Project Openings
Below are currently advertised UROP projects available to MIT, CME and cross-registered Wellesley College undergraduates. All projects, regardless of mode (pay, credit, or volunteer) are expected to be worth MIT academic credit and be supervised by MIT faculty. Projects appear on this list in the order they have been received.
NOTE: These projects do not represent all available UROPs as many faculty do not submit project listings for this site. Rather, they expect interested students to contact them based on their general research to discuss potential UROPs.
Available UROPs
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: BioInstrumentation Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Ian Hunter
Project Title: Developement of Conducting Polymer Based Interconnects
Project Description: Conducting polymers are materials that can be used as artificial muscle materials. They are electrically conducting plastics (such as polypyrrole) that can be used to create actuators, sensors and electronic components. The focus of this project is to create and evaluate polymer based interconnects that can be used to connect polymers thin films to polymer wires. The project will involve accessing the electrical resistance, fracture toughness, stability over time of these materials. Eventually, we will test how these innerconnects can withstand the currents required to drive the polymer actuators.
Prerequisites: UROP available for credit only.
Contact: ppillai@mit.edu
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sloan
Faculty Supervisor: John Carroll
Project Title: Nursing Change of Shift Handover Communications
Project Description: We collected tape recordings and other data from nurses during change of shift, where outgoing nurses tell incoming nurses about the patients. The project is to read transcripts and questionnaire comments to figure out why incoming and outgoing nurses differ on what they consider a good handover. The project may extend to collecting new data from nearby hospitals. Could be for course credit or pay.
Prerequisites: Interest in human behavior. Knowledge of hospitals would be helpful but not required. Exposure to social science research (e.g., 15.301) would be helpful but not required.
Contact: John Carroll, jcarroll@mit.edu
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab - Fluid Interfaces
Faculty Supervisor: Pattie Maes
Project Title: Signs Instant Messenger
Project Description: Signs Instant Messenger is a new kind of online mediated chat system, employing native structural design elements to reduce ambiguity and increase communications efficacy. We have already designed, studied, and published on the first iteration, and now we are making changes to the system for the next iteration. Please join us in this fun design exercise that will change how we communicate online!
Prerequisites: Good knowledge of object-oriented programming in general, ideally experience with Flash/Flex and event-driven programming models. You must already know how to program. Graphic design talents a plus.
Contact: azinman@media.mit.edu, and try/see it online right now at signs.media.mit.edu!
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MAS
Faculty Supervisor: Alex (Sandy) Pentland
Project Title: Sensors and Phones Measuring Social Interactions
Project Description: The Human Dynamics group has open part time UROP positions for the Spring. Students will learn how to use sociometric badges and mobile phones that sense social signals of people, learn to analyze and visualize its data. Projects include working with social scientists to measure real-world interactions. The position is for credit/volunteer and successful students will have the opportunity to continue in the summer for pay/credit.
Prerequisites: Experience in programming.
Contact: bwaber@mit.edu
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Haystack Observatory
Faculty Supervisor: John Belcher
Project Title: Building a Black Hole Telescope
Project Description: The MIT Haystack Observatory is assembling a network of high frequency radio telescopes that will be used to image the Event Horizon of a black hole. The technique is called Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), and it involves recording radio waves from a distant cosmic source at many telescopes simultaneously, and then combing the data streams to produce a virtual telescope as large as the Earth. We call this Global network of radio dishes the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). To increase sensitivity of the EHT, we are working on a system that can combine several telescopes that are very close together so that they can function as a single element of our VLBI network. A prototype phased-array system has been installed at the Submillimeter Array (SMA) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The existing control and analysis software suite is written in Python and performs all necessary functions but is by no means user-friendly or efficient; in addition it does not take full advantage of existing facilities provided by the SMA. Under our supervision, the UROP student will architect replacement code with a cleaner and more sophisticated user interface (possibly graphical) that can provide control of various elements of the system and display relevant information and data from both the retrofit system and the SMA. Work site will be at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics just outside Harvard Sq. There is possibility for travel to Hawaii for observations, and continuation of UROP through the Summer is possible.
Prerequisites: A background in software design, and proficiency in Python and C is required. Any experience designing graphical user interfaces is desirable. Also of interest, though not required, is experience in digital signal processing and programming FPGAs.
Contact: sdoeleman@haystack.mit.edu
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sloan
Faculty Supervisor: Aleksandra Kacperczyk
Project Title: Financial Crisis
Project Description: This project focuses on understanding the financial crisis. The work consists primarily of collecting and analyzing financial data. The project aims to understand the workings of money market mutual funds. Data on Money Market Fund holdings are not available via standard data sources on mutual fund holdings. Therefore the first in the current project is to collect the data on money market fund holdings directly via the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Importantly, Money Market Funds are required to report quarterly holdings data to the SEC. These data are available online via the SEC Edgar database at the website www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. Ultimately, the first stage of the project aims to collect the time-series portfolio data for a sample of about 100 largest funds for the period 1995-2009.
Prerequisites: The main requirements are enthusiasm for research, the ability to work independently, and attention to detail.
Contact: olenka@mit.edu
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: DUSP/SENSEable City Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Carlo Ratti
Project Title: MIT Enernet
Project Description: We are looking for an electrical engineering student with an understanding of microcontrollers and sensors. Our project looks at measuring human occupancy in buildings and rooms using a combination of sensors and wireless connectivity, and applying this to improving energy efficiency. We want to build a number of small, low-power, low-cost sensors that can detect people entering and exiting a room, and store this information for analysis. Future phases of the project will involve data collection and analysis, so this could potentially become a course VI-2 thesis/project.
Prerequisites: Experience building circuits, programming microcontrollers, and working with sensors (PIR, ultrasound, etc). At least one advanced EE lab course, such as 6.111 or 6.115. A strong DIY work ethic and ability to work independently with minimal guidance.
Contact: David Lee (david733@mit.edu) at the SENSEable City Lab (http://senseable.mit.edu/).
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Linguistics
Faculty Supervisor: David Pesetsky
Project Title: Mayan language sentence processing experiment
Project Description: This is an experimental linguistics project to test sentence processing speeds for different types of clauses in two Mayan languages, Chol and Yucatec. Both languages exhibit what is known as "morphological ergativity": subjects of intransitive verbs show the same type of morphological agreement marking as objects of transitive verbs, while transitive subjects pattern differently. However, Yucatec also shows "syntactic ergativity": transitive subjects behave differently from transitive objects and intransitive subjects in question formation, relative clause formation, and topicalization. In Chol, this difference is not readily observed. This experiment will test processing time of different types of sentences in these two languages. This project will directly enhance the liberal arts education of the students who decide to participate. First, this project will give students opportunities for the study of minority, less commonly taught languages such as Chol and Yucatec Mayan. Second, the participation in this project will allow students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Latin American culture. For instances, what are the appropiate, culturally accessible events that Mayan speakers can interpret?
Prerequisites: One of the first tasks is to create stimuli which will be presented to Mayan speakers. Your task will be to depict a set of events in the most natural way using software such as Poser. In the study, the Mayan participant will hear a sentence like "point to the dog who is being chased by the cat". They will see two pictures, one of a cat chasing a dog, and one of a dog chasing a cat. Your job will be to create these pictures.
Contact: Jessica Coon, jcoon@mit.edu
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Course 12 (EAPS)
Faculty Supervisor: Taylor Perron
Project Title: Flume Experiments on Bifurcations in Submarine Sand Ripples
Project Description: Ever wonder what makes the ripple patterns you see in the sand while you're swimming at the beach? How would you interpret them if the ripples were all you could see, preserved in hundred-million-year-old rock? Help design and conduct flume experiments on the formation and evolution of sand ripples generated by oscillating flows. You will work directly with faculty in Course 12 (EAPS) to customize a flume in an experimental facility on campus, test the effects of different flow conditions and sediment types on ripple formation, document the experiments with digital photography, and analyze the results.
Prerequisites: Students with experience in engineering design or related fields are especially encouraged to apply. Project will involve some manual labor (shoveling sediment, moving equipment, etc.), and may require working with power tools. Initial position will be for one semester, with the possibility of extension.
Contact: Prof. Taylor Perron (perron@mit.edu, http://eaps.mit.edu/faculty/perron/) or Visiting Prof. Paul Myrow (pmyrow@coloradocollege.edu, http://coloradocollege.edu/Dept/GY/faculty_paul_myrow.asp)
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Environmental Microfluidics Group
Faculty Supervisor: Roman Stocker
Project Title: Developing Software to Analyze Biofilm Growth
Project Description: Biofilms are formed when bacterial cells attach to surfaces and secrete sticky polymeric substances. Despite their ungainly description, biofilms play a crucial role in many chronic diseases, carbon sequestration, antibiotic resistance, groundwater remediation, and wastewater treatment. We are currently developing a novel experiment of biofilm formation using cutting-edge microfluidic chips. We are looking for a UROP student with extensive programming experience to help develop high level software to analyze our experiments. You will have the opportunity to work alongside a highly motivated team on a project of importance to both the environment and human health. Flexible work hours will be provided.
Prerequisites: A strong background in Matlab programming. Students in course 6, 8, and 18 and those with image analysis experience are especially urged to apply. We will begin conducting interviews on Feb. 8, so please apply soon to be considered.
Contact: Please send your resume and availability during the Spring 2010 semester to Mack Durham (durham@mit.edu).
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Center for Advanced Visual Studies
Faculty Supervisor: Gediminas Urbanas
Project Title: Machine Vision and Robotics
Project Description: CAVS Senior Fellow, Elizabeth Goldring, who is a visually challenged artist and poet (http://web.mit.edu/veb/intro.html) and the reknown theatre director/ producer, Robert Wilson (http://robertwilson.com/) are collaborating on a project on the theme of vision, machine vision and robotics. Their project is in a nascent state of definition. It will involve brainstorming / idea work; writing; design and organizational work. Students with creative interests in theatre, art-science- technology, robotics, optics or science fiction are urged to apply. Group meetings will take place in the New Media Lab Bldg. 140S. Direct funding through the UROP office is being sought, so those who are interested please contact Elizabeth Goldring immediately. Please reply to goldring@mit.edu.
Prerequisites: Students with creative interests in theatre, art-science- technology, robotics, optics or science fiction are urged to apply.
Contact: Please reply to goldring@mit.edu. She will set up an appointment or telephone conversation.
2/8/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: HST
Faculty Supervisor: Sangeeta Bhaita
Project Title: Liver Tissue Engineering/Stem Cell Biology/Liver Cell Therapy
Project Description: Our lab's long-term goal is to develop and build a bioartificial liver as well as models of human disease. Our current work is in tissue engineering/cell therapy specifically embryonic stem cell/induced pluripotent stem cell development into hepatocytes (liver cells) as well as
exploring liver cell maintenance in vitro. The student will work closely with a postdoctoral student and have the opportunity to learn and use multiple biologic techniques including cell culture, ELISA, western blot, and immunofluorescence.
Prerequisites: 10 hr time commitment/week
Contact: Robert Schwartz, rschwar@mit.edu, lmrt.mit.edu
2/4/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: DUSP/Senseable City Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Carlo Ratti
Project Title: International call data analysis
Project Description: Are you interested in how we can use phone calls to better understand cities? The Senseable City Lab is looking for a UROP to help analyze international call data from New York City as part of the New York Talk Exchange project, sponsored by AT&T and shown at the Museum of Modern Art (http://senseable.mit.edu/nyte). The work will involve using statistical and mapping methods to analyze neighborhood demographics and long distance phone call data to inform our understanding of how urban neighborhoods connect to the rest of the world.
Prerequisites: Looking for experience in statistical methods, GIS, MySQL, and knowledge of STATA (or ability to learn quickly).
Contact: please send your resume and a brief statement of interest to fmr@mit.edu. thanks!
2/4/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab Tangible Media Group
Faculty Supervisor: Hiroshi Ishii
Project Title: Digital Sculpting and Physical Prototyping with Tools and Gestures
Project Description: Media Lab's Tangible Media Group is seeking for a motivated hacker-type undergradute student with strong background in CS, Computer Graphics. We will build digital sculpting and rapid prototyping platform using physical tools and gestural interface platform. UROP's work will involve computer graphics rendering and connecting them to physical prototyping machines. UROP will have a chance to work creatively for designers and artists. You can contact with Jinha Lee to know more about our work. In addition to technical implementation, UROP will have great opportunities to use their creativity, sometimes leading to co-authoring conference papers!
Prerequisites: Significant Experiences in Computer Graphics (OpenGL, Java 3D) and Programming (C++, Java, etc) is essential, Sense of Aesthetics, Humor is a strong plus, EE knowledge is also plus. UROP will be able to work at least 10 hours a week.
Contact: jinhalee@media.mit.edu ; http://web.media.mit.edu/~jinhalee/tmgurop.pdf
2/3/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Hiroshi Ishii
Project Title: Long Distance Play for Children and Families
Project Description: The Tangible Media Group at the MIT Media Lab is working on tools for children to play at a distance. We are building video conferencing systems that encourage play through shared activity, for example reading an augmented book with a long distance grand mother. We are currently working to bring a number of prototypes to life by building out a video conferencing framework for children. UROPs will work on writing software for the backend video conferencing system, work on computer vision algorithms, or build out front end interfaces.
Prerequisites: The UROP candidate should be a student in CS and/or EE and have large experience with video processing. Large experience with C++ is a must. Experience with computer vision and OpenCV is a large plus. Students should be familiar with Linux as a development platform. Student should be able to work at least 10 hours a week.
Contact: Please send your CV and a short description of your experience with C++ or other large programming projects to sfollmer@media.mit.edu
2/3/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Hiroshi Ishii
Project Title: Tangible 3D Modeling for Children
Project Description: The Tangible Media Group at the MIT Media Lab is working on tools for children to create their own toys. This project aims to allow children to draw, copy, and remix toys that will be created by rapid prototyping machines. We are looking for an enthusiastic UROP to help us create a 3D modeling tool that will be easy to use for children. UROPs will gain firsthand experience working on cutting edge research and may have the opportunity to co-author conference quality research papers.
Prerequisites: The UROP candidate should be a student in CS and/or EE and have large experience with OpenGL and 3D graphics. Large experience with C++ or Java is a must. Experience with computer vision and OpenCV is a large plus. Student should be able to work at least 10 hours a week.
Contact: Please send your CV and a short description of your experience with OpenGL and C++/Java to sfollmer@media.mit.edu
2/3/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Media Lab, Design Ecology Group
Faculty Supervisor: David Small
Project Title: Kaleido: multiple-perspective interfaces for software development environments
Project Description: Interested in graphic design? Ever wanted to build an IDE? Kaleido aims to change the way visual-thinkers and digital artists code. By enabling the programmer to define their own conceptual visual representation side-by-side with the traditional textual representation of their program, we believe that this new type of interface for software development environments can ease the cognitive gap between ideation and programming.
Project homepage: http://web.media.mit.edu/~achang/kaleido/
Prerequisites: Strong interest in visual design and interface design, and a solid grasp of Java programming (you will be building an IDE in Java for a Java-based language, woot!)
Contact: Email me, achang@media.mit.edu, with your name, questions if you have any, and three sentences: 1) your programming experience, 2) your visual art experience, 3) ninjas or pirates and why?
