Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

The Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research (ICUR) is a multifaceted, multicultural event held every summer on campus at Boise State University. The ICUR makes research accessible, interactive, and fun for students and participants. Undergraduate students of diverse backgrounds and disciplines gather to present the results of their original research in poster presentations to faculty, the public, and their peers from across the country. This high-intensity two-day event also focuses on integrating educators to promote student learning in K-12 and higher education.

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Materials for Energy and Sustainability participants look forward to presenting their summer research at the ICUR each year. This is the first opportunity for many undergraduate students to present their work in a professional setting. Presenting at the ICUR allows students to gain experience participating in a comprehensive scientific conference. Students fine-tune their presentation skills, network with the scientific community, and attend professional development workshops.

Virtual Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research 2024

17 – 18 July 2024
Boise State University

Participant Posters

2023 REU in Materials for Society participant posters

Poster Title	Student(s) and Faculty	Download Poster (PDF)
Printable Bioscaffolds Using Ti3C2 MXene for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering	Annaka Tibbits, David Estrada
Corona Poling of Printed Piezoelectric Films	Claire Chen, Zhangxian Deng
Characterization of Zirconium Carbide Pellets for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion	Ezra Acero, Brian Jaques
The Synthesis and Study of Nanoparticles of Niobium Oxide as Negative Electrodes in Li-ion Batteries	Jake Cuzick, Hui (Claire) Xiong
Empirical Modeling of B-site Ordered Triple Perovskites	Jessica Phuong and Sophie McManus, Rick Ubic
Exploring the Effects of Indium in a Four Element Magnetic Alloy	Kenny Au, Peter Müllner
Applying Direct Electrical Stimulus to Drive Cell Behavior for 3D Tissue Engineering	Olivia Nielson, David Estrada
Material Parameter Estimation from Microstructure Morphologies with Machine Learning	Malcolm Hodson, Mahmood Mamivand
Coarse-graining of Anisotropic Molecules for Energy Materials Simulations	Noah Montrose, Eric Jankowski

2022 REU in Materials for Society participant posters

Poster Title	Student(s) and Faculty	Download Poster (PDF)
Thermodynamic Study of Carbon Mineralization with Recycled Concrete Fines for Carbon Capture and Utilization Applications	Akhila Mattapalli, Yang Lu
Optimizing Three-Dimensional Bioprinting for Cell Culture Scaffolds	Emma Brudos, David Estrada
All-Printed Morphing Electronics	Jack Messerli-Wallace, Zhangxian (Dan) Deng
Comparison of DFT Basis Sets for Organic Dyes	Kaden Shaw, Lan Li
Niobium Doped Hydrothermal Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes as a Negative Electrode in Lithium-Ion Batteries	Kyle Reche, Hui (Claire) Xiong
Prediction of Onsager and Gradient Energy Coefficients from Microstructure Images with Machine Learning	Leo Smith, Mahmood Mamivand
Materials Parameter Estimation from Microstructures with Deep Learning: Thermodynamic Parameters Database Generation	Mackenzie Van Hees, Mahmood Mamivand
Characterizing Rheological Effects of Corn Oil on Fresh State Concrete Mixtures for 3D Printing Applications	Mary Hochberg, Yang Lu
Optimizing ATDC5 Seeding of Graphene Foam for Cartilage Tissue Engineering	Olivia Nielson, David Estrada
Magneto-Mechanics of Magnetic Shape-Memory Crystals with Micropeened Surfaces	Zane Harbison, Peter Müllner

2021 REU in Materials for Society participant posters

Poster Title	Student(s) and Faculty	Download Poster (PDF)
Synthesis and Characterization of Doped CeO₂ as a Surrogate Nuclear Fuel	Alexander Nadermann, Brian Jaques
Room-Temperature Fabrication of Dielectric Ceramics	Alison Block, Rick Ubic
Validating Structural and Thermodynamic Properties of Nonfullerene Acceptors for Organic Photovoltaics	Bryan Wright and Lina Zhu, Eric Jankowski
Hybrid Perovskites for Photovoltaics	Eamon Bartlett, Rick Ubic
Magnetostrictive Harvesters Must be Large to be Effective	Jacob Furgison, Zhangxian Deng
Materials Parameters Prediction from Microstructure by Machine Learning: Database Generation	Jason Hatfield, Mahmood Mamivand
Additive Manufacturing of Piezoelectric Devices	Kristen Epperly, Zhangxian Deng
Bioscaffold Synthesis for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering	Nina Yao, David Estrada
Atomic Layer Deposition on Alkali Transition Metal Oxides as Cathode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries	Stephanie McCallum, Hui (Claire) Xiong

