URMP Faculty Mentors Page

Agile and Adaptive Robotics Lab (AARL)

Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Alexander Hunt

The Agile and Adaptive Robotics lab is interested in uncovering mechanisms of how animals achieve agile and adaptive control and applying these discoveries across a variety of fields. We develop biomimetic robots and use them to test theories of neural control of locomotion and balance.

Key skills needed: Any of the following: Solidworks/3D modeling; Programming (Matlab, Python); 3D printing; Machine assembly.

Portland State Aerospace Society (PSAS)

Electrical and Computer Engineering (but also looking for ME and CS students)

Andrew Greenberg

PSAS is an interdisciplinary, hands-on, open source aerospace engineering project with four strategic projects: amateur rockets, liquid fuel rocket engines, and nanosatellites. 

This summer, we'll be focused on building, testing, and handing off all 3rd CubeSat to be delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) for deployment in October. We're looking for all student types and abilities to work with us this summer, including ME, EE/CmpE, and CS students.

Key skills needed: No skills required, but preferred skills include: ECAD and/or C firmware development for EE/CompE, MCAD and thermal/fluids classes for ME, and Python and embedded Linux experience for CS.

Computational Imaging Lab

Computer Science

Atul Ingle

The Computational Imaging Lab at Portland State University designs next generation cameras and vision algorithms for challenging conditions: imaging in extremely dark or extremely bright environments, imaging high resolution 3D structures from long distances, and imaging through poor visibility like smoke and fog. We envision a future where such cameras will improve everyone’s quality of life: computer vision systems for autonomous cars that make drivers and pedestrians safer, high-precision cameras for surgical robots, and image sensors that improve accuracy of medical diagnoses.

Key skills needed: We are looking for candidates who are not necessarily experts but are eager to learn more about computational imaging algorithms and camera sensors. Applicants should have some programming experience (e.g. Python, C++), strong verbal and written communication and time management skills. We especially encourage students belonging to historically under-served groups to apply. These groups include (but are not limited to) women, students with disabilities, socio-economically disadvantaged groups, and first-generation college students.

teuscher:Lab

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Christof Teuscher

Our goal is twofold: (1) develop disruptive new computing paradigms and machines that will allow for lasting breakthroughs and open new application domains in the next 5-20 years; and (2) use computational modeling to solve societal problems.

Key skills needed: Good programming skills are a plus.

Geotech Research Lab

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Diane Moug

Microbially induced desaturation (MID) is an emerging ground treatment approach to prevent earthquake soil liquefaction. MID treatment involves nutrient injection into the subsurface to stimulate native microbes. The microbes perform a denitrification reaction to produce nitrogen gas and desaturate the soil. This gas inhibits liquefaction when the soil is shaken in an earthquake.

The URMP project will involve field investigations at a research site in northeast Portland. The project will also include laboratory work of medium-scale experiments. 

Key skills needed:

- Problem solving
- Thorough note-taking and record-keeping
- Enter data and perform calculations in Excel
- Lift up to 50 lbs
- Work outdoors in a range of weather conditions
- Teamwork

Nano Development Lab

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Erik Sanchez

Our lab has active DOE sponsored Fusion Research being performed, we have a functional D2 IEC reactor and are presently creating a novel 3D imaging sensor for fast neutrons. In addition our group focuses on developing state of the art imaging systems which include scanning probe, Ion, Electron and other forms of microscopy and nanoscopy.

Key skills needed: Primarily - critical thinking skills, resourcefulness, independence, and positive eagerness to work. From a technical perspective - Vacuum technology, microscopy, AI knowledge for programming, electronics, soldering, shop experience(mill, drill lathe...) 3D printing, optics, lasers, etc..I don't expect anyone will have all these skills, but being good in 2-3 technical skills would be good.

Sustainable Energy Systems Lab

Mechanical and Materials Engineering 

Ilke Celik

Sustainability assessment studies will be conducted for solar technologies and students will be trained for emerging photovoltaic cells. 

Key skills needed:  Experience with excel spreadsheets, interest in renewable energy.

Coffee and Telesensing Lab

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Joshua Mendez

Two projects are currently available in my lab.