2/3/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: BCS/PILM
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Mark Bear
Project Title: Visually evoked potentials: stimulus generation and EEG analysis
Project Description: Project Description: Dr. Mark Bear s lab at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory has ongoing research projects which utilize a large range of neurobiological methods to study the mechanisms which subserve experience and learning-dependent changes in brain function. Currently we are looking for a dedicated student who is able to invest >10 hrs a week helping to further develop and refine our graphics and EEG analysis for studying visual cortical plasticity in awake mice. Please visit our website (http://bearlab-s1.mit.edu/BearLab/) to see a more detailed description of our research and our lab members. This is an ideal position for a sophomore/junior who has an interest in neurobiology but may have yet to have any hands on experience.
Prerequisites: strong C and Matlab programming skills are required. No previous experience in Neurobiology is necessary-we'll teach you.
Contact: Please e-mail your resume and a short description of your interests to Erik Sklar at esklar@mit.edu
2/3/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Building Technology Research Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Leon Glicksman
Project Title: User Friendly-Tool for Modeling Natural Ventilation in Buildings
Project Description: A great way of reducing energy consumption in buildings is by using natural ventilation, as opposed to air conditioning. The Building Technology (BT) Research Lab is developing a tool, CoolVent, which would help architects better understand and predict the effects of natural ventilation on thermal comfort inside a building. We are currently focusing on improving the interface of CoolVent, to make it more user-friendly and appealing to architects. So far, we have defined potential improvements for the look and feel of the interface, which we would like to implement this summer. We are looking for someone with programming skills who can help implement these changes and also offer suggestions on how to make the interface more dynamic and intuitive. Working in the BT lab is a great opportunity for someone who wants to apply his/her abilities to promoting a more sustainable society.
Prerequisites: Experience with C# or comparable programming language is essential. Past experience with interface design preferred but not required.
Contact: Alejandra Menchaca menchaca@mit.edu
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Program in Art, Culture and Technology
Faculty Supervisor: Krzysztof Wodiczko
Project Title: un-rupture
Project Description: Kelly Dobson, an artist and engineer who works in the realms of technology, medicine, art, and culture, seeks a UROP for a project of creating therapudic and socially active objects, machines, prosthetics, and/ or transitional spaces for bridging between people, animals, or social groups where rupture has taken place. One example is creating transitional objects such as sensate interactive textiles to help retired military test chimps with PTSD to re-socialize with one another. UROP would learn a lot about smart textiles, affective technologies, industrial design, machine and robot building, as well as advanced textile making techniques if interested! Dobson is visiting artist and assistant professor in Digital+Media at RISD and fellow in the MIT Program in Art, Culture and Technology.
Prerequisites: MechE, EE, or technically-skilled UROP with strong SolidWorks, C, C++, Python and/or ciruit design experience preferred. Please send email to Kelly Dobson, kdobson@MEDIA.MIT.EDU; kelly@kellydobson.com, and include a very brief description of relevant skills and experience.
Contact: kdobson@MEDIA.MIT.EDU; kelly@kellydobson.com
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Program in Art, Culture and Technology
Faculty Supervisor: Gediminas Urbonas
Project Title: Future Archive Project
Project Description: Are you a creative, even visionary, web developer? A peerless information and web designer? Perhaps you are a whiz with content management systems? Or are interested in visual arts that operate at the boundaries of science, technology, politics, or society and are a quick programming-study? Ready to provide pioneering R&D to enable access to and preservation of the history and future of the visual arts at MIT and beyond? The Future Archive Project seeks an undergraduate researcher to provide critical development and design to enable online access to and digital preservation of the archive of MIT's Center for Advanced Visual Studies (1967-2009)--over 300 videos, 200 posters/prints, hundreds of photographs, thousands of documents, sketches, and artists' project plans--while simultaneously providing support for the management of complex collaborative artistic practice, actively-archiving and preserving current and future artists' research context, and artworks.
Prerequisites: Drupal will be used for delivery of materials, while crucial issues concerning digital capture, interface, interoperability, preservation, and sustainability of these digital materials are for open to your research interests and programming skills. Please send email to Michael Mittelman, mittelma@mit.edu, and include a brief description of relevant skills and experience.
Contact: mittelma@mit.edu
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Program in Art, Culture and Technology
Faculty Supervisor: Wendy Jacob
Project Title: Waves and Signs: an art project in tactile sound
Project Description: Waves and Signs is an art project exploring the creative potential of tactile sound. Acting as a silent speaker, a raised floor is activated by low-frequency vibrations that can be heard through the body. We are seeking to develop the floor's capacity to play tactile sound, and are looking for UROPs with experience in electrical engineering, programing and acoustics to design low-frequency sound amplifiers; program an array of transducers so that sound can roll across the floor; and help fine-tune the existing system. This project is being developed for an event on tactile communication that will take place at the New York Public Library on April 9th. To view the floor in action as part of a symposium on low-frequency sound: http://vimeo.com/7356467
Contact: wjacob@mit.edu, http://vimeo.com/7356467
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: HST 161000
Faculty Supervisor: Ram Sasisekharan
Project Title: Computational Method For Codon Optimization Incorporating Protein Mutant Data, Binding Affinity And Sequence Statistics
Project Description: The project aims to develop a novel DNA sequence optimization tool for improved protein expression. The UROP student will work closely with a post doctoral research associate (Kannan Tharakaraman) and other team members on this exciting project. Through this, the student will have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience dealing with experimental biological data, computational DNA sequence analysis, biological data mining and applied probability and statistics.
Prerequisites: Student should be interested in an integrated approach to biology and those with background in computer programming (Perl/Python) will be given preference. Experience in mysql database is a plus. Must commit 15-20 hours per week during Spring semester (until end of April).
Contact: kannan@mit.edu ; http://web.mit.edu/tox/sasisekharan
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Laboratory of Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Markus Buehler
Project Title: Molecular modeling of thermal materials for energy applications
Project Description: Nanostructured materials have diverse, promising applications in multifunctional materials, such as high-performance thermal management materials and phonon wave guides for applications in energy technologies and nanodevices. The goal of this project is to nanoengineer the heat transfer performance of nanostructures and nanocomposites including polymers, metal or semiconductors, by using a bottom-up molecular modeling approach. Students will perform computer simulations using molecular dynamics methods, and compare the results with conventional theoretical models that work for macroscopic and microscopic heat transfer problems. Students will gain experience in advanced computer simulation and analysis techniques, and have the opportunity to make fundamental contributions to heat transfer mechanisms in novel nanomaterials.
Prerequisites: Knowledge in physics is a plus. The students should be highly motivated and interested in computer simulations.
Contact: Prof. Markus Buehler, email: mbuehler@MIT.EDU, please CC Dr. Zhiping Xu, email: xuzp@MIT.EDU Phone: 617-452-2750 Lab URL: http://web.mit.edu/mbuehler/www/
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Course 10
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Klavs Jensen
Project Title: Macrochemical systems for nanostructure (quantum dot) synthesis
Project Description: Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have attracted lots of interest since they are used as building blocks in many applications such as biological imaging, electroluminescent devices, or lasers, due to their size tunable optical properties and chemical stability. However, most of these applications require highly crystalline samples with narrow size distributions and high quantum yield, which are often difficult to achieve in a single step batch process with its often poor control of reaction conditions. Continuous flow reactors based on microfluidics (microreactors) integrated with heaters and fluid control elements offer a solution to these problems. The real value of the miniaturization effort, however, need to be in exploring new reaction pathways, while improving control of the synthesized nanostructures and finding environmentally benign solutions to chemical manufacturing and materials. In this context, the overall goal of this project is to develop and use advanced chemical engineering in microfluidics in order to develop and explore new continuous micro-flow synthesis techniques for complex engineered QDs nanostructures. Currently, we are exploring synthetic method for the III-V QDs such as InP or GaP. These QDs will be synthesized using microfludic channel device made by microfabrication process. The precursors will be loaded in the high pressure syringe pump and injected to the channel. Some precursors need to be synthesized in batch, some others can be directly purchased.
Prerequisites: Candidate should be motivated and hardworking. Basic lab skills are a plus, but not necessary. Position needs to be extended to end of this summer, and can be extended to more than a year. This project involves chemical synthesis, which requires one to stay in lab for long periods (~5 hours) at a time.
Contact: vista@mit.edu Room 66-513
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab / Fluid Interfaces
Faculty Supervisor: Pattie Maes
Project Title: reBook
Project Description: The Fluid Interfaces Group at the MIT Media Lab has a UROP position for a hacker-type interested in developing novel augmented reality and augmented-object interfaces. The work will involve experimenting with various computer vision techniques for human computer interaction, learning and hacking advanced mobile pico-projector and the development of software clients (pc+mobile) that will drive the system.
Prerequisites: The UROP candidate should be a student in EE and/or CS or have equivalent experience, and have an interest in physical prototyping, testing new ideas and building things until they actually work. Hands-on knowledge with Software development with C/C++ (a plus) and/or Java. Experience with OpenCV, ARToolkit is an advantage. Student should be able to work at least 10 hrs a week.
Contact: For more information, please send a copy of your CV, availability and a short paragraph describing your software hacking to: linder@media.mit.edu.
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab / Fluid Interfaces
Faculty Supervisor: Pattie Maes
Project Title: Rapid Prototyping Machines
Project Description: The Fluid Interfaces Group at the MIT Media Lab has a UROP position for a hacker-type interested in developing new rapid prototyping machines. In this position you will design and build new mechanisms and combined processes for rapid prototyping machines. The work requires knowledge or interest in learning and experimenting with different materials, mechanical assemblies, control electronics and new user interface paradigms.
Prerequisites: The UROP candidate should be a student in Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, or have equivalent experience, and have an interest in physical prototyping, testing new ideas and building things until they actually work. Hands-on knowledge with Solidworks, Rhino, or Electronics (AVR or Arduino) is a plus. Student should be able to work at least 10 hrs a week.
Contact: For more information, please send a copy of your CV, availability and a short paragraph describing your experience building things (whatever they might be) to: linder@media.mit.edu.
2/2/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Robert E. Cohen (chem E), Michael F. Rubner(DMSE)
Project Title: Temperature Responsive Block Copolymer Multilayer thin films
Project Description: I work on polymer thin film coatings that can be used to change surface properties. Specifically, the polymer coating I make, of thicknesses controlled in the range of 10-100s of nanometers, changes it's properties with temperature. For example, it can reversibly swell 5 times at low temperature and deswell at higher temperatures in aqueous solution. This is done by using interesting ABA triblock copolymers with a temperature responsive middle block and charged end-blocks to create electrostatically self assembled multilayer thin films. You will learn layer by layer assembly, a powerful technique to change the surface character of virtually any substrate and alot about the solution character of polyelectrolyte block copolymers, micellization and temperature transitions of interesting polymers that change dimensions with temperature (exhibit lower critical solution behaviour). Layer by layer assembly of stimuli responsive block copolymers(BCPs) will be investigated to apply responsive multilayers with reversible swelling transitions to the gating of membranes, control of small molecule transport, or mechanical transduction. You can also choose be involved in more fundamental studies to understand the effect of block copolymer molecular weight and BCP connectivity, comparing a di-block and analogous tri-block copolymer depending on your interest. Details of the specific system being studied can be understood from this recent publication: "Temperature-Induced, Reversible Swelling Transitions in Multilayers of a Cationic Triblock Copolymer and a Polyacid"http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ma902459a
Prerequisites: A highly motivated junior/senior student. Chemical engineering background is preferred. Some knowledge of polymeric materials is good, though not necessary. Prior UROP experience is preferred. Able to commit to a year of research. Be able to commit at least 10 hrs a week.
Contact: wuisiew@mit.edu wuisiew@gmail.com
2/2/10
Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Joe Paradiso
Project Title: Modeling and visualizing building energy efficiency
Project Description: The goal of this project is to build a tool kit for the
design of an energy efficient building controlling system. Similar with
modeling and analyzing thermal / diffusion / fluid dynamics data in a micro
scale, we will study the macro aspect of transportation and diffusion
phenomenon within our new building E14 through the deployment of a dense
sensor network. The UROP opening is for Spring and will work on at least
one of the following areas:
1. data collection and visualization with MatLab or VB or OpenGL
2. thermal / air flow modeling
3. dense sensor network construction and deployment.
Prerequisites: student in any year with reasonable engineering knowledge and
basic programming skills. Experience with data analysis is a plus.
Contact: If interested, please submit your CV and a short statement of
interest to nanwei@mit.edu
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Faculty Supervisor: John Gabrieli
Project Title: Development of reading areas in the brain
Project Description: The visual word form area (VWFA) is a region of the brain that responds selectively to letters. Our project investigates how this area develops in normal reading children and children with dyslexia. We are looking for an enthusiastic UROP to help with stimulus design, testing subjects, and analyzing fMRI and EEG data. UROPs will gain firsthand experience with fMRI scanning and EEG recording.
Prerequisites: 10 or more hours/week, for credit, and must be able to continue in position over the summer. Basic knowledge and interest in psychology/neuroscience. Must be good with common computer applications (Powerpoint, Excel), and able to learn new programs quickly. Programming skills (especially matlab) are a plus.
Contact: Email Livia at kingl@mit.edu. Please send a paragraph summarizing your qualifications and interest, and attach a resume.
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sloan (15)
Faculty Supervisor: Erik Brynjolfsson
Project Title: Information Diffusion and Social Network Analysis
Project Description: This project aims to study how information is diffused inside an organization. We will be looking at patterns in electronic communication, blogs, wikis and other source of information inside an organization. The responsibility of the UROP is to process a large amount of data and text into certain formats and to facilitate with the analysis.
Prerequisites: Programming skills is a plus especially in Python, Perl, Java or Stata. Most importantly, strong work ethics and willingness to learn are a must.
Contact: linwu@mit.edu
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Leonard P. Guarente
Project Title: SIRT1 role on pathological conditions of skeletal muscle atrophy and dystrophy
Project Description: The objective of this project is to address the role of SIRT1 protein in skeletal muscle function and metabolism, and in the pathological conditions of muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. SIRT1 is a metabolic sensor in many tissues and regulates the activity of several proteins involved in muscle metabolism, muscle wasting and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Importantly, SIRT1 protein can be activated by small molecules which will be tested on the Duchenne muscular dystrophy mouse model.
Prerequisites: Candidates must have a strong interest in biological research, be able to commit for 15-20 hrs/ week during Spring '10 and be willing to work during the summer 2010
Contact: chalkiad@mit.edu
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Brain & Cognitive Sciences
Faculty Supervisor: John Gabrieli
Project Title: Neuroimaging of Social Anxiety Disorder
Project Description: We were seeking a UROP to help with implementation of neuroimaging (functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI) experiments with both children and adult participants, operation of MRI scanner, implementation and maintenance of analysis software, and technical support for lab personnel. UROP would be working as part of a 8-10 person team in John Gabrieli's lab.
Prerequisites: Some experience with MATLAB, and/or other programming language is helpful but not necessary. Individual must be good at detail-oriented work, and work well independently but also as part of a larger team. Individual must also be responsible, communicate well with others, and have good time management skills.
