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
7/23/2008
Fall 2008
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT MediaLab
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Pattie Maes
Reinventing the Guitar - a physical heart in a virtual body
Can traditional values be embedded into a digital object? in this project we implement a special guitar that combines physical acoustic properties with virtual capabilities. The acoustical values will be embodied by a wooden heart - a unique, replaceable piece of wood that will give the guitar a unique acoustic sound. The acoustic signal created by this wooden heart will be digitally processed in a virtual sound box in order to create flexible sound design.
Prerequisites: Architecture student after the first year will be the best fit. Excellent drawing skills required, including portfolio. The student will take part of the design process, mainly on the conceptual research. The main job will be to draw a lot of sketches and to create new vision of future musical instrument - including the player, band and stage optional aestetics.
Contact: Amit Zoran, amitz@mit.edu. http://ambient/projects.php?action=details&id=58 http://ambient/projects.php?action=details&id=51
7/23/2008
Fall 2008
UROP Department/Lab/Center: MIT MediaLab
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Pattie Maes
Reinventing the Guitar - a physical heart in a virtual body
Can traditional values be embedded into a digital object? in this project we implement a special guitar that combines physical acoustic properties with virtual capabilities. The acoustical values will be embodied by a wooden heart - a unique, replaceable piece of wood that will give the guitar a unique acoustic sound. The acoustic signal created by this wooden heart will be digitally processed in a virtual sound box in order to create flexible sound design.
Prerequisites: Architecture student after the first year will be the best fit. Excellent drawing skills required, including portfolio. The student will take part of the design process, mainly on the conceptual research. The main job will be to draw a lot of sketches and to create new vision of future musical instrument - including the player, band and stage optional aestetics.
Contact: Amit Zoran, amitz@mit.edu. http://ambient/projects.php?action=details&id=58 http://ambient/projects.php?action=details&id=51
7/23/2008
Fall 2008
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Grodzinsky Lab, Center for Biomedical
Engineering, and Departments of EECS, BE, MIT
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Grodzinsky
Extending the Scanning Kelvin Probe to Biological Tissue
The Scanning Kelvin Probe (SKP) measures
surface electrical potential without actually touching the sample
and relies on capacitive coupling between the probe and the
sample. This device has been used in corrosion sciences, colloid
surfaces, and liquid-air interfaces with micrometer scale and
millivolt resolution, but has yet to be applied to biological
tissue at the macroscopic scale. Its appeal stems from its
theoretical ability to acquire endogenous physiological signals
without the use of intercalating dyes, strong electrical fields, or
ionizing beams. The major challenge for applying this technology
to biological specimens is to understand how surface potential can
be derived from tissue with insulating properties as well as charge
migratory and diffusive effects. We are seeking a responsible,
independent, and resourceful UROP who can help elaborate this
technology by performing staged experiments of increasing
complexity insulating dielectric gel, water, agar, and then eventually to human skin and to
help interpret the results. The UROP will have the opportunity to
work with engineers as well as physicians. With adequate results,
there may be future opportunities to perform tests in live human
subjects.
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior EECS with interest in
electromagnetics and its potential applications to biology.
Contact: Andrew Ahn (HMS affiliation) in Grodzinsky Lab, aahn@hms.harvard.edu.
7/23/2008
Fall 2008/Spring 2009
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Engineering Systems Division
Faculty Supervisor: Christopher L. Magee
Fundamentals of Technologgical Dynamics
For the fall and spring semester, we are seeking an undergraduate student to contribute to understanding of the technological dynamics of specific technical systems with Professor Christopher L. Magee. The overall thrust of the work is to understand what factors are most important in determining the rate of improvement with time of various technical systems. As part of this work, we seek to understand the contribution to overall performance of batteries and capacitors of specific inventions and scientific principles.
Prerequisites: Some background and interest in materials science, solid-state chemistry or physics is preferred for this work. An ideal student would also be one who is capable of learning from literature searches about science and technology that they do not now know.
Contact: This paid UROP can also be taken for credit. To apply, send a brief resume and a two sentence Email stating your interest to Christopher Magee, cmagee@mit.edu.
7/22/2008
Fall 2008
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Chemistry
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Stephen J. Lippard
Identification of Nuclear Proteins that Bind to DNA Modified by a Novel Anticancer Agent
Platinum anticancer drugs have been widely used in chemotherapy. Very recently, our group has identified a monofunctional platinum complex, cDPCP, as a potential anticancer agent specifically targeting colorectal cancer (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2008, 105, 8902; MIT Research News, June 17, 2008). cDPCP target DNA to block transcription and initiate apoptosis. However, the recognition of cDPCP-DNA by nuclear proteins is still unknown. The current project is a) to synthesize a cDPCP analogue containing a photoreactive group; b) to build up a DNA duplex containing a site specific cDPCP lesion and c) to identify proteins that bind to the lesion by photocross-link study. In another words, the drug mechanism of cDPCP will be studied in order to better understand its cytoxicity. A UROP position is available from Fall 2008 for a motivated chemistry, chemical engineering or bioengineering student to work on the project mentioned above. The intention to learn synthetic chemistry, protein chemistry, molecular biology, analytical chemistry especially HPLC separation will be encouraged for the students upon his/her interest and the progress of project.
