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Past Research Project Listings

Complex Fluid Physics

Design flow apparatus and perform experiments, mostly using our own in-house particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) systems, both laser and LED based. We will also be tracking larger particles, controlling these with magnets, and in collaboration with the Drexel Scaled Autonomous Systems Lab, designing optimal strategies for the control of small robotic boats. Students are welcome to get involved in designing, building, performing experiments, or all three.

Lab: CoPHE
Advisor: Professor Philip Yecko
Qualifications: Masters, current junior, senior
Type of Support: NSF Funding
Start Date: Immediate
End Date: Indefinite

High Speed Videography

Students will use a high speed video camera (1000's of frames per second) to film (and later analyze) processes that occur too fast for the human eye to follow. Subject matter will depend on the students' interests, e.g., a C.E. might be interest in studying the collapse of a structure in an Instron machine. See example.

Lab: Physics Lab
Advisor: Professor Alan Wolf
Qualifications: Freshman, Sophmore, Junior, Senior
Number of Students: 2
Start Date: Immediate
End Date: Indefinite

Building With B Fields

Students will extend the work of Cooper student Eric Leong, who developed software to show how simple dipole magnetic fields, when brought close together, form the more interesting magnetic fields of solenoids, toroids, etc predicted by Maxwell's Equations. See a sample of Eric's work. This work will involve networking a number of PCs together for hundreds of hours of differential equation solving to produce individual video frames.

Advisor: Professor Alan Wolf
Qualifications: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior
Number of Students: 2
Start Date: Immediate
End Date: Indefinite

2015-2016 Bioengineering Undergraduate Research Scholars Program

Portable Incubator
Status: Closed
Project Description: Complete the design, fabrication and integrations of a portable environmental chamber
used to transport samples in a temperature/humidity/CO_2 regulated container. This is continuation of prior joint work with Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Students will work with faculty from both institutions and Cooper graduate students.
Lab: Material Science and Design Lab
Advisor: Professor Eric Lima
Qualifications: Sophomore, Junior, Senior  Number of Students 1
Type of Support: Independent Study Credit for 1 semester
Start Date: Fall 2015
End Date: Spring 2016

Umbilical Cord Flow measurement and Fetal Risk 
Status: Closed
Project Description: The goal of this project is to develop new diagnostics to be used in ultrasound analysis  of fetal development at all gestational ages, focussed on the umbilical cord and placenta. Using both laboratory and analytic models of flow in coiled umbilical arteries and veins we hope to identify new measurements (possibly including new devices). Collaboration with Placental Analytics LLC will provide (optional) access to a vast databse of umbilical cords from several local hospitals.
Lab: Complex Fluids (CoFPhE) lab, Placental Analytics LLC, NYC hospitals
Advisor: Professor Philip Yecko
Qualifications: At least one fluid dynamics course, ideally advanced fluids  
Number of Students: 1 or 2
Type of Support: Unfunded - collaborative proposal in review at NIH
Start Date: ASAP
End Date: Indefinite

Cell Stretcher
Status: Closed
Project Description: Complete upgrades on a device to study the interaction  between mechanical strain and drug efficacy in human cells. This is continuation of prior joint work with Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Students will work with faculty from both institutions and Cooper graduate students.
Lab: Material Science and Design Lab
Advisor: Professor Eric Lima
Qualifications: Sophomore, Junior, Senior  
Number of Students: 1
Type of Support: Independent Study Credit for 1 semester
Start Date: Fall 2015
End Date: Spring 2016

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The Cooper Union Institute for Sustainable Design (CUISD)'s Summer Challenge Fellowship: Land-Use
Project Description: Develop proposals that expand on the theme of Visualizing Climate Change and focus on the relationships between the earth's biological systems and human activities. Work on the proposed projects that involve scientific research and visual presentation of research finidings for a larger audience.
Application deadline: Monday, April 18 at 11:00PM. Results will be announced by Thursday, May 6. Deadline extended: May 2, 2016 11pm and results announced May 10th.
For more information, click link here.

