2015-2016 Kansas EPSCoR First Awards Announced

Kansas NSF EPSCoR provides funding support for Kansas to build its research capacity and competitiveness in science and technology. One mechanism utilized to provide this support is the Kansas NSF EPSCoR First Award program. This program is designed to assist early career faculty with becoming more competitive for funding from the research directorates at the National Science Foundation by: 1) encouraging early career faculty to submit proposals to the NSF (or other federal funding agency) as soon as possible after their first faculty appointment, and 2) by accelerating the pace of their research and the quality of their subsequent proposals. 

For the 2015-2016 academic year, Kansas NSF EPSCoR honored six faculty members from across the state with First Award grants in the areas of Climate and Energy Research or Atomic/Molecular/Optical Science. The researchers and  their projects that were awarded the Kansas NSF EPSCoR funding are:

Placidus Amama
Assistant Professor 
Chemical Engineering
Kansas State University

Nanocarbon Hybrid Structures for Fast and Reversible Lithium Ion Storage

Current efforts to increase the performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have focused on decreasing the diffusion distance of Li ions through the use of nanostructured electrodes with unique geometries. The use of 30 nanostructured electrodes with exceptionally short ion and electron transport distance will result in a significant decrease in the diffusion time. Significant enhancement in the LIB performance of over 50% is anticipated with the use of 3D nanocarbon electrodes. However, efforts thus far have failed to produce 3D nanostructured electrodes with the optimal architecture and textural properties due to the limited understanding of the complex electrochemical interactions within the multicomponent 3D electrode system (current collector, active material, and electrolyte). Consequently, there is a complete lack of guidelines for the rational design and synthesis of high-performance 30 nanostructured electrodes. The goal of this research is to fabricate high-performance 30 electrodes using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the nanoscale building blocks.

Hitesh Bindra
Assistant Professor
Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
Kansas State University

A novel method to simultaneously separate CO2 and recover thermal energy from flue gases

This project will focus on evaluation of PI’s recent invention ‘Sliding Flow Method (SFM)’ for simultaneous energy and CO2 recovery from flue gases in fossil-fueled plants. The proposed method first recovers heat energy from the flue gases, and then utilizes same energy to recover CO2. The primary objective of this work is to measure the unknown critical design parameter i.e. axial dispersion of adsorbed CO2 molecules in a packed powder bed. Spectroscopy and other characterization techniques will be applied under different experimental conditions. Once determined, the axial dispersion values will be used for the development of a higher efficiency adsorption based flue gas purification system. A laboratory scale version of this purification system would be developed to assess the performance. This new concept proposed here has potential to fulfill the objectives of reducing the discharge if undesirable components into atmosphere with negligible water consumption and energy destruction when installed in the flue gas exhaust of existing plants. The nature of the proposed research is novel and transformative solution to one of the fourteen Grand Challenges in Engineering, as identified by National Academy of Engineering.

Alice Boyle
Assistant Professor
Biology
Kansas State University

Consequences of climate variability for prairie birds

The proposed project is central to the Kansas NSF EPSCoR focus on climate, investigating biotic responses to current climatic variability, filling crucial gaps in knowledge that limit our ability to predict and manage for the consequences of future climate change. Prairies are characterized by highly variable climate, yet we lack the theoretical knowledge to predict whether adaptions to such conditions offers organisms greater resilience to additional change, or whether they already experience conditions near the limits of their physiological capabilities. This study capitalizes upon a 28-yr data set of avian abundances and the infrastructure and experimental manipulations made possible by the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program at the Konza Prairie in NE Kansas. It integrates the insights from long-term data with detailed, mechanistic, individual-level data from a marked population of declining songbirds to predict biotic responses to future environmental conditions. This project provides exceptional opportunities for field-based training in research for undergraduates, and concrete plans for broad dissemination of study results commensurate with the scope of this funding opportunity. 

