Presenting at a research conference in Washington D.C. is an unimaginable dream for most college freshmen. For six University of Washington College of Engineering students, this dream is a reality; they will present their research at the Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) Conference on March 9.
Kasey Acob, Bailey Bonaci, David Coven, Daniel Corona, Mikael Perla, and Verlanie Rodillas are traveling to Washington D.C. to present the research they conducted during the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience and Mentoring (REM) program the summer of 2012. The Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) conference takes place March 8-10, 2013 at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington D.C.
The NSF REM program is an eight-week residential program for incoming UW freshmen from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds. Students spent 40 hours per week working on the “Towards zero-energy buildings based on energy-harvesting electrochromic window and thermoelectric systems” EFRI grant with principal investigator, Minoru Taya (Mechanical Engineering), and co-principal investigators, Christine Luscombe (Material Science & Engineering), Yasuo Kuga (Electrical Engineering), and Christopher Meek (College of the Built Environment), and their graduate students. In addition to conducting research, students strengthened their mathematics and problem solving skills in a math class; developed time management strategies; and developed a community of peers and advisers at the UW.
The six students began their relationship with the UW by participating in the College of Engineering’s Mathematics Academy, a four-week summer program for rising high school juniors. They, along with 26 other high achieving students, were interested in pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields but were unsure about their exact direction. Out of the 2011 cohort alone, 19 of 32 students attend the University of Washington and four were directly admitted to engineering departments. Other Math Academy students are studying engineering and other STEM fields at schools across the country including Arizona State University, Bowdoin College, Washington State University, and Wellesley College.
Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of these outstanding engineering scholars as they travel across the country to present at the EFRI conference. For more information, please contact Dawn Wiggin Esselstrom.
This article was originally published by the UW College of Engineering.