1) Mars is a dry, dusty place. As humans plan for crewed missions to the red planet, we must understand the effects of dust--regolith--on the engineering systems that will keep crews alive and productive. As noted in NASA's Mars Science Goals, Objectives, Investigations, and Priorities, we need to quantify how dust influences the electrical properties of surfaces on which it accumulates (in particular circuit boards). Additionally, because regolith can itself be electrified through frictional interactions with surfaces ("static electricity"), we need to explore whether such charging could lead to electrostatic discharge (ESD) hazards in Mars' low pressure CO2 atmosphere. This project will use the Mars Atmospheric Simulator in the Environmental Testing Lab to quantify the electrification and discharge of Martian regolith simulants as they interacts with a variety of synthetic materials under simulated Martian conditions.

2) Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Yet, many physical and chemical processes that occur during brewing still require clarification. The lab is currently looking for a student to design an automated, instrumented pour-over machine to investigate how small particles ("fines") migrate through or "jam" in a bed of ground coffee during brewing. 

Key skills needed: Any of the following: General purpose programming (Python, C++), circuit board design, PCB manufacture, mechanical CAD, machining, barista experience.

Database & Internet Privacy (DIPr) Lab

Computer Science

Primal Pappachan

In today's world, data is one of the most valued resources but it is also often sensitive and contains personally identifying information. In our Databases and Internet Privacy lab or simply DIPr (pronounced as dipper) lab, we build mechanisms to protect sensitive data in various settings and integrate it efficiently into big data systems. Our goal is to enhance user control, data privacy, transparency, and security in big data systems without sacrificing performance and scalability. We focus on "policy-aware" processing which ensures that systems automatically respect organizational and user privacy policies without sacrificing performance. Some of our recent projects focus on efficient enforcement of Fine Grained Access Control on various types of big data systems from relational databases to the modern vector based ones. You can explore the ongoing projects on the lab website: https://diprlab.github.io/

As a URMP student, you'll actively work on a research project with the PI and a graduate student. You'll gain experience in building software prototypes, conducting large scale experiments, and presenting your research findings through talks and paper writing. You can read more details about what you can expect as a lab member on the website: https://diprlab.github.io/wiki/.

Key skills needed: Computer Science (or similar) undergrads with a curiosity for research, passion for data privacy rights, sprinkled with some knowledge of databases and experience with programming are welcome to apply. Good communication, writing, and time management skills are essential to succeed in this program. 

Algorithms Research Group

Computer Science

Sayan Bandyapadhyay

Our research lies broadly in the areas of algorithms and optimization. Most real-life optimization problems are computationally hard in nature and heuristic algorithms are employed in most applications. Although these heuristics are time efficient and work well for some inputs, they cannot assure good quality solutions on every input instance. To address this issue, we design approximation algorithms, which guarantee good bounds on the quality of the solutions on all inputs. Many problems have the nature that they are not only hard to solve optimally, but also hard to approximate even if we could afford to use any reasonable amount of time. Accordingly, our research philosophy is to explore the solvability of such problems in terms of approximation.

Key skills needed: Algorithms, Data structures, Discrete math, Introductory ML/AI topics

Non-Destructive Evaluation of Civil Infrastructure Lab

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Thomas Schumacher

Our diverse team develops tools to examine the condition of existing structures such as buildings and bridges - similar to a medical doctor assessing and monitoring a person's health. We do this non-destructively using techniques such as vibration monitoring, ultrasonic testing, and radar testing. We also put sensors on structures to measure changes over time. Our goal is to use the information these techniques provide to help prolong the life of a structure as much as possible while maintaining safety. The ultimate goal is to avoid replacement of existing structures whenever possible to save resources and minimize emissions, and make our built environment more sustainable.

Key skills needed: Enthusiasm about civil engineering and a sustainable built environment; curiosity and willingness to learn; willingness to work in a laboratory or real world setting to collect data; some coding experience (MATLAB or Python) are a plus.

Verification Laboratory 

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Xiaoyu Song

I will propose projects on the design automation of semiconductor digital circuits and systems, including design and verification, with potential AI-based enhancements.

Key skills needed: ECE, CS, or math.