2019 REU in Materials for Society participant posters

Poster Title	Students and Faculty	Download Poster (PDF)
Bottom-Up Synthesis of Nickel and Copper Nanoparticle Ink for Aerosol Jet Printing	Alexis Quick, Nicholas McKibben, David Estrada
Phase Field Modeling of the Tetragonal-to-Monoclinic Phase Transformation in Zirconia	Matthew Trappett, Morgan Diefendorf, Mahmood Mamivand
Structural Distortions of Perovskite Ceramics Can Be Accurately Predicted Using Only Published Ionic-Radius Data	Olivia Wander, Evan Smith, Rick Ubic
First-Principles Study for ALD of MoS₂	Sean Martin, Matthew Lawson, Lan Li
Making Gems in Minutes	Zoe Hern, Ali Mustafa, Brent Johnston, Peter Müllner
Intergrowth Structural Cathode Materials	Malia Dustin, Julie Pipkin, Eric Gabriel, Yingying Xie, Claire Xiong
Black Phosphorus Synthesis and Exfoliation via Ball Milling	Keaton M. Turney, Samuel Pedersen, Chad Husko, Josh Wood, David Estrada, Brian Jaques
Additive Manufacturing of Magnetostrictive Cobalt Ferrite Thin Films for Structural Energy Harvesting	Kailey Blair, Zhangxian (Dan) Deng
Our Simulations Show How Organic Molecules Arrange Themselves in Solar Cell Materials. It’s a Mess, but It’s Efficient.	Mia Klopfenstein, Cecily Martin, Nathanael Schwindt, Evan Miller, Matthew Jones, Eric Jankowski
Multimodal Characterization and Testing of Heat-Reflective Coatings to Mitigate the Urban Heat Island	Molly Vitale-Sullivan, Aidin Golrokh, Yang Lu

2018 REU in Materials for Society participant posters

Poster Title	Students and Faculty	Download Poster (PDF)
Magnetomechanics of Magnetic Shape Memory Micropumps	Annika Thomas, Sierra Sandison, Andrew Armstrong, P. Mullner
Additive Manufacturing of Nanomaterial Based Sensors for Extreme Environments	Casey Cornwell, Twinkle Pandhi, Kiyo Fujimoto, Harish Subbaraman, David Estrada
Empirical Modeling of B-site Ordered Perovskites	Claire Adams, Evan Smith, Rick Ubic
Phase Field Modeling of Martensitic Phase Transformation in Nitinol	Eric Rivera, Mahmood Mamivand
Transverse Rupture Strength of CeO2 as a Surrogate Nuclear Fuel	Jayson G. Foster, Adrianna E. Lupercio, Brian J. Jaques
Nanoporous Niobium Oxide as an Anode for Na-ion Batteries	Sam Frisone, Pete Barnes, Kiev Dixon, Hui (Claire) Xiong
Molecular Simulations of Organic Semiconductors for Clean Energy Production	Samantha Chesser, Ramon Mendoza, Mia Klopfenstein, Mike Henry, Evan Miller, Matthew Jones, Eric Jankowski
Two-Dimensional Electronic Materials: Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMD)	Sven Marnauzs, Matthew Lawson, Lan Li
Heat-Reflective Coating for Reduction of Urban Heat Island	Nicholas W. Moore, Aidin J. Golrokh, Yang Lu

2017 REU in Materials for Society participant posters

Poster Title	Students and Faculty	Download Poster (PDF)
Expanding Empirical Models of Perovskites	Chris Hancock, Evan Smith, Dr. Rick Ubic
Examining the Effects of Phosphazene Additives in Electrolytes for Sodium Ion Batteries	Devin T. Krasowski, Kassiopeia Smith, Andreas Savva, Dr. Claire Xiong
Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells	Erik Nordquist, Brad Kinney, Dr. Rick Ubic
Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (2D-TMDs) Studies via Computer Calculations	Ian Rivera-Colón, Matthew Lawson, Dr. Lan Li
Fabrication and Characterization of Uranium-based Nuclear Fuels	Joshua Winger, Jennifer Watkins, Brian J. Jaques
Computational Modeling of 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides by Atomic Layer Deposition	Joy Sigurdson, Matthew Larson, Saida Razaee, Dr. Elton Graugnard, Dr. Lan Li
Improving Spatial Resolution of Induced Positron Annihilation Powder River Basin Graphene Inks	Katarzyna Lewandowska, Michael Seas, Twinkle Pandhi, Ashita Chandnani, Harish Subbaraman, Patrick Johnson, David Estrada (Mentor)
High-throughput molecular simulations into the morphology of P3HT:PCBM blends	Paul Chery, Kyle Miller, Evan Miller, Dr. Eric Jankowski
Impact of Micro-Peening on the Surface of Ni-Mn-Ga	P. Plaskonos, A. Armstrong, Dr. Peter Müllner