Processing of Materials for Extreme Environments Through Additive Manufacturing

Tuesday, October 3, 2023; 11:00 a.m. — noon (ET)
via Zoom
Speaker: Michael Kirka from Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Hosted by: Jaclyn Stimely,  juc52@psu.edu

TBD

Thursday, October 5, 2023; 10:35 a.m.
001 CBEB
Speaker: Stefano Menegatti from North Carolina State University

Hosted by: Angela Dixon,  adc12@psu.edu

Emerging hardware technologies for brain-inspired computing

Wednesday, October 4, 2023; 3:35 PM - 4:25 PM
360 Willard Building
Speaker: Gina Adam from Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, George Washington University

Abstract: Training of artificial intelligence systems is expected to consume massive amounts of computing resources in the coming decades at significant financial and environmental costs. New hardware alternatives are necessary to keep up with the increasing demand in complexity and energy efficiency in this sector. Brain-inspired computing is a promising avenue, since the brain is capable of continuously learning from new data, while consuming only few Watts. Current artificial intelligence systems have limited biomimicry, as exemplified by deep neural networks with simplistic neuronal and synaptic dynamics. Their training is usually executed in microprocessors, graphics processing units or tensor processing units based on existing digital hardware technologies. While deep neural networks have led to impressive progress in computer vision and language processing, their energy consumption is 8-10 orders of magnitude higher than the brain. Brain-inspired hardware based on emerging analog hardware technologies, like memristors (or resistive switching devices or ReRAM), show promise for dense energy efficient systems given their ultra-scalable footprint and better energy/bit consumption. Training of brain-inspired systems large enough for useful real-life applications is theoretically highly efficient. In this talk, I will describe the opportunities and challenges of achieving practical adoption and our interdisciplinary work on designing, fabricating, and testing memristor-based systems for the next generation of brain-inspired computing hardware.

Biography: Gina Adam is an assistant professor with the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at the George Washington University. Her group works on the development of emerging non-volatile memory devices and novel hardware foundations that will enable new ways of neuro-inspired computing. She received her Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2015 and was a research scientist at the Romanian National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies and a visiting scholar at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne before joining GWU. She was the recipient of an International Fulbright Science and Technology award in 2010, a Mirzayan fellowship at the National Academy of Engineering in 2012, a H2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant from the European Commission in 2016, a NSF CRII award in 2020, and AFOSR YIP and NSF CAREER awards in 2023.

Hosted by: Bethany Illig,  buh196@psu.edu

Mirror Mirror – A 15-year Reflection on Metal Additive Manufacturing

Tuesday, October 10, 2023; 11:00 a.m. — noon (ET)
via Zoom
Speaker: Amber Andreaco from GE Additive

Hosted by: Jaclyn Stimely,  juc52@psu.edu

TBD

Thursday, October 12, 2023; 10:35 a.m.
001 CBEB
Speaker: Venkat Ganesan from University of Texas at Austin

Hosted by: Angela Dixon,  adc12@psu.edu

A lifetime of antenna research

Wednesday, October 11, 2023; 3:35 PM - 4:25 PM
360 Willard Building
Speaker: James K. Breakall from Department of Electrical Engineering, Penn State University

Abstract: Professor Breakall retired from the EE Department in December 2022, after spending 33 years in that position, he now is Professor Emeritus. He was a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School before that for 2 years and also a Project Engineer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for 5 years. He has been interested in antennas since the young age of 10 years old and credits his interest and participation in Amateur Radio as one of the main inspirations that led to his rewarding and innovative career in antennas. In his talk, he will go over some of the antenna ideas that motivated him to take his career path. One of his first passions was how to make a small antenna work as well as a big antenna at frequencies where the wavelength is large. His idea did not exactly work but was important enough to develop a relationship with Prof. Ferraro in EE who was the main antenna professor and his future advisor and colleague. This led to his work for many years with the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and antenna modeling and design at many other facilities and systems. He will describe some interesting facts and new concepts on the most widely used antennas used in Amateur Radio and elsewhere, the classical half-wavelength dipole and Yagi. He will present many other innovations that he invented over the years in antennas related to Amateur Radio, and also in scientific, government, and commercial applications.

