IUPUI Research Day 2014

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https://hdl.handle.net/1805/4256
A program book describing the Research Day 2014 events and posters is available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1805/4257.

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Browsing IUPUI Research Day 2014 by Author "Agarwal, Mangilal"

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    Learning at the Nano-level: Exploring the unseen and accounting for complexity in how (and why) secondary STEM teachers learn
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2014-04-11) Fore, Grant; Sorge, Brandon; Feldhaus, Charlie; Agarwal, Mangilal; Varahramyan, Kody
    This study utilizes IUPUI’s Nanotechnology Discovery Academy (INDA) for secondary Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teachers (n=13) as its starting point for exploring issues related to teacher learning and professional development (PD). Pilot data was collected as part of an evaluation of INDA during the summer of 2013. Teacher professional learning is often represented as the measurable change (e.g. content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, self-efficacy, etc.) that occurs via PD “best practices.” However, following constructivism, the processes of knowledge construction are complex, and what is learned — and, more importantly, how and why it is learned — is itself an assemblage of experiences oftentimes particular to the individual learner. Our preliminary findings suggest that while teacher perceptions of their pedagogical development and confidence may increase, their learning outcomes and subsequent practice take shape in relation to each individual’s teaching/learning history and the political and socioeconomic reality of their school. With teacher PD remaining an important focus of U.S. educational policy, it is important to correctly characterize the emergent outcomes of PD interventions to better understand how teachers learn, what constrains their learning and practice, and how teacher professional learning can, in turn, be mobilized to empower both teachers and their students.
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    Nanotechnology Research, Education, and Outreach by the Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute (INDI)
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2014-04-11) Agarwal, Mangilal; Rizkalla, Maher; Naumann, Christoph A.; Decca, Ricardo; El-Mounayri, Hazim; Witzmann, Frank
    Through multidisciplinary research and novel educational programing, the Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute (INDI) is sponsored under IUPUI’s Signature Center Initiative to advance nanotechnology-based systems research and spark student interest in this emerging STEM field. Innovation in the field of nanotechnology arises from interdisciplinary approaches and INDI draws on the expertise of faculty across departments and schools (including the School of Engineering and Technology, School of Science, School of Dentistry, and School of Medicine) in order to fuel research collaborations and offer nanosystems coursework to both science and engineering students. Current research efforts are focused in INDI’s thrust areas of bionanotechnology and sustainable nanoenergy, which build on the existing strengths of participating schools and span a range of critical issues in nanomaterials, nanodevices, nanosystems, energy, physics, and nanomedicine. Examples of research include the development of artificial biomaterials, nanosensor arrays for disease detection, and the development of nanomanufacturing techniques and educational tools. INDI facilitates research efforts by identifying funding opportunities, establishing research teams, offering seed funding, and providing a cluster of analytical equipment, characterization tools, and lab resources that support the work of faculty and student researchers. INDI continues to expand its shared resources through the acquisition on new cutting edge instrumentation, including a new field emission scanning electron microscopy facility, which is now open to researchers across campus. Aside from research, INDI plays a vital role in nanotechnology curriculum development on campus, in particular, the design and implementation of coursework offered within IUPUI’s newly developed Nanotechnology Track and Energy Engineering degree program. This academic track provides students with both theory and hands-on experiences involving the fabrication, characterization, and applications of nanomaterials, nanodevices and nanomedicine. Moreover, INDI’s community outreach activities, including its nanotechnology summer camps for K-12 students and teachers, aim to provide early student exposure and educate teachers in applying nanotechnology modules within their classrooms. These student experiences are designed to encourage higher education in an effort to generate the advanced nanotechnology workforce needed by Indiana and the nation.
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    Paper-Based Flexible Lithium-Ion Batteries
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2014-04-11) Aliahmad, Nojan; Shrestha, Sudhir; Agarwal, Mangilal; Varahramyan, Kody
    Paper-based flexible batteries have a wide range of applications in paper-based platforms, including in paper electronics, packaging, product displays, greeting cards, and sensors. This poster will present lithium-ion batteries using flexible paper-based current collectors. These current collectors were fabricated from wood microfibers that were coated with carbon nanotubes (CNT) through an electrostatic layer-by-layer nanoassembly process. The use of paper-based current collectors provides flexibility and improved electrode adhesion. Electrodes were fabricated by casting thin layers of lithium titanium oxide, lithium cobalt oxide or lithium magnesium oxide on the conductive paper. Half-cell and full-cell devices were fabricated and tested. The results show that the presented batteries use reduced mass loading of carbon nanotubes (10.1 μg/cm2) compared to CNT film based batteries. Experimental capacities of the half-cell devices were measured to be 150 mAh/g for lithium cobalt oxide, 158 mAh/g for lithium titanium oxide, and 130 mAh/g for lithium magnesium oxide. Device designs, fabrication processes of paper-based current collectors, electrodes, and batteries, and further experimental results, including solid electrolytes, will be presented.