*Click on blue headline sentence to read more about each entry.
- New Highlights from Grenoble and the GIANT Campus
Our 2022 cohort shares a new suite of videos for our Through our Trainees’ Lenses collection. One student opted for video as a supplement to a blog post. - REACT Students Present Top Three Posters
At the French-American Workshop 2022, Jamie Silk, Akshata Naidu and Sarah Beth Gleeson won the best, 2nd and 3rd best posters respectively. - Congratulations to Our Most Recent REACT Fellow who Defended her PhD Thesis!
Katie Rose presented her thesis work, Effect of probe characteristics and hydrogel structure on single nanoparticle dynamics, in a hybrid event in June 2022. - Funding from Penn Global
REACT is thrilled to be a PennAbroad Global Research & Internship Program (GRIP) Campus Partner! - REACT co-PI Lee Highlights Membrane Separations for Water
Daeyeon Lee discusses membrane separations for water purification in the contexts of fracking, biofilm fouling and desalination in The Water Center at Penn’s Water Exchange Newsletter (Issue 4, July 2020). Read Lee’s article here. - Annual REACT Summer Meeting Embraces Remote Format
Although the REACT network was saddened that our typical research and education activities could not occur in Grenoble at GIANT as in past summers, 27+ of our members were able to come together to hear what our current Trainees have been doing. Read more about our July 2020 REACT@Zoom event. - Readying the Next Group for Grenoble
As the number of REACT students who have gone to Grenoble, France as part of the GIANT International Internship Programme grows through the years, the preparation available for each new summer cohort is enhanced. This year’s Pre-Departure Meeting touched on safety, health and logistics. Most valuable though was the experienced students sharing their advice with the group who will start ... - Great Turnout for CTL Workshop
Every spring, REACT Fellows who will be doing research at GIANT for the upcoming summer present teaching talks that serve as the foci for a REACT-Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) workshop. Presenters get specific feedback on their presentations from the audience; the audience engages in a broader discussion of STEM pedagogy, led by CTL’s Julie McGurk. This year, we ... - 2019 John H. Dillon Medal Recipient
ACT 3 co-leader, Zahra Fakhraai, Associate Professor in Chemistry, was honored by the American Physical Society for her “exceptional investigations of surface effects in polymer glasses and amyloid aggregation.” She presented the Dillon Medal talk at the APS’ March Meeting in Boston. - New REACT Postdoc Starts in March
Connor Bilchak joined Zahra Fakhraai’s group as a REACT postdoctoral Fellow. Connor, who received his PhD in the Chemical Engineering Department at Columbia University, will be working on both the water and energy ACTs. - National Academy of Engineering Honor
Congratulations to ACT 3 co-leader, Christopher Murray, Richard Perry University Professor and professor in Materials Science and Chemistry for his election to the National Academy of Engineering in February 2019. - Polymer Seminar Winds up Productive Week at Penn for REACT
Saïd Sadki, from the University Grenoble Alpes and CEA-Grenoble, shared his research in a Polymer Seminar Series talk (“Bottom-Up conjugated/conducting polymers-coated Silicon Nanostructures for Integrated On-chip EDLCs and Batteries”; January 18, 2019). This was an exciting finale to a week of intense research discussion and student mentorship during which Penn’s REACT team hosted its international partners in Philadelphia for activities including ... - French Partners Share Experience with Fellows
French colleagues Patrice Rannou, David Riassetto and Said Sadki’s visit to Penn extended much beyond their participation in the REACT@Penn Symposium in January 2019. Through the week, they met with students and faculty about ongoing research and with a group of REACT students over breakfast to chat about best practices for productivity in new lab settings, such as the case ... - Welcome to New PhD Fellows
Steven Cheng and Drew Wang became REACT Fellows starting January 2019. Stephen is a 1st year PhD student under Shu Yang and will be working on structures for water management (ACT 1). Drew is a 2nd year PhD student working on energy storage (ACT 3) under Karen Winey. Drew Wang (left), Steven Cheng. - REACT@Penn Connects Research and Policy Communities
The Annual REACT@Penn symposium (“Policy, Technology and Science for Global Challenges”) brought together researchers and policy experts at Penn’s Perry World House. The talks and photos from the January 14, 2019 event can be viewed here. - BMC, Villanova Visits to Share REACT Opportunity
