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VOLUME 133: WINTER 2017

Organic Engineering classes restructured for real-world use PG 4

University students print brain models for high schoolers PG 11

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TECHNOSTAFF Technograph editor Brooke Eberle Assistant Technograph editor Meral Aycicek Editor-in-Chief Lillian Barkley Managing editors Joseph Longo Jacob Singleton Creative director Hannah Auten Designers Bercham Kamber Cindy Om Michelle Tam Billy Galant Colleen Romano Margaret Kots Copy chief Rachael Bolek Assistant copy chief Alex Greulich Writers Kaolin Sewell Yoav Margalit Melissa Niemiec Yifan Gu Ashley Rayan Molly Zupan Chinmaya Sharma Kyra Kirsh Julie Kang

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Co-publishers Kit Donahue Melissa Pasco Contact (217) 337-8350 technograph@ dailyillini.com Technograph 512 E. Green St., 3rd floor Champaign, IL 61820

Study revamps organic chemistry class for real-world application PAGE 4, 5

University researchers shed light on genetic predisposition PAGE 7, 8

UI students print 3-D models to help high school students

PAGE 10, 11, 12, 13

Engineering student finds success as a young entrepreneur PAGE 15, 16

University teams gears up for robotic design competition PAGE 18, 19

Local research to reveal impact of immigration on economy PAGE 21, 23

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revamping organic chemistry Illinois professor brings real-world experiences to the classroom

BY KAOLIN SEWELL | TECHNOGRAPH WRITER

O CHEM CHEM

CHEM CHEM

rganic chemistry is one of the most notoriously difficult classes on campus, according to many students. On top of being strenuous, the class is considered to have little real-world application. Dr. Jeffrey Moore, professor of chemistry at Illinois, has previously taught the course and is striving to make it more engaging through his current research. Currently, a group of faculty members in the Department of Chemistry are studying continuous results of an evolving Elementary Organic Chemistry I, which offers an organic chemistry curriculum centered around personalized course content. Dr. José Andino Martinez, chemistry lecturer at the University, accompanies Moore in carrying out the renovation of the organic chemistry program. Moore’s study started back in Spring 2016 and is currently in its second trial out of five. On the atomic and molecular level, organic chemistry is the study of how all life on Earth functions. The subject focuses on an understanding of the principles of carbon-based structures and the mechanisms associated with them. The chemistry course track follows this typical progression: Year one focuses on general chemistry with laboratory sessions, and year two focuses

on introducing organic chemistry, followed by a reinforced semester, with a choice between another organic chemistry class and/or biochemistry. Organic chemistry is an important requirement for many students in the biological and chemical sciences. At Illinois, the organic chemistry course needs to change and Moore’s study is a worthwhile solution. However, organic chemistry isn't just for those who want to become chemists. “My goal for learning organic chemistry is to give me a good foundation for later courses to help prepare me for professional school exams. I am aiming to go to dental school to pursue becoming an orthodontist,” said Elizabeth McDaniel, sophomore in LAS currently enrolled in organic chemistry. The adapted curriculum is focused on this specific class, where students are encouraged to use critical thinking to place course material in context. Computer programs help to depict information such as the properties of molecules and search the genomes of a system to gain information about a particular protein, drug or pathway of metabolism.

These programs allow students to illustrate structures and interact with course information through unique programs. “We referred to it as ‘reasoning by analogy.’ We would learn about a topic in one context and then be asked to use what we had learned along with the provided resources to solve a problem in a slightly different context,” said Kyle Adkins, junior in LAS. Adkins participated in the first study as a sophomore last year. CHEM 232 stands out. Moore’s personalized approach focuses on pharmacogenetics, the study of inherited genetic differences in drug metabolic pathways. The idea of pharmacogenetics focuses on personalizing medicine and allows for concepts to become applicable to everyday life. “The easiest thing about the class was staying involved and interested. Dr. Moore was able to make the material extremely relevant to our majors and lives by placing our lecture material in the context of nutrition, medicine, metabolism and many other subjects,” Adkins said. In the first trial, after participating in 23and-

