Recent Submissions

  • A game of telephone: voice multicast in low-power, low-bandwidth mobile wireless networks

    Perry, Ethan
    We don't always realize it, but the devices in our pockets carry much more significance than we often give them credit. Yes, I am talking about cell phones and their flashy graphics, impressive processing power, and stunning cameras. But these features are not the only thing that make cell phones special. Have you ever wondered where all of the information you surf, stream, and download actually comes from? Much of this data is stationed thousands of miles away and makes its way to your phone by means of copper wire, fiber optic cable, and microwaves emitted by cell towers.
  • Research opportunities at Mines

    Harford, Keegan
    For the prospective student researcher, it can be intimidating to find a project to work on. Students, regardless of where they are in their education, are likely to have worries about if they are qualified to work directly with faculty. When first reading about a project that looks interesting, you will inevitably come across words you don't understand. While you may feel underqualified and want to postpone applying for the position, you really shouldn't. In doing so, you would be overlooking your most important qualification: passion. Passion is the quality that makes faculty want to work with you. Even if you don't get a position the first time you apply, you will have demonstrated your desire and commitment, which will make it easier for you to get a position later. Ultimately, I believe that finding the project you are passionate about is the most important step to becoming a researcher. To help with this, I have outlined some of the ways undergraduate students can discover research projects at Mines.
  • Welcome to the Toberer lab

    If you've ever used computers, instruments, or any electronics, you have probably benefited from the research of Dr. Eric Toberer and his colleagues. Located on the first floor of the General Research Laboratory (GRL), the Toberer Lab has been advancing the frontier of thermoelectrics since 2013.
  • Role of undergraduates in research-an interview with Professor Sullivan, The

    With his optimistic, high-level vision of science and research, Professor Neal Sullivan has successfully led the Colorado Fuel Cell Center (CFCC) for over a decade. From high-profile publications in Science on the characterization of SOFC efficiency to the development groundbreaking electricity storage technologies, the CFCC prevails as one of the premiere research laboratories on campus and in the nation. And, even with all of that success, Sullivan still spends much of his time considering how best to get undergraduates involved with scientific research.
  • Welcome to the MIRRORLab

    Each day, as robotics, AI, and augmented reality become more and more advanced, ever greater challenges arise regarding the interaction between human beings and the technology they create. With this in mind, the purpose of the MIRRORLab is to help make these interactions as natural and productive as possible.
  • Machine learning to investigate the relationship between nutrition and gut biome

    Baker, Lauren
    Machine learning uses automated statistical models and algorithms to investigate patterns and form inferences from data. As a part of the Machine Learning, Informatics, and Data Science team at Mines (MInDS@Mines), one of our core focuses is the development and application of machine learning algorithms to human health conditions whose mechanisms are not well understood. Thus, our interest in the human microbiome is centrally motivated by the microbiome's connection to health conditions.
  • Crowdsourcing as a tool for research

    Kleeman, Hanzelle
    Crowdsourcing platforms are becoming a common tool for researchers around the world. Advocates of these platforms boast that the virtual data collection has many strengths when compared to old-school methods of surveying. Such proponents focus on aspects of convenience and diversity. Unfortunately, serious concerns identified by critical computing scholars remain unaddressed. To better understand these concerns, the research team has completed a comprehensive literature review on the ethics of crowdsourcing, an analysis of published research papers that utilized crowdsourced data, and interviews with crowd workers.
  • Overcoming challenges as an undergraduate researcher

    Monaghan, Austin
    The Tuesday/Thursday slots on my schedule are reserved for something special, and it's not skiing. No, those days are blocked out for research at the High Altitude Observatory (HAO) in Boulder. Although research is technically work, my enthusiasm for it makes it feel like recreation. I almost felt guilty collecting a check this past summer because I knew that, if it really came down to it, I would work for free. That being said, I must confess that many aspects of undergraduate research, from getting a position to managing goals, can prove to be a nuisance for the prospective undergraduate researcher. While I am no expert, I've been lucky enough to spend about three of my undergraduate years conducting research, and I've stepped in enough puddles to give the reader some measure of advice. These "tips and tricks" are based not only on my experiences, but those of my peers. With any luck, the collective knowledge of many undergraduate researchers, socks soaked through with puddle water, can help you avoid some of the common pitfalls of research.
  • Systematic review of rigorous research in teaching introductory circuits

    Reagan, Thomas Henry J.; Claussen, Stephanie; Lyne, Eric A.; Colorado School of Mines. McBride Honors Program
    Systematic review is a meta-analytical framework for quantitatively searching, sorting, and synthesizing scholarly research on a particular topic. Systematic review techniques have recently gained traction in the field of engineering education. A systematic review performed over a specific area of practice can consolidate results from many studies into a synthesis of best practices. This paper presents the best practices for teaching introductory circuits which were identified through a systematic review of prior research. Relevant publications were identified and appraised with a set of coding criteria generated by the researchers. The coding results were examined and used to write a mixed-methods synthesis of consensus, disagreement, quality, and limitations amongst studies identified by the systematic literature review. The results of the review may inform educational techniques employed in post-secondary introductory circuits courses.
  • Modelling thin-film transistors for understanding material properties and improving electronic device performance

    Schenken, William K.; Airuoyo, Idemudia; Collins, Reuben T.; Colorado School of Mines. McBride Honors Program
    As new materials continue to develop through theoretical and experimental findings, it is desirable to have a reliable method of testing the materials to better understand their unique properties. Reliable computer modelling of electronic devices composed of these materials provides an inexpensive means of determining how a material will perform. Here we demonstrate the use of a computer software to accurately model electronic devices. We focus on amorphous silicon thin-film transistors and relate what is observed computationally to published experimental and theoretical results. We show that the computer models can be used to accurately study materials for applications in advanced electronic devices. We then discuss opportunities in new materials discovery that this type of modelling might permit.