On November 1 and 6, 2018, teams of Penn students travelled to Villanova University and Bryn Mawr College. Together, with students from Villanova and BMC who had participated in the GIANT International Internship Programme through REACT during summer 2018, the students presented their research projects and experiences in Grenoble, France. The goal of these visits ... - French Students Present to Penn, Solvay and CNRS
Our three French student summer researchers presented their work in a symposium with the Singh Center REU students in August. Lauriane also presented her project to the visiting Scientific Director of CNRS, who was visiting Solvay. CNRS, Solvay and a couple of REACT’s Penn-based labs collaborated on two of these summer projects. - Summer Research Closes with Success
US students presented their final research talks for the GIANT International Internship Programme at the end of July. Congratulations to Katie Rose for earning “best final presentation” and Mauricio Alvarez for sharing 3rd place along with MIT student Keith Phuthi. Virginia Tech student, Grace Watt, received 2nd place. - Students Design Cleanbox and Safety Spot for Use in Refugee Camps
Our REACT cohort in France spent its last week in a 3.5 day prototyping Innovation Workshop, where students worked in teams to create products to make life in refugee camps safer. The “Cleanbox” and “Safety Spot” were designed to leverage REACT-related research. Richard Adamovich-Zeitlin, a Penn undergraduate, had spent his summer working with French intern, ... - Dean’s Global Inquiries Fund Project Award
Under the leadership of Zahra Fakhraai, REACT’s Penn leads (R. Composto, K. Field, D. Lee) have been awarded a seed grant to pursue and expand ACT 1-related work. The two-year project, “Active Coating Technologies (ACT) to Mitigate the Global Water Crisis,” will build an international working group around redirecting, harvesting and purifying water and will ... - REACT Fellow Returns to GIANT to Collect Data
Neha Manohar, with the support of GIANT mentors at Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) Philipp Gutfreund and Giovanna Fragneto, applied for and was awarded time to collect neutron reflectivity data at ILL. These experiments will refine work that builds on Neha’s research during her 2017 summer at GIANT and at Penn for her dissertation and on work ... - REACT@GIANT, French-American Workshop 2018
Part of the Penn REACT team gathered in Grenoble or joined via videoconference during the week of June 18 to participate in the annual REACT@GIANT meeting to discuss research progress and educational programming. REACT students participating in the 2018 GIANT International Internship Programme (GIIP) gave research updates to REACT faculty on site at GIANT and, ... - Three French students conduct REACT research over the summer
ACT 1 Professors Stebe and Lee are hosting Anne Guindet from the Chemistry Department at the Université Grenoble Alpes – UIT1 to work on understanding the formation of nanoparticle composite films, which have potential for advancing water filtration technology. REACT Fellow Neha Manohar is mentoring Anne. ACT 2, with industrial partner Solvay, is hosting Laurène Quénot ... - REACT Collaborators Advance Functional Polymer Membrane Design with Exciting Energy and Water Implications
Researchers from Penn and GIANT, along with colleagues at the University of Florida and at Sandia National Labs, published a paper in Nature Materials that describes their innovative approach to designing a membrane that promises efficient and selective transport of protons, ions and small molecules. The lead author, Edward “Ted” Trigg, is an alum of ... - Third REACT Cohort at GIANT in Grenoble, France
Most of the 2018 cohort of REACT students started their research at GIANT on May 14 in labs of our French REACT partners. This year’s group includes five undergraduates* (including one from Bryn Mawr College1 and one from Villanova2) and five graduate students** (including one from Alabama State3). French hosts, project areas and students are ... - Alabama State REACT Fellow Studies New Techniques at Penn
Stephanie Barrow spent the month of May in Daeyeon Lee’s Lab in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department to work on the conditions for developing layer-by-layer assembled polymer films. This extension of her work in Catherine Picart’s Lab at the Laboratoire des Matériaux et du Génie Physique in Grenoble, France during the summers 2016 and ... - Tent Team Research Presented at Quaker Days
