Neutrinos and antineutrinos are elementary particles with no electric charge and very small masses. From neutrino oscillation experiments we know their mass differences but not their absolute scale. Additionally, it is unknown whether neutrinos are their own antiparticles. These are two of several significant questions in neutrino physics and are important for furthering our fundamental understanding of the universe as we extend the Standard Model of particle physics. These questions can be probed by a search for the rare hypothetical radioactive decay known as neutrinoless double beta decay. The Majorana Demonstrator experiment will look for neutrinoless double beta decay in ⁷⁶Ge. Currently, the Majorana Demonstrator is in the development stage, and involves the collaboration of several universities and national laboratories. My research characterizes electrical crosstalk between nearby readout channels for this experiment. As neutrinoless double beta decay is hypothesized to such a rare process, a thorough understanding of the electrical crosstalk is necessary to adequately interpret the measured signals.

Given a very fast calculator and a digital camera, is it possible to relate what the camera “sees” to everyday life as we know it? Impossibly fast electronic signals pass from our optic nerves to our brains to our muscles to give us the power of object recognition and the ability to articulate that recognition. Algorithmically, this project attempts to take the wizardry of that recognition and “dumb it down” for computer consumption. Using the Python coding language, through a mathematical approach, an attempt is made to add rudimentary letter and word recognition to a Scribbler robot. The input to be analyzed is gathered by a hardware add-on, which provides a 220 x 220 pixel still-image camera to the Scribbler robot. Through an established letter recognition scheme, the Python code scans for matching values and assigns letters accordingly. The letters are then stored into string values and fed to the Scribbler's built-in text-to-speech command. Through this experiment, the bridge between human and computer understanding will be linked, if only for a crude, brief second.

All cells including bacteria exhibit an intricate spatial organization that is essential for cellular function. The mechanisms by which this ultra structural organization is established and maintained are not yet understood. The resolution limit of conventional wide-field fluorescence microscopy is set to 250nm by the diffraction limit, however the building blocks cellular ultra-structure, protein, are typically a few nanometers in size. Therefore, in order to probe the cell-machinery that gives rise to the organization of Escherichia coli chromosome, I use a super resolution fluorescence microscopy technique called PhotoActivation Localization Microscopy (PALM). I am able to resolve DNA structures with a resolution near ~20nm by labeling short sections of E. coli chromosome with a photoactivatable fluorescent protein. I then relate the measured size of chromosome sections to known physical parameters of DNA in order to asses the viability of various polymer models of DNA, which will lead to a better understanding of the physical factors that lead to structure in E. coli.

The ability to detect magnetic nanoparticle tags could be an important technique in a wide variety of biological applications such as particle tracking and immunoassay labeling. We aim to detect magnetic fields at the nanometer scale using the optical detection of the electron spin resonances of Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. This system combines the possibility of high spatial resolution with magnetic sensitivity. I am developing a diamond based magnetometer designed for biomagnetic nanotag sensing at room temperature. The magnetometer is a diamond substrate with a dense layer of NV centers at the surface. Magnetic nanoparticles are placed on the surface and detected by utilizing wide-field photoluminesence imaging. The intensity of the NV photoluminescence is highly sensitive to magnetic field; therefore we can obtain information about the local magnetic field magnitude and direction and thus the position of the nanotags. I am working on building data acquisition and instrument control software for the magneto-optical microscope. It involves instrument control of a Radio Frequency (RF) signal generator, automated data acquisition using an EMCCD camera, integration of RF unit with data acquisition and real time image processing.

Model membranes are important tools for investigating physical properties of lipid bilayers. Unfortunately, current techniques for producing giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) with biologically and physically relevant properties (namely: inclusion of charged lipids, encapsulation of high salt buffer, and compositional asymmetry between the inner and outer leaflets) are difficult, unreliable, and/or low throughput. We examine a method called cDICE, developed by Abkarian et al., that has the potential to address all of these issues. Our results here for charged lipids in high salt buffers are promising, whereas asymmetry has proven difficult to measure.

Despite the numerous studies of the bacteria E. Coli, the basic motion of macromolecules confined to the cellular cytoplasm, such as mRNA, remains uncharacterized. I employ a technique called fluorescent correlation microscopy, which consists of binding synthesized mRNA with fluorescent proteins, imaging the cell throughout its lifetime, and analyzing the images using statistical autocorrelation. This technique allows me to determine the diffusion constant (D) as a function of cellular location while bypassing the error caused by higher order analysis. We predict that D is primarily dependent on the molecular crowding at its position, and there exists a tendency for mRNA to gather in the less crowded spaces in the cell, e.g. at the poles.

Bacterial conjugation is the process of transferring genetic material from one cell to another. In the case of F-plasmid of Escherichia coli, the conjugation system is composed of inter-membrane proteins as well as hairlike appendages called pili encoded by the plasmid. Current interest in the characterization of F-plasmid lies with its ability to not only transfer itself to other cells but also its potential to mobilize auxiliary genes, such as antibiotic resistance, that yield some selective advantage. However, many basic details about the F-plasmid system, such as how donor cells recognize recipients and the function of the protruding pili, remain unknown. Through the use of an optical tweezer setup, I am able to isolate individual, fluorescently labeled E. coli cells in close proximity to each other. Once in close proximity, I will monitor the forces applied by donor cells on recipient cells and compare those forces to the forces potentially applied by donor cells on other donor cells. In addition, by utilizing the same optical tweezer setup, I will explore the statistical behavior of F-plasmid transfer as a function of cell-to-cell separation to investigate the potential function of the pili as transfer conduits.

