April 29, 2008 — On Wednesday, 18 top U.Va. School of Engineering and Applied Science undergraduate students will showcase their fourth-year theses in the Rotunda as part of the 21st annual Undergraduate Research and Design Symposium.

The students, who will present their individual and team projects in a poster session before approximately 100 fellow students, faculty, family members and interested high school students throughout the day, were selected from 39 entries for their projects' significance, technical quality and the quality of written reports.

At the Rotunda event, which runs from 11:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., students will each have 10 to 15 minutes to present their projects, which in the past have ranged from roller coaster designs to theoretical fluid dynamics studies to dehydrating toilets for use in Third World nations, and an additional five minutes to answer questions. Following the presentations in the Rotunda, a reception will begin at 3:15 p.m. in the Wilsdorf Hall Upper Atrium.

Projects will be judged by a panel of leaders in various industries. The top individual presenter and the top team will each receive a cash award of $1,500.

The following is a list of finalists who were selected to participate in the symposium and their research titles:

Individuals

•    Lauren Doucette: Energy Analysis of Local Food-Shed Infrastructure: Sustainability of the Charlottesville City Market
•    Patrick Ho: Control of an Aquatic Wing Structure Using Central Pattern Generators
•    Judith Hsiang: Plasmid-Bearing Nanoparticles and Ultrasound-Targeted Microbubble Destruction: A Novel Technique for Therapeutic Angiogenesis
•    Janelle Latham: Selective Blockade of T-Type Calcium Channels Reveals its Contribution to Obesity-Related Type 2 Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain
•    Kathleen McDowell: The Role of Gap Junction Communication in Promoting Atherosclerosis
•    Marin Odioso: Perceptions of Congestion Charging: Lessons for U.S. Cities from London and Stockholm
•    Eliah Shamir: Treating Infection by Enteroaggregative E.coli, an Emerging Diarrheal Pathogen
•    Mikiyas Tsegaye: An Analysis of Heat Flow in Nano-Structures Using the Non-Equilibrium Green's Functions Formalism

Teams

•    Jonathan Hollm, Ranjan Khan, and Ellisha Marongelli: Characterizing and Modeling C. reinhardtii Phototaxis
•    Jennifer Kamens and Marilyn Markowski: The Effects of Whole Bone Marrow Cells on Arteriogenesis
•    Lishan Mou and Udayan Shah: Advanced Testing for Predicting HCV Treatment Response


About the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science

Founded in 1836, the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science combines research and educational opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Within the undergraduate programs, courses in engineering, ethics, mathematics, the sciences and the humanities are available to build a strong foundation for careers in engineering and other professions. Its abundant research opportunities complement the curriculum and educate young men and women to become thoughtful leaders in technology and society. At the graduate level, the Engineering School collaborates with the University's highly ranked medical and business schools on interdisciplinary research projects and entrepreneurial initiatives. With a distinguished faculty and a student body of 2,200 undergraduates and 700 graduate students, the Engineering School offers an array of engineering disciplines, including cutting-edge research programs in computer and information science and engineering, bioengineering and nanotechnology.