Zheng Chen
Assistant Professor
Electrical Enginnering and Computer Science
Wichita State University

Solar Energy Storage Using Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite Enhanced Water Electrolysis for Hydrogen Production

The long-term goal of this research is to develop an energy-efficient solar energy storage system. Existing solar energy harvesting systems are facing a critical issue in that the harvested solar energy is not storable. Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) have a built-in water electrolysis capability that can convert electricity to storable hydrogen fuel. However, the energy-conversion efficiency of IPMC-enabled electrolysis needs to be further improved in order to make the energy storage more efficient. The research objective of this project is to improve the energy-conversion efficiency of IPMC-enabled electrolysis through advanced fabrication, multi-physics modeling, and robust control from a system perspective. The educational/outreach objectives are to equip engineers with state-of-the-art modeling, advanced fabrication, and control skills and to inform the public society about solar renewable energy systems. The project accomplishes its objectives by the following:

• Investigating energy-conversion efficiency of IPMC-enabled electrolysis.
• Developing a multi-physics and control-oriented model for IPMC-enabled electrolysis.
• Developing an adaptive and robust control strategy for IPMC-enabled electrolysis.
• Developing a micro-fabrication process to fabricate micro-thin IPMC film.
• Integrating and evaluating the solar energy storage system. 

Michael Clift
Assistant Professor
Chemistry
The University of Kansas

Sustainable Catalytic Methods for the Conversion of Biomass into Fine Chemicals

The long-term goal of this research program is to develop cofactor mimics as catalysts to enable novel synthetic transformations initiated by C-H and C-C bond cleavage. This approach to chemical synthesis is unique in that it relies on bond cleavage reactions to generate versatile reactive intermediates that will participate in a wide range of subsequent reactions. By contrast, classical synthetic approaches often focus exclusively on the development of bond forming reactions. The overall objective of this proposal is to develop new methods for quinone catalyzed C-C bond cleavage that will facilitate the conversion of bio-renewable feedstock chemicals into fine nitrogen-containing chemical commodities. Further, we seek to promote scientific curiosity and enhance the problem-solving skills of undergraduate students by integrating specific aspects of the proposed research into an innovative, inquiry based laboratory experiment for organic chemistry lab courses. Several aims are proposed to pursue these objectives:

• Develop topa quinone (TPQ) mimics as catalysts to enable the oxidative decarboxylation of α-amino acids to provide versatile imine intermediates that will be utilized in subsequent in situ additions to generate amine-containing fine chemicals.
• Develop TPQ mimics as catalysts to promote the depolymerization of lignin model compounds via C-C bond cleavage at the β -O-4 linkage to deliver imines and other useful products.
• Develop and implement an inquiry-based laboratory experiment for undergraduate organic chemistry students using quinone catalysis to enable amino alcohol cleavage.

Gisuk Hwang
Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering
Wichita State University

Absorption-Controlled Thermal Diode and Switch (ACTS)

Completely new and unified theoretical/experimental frameworks of thermal diode and switching mechanisms are proposed using adsorption-controlled thermal transport in gas-filled heterogeneous nanostructures. This enables a) serving scalable and efficient thermal management systems (R > 15) with both theory and experiment, b) understanding atomic-level thermal transport mechanisms through thin adsorbed film in the nanostructures, and c) developing a basic building block for advanced thermal managements for highly-efficient, responsive renewable energy/environmental systems and completely new energy-saving applications i.e., thermal logic gate/computing. Despite rigorous advances in theory, experimental demonstrations for the practical applications have been much lagged behind. Main challenges have been poor steady-state efficiency/transient response time, difficult large-scale manufacturing, and limited operating conditions (very low pressure and cryogenic operation temperatures). Thus, an innovative approach that enables both high thermal diode/switch efficiency with fast transient response and experimental realizations would be highly transformative to carry significant impacts for clean energy and environment future.  This work will advance fundamental understandings of atomic-level thermal transport mechanisms through the thin film (adsorbed layers) near heterogeneous surfaces for energy, nanomanufacturing and biomedical systems.

Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity in AMO Physics

The Kansas NSF EPSCoR Track 2 Grant provides support for three Kansas undergraduate students to conduct Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics research at Kansas State University during the summer of 2016. Students who are accepted into the program will receive a $5,200 stipend and have both travel expenses as well as on-campus room and board covered.

Students interested in the chemistry and/or physics associated with Atomic, Molecular and Optical Phyics should apply through this link:

K-State AMO Physics Summer 2016 REU
(only online applications are accepted)

For more information go to: https://www.phys.ksu.edu/images/reu/flyer.pdf .

Education and outreach funding for this REU opportunity is provided by the Kansas and Nebraska NSF EPSCoR Track 2 Grant #1430519 titled: "Imaging and Controlling Ultrafast Dynamics of Atoms, Molecules, and Nanostructures."  The grant's educational objectives are designed to enhance STEM education in Kansas by supporting activities that will lead to an expanded STEM workforce or prepare a new generation for STEM careers in the areas of atomic/molecular/optical science.

EPSCoR Interjurisdictional Collaborative Funding Opportunity: FY 2016 RII Track-2 FEC

    The National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is currently offering a collaborative funding opportunity within its RII Track-2 FEC grant program initiative. The RII Track-2 FEC grants are designed to build interjurisdictional collaborative teams of EPSCoR investigators in scientific focus areas consistent with NSF priorities. Projects are investigator-driven, have at least one co-PI and must include researchers from at least two RII-eligible jurisdictions.  Proposals must describe a comprehensive and integrated vision to drive discovery and build sustainable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) capacity.  The education activities should seek to broaden participation of different types of individuals, institutions, and sectors. In addition, the development and support of diverse early-career faculty is critical to the sustainability of STEM capacity. Only one proposal can be submitted for a project.  Separately submitted collaborative proposals are not allowed.

Researchers interested in participating in the FY 2016 RII Track-2 FEC process are invited to submit proposals on two topics: 

      1. Understanding the Brain; and 
      2. Sustainable Food, Energy, and Water Systems.

DUE DATES:
      Letter of Intent Deadline Date:  January 11, 2016

      Full Proposal Deadline Date:  February 4, 2016

For more information go to: 
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: Track-2 Focused EPSCoR Collaborations (RII Track-2 FEC)

Hispanic Students Explore Fiber Optics and the Internet at the 9th Annual Si Se Puede Hacer Ciencias y Matimaticas Program

Dr. Trallero conducting a demonstration

   Dr. Carlos Trallero, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Kansas State University (KSU) traveled to Emporia State University (ESU) on Halloween to work with some of the more than 50 Hispanic middle school students attending ESU’s 9th Annual Si Se Puede Hacer Ciencias y Matimaticas Program. The purpose of the Si Se Puede Hacer Ciencias y Matimaticas Saturday event was to allow students to interact with Hispanic professionals who work in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. This year’s program featured four hands-on workshops taught in a small group settting. Dr. Betsy Yanik, Professor of Mathematics and Si Se Puede Hacer Ciencias y Matimaticas Director at ESU created the Saturday workshop opportunity to spark STEM interest among participants and address the country’s need for more graduates from underrepresented groups to pursue degrees and careers in STEM fields.
    In Trallero's workshop, he posed the question "How does the internet work?" After a brief discussion, students observed demonstrations illustrating how fiber optics actually work. Trallero commented, "the students enjoyed seeing how light is bended as it transmits through fiber optics, the backbone of the internet." To provide some additional one on one instructional assistance, Trallero invited Kansas native and first generation KSU Physics student Jaime Minjarez to join him.  Following the demonstrations, Trallero and Minjarez fielded questions as students discovered how to build a motor with just copper wire, a battery and a magnet.

Students building motors

   Trallero and Minjarez considered the experience both fun and rewarding, and they plan to participate in the program again next year.

The Kansas EPSCoR office supported the visit of Professor Carlos A. Trallero and student Jaime Minjarez of the Physics Department and the James R. Macdonald Laboratory at Kansas State University through the outreach program of a Kansas-Nebraska EPSCoR Track II grant.