“The easiest thing about the class was staying involved and interested. Dr. Moore was able to make the material extremely relevant.” KYLE ADKINS STUDENT Me, a saliva-collecting DNA testing service, the course allowed for students to study their own inherited genetic differences in terms of how drugs affect their body, along with other systems. Former and current students associated with the study have found that these changes are valuable. With a tight-knit community of students interested in chemistry, the advancement of learning has formed through inter-

actions from the course Facebook page to inclass discussions. It is clear that these students felt like they were all in this together, and were responsible for helping each other out. “One of the most beneficial parts of this section was our leaders’ ability to genuinely make us curious about the material. Furthermore, we often learned about a couple topics in great depth rather than exploring many topics in little depth,” Adkins said. Moore continues to appreciate the positive feedback from student participants. “I have enjoyed hearing from students who have gone through the curriculum, and how they appreciate having learned foundational knowledge that enlightens their subsequent study of biochemistry,” Moore said. The next iteration of the study within the organic chemistry course at Illinois begins next semester. After the five-year period, Moore and Andino will analyze and showcase their findings to hopefully pass them along to other universities. ksewell2@readtechno.com

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he concept of freedom of choice has been debated for much of human history. A frequently asked question is, "How compromised is free will by the presence of factors beyond its control?" Thanks to ever-increasing amounts of research, genetics may provide a scientific answer to this age-old dilemma. In the University's Division of Nutritional Sciences, there was a recent study titled “Circulating Triglycerides and the Association of Triglycerides with Dietary Intake Are Altered by Alpha-2-Heremans-Schmid Glycoprotein Polymorphisms." In this study, the risk of increased triglycerides, or blood fats, in people with genetic risk factors was tested. Examining this area of genetics is crucial. According to the Ameri-

can Heart Association, “the amount of triglycerides ... in blood are one important barometer of metabolic health; high levels are associated with coronary heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver disease.” As the consequences of being saddled with high triglyceride levels from birth can be harsh, patients can fall into despair when told they are at risk. Katie Robinson, graduate student in ACES, worked on the study. “Some (patients) may have unfavorable reactions to genetic information, as it may make certain health issues seem like an unavoidable consequence of biology,” Robinson said. Robinson's analysis answered the question of freedom of choice in terms of genetic predisposition. “Our findings contrast with this

“The concepts of personalized nutrition and precision medicine are becoming more and more popular as genetic testing and other tools are becoming less expensive.” BRIDGET HANNON GRADUATE STUDENT IN ACES perception of genetics by highlighting that biomarkers of health, in this

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case elevated triglycerides, are modified by both genetics and modifiable risk factors such as weight and dietary intake,” Robinson said. The study largely found little to no connection between the health of the subjects and their genetic predispositions for elevated triglyceride levels. Furthermore, it proved that the diet and exercise habits of the participants made all the difference. Bridget Hannon, graduate student in ACES, worked on the study and also works in the Division of Nutritional Sciences. “The goal of our research is to better understand how these two domains, (genetic and environmental factors) interact with each other, and how this knowledge can be applied to maximize health outcomes,” Hannon said. With this, Hannon’s perspective

seems to move from one concerned for the futility of action to a more pragmatic view. It shifts the question to, “What can we do to be most healthy with what we have?” This perspective becomes still more important as more methods of cheap genetic testing are popping up all over. Dr. Margarita Teran-Garcia has been researching the genetics of obesity and other nutrition-related diseases for many years. “The concepts of personalized nutrition and precision medicine are becoming more and more popular, as genetic testing and other tools are becoming less expensive and more readily available to the consumer,” Teran-Garcia said. “However, there is a need to implement more research in this area to evaluate and confirm the

long-term impact of genetic associations and the response to dietary modifications and food components.” It’s no secret that many people, especially in developed countries, love health fads. However, as Teran-Garcia warns, it is important not to become too caught up in genetics. She said it is only through dedicated scientific study that it can be determined how much genetics actually has to do with a person’s body. In the case of this study, the lifestyle of the person overcomes their genetic predispositions. Scientists like Robinson and Teran-Garcia will continue to research the effects of genetics. In the meantime, it is up to individuals to take care of their bodies and not take their health for granted. yoavm2@readtechno.com