Projects that qualify for the 2015 Bioengineering SURF

Use SURF application sent out via email

Topic Enhanced Gene Therapy Method
Status Open
Project Description  The goal of this project is to engineer an enhanced version of the CRISPR-Cas9 programmable nuclease system. We then intend to test the efficiency of the system using mammalian tissue culture.                                                            
Lab Maurice Kanbar Center for Biomedical Engineering
Advisor Professor Oliver Medvedik
Qualifications Student must have taken either Bio101, Bio102, Biochem or a comparable level of Biology
Number of Students 1
Type of Support SURF Funding
Start Date June 2, 2015
End Date August 10, 2015
Topic Biosensor for Arsenic Toxin Detection
Status Open
Project Description  The goal of this project is to create a biosensor(s) based on fusion proteins of the E. coli ArsR repressor, for monitoring of arsenic in well water. We intend to test the efficiency of our modified enzymes on water samples obtained in the field and also design a disposable, consumer grade version that will be available to the public.      
Lab Maurice Kanbar Center for Biomedical Engineering
Advisor Professor Oliver Medvedik
Qualifications Student must have taken either Bio101, Bio102, Biochem or a comparable level of Biology
Number of Students 1
Type of Support SURF Funding
Start Date June 2, 2015
End Date August 10, 2015

 

Topic

 Flow Field Analysis of Ateriosclerosis and Thrombosis Formation in the Internal Carotid Artery by Finite Element Method (Fluent Software)
Status Open
Project Description 

Investigate the transient blood flow field and mass transport of some of the important blood constituents in three-dimensional rigid non-porous wall human internal carotid artery model.                                                    
Lab Computer Center/305
Advisor Professor Okorafor
Qualifications

Student must have taken the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) course and/or conversant with FLUENT programming.
Number of Students Multiple
Type of Support SURF Funding
Start Date June 2, 2015
End Date August 10, 2015

 

 

Topic Open Source Bioreactor
Status Open
Project Description 

Design a portable tissue incubating system.                                                 
Lab Material Science and Design Lab 
Advisor Professor Eric Lima
Qualifications

Sophomore or higher Mechanical Engineers or Electrical Engineers, successful completion of DLD course is a plus.
Number of Students 1
Type of Support SURF Funding
Start Date June 2, 2015
End Date August 10, 2015

 

Topic Network-Based Approach to Drug Design
Status Closed
Project Description Investigate the role of convention formation in complex networks as it relates to use of multi-target drug design.                                                                                                                                                             
Lab Distributed Intelligent Agents Lab (DIAL) 
Advisor Professor Anita Raja
Qualifications Strong analytical and coding skills, familiarity with algorithmic thinking
Number of Students 1
Type of Support Funded or Independent Study
Start Date Immediate
End Date August 2015
Topic Decision Making in Partially Observable Environments
Status Closed
Project Description Design, develop, and evaluate stochastic transition probability function, cost effectiveness analysis and sensitivity analysis to support decision making in uncertain environments.                                                           
Lab Distributed Intelligent Agents Lab (DIAL)
Advisor Professor Anita Raja
Qualifications Strong analytical skills, familiarity with algorithmic thinking, machine learning statistics, good coding skills, prior research experience is a plus
Number of Students 1-2
Type of Support Funded
Start Date Immediate
End Date Indefinite
Program Research Project at Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
Topics Translational medicine; tissue engineering- muscle, bone, cartilage on scaffolds, regenerative medicine, mutational analysis in diagnosis of orthopaedic disorders in addition to medical devices. Also have community projects for early interventions to prevent disability.
Mentor at CMC Dr. Vrisha Madhuri, Orthopedic Surgeon and Professor, D.Orth, M.S.Orth, M.Ch.Orth
Contact Professor Anita Raja
Deadline for Summer Projects (July-August 2015)     March 31, 2015

 

 

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.