Graduate students presented their work in Duffield Hall April 3 at the revamped and renamed Cornell Engineering Research Conference.

A panel of faculty and corporate judges awarded best poster prizes to Ph.D. students Jonathan Hiller, Kuldeepsinh Rana and Michael Lowe; M.Eng. students Omkar Halbe and Marina Ramirez; and undergraduate Hanna Smith '10.

Smith was one of just three undergraduates nominated by their directors of undergraduate studies to participate in the event. She is working with Larry Walker, professor of biological and environmental engineering, to use fluorescent labeling to identify which enzymes best free the sugar trapped in cellulose, a key step in converting grass into biofuel.

"This project has completely reformed me as a student and scientist, especially in understanding how to combine engineering and biochemistry," said Smith, who was presenting her research for the first time. "Having to write up my research has really challenged me to think about where I fit into the big picture."

Formerly known as the Engineering Research Showcase, the conference included invited speakers and morning and afternoon oral presentations, in addition to the midday poster session. The event was organized by students for the first time this year, with the support of the college's Office of Research and Graduate Studies. The Engineering Communications Program provided a preconference workshop to help students hone their presentation skills.

Ph.D. student Jeisa Pelet presented a poster on her work with David Putnam, associate professor of biomedical engineering, on developing a substance for use in gene therapy. She synthesizes and tests polymers to insert interference RNA into liver cells to turn off malfunctioning genes.

"I change the structure of the polymer by attaching different structural groups that will impart specific gene-transfer functionality," she said. "With this we can target so many illnesses, so many diseases, even cancer."

Ph.D. student Kristopher Matthews' poster explained his work to find a new material for concentrator solar cells, which use lenses to focus light on a small area. With guidance from Les Eastman, the John L. Given Foundation Chair Professor of Engineering, he has been growing thin films of III-nitrides.

"We've been able to prove that we can grow material for any wavelength, and then we've actually made cells out of this and tested them out," Matthews said. "All you hear about on the news is silicon, silicon, silicon, but I thought I needed to work on something that was based on a completely different model, that would make more economical sense and be more efficient."

M.Eng. student Nicole Ceci presented a poster on the gravity-powered chemical dosing system she developed with Monroe Weber-Shirk, a civil and environmental engineering senior lecturer and research associate. The system is used in two new drinking water treatment plants built this year in Honduras by the student project team AguaClara.

"We don't have even the ability to tie into a reliable electric grid," said Ceci, who leads the student group. "I've been working on a simple mechanical system that runs off basic hydraulics, just using relatively elemental fluid dynamic properties to get an accurate amount of chemical being dosed into the plant."

Ceci said that knowing her research would help provide safe drinking water to people in Honduras was inspiring. "I was up til 3 in the morning on Christmas Eve doing data analysis for this because I wanted it to be ready for them to go down in January and set one up," she said. "It is really exciting and really important."

Robert Emro is assistant director of communications and media relations for the College of Engineering.