On Monday April 14, 2014, the Odeum of the Rubin Campus Center was bustling with activity as the finals of WPI’s two annual graduate research competitions were held. Here are the results:
GRAD 2014: The Innovation Exchange
A total of 65 master’s and PhD candidates displayed posters describing their research in the finals of this poster celebration. The finalists were selected at an all-day open poster session on March 19. Judges yesterday chose the following winners (note, due to the large number of entries, two first-place winners were chosen at the master’s and PhD level in Engineering). All first-place winners received $500 cash awards; second-place winners received $200 awards; third-place winners received certificates.
Business and Social Science
Master’s Level
1st: Siavash Mortazavi, School of Business; Advisor: Soussan Djamasbi
2nd: Korinn S. Ostrow, Learning Sciences and Technology; Advisor: Neil Heffernan
3rd: Maura A. Ferrarini, Social Science and Policy Studies; Advisor: Janice Gobert
PhD Level
1st: Raafat M. Zaini, Social Science and Policy Studies; Advisor: Khalid Saeed
2nd: Raha Moussavi-Aghdam, Learning Sciences and Technology; Advisor: Janice Gobert
3rd: Ozge Yasar, Learning Sciences and Technology; Advisor: Janice Gobert
Engineering
Master’s Level
1st: Aaron M. Birt, Materials Science and Engineering; Advisor: Diran Apelian
1st: Yuwei Zhai, Materials Science and Engineering; Advisor: Diana Lados
2nd: David E. Kent, Robotics Engineering; Advisor: Sonia Chernova
3rd: Hayley R. Sandgren, Materials Science and Engineering; Advisor: Diana Lados
PhD Level
1st: Kemal S. Arsava, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Advisor: Yeesock Kim
1st: Ivo T. Dobrev, Mechanical Engineering; Advisor: Cosme Furlong
2nd: Kwabena Kan-Dapaah, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Advisor: Nima Rahbar
3rd: Jennifer A. McInnis, Mechanical Engineering; Advisor: Stephen Nestinger
Interdisciplinary
Master’s Level
1st: Sarah E. Schultz, Computer Science; Advisor: Ivon Arroyo
2nd: Tianhe Wang, Interactive Media and Game Development; Advisor: Dean O’Donnell
PhD Level
1st: Erin M. Kiley, Mathematical Sciences; Advisor: Vadim Yakovlev
2nd: Jeffrey P. Bibeau, Biology and Biotechnology; Advisor: Luis Vidali
3rd: Gawain M. Thomas, Physics; Advisor: Qi Wen
Life Sciences and Bioengineering
Master’s Level
1st: Erin K. Flaherty, Biology and Biotechnology; Advisor: Elizabeth Ryder
2nd: Jennifer L. Cooper, Biomedical Engineering; Advisor: Marsha Rolle
3rd: Kristin L. Carattini, Biomedical Engineering; Advisor: Anjana Jain
PhD Level
1st: Jason M. Forte, Biomedical Engineering; Advisor: Raymond Page
2nd: A. Zoe Reidinger, Biomedical Engineering; Advisor: Marsha Rolle
3rd: Amanda L. Clement, Biomedical Engineering; Advisor: George Pins
Science
Master’s Level
1st: Christopher J. Legacy, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Advisor: Marion Emmert
2nd: Samantha A. O’Connor, Physics; Advisor: Nancy Burnham
3rd: Jeffrey Peters, Physics; Advisor: Germano Iannacchione
PhD Level
1st: Nguyenho Ho, Mathematical Sciences; Advisor: Sarah Olson
2nd: Shaun A. Marshall, Physics; Advisor: Izabela Stroe
3rd: Xika Lin, Computer Science; Advisor: Elke Rundensteiner
People’s Choice Winner ($250 cash prize): Amruta Gorhe, Master’s Candidate, School of Business; Advisor: Eleanor Loiacono
Raffle Winner ($100 cash prize): Kyyas S. Seyitmuhammedov
I3: Investing In Ideas With Impact
This research presentation competition encourages graduate students to think like entrepreneurs. Master’s and PhD candidates make three-minute pitches, without visual aids, describing the benefits and marketability of their innovations. The 12 finalists were selected in contests organized by the deans of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and School of Business after preliminary elimination rounds at the department and program level. The finalists’ presentations were judged by panels of business leaders and entrepreneurs who selected winners for Best Concept and Best Presentation; each winner received a $1,000 cash prize.
Best Concept Prize
Lindsay Lozeau, PhD Candidate, Chemical Engineering: “AMProtection: Preventing Implant Infections in the First Place.” Advisor: Terri Camesano
Best Presentation Prize
Sarah Hernandez, PhD Candidate, Biology and Biotechnology: “Diagnosing Pre-Cancer.” Advisor: Tanja Dominko
Gordon Research Conference Prizes
Finally, Nancy Ryan Gray, PhD, director of the Gordon Research Conferences (GRC) and one of the i3 judges, donated three Gordon Research Conferences Prizes that were awarded to i3 finalists. The prizes will make it possible for these students to attend GRC conferences, which are forums for presentation and discussion of frontier research in the biological, chemical, and physical sciences, and their related technologies.
Lindsay Lozeau
Sarah Hernandez
Morgan Stanton, PhD Candidate, Chemistry and Biochemistry: “The Next Step in Cell Culture: Modified Scaffolds.” Advisor: Christopher Lambert
People’s Choice Winner ($250 cash prize): Sarah Hernandez
Raffle Winner ($100 cash prize): Sina Askarinejad