Contact: fpolli@mit.edu ; http://web.mit.edu/gabrieli-lab/
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Laboratory of Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Markus Buehler
Project Title: Nanobiology of cell mechanics
Project Description: Intermediate filaments (IFs), in addition to microtubules and microfilaments, are one of the three major components of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells, and play a vital role in mechanotransduction and in providing mechanical stability to cells. Although intermediate filaments have been discovered more than 30 years ago, its atomistic-level molecular structure and associated biomechanical properties remain elusive. IF proteins are believed to be linked with serious human diseases including cancer, muscle dystrophies and rapid aging disease, and thus the interest in intermediate filaments has increased substantially. However, the mechanisms of how structural changes such as mutations affect functional and mechanical properties of IFs and lead to the diseases remain unknown. In this research project, we will use bottom-up molecular level computational modeling and simulation to study mutation effects in human vimentin. We will build healthy and diseased vimentin protein filaments and assess their capacity to provide relevant biomechanical functions in the cellular environment. Vimentin is one of the most important IF proteins in our body, and has been associated with key physiological mechanisms and disease states. The impact of this work is expected to be wide-ranging, and will be of interest to the medical field, biomaterials research, and nanotechnology. This UROP project is based on recent studies in our lab (see: http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/lab/40695), and facilitated by our recent development of the first full atomistic vimentin model (http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=13042.php).
Responsibilities of the UROP would include literature review (identify mutations, diseases, etc.), building of molecular models, and carrying our molecular simulations on a large computational cluster. No code development required. Students who work on this project will get a chance to gain familiarity with molecular modeling methods used in nanobiology.
Prerequisites: Basic background in chemistry, physics, materials, simulation preferred but not required. Students will be trained properly.
Contact: Prof. Markus Buehler, email: mbuehler@MIT.EDU, please CC Zhao Qin, email: qinzhao@MIT.EDU Phone: 617-452-2750 Lab URL: http://web.mit.edu/mbuehler/www/
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: BCS
Faculty Supervisor: Ken Wexler
Project Title: Language Acquisition
Project Description: The Wexler ab/Normal Language Lab (http://wexlerlab.mit.edu) is looking for Spring (and beyond) UROPs (for credit or volunteer). Our lab is interested in language and how it is instantiated in the brain. We mostly study first language acquisition, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, autism, and Specific Language Impairment, and work with both children and adults. The research projects for which we are seeking help mainly involve first language acquisition in typically developing children and language in children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. We are also starting projects on Spanish language acquisition, on Chinese language acquisition, on human genetics of language, and on functional neuroimaging of syntax and semantics.
Prerequisites: A background in linguistics, human genetics, statistics and/or prior research experience is helpful but not required. Necessary qualities include being responsible, reliable, and able to work independently. We are looking for a commitment of 9-12 hours per week during Spring term. Candidates should be free for off-campus testing two-three mornings and/or afternoons per week.
Contact: Nadya Modyanova, nnm@mit.edu. Please include a copy of your CV/resume in your message.
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems
Faculty Supervisor: Moe Win
Project Title: Wireless Localization Networks
Project Description: Wireless localization technologies capable of operating in GPS-denied environments are currently in high demand because of the important services they provide. The goal of this project is to develop a testbed to demonstrate the promising new techniques designed by our group. Specifically, we need help coding and testing: (i) communication protocols; (ii) navigation algorithms; and (iii) graphical user interfaces. We have a number prototype radios in our lab which will be used as a basis for the localization network testbed. UROP students (one or two) will be involved in analyzing and extending the existing API, developing new primitives, and coding applications. We are looking for highly motivated students willing to sink their teeth into poorly documented code and hardware, and develop elegant, future-proof solutions.
Prerequisites: Working knowledge of Java and C, socket programming and graphical interfaces. Some basic knowledge of Unix or Linux would be a plus.
Contact: Santiago Mazuelas (Postdoctoral Fellow). mazuelas@mit.edu. http://wgroup.lids.mit.edu/
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Joe Paradiso
Project Title: Design of a Demodulator for Visible Wavelengths
Project Description: In this project we are interested in transmitting and receiving data using visible light (380nm-740nm). The goal of this project is to determine the optimal carrier frequency for a given wavelength and to correctly design and test a suitable demodulator/receiver. The modulation and firmware decoding of the received signal will be performed with existing hardware. Therefore, your primary task is selecting the carrier frequencies and design/characterization/test of a receiver.
Prerequisites: An ideal candidate enjoys analog design, is a competent with digital electronics, has (or wants to) lay out a PCB, and is interested in applied photonics. You will be doing research and design in this project. If you think remote controls and IR receivers are cool, then this work is for you.
Contact: Matt Aldrich maldrich@media.mit.edu
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Bernhardt Trout
Project Description: We have several openings (at least two) for UROP students to work on pharmaceutical related projects, including vaccine formulation, crystallization, protein folding and aggregation. One student will work on structural characterization of virus and proteins in different solution conditions, and another student will work on crystallization of small molecules. If you would like to work with real world pharmaceuticals, make a direct impact on the pharmaceutical industry, and get hands on experience with widely used methods in industry then this position is for you. Our lab is well equipped with many new instruments. After proper training you will be conducting your own experiments with one or more of the following analytical methods: HPLC, fluorescence and light scattering spectroscopy, TEM, optical microscopy, and UV-VIS spectrophotometer.
Prerequisites: You should have a hands on experimental lab experience and be prepared to work 8-12 hrs / week. Position is for credit. Knowledge of a mathematical data analysis program such as MATLAB, MAPLE, Mathchad, IgorPro etc. would be beneficial but not required.
Contact: If you are interested please send an email to Dr. Veysel Kayser (vkayser@mit.edu). http://web.mit.edu/troutgroup/research.shtml#nucleationhttp://web.mit.edu/vkayser/www/Site/Vaccine_formulation.html
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: BCS/Goosens Lab/McGovern Institute for Brain Research
Faculty Supervisor: Ki Goosens / Retsina Meyer
Project Title: How the stressed brain learns
Project Description: I am asking the question: How does a stressed brain learn differently than an un-stressed brain? To answer this, a variety of research techniques is necessary. I use primary neuronal cell culture to observe synapse growth, pharmacology and viral vector mediated gene transfer to study alterations in the behaving rat, in vivo electrophysiology to record neuronal signals during stress, and altered learning paradigms to examine how information presentation affects processing. Of particular interest is stress modulation of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and the subsequent effects on brain structure and, possibly, plasticity. So, if you: -want to learn about learning -OR love all forms of research from the genetic level to the behavioral level -OR want to build electronic recording equipment that will amplify the signals of the behaving brain -OR just want to get into some cutting edge neuroscience research, Then contact me to begin this semester!
Prerequisites: Time, motivation, and a strong interest in health science research are necessary. This research will require strong laboratory technique (ie proper handling of hazardous agents, careful solution preparation, accurate record keeping, etc). So, while all necessary training will be provided, prior lab experience or the successful completion of a lab course is generally preferred. Completion of 9.01 is a plus, though a student of any major is welcome! Student must be able to begin this spring (12h/week, for credit) and stay through the summer (30+ h/week, for pay) with preference for those that can continue through the fall and IAP.
Contact: If you found this ad interesting, please email me, Retsina, at r_meyer@mit.edu: 1. A copy of your resume 2. Instructions (including any formulas you use) on how to prepare 100mL 0.5M BisTris 3. A brief description of your background including relevant courses, projects, and skills 4. A brief description of your future including career goals and a project or question in neuroscience that you think would be awesome!
2/1/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sloan School of Management
Faculty Supervisor: Elena Obukhova
Project Title: The Role of Temporary Foreign Nationals in U.S. High Technology Firms
Project Description: Many US high-technology firms are heavily dependent on technical talent of foreign nationals residing in the US on temporary visas. What practices for managing these workers are effective? How do these foreign nationals interpret their experiences in the US? Are they able to build new skills or are they just a cheaper alternative to American workers? We are looking for a student to join our research team and help to answer these questions. UROPs on this project will have an opportunity to gain research experience, while learning about how high-tech firm's manage human resources. Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, online research and data collection. Applicants should be prepared to dedicate 6-9 hours per week to the project.
Prerequisites: To apply, please attach a copy of your resume, as well as a brief note indicating your background, interest in applying, and any relevant experience. Also, please provide a list of ALL courses (course name and number) you have taken at MIT organized by year and the final grade that you received in each course. A copy of your transcript may be requested at a later date. Please indicate whether you would prefer course credit or pay, and whether you would still be interested in the position if only course credit or only pay is being offered.
Contact: obukhova@mit.edu
1/28/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Deb Roy
Project Title: Facebook Application / Behavior Economics UROP opening
Project Description: We are looking for UROP students to participate in behavioral economics research. We have designed an economics game and developed a novel experiment platform to study human decision making in the social aspect. Your job will be to help conduct experiments involving human subjects. In this study, we have also developed a Facebook application. We are also seeking UROP students who are interested in maintaining the Facebook application, creating new features and developing relevant applications on Facebook.
Prerequisites: Previous experience in running human behavior experiments is not required but would be a plus. Experience in Facebook application development is preferred for those who are interested in developing/maintaining the platform. This study will bring students to a new interdisciplinary area involving behavioral science, computer science, and economics. Position is for credit. Slots are limited. Please contact studya@media.mit.edu if interested.
Contact: studya@media.mit.edu
1/28/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sloan (15)
Faculty Supervisor: Erik Brynjolfsson
Project Title: Organizational Capital and Information Technology
Project Description: This project is to identify the management practices and the types of information technology to increase firm performances. For this end, we have surveyed a couple of hundreds of firms of the USA. The responsibility of UROP student is to help analyzing the survey results and writing an executive report for each firm which was surveyed. We hope to automate generating such a report from a template and a data source (which has company-specific information).
Prerequisites: Knowledge in using Stata is a plus but not a must. Good writing skills are plus. An eager mind with a strong work ethic is the most important.
Contact: Heekyung Kim hekim@mit.edu
1/28/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: 16/SSL
Faculty Supervisor: John Keesee
Project Title: CASTOR Satellite Design and Build
Project Description: Motivated students requested to assist with finalizing the CASTOR small satellite design and implementing and testing key systems. Tasks include structures (machining and assembly), software/avionics (programming), communications, power (generation, storage, regulation, and distribution), propulsion (plumbing and testing), thermal (modeling and design), as well as systems engineering (test plans, requirements verification/validation). All grade/experience levels and disciplines welcome. Negotiable schedule: 3, 6, 9, or 12 unit UROPS available.
Contact: jrobins@mit.edu
1/28/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Center for Transportation and Logistics / AgeLab
Faculty Supervisor: Bryan Reimer
Project Title: Use of a driving simulator in the monitoring of physiological and attentional changes
Project Description: The MIT AgeLab seeks two UROPs to assist with data collection and analysis as part of a study focused on assessing changes in young adult driver behavior with distraction. This UROP will include a comprehensive training on how to work with human subjects, proper data collection techniques, current experimental protocol, and equipment operation. Through this process UROPS will learn about the dangers of hidden forms of driver distraction, gain experience with driving simulation, eye tracking, and psychophysiology recording. The UROP will also include manipulation and analysis of data resulting from the experimentation. This includes physiological measurements, cognitive task responses and driving performance.
Prerequisites: Candidates must be dependable, have strong oral communication skills and be willing to commit between 8 and 10 hours per week to the project. Interests in driving safety, vehicle design, physiological measurements, and human subject experimentation are a plus. This opportunity can lead to a summer position.
Contact: Interested students are encouraged to send a resume and a brief paragraph of interest to Jarrod Orszulak, Research Engineer, MIT AgeLab: email. jorszulak@mit.edu tel. (617) 253-3506
1/27/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sea Grant
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Chrys Chryssostomidis
MIT Sea Grant is working with a Boston recycling company, Save That Stuff, Inc., to develop
educational programming on algae and biofuels for local high schools. This project will involve a mobile lab that will grow algae and then process the algae into biofuel. A UROP will be responsible for rewiring the mobile lab's electrical system and developing protocols for growing and processing algae. The UROP student will need to have a working knowledge of industrial electrical systems and mechanical systems. A viable candidate will work well independently and be willing to travel to the Boston Autoport, located in Charlestown.
If interested, please contact: Sarah Hammond, Education Specialist, MIT Sea Grant College Program olivo@mit.edu 617-715-5148
1/27/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Biomedical engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Elazer Edelman
Project Title: Cancer and uremia
Project Description: Project Description: looking for a self-motivated UROP to work in areas related to molecular cell biology, cancer research and cardiology. The UROP will not only gain hands-on experience on several molecular biology techniques, but also develop insight into translational research involving samples from human patients. This project will be an excellent opportunity for undergraduates interested in becoming physicians and/or physician scientists. The objective of the research is to examine the role of Wnt signaling in two different areas, cancer and uremia-induced vascular disease: 1. In cancer arena, previous work has focused on kidney cancer and gave rise to several publications in prestigious journals such as Nature: Cell biology. This work was published as 'Jade-1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase of beta catenin and mediates pVHL regulation of Wnt signaling'. The present work is an extension of the same. 2. In vascular biology arena, the vascular pathobiology in patients with kidney failure on dialysis is being looked at. In particular, cutting-edge proteomics techniques are being used to discern the molecular pathways of uremia (kidney failure)-induced vascular diseases.
Prerequisites: Prerequisites: Self motivation sciences or engineering major biology background
Contact: Contact: Dr. Vipul Chitalia, MD, PhD Page: 617-638-5795 # 2817 or Email at vichital@mit.edu. Laboratory: E25-438
1/27/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: ESD/SEAri
Faculty Supervisor: Donna H Rhodes
Project Title: Tradespace Exploration Laboratory Innovations for Systems Design and Evaluation
Project Description: The design and development of large engineering systems depends upon good decisions in the conceptual design phase. New methods for exploration of design tradespaces are critically important, but present challenges in several areas. First, the methods involve large and complex data sets of system design and performance, which must be mined in order to discover important relationships among the variables. Second, the multi-dimensional information generated in a tradespace exploration effort needs to be structured in such a way that salient and essential information is effectively presented for decision making. Building upon innovations created during a summer 2009 project, this summer project will be conducted to further develop approaches and mechanisms for a new tradespace exploration laboratory. Novel approaches in the use of the tradespace exploration laboratory hardware and software for multi-sensory data representation and exploration will be developed and implemented. Tasks will include software development in MATLAB, implementing the latest research methods for analyzing, and human-in-the-loop exploration of, millions of aerospace system conceptual designs. Project Director: Dr. Adam M. Ross
Prerequisites: Knowledge of MATLAB and Microsoft Office, at least one programming language (C, java, etc.), preferably with object-orientation. Commitment to the work, good analytic, and written and oral communication skills are needed to participate in collaborative research. Interest in working with a mixed team of research staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students as part of larger modeling and simulation effort. There are openings for two UROPs in this summer project. Rising juniors or seniors preferred. Pay will be based on candidate's skill set.
Contact: Please send a resume to Dr. Adam M. Ross, adamross@mit.edu, and visit the SEAri website for lab information: seari.mit.edu.
