an iron-excess or chalcogen-vacancy system.
10. Sara Irvine
High Hydrostatic Pressure (0.5–2.5 GPa) Synthesis and Properties of Bulk “nnx” Rare-Earth Nickel Oxides (R_n Ni_n O_x )*
We have undertaken rare-earth and alkaline-earth substitutions in known nickel oxide phases, and a search for new such phases, using a hot press. We prepared starting materials both by ambient solidstate reaction (650°C–975°C) and by using high-oxygen-pressure (150–200 bar), high-temperature (T ≈ 1000°C) syntheses, producing either nominal-composition mixed-phase RNiOx materials, or the nearly-simpleperovskite RNiO3 phases, respectively. We then subjected such parent materials [R = Pr, Nd, (La,Y)], as well as hole- and electron-doped varieties, to high quasi-hydrostatic pressures using a hot piston-cylinder apparatus (5–25 kbar, i.e., 0.5–2.5 GPa) at high temperatures (950°C–1050°C). The technique can include oxidizers (KClO4), or can be naturally reducing, the latter augmentable by hydrogen. We report product phases; initial syntheses have provided specimens with decreases in undesired starting phases. Our study of other nickelate phases, e.g., R3 Ni3 O7 and infinite-layer RNiO2, with this technique is ongoing, exploring both steric effects and hole- (Sr2+) and electron-doping (Ce4+) in targeted RnNiO2 structures.
11. Bojana Ivanic
The Influence of Grain Structures on the Optical and Spin Properties of MAPbI3 Film
Spintronics is a field of electronics that focuses on the behavior and properties of spins rather than that of electrons. Semiconductor spintronic devices are expected to operate at smaller sizes, higher frequencies, and lower power than their electronic analogs, as well as perform operations impossible for purely electronic devices—a spin-based processor would be able to perform logical operations and store memory all at the same time. To realize these devices, we need to preserve electron spins for a long time and efficiently manipulate them. For most materials, it is a tradeoff between long spin lifetime, which favors low spin-orbit coupling (SOC), and easy spin manipulation, which requires high SOC. Hybrid perovskites, a new class of semiconductor, are promising for spintronic applications as they have both attributes. Long spin lifetime has been demonstrated in polycrystalline methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) film, but the influence of microstructures on this property has not yet been investigated. Large SOC effects have been predicted, but no strong experimental evidence has confirmed the spin textures. This project studies the influence of grain structures on the optical and spin-dependent properties of MAPbI3 films. A large grain sample of MAPbI3 was imaged with reflectance and photoluminescence (PL) measurements using a scanning microscope. Grain boundaries can be seen in both the reflection and PL images, and subgrain structures can be seen by comparing the two. We found that the PL peak shifts across the sample, indicating nonuniformity of the polycrystalline film. Understanding the origin of these properties and the behavior of spin within perovskite films is necessary so that materials can be optimized for spintronic applications. This project is ongoing, and this setup will be used to study the influence of grain structure on spin dynamics in MAPbI3 films, as well as SOC effects on high quality single crystals.
12. Breona Leonard
Hydrophobic GUMBOS used for VOC Detection and Discrimination in Humid Conditions
The use of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor arrays for analyses of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has attracted significant interest in recent years. In this regard, a group of uniformed materials based on organic salts (GUMBOS) has proven to be promising recognition elements in QCM based sensor arrays due to various properties afforded by this class of materials. However, QCM sensor arrays have one limitation: they rely heavily on temperature stability to operate efficiently. Herein, this research examines the application of two novel heptamethyl cyanine-based GUMBOS as recognition elements for VOC detection using a QCM based multisensor array (MSA) that can function in humid conditions. These synthesized GUMBOS are composed of three IR780 hydrophobic nanomaterials. These materials were characterized using electrospray ionization and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, with thermal properties investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. Vapor sensing properties of these GUMBOS towards a set of common VOCs at three sample flow rate ratios were examined. Upon exposure to VOCs, each sensor generated analyte specific response patterns that were recorded and analyzed using principal component and discriminant analyses. Use of this MSA allowed discrimination of analytes into different functional group classes (alcohols, aromatic hydrocarbons, and hydrocarbons) with 98.6% accuracy. Evaluation of these results provides further insight into the use of hydrophobic GUMBOS as recognition elements for QCM-based MSAs for VOC discrimination.
