Iowa State Researchers Receive Record-Breaking NSF CAREER Award Support

Caitlin Ware, Iowa State University Office of the Vice President for Research

Posted Jul 15, 2024

“Receiving an NSF CAREER award is a tremendous achievement because it recognizes early-career faculty for both the creativity of their research pursuits and their mentoring of our next generation of scholars,” said Vice President for Research Peter Dorhout, an alumnus of the CAREER program. “As an institution, we’re delighted to welcome such a large class to Iowa State’s NSF CAREER awards fraternity. Each plays a vital role in helping Iowa State realize its aspiration to be the most student-centric leading research university in the nation.”

Nanoparticles and microparticles — extremely small particles that contribute to nutrient cycling and climate processes — exist naturally in environmental elements, including air, soil, and surface water. However, humans also produce nanomaterials and are releasing them into the environment in increasing quantities, leading to nanoparticle pollution and resulting impacts on environmental and human health. To better understand the significance of human-produced nanoparticles within the earth’s environment, Graham’s project will explore the development of a measurement and classification system for metal-containing nanoparticles. In-depth studies will be conducted to investigate methods of separating naturally occurring nanoparticles from human-produced nanoparticles and sorting them into classes using unsupervised machine learning approaches. Once classification schemes are created, Graham and his research team plan to create open-source software tools to facilitate broad implementation of particle classes. The educational component of the project will include development of a series of computer-based learning modules to teach basic concepts of computer programming and data analysis to graduate-level chemistry students.

Crumpled matter can be found throughout nature and daily life, serving both biological and engineered purposes ranging from geological formation to macromolecules (very large molecules that are constructed from small, repeating units linked together to form chains; macromolecules are also known as polymers). The study of crumpled matter is a rapidly developing research area focused on improving the strength and functionality of various types of structural materials. However, understanding the mechanics of crumples at small scales has proven challenging. Xia’s project will investigate the fundamental mechanical behavior of crumpled structures across multiple scales. The project will develop and utilize an integrated, experimental computational framework for determining and predicting the complex behavior of crumpled matter composed of nano-sheets. The resulting predictive models and tools will enable and facilitate the design and development of lightweight, multifunctional applications in energy storage, drug delivery, and load-bearing composite structures. The educational component of the project will include the creation of an interest-driven, multidisciplinary learning environment that promotes participation and fosters innovation and knowledge transfer in STEM.

Structural materials, such as concrete and composites, are key components of modern life and infrastructure. But despite the crucial role they play, little is known about the damage mechanics of these materials and what causes them to fail. Runnel’s project will seek to answer questions regarding the connection between defects in materials and microstructures, as fatigue cracks and broken fragments are often the first step toward catastrophic structural failure. By using a data-driven, multichannel convolutional neural network (MCCNN) framework, the project aims to identify trends that have historically been too subtle to detect with the naked eye or through simplified analysis. The educational component of the project will involve the creation of an online, interactive education tool called “Solid Genius.” The tool will allow high school students to design their own microstructures and apply the MCCNN model used in Graham’s project to determine if their creations are likely to fail.

In the United States, over 95 percent of criminal convictions are reached via guilty pleas – more than one million each year. Current understanding of the deals that lead to pleading guilty is often tied to the dominant shadow-of-the-trial (SoT) model, which contends that decisions to offer, accept, or reject pleas stem from the perceived probable outcome of a trial. However, research has found that both the guilt status and age of the accused can significantly impact plea outcomes. Wilford’s project will tackle two broad objectives: 1) testing the predictive validity of the SoT model against an updated model that includes an interactive effect of guilt status and age on plea outcomes; and 2) expanding, testing, and disseminating plea simulation software for research and educational purposes. The project’s educational component will include expanding the proposed simulation software to increase understanding of the plea process and its consequences among juveniles. The extension will be available through local branches of the Boys and Girls Club and actual juvenile defendants across the country.

Long-term electromagnetic-transient (EMT) simulations — a fundamental methodology for understanding the performance of power systems — is a relatively new research pursuit. Long-term EMT simulations are especially crucial within the context of renewable energy and finding ways to maintain future power supplies. Pico’s project will attempt to cement the foundation of this new research emphasis by engineering unique dynamic models and numerical approaches for converter-based electric grids. The project will utilize EMT models of transmission lines and renewable resources, as well as a unique numerical integration approach and its implementation using parallel computing, which can be compatible with existing EMT models and solution techniques. These advances are critical to expediting the EMT simulation of restoration processes of converter-based power systems to determine their reliability and resilience to blackouts caused by thunderstorms and other grid disruptions. The educational component of the project will include development of virtual-reality technology and 3D animation for personal, real-time interactions with EMT animations.

Overcoming the challenging trade-off between competing design requirements in physical materials has the potential to yield microstructural materials (MM) applicable to wearable sensors and flexible electronics. Sheidaei’s project will contribute significantly to materials science by predicting the microstructure status of new materials for applications ranging from robotics and aerospace to high-frequency communications, energy harvesting, and medical implants. The project will address four critical computational challenges: inefficiency, expense, overreliance on data, and manufacturing uncertainties. It will deploy a novel cyberinfrastructure for designing printable materials with desirable multifunctional properties. The educational component of the project will include development of a virtual material explorer lab for K-12 students and engaging students in innovative projects and product development.

Large-scale network optimization problems — which appear in train scheduling, information infrastructure, and telecommunication network design — often involve complex structures making optimal solutions challenging for realistic problem sizes. Recent advances in multi-core and cluster computing create exciting opportunities to develop new approaches to enhance the scalability of optimization methods. Davarnia’s project will pursue fundamental understanding of network elements that can be modeled more effectively through novel parallelization frameworks, the goal being cost-efficient and structurally robust networks. The research aim of the project is to develop a new graph-based parallelization framework to solve large-scale network optimization problems with combinatorial requirements. The developed methods will be applied to the unsplittable network flow problem in unit train scheduling, load balancing, bandwidth allocation, and survivable network models to optimize solution time and quality. The educational component of the project will involve developing gaming tools aligned with optimization concepts and distributing them through appropriate K-12 and college-level channels.

Graded digital printing is crucial in fields like healthcare, extreme environment electronics, and energy. Secor’s project aims to improve how the manufacturing of precise electronic materials uses multi-material aerosol jet printing. This method will make it possible to create patterns with varying material compositions by mixing tiny droplets of different materials during printing. This not only controls the shape of the part but also the materials used in each spot. The project will study how different factors affect the quality and reliability of this process. This includes understanding how the chemical makeup of materials, the formulation of the ink, the physics of aerosols, and the settings used during printing impact how well materials mix, how uniform they are, and how accurately we can control the process. The project’s educational component will involve creating interactive digital printing activities to engage 4^th and 5^th grade students with science and engineering concepts. In addition, the project will incorporate game and project-based learning in undergraduate manufacturing engineering courses to improve workforce development.

This project is focused on developing a topological framework to address problems in three areas of research in discrete geometry and combinatorics: 1) piercing numbers of families and sets; 2) mass partition problems; and 3) problems concerning fair division. Zerbib will focus on developing a topological framework to address these problems using the mathematical precept known as the KKM-theorem and its extensions. The project is expected to find new KKM-type theorems and explore innovative ways to leverage the emerging topological method to solve discrete math problems. The educational component of the project will include delivery of two summer schools on combinatorics, writing a textbook on the subject, and training students and postdocs in the new approach.

Recognized for its significant impacts on daily life — in the form of drugs, fertilizers, foods, and oilfield scales — nucleation has been studied for more than a century. However, the nucleation mechanism is still poorly understood because of limited results. Lee’s project aims to decipher how the structure of salt solutions changes as concentration increases and how this structure affects final crystal formation. To overcome research challenges, a levitation technique and powerful X-ray and neutron scattering will be combined, in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science. The long-term project goal is to develop a predictive framework to anticipate and control the multi-pathway and multi-step crystallization in various water-based solutions to obtain desired microstructures in final crystal products. The educational component of the project will form a consortium as an educational platform to promote inclusion in the STEM field, educate young scientists and engineers, and share findings with K-12 students, teachers, and parents in Iowa through existing outreach programs.

Wireless power transfer (WPT) technology, like wireless communication technologies, is poised to replace many wired power delivery methods currently utilized. WPT is one of the most popular topics within the realms of power integrated circuits (ICs) and power electronics, due to the wide range of available applications – from consumer electronics to electric vehicles. However, one of the significant limitations that prevents wider adoption of WPT is its rigid orientation and alignment requirements in existing implementations. Current efforts from academia and industry have resulted in either 3-dimensional multi-coil structures that are too bulky for most applications or 2-dimensional planar coil arrays that only address misalignment issues, while leaving the orientation issue unresolved. Huang’s project aims to address this bottleneck with new spatial calibration methodologies that can dynamically shape the magnetic field direction in real time to match the rotation and movement of the receiver device for optimum power transfer without using a bulky 3-dimensional structure. The educational component of the project will include development of relevant curriculum for undergraduate students.

The long-term goal of this project is to develop a new, novel approach for making thin films. Pathak will combine the film synthesis process with novel micro-mechanical testing strategies and advanced computer simulations to obtain a fundamental understanding of A) characteristic length scales and B) deformation mechanisms of pseudomorphic phases in multilayered architectures. Bi-phase interface strain engineering has been shown to transform stable phases into meta-stable pseudomorphic phases at ambient temperatures and pressures, which show highly attractive structural and functional properties. Pathak recently demonstrated proof of principle where the pseudomorphic body center cubic (bcc) Mg in a Mg/Nb nanolaminate reported a continued increase both in strength and in strain to failure with decreasing layer thicknesses, a trend never before reportedin metallic nanolaminates. The project will utilize a novel combination of an integrated atomic layer and a physical vapor deposition (ALD+PVD) platform that allows the microstructure of nanolaminates to be precisely tailored. The educational component of the project will allow students to collaborate with both national and international laboratories to develop new science and infrastructure within the laboratories and increase institutional and jurisdictional research capacities.

Cell-to-cell communication is vital for the survival of multicellular organisms, as it facilitates the exchange of signals and resources. Membrane-lined channels, such as tunneling nanotubes in animals and plasmodesmata (PD) in plants, play a key role in the movement of molecules between connected cells. Aung’s project will focus on investigating PD as a model to understand the regulation of cell-to-cell communication in multicellular organisms. The broader impacts of the project include using findings to improve crop production. The educational component of the project will include integrating findings into undergraduate-level coursework, recruiting students to join Aung’s lab to gain hands-on experience in plant molecular biology techniques, and collaborating with the Iowa State Science Bound program.

Iowa State Researchers Receive Record-Breaking NSF CAREER Award Support

2023-2024 Iowa State University NSF CAREER Recipients