A strong partnership between Fort Lewis College (FLC), and IMOD (Science and Technology Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand) creates PEAQS (Partnership for the Education and Advancement of Quantum and nano-Sciences). This collaboration expands the partnership between STROBE, a sunsetting Science and Technology Center, and FLC (a non-tribal Native American Serving Institution), to include IMOD.
The collaboration enables advances in cutting edge materials science, attracts and exposes students from diverse groups to exciting applications in STEM, utilizes novel and effective curricula, networks, and pathways that recruit and retain students in STEM.
This PREM will directly fund undergraduates at FLC and provide pathways for students to careers in science and engineering. This PREM leverages existing infrastructures within all partners, providing student access to world-class research mentors, facilities and projects at the cutting edge of materials science. The student experience in this PREM is immersive through not only year-long, hands on research but also mentoring, professional development, leadership opportunities, and network building; all with the goal of improving recruitment, retention, and graduation of students.
Develop a low-cost open-source micro particle and droplet screening system for biomedical applications
The project aims to develop an open-source microparticle and microdroplets screening system capable of detecting a single cell or bacterium from water samples. The Li team develops and validates a low-cost, open-source PCR thermocycler under $450—nearly 90% cheaper than commercial devices—that employs Peltier modules, PID control and a Raspberry Pi touchscreen interface, achieves stable thermal cycling within ±1.6 °C, delivers bacteria detection performance comparable to the Bio-Rad T100 system, and releases all hardware and software designs open-source to support affordable molecular diagnostics and environmental monitoring in resource-limited settings.
Develop a porous silicon microthruster platform
The Jessing group is working to design, fabricate and characterize a micro-thruster utilizing the explosive properties of porous silicon. The group is establishing methods to characterize and optimize the energy release of porous silicon that is impregnated with sodium perchlorate using both modified calorimetry and a custom designed test stand that measures the thruster’s energy, thrust, and impulse outputs during detonation.
Functional, synthetic biomembrane for the integration into a lung-on-a-chip (LoaC) platform
The Jessing group is developing methods to fabricate ultrathin (approximately 1 um) porous silicon membranes that mimics the interstitial space between alveolar and capillary cells in the lung. The group focuses specifically on the development of a process to electrochemically anodize the ultra-thin silicon membrane.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Utilization of Strongly Reducing, Pyridylated Phenoxazines in Photoredox Catalysis
The Lamb group investigates the capability of pyridylated N-aryl phenoxazines to engage as strongly-reducing organocatalysts in photoredox catalysis. The group synthesizes novel phenoxazine-based, visible-light absorbing photocatalysts and characterizes capability of the PCs to engage in photoredox catalysis compared to commercial organic catalyst of the same chemical class and an iridium-based catalyst that dominates the field. This characterization is evaluated via catalytic screens targeting a radical alkenylation reaction using diphenylethyelene as a model alkene substrate.