1/27/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: ESD/SEAri
Faculty Supervisor: Donna H. Rhodes
Project Title: UAV Swarm-based System of Systems Modeling and Simulation for Advanced Conceptual Design Studies
Project: The design and development of large systems often take decades to complete, with technology already dated by deployment and outdated by end of life. Changes in technology, mission, and environment all impact the perceived usefulness of a system after the start of operations. The industry needs a new method for designing systems that are flexible and evolvable to these changes. Complicating things further, organizations are now grouping systems together into a larger System of Systems (SoS) that creates emergent capabilities beyond what is possible with a set of single systems alone. A new method has been developed in this research group for analyzing a large number of system designs across a large number of possible future scenarios. Ongoing research is maturing this method up to the SoS level. For the method, models and simulations of systems evaluate thousands of candidate designs in hundreds of possible contexts, and dynamic algorithms to determine best evolution strategies for changing systems over time. Initial implementation for the SoS case has involved lower fidelity models. This research project involves using industry grade software to develop models of mixed UAV, ground, and space systems of systems for running analysis and simulation in a tradespace exploration and visualization environment.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of MATLAB and Microsoft Office, and basic satellite, UAV, and system design. Commitment to the work, good analytic, and written and oral communication skills are needed to participate in collaborative research. Interest in working with a mixed team of research staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students as part of larger modeling and simulation effort. There are openings for four UROPs for this summer project. Rising juniors or seniors in Course 16 with UAV and space system interests preferred. Pay will be based on candidate's skill set.
Contact: Please send a resume to Dr. Adam M. Ross, adamross@mit.edu, and visit the SEAri website for lab information: seari.mit.edu
1/27/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sea Grant Program
Faculty Supervisor: Chrys Chryssostomidis
Project Title: Interactive tools for environmental sensing and data services
Project Description: We are developing environmental sensors and Web-based geospatial data services to support marine policy, science, and education. Our projects provide Web services for scientific field surveys, and a secondary-education program in underwater robotics and oceanography. We are looking for a UROP student with programming experience to help add interactive functionality to our mapping client, the OpenLayers javascript library, and develop a user interface for calibration and data upload on Arduino-based environmental sensors. Further work would involve improving the Web service to foster increased participation and communication among users, and/or enhancement of sensing capabilities.
Prerequisites: Strong programming experience in an object-based language. Knowledge of javascript, C++, and graphical user interface development highly desired. Experience with Arduino development environments, and familiarity with PHP and SQL are desirable but not required.
Contact: Please send email to Greg Booma, booma@mit.edu, and include a very brief description of relevant skills and experience.
1/27/20
UROP Department/Lab/Center: EAPS
Faculty Supervisor: Oliver Jagoutz
Project Title: Constraining the isotopic evolution of tehe Ocean-Continent Transition
Project Description: The transition between Continental crust and Oceanic crust is complex. Our current knowledge of the evolution of the transition is very limited. I am looking for an interested student that will work on the isotopic evolution of the ocean-continent transition as exposed in the Eurpean Alps. The project involves the preperation of scientific asamp;es for isotopic analyses and provide an opportunity for hands on expierience in scientific research.
Prerequisites:
Contact: Oliver Jagoutz jagoutz@mit.edu
1/27/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: EAPS
Faculty Supervisor: Oliver Jagoutz
Project Title: Dating the accrition of the volcanic oceanic crust
Project Description: We look for an interested student to work on the formation of the oceanic crust. Aim of the study is to push the limits of Ar-Ar geochronology to very young rocks We have mineral separates from the arctic Gakkel ridge that will be dated using the Ar-Ar technique. The student will have the opportunity for hand on laboratory work in a modern analytical facility.
Prerequisites: non
Contact: Oliver Jagoutz jagoutz@mit.edu
1/27/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sloan-Finance
Faculty Supervisor: Serdar Dinc
Project Title: Mortgage Lending before and during the Financial Crisis
Project Description: This project plans to analyze the mortgage lending in the U.S. during the run-up to the current financial crisis and aims to shed light on the crisis. The project is very data intensive and the student will be responsible for data management. Data files, though they contain fairly clean data, are in order of several GBs for a single year. Common tasks will involve data merge, extraction, aggregation, and other database management requirements. The project is likely to continue through the summer 2010 but no commitment for the summer is asked or given at this point. The student may also be involved in the statistical analysis in later stages depending on student's qualifications.
Prerequisites: Required: SQL (or willingness to learn very quickly); interest in the current financial crisis. Preferred: Experience w/ large data files and data base management.
Contact: dinc@mit.edu
1/27/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Ian .W. Hunter
Project Title: Artificial Muscles, Sensors, and Electronics
Project Description: Project: Undergraduate research opportunity in the BioInstrumentation Laboratory for students interested in actuators, sensors, organic electronics and biomimetic systems. Various projects are available in the study and application of conducting polymers in open and closed loop system that move, sense, and compute information. Research includes experimental design, building instrumentation, testing and interpretation.
Prerequisites: Experience in any of the following categories is helpful, but not a prerequisite: material science, electronics fabrication, machining, programming, control systems.
Contact: For more information, please contact: Eli Paster, epaster@mit.eduhttp://bioinstrumentation.mit.edu/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page
1/26/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sea Grant College Program
Faculty Supervisor: Chrys Chryssostomidis
Project Title: Space-Use Conflict in the Development of Offshore Alternative Energy Sites
Project Description: We are looking for a student interested in helping with a wide variety of tasks associated with an interdisciplinary, bicoastal research and outreach project that will be identifying potential conflicts (and possible mitigation) in the use of offshore areas for alternative energy. Exploring the potential for developing effective communication networks among the various users is an additional goal. I am seeking someone willing to start with a literature search on use of local knowledge, cooperative and/or collaborative management, conflict resolution, marine spatial planning and alternative energy development in OCS. Later, you will be making phone calls to potential stakeholder organizations and individual stakeholders, help organize both group and individual meetings (e.g., focus groups and individual interviews), attend meetings, transcribe tapes and help draft reports. We will be interacting with among others, commercial and recreational fishermen, shippers (including ferries and cargo carriers), and port authorities.
Prerequisites: You must be available an average of 10 hours per week over the semester, but the workload is likely to increase in March and April. I would prefer to have someone willing to continue working on this project through the summer and possibly into the fall. We would like to have someone who is well-organized and able to work independently join us on the project. Students interested in the intersection of social sciences, GIS, spatial planning, alternative energy, marine businesses are most welcome to apply! This is for UROP direct funding or credit.
Contact: Please send an email to Madeleine Hall-Arber, arber@mit.edu and include: A short explanation about your academic interests, why you are curious about this project and what background you have that might be useful Summary of any previous UROP and work experience Availability for spring and/or summer
1/26/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: CAVS
Faculty Supervisor: Krzysztof Wodiczko
Project Title: Dance with renowned European choreographer Xavier Le Roy
Project Description: Renowned European choreographer, Xavier Le Roy, is in residency at The Center for Advanced Visual Studies this spring 2010 to create a new work about species, categorization, classification and difference in animal and human behaviors. Le Roy is seeking 2-4 interested participants for project development and performance at MIT. UROP will work with Xavier Le Roy to identify and work with various MIT Labs that research animal and human behaviors, movement, and technology. This research will contribute their findings to the finished choreography. Participants should be interested in exploring different creative methods for making new work, including learning repertory, improvising based on instructions, working with a group etc. Rehearsals will be held at McCormick studios, times and days TBD. Rehearsal & Performance Schedule: End of February- performer auditions 1-20 March, meetings 1 or 2 times per week March, meetings 1 or 2 times per week 5-23 April, meetings multiple times per week 24 April, MIT performance
Prerequisites: No dance background required, must participate in most rehearsals and performance.
Contact: nbreyer@mit.edu, nbreyer@media.mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: EECS / RLE
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Jongyoon Han
Project Title: Development of seawater desalination device for remote, resource-limited locations
Project Description: A shortage of fresh water is one of the acute challenges facing the world today. An energy efficient approach to converting seawater into fresh water could be of substantial benefit. With the funding from NSF and MIT-SMART innovation center, we have been working on a novel microfluidic seawater desalination device that can be operated remotely without the need for electricity. We are inviting any freshmen who wishes to explore real-world, hands-on engineering research in the next semester to apply. Students will work with PI (Prof. Han) and other team members on this exciting project. Generous hourly pay will be given to a qualified student who can commit the effort required for the project.
Prerequisites: A time committment of at least 8-10 hr / week. During the time, students will come to the project meeting, read literatures, discuss with other team members, and carry out the experiment. Students should consider this as an equivalent to a 8-10hr credit unit course, and plan their weekly schedule accordingly. Ability to learn new things and generate new ideas The student will be expected to assume more than assistive roles in this UROP position. Instead, we expect the student to identify his / her own problem to solve, set his/her own goal, (with the help of project staff) and carry out the work to achieve the goal.
Contact: Please send an email to Prof. Jongyoon Han (jyhan@mit.edu) by middle of February, 2010.
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity
Faculty Supervisor: Professor Kripa Varanasi
Project Title: Nanoengineered Surfaces for Enhanced Energy and Desalination Systems
Project Description: This project will develop novel nanoengineered surface technologies that can significantly enhance the efficiencies of traditional energy and desalination systems. In particular, we will focus on phase-change processes such as condensation and boiling and study the fluid-surface interactions associated with these processes on nanoengineered surfaces (such as superhydrophobic and superhydrophillic surfaces). These surface technologies can bring about a paradigm shift in the design of power and desalination plants and dramatically boost their efficiencies and result in substantial energy savings and avoidance of CO2 emissions. The project will involve both experimental and analytical components such as nanofabrication, characterization, thermal experiments, and modeling. Students will also work on publishing research articles or filing patents (as appropriate). This is a Spring 2010 UROP opportunity.
Prerequisites: Must be highly motivated and should have strong interest in research. Experimental and hands-on skills needed. Familiarity with micro/nano fabrication is important (similar to 6.152).
Contact: varanasi@mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: the Laboratory of Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Markus Buehler
Project Title: SIMS: Small-scale Interactive Molecular Simulations
Project Description: Interested in developing innovative teaching tools to make cutting edge research methods available to the broader public? This project is the continued expansion and development of the Laboratory of Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics "SIMS" simulation tool, concerned with small-scale molecular dynamic simulations (current version at http://mit.edu/cranford/www/SIMS/). The overarching goal of the project is development of a series of small, attractive applications that illustrate basic concepts of molecular dynamics (MD), as part of an effort to increase the awareness and contributions of atomistic and molecular methods to material science, engineering, and mechanics. The main focus of this project will be the simulation and implementation of well-known MD techniques in Windows Form or Java applications using common object-orientated programming languages (such as C# or Java). The final result being a suite of applications to be made available to students and the public for educational purposes. With outreach as a goal, simplicity, pedagogical aspects, and user-friendliness are to be key features of the applications. The inherent complexities of atomistic simulations limit the awareness and potential of the subject as a driving force behind cutting-edge material research and design of new nanoscale materials and devices. The fundamental goal is for practical, illustrative teaching tools to demonstrate such properties as atomic bonding, adhesion, fracture, and stress at the molecular level. Specific applications and simulations programmed by the student can be based on the student's own interests at the direction of the research advisor.
Responsibilities of the UROP would include the design of simple molecular dynamics simulations based on existing texts and literature in the field, as well as the programming of the simulations and user interface, and associated write-up of the basic physics/background of the phenomena studied to be added to the website. Students that work on this project will get a chance to gain familiarity with molecular modeling methods used in nanoscience and materials research. By developing such a set of applications, UROP students will have the opportunity to expand their understanding of material properties and structural mechanics, as well as foster skills in programming and simulation design.
Prerequisites: Basic background in chemistry, physics, materials, simulation preferred but not required. Students will be trained properly.
Contact: Prof. Markus Buehler, email: mbuehler@MIT.EDU, please CC Steven Cranford, email: cranford@MIT.EDU Phone: 617-452-2750 Lab URL: http://web.mit.edu/mbuehler/www/ SIMS URL: http://mit.edu/cranford/www/SIMS/
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Parson's Lab/Civil & Environmental Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Harry Hemond
Project Title: Reconstructing a history of metal pollution in Thoreau's Bog, Concord, MA
Project Description: This UROP position is for work in Professor Harry Hemond's Environmental Chemistry lab, Civil & Environmental Engineering. Our research deals with the natural and anthropogenic cycling of emerging metal contaminants such as indium, a metal of increasing importance in electronics and green energy technologies. This project is to design a peat-corer and obtain a core from Thoreau's bog, Concord, MA. The core will then be dated and analyzed for indium and other relevant metals in order to reconstruct a history of atmospheric deposition and contamination in the region. The bog itself is challenging to core due to its sponginess and the presence of plant roots throughout it. Designing a corer will require inventiveness, work in the machine shop, and trips to the bog to test its effectiveness. If time permits, the UROP will be involved in the dating and analysis of the core.
Prerequisites: We are seeking a candidate who is self-motivated, has training in an MIT machine shop (preferable but not necessary), and has an interest in metals biogeochemistry.
Contact: Please contact Sarah Jane White, the graduate student overseeing the project (sjowhite@mit.edu).
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Anthony Patera
Project Title: Android Phone App for Model Reduction
Project Description: Imagine bringing the power of a supercomputer to your cell phone -- by leveraging recent work on Model Reduction, this is now possible! We are interested in model reduction of large-scale physics simulations in order to reduce the required computational effort by orders of magnitude without loss of accuracy. The goal of this project is to develop an Android App to access pre-computed data from large-scale physics simulations (performed on a supercomputer, for example) so that the small-scale simulations can be performed on a cell phone. This would yield rapid, real-time and portable access to high resolution scientific computing.
Prerequisites: Java experience and preferably also C++ experience are required. Experience with visualization (e.g. OpenGL) would be a big plus.
Contact: dknez@mit.edu ; http://augustine.mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: BCS
Faculty Supervisor: Rebecca Saxe
Project Title: Neural basis of concepts and experience dependent neuroplasticity
Project Description: How does early experience shape the mind and brain? How are concepts represented in the brain? To answer these questions we study the minds and brains of individuals with different developmental experiences: blind and sighted adults. We use fMRI to measure brain activity while participants perform cognitive tasks. We also use TMS to influence brain activity and study people s behavior after TMS. UROPs work on stimulus preparation, data collection, running of the MRI scanner, data analysis, recruitment of subjects, subject testing, as well as programming experiments.
Prerequisites: An interest in psychology and neuroscience. Experience with Excel, MATLAB or other programming languages is very useful, but not required.
Contact: mbedny@mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Brain and Cognitive Sciences / Goosens Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Ki Goosens
Project Title: The effects of chronic stress on fear learning and extinction
Project Description: Are you interested in neuroscience research? Do you want to know how the brain learns to fear, and not to fear? This could be the UROP position you are looking for You will be participating in basic neuroscience research in rodents that examines the impact of stress on fear learning and extinction. The study covers from the genetic level, to the physiological and behavioral levels of fear learning, and involves techniques such as vector-mediated gene transfer and electrophysiology.
Prerequisites: Interest in neuroscience research. Willing to participate in the lab for 10+ hours a week during the semester, and 30+ hours during the summer. Students with prior lab experience are strongly encouraged to apply.