EPSCoR EOD Grant Provides Kansas Teachers with "STEM Education Through Sustainable Energy" Curriculum Modules

     Dr. Deepak Gupta, Associate Professor and Director of Engineering Technology at Wichita State University (WSU), used his 2014 Kansas NSF EPSCoR Education, Outreach and Diversity Grant to create the "STEM Education Through Sustainable Energy" teaching modules. Gupta’s team at WSU worked with educators from the surrounding school districts to develop lessons incorporating the Next Generation Science Standards .

     The three main goals of the project were: to create modular sustainable energy systems curriculum in conjunction with feedback from area educators on the curriculum; to train area educators on how to use the curriculum; and  to present portions of the curriculum to secondary students for additional feedback. One of many highlights of this effort was the collaboration established between educators at area schools and at WSU.  Another highlight was the involvement of WSU students in presenting the new curriculum to area high school teachers and in mentoring middle school students in the area.

     Overall this educational outreach effort impacted 100 middle school students from Andover Middle School; 15 middle school Math and Science teachers from across the Wichita Independent School District; and 12 educators and 10 students from the Maize High School in Maize, KS. In addition, the new curriculum modules were discussed with 5 faculty, 2 administrators and 15 pre-engineering students from Hutchinson Community College and Butler Community College as well as with two administrators from the Kansas Center for Career and Technical Education (KCCTE) at Pittsburg State University.
   
The following teaching modules were created as part of this project:

• Introduction to Energy – 3 modules
• Forms of Energy – 1 module
• Energy Transformations – 1 module
• Sources of Energy – 1 module
• Energy Sustainability – 2 modules
• Energy Efficiency – 2 modules
• Solar Energy – 2 modules
• Solar Photovoltaics – 2 modules

      Links to the the entire set of "STEM Education Through Sustainable Energy" Curriculum can be found on the WSU Engineering Technology website. 

     In the near future the curriculum group plans to make the teaching modules available on the Resource Library page on the Pittsburg State’s Kansas Center for Career and Technical Education (KCCTE) website.

Kansas NSF EPSCoR Education and Diversity Grants focus on encouraging the next generation of Kansas student to consider STEM careers in the areas of climate or energy research or atomic, molecular and optical science and are designed to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in Kansas.  

The Kansas, Nebraska "Collaborative Research: Imaging and Controlling Ultrafast Dynamics of Atoms, Molecules, and Nanostructures" NSF Track 2 Grant supports collaborative outreach to small college faculty

Dr. Hui Zhao and Dr. Benjamin Tayo

       A unique partnership has formed between, Dr. Benjamin O. Tayo Assistant Professor of Physics at Pittsburg State University and Dr. Hui Zhao, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas as part of the educational outreach initiatives funded by the NSF EPSCoR grant titled "Collaborative Research: Imaging and Controlling Ultrafast Dynamics of Atoms, Molecules, and Nanostructures", #1430519.  This educational initiative provides funding support for a small college physics faculty member to work closely with one of the key researchers on the grant project. Their educational plan involves collaborating on research, co-authoring any publications that may result from their research and developing related curriculum to enhance Pittsburg State’s physics curriculum.