Telemetry is concerned with the problem of making automatic, real-time measurements of remote data which are transmitted to base stations for further analysis. We present here an overview of our work in rocket telemetry for a Stage II Rocket which focuses on problems related to real-time telemetric data acquisition from high-speed, high-altitude projectiles, with detailed overviews of contributions from the six student teams, including: Airframe Team, Propulsion Team, Software, Sensors and Acquisition Team, Computational Physics Team, Launch and Recovery Team and the Computer Modeling Team. The Airframe Team designs the mounting apparatuses for the interior of the rocket. Our Propulsion Team synthesized and thrust tested the fuel we will use for rocket propellant, which is comprised of (Ammonium Nitrate-Oxidizer), C12H22O11 (Sucrose[Sugar]-Fuel) and HTPB(Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene- Fuel and Binder). The Software, Sensors and Acquisition Team is responsible for designing and programming the scientific equipment that will be onboard the rocket (Steering fins, an Arduino Microcontroller and a Two-Axis Accelerometer to maintain a linear flight path). Our data will be video, 3 axis acceleration, tilt, and altitude. The Computational Physics Team derived models to predict the rockets performance and they worked with the Computer Modeling Team to make CAD sketches. The Launch and Recovery Team make sure we follow safety precautions in launch and will use GPS tracking to retrieve the rocket when landed. The broader goal of this project is to recruit and invigorate future scientists at community colleges specializing in aerospace studies by providing a basic starting point from which they can learn and on which they can improve. We expect that by sharing our initial discoveries and experiences this multi-disciplinary research project, we will help to encourage other students at community colleges to actively participate in realistic team aerospace projects at an earlier stage in their educations.

Wind tunnels are devices used to simulate real-world aerodynamic conditions and characteristics using small-scale models that will be experienced by larger-scale engineering structures such as aircraft, buildings, bridges, windmills, and even cities. They are useful for studying and addressing problems of the stability, efficiency, and feasibility of engineering designs on a small-scale before scaling-up to larger and more-expensive engineering projects. We present here an overview of the design, construction, and testing of the EdCC Undergraduate Research Students Association (URSA) research-grade wind tunnel which was conceived to support further student studies in aerodynamics across the Physics, Engineering, and Materials Sciences departments at EdCC, including detailed contributions from the four student teams involved with the project: Aerodynamic Theory Team, Engineering and Construction Team, Software, Sensors and Acquisition Team, and the Computational Physics Team.

Cyclotrons are devices used to accelerate charged particles to high kinetic energies.  Their applications range from experimental studies in fundamental high-energy particle physics to serving as proton sources for medical use in the treatment of cancerous tumors.  We present here an overview of the design and engineering of a 2-MeV cyclotron currently under construction at EdCC by the Undergraduate Research Students Association (URSA), including detailed work being pursued by each of the seven student teams working on the project: HEP Theory Team, Ion-Injection Team, Vacuum Team, Materials Engineering Team, Magnetics Team, Sensors and Acquisition Team, and the Computational Modeling Team. The long-term goal of the URSA Cyclotron Project is to provide future EdCC students with a starting platform for continued multidisciplinary research in high-energy physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, and computer science. The first near-term project goal is to create and measure the electron-positron pair production process $\gamma \rightarrow \e^+ - \e^-$ by scattering of ~2.2 MeV protons from tungsten target nuclei and looking for $\e^+ - e^- \rightarrow 2\gamma$ annihilation signatures with an event-coincidence detector comprised of bismuth germanium oxide scintillators. At 2MeV, this accelerator will not likely make significant direct contributions to the extant pool of PDG data; but it may make significant indirect contributions by introducing and engaging future practitioners in the field earlier in their educations.

Ultracold molecules are a new frontier in atomic physics that have many possible applications which include tests of fundamental physical theories and the development of quantum information science. One method of creating such molecules is through the process of photo-association (PA), where two ultracold atoms are optically excited into a bound molecular state. We will present the design and construction of an extended cavity laser diode system that will be used for PA of ultracold Lithium (Li) and Ytterbium (Yb) atoms. The exact energies for molecule formation are not known a-priori, so the laser has to be tunable over a wide range of frequencies near the wavelength of 556nm. To maximize the “mode hope free” (MHF) range where the laser frequency varies smoothly, we will simultaneously vary the current powering the diode and the length of the laser cavity. Once the MHF range has been maximized, the laser will be used in PA spectroscopy in order to form Li-Yb molecules and characterize their energy structure.

Graphene is a novel two-dimensional carbon material whose recent discovery has been awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. The extraordinary electronic and mechanical properties of graphene such as its extremely high electron mobility and record breaking thermal conductivity have made it a promising candidate for countless applications, including integrated circuits, solar cells, and ultracapacitors. Graphene has also demonstrated usefulness in biological applications, and it was recently shown that mesenchymal stem cells cultured on the surface of graphene experience accelerated differentiation into bone cells. This has motivated research into the interaction of graphene with other types of cells, and we investigate the effects of culturing cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells) on the surface of graphene. With cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death globally there is currently a large effort to develop treatments based on engineered heart tissue, but no tissue engineering methods have thus far been able to produce cells that are sufficiently mature to provide the force generation necessary in a beating heart. Two methods currently showing promise for the maturation of cardiomyocytes are designed to mimic the environment of native heart tissue using electrical stimulation, and culturing on micropatterned substrates.  By culturing cardiomyocytes on the surface of micropatterned graphene that is electrically contacted through gold electrodes, we explore graphene’s potential to act as a versatile platform that could combine both methods.