Contact: Please, send an electronic copy of your resume or CV to: Anthony Burgos-Robles, aburgos@mit.edu or a_burgosrobles@yahoo.com
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Brain and Cognitive Sciences/Early Childhood Cognition Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Laura Schulz
Project Title: Causal Learning and Exploratory Play in Early Childhood
Project Description: Project Description: Our lab studies how children and infants learn about the world. Specifically, our research projects investigate how young children learn about various causal relationships through active exploration of their environment. We have partnerships with both the Museum of Science and the Children's Museum, where most of our recruiting and testing takes place. As a research assistant, your work in our lab will include running behavioral studies in the museums, coding behavioral data, and building stimuli for research projects. Specific details of the work will depend on the research project you'll be involved in, and UROPs are involved in the full research process. Specific to testing in the museums, we are looking for UROPs who will be comfortable interacting with children and their parents. We may also be running some studies in our lab for adults. For more information, please visit our website: http://web.mit.edu/eccl/
Prerequisites: 9.00, 9.85 (both are preferred but not required)
Contact: Paul Muentener (pmuenten@mit.edu)
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: ACL
Faculty Supervisor: Jonathan How
Project Title: Driver Assistance Systems - Sponsored by Ford
Project Description: We are looking for a student to participate in implementing and testing a classification module on autonomous and semi-autonomous cars in our lab. This work is part of a project sponsored by Ford to recreate the behavior of drivers on intersections and implement it on real hardware. The project will also involve conducting experiments on human-driven cars. The student will be working on cutting edge path planning techniques (based on the Darpa Grand Challenge MIT software) in the motion capture RAVEN facility of our lab.
Prerequisites: Strong programming skills in java, C++ and/or Matlab. Previous experience with hardware is highly regarded.
Contact: Georges Aoude (gaoude@mit.edu)
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Energy Initiative
Faculty Supervisor: Les Norford, MIT Building Technology Professor
Technical Advisor: Pam Greenley, Deputy Director for MIT’s Industrial Hygiene Program
Project Title: Fume Hood Tracer Gas Substitute Project
Project Description: The containment performance of chemical laboratory hoods (fume hoods) is measured following the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating and Refrigeration Engineers) 110 standard test procedure. The test procedure currently requires the use of sulfur hexafluoride as a tracer gas, which according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is the most potent greenhouse gas that it has evaluated, with a global warming potential of 22,800 times that of CO2 when compared over a 100 year period. Because of greenhouse gas emission concerns, the ASHRAE 110 test rule-making committee is considering offering nitrous oxide as a substitute gas for the test procedure. The committee is looking for comparison data for hoods tested with both gases. One preliminary study shows comparable results with the two gases. MIT requires the ASHRAE 110 test as part of all new hood installations or when ventilation rates are changed. An energy conservation project in Building 18 is about to begin where hood face velocities will be lowered from an average of 100 fpm to 80 fpm and ASHRAE 110 testing will be conducted on those hoods. A consultant will be conducting the standard tests, but we would like to do hood testing with nitrous oxide as a UROP project. The student will be trained in the ASHRAE 110 hood test procedures, and then conduct the testing on a subset of the project hoods. Data analysis will then follow comparing the results of the sulfur hexafluoride data with the nitrous oxide data.
Prerequisites: Research will require use of compressed gases, work with a Miran Infrared Spectrophotometer analyzer, data logging of concentration data, and analysis of data using excel spreadsheets or equivalent. Student will be trained on all these aspects so prior experience not necessary. Student needs to be comfortable working in a research chemistry laboratory although the test lab will be temporarily closed during this work.
Contact: Jennifer DiMase at jdimase@mit.edu. In your email, please briefly describe your interest in the project and attach a current CV or resume.
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: senseable city lab
Faculty Supervisor: Carlo Ratti
Project Title: Develop a Sonification Display for City Rhythms
Project Description: The senseable city lab is looking for a creative and tech-savy undergrad researcher for developing an auditory map of Boston, based on the sonification of the rhythms of daily activity of its inhabitants. The dataset has been derived from an individualized telecommunication dataset. The task is to develop the auditory display and its interface, implement different sonification parameter mappings and run user tests in order to determine the most effective mapping in terms of its perceptual advantage for identifying and discerning unique patterns in the data.
Prerequisites: skills and sensitivity for audio/visual design, programming experience (java, c or python), interest & experience in information visualization, interest & experience in sound synthesis (supercollider, pd or similar platforms)
Contact: Dietmar Offenhuber (dietmar@mit.edu) at the Senseable City Laboratory - room 10-400, http://senseable.mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity
Faculty Supervisor: Professor Kripa Varanasi
Project Title: Nanoengineered Surfaces for Controlling Adhesion and Nucleation
Project Description: This project will develop novel nanoengineered surface technologies that can significantly affect adhesive strength of a solid/solid interface and can also affect heterogeneous nucleation (such as the nucleation of ice, salt, or natural gas hydrates). These surface technologies could significantly improve the efficiency and lifetime of heat exchangers by reducing scaling. Such technologies can also greatly expand deep sea oil and gas operations by preventing the formation of hydrate plugs in oil and gas pipelines, or improving the flow of formed hydrate. In addition, there are countless applications for surface technologies that reduce adhesion of ice or control its formation. The project will involve both experimental and analytical components such as nanofabrication, characterization, thermal experiments, and modeling. Students will also work on publishing research articles or filing patents (as appropriate). This is a Spring 2010 UROP opportunity with the possibility of continuing through the Summer.
Prerequisites: Must be highly motivated and should have strong interest in research. Experimental and hands-on skills needed. Familiarity with micro/nano fabrication is important (similar to 6.152).
Contact: varanasi@mit.edu, jdsmith@mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Senseable City Laboratory
Faculty Supervisor: Carlo Ratti
Project Title: Programming smartphones for distributed urban sensing
Project Description: We are developing a simple data logger for the iPhone, which will store and transmit data from the phone's various sensors. This data will be used for real-time urban sensing projects that can help us better understand how people move and behave in the city. One potential application of this is to track when users are riding the bus, subway, bikes, or walking, and calculating their CO2 footprint. The smartphone app will be used to support ongoing projects in Rio de Janeiro, France, and Italy, and there will be opportunities to continue work on these projects as the semester progresses.
Prerequisites: Some programming experience in C or related languages. Experience in developing iPhone apps not necessary, but very helpful.
Contact: David Lee (david733@mit.edu) at the Senseable City Laboratory - room 10-400, http://senseable.mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: McGovern Institute/DiCarlo lab
Faculty Supervisor: James DiCarlo
Project Title: Perceptual heterogeneity for facial gender across the visual field: cracking the translation invariance problem
Project Description: Our previous study has shown that face perception is not uniform across the visual field. Faces presented to some parts of the visual field might appear more feminine while the same set of faces would appear masculine in the other parts of the visual field. We also observed a similar perceptual heterogeneity effect for perception of facial age. Currently we are looking for a motivated student who wants to help us with continuation of this study: Is there perceptual heterogeneity for other form attributes? Is it possible to induce perceptually biased spots in the visual field by experimental manipulation? How long such an effect would last? The study includes programming and controlling visual presentation of stimuli, running experiments on human subjects and statistical analysis of the results.
Contact: afraz@mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: CECI
Faculty Supervisor: Jud Harward
Project Title: Spanish Verb Tutor
Project Description: This project is a collaboration with the University of Bergen, Norway. The ultimate goal of the project is to create a video tutor for teaching and learning Spanish verbs. The project uses databases to organize the data which is displayed and can be manipulated online. The selected UROP candidate will work with MySQL, php, html and Flash, as well as video to build visual and innovative user interfaces. We are looking for a creative UROP who likes languages and elearning, and meets the technical requirements.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of databases, php and Flash.
Contact: Ana Beatriz Chiquito (achiqui@mit.edu) x3-5292
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MAS
Faculty Supervisor: Alex (Sandy) Pentland
Project Title: Measuring Human Interaction Patterns of Distributed Groups
Project Description: Human Dynamics group at the Media Lab is looking for a UROP for the spring semester. The position is for pay/credit/volunteer. We have sensors that can measure the face-to-face interactions of people and are planning to deploy this in meetings where members are geographically distributed. Students will conduct real-world experiments to evaluate the mobile feedback system. There is also the possibility of extending projects into summer.
Prerequisites: Experience in conducting human subject experiments preferred some level of knowledge in statistics
Contact: taemie@mit.edu
1/25/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Paul Barton
Project Title: Massively Parallel Algorithm for Stochastic Mixed-integer Nonlinear Optimization
Project Description: Stochastic programming is an approach for optimization under uncertainty. The problem formulation has a natural structure that is amenable to decomposition and solution on massively parallel computers. However, for optimization problems that involve a mixture of integer and continuous decisions, together with nonconvex functions, it has proven extremely difficult to apply traditional decomposition notions. We have recently made a breakthrough that enables a very effective decomposition strategy for certain nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear optimization problems. We would now like to test how well this idea works on a massively parallel computer. The project will involve coding and testing of the new algorithm for a massively parallel computer, and numerical experiments on the performance of the algorithm.
Prerequisites: Experience with c programming, particularly numerical algorithms. Experience with programming for massively parallel computers desirable. Background on optimization theory and algorithms desirable.
Contact: Dr. Xiang Li, xiangli@mit.edu
1/20/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sensory Communication Group
Faculty Supervisor: Louis Braida
Project Title: Javascript Auditory Activities
Project Description: The Sensory Communications Group has developed an interface between web browsers and server side control of auditory activities. UROP responsibility is to expand Javascript pages for conducting these activities.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with Javascript and Matlab.
Contact: Ray Goldsworthy <raygold@mit.edu
1/20/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: BCS/CBCL
Faculty Supervisor: Tomaso Poggio
Project Title: Funnest UROP ever? Modding a video game to help train computer vision systems.
Project Description: Want to advance the state of computer vision research while doing something super-fun (that you may already be doing anyway)? Work on a project to automatically generate large labeled video datasets from a modern video game. The datasets will be used to train state-of-the-art vision algorithms based on models of biological vision, so you will be working closely with researchers in this field.
Prerequisites: - Strong C/C++ programming skills are required. - Some experience with graphics or especially game engines would be a huge plus. - Must like video games.
Contact: Contact: jmutch@mit.edu Lab website: http://cbcl.mit.edu
1/20/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Center for Advanced Visual Studies
Faculty Supervisor: Ute Meta Bauer
Project Title: HARMONIC(A) SCULPTURE
Project Description: Artist and CAVS Fellow Jane Philbrick is looking to collaborate with a UROP to design and fabricate a swing set that SINGS. The goal is to create five swing seats carved/cast as harmonicas tuned to discrete pitches.The sculpture will be part of a one-and-half-acre permanent outdoor installation at MASS MoCA, North Adams, Massachusetts. An Artist Fellow at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies, MIT, Jane Philbrick has focused her three-year residency on the research and production of Everything Trembles, an exhibition at the Skissernas Museum, the Museum of Sketches,Archives of Public Art, Lund University, Lund Sweden. Her past projects include collaborations with researchers and engineers at the Center for Spoken Language Understanding, Oregon Graduate Institute, and at Honeywell Fire Solutions Group, Clintonville, Connecticut. In 2008-09, Philbrick was the inaugural International Fellow at Location One in New York. In Sweden, she presented two large-scale mixed-media installations at the Wan s Foundation in 2006. Philbrick is currently a Visiting Professor at the Valand School of Fine Art in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Prerequisites: Applications welcome from engineering, physics, and architecture students
Contact: jphlbrck@MIT.EDU, http://cavs.mit.edu/artists.html?id=201,64
1/12/10
Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Course 10
Faculty Supervisor: Paula Hammond
Project Title: Dual Functional (Microbicidal and Drug Releasing) Polyelectrolyte Multilayers (PEM) Films
Project Description: One of the focuses of my thesis work is to create polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films via layer by layer (LbL) technique with the ability to kill bacteria and inactivate human viruses, especially the various pathogenic strains of influenza viruses. Imagine if daily objects like door knobs, computer keyboards, and toys can be made microbicidal by coating them with these PEM films. Bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) are the most common cause of infections in people, and the rise of antibiotic resistant strains of these bacteria has become a serious problem. On the other hand, annually approximately 5% to 20% of the United States population acquires the influenza (flu). Out of this percentage, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized, and about 36,000 people die. Therefore, if common surfaces can be made microbicidal, bacterial infections and the spread of influenza can be reduced drastically. So far, we have successfully created highly effective ultrathin PEM films that kills both bacteria and virus; we are now looking into more mechanistic study of the films as to how the film is killing the microbes.On top of that we are also looking into possibly using the film as a permanent coating on surfaces of biomedical implant, to prevent bacteria attachment, thus preventing formation of biofilm. We are also looking into creating a dual functional film: microbicidal and drug releasing.
Prerequisites: Candidate should be motivated and hardworking. Basic lab skills are a plus, but not necessary. Position can be extended to more than a semester.
Contact: Jessie Wong NE47-487 Office:(617) 324-6429 szeywong@mit.edu
1/12/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Brain & Cognitive Sciences
Faculty Supervisor: Edward Gibson
Project Title: Evaluating technology that facilitates inter-language communication
Project Description: Duties: recruit English and foreign language speakers for a spoken machine translation dialogs; make phone contact with potential study participants; keep organized lists online; work closely with researchers. This project will pay $12/hr.
Contact: egibson@mit.edu
1/12/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Klavs Jensen
Project Title: Microfluidic Cell Injection
Project Description: This project is a collaboration between the Jensen and Langer labs. Our team has developed a novel microfluidic device capable of injecting minute quantities of solutions directly into the cell cytoplasm. The ultimate goal of our collaboration is to use the device to successfully reprogram human somatic cells into stem cells and apply them to various tissue engineering applications. The selected UROP candidate will work closely with his/her grad student colleague to test the cell injection system by maintaining cell cultures, running injection experiments and performing viability tests to determine cell survival rates.
Prerequisites: Background in Biology and cell culture preferred.
Contact: armon@mit.edu
1/12/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Martin Culpepper
Project Title: Metal MEMS with Carbon Nanotube Sensors
Project Description: The intent of this project is to replace silicon based MEMs devices with other materials that are less susceptible to fracture and that can be machined using more conventional manufacturing processes. The project focuses on a MEMs force sensor that uses carbon nanotubes as a strain sensor. In this project, the UROP would help finalize the initial design and help manufacture and test the first metal MEMs prototype. The project requires extensive knowledge of mechanical design and manufacturing processes and will likely involve training in both the EML Cleanroom and the CMSE electron microscopy lab. This project will start during IAP and continue through the spring and possibly into the summer term.
Prerequisites: Machining Experience
Contact: mcullin1@mit.edu
1/12/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Economics
Faculty Supervisor: Esther Duflo
Project Title: The impact of financial development on informal risk sharing and consumption: Evidence from the Indian Social Banking Experiment
Project Description: There is an extensively held viewpoint that financial development is unambiguously good for rural developing economies. However, theory has ambiguous predictions about the effect of financial development on people s welfare in developing countries. (i.e. see Ligon, Thomas, and Worrall (2000)). However, there is very little empirical evidence that analyzes this question. Addressing this question is difficult, if not impossible, to answer with non-experimental data. Access to financial products is likely to be correlated with many other unobservable factors: communities with banking access may differ from those without in ways that we cannot account for, such as the nature of the income process, migration opportunities, wealth, etc. In this project we will use an exogenous variation in availability of banks that was first exploited by Burgess and Pande (2005) to analyze two specific aspects of the impact of financial development on people s welfare in developing countries. We will restrict our attention to the effects of banking on informal risk sharing relationships and consumption smoothing patterns. To do this we will make use of two unique data sets: the data that Burgess and Pande (2005) use and a very rich panel collected by the National Council of applied Economic Research (NCAER) in India that has been extensively used by Foster and Rosenzweig. The latter has very detailed data on consumption, assets, loans, transfers, etc. The main tasks the UROP will have to perform include: helping us organize and understand the data as well as cursory data analysis, among other things. Each of these tasks will help the UROP develop skills that are essential in any applied economic research project. If interested please send your CV to both contact email addresses.