Biography: Dr. James K. Breakall received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, and has over 50 years of experience in numerical electromagnetics and antennas. He was a Project Engineer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA, and an Associate Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPGS), Monterey, CA. Presently, he is Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering after retiring in December 2022 with 33 years on the faculty at Penn State. Dr. Breakall was first at Arecibo Observatory (1000 ft dish in Puerto Rico) in 1974 as the first Summer Student from Penn State. He worked on the design of another 100 ft dish that was used as an interferometer with the main 1000 ft dish. In 1977, he was a NSF Resident graduate student at the Arecibo Observatory on his Ph.D. research on antenna analysis and radar probing of the ionosphere using the 430 MHz incoherent scatter. At LLNL, he and his group worked on the development of the Numerical Electromagnetics Code (NEC), the first sophisticated antenna modeling program. Other significant projects that he has worked on were the designs of the HAARP facility in Alaska (patent received), both HF facilities at Arecibo (Islote and the recent Cassegrain sub-reflector design), and multiple feeds for inside the Gregorian Dome. He received a patent and the R&D 100 Award for the Kinstar low profile AM broadcast antenna. He has been and is a consultant to the Army, Air Force, and Navy, and Industry on antenna design and radio propagation. He also has designed many Amateur Radio commercial antennas including the very popular Ham Radio Skyhawk Yagi antenna, and he is the inventor of the Optimized Wideband Antenna (OWA). Dr. Breakall is also a life senior member of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, IEEE Broadcast Technology Society, Eta Kappa Nu, International Union of Radio Science Commission B, IEEE Wave Propagation and Standards Committee, has been an Associate Editor for the Radio Science journal, and served as an Arecibo Observatory Users and Scientific Advising Committee Member. He has been a frequent speaker at the Dayton Hamvention Antenna Forum. He has graduated numerous graduate students and received many awards over the years. In 2017, Dr. Breakall was awarded the prestigious Sarnoff Citation from the Radio Club of America (RCA), the oldest wireless society. He was elected as a Director to the Board in 2018 and 2021 and is the Chairman of their Technical Symposiums. He also serves on the RCA Scholarship Committee. He was elevated to Fellow of that society in 2022. In May 2023, he was awarded the Technical Achievement Award for all of Amateur Radio for his innovative contributions to that community. His Amateur Radio callsign is WA3FET.

Hosted by: Bethany Illig,  buh196@psu.edu

Additive Manufacturing: The Modern Dilemma

Tuesday, October 17, 2023; 11:00 a.m. — noon (ET)
via Zoom
Speaker: Lisa Sibilia from Youtopian

Hosted by: Jaclyn Stimely,  juc52@psu.edu

TBD

Thursday, October 19, 2023; 10:35 a.m.
001 CBEB
Speaker: Jonathan Male from Washington State University

Hosted by: Angela Dixon,  adc12@psu.edu

Enabling resilient cyber-physical microgrids

Wednesday, October 18, 2023; 3:35 PM - 4:25 PM
360 Willard Building
Speaker: Yan Li from Department of Electrical Engineering, Penn State University

Abstract: The modernization of power systems can be effectively accomplished through the development of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). However, the widespread integration of power-electronic interfaces in high-penetration DER scenarios poses challenges to the system's inertia, making the DER dominant power grid sensitive and susceptible to disturbances. To address these challenges, a comprehensive set of methods has been developed at both the cyber and physical layers of microgrids. In this presentation, we will discuss several key approaches that contribute to mitigating the aforementioned issues. Firstly, we will introduce reachability analysis as a means to assess microgrid stability efficiently. This analysis takes into account the presence of heterogeneous uncertainties resulting from the high penetration of DERs. By leveraging reachability analysis, we can gain valuable insights into microgrid stability and ensure reliable operation. Next, we will explore the application of learning-based DER control, utilizing advancements in machine learning. This approach aims to enhance computational capabilities for nonlinear microgrids. By harnessing the power of machine learning, we can improve control strategies, optimize DER integration, and enhance the overall performance of microgrids. Furthermore, we will delve into a programmable software-defined attack detection strategy designed to safeguard the microgrid system against cyberattacks and physical threats. This strategy combines software-defined networking principles with advanced attack detection mechanisms to proactively identify and mitigate potential security risks, ensuring the robustness and resilience of the system.
Collectively, these cutting-edge technologies and methodologies provide a suite of powerful tools for planning and operating future renewable energy systems. By incorporating these approaches into the design and management of DER-based power grids, we can effectively overcome challenges, ensure stability, and maximize the benefits of renewable energy integration.

