Two Doctoral Students Matt Ford and Newell Moser Receive the NSF Graduate Research Fellowships
Matt Ford is a PhD student of Professor Seyi Balogun and Newell Moser is a PhD student of Professor Jian Cao and Professor Kori Ehmann. The award is from the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (http://www.nsfgrfp.org/).
Matt Ford came to the Northwestern University from UC Berkeley after completing his BS degree. His research is on electromechanical properties of 2-D crystals for applications in flexible electronics, and NEMS devices. This project will provide new understanding of the electromechanical properties of 2-D materials. Such fundamental understanding is essential for the development of future electronic devices that will employ these materials. These materials have many promising applications: recently, fabrication of a flexible monolayer transistor and room-temperature photo-luminescent crystals from 2-D materials were demonstrated. In addition to the research, Matt is very interested in teaching and undergraduate mentoring, as well as the public perceptions of engineering and science.
Newell Moser came to the Northwestern University from University of New Hampshire after completing his BS degree. His research interests are in manufacturing mechanics and material characterization. He also had interned at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). After coming to the Northwestern University he joined Prof. Jian Cao's Advanced Manufacturing Processes Laboratory (AMPL). Currently, he is investigating Double-Sided Incremental Forming (DSIF) in sheet metal manufacturing processes and then characterizing the relationships between mechanical properties and micro-constituents. DSIF is a new flexible forming process that is controlled by a numerical controller and does not require geometry-specific tooling. The eventual goal of this innovative process is to eliminate the cost of manufacturing dies for sheet metal processes, as well as lower energy consumption.
Northwestern University's Department of Mechanical Engineering emphasizes cutting-edge research that advances the frontiers of knowledge and engineering capabilities in emerging disciplines as well as traditional subjects. The department offers premier programs at both the undergraduate and graduate (both PhD and MS degree) levels that provide solid foundations for careers in industry, research, and academia. It maintains an atmosphere that has all of the advantages of a large university, with world-renowned professors doing state-of-the-art research, yet has small class sizes that enable personal attention from faculty.