Prerequisites: The position will require the use of Stata. Knowledge Stata is a plus but, if you do not know it, it will be a great opportunity to learn it, if you are eager to do so. Stata is an extremely popular software for econometrics. The graduate students that will supervise the project will be in charge of teaching the software if necessary.
Contact: Contact: Arun Chandrasekhar, Horacio Larreguy Address: E52 - Office 201 Email: arunc@mit.edu, larreguy@mit.edu
1/12/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Franz Hover
Project Title: TURBO Underwater Robot Competition Development
Project Description: We will be developing an IAP course called TURBO, or The Underwater Robot Battle Objective, in which student teams design and build competing autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). During the prototyping phase over this IAP & Spring, UROP students will design and construct two prototype AUVs, devise the competition, and develop course material. If you want to pioneer a brand new course, help leave a lasting legacy on the MIT campus, or just love working with autonomous submarines, then this UROP is for you
Prerequisites: Knowledge of basic electrical engineering or computer programming preferably both is required. Prior robotics experience is preferred. Experience with underwater systems is a plus, but not necessary.
Contact: If interested, please send a brief description of your background (including relevant courses taken, robotics/programming projects you ve worked on, and your skill set) to auv@mit.edu
1/6/10
UROP Department/Lab/Center: House_n
Faculty Supervisor: Stephen Intille
Project Title: Turning Mobile Phones into Exercise Monitoring Devices
Project Description: Seeking a UROP student for IAP and/or the spring semester to help run experiments to test new technology that turns normal mobile phones into physical activity health monitoring devices. The student will conduct controlled tests on special shaker machines to reverse-engineering a popular commercial device and then propose a way to achieve the same functionality on mobile phones that use built-in accelerometers to collect data about motion. Using the special shakers and tests with people wearing a variety of phones and other sensors, the UROP student will collect and process raw motion signals from different devices, compare device performance at detecting physical activity, and propose filtering algorithms to make the devices operate in equivalent ways. Once the signal processing is worked out, algorithms that run in real-time on the phones will be implemented.
Prerequisites: Required: Experience with Matlab; solid Java, C#, or C programming experience. Helpful: Programming experience with mobile devices; one or more courses in signal processing
Contact: Interested students shoudl send a resume and cover letter to intille@mit.edu
12/29/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Linguistics and Philosophy
Faculty Supervisor: Donca Steriade
Project Title: Language of Thought
Project Description: MIT Linguistics is investigating cognitive constraints on possible meanings in natural language. How does the way we conceive of the world influence the meanings encoded in the words and utterances of human language? We require dedicated students to help design, run and analyze experiments as well as implement cognitive models capable of predicting human behavior. The successful applicant will receive extensive training in truth-conditional semantics, logic, probability theory and psycholinguistic experimentation utilizing artificial word learning and truth-judgment paradigms.
Prerequisites: All necessary training provided. Applicants that have one or more of the following qualifications will be given priority: 1. Programming, especially MATLAB, HTML and/or Python. 2. Classes in Linguistics, Brain & Cognitive Science, Philosophy or Mathematics. 3. A desire to pursue a career in academia.
Contact: Peter Graff, graff@mit.edu
12/29/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab / Human Dynamics
Faculty Supervisor: Alex (Sandy) Pentland
Project Title: Sociometric Badges (Firmware Development) - Spring 2010
Project Description: The Human Dynamics group is looking for a UROP with microcontroller programming experience interested in writing firmware for our sociometric badges. A sociometric badge is a device whose main purpose is to automatically capture individual and collective patterns of behavior. We have built several hundred sociometric badges and used them in real organizations to automatically measure individual and collective patterns of behavior, predict human behavior from unconscious social signals, identify social affinity among individuals working in the same team, and enhance social interactions by providing feedback to the users of our system. For more information visit http://hd.media.mit.edu/badges/ The goal of this project is to help develop the third generation of sociometric badges by implementing drivers to interface different sensors with the badge s MCU and writing microcontroller firmware.
Prerequisites: C, C++, Linux. Classes 6.011 and 6.115. Experience writing microcontroller firmware is a plus.
Contact: Please e-mail your resume and a short description of your interests to Daniel Olguin-Olguin at dolguin@media.mit.edu
12/28/09
Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab / Human Dynamics
Faculty Supervisor: Alex (Sandy) Pentland
Project Title: Sociometric Badges (Hardware Development) - Spring 2010
Project Description: The Human Dynamics group is looking for a UROP with electrical engineering background interested in testing and evaluating new sensors for our sociometric badges. A sociometric badge is a device whose main purpose is to automatically capture individual and collective patterns of behavior. We have built several hundred sociometric badges and used them in real organizations to automatically measure individual and collective patterns of behavior, predict human behavior from unconscious social signals, identify social affinity among individuals working in the same team, and enhance social interactions by providing feedback to the users of our system. For more information visit http://hd.media.mit.edu/badges/ The goal of this project is to help develop the third generation of sociometric badges by testing and evaluating different sensors (i.e. accelerometer, microphone, infrared, etc.).
Prerequisites: Prototyping circuits and interpreting technical data sheets experience. Having taken class 6.071J is a plus.
Contact: Please e-mail your resume and a short description of your interests to Daniel Olguin-Olguin at dolguin@media.mit.edu
12/28/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: House_n / Department of Architecture
Faculty Supervisor: Stephen Intille
Project Title: [IAP] Firmware Design for Wireless Activity Sensors
Project Description: Note: this is an IAP project Our lab is updating and upgrading the suite of sensors it uses for ubiquitous sensing and we need someone to write the new-and-improved firmware for them. The task requires carefully balancing the input and power requirements of a microcontroller, accelerometer, piezo sensor, and wireless transmitter while extracting as much battery life out of the chip as possible. The current firmware is not optimized for the current task and leaves a lot of room for tweaking, experimenting, and trying out new approaches. The structure of the project is: -Work with lab members to identify weaknesses in the current firmware design -In conference with the supervising grad student, select the specific weaknesses to correct -Write and debug a new set of firmware that meets these goals. If this project is successful, we may be able to extend the position into the following semester.
Prerequisites: -Previous experience programming microcontrollers -No other major commitments over IAP
Contact: Ned Burns: pixel@mit.edu, 919.357.2908
12/28/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Phonetics Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Donca Steriade
Project Title: Phonetic Annotation and Corpus Transcription
Project Description: MIT Linguistics is in the process of creating a large corpus of spontaneous speech elicited in controlled linguistic environments. We require dedicated annotators capable of working independently. The successful applicant will receive extensive training in articulatory and acoustic phonetics, data organization, scripting and corpus annotation.
Prerequisites: All necessary training provided. Familiarity with British English accents would be beneficial. Applicants that have one or more of the following qualifications will be given priority: 1. Programming, especially MATLAB, HTML and/or Python. 2. Classes in Linguistics and/or Brain & Cognitive Science. 3. A desire to pursue a career in academia.
Contact: Peter Graff, graff@mit.edu
12/28/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Phonetics Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Donca Steriade
Project Title: Artificial Languages
Project Description: Artificial language experiments have gained popularity as a tool in psycholinguistic research. The MIT Phonetics lab is employing this methodology to answer current questions of linguistic theory. Which linguistic patterns are learnable? Can speakers' learning biases explain linguistic typology? The successful applicant will acquire profound knowledge of current methods in psycholinguistic experimentation. Tasks include generating artificial languages, recording and manipulating stimuli, scripting experiments, organizing data and performing statistical and phonetic analysis.
Prerequisites: All necessary training provided. Applicants that have one or more of the following qualifications will be given priority: 1. Programming skills, especially MATLAB, HTML and/or Python. 2. Classes in Linguistics and/or Brain & Cognitive Science. 3. A desire to pursue a career in academia.
Contact: Peter Graff, graff@mit.edu
12/28/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Joseph Paradiso
Project Title: Design and development of "cute" robots for interaction
Project Description: The Media Lab is looking to find a highly motivated UROP to work with us to create a mobile robot system for ubiquitous media. This robot will be made to be cute to encourage interaction. The goal of the system is to have those who encounter the robot interact with it and perform tasks that the robot requests by creating a emotional connection. That is, to have the robot control the human to meet its goals. So, this project not only involves engineering but creative design as well. We are looking for a MechE or EE/CS student to work on the system. Prior experience in robotics, machining, design or interaction is a plus.
Prerequisites: Preferred skills include: robotics, embedded systems, machining, mechanism design, solid works and interaction design.
Contact: areben@media.mit.edu
12/28/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Man Vehicle Lab in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Faculty Supervisor: Dava Newman
Project Title: Knowledge Station software development for space inspired museum exhibit
Project Description: The Knowledge Station is an interactive media exhibit designed to educate the public on the most important aspects and challenges of human spaceflight. The exhibit will be featured in the Exploration Works museum in Helena, Montana. We are looking for a researcher who can help update the content and help resolve hardware and connectivity issues. The student will work with a graduate student supervisor and responsibilities will include programming new content features, updating the software to interface with additional hardware, and helping to resolve platform usability issues. IAP trial period will be for credit while funding opportunities may be available for the Spring semester.
Prerequisites: Students with programming experience. Flash is a plus.
Contact: : If interested, please contact apanders@mit.edu. Please include your resume
12/28/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Joseph Paradiso
Project Title: Media Lab: Social Robots for Story Gathering
Project Description: The Responsive Environments Group in the Media Lab is developing social robots for story gathering within a ubiquitous sensor network. We are looking for talented MecE and EE/CS students to work on the system and bring it from the design stage through fabrication and development. Any interested students should send a short statement about themselves and their CV.
Prerequisites: MecE: SolidWorks, Mechanism Design, Robotics, Control Theory, Machining Skills EE/CS: Embedded Systems, Control Theory, Sensors, Networking, Soldering
Contact: areben@media.mit.edu
12/28/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Pattie Maes
Project Title: Rapid Prototyping Machines
Project Description: Project Description: The Fluid Interfaces Group at the MIT Media Lab has a UROP position for a hacker-type interested in developing new rapid prototyping machines. In this position you will design and build new mechanisms and combined processes for rapid prototyping machines. The work requires knowledge or interest in learning and experimenting with different materials, mechanical assemblies, control electronics and new user interface paradigms. The UROP candidate should be a student in Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, or have equivalent experience, and have an interest in physical prototyping, testing new ideas and building things until they actually work.
Prerequisites: Hands-on knowledge with Solidworks, Rhino, or Electronics (AVR or Arduino) is a plus. Student should be able to work during IAP, 20-40 hours a week.
Contact: For more information please visit: http://fab.cba.mit.edu/classes/MIT/863.09/people/linder/MTM-LJ_website/Site/MTM_Little_John.html Please send a copy of your CV, availability and a short paragraph describing your experience building things (whatever they might be) to: linder@media.mit.edu.
12/22/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Vishal Saxena
Project Title: statistical genetics and genomics
Project Description: Our work applies a systems perspective in understanding various conditions and biological processes. By integrating genetic and transcrkiptional level responses, we obtain a more coherent view of the system under study. This project can take a few tracks depending on the interests of the student: statistical, biological, and computational. For the statistical and computational tracks, this project will focus on studying the associations between genotypic markers such as SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and the condition of interest. This will also involve designing various algorithms in performing the various analyses. The biological component of this project will involve studying various biochemical systems to identify the appropriate ones to use in our subsequent analyses and may also involve wet lab work. For those interested in designing devices, this project can also take on a design perspective. Past urops have had the opportunity to participate in publications as well as patents.
Prerequisites: students from all department are welcome to inquire about the project. Background in any of the following areas is helpful but is not required: genetics, computation, mechanical design, statistics. Motivation to learn and apply these topics is far more important.
Contact: vishal@mit.edu
12/18/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab, Tangible Media Group
Faculty Supervisor: Hiroshi Ishii
Project Title: Gestures+Tools Beyond the screen
Project Description: MIT Media Lab's Tangible Media Group is seeking for a motivated undergradute student with strong back- -ground in Computer Graphics, or EE, MechE. Our research goal is to enable users to employ various physical tools and body gestures directly in designing digital media. UROP s work will involve designing CAD platforms, general interfaces design, which should be good, dynamic, beautiful and exciting. Also you can contribute to design for input devices (EE, MechE). Potential UROP can have one of following skills. 1. Serious experience in programming and computer graphics (e.g. C++ OpenGL or JAVA3D). 2. Experience in mechanical & electrical engineering You can contact with Jinha Lee to know more about our work. In addition to technical implementation, you will have great opportunities to use your creativity. Join our revolutionary exploration in HCI!
Prerequisites: One among two options 1. Experience in Computer Graphics Or 2. Experience in MechE, EE
Contact: E-mail: jinhalee@media.mit.edu URL: http://web.media.mit.edu/~jinhalee/tmgurop.pdf
12/18/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Aerospace Controls Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Jon How
Project Title: Design/Program/Construct Automated Maintenance Station for Autonomous Helicopters
Project Description: There is an opening in the Aerospace Controls Lab for a motivated student interested in designing, programming and constructing an automated base-station for autonomous helicopters. Several functioning prototypes of such base-stations exist, which could be used as a starting point. The project involves mechanical system design and construction, closely coupled with embedded programming as a microprocessor will be used to automate the required mechanical motions of the base-station. A motivated student will find ample resources, including mentoring, to see the project through to completion. In addition, there is considerable flexibility and room for creativity, as well a possible trip to Boeing-Seattle for extensive testing.
Prerequisites: - Familiarity with microprocessor development - Experience with mechanical system design - Willing to carry project through to completion
Contact: jredding@mit.edu
12/18/09
IAP/Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory
Faculty Supervisor: Yukikazu Iwasa
Project Title: Creation and Operation of a set of experiments on high-temperature superconducting magnet technology
Project Description: I have a UROP slot for a mechanical or electrical engineer interested in building and operating a set of experiments on high-temperature superconducting technology. I will take the experimental set to China when I visit a university there in late February. Before taking this set, I would like a UROP student to build and test the experiments here at MIT (Francis Bitter Magnet Lab, NW14). I would like someone to start this during IAP. If he/she is interested in the general subject of high-temperature superconducting magnet technology, he/she will be welcome to continue as a UROP participant in the Spring term.
Contact: Yukikazu Iwasa (NW14-3101) at the Magnet Lab by email : iwasa@jokaku.mit.edu
12/18/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: DUSP
Faculty Supervisor: Herman Karl
Project Title: Communities and Climate Change/Boston
Project Description: This project is working with the city of Boston to develop and implement a climate change adaptation plan. The UROP will work with a team of graduate students and faculty.
Prerequisites: Permission of supervisor
Contact: Herman Karl hkarl@mit.edu Office 9-330 617-324-0262
12/10/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Lees (part of RLE)
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Steven Leeb
Project Title: Nonintrusive Measurment Validation for Heat Pumps
Project Description: The Lees lab is looking for a junior or senior level mechanical engineering student (Course 2) to assist with a set of experiments involving vapor compression heat pumps, as well as the design and fabrication of various items of hardware for other members of the lab group. In addition to possessing the discipline to take good experimental data, the ideal candidate will be someone who is good with their hands and has full confidence with standard machine tools. The Lees lab also possesses a mini cnc mill we would like the student
to become proficient with and maintain, so any experience in that area is a plus. The primary project will be working with a course 2 graduate student on an instrumented air conditioner platform to characterize the performance of a range of non intrusive electrically based measurements of the systems performance. Other tasks would include providing mechanical engineering support to the other members of the lab group (consisting of course 6 majors and graduate students) if they should require the help of an ME, usually for the rapid (few hours) production of a prototype item, or adjustment of their experimental hardware.