Biography: Yan Li holds a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, U.S., obtained in 2019. She also received a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Tianjin University, Tianjin, China, in 2013. Currently, Dr. Li serves as the Charles H. Fetter Endowed Fellow Assistant Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Penn State. Dr. Li's research interests span various domains, including cyber-physical power systems, quantum computing, data-driven modeling and control, resilience analysis, cybersecurity, and software-defined networking. Her work contributes to advancing the understanding and development of these fields. Recognized for her exceptional contributions, Dr. Li has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the IEEE-PES Outstanding Engineer Award and the Connecticut Women of Innovation Award, among others.

Hosted by: Bethany Illig,  buh196@psu.edu

To Be Announced

Tuesday, October 24, 2023; 11:00 a.m. — noon (ET)
via Zoom
Speaker: Chelsey Hargather from New Mexico Tech

Hosted by: Jaclyn Stimely,  juc52@psu.edu

TBD

Thursday, October 26, 2023; 10:35 a.m.
001 CBEB
Speaker: Joan Brennecke from University of Texas at Austin

Hosted by: Angela Dixon,  adc12@psu.edu

Deconvoluting Complex Environmental Effects in Real Time

Wednesday, October 25, 2023; 3:35 PM - 4:25 PM
360 Willard Building
Speaker: Khalid Mikhiel Hattar from Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

Abstract: To design systems for many current and future energy sources, a detailed understanding of the essential materials in these systems and the associated evolution in these complex environments of interest is needed. One exemplar is the current generation of nuclear reactors is a complex combination of radiation (displacement and transmutation products), thermal, mechanical (creep and fatigue), and corrosive stressors making it difficult to predict materials performance. The materials design and selection become even more difficult under the higher temperature, displacement damage, and corrosive conditions desired for most next generation nuclear systems. To inform, refine, and validate the ever-advancing predictive models, tools must be developed to explore the desired environments at the necessary resolution. This presentation will highlight electron microscopy and pump-probe laser-based techniques developed for such studies at Sandia National Laboratories over the past 14 years as well as the planned development for the Tennessee Ion Beam Materials Lab that started January 2023. The environments that must be investigated include displacement damage, swelling, hydrogen embrittlement, high temperature creep, irradiation induced creep, high cycle fatigue, corrosion, and often various combinations thereof. Although complex with many engineering challenges, the development of such tools is physically possible. Examples highlighting these capabilities will be presented including results relevant to fusion energy systems, tritium producing burnable absorber rods, spent nuclear fuel, nanomaterial-based radiation detectors, pipeline grade steels, and even solar wind.

Biography: Khalid Hattar is an Associate Professor in the Nuclear Engineering Department and Director of Tennessee Ion Beam Materials Lab at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Previously he served as a technical staff member for 14 years in the Department of Radiation-Solids Interaction and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies at Sandia National Laboratories. He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of California, Santa Barbara in 2003, and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2009. He specializes in determining the property-microstructure relationships for a variety of structural, electrical, and optical materials through in situ TEM in various extreme environments, as well as tailoring local properties of materials through ion beam modification.

Hosted by: Bethany Illig,  buh196@psu.edu

Increasing value while prototyping: Understanding how fidelity influences stakeholder feedback

Tuesday, October 24, 2023; 3:35 p.m. - 4:35 p.m.
135 Reber Building
Speaker: Carlye Lauff from University of Minnesota

BIO:

Dr. Carlye Lauff is an Assistant Professor of Product Design at the University of Minnesota. She earned her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from CU Boulder, where she was a NSF Graduate Fellow studying the role of prototypes in companies. Carlye’s research is in the field of design science, studying how designers engage in product development processes and then improving tools and methods to support them. Dr. Lauff has worked with more than 25 global companies, ranging in industries from medical devices to consumer electronics to transportation systems to educational toys to footwear/apparel.

ABSTRACT:

Prototyping is a fundamental part of the product development process, and prototypes are essential to rationalizing design decisions and communicating intent before developing a final product. Prototypes vary in form, function, materials, and construction depending on the needs of the project. The evolution and refinement of prototypes is often referred to as the fidelity level. Engineers and designers use these various prototypes to gain insights through interactive engagement during stakeholder testing. Testing prototypes can involve the intended end user, consumer, experts in the field, and others who have a financial investment in the product. This research looks at how to better define and describe prototype fidelity, how prototype fidelity influences feedback from various stakeholders, and then how design teams balance and use that information to influence future design directions.

Hosted by: Mechanical Engineering,  lnr108@psu.edu