Dr. Zhao conducting experiments in his lab

     Their research focuses on the theoretical studies of the electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional crystals. In particular, Tayo has been working on modeling the properties of the W1-xMoxS2 alloy as a function of the composition x. He surmised "that being able to characterize the electronic properties of this alloy for composition x could possibly lead to advanced functional materials with properties superior to that of the individual materials MoS2 and WS2."  Zhao added, “We are performing experiments to be compared with the model. This will help understand electronic states in these alloys. Such knowledge contributes to the goal of controlling electrons in these materials with light.” Furthermore, he emphasized “this collaborative research clearly aligns with the emphasis for the Thrust 2 research effort of the grant directed at two-dimensional materials.” Zhao will perform experimental studies as part of their proposed research activities. Tayo will provide theoretical and numerical capabilities to improve the understanding of these properties that will enhance the impact of the collaborative work.  They both hope “to find new ways of controlling the electronic and optical properties of 2D materials” using theoretical calculations to explain and complement the experimental findings. From this collaborative research project, they hope to use their data tested theories in future studies and experiments.
        Students have also benefited from this collaborative initiative.  Each professor has had the opportunity to involve a graduate student in the project. Tayo’s graduate student worked with him throughout the summer, and although his graduate student found the research a little challenging, it has sparked his interest in the field.  As a result, Tayo's graduate student enrolled in a topics class titled “Density Functional Theory” to improve his understanding of electronic and optical  physics.  With this enhancement of his knowledge base, he can then start performing some calculations for the experiments.  Zhao is also supporting a graduate student who is performing the related experiments
     Tayo summarized the experience so far by saying:

I am grateful that by means of this collaboration, I was really busy last summer carrying out research. The knowledge gain so far has helped me a lot and it’s very useful for the students as I incorporate some of the knowledge into my teaching. I would strongly recommend the program to my colleagues because being active in research really enhances the depth of your knowledge and makes you to become a better teacher.

     And Zhao added:

The goals were to involve faculty members from small colleges in cutting edge research that would eventually transfer benefits to their students. The theory-experimental collaboration model is a perfect way to accomplish this since it doesn’t require facilities from the small college partner.

     Tayo and Zhao will continue their collaboration throughout the remainder of the academic school year.

The  Kansas and Nebraska NSF EPSCoR Imaging and Controlling Ultrafast Dynamics of Atoms, Molecules, and Nanostructures, #1430519  Track 2 Grant is designed to enhance STEM education in Kansas by supporting activities that will lead to an expanded STEM workforce or prepare a new generation for STEM careers in the areas of atomic/molecular/optical science.

Kansas and Nebraska present a Symposium on Ultrafast Dynamics of Atoms, Molecules and Nanostructures

     Over 100 university faculty and students attended the 2015 Nebraska Research & Innovation Conference Symposium on Ultrafast Dynamics of Atoms, Molecules & Nanostructures held September 28-29, 2015 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The symposium was sponsored by both the Kansas NSF EPSCoR and the Nebraska NSF EPSCoR programs.

Program speakers and participants

     The seminar featured guest presentations by Dr. Mark I. Stockman, Georgia State University, who discussed Condensed Matter in Ultrafast and Superstrong Fields: Attosecond Phenomena; Dr. Anatoly Svidzinsky, Texas A&M University, who discussed QASER: From Radio Frequencies to Optical Domain; Dr. Philip H. Bucksbaum, Stanford University, who discussed Ultrafast Electron Motion in Atoms and Molecules;  Dr. Stephen Leone, University of California, Berkeley, who discussed Attosecond Dynamics: From Atoms to Semiconductor Solids; and Dr. Todd Martinez, Stanford University, who discussed Understanding and Modeling Ultrafast Molecular Dynamics from First Principles.

Dr. Martin Centurion; Dr.Vinod Kumarappan; Dr. Hui Zhao

      The speaker sessions closed with three presentations from the Kansas and Nebraska researchers currently involved in the collaborative NSF EPSCoR Track 2 Grant (#1430519) titled Collaborative Research: Imaging and Controlling Ultrafast Dynamics of Atoms, Molecules, and Nanostructures.  Dr. Martin Centurion, represented the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and discussed Diffractive Imaging of Isolated Molecules with Femtosecond Electron Pulses.  Dr. Vinod Kumarappan represented Kansas State University and discussed Diffractive Imaging of Isolated Molecules with Femtosecond Electron Pulses.   And, Dr. Hui Zhao represented the University of Kansas and discussed Ultrafast Electron Transport In and Between Single Atomic Layers.

Symposium Poster Session

     The day concluded with over 30 undergraduate and graduate students, post docs and faculty from across Kansas and Nebraska participating in the poster session that showcased their research in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics.