Each year, the $2.5 billion tech giant Sandia National Laboratories challenges America’s elite engineering schools to submit novel and educational ideas that push the thinking of its MicroElectroMechanical Systems division. The MEMS lab conducts research and development for advancements in microfluidics—a discipline that combines principles from engineering, physics, chemistry, microtechnology, and biotechnology.
Practically speaking, advancements in microfluidics—developing tiny mechanical devices—enable a number of commercial applications, from the development of the ink-jet printer to anti-cancer drugs that can be tactically introduced into malignant cells of terminal patients.
This year, the team of Vitali Brand (E’11), Henry Kung (E’11), Sam Powers (E’11), and Emrecan Soylemez (E’11) were awarded first place for their micro-machine submission in the Educational Design category. One of the team members, Powers, works at Sandia now, where he continues his MEMS devices research.
—Chris Faught (TPR’09)