David Gordon, one of the undergraduate researchers on the 2017 tent design team, submitted a proposal to present the team’s work to high school students newly admitted to Penn. His presentation, “Graphene Nanoplatelet-Based Superhydrophobic Spray-Coatings Applied to Rapidly Deployable Humanitarian Relief Tents,” was accepted for and presented at the 9th Annual Quaker Days Undergraduate Research ... - REACT Fellow Describes Broader Impact of REACT Participation
Nadia Krook shares her thoughts on how her involvement in REACT has affected her professionally. In this Penn Engineering blog post, Nadia talks about her research in France, presenting at the French Embassy in DC and the value of REACT’s international and domestic community. - Welcome to the 2018 Cohort of REACT Fellows
We are pleased that the next group of Fellows will join REACT. Congratulations to Timothy Egbo (ACT 2, ASU – Microbiology), Ayham Maadi (ACT 2, CBE), Wilfredo Mendez (ACT 2, CBE), Christian Tabedzki (ACT 3, CBE), Zachariah Vicars (ACT 1, CBE), Connor Woods (ACT 1, Chemistry). ASU= Alabama State University, CBE=Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Students are ... - REACT Workshop and Networking at the French Embassy
A team of REACT faculty and students gave talks at the Embassy of France in the United States, in Washington, DC on November 27 as part of workshop organized by the Embassy’s Office for Science and Technology. The workshop brought together REACT’s team and representatives from governmental agencies, industry and NGOs. (View the program here.) Workshop ... - REACT Students Visit Labs at Solvay
As part of REACT’s informal networking program with Solvay, a group of REACT graduate student and undergraduates were given tours of Solvay labs at the Bristol Research and Innovation Center in November. Hearing from the lab scientists and then from a group of managers provided perspective and insight into technical careers in industry. - REACT Students Give Talks at BMC, Villanova
Seven REACT students presented at either Bryn Mawr College (Nov. 2) or Villanova University (Nov. 6). Graduate students gave mini-teaching talks to explain concepts relevant to their research. Undergraduates described their summer research projects at GIANT. These events are part of our annual outreach to encourage BMC and Villanova students to apply to join the ... - REACT Poster Wins Prize at Singh Nanovation 2017
Fellow Nadia Krook’s presentation of her poster, “Directing the Orientation of Nanoplate Particles Using Block Copolymer Domains to Control the Properties of Thin-Film Polymer Nanocomposites”, by Nadia M. Krook, Robert A. Riggleman, Manuel Marchal, Patrice Rannou, Christopher B. Murray, Russell J. Composto,” was acknowledged as one of the top four posters presented on October 17 ... - REACT Students Infect Visiting High Schoolers with STEM Passion
On October 3, 2017 the Singh Center for Nanotechnology hosted NanoDay@Penn, which brought in ~150 high school students for a whirlwind tour of cool STEM activities and Penn facilities. Our REACT students were quick to answer the call for volunteers, a roster which included a large team of volunteers from Penn Engineering and the School ... - REACT’s 2017 Cohort’s summer at GIANT ends with applause
Our nine students at GIANT finished their summer research program in Grenoble on July 28. - REACT PI receives Invited Professorship position for 2018
Russ Composto was awarded a 1-month Invited Visiting Professorship to be used during the summer 2018 from the Communauté Université Grenoble Alpes (ComUE UGA). - GIANT hosts REACT Prototyping Workshop
The 2017 REACT cohort at GIANT was challenged with a workshop that started with a quick overview of SheterBox’s disaster relief mission to deploy emergency tents. - REACT Fellow Featured in Penn Engineering Blog
Neha Manohar joined REACT in 2016. Currently she is at GIANT in France to work with two French partners, Drs. Giovanna Fragneto at the Institut Laue-Langevin and David Riassetto at LMGP. Read what Neha has shared with Penn Engineering about her time in REACT thus far, including her experience hosting one of the Grenoble students ... - French Students Start in Penn REACT Labs
On May 30, 2017, five REACT labs welcomed students from Grenoble into their groups. These students are from three institutions (IUT – Grenoble Alpes University, INAC-CEA-Grenoble and Phelma INPG – Grenoble Institute of Tech). - REACT undergrads and Fellows at GIIP 2017
Nine REACT students started their research experience in French REACT partners’ labs at GIANT in Grenoble, France on May 22, 2017. - Summer Tent Team Enabled by CURF Grant