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BY MELISSA NIEMIEC | TECHNOGRAPH WRITER ost college students struggle just to remember the contents of their high school anatomy and physiology classes. Four bioengineering students at the University, however, are looking to revolutionize the way those classes are taught by using biology and technology to give teaching tools to underfunded schools. It all started when Pierce Hadley, senior in Engineering, and Faisal Masood, Vignesh Alla and Benjamin David, sophomores in Engineering, created a project for the Engineering Open House, the University’s annual science and engineering event in March that features over 250 student exhibits.

Masood, Alla and David collaborated to make 3-D printed brain models displaying the anatomical differences between healthy and abnormal brains. Hadley, who was the adviser for their project, then invited them to extend their mission to a wider scope. “While I could figure out how to do the project from scratch, I did not need to reinvent the wheel. With (Engineering Open House) as their primer into the the medical 3-D printing space, I was hoping this project would expand their interests, skill sets and potentially continue involvement in outreach initiatives,” Hadley said. It had been Hadley who first came up with the project. He had been inspired by a group of high

“We can print 3-D models for the students insanely cheaper than it would be to purchase these models.” FAISAL MASOOD SOPHOMORE IN ENGINEERING

school students who toured the University’s 3-D printing labs. It was then he met an anatomy and physiology professor who explained how difficult it was to obtain anatomical models due to their expense. “The basic goal of our project is to create anatomy and physiology models for a group of high school students in a small community,” David said. He said these students, like many in underfunded high schools, don’t have access to good quality anatomy and physiology models because they are expensive, costing up to $1,000. “We can print 3-D models for the students insanely cheaper than it would be to purchase these models,” Masood said. It is the team’s hope that with access to better anatomical teaching tools, the students’ science test scores will improve. “The turnaround time for new models is about two weeks,” Alla said. In that time, the team has to go through quite a few steps to produce a model. The students start with MRI images of a certain anatomical structure from many different angles and use a computer program in MATLAB (a computing environment) to compile those images into a base 3-D one. Then, using 3-D modeling software, they can edit the base 3-D image to best represent the model they are making. After that, it’s ready to print. However, the modeling process isn’t always straightforward. “MRI scans are fantastic in the sense you can receive information on all the tissues within the body, but this complicates the process ... because it is sometimes unclear on where the sur-

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13 rounding tissue ends and where the organ begins,” Hadley said. When 3-D printing, the machine layers plastic onto a flat plate, slowly forming the 3-D image that is provided. The nature of this process makes it hard to print objects that are top-heavy or rounded, so the team might, for example, have to make the rounded bottom of the brain slightly flat in their digital representations. The team members agreed that this was one of the more difficult parts of the project, but the end goal makes the project worth the time and effort. “(It’s important) to present these things to these students and get them excited about the advancements in bioengineering and make them want to learn,” David said, “especially in a critical point in their lives.” It is the team’s hope that using the models will not only help improve the high school students’ abilities to learn in class, but also inspire them to pursue bioengineering. David also emphasized how this project has been conducive to learning on both sides; David, Alla, Masood and Hadley have all increased their technical skills and abilities to problem solve. “This sort of outreach project feels more direct and lets me get more invested. I will directly be able to see the fruits of my labor each time a student uses the model to understand an anatomical connection,” Alla said. The team plans to collect data on the high school students’ test performances and spatial abilities after they have had a chance to work with the anatomical models. They hope to see an improvement in their abilities due to the students’ access to better resources. If this project proves successful, the sophomore members plan to continue and expand the project, even after Hadley graduates. “I think we have a great responsibility to