Happening @ Michigan https://events.umich.edu/list/rss RSS Feed for Happening @ Michigan Events at the University of Michigan. Introduction To Science Policy (Panel Event) (October 11, 2018 12:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/56195 56195-13855647@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Thursday, October 11, 2018 12:00pm
Location: Lurie Robert H. Engin. Ctr
Organized By: Graduate Society of Women Engineers

GradSWE and MESWN are inviting students to attend this science policy panel event featuring Dr. Joy Rohde (associate professor of Ford school of public policy at UM), Kristina Ko (Senior Director of Federal Relations for Research), and Rachel Kirpes (PhD candidate at the department of Chemistry at University of Michigan).

The panel will be focused on introducing science and public policy, its impact on graduate student’s daily life, research, and funding, career paths in science and public policy and introducing more resources.

Questions are highly welcome. Lunch will be provided.

If interested, please RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-science-policy-panel-event-registration-50676262064

Please contact "Dhanya Abraham" and "Maryam Akram" at dmabe@umich.edu and akramrym@umich.edu if you have any questions.

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Workshop / Seminar Mon, 01 Oct 2018 21:57:40 -0400 2018-10-11T12:00:00-04:00 2018-10-11T13:00:00-04:00 Lurie Robert H. Engin. Ctr Graduate Society of Women Engineers Workshop / Seminar Science Policy
SLE Fall Break Retreat (October 13, 2018 10:00am) https://events.umich.edu/event/53180 53180-13272084@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Saturday, October 13, 2018 10:00am
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: Sustainable Living Experience

Spend two days and one night at the University of Michigan's Edwin S. George Reserve in Pinckney Michigan with fellow SLE students! The retreat will focus on leadership development and taking action in our communities, and also explore the ecology of the local setting including the trails and peat bog. Lodging, transportation and meals will be provided.

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Other Tue, 24 Jul 2018 15:18:27 -0400 2018-10-13T10:00:00-04:00 2018-10-13T22:00:00-04:00 Off Campus Location Sustainable Living Experience Other
Energy Storage: Predicting the Future is a lot Easier These Days (October 24, 2018 11:00am) https://events.umich.edu/event/56970 56970-14057149@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 11:00am
Location: Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project
Organized By: University of Michigan Energy Institute

About Sue Babenic: Sue Babinec is a Senior Advisor at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and is responsible for their energy storage portfolio–both transportation and grid. In the commercialization aspects of this role she prepares breakthrough energy technology teams for the transition from lab to market by coaching on patents, manufacturing process design/economics and partnerships with customers/funding groups. In her strategy role she helps to shape improved approaches, across a broad spectrum, towards maximizing positive impact of ARPA-E technologies on the US competitiveness.

Talk abstract:
The long awaited emergence of ES as an economically sound enabler of electrified trans- portation, often considered pure speculation, is now a reality. Li-Ion is satisfying the many criteria for ICE parity which was originally set by DOE. Its high volume manufacturing now gives rise to lower costs which ensures continued commoditization and widespread adoption, albeit not based on US as the market lead. Thus the formerly nascent industry is settling in to predictable mature behaviors. For the reimagined GRID of the future, cost effective wind and solar renewables coupled to the now cost effective Li-Ion storage are beginning to beat the usual approaches for electricity generation - without subsidies. In this presentation we will look at the evolution and some of the details of this pres- ent case, the remaining performance shortcomings, and how they might be met. Topics will include global manufacturing supply/demand trends, economics of scale, remaining technology gaps and technical challenges, including ARPA-E breakthrough approaches for both transportation and stationary. Our problem has transitioned from grappling to bring Li-Ion to the world to avoiding its total technology lock-in, which may ultimately thwart the next generation of progress.

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Lecture / Discussion Mon, 22 Oct 2018 09:52:36 -0400 2018-10-24T11:00:00-04:00 2018-10-24T12:00:00-04:00 Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project University of Michigan Energy Institute Lecture / Discussion Energy Institute promo image
North Campus Sustainability Hour II (October 24, 2018 12:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/56279 56279-13871682@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 12:00pm
Location: Lurie Robert H. Engin. Ctr
Organized By: Tau Beta Pi

Come enjoy lunch while learning more about sustainability!

When: Wed. Oct. 24, 2018 noon–1 p.m.
Where: Johnson Rooms in Lurie Building (on campus)

Sponsored by Tau Beta Pi.

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Presentation Tue, 16 Oct 2018 15:57:27 -0400 2018-10-24T12:00:00-04:00 2018-10-24T13:00:00-04:00 Lurie Robert H. Engin. Ctr Tau Beta Pi Presentation Lurie Robert H. Engin. Ctr
PhD Defense: Ciara Sivels (October 24, 2018 2:00pm) https://events.umich.edu/event/56989 56989-14059374@events.umich.edu Event Begins: Wednesday, October 24, 2018 2:00pm
Location: Lurie Robert H. Engin. Ctr
Organized By: Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences

Title: Development of an Advanced Radioxenon Detector for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring

Chair: Sara Pozzi

Abstract: The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was opened for signature in 1996 and seeks to ban nuclear weapons testing worldwide. The International Monitoring System (IMS) was established to verify treaty compliance, and consists of four technologies: seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic, and radionuclide. The radionuclide component of the IMS conducts atmospheric monitoring to identify radioactive particles and gases associated with nuclear testing, such as radioxenon. As a noble gas, the radioxenon produced in an underground nuclear explosion can be released into the atmosphere, for subsequent detection by the IMS. Radioxenon is also produced by fission-based civilian processes, such as nuclear reactors and medical isotope production facilities, requiring discrimination between these sources. The focus of this work is to improve the resolution and sensitivity of radioxenon monitoring systems.

Radioxenon is measured using beta-gamma coincidence techniques, typically with scintillating plastic and NaI(Tl) detectors; however, the poor energy resolution of the plastic results in isotopic interference, complicating the analysis. Additionally, radon emits decay energies that interfere with those from radioxenon, requiring complex gas- processing systems to filter it from the sample. Furthermore, radioxenon diffuses into the plastic detectors, which increases the background of subsequent measurements; this phenomenon is known as the memory effect. To mitigate these issues, this thesis demonstrated 1) an anticoincidence analysis method to better identify metastable isotopes, 2) a validated MCNPX-PoliMi simulation tool to analyze new detector systems and produce training spectra for analysis testing, and 3) a prototype radioxenon detector system based on stilbene.

Stilbene cell prototypes have been developed, tested, and compared with a traditional plastic scintillator cell. The results show that the stilbene cell has similar response to the plastic cell with an improved energy resolution, full-width at half-maximum decreased by 2.2 keV at 129 keV. The stilbene cell is capable of pulse shape discrimination allowing for radon mitigation through alpha identification. The analysis presented reduced the minimum detectable concentration of Xe-135 by 1% and could be used for environmental monitoring. The stilbene cell was shown to have 0.043% residual activity compared to 4.5% residual activity for the plastic cell, demonstrating significantly improved memory effect. The results presented in the thesis allow for better identification of metastable isotopes, improved simulation techniques, and improved detection sensitivity which could lead to improved source discrimination strengthening the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty verification regime.

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Lecture / Discussion Mon, 22 Oct 2018 13:37:01 -0400 2018-10-24T14:00:00-04:00 2018-10-24T16:00:00-04:00 Lurie Robert H. Engin. Ctr Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences Lecture / Discussion Lurie Robert H. Engin. Ctr