STEM | UW-Platteville News

Pioneer Spotlight: Dr. Douglas Selent

Authored on: Jul 07, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Dr. Douglas Selent, assistant professor of computer science and software engineering, joined the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2018. He also serves as the software engineering program coordinator. His interests include bringing active learning into his classroom through different activities and gamification.

High-performance computing server opens new research possibilities

Authored on: Jul 07, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

Big data and artificial intelligence are increasingly ubiquitous in society, with an estimate of more than 2.5 million terabytes of data generated worldwide every day. Analyzing this data can help answer fundamental research questions, and thanks to a recent collaboration with IBM and OpenPOWER Foundation, spearheaded by Dr. Arghya Das, UW-Platteville is now home to a high-performance computing server to assist in this effort.

McLanahan receives Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence

Authored on: Jul 07, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Dr. Aric Ranen McLanahan, University of Wisconsin-Platteville assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, was selected for the Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. The purpose of the award is to recognize a tenure-track faculty member who has made distinguished contributions to the mission of UW-Platteville as an outstanding teacher.

Partnership in nationwide engineering network to bring new opportunities

Authored on: Jul 07, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

Building on its tradition of offering active, hands-on and problem-based learning, the UW-Platteville College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science recently affirmed its place as a leader in engineering education with its acceptance as a partner in the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN).

Pioneer Spotlight: Dr. Yan Shi

Authored on: Jun 06, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Dr. Yan Shi, associate professor of computer science and software engineering joined the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2011. Besides teaching, she is researching several topics related to data mining in social networks.

Grant to help empower young women in computer science field

Authored on: Jun 06, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

Donna Gavin, a senior lecturer in computer science and software engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and founder of Platteville’s Girls Who Code Club, recently received a grant of more than $1,500 from the Platteville Community Fund, which will help support new opportunities for both the middle and high school-aged girls in the club and their college mentors.

Faculty, student respond to the call for innovative solutions during pandemic

Authored on: Jun 06, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

The creative concepts of five University of Wisconsin-Platteville faculty and one student were recently selected by WiSys in the organization’s Innovation Challenge: COVID-19.

Grant leads to new research for glove design

Authored on: Jun 06, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

Dr. Vettrivel Gnaneswaran, assistant professor of industrial engineering, was recently awarded a Research Infrastructure Program grant by the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium for his research exploring the use of gloves and their effect on performing tasks – the results of which could potentially influence glove redesign in manufacturing, aerospace and healthcare industries, helping people select gloves to maximize safety and productivity.

Mechanical engineering students turn recycled plastic into respiratory face masks

Authored on: May 05, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

To help combat the shortage of personal protective equipment during this COVID-19 crisis, Dr. Jodi Prosise, chair of the UW-Platteville Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and a team of undergraduate researchers are designing a system to turn recycled plastic into respiratory face masks.

Alumnus finds success in innovation at UW-Platteville, now supports others

Authored on: May 05, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

Recent graduate Caleb Dykema is taking the experiences in innovation he found at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and inspiring others to achieve the same through his new podcast, Just the Bulb.

Students to share senior design projects in virtual open house

Authored on: May 05, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

Adaptability is perhaps one of the most important skills an engineer must have, and students in the Senior Design Program at UW-Platteville this spring have had a chance to put this skill to the test. The Senior Design Program pairs student groups with an industry partner to solve real problems or create new products. When the COVID-19 pandemic required students to transition to remote learning, they had to make some quick adjustments. On May 20, students will virtually present their final projects to the public during the Senior Design Open House.

Students join global initiative to share resources to research COVID-19

Authored on: May 05, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

A group of UW-Platteville students and one alumnus have found a creative way to team up, while staying at home, to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. They formed a UW-Platteville team to contribute to the Folding@home project – a distributed computing project that relies on people around the world to volunteer their personal computer resources to run simulations of protein dynamics to help scientists find cures for diseases.

UW-Platteville student creates ear guards for Wisconsin hospitals

Authored on: Apr 04, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

After hearing about the growing shortage of personal protective equipment for health care workers, UW-Platteville senior Sam Smith decided he needed to help those battling the COVID-19 crisis. Smith, a computer science major from Kaukauna, Wisconsin, started producing ear guards with his 3D printer. He can create five guards every two hours.

Dr. James Hamilton producing hand sanitizer

UW-Platteville professor manufactures hand sanitizer for Wisconsin communities

Authored on: Apr 04, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Dr. James Hamilton, professor of chemistry at UW-Platteville, is working with the state of Wisconsin to produce tens of thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer to help protect communities from COVID-19.

