What is a Geologist?

Dr. Genet Duke, Assistant Professor of Geology (Arkansas Tech University)

Dr. Genet Duke received her PhD in 2005 after 26 years of working as a geologist in both industry and academics. She was a full-time professor of Geology at two other universities before arriving at Tech. These include Louisiana State University at Alexandria and Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. Her first job in 1979 was exploring for uranium in Alaska, but over the years she has also explored for gold, diamonds, and petroleum. She has worked in geochemistry labs and run large instruments such as XRD, electron microprobe, SEM, and various mass spectrometers. Her geologic studies and work have taken her to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Alaska, Canada, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Colorado. Her expertise is in the area of mantle-derived igneous rocks, and her current research includes Crater-of-Diamonds in Arkansas, as well as the Magnet Cove carbonatite rocks east of Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Dr. Duke will give a presentation entitled "What is a Geologist?" Dr. Duke will discuss the extraordinary variety of careers in geology, provide personal experiences, and discuss exciting opportunities for future geoscientists.

DEMONSTRATIONS

Visualization of Power System Operation and Control

Dr. Jung-Uk Lin, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering (Arkansas Tech University)

This presentation shows you how a power system is operated and controlled using graphic-based power system simulators, PowerWorld, and EMTDC-PSCAD. The usage of both types of software will be helpful for students who have more interest in power system topics by obtaining a sense of what's happening in a power system.

Mobile Robot Applications

Dr. Carlos L. Castillo, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering (Arkansas Tech University)Mr. Drew Mangus, Graduate Assistant (Arkansas Tech University)

Autonomous mobile robots are currently being used in many different fields: current applications include military aerial surveillance and manufacturing . Some of the basic concepts and algorithms used in this field will be presented.

Fun with Scanning Electron Microscopy

Mr. Stan Apple, Instructor of Mechanical Engineering (Arkansas Tech University)

The scanning electron microscope is one of the most versatile instruments available for the examination and analysis of the microstructure of solid objects. In addition, it can be used to examine and analyze biological samples. A 1018 oven-cooled, heat-treated steel sample showing iron carbide regions in a ferrite matrix will be viewed. In addition, a biological specimen will be coated with gold and viewed with the microscope.

Radiation - It's All Around Us

Dr. John Krohn, Professor of Mechanical Engineering (Arkansas Tech University)

Many everyday objects emit small amounts of radiation. In this exercise, students will get a chance to see some common radiation detection/counting equipment, determine whether common objects emit detectable amounts of radiation and examine other aspects of radiation encountered in daily life.

Solar Collectors

Dr. Wayne Helmer, Professor of Mechanical Engineering (Arkansas Tech University)

What can be used to generate electricity and heat water at the same time? Come and see at this demonstration.

PAPER PRESENTATIONS

The Effect of a Blade Modification on Vortex Ring State in Helicopters

Paulo Claudio (Pulaski Academy)

The Effect of CdSe Quantum Dots on Organic Photovoltaic Devices

Dhruba Dasgupta (Little Rock Central High School)SECOND PLACE WINNER

Multi-Junction Oxide Solar Cells

Nimit Gandhi (Little Rock Central High School)THIRD PLACE WINNER

Effect of Blueberry Dye on the Intercellular Matrices of Chicken Embryo Fibroblasts

Shree Govindarajan (Little Rock Central High School)SIXTH PLACE WINNER

Organic Solar Cells

Ray Li (Little Rock Central High School)

The Effect of Profilin-1 Mutations on the Survivability of Motor Neurons

Sarish Lone (Pulaski Academy)

Photovoltaic Performance of Silicon-Polyaniline Solar Cells with Varied Doping Levels in Carbon Nanotubes

Dev Nair (Pulaski Academy)FIFTH PLACE WINNER

Morphology and Optical Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanorods Grown by High Pressure Pulsed Laser Deposition

Nishant Patel (Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts)

Surgical Spinal Instrumentation: Assessment of Cross-Link Design Based on Shear Strength

Hanya Qureshi (Pulaski Academy)

MEye: An Affordable Eye Tracking System

Ayush Saraswat (Little Rock Central High School)FIRST PLACE WINNER (PLACED THIRD AT THE NATIONAL COMPETITION)

Alteration of TET2 Activity by the Addition of Modified Metabolites of the Krebs Cycle

Shruti Shah (Little Rock Central High School)

Cytotoxic Effect of Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptide ISFGW on Metastatic Melanoma Cells

Brendon Song (Little Rock Central High School)FOURTH PLACE WINNER

The Effects of Fetal Bovine Serum on the Migration of MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells

Angela Wang (Little Rock Central High School)