12. Emily Luffey
Properties of Chromatin Extracted by Salt Fractionation from a Cancerous and Non-cancerous Esophageal Cell Line
The National Institute of Health estimates that approximately 38.4% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetimes. While cancer is mostly viewed as a genetic disease characterized by genetic markers and expression of mutant proteins, there is considerable evidence that there is more to cancer than somatic mutations. For example, the first signature looked for by a pathologist is grossly aberrant cell nuclei. It has been shown that the more abnormal a particular cell nucleus is, the more aggressive a particular form of cancer is. A major variable in the overall nuclear structure is chromatin compaction and structure. We compared chromatin compaction and structure for two esophageal cell lines, EPC2 (non-cancerous) and CP-D (cancerous) by using a combination of salt fractionation and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and found significant differences in the chromatin morphology of cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines. We anticipate that our results will help to gain insight into the mechanisms of phenotypic change in cells from normal to cancerous.
13. Tatum Martin
Graphene Quantum Dot Photothermal Cancer Therapy with MoS2 and Tm
Photothermal cancer therapy (PPT) is being widely studied for cancer treatment using many different radiation wavelengths. For human treatment the radiation wavelengths and power density needs to be safe for healthy cells. Near-Infrared light can serve this purpose well as it is not strongly absorbed by biological tissue and near-IR absorbing nanoparticles localized to the tumor can be used to selectively treat those. In this work we are creating doped graphene quantum dots with a variety of dopants that absorb in near-infrared and can decrease the viability of cancer cells using near infrared radiation wavelengths not affecting healthy cells not treated with these nanoparticles. In this study after screening different dopants, molybdenum disulfide nitrogen doped graphene quantum dots (MoS2-NGQDs), thulium nitrogen doped graphene quantum dots (Tm-NGQDs), and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were selected as most near-IR absorbing and caused highest temperature increase of several degrees in solution upon 808 and 980 nm laser irradiation. Those were tested for PTT in vitro in HeLa cells with 808 nm laser radiation. The PTT effect is determined by assessing the viability of the cells after irradiation which showed that near-IR treatment of HeLa cells with MoS2 and Tm were not statistically significant while GQDs were. With these results we can see that GQDs are a viable candidate for further study and future in vivo PPT testing.
13. Brina Martinez
Classification of Acoustic Noise in LIGO Livingston
Scattered laser light, undesirably-reflected from vibrating surfaces, generates noise that affects the sensitivity of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). These surfaces, such as the walls of the vacuum chambers enclosing the detectors, can be vibrating due to locally-created disturbances such as thunderstorms, trains, or other anthropogenic activities. In this work, we used feature extraction and machine learning techniques to identify acoustic noises. Using Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficient features and the K-Nearest Neighbors algorithm we determined which sounds were thunderclaps. Acoustic noise classification is necessary for the critical task of characterizing the LIGO detectors’ behavior and noise, and therefore assure their correct performance.
14. Wendy Mendoza
Stellar Occultation of Asteroid Chariklo
Asteroid Chariklo was the first asteroid found to have a ring system. Also, chariklo is the largest member of an asteroid class known as Centaurs. I will talk about my observation nights of the asteroid and the night the occultation happens. Also the process and time of the occultation star GAIA DR2 6766592538147363712.