Prerequisites: 2.005 and 2.007 no exceptions.
Contact: Chris Schantz: cschantz@mit.edu
12/9/09
IAP/Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Brain and Cognitive Science
Faculty Supervisor: Edward Gibson
Project Title: Sophisticated methods for eliciting linguistic judgment data
Project Description: This project will involve helping to develop methods for measuring linguistic grammaticality. Traditional linguistics has used often "good-or-bad" judgments of grammaticality; however, people's notions of the grammaticality is often much more subtle. This work will apply methods of psychophysics such as staircasing and sophisticated estimation techniques to allow fine-grained measurements of linguistic acceptability. Duties will include learning about psychophysical staircasing and estimation techniques, constructing stimuli, and running experiments to try to test and validate the new methodologies (all with the help of a graduate student). Finding ways more precisely measure naive subjects' linguistic intuitions will allow us to help develop more precise theories of linguistic grammaticality, as well as test existing theories more rigorously.
Contact: Edward Gibson (egibson@mit.edu) with a description of your background (including relevant psychology, linguistics, computer science courses)
12/9/09
IAP/Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Brain and Cognitive Science
Faculty Supervisor: Edward Gibson
Project Title: Individual differences in working memory and language processing
Project Description: This project is aimed at understanding the underlying nature of individual differences in language processing efficiency. This project will involve a series of behavioral experiments where subjects will be tested on a variety of working memory / attention / language processing tasks. We would then examine the relatonship between participants' performance on language and non-linguistic tasks. Duties would involve recruiting and testing subjects, helping in designing experiments, preparing the materials, collecting and analyzing data.
Contact: Edward Gibson (egibson@mit.edu) with a description of your background (including relevant psychology, linguistics, computer science courses)
12/9/09
IAP/Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Lenny Guarente
Project Title: Investigating the Role of mitochondrial sirtuins in metabolism and cancer
Project Description: The manner in which cancer cells aquire the energy to develop into tumors is not fully understood. We are exploring how the mitochondrial sirtuins regulate metabolism to promote transformation. Preliminary data indicate that some sirtuins are repressing transformation. We use cell based assays, biochemistry and animal models. The opening is for IAP and spring as a trial period and prefer the candidate be available for summer. Must be able to work independently, be proactive, and have a good work ethic,lookig for a commitment of 15hrs a week. Position is for credit
Prerequisites: wet lab experience preferred but no required
Contact: bearfan@mit.edu
12/9/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Course 10
Faculty Supervisor: Paula Hammond
Project Title: Dual Functional (Microbicidal and Drug Releasing) Polyelectrolyte Multilayers (PEM) Films
Project Description: One of the focuses of my thesis work is to create polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films via layer by layer (LbL) technique with the ability to kill bacteria and inactivate human viruses, especially the various pathogenic strains of influenza viruses. Imagine if daily objects like door knobs, computer keyboards, and toys can be made microbicidal by coating them with these PEM films. Bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) are the most common cause of infections in people, and the rise of antibiotic resistant strains of these bacteria has become a serious problem. On the other hand, annually approximately 5% to 20% of the United States population acquires the influenza (flu). Out of this percentage, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized, and about 36,000 people die. Therefore, if common surfaces can be made microbicidal, bacterial infections and the spread of influenza can be reduced drastically. So far, we have successfully created highly effective ultrathin PEM films that kills both bacteria and virus; we are now looking into more mechanistic study of the films as to how the film is killing the microbes.On top of that we are also looking into possibly using the film as a permanent coating on surfaces of biomedical implant, to prevent bacteria attachment, thus preventing formation of biofilm. We are also looking into creating a dual functional film: microbicidal and drug releasing.
Prerequisites: Candidate should be motivated and hardworking. Basic lab skills are a plus, but not necessary. Position can be extended to more than a semester.
Contact: Jessie Wong NE47-487 Office:(617) 324-6429 szeywong@mit.edu
12/8/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Hazel Sive
Project Title: Cell shape changes in the developing Zebrafish brain.
Project Description: We are looking for an undergraduate to participate in developmental biology research project in the lab of Dr. Sive. We are studying cell shape changes in the developing zebrafish embryo and are trying to understand the mechanisms regulating these changes. This project will involve being trained in basic developmental biology using live zebrafish embryos to understand brain development.
Prerequisites: Candidates should have completed course 7.02. Undergraduates from Biology are encouraged to apply. This project requires a strong commitment with good written and oral communication skills as well as organizational skills. You will be expected to participate in a collaborative research setting and a commitment of at least 2 semesters (or a semester and the following summer) is requested.
Contact: Please contact Dr. Jennifer Gutzman to set up an interview. Please include a short cover letter stating why you are interested in this project was well as a current resume. gutzman@wi.mit.edu
12/4/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Chemical eng
Faculty Supervisor: Klavs Jensen
Project Title: High speed detection of cells on a microfluidic chip
Project Description: We are seeking help to enhance the cell detection system for a microfluidic based cell microinjector that aims at high-throughput delivery of any molecule or nanoparticle into single cells. The work will entail design, building and testing the high speed detection system and will build on previous work. The work will be carried out within a dynamic and exciting team. The position can be for credit or pay for IAP and/or spring semester.
Prerequisites: Beside knowledge of labview and electronics the candidate should have ability to think creatively and independently.
Contact: Andrea Adamo - aadamo@mit.edu
12/4/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: 16/SSL
Faculty Supervisor: John Keesee
Project Title: CASTOR Satellite Design and Build
Project Description: Motivated students requested to assist with finalizing the CASTOR small satellite design and implementing and testing key systems. Tasks include structures (machining and assembly), software/avionics (programming), communications, power (generation, storage, regulation, and distribution), propulsion (plumbing and testing), thermal (modeling and design), as well as systems engineering (test plans, requirements verification/validation). All grade/experience levels and disciplines welcome. Negotiable schedule: 3, 6, 9, or 12 unit UROPS available.
Prerequisites: n/a
Contact: jrobins@mit.edu http://satellite.mit.edu
12/4/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: SaxeLab (Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab)
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Rebecca Saxe
Project Title: creating animated 3D movies
Project Description: How do we make inferences about other people's mental states (i.e., what others think) when this inference provides important information for our own decision making? We are planning to investigate this question by measuring brain activity using fMRI. We're specifically looking for an enthusiastic undergraduate programmer with skills in 3D rendering/animation software or game engines to create animated movies - our goal is to come up with a set of short animated movies that depict a virtual driving environment (i.e., at an intersection) with cars moving and people crossing streets. These movies will be embedded in a videogame-like scenario to be used as stimuli in our fMRI experiment. Feel free to contact us for further information about this project!
Prerequisites: skills in programming and using 3D animation/rendering software (or game engines) to make animated movies
Contact: Hyowon Gweon (graduate student, hyora@mit.edu) http://saxelab.mit.edu/
12/4/09
IAP/Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Center for Biomedical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Shuguang Zhang
Project Title: Make a Tricorder
Project Description: Smell is the only of the senses still not well-understood. In hopes of solving the mystery of scent and making a device that exceeds the capabilities of trained dogs, a consortium of labs headquartered at the MIT Laboratory for Self-Assembly is building a bio-inspired RealNose with a few twists: We must make our gadget using Olfactory Receptors which are little-understood, notoriously finicky membrane proteins (i.e. this isn t your grandmother s polymer e-nose or FIDO-clone etc) We must compete against real dogs and two other gadgets in a DARPA Sniff-Off match this January 2010 UROP positions available both for cash or academic credit (your choice) There are two broad UROP categories: Mostly Bio and everything else Mostly Bio: Gene design, microfluidic protein production, protein engineering, biochemistry and more Everything else: laser optics, biophysics, mech eng, electronics, pattern recognition, lithography, dielectric spectroscopy, automation design and much more
Requirements: 1) Ideally, you should be able to work full-time starting right after Finals Dec. 09 through the winter break and continuing full-time throughout IAP.(option for part-time after IAP). 2) You must be self-motivated and willing to work long hours in the lab and then follow up with own literature research.
Contact: ludmila@mit.edu Check out: http://www.darpa.mil/dso/solicitations/baa07-21mod11.htm
12/4/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Materisl Science, Dept.3
Faculty Supervisor: David I. Paul
Project Title: Dynamics of the magnetization process
Project Description: Thin film ferromagnetic materials used in computers and elsewhere offer new challenges in understanding the dynamics of the magnetization process. We shall analyze various aspects using a macroscopic mathematical approach.
Prerequisites: Interest in solving physical problems from a mathematical point of view.
Contact: DIPAUL@mit.edu. or campus phone 617-253-3306, or Bldg 13/5030.
12/3/09
IAP 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sloan
Faculty Supervisor: Antoinette Schoar
Project Description: I am looking for a computer science student to help merging two data sources for the National Bankruptcy database. The work will require formatting a raw database of 60,000 addresses from the US Bankruptcy courts and matching them to an SQL Server database of firm addresses. The challenging part of the work will be to implement some type of fuzzy pattern matching to deal with typos, variants of firm names, etc. Generous pay commensurate with experience.
Contact: Prof. Schoar (aschoar@mit.edu)
12/3/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: CSAIL
Faculty Supervisor: David D. Clark
Project Title: Policy implications of cloud computing.
Project Description: The Advanced Network Architecture group at the Computer Science and AI lab is looking for a UROP student for IAP and/or spring semester to help research the state of academic research concerning trends in and the larger context of so-called cloud computing--the economic, social, trans-national and legal issues that will be raised as cloud computing evolves and becomes more common. Understanding the different forms of the cloud and how they are advancing through technological innovation and through commercial deployment is a foundational concern; collecting and organizing information on the state of the art and key trends and technical prospects would be done early (and updated over time). Given the nature of the technology, issues of privacy, protection of data and computational processes, architectural aspects, interconnection of and migration between clouds, technical standards, international trends and contrasts, and industry structure, competitive conduct, and other economic aspects would be the next target for information collection and organization. The primary concerns of this study are issues of security, broadly defined. The effort will consist of literature search, combined with research meetings to review what we have learned and to set direction, with the possibility of collaboration on one or more publications.
Prerequisites: Reasonable technical understanding of networking and distributed computing, with the ability to understand and appreciate concepts, their novelty or relative importance, and their broader implications. Experience and interest in doing efficient literature search, including comfort with both computer science/engineering and social science literatures and the ability to work on line and use on line tools to catalog and annotate results. Ability to identify, abstract and summarize important concepts and to categorize differences of opinion and/or key debates about issues from research results. Ability to complement on line work with consultations with experts as needed (i.e., communications skills). Interest in larger, socio-technical issues that surround the IT space.
Contact: Dr. David Clark ddc@csail.mit.edu
12/3/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Martin Polz
Project Title: Reducing Water Scarcity
Project Description: Clean drinking water is an increasingly scarce resource. We are working to reduce evaporation from water reservoirs using monolayer films. For that, we are seeking a student to analyze water reservoirs considering hydrological and atmospheric variables to help in engineering and decisions making. Students who are interested in water could find this project very interesting. Work is for credit, could start immediately or at the end of the fall semester.
Contact: Moshe Alamaro alamaro@MIT.EDU
12/3/09
IAP/Spring 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Leonard Guarente
Project Title: SIRT1 role on pathological conditions of skeletal muscle atrophy and
Project Description: Project Description: The objective of this project is to address the role of SIRT1 protein in skeletal muscle function and metabolism, and in the pathological conditions of muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. SIRT1 is a metabolic sensor in many tissues and regulates the activity of several proteins involved in muscle metabolism, muscle wasting and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Importantly, SIRT1 protein can be activated by small molecules which will be tested on the Duchenne muscular dystrophy mouse model.
Prerequisites: Candidates must have a strong interest in biological research, be willing to work during IAP and be able to commit for 20 hrs/ week during Spring 2010 semester.
Contact: Angeliki Chalkiadaki chalkiad@mit.edu
11/30/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Deb Roy
Project Title: Data Mining for the Study of Early Child Development
Project Description: The Cognitive Machines Group at the MIT Media Laboratory is seeking UROP students for IAP/Spring to help with interdisciplinary research on the role of stress in early child development. We are developing novel computational technologies to study child development and behavior through the mining of dense, longitudinal audio/video recorded of a child growing up in the home setting. This project is funded by an NIH grant and is a great opportunity to learn about database design, machine learning and analysis techniques, data mining strategies, acoustic features of child vocalizations, and developmental/behavioral concepts. No prior experience necessary.
Prerequisites: We are looking for students who are detail-oriented and can commit at least 10 hours per week.
Contact: scyudits@media.mit.edu
UROP Department/Lab/Center: JPAL
Faculty Supervisor: Esther Duflo
Project Title: Data Cleaning and Analysis in Evaluations
Project Description: Data cleaning, preliminary data analysis and documenting data for publication using STATA. Preparing data documentation that allow data to be disseminated to the research community as a whole.
Prerequisites: cover letter, resume and transcript (informal grade report is fine)
Contact: Richard McDowell, rmcdowel@mit.edu
11/30/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Edgerton Center
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Richard Fletcher
Project Title: Low-Cost X-Ray Machine for Developing Countries
Project Description: Tribological X-Ray production was postulated in the 1950's and it has recently been demonstrated that X-Rays can indeed be produced by peeling rolls of tape. (see Nature, Nov 2008) This physical mechanism may someday be used to create a low-cost X-Ray machine for use in poor regions of the world for medical diagnostics. We have an opening for a UROP student to help design and build a portable electro-mechanical system for testing adhesive samples and materials for X-Ray generation. Great opportunity to learn some interesting physics! Can also be a good candidate for AUP project.
Prerequisites: Hands-on lab experience and experience with machine shop tools is highly desirable. We are looking for a responsible student who is able to think/work independently and ideally interested in continuing the project into Spring in adition to IAP. Note: this is for UROP direct funding or credit.
Contact: fletcher@media.mit.edu
11/30/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Media Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Rosalind Picard
Project Title: Firmware Development for Wireless Biosensors
Project Description: We have an opening for a UROP student to help develop new wireless sensors that detect physiological data (heart rate, skin conductance, movement, ECG, etc) and send data to moble phones and other devices. These sensors are used in our group for a variety of medical studies (autism, sleep research, epilepsy, etc.) as well as consumer applications (media advertising, security systems, nursing homes, fitness/sports, etc.) We currently use the Atmel XMega microcontrollers (new and powerful small microcontrollers) with the AVR studio programming environment and WINAVR C-compiler.
Prerequisites: Firmware experience (via MIT classes 6.115, or hobby work)is preferred. Alternatively, software development experience in C or C++ is also acceptable. We are looking for a responsible student who is able to work independently with good attention to detail. We are currently advertising for IAP, but we are also looking for students that are open open to continuing the work into spring term or even summer.
Contact: fletcher@media.mit.edu
11/30/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: HST
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia
Project Title: Nanoparticle Systems for Cancer Therapy
Project Description: This project aims to develop novel nanotechnology-based systems for the treatment of cancer. Potential avenues include photothermal heating with gold nanoparticles or multi-component systems that "communicate" in vivo. The student will be exposed to cell culture techniques, nanoparticle synthesis, and in vivo animal studies.
