Opportunity for Undergraduate Research Assistant Starting September 2024
The Boydston group has an opportunity available for 1 undergraduate research assistant in our additive manufacturing subgroup starting September 2024.
Research Topic/Tasks: Opportunity for an undergraduate student to work on the development of novel materials for additive manufacturing. Our research focuses on expanding materials scope in the multimaterial additive manufacturing space. We are interested in developing chemistry-based technologies to produce multimaterial parts with properties that are generally inaccessible through simultaneous additive manufacturing with disparate materials (e.g. metal/organic, hard/soft, conductive/insulating). Our research advancements are applicable to a diverse array of industries, including medical implants, soft robotics, and printable circuits. Primary research tasks include resin formulation optimization, 3D printing (vat photopolymerization), and characterization (FTIR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, SEM and optical microscopy, conductivity measurement, tensile testing, 3-point flexural testing, hardness measurement). This research project will include wet-lab chemistry experiments, as well as mechanical engineering aspects of 3D printing, printer design, and material characterization. For more information on the techniques used in this research we recommend reading this paper. This position can receive course credit and/or pay as determined mutually between the PI and mentee.
Mentorship: The student will be trained and mentored one-on-one by a graduate student who will work with them closely until they are comfortable and capable of completing work independently. Throughout the research appointment, mentors and mentees will have scheduled one-on-one meetings at least once weekly, however the mentor will be available for oversight of experiments whenever the mentee is working independently. Mentees will be taught safety protocols, lab techniques, experimental procedures, characterization techniques, and data analysis. Mentees must communicate their availability and research plans to the mentor. They will have the opportunity to present at subgroup meetings and undergraduate research symposia. Though not required nor guaranteed, research excellence can lead to combinations of large group meeting presentations, national and international conference participation, and co-authorship publication in peer-reviewed journals. The PI, Professor Boydston, asks to meet at least monthly with each mentee to discuss research progress, future goals, and how to best support the undergraduate team members.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Undergraduate student majoring in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, or mechanical engineering
- Completion of CHEM 104, CHEM 108, or CHEM 109
- 2 consecutive semesters available for research (Fall 2024, Spring 2025) with a weekly time commitment of at least 9 hours (continuation of the research is also possible by mutual agreement from the mentee and mentors)
- Applicants should have strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and work ethic
Preferred Qualifications (not required):
- Completion of CHEM 344 (or similar lab equivalent)
- Availability for research during the Summer 2025 semester (20-30 hr/week)
- Proficiency in MATLAB
To apply: Please complete this application by September 13, 2024 (1-page resume, unofficial transcript, why you are interested in this particular lab or research topic, and how you envision this research experience will help you with your personal or professional development goals). If you have questions about this position or the application, please contact Sarah Finnegan (sgfinnegan@wisc.edu). We encourage all applicants to apply regardless of research experience or preferred qualifications. Selected applicants will be invited for an in-person interview with Sarah and Professor Boydston in late September.