News & Events

BSAC Seminar: Overview of ANSYS Simulation Software: Multiphysics, MEMS, and Microfluidics to Optimization

April 1, 2014
Ming Yao Ding Senior Application Engineer, ANSYS, Inc. April 1, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: John Huggins

ANSYS Inc., the world leader in engineering simulation software, has broad capabilities in the area of multiphysics that are currently available at BSAC. These capabilities include piezoelectric, thermal electric, thermal structural, thermoelastic, fluid-structural, and more. This presentation and demonstration will provide an overview of these capabilities. Application examples such as MEMS as well as...

BSAC Seminar: The Development and Applications of Single Molecule Real-Time DNA Sequencing

April 22, 2014
Dr. Stephen Turner Founder and CTO, Pacific Biosciences of California April 22, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: Ming Wu

Since the advent of the first single molecule detection technologies in the late 1980s, scientists and technologist dreamed of being able to sequence an individual molecule of DNA. This goal has been realized and commercially deployed by Pacific Biosciences of California. This talk will outline the foundational technology developments in nanophotonics and biochemistry on which the method is based, as well as some anecdotes...

BSAC Seminar: Cool MEMS Applications are Heating Up

April 8, 2014
Dr. Leslie Field Founder, SmallTech Consulting BSAC PhD 1991 April 8, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: Richard White

The presentation will include a discussion of MEMS applications in microfluidic, biomedical, and climate-related areas from an industrial perspective. Wearable technology for activity and health monitoring provide hot opportunities for consumer products and further research. Drug delivery is a perennial area of interest, and seems to be heating up lately. And the application of MEMS devices for monitoring and mitigating...

BSAC Seminar: Robotizing Functional Nanoentities for Single-Cell Drug Delivery, Bioanalysis and Tunable Biochemical Release

April 29, 2014
Prof. Donglei (Emma) Fan Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin Materials Science and Engineering Program, Nanomaterial Innovation Lab April 29, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: Luke Lee

In this talk, I will discuss innovative concepts and approaches for robotizing functional nanoentities into highly controllable nanomotors for single-cell drug delivery, bioanalysis and tunable biochemical release. Arrays of designed nanoparticles can be precisely transported along arbitrary trajectories, assembled and actuated as...

BSAC Seminar: Solar-Thermophotovoltaics: Towards a Full-Spectrum Solar Energy Conversion and Storage Solution

May 6, 2014
Dr. Jeffrey Chou Postdoctoral Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Micro & Nanosystems Laboratory BSAC PhD 2012 May 6, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: Ming Wu

The intermittency of solar energy conversion via photovoltaics presents a major obstacle to their extensive penetration into the grid. Thus, despite major advances in solar cell efficiency, the path to fully integrated solar energy remains incomplete without solar energy storage solutions. In this talk, our recent work on the development of solar-thermophotovoltaic (STPV)...

BSAC Seminar: Molecular Catalysts and Nanoscale Materials for Water Splitting and Solar Fuels

June 17, 2014
Dr. Khurram Joya Postdoctoral Fellow, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, KAUST Catalysis Center June 17, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: Liwei Lin

In order to construct a solar-to-fuel conversion system, the “Artificial Leaf,” the development of a robust and efficient water oxidation electrocatalyst (WOE) is a bottleneck. For the proof-of-principle and long-term performance, WOEs need to be employed on conducting surfaces (e.g., electrodes) as well as on light-harvesting photo-responsive materials....

BSAC Seminar: Photonic Microsensors for Monitoring Cardiovascular Parameters

September 2, 2014
Dr. Andreas Seifert Department of Microsystems Engineering - IMTEK, University of Freiburg September 2, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: Dorian Liepmann

Nearly a third of the world population dies from cardiovascular disease with a 40% death rate in countries with high income levels. New diagnostic methods are being explored to extend and complement today's practice of measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The idea, realized in our research, focuses on a novel photonic method to measure...

BSAC Seminar: Tunneling Magneto-Resistive Sensor Design, Fabrication and Applications

October 3, 2014
Dr. Song Xue CEO, MultiDimension Technology October 3, 2014 | 10:00 to 11:00 | Swarm Lab Immersion Room, 490 Cory Hall Host: John Huggins

Magnetic transducers are widely used in modern industry and electronics to sense magnetic field strength to measure current, position, motion, direction and other physical parameters. Commercially important approaches, in order of technical advancement, include Hall Effect, Anisotropic MagnetoResistance (AMR), Giant MagnetoResistance...

BSAC Seminar: Metal Oxide Sensors for Outdoor Air Quality Monitoring Applications

October 14, 2014
Dr. Kristen Dorsey UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, UC San Diego October 14, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: Kris Pister

Metal oxide gas sensors are one solution to portable air quality monitoring. Their low unit price, small form factor and response to several criteria pollutants make them a viable future. When exposed to a target gas, the conductivity of the metal oxide layer shifts, leading to a sensor response that is...

BSAC Seminar: Critical Success Factors for the Commercialization of MEMS: The 2013 MEMS Industry Report Card

October 21, 2014
Roger Grace President, Roger Grace Associates October 21, 2014 | 12:30 to 01:30 | 540 Cory Hall Host: John Huggins

Barriers to the commercialization of every industry and technology exist…MEMS is no exception. As we have passed more than a half century of MEMS research, design and development, many people ask why it has taken so long for MEMS technology to realize its potential or reach true commercialization. There exist 14 critical success factors that present major barriers to the...