REACT Co-PI, Daeyeon Lee, was awarded funding from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships to support a team of Penn undergraduate researchers during summer 2017. A cross-disciplinary team of six undergraduates from the Penn Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences, with majors including Architecture, Biology, Chemistry and Bioengineering, are pursuing the design ... - Congratulations to REACT folks …
Congratulation to Dr. Tagbo Niepa, Professor Daeyeon Lee, and undergraduates Brielle Weiner & Jane Shmushkis. - Tips from Industry
The second Solvay Connections event gave REACT Fellows an opportunity to have frank conversations with Solvay scientists about working in industry. - Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes delegation visits REACT
REACT was pleased to be part of a multi-day, Philadelphia-area visit from leaders in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region in France to celebrate 10 years of partnership between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region. The tour included a reception at City Hall on November 29, 2016 and a visit to learn more about Penn’s REACT ... - REACT welcomes the cohort of graduate student fellows for 2017
The incoming cohort of REACT Fellows was finalized in November. These eight new Fellows will join the ACT 1, 2 and 3 teams for an expectedly productive and exciting 2017. Congratulations to the below recipients of our 2017 REACT Fellowships. ACT 1: Evan Dolling (Dept: Materials Science, Lab: S. Yang), Emily Lin (Dept: Chemical and Biomolecular ... - Sharing REACT opportunities at BMC and Villanova
REACT partners with Bryn Mawr College and Villanova to make the international summer research at GIANT available to BMC and Villanova undergraduates. Our 2016 BMC and Villanova participants, along with REACT graduate student and postdoc Fellows, gave talks at these institutions to share their research and summer 2016 experiences with undergraduates interested in research opportunities ... - Bryn Mawr College REACT student returns to GIANT
Alena Klindziuk, now a senior in the Physics Department at Bryn Mawr, impressed her French collaborators during her 10-week REACT-GIANT GIIP internship during the summer of 2016. Shortly after her completion of her summer work, she was asked to come back to Grenoble to help collect polarized neutron reflectometry data at the Institut Laue-Langevin with ... - A summer well spent for the 2016 REACT Grenoble cohort!
Congratulations to David Ring for receiving recognition for Best presentation among the 27 final presentations of the GIANT International Internship Program participants and to Ted Trigg and Tagbo Niepa for honorable mentions! As part of the final week of the program, fellows Stephanie Barrow, Tagbo Niepa, David Ring and Edward (Ted) Trigg, along with undergraduates ... - First US REACT cohort joins the GIANT International Internship Program (GIIP) in Grenoble
Fellows Stephanie Barrow, Tagbo Niepa, David Ring and Ted Trigg, along with undergraduates Gabe Angrand, Alena Klindziuk (Bryn Mawr College), Eric Schwartz, Brent Studenroth (Villanova) and Robert Tannebaum started their 10-week research experience in Grenoble, France on May 23, 2016. See their project titles and follow their weekly video highlights. - Penn’s REACT team welcomes four Grenoble students for summer 2016
Maxence Bouvier, Julia Capdeville, SunJae Lee and Christophe Lutz have started their research at Penn. We look forward to their contributions over their 10-week stay (May 31-August 5). See their projects and host labs. - French REACT Partners awarded ANR four-year grant
ANR logoThe French National Research Agency (ANR) cooperates with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to finance the French teams selected by the two countries as part of the PIRE “Partnerships for International Research and Education” call for proposals issued by the NSF. The public announcement of funding for Patrice Rannou and his GIANT colleagues was ... - Penn Leads International Collaboration to Re-engineer Disaster Tents
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have received a five-year, $3.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop materials for multifunctional coatings on emergency tents, enabling them to manage water, prevent the spread of bacteria and capture and store solar energy. - Water Management for Disaster Response
Penn Material Science and Engineering seniors, Sonya Kripke, Gracie Salmon, and Jason Woo are tackling water management for disaster response for their Senior Design project. Under the guidance of Professor Karen Winey and other REACT faculty, the team will develop a novel solution to a water management issue that they identify as relevant, meaningful and ...