Prerequisites: Previous research experience in organic synthesis is preferred.
Contact: Please contact Dr. Guangyu Zhu at guangyu@mit.edu with cover letter, CV, and 2 references if interested.
7/11/2008
Fall 2008
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Mathematics, Lab for Energy and the Environment
Faculty Supervisor: Martin Bazant
Project Title: Numerical PDEs for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Project Description: For fall semester, we are seeking an undergraduate student to contribute to research on the charging dynamics in lithium-ion batteries with Prof. Martin Bazant. As part of this work, we must numerically solve a partial differential equation (PDE). Though the PDE is standard, our boundary conditions are not, making it difficult to use pre-existing numerical codes for this system.
Prerequisites: At a minimum, a potential student must be proficient with multivariable calculus, and must have some experience writing software to solve ordinary differential equations (ODEs). An ideal student would have experience numerically solving PDEs and non-linear algebraic equations.
Contact: This paid UROP is funded through the Martin UROP Program (http://lfee.mit.edu/urops/). To apply, please send a resume and a 1-2 sentence email stating your interest to Beth Conlin, bconlin@mit.edu. The UROP may also be done for credit.
7/11/2008
Fall 2008
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Anthropology
Faculty Supervisor: Susan Silbey
Project Title: Environmental, Health and Safety in Laboratory Sciences
Project Description: Environmental health and safety in laboratory science. Seeking student assistance to track information about the various ways in which universities and other research laboratories provide training, inspection, and regulation of environmental, health and safety hazards in laboratories. Fall 2008, we are collecting information on the quality of science and relative status of different universities for incorporation in a survey of environmental, health and safety systems in university laboratories. Seeking UROP student to participate in data collection and analysis. UROP experience will include instruction in statistical analysis of social scientific data.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with web seaching for institutional/organizational information. Interest in learning how to organize and analyze institutional data.
Contact: Ayn Cavicchi, 16-223, 452-3617, acavicch@mit.edu
7/11/2008
Fall 2008
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Theater Arts
Faculty Supervisor: Professor Janet Sonenberg
Performance UROP - Plays about Science - MIT/Catalyst Collaborative/Underground Railway Theater
MIT Theater Arts and Underground Railway Theater seek a Performance UROP to assist with the 2008-9 season of Catalyst Collaborative @ MIT, a partnership between MIT and the Underground Railway Theater to present and create plays about science and technology. Central to this initiative is the encouragement of partnerships between theater artists and scientists:
1) to engage audiences in thinking about themes in science and technology of social and ethical concern
2) to provide insight into the culture of science and the impact of that culture on our society
3) to examine the human condition through the lens of the science and technology that intersects our lives, and the lives of the scientists whose work changes our world and their own.
The Underground Railway Theater is a resident company at the Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Avenue. Most activities would take place at this site, which is a few streets from the MIT campus. This CC@MIT UROP would be supervised by Professor Janet Sonenberg, Chair of Music and Theater Arts, MIT, and Underground Railway Theater Artistic Director Debra Wise, and will also work directly with the directors of CC@MIT productions. The key project will be a new interpretation for actors and puppets of Brecht?s The Life of Galileo, in which the UROP would perform as actor/puppeteer with the ensemble.
Prerequisites: A working understanding of theater. A commitment to completion of a task assigned. A great collaborator. An understanding that a commitment, if any, to a performance is unbreakable.
Contact: Janet Sonenberg, json@mit.edu, Debra Wise, dwise@undergroundrailwaytheater.org, 617-645-2046.
6/02/2008
Fall 2008
UROP Department/Lab/Center: Music and Theater Arts
Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Alan Brody
Dramaturg / Assistant Director / Performer for the Catalyst Collaborative@MIT
A UROP to assist with the 2008-9 season of The Catalyst Collaborative @ MIT. CC@MIT is a partnership between MIT and the Underground Railway Theater to present and create plays about science and technology. As a founder and one the Artistic Directors, I will be needing a UROP student to assist with the 2008-9 season beginning in the Fall of 2008. This UROP will be supervised by myself and Underground Railway Theater Artistic Director Debra Wise. The key project will be a new interpretation for actors and puppets of Brecht s The Life of Galileo. Though the UROP student will be primarily involved in research and assistance to the director, there are also opportunities for puppet performance if this falls within the interests and abilities of the applicant.
Prerequisites: Some background in dramatic literature and/or theater practice including subjects taken through MIT Theater Arts.
Contact: Alan Brody, 3-4892, brody@mit.edu.physiological analysis. The researcher would be an integral part of our ongoing studies, and would learn valuable and innovative in vivo and in vitro laboratory techniques.
Prerequisites: Preferred but not required: Junior or senior with relevant coursework and biological experience including tissue culture, PCR and western blots. Should be open to working with animals and performing surgery.
Contact: Hector Mobine; mobine@mit.edu, Nelson Moussazadeh; nsm@mit.edu.
|
