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Microfluidics in Engineering, Science, and Technology Education

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Conference

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

San Antonio, Texas

Publication Date

June 10, 2012

Start Date

June 10, 2012

End Date

June 13, 2012

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

NSF Grantees' Poster Session

Tagged Topic

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Page Count

9

Page Numbers

25.935.1 - 25.935.9

DOI

10.18260/1-2--21692

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/21692

Download Count

423

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Paper Authors

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Michael G. Mauk Drexel University

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Michael Mauk is Assistant Professor in Drexel University's Engineering Technology program.

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Richard Chiou Drexel University

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Vladimir Genis Drexel University

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Vladimir Genis is professor and Engineering Technology Program Director in the School of Technology and Professional Studies, Drexel University. He has developed and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in physics, electronics, nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, nondestructive testing, and acoustics. His research interests include ultrasound wave propagation and scattering, ultrasound imaging, nondestructive testing, electronic instrumentation, piezoelectric transducers, and engineering education. Results of his research work were published in scientific journals and presented at national and international conferences. Genis has five U.S. patents.

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M. Eric Carr Drexel University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-3444-0883

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Eric Carr is currently the Laboratory Technician for Drexel University's Engineering Technology program. Eric assists faculty members with the development and implementation of various engineering technology courses and enjoys finding innovative ways to use microcontrollers and other technologies to enhance Drexel's engineering technology course offerings. Carr holds an M.S. in computer engineering from Drexel University and is an author of several recent technical papers in the field of engineering technology education.

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Danielle Tadros Drexel University

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Christopher Sikich Sun Valley High School

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Christopher Sikich is in his sixth year as a high school biology teacher, fifth as a teacher at Sun Valley High School in Aston, Penn.

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Abstract

Microfluidics in Engineering, Science, and Technology EducationAbstract The paper describes microfluidics laboratory experiments and projects incorporated into theEngineering Technology curriculum and high-school science classes. The material is beingdeveloped under a Type 1 NSF TUES program. Microfluidics technology provides miniaturizedfluidic networks for processing and analyzing liquids in the nanoliter to milliliter range.Typically, a microfluidic “lab on a chip” system comprises a credit-card sized plastic, glass,ceramic, or silicon substrate. A fluidic circuit of interconnected channels, conduits, chambers,filters, packed columns, valves, fluid actuators, sensors, and other components is formed bymilling, laser machining, lithography, embossing, 3D-printing, or other microfabricationtechniques. Microfluidics is of increasing importance for biomedical applications, particularlypoint-of-care medical diagnostics, as well as micro-scale chemistry, chemical sensors, anddetailed studies of biological phenomena including cellular functions, cell cultures, and cell andtissue engineering. Microfluidic devices offer many opportunities for teaching students themultidisciplinary integration of CAD, rapid prototyping, fluid mechanics, heat and masstransfer, instrumentation and control, optics, sensors, robotics, automation, machine vision,image processing, and nanotechnology. The following laboratory experiments and projects aredescribed in detail: 1) the design, rapid prototyping, and characterization of microfluidic chips,2) the development a PID microcontroller polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system for medicaldiagnostics, 3) robotic manipulation and machine vision of ferrofluids in microfluidic channels,and 4) microfluidic chips with multicolor LEDs to observe phototaxis (light-directed movement)of algae under a low-power microscope.

Mauk, M. G., & Chiou, R., & Genis, V., & Carr, M. E., & Tadros, D., & Sikich, C. (2012, June), Microfluidics in Engineering, Science, and Technology Education Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--21692

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