Prerequisites: Can't be afraid of working with mice..
Contact: Kevin Lin, kylin@mit.edu, E19-582 Please send CV if interested.
11/30/09
IAP/Spring
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Scheller Teacher Education Program/The Education Arcade
Faculty Supervisor: Eric Klopfer
Project Title: Augmented Reality Mobile Games
Project Description: UROPs or UAP/UAT students are needed for to work on development of software for Augmented Reality handheld games.
Interested in location-based games? Augmented Reality? The STEP lab has developed Augmented Reality software, as well as toolkits which allow non-programmers to author their own original AR games. Players of Augmented Reality games use a location-aware (using GPS) handheld computer that gives them information about their current environment in the context of a simulation game (http://education.mit.edu/ar). The software the lab has created is used to build educational role-playing games, including games for museums, nature centers and schools.
The STEP AR project is going through a transition and developing a new platform that will be a web-based (Flash/Flex) authoring system, combined with a server-side implementation (Python or PHP) and a range of clients (starting with Android).
UROPs/UAPs/UATs on this project will have the opportunity to work on one or more aspects of the development mentioned above, contributing in areas including:
* toolkit development
* back-end server development
* UI/UE design
* front-end client development
* next generation feature prototyping and development
Programming languages will include one or more of Flash/Flex, AJAX, Python, and Java. Experience with an object-oriented programming language is desirable, and experience and/or interest in UI/UE design is a plus.
Contact:
If you are interested, please send an email to tep-jobs@mit.edu and include:
* an overview of your programming experience (specific references to relevant courses and other development and programming projects would be very helpful) including any pertinent URLs
* a summary of any previous UROP and work experience (attach a resume if you have one)
* a short description of why you are interested in working on this project
* your availability during IAP/Spring
* Please put "MITAR UROP" in the subject line
Email: tep-jobs@mit.edu
http://education.mit.edu/ar
11/30/09
IAP/Spring
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Scheller Teacher Education Program/The Education Arcade
Faculty Supervisor: Eric Klopfer
Project Title: Ubiquitous Handheld Games Project
Project Description: Interested in educational games and simulations? Mobile devices? UROPs or UAP/UAT students are needed for to work on software development for an educational handheld game project.
Ubiquitous games (aka "Ubiq" software) allow players to participate in a simulation activity, using a browser-enabled computer (mobile or desktop). We strive to make games fun, engaging and thought-provoking for our users, typically middle and high school students.
Students participating in one of these simulations interact in a networked virtual world, in which they learn fundamentals of science. One of these games is in ongoing development, and there may be additional games produced over the next several semesters.
The programming language for this project is Ruby On Rails. Experience with other object-oriented languages and javascript is relevant.
UROPs/UAPs/UATs on this project may have the opportunity to participate in one or more areas including:
* game design (we'll be working on a game about weather, as well as several new biology-themed games)
* modeling
* programming core game mechanics
* writing server code
Contact:
If you are interested, please send an email to tep-jobs@mit.edu and include:
* an overview of your programming experience (specific references to relevant courses and other development and programming projects would be very helpful) including any pertinent URLs
* a summary of any previous UROP and work experience (attach a resume if you have one)
* a short description of why you are interested in working on this project
* your availability during IAP/Spring
* Please put "Ubiquitous Games UROP" in the subject line
Email: tep-jobs@mit.edu
http://education.mit.edu/drupal/myworld
IAP/Spring 2010
11/20/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: HST/Broad Institute/MGH/Genetics/Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Faculty Supervisor: Bonnie Berger
Project Title: SEARCH FOR A METAZOAN PHOSPHATE SENSOR - FROM FLY TO MAN
Project Description: Phosphate homeostasis is crucial in health and disease. Hypophosphatemia leads to rickets or osteomalacia, while hyperphosphatemia causes vascular and tissue calcifications and is associated with mortality in chronic kidney disease. The endocrine regulation of human phosphate homeostasis involves parathyroid hormone (PTH), 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) and the novel hormonal regulator fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), however it is to date completely unknown, how mammalian cells sense phosphate. We have shown that exposure of murine and Drosophila cells to 10 mM sodium-phosphate stimulates phosphorylation and thus activation of p42/p44 MAPK (ERK1/2). ERK1/2 activation by phosphate is thus evolutionary conserved and likely involves novel cellular novel signaling molecules. To identify these signaling molecules the lab has performed a genome-wide RNAi screen in Drosophila cells for phosphate-induced ERK-phosphorylation and is currently evaluating identified hits. We are looking for a motivated undergraduate student to join a team of 1 Assistant professor, 2 PhD students and 3 current UROP students at the Drosophila RNAi Screening Center (DRSC, http://flyrnai.org/), and at the Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital to help validating hits using Western blot and quantitative RT-PCR analysis.
Prerequisites: Candidates must have a strong interest in biological research and should have some laboratory experience. The ideal candidate is a SOPHOMORE OR JUNIOR who is interested in continuing in the lab for the upcoming IAP and multiple semesters. SENIORS are encouraged to apply, if they are interested in CONTINUING AS RESEARCH ASSISTANT after graduation.
Contact: Please send a resume with course list/GPA score, brief statement of interest, and if applicable, brief summary of research experience to Clemens Bergwitz, MD (cbergwitz@partners.org)
Spring 2010
11/20/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Mathematics
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Laurent Demanet
Project description can be viewed in this pdf
Contact: Laurent Demanet (617) 324-2614 laurent@math.mit.edu
11/20/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Mathematics
Faculty Supervisor: Sami Assaf
Project Title: Explorations in Symmetric Functions
Description: We are seeking 1 or 2 UROP students to help with
computations in symmetric functions. Students will learn about
symmetric functions (seen in 18.312) and finite dimensional
representations of the Symmetric Group (seen in 18.702). Students will
be responsible for coding algorithms to generate symmetric functions
that arise in the representation theory of the Symmetric Group and,
together with the supervisors, will look through the data for patterns
that emerge. This project is ideal for students with a strong coding
background (any language) and experience with and interest in
combinatorics.
Prerequisites: proficiency at coding and 18.701 and either 18.702 or 18.312
Contact: David Speyer, speyer@math.mit.edu or Sami Assaf, sassaf@math.mit.edu
11/19/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Sloan School
Faculty Supervisor: Josh Ackerman
Project Title: Social Psychology of Consumer Behavior
Project Description: How are aspects of the self (self-control, goals, decision making) influenced by the people around you? How do emotional cues and motivational states affect attention and memory? How do physical, embodied experiences affect your judgments and choices? A series of laboratory and field-based experiments will be conducted to investigate questions like these. The topics covered will involve aspects of social psychology, such as cognitive biases and unconscious processing, in terms of how they inform consumer behavior outcomes. Lab experiments will involve coordinating participant sessions in the MIT Behavior Research Lab, and field experiments will involve administering studies out in the real world. Some work with experimental data will be required. You may also become involved in the design of research materials and future studies. This is a great opportunity for students with a background in psychology or an interest in psychological mechanisms of behavior (it is less suited for students purely interested in business).
Prerequisites: Basic computer knowledge (PC and Mac), dependable, outgoing personality, previous experience with behavioral research is a plus. A fairly open schedule during normal business hours is a necessity.
Contact: Send your spring availability and academic interests to Prof. Joshua Ackerman at joshack@mit.edu
11/19/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Field and Space Robotics Laboratory
Faculty Supervisor: Steven Dubowsky
Project Title: Control of Compliant Structures
Project Description: The Field and Space Robotics Laboratory is seeking UROP students. There are a number of possible projects available. The student will be constructing experimental systems, and software interfaces for the following applications: space telescope mirror shape correction, and small-scale photovoltaic power systems.
Prerequisites: Experience with machining, computer programming, and electronic design is required. Experience with computer graphics is also preferred. This position has the potential to develop into a senior thesis and junior students are preferred.
Contact: bilton@mit.edu if interested.
11/19/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Brain and Cognitive Sciences/Early Childhood Cognition Lab
Faculty Supervisor: Laura Schulz
Project Title: Causal Learning and Exploratory Play in Early Childhood
Project Description: Our lab studies how children and infants learn about the world. Specifically, our research projects investigate how young children learn about various causal relationships through active exploration of their environment. We have partnerships with both the Museum of Science and the Children's Museum, where most of our recruiting and testing takes place. As a research assistant, your work in our lab will include running behavioral studies in the museums, coding behavioral data, and building stimuli for research projects. Specific details of the work will depend on the research project you'll be involved in, and UROPs are involved in the full research process. Specific to testing in the museums, we are looking for UROPs who will be comfortable interacting with children and their parents. We may also be running some studies in our lab for adults. For more information, please visit our website: http://web.mit.edu/eccl/
Prerequisites: 9.00, 9.85 (both are preferred but not required)
Contact: Ali Horowitz (ECCL lab manager): ali_h@mit.edu, 617-324-4859
11/6/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: HST/LMRT
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia
Project Title: High-throughput strategies for regenerative medicine
Project Description: The project aims to advance cell-based therapies against liver diseases. We use microscale technologies and high-throughput strategies to manipulate a variety of cell types. The student will be exposed to standard cell culture techniques as well as robotics and computational biology over at the Harvard-MIT Broad Institute. He/she will work closely with a graduate student on many aspects of the project but will mainly be responsible for maintaining & characterizing cell cultures and/or directing automated image analysis.
Prerequisites: Candidates should be interested in a multiscale approach to biology and those with some background in biology will be given preference.Contact: js8686@mit.edu
11/6/09
IAP 2010
UROP Department/Lab/Center: VA Boston Healthcare System
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Myron Spector
Project Title: Effects of extracorporeal shockwaves on progenitor cells in muscle
Project Description: Our lab has recently demonstrated the ability of an extracorporeal shockwave device to simulate periosteal cell proliferation, which are progenitor cells for cartilage and bone. We also recorded an increased number of intermyocyte cells. We wish to investigate the response of these cells to the extracorporeal shockwave stimulus in a quantitative manner and to investigate their potential role as progenitor cells for future use in tissue engineering or regenerative medicine strategies.
Prerequisites: For credit UROP position that will be suitable as a senior thesis project. Project starting in IAP or before.
Contact: ckearney@mit.edu, http://www.tissueengineeringlabs.org/
11/4/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Harvard-HST/PRB252
Faculty Supervisor: Ali Khademhosseini
Project Title: Self Assembly of Hydrogel Spheres for Tissue Construct Formation
Project Description: Microsize sphere will be fabricated using biocompatible hydrogels and assembled. This assembled structure will be used for tissue engineering application. Please contact for more specific plan.
Prerequisites: Previous experience in lab preferred. The project will be for 1 year.
Contact: hojaebae@gmail.com or hbae@mit.edu
10/27/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: HST
Faculty Supervisor: Ali Khademhosseini
Project Title: Hydrogel ORIGAMI
Project Description: This project is focused on the development of directed and reversible assembly of hydrogel units based on ORIGAMI, Japanese traditional paper crafts. The technique under development is critical to develop tissue engineering approaches to build multilayered tissue constructs as well as to develop microdevices that can be integrated and used in semi-closed system such as microfluidic channels. The interested students will learn and use various technology including microfabrication, biomaterials and tissue culture.
Prerequisites: No experience required.
Contact: Hirokazu Kaji (kaji@mit.edu) http://www.tissueeng.net/lab
10/20/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: 13
Faculty Supervisor: Eugene Fitzgerald
Project Title: Control Systems Engineering for Semiconductor Process Technology
Project Description: This project is focused on the development and documentation of software and hardware protocols for the control and utilization of a ultra high vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHVCVD) system designed for the deposition of Si-Ge alloy films. The interested student would enhance his/her knowledge in the design and implementation of advanced semiconductor processing equipment and methods to deposit ultrapure semiconductor thin films. The student would be exposed to important projects that involve collaborations with industry and multi-university programs (Singapore-MIT Alliance) and gain much experience in materials science, semiconductor technology, and control systems.
Prerequisites: Proficient in object oriented programming; Experience using Labview would be very valuable, but overall comfort in computer programming/troubleshooting and documentation is more important (i.e., willing to learn a new program); Comfortable with electronics hardware and interested in understanding electronics communications systems (analog-digital conversion, etc.) An undergraduate with interest in materials science, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, and/or mechanical engineering would be preferred.
Contact: mbulsara@mit.edu http://sauvignon.mit.edu
10/20/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: HST
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Sangeeta Bhatia
Project Title: Regulation of hepatocytes differentiation and survival
Project Description: The overall goal of the project is to explore the intercellular signals present in liver tissue that regulate the function of hepatocytes and endothelial cells. This knowledge is critical to develop tissue engineering approaches to build artificial livers, and to create in vitro models of diseases where liver tissue is a major target (e.g., Hepatitis and Malaria). The student will learn and use several biological techniques (ELISA, WB, FACS, Immunostaining, primary cell isolation and cell culture) to characterize a signaling pathway previously identified in this project.
Prerequisites: 10 or more hours/week.
Contact: Sandra March (smarch@mit.edu)
10/20/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Chemical-Biological Engineering/Irvine-Hammond
Faculty Supervisor: Darrell Irvine
Project Title: Materials Design for Transdermal Vaccination
Project Description: Transdermal Vaccination: The project would involve the development and testing of materials for needle-free vaccination such as microneedles and hydrogels. Opportunities for a potential UROP would include materials design and testing in vitro and in vivo specifically involving layer by layer polyelectrolyte multilayer adsorption, nanoparticle characterization and optimization for drug loading and release, and various immunological assays. The project would provide broad opportunities for gaining experience in materials engineering and characterization as well as biological experimentation both in vitro and in vivo.
Prerequisites: No experience required.
Contact: pcdemuth@mit.edu
10/13/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: 7-Biology/Sabatini/Whitehead Institute
Faculty Supervisor: David M. Sabatini, M.D., Ph.D.
Project Title: Biomedical publishing and granting website development
Project Description: We would like to develop an online publishing and granting network to make novel biomedical research findings widely accessible and reviewable in real time. Our goal as a publisher is to provide autonomy to researchers in formatting their work for publication on our website and to expedite the publishing process. To promote continued discoveries, we also aim to use our website to connect granting organizations directly with academicians. During this UROP, you will be helping develop our website from its inception, therefore strong familiarity with web programming languages and network design and security are required. If interested, please send CVs including websites previously developed to Tim Peterson at petersti@mit.edu.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with web programming and experience in database development are strongly desired.
Contact: If interested, please send CVs including websites previously developed to Tim Peterson at petersti@mit.edu.
10/7/09
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Supervisor: Klavs Jensen
Project Title: Strong Acids handling system for microfluidics.
Project Description: We are looking for an UROP to design and fabricate a system for handling strong acids under pressure for microfluidic chips. The project provides the student with the possibility to be part of a complete engineering design process from conception to use. The work will also involve: Definition the design parameters Definition of the safety measures needed for strong acid handling Selection of materials mechanically and chemically adequate Analysis of different design schemes and selection of the of most adequate solution Drawing of system parts Fabrication of the parts (depending on the complexity parts can/will be outsourced) Assembly Testing. Time commitment and schedule are flexible.
Prerequisites: Mechanical engineering background is of help.
Contact: Andrea Adamo, aadamo@mit.edu
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