Our lab recently started a fun new tradition at our biweekly group meetings. Each meeting, one member presents on a topic in material science or an adjacent field. Check out some of the recent ones below!
Meteorites
Presenter: Sam Present
February 14, 2022
Want to counterfeit your own meteorite? Sam’s got you covered. He hypothesized how we could recreate the microstructures of these alien space rocks in our own labs.
Gas Atomization
Presenter: Sharon Park
March 7, 2022
Sharon divulged some of the secrets of her master’s thesis which utilized gas atomization to create metallic powders for additive manufacturing.
Gemstones
Presenter: Catherine Barrie
April 11, 2022
Catherine showed us some of the science behind what makes gemstones so valuable. Find out more about stones like benitoite, painite, and even the Maryland state gem — the Patuxent River stone.
Garnet Micro-Tunnels
Presenter: Kevin Hemker
April 18, 2022
To follow up Catherine’s presentation on gemstones Professor Hemker lead us through a thrilling mystery — what could have caused these interesting micro-tunnels that were ruining these natural garnets? Take a look at this paper and tell us what you think!
Crabs
Presenter: Daniel Magnuson
June 27, 2022
Ever wonder what keeps sea crabs from imploding under the high pressures of deep ocean waters? Me neither. Nevertheless, Daniel enlightened us on the unique microstructure and architecture of crab shells and their mechanical properties.
Mechanical Watches
Presenter: Ali Jalali
September 9, 2022
Want to know why mechanical watches are so expensive? Ali took us through all of the science and engineering that goes into creating a watch that doesn’t need to be wound and is still amazingly accurate.
Electromechanical Pinball Machines
Presenter: Maddy Selby
September 23, 2022
Maddy showed us all the ins and outs of what makes electromechanical pinball machines work (and so fun to play!). If you are curious about their history and their design, take a look at her presentation!
Swords
Presenter: Mike Patullo
October 7, 2022
Let’s cut right to the chase, this presentation is about swords. Mike dove into the details of one of the oldest materials science fields and what makes certain blade materials so special.
The Demon Core
Presenter: Kate Brizzolara
October 21, 2022
Kate shared her passion of World War II era history with her presentation on the Demon Core, an un-dropped atomic bomb. This presentation was a good reminder that safety should always come first in the lab!
Origami
Presenter: Arunima Banerjee
November 4, 2022
Do you know how a paper crane is relevant to the world of material science? For Arunima’s final presentation with our group she shared the creative ways origami has influenced scientific structures.
Transmissions
Presenter: Jacob Aljundi
November 18, 2022
Jacob decided to shift gears away from materials science and dove deep into the world of mechanics where he showed us how car transmissions work.
TiO2 in Everyday Life
Presenter: Sharon Park
December 9, 2022
Are you a fat-free milk drinker? If so, Sharon may have you re-thinking your choices. In our last group meeting before the holiday season, Sharon showed us how prevalent titania is in our everyday lives and gave us some advice on how to avoid feeding it to Santa.
Human Eye and Lenses
Presenter: Ali Jalali
February 9, 2023
Fun Fact: 90% of the Hemker group has corrective lenses! Ali gave an enlightening talk on how the human eye works and how vision is corrected via various types of lenses. Did you also know that our vision aberrations change how we see color? Check out his fun talk in the link below!
Lego Structures
Presenter: Maddy Selby
March 9, 2023
Inspired by a cover of Popular Mechanics, Maddy gave us insight into the history of everyones’ favorite toys and how they’re made.
Colloids
Presenter: Sharon Park
April 20, 2023
Do you know what milk, smoke, and gelatin all have in common (don’t let the title of the presentation spoil it for you)? Sharon quizzed us on what we knew about colloids and showed just how many of them are all around us in everyday life!