McLanahan creates lab-simulating applications for students

Authored on: Apr 04, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

“We are all sacrificing much for the COVID-19 crisis. I didn't want my students to sacrifice anything more than they had to,” said Dr. A. L. Ranen McLanahan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at UW-Platteville. To help transition his thermal systems lab courses into a new alternative delivery, he created four interactive lab-simulating applications for his students to download, calling the series, “Little Dude in Consulting World.” The apps allow students to control a 2D avatar who explores a 2D lab world from inside the classroom.

Shop staff creates face shields for area health care workers

Authored on: Apr 04, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is partnering with a local hospital to help protect health care workers on the front lines of COVID-19. The College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science shop supervisors are using 3D printers to create face shields for medical professionals at Southwest Health.

UW-Platteville to host big data and AI workshop

Authored on: Mar 03, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

UPDATE: Due to safety and health concerns around COVID-19, this event has been cancelled as a precautionary measure. The UW-Platteville Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering is partnering with OpenPOWER to present the Big Data and AI Workshop on Tuesday, April 7. Attendees will learn about the latest research and development on big data, artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.

Students research prairie plant genetic diversity

Authored on: Mar 03, 2020, Written by: John Christensen

Ongoing work, involving students, in analyzing, cataloging, and sharing the DNA profiles of native grasses and other plant life in preserves and open spaces around Sauk County will aid prairie restoration efforts in communities across Wisconsin and in other regions as well. That’s according to research currently performed by University of Wisconsin-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County students Emily Forbush and Brooke Martin, who together are working to understand what grasses and plants make up a thriving prairie in the rocky and all-season conditions found near the campus.

Pictured left to right are RevaLu Ronnfeldt, Frances Tempesta, Hannah Frank and Michael Schneider.

Chemistry students to present research at state, national levels

Authored on: Mar 03, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Four chemistry students are preparing to present their undergraduate research, learning biochemistry the write way: applying writing-to-learn in STEM, at three different events across the country, including Posters on the Hill in Washington, D.C.

UW-Platteville and Edgewood College Launch New Partnership

Authored on: Mar 03, 2020, Written by: Ed Taylor, Edgewood College

UW-Platteville and Edgewood College are pleased to announce the Engineering Dual Degree, that will allow students to complete two degrees simultaneously. Students will earn a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Physics from Edgewood College, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in either Electrical or Mechanical Engineering at UW-Platteville. The two institutions celebrated the agreement at a signing ceremony held today.

Students take first place and innovation award for cutting-edge technique at casting competition

Authored on: Mar 03, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

Students in the American Foundry Society Club at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently topped their previous successes in a regional casting competition by not only taking a first-place finish, but also earning the competition’s Imagination in Metalcasting Award – a first in the competition’s history.

Pictured left to right are Jonas Wagner and Logan Shefchik.

Students to present disaster response applications at Research in the Rotunda

Authored on: Mar 03, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Natural disasters are inevitable, but a group of students are researching how an application can assist with disaster response. Several students are collaborating with Electrical and Computer Engineering Assistant Professor Dr. Mehdi Roopaei on their research topic, device analytics for disaster response applications.

Golden’s research aims to advance transistor technology

Authored on: Mar 03, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

The race to create faster, smarter and smaller electronic devices has consumed the tech industry for decades, but is there a physical limit to just how small they can go? It is a question being explored in UW-Platteville's Material Fabrication and Nano Characterization Lab. Kayla Golden, a senior electrical engineering major, will present her research on nanoscale vacuum-channel field emission transistors at the annual UW System Research in the Rotunda event in Madison, Wisconsin.

Pioneer Spotlight: Dr. Fang Yang

Authored on: Feb 02, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

As an associate professor of electrical engineering, Dr. Fang Yang specializes in power engineering – an interest she developed during a summer camp in middle school, where she had a chance to visit power plants. Now she teaches these concepts to a unique group of students on the UW Oshkosh Fox Cities campus through the UW-Platteville Engineering Partnership.

Frayer to receive Distinguished Teaching Award from the Wisconsin Section of the Mathematical Association of America

Authored on: Feb 02, 2020, Written by: Mathematical Association of America – Wisconsin Section

University of Wisconsin-Platteville Professor of Mathematics Dr. Chris Frayer will receive the 2020 Distinguished Teaching Award from the Wisconsin Section of the Mathematical Association of America.

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