Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: DigitalCommons@IMSANot a member yet
9795 research outputs found
Sort by
Aerodynamics Of a Model Rocket (part 1: Fundamentals)
No full textThis project will be separated into part l, the fundamentals of aerodynamics, and part Il, the application of aerodynamics. This project will only be part l, and part Il will be tested next school year. Aerodynamics is focused on, but not limited to, the factors of drag, center of mass, and center of pressure. Through virtual simulations, this project will isolate different variables in a model rocket, and will be creating a foundation for the best qualities of a model rocket to be launched. This project will be focused on isolating different features of a rocket like the nose, the engine, the fins, the body, and the materials used, in order to design the most efficient rocket with the knowledge of how it is the most efficient. A fundamental understanding of aerodynamics is necessary for this project in order to design a model rocket that is optimized to be launched in part ll
Finding Exoplanets
Get PDFThis session will engage teachers in exploring how students can look for exoplanets in TESS data. Participants will discuss the physics and math concepts that higher grade level students can apply to determine if the exoplanets they discover are potentially habitable. Attendees should bring a laptop or tablet to this session
Composition of Asteroids and Their Formation and Evolution Within the Solar System
No full textThe mineralogical composition of asteroids indicates a further understanding of the evolution of the solar system. While prior research has been conducted on the compositions of specific asteroids, this research analyzes multiple classifications of asteroids to create a broader narrative on the formation of the solar system. This research focuses on six asteroids along with an example of each type: C-type Ceres, M-type Psyche, B-type Bennu, S-type Itokawa and Dinkinesh, and V-type Vesta. Focusing on the mineralogy, age, density, and structure in comparison to each asteroid’s relative location in the solar system and to the Sun, the research concluded that the mineralogical composition of asteroids is highly correlated to their location within the solar system. The distance from the sun and the resulting thermal energy play a large role in the differentiation of the minerals and their location within the structure of the asteroid. The mineralogy of the asteroids studied provided detailed insight into where they originated and the conditions of where they formed. In addition to the upcoming Psyche sample results and OSIRIS-APEx mission, possible future research in this area could include analysis of Kuiper Belt objects in a similar manner to that which is done in this research
The Feasibility of Powering an Attic Fan with a Stirling Engine
No full textInterest in stirling engines has increased since existing thermal gradients can be carbon neutral. Our goal is to produce sufficient electricity to run a fan under the constraint of a 20 ºC temperature difference on either side of ceiling drywall in an attic. A small commercial low-temperature gamma type Stirling engine was placed in a model attic with the intent to generate electricity. The first iteration attempted to conduct thermal energy from a heated shingle via copper tubing to the engine’s top plate but was not successful. The second utilized a heated attic chamber and generated a representative temperature differential across the engine’s surfaces. The next hurdle was to transfer the mechanical energy of the Stirling engine flywheel to an electrical generator. Several custom flanges and pulley wheels were designed and printed. Direct frictional contact proved problematic owing to out-of-roundness of the printed wheels. Currently, the engine’s flywheel is being augmented with fenders such that a friction drive belt can allow the transfer using modest tension. We hope that this design is adequate to consistently generate a measurable amount of electricity
Effects of Peanuts on Cognition
No full textMost of the human population has had a peanut before. This staple of worldwide cuisine has been proven to have cardiovascular, digestive, and nutritional benefits. In this systematic review, we aimed to assess the effects of peanuts on cognition. We measured cognition under three domains: Memory, Reaction Time & Processing Speed, and Global Cognitive Function. Five studies met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Rather than performing a meta-analysis, we did a qualitative analysis. We found that peanuts have a statistically significant positive effect on the memory and global cognitive function domains. However, results for reaction time and processing speed were mixed, with some studies reporting small but non-significant improvements. We concluded that part of the peanut’s effectiveness in increasing cognition is due to biocompounds present in its body. While the studies we selected were quite comprehensive, they had their limitations. Primarily, they had small sample sizes and short intervention times
CADD and Synthesis of Fenarimols for Mycetoma Therapies
No full textChronic mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease, is a suppurative and inflammatory fungal (eumycetoma) or bacterial (actinomycetoma) infection of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue. Due to the poor economic situation in most affected countries, mycetoma is neglected and currently treated with medications that are expensive, cytotoxic, or have a poor route of administration. The non-profit organization DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative) engages graduate and undergraduate students in research for potential therapeutics for a variety of under-researched diseases. In collaboration with the DNDi, fenarimol analogs of DNDi\u27s lead compound DNDI0003105207 were synthesized based on a compound found with proven activity in previous trials as a potential anti-eumycetoma therapeutic. Using Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD), the binding affinities of 17 potential analogs were analyzed and the three analogs with the highest binding affinities were synthesized. Synthesis involved utilizing techniques such as TLC, a work-up, and column chromatography. FTIR (ATR) was used to characterize final compounds, which will be shipped to DNDi collaborators for further testing in biological assays. Based on structure-activity relationship (SAR) information, a second generation of drug discovery efforts of fenarimols will be synthesized
Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm and How It Compares to Other Algorithms on the Max-2 Satisfiability Problem
No full textGoogle Quantum Al is a subsidiary of Google that primarily focuses on quantum hardware and software. Some of their biggest accomplishments have been developing quantum chips and creating Cirq, a quantum computing simulation package in python. Through using tools like Cirq and meeting with quantum computing research scientists and engineers, we developed Our Own implementation of algorithms and compared them against the Max-2 Sat. This project was based on the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA). The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm was developed in 2014 by Farhi, et al as a novel method for solving combinatorial optimization problems.The algorithm is based on the already existing Structure of the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE). In addition to building our own implementation of QAOA for the Max-2 Sat, we also studied algorithms such as Grover-QAOA, which replaces the mixer operator in the QAOA circuit with a modified diffusion operator based off the workings of Grover\u27s quantum algorithm for unstructured search. Our current goal is to now apply this modified QAOA to the Max-2 Sat instances of different problems and compare the results with normal QAOA, random guessing, and classical algorithms
“Playing the Organoid: Keys to Understanding Skin Biology” Bethany E. Perez White, PhD
No full textIMSAloquium 2025 Keynote
“Playing the Organoid: Keys to Understanding Skin Biology” Bethany E. Perez White, PhD
Assistant Professor-Department of Dermatology Associate Director-Skin Tissue Engineering and Morphology (STEM) Core Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University [email protected]
Credentials PhD in Biopharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago MS in Molecular Biology, University of Cyprus BS in Liberal Arts and Sciences (Biological Sciences), University of Illinois at Chicag
HBCU Experience Panel 2025
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/dei_panels_6/1002/thumbnail.jp
HBCU experience Panel 2025
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/dei_panels_6/1001/thumbnail.jp