15. Priyadarshini Rajkumar
Optimizing the search for electromagnetic counterparts (EM) to Gravitational Wave (GW) events with the Liverpool Telescope (LT)
Our understanding of gravitational wave (GW) events is greatly enhanced by identifying and studying their electromagnetic (EM) counterparts. For nearby GW events with a small localization uncertainty, an effective strategy is to search for new transient sources in previously catalogued galaxies, whose properties are consistent with the GW data. Even with a limited field of view, such as that of the Liverpool Telescope (LT), it is plausible to discover the EM counterparts using an efficient observational strategy. But because many galaxies must be observed and the EM counterparts are faint and fade rapidly, a reliable automatic procedure is crucial to schedule observations efficiently. Therefore, we designed an algorithm in Python that uses a catalogue of nearby galaxies and the three-dimensional GW localization map to create a prioritized list of galaxies based on GW error-map probability, observability, and absolute magnitude. We tested our algorithm with past GW events and, within a few minutes, obtained consistent results with previous observations. For example, NGC 4993, host galaxy of GW170817, was in 3rd place in our observing schedule. Thus, this algorithm can swiftly assist in the formulation of effective follow-up plans which should increase the probability of localizing EM counterparts.
16. Gicela Guadalupe Saucedo Salas
Probing the stability of Shastry Sutherland lattice in Er2Pd2Sn and Er2Pd2In
The group of 221 compounds crystalizing in the Mo2FeB2 structure type, more commonly known as R2T2X intermetallic (R = rare earth, T = transition metal, X =main group), have been reinvestigated recently owing to the spin liquid state in the underlying Shastry Sutherland lattice (SSL) formed by the R [1, 2]. Our motivation in investigating this compound is to explore the interplay of frustration and quantum criticality. The present study we have selected less-investigated Er2Pd2In and Er2Pd2Sn. X-ray powder diffraction studies and subsequent Rietveld refinements confirmed that the compounds were phase-pure and crystallized in the tetragonal Mo2FeB2 structure. Both the compounds obeyed Curie-Weiss law in the paramagnetic regime, as judged from magnetic susceptibility data, which indicated antiferromagnetism. Specific heat data on both the compounds revealed a double peak indicating complex magnetic structure and phase transitions. We will present a detailed analysis of the magnetization and specific heat on both Er2Pd2(Sn/In). This motivate our current neutron diffraction experiment to determine the magnetic structure of these SSL compounds to probe for novel magnetic phases.
17. Chloe Schnaible
Photographing Mars Closest Approach
On July 31, 2018, Mars was closer to Earth than it will be until 2035, which means it was large and bright in our sky. This presented the opportunity to get great pictures of the famous red planet using the Adams Observatory telescope. In order to prepare for this event, we refined our complicated imaging process using Jupiter and Saturn. We started out with blurry, black and white videos, and ended up with beautiful, detailed color images of each planet. In order to do this, we combined the frames from the video using Autostakkert, sharpened the resulting image using Registax, combined red, green, and blue images using Gimp, and derotated using Winjupos. After processing, we are able to see the belts and white pearls on jupiter in addition to the great red spot. In the Saturn images, we can clearly see the rings and some fait storms on the pole. Finally, on Mars, we are able to see the largest volcano in the solar system and the polar ice caps despite the global dust storm.
18. Keeley Scott
STEP UP: The Impact of a Women in Physics Lesson on Students’ Figured Worlds
STEP UP is a national community focused on recruiting women into physics. Two lessons have been developed for high school physics teachers to implement in their physics curriculum. This work focuses on the Women in Physics lesson. Students complete a homework assignment prior to the lesson in which they reflect on the portrayal of women in physics. Classroom discussion is built around an interactive presentation that includes information about the underrepresentation of women in physics today and its causes. The presentation is designed to elicit students’ personal experiences. Following the class discussion, students write an essay about how they perceive society’s influence on women’s career decisions and on their own individual career choices. By analyzing students’ written work using a figured worlds framework, we examine students’ views before and after the lesson. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1720810, 1720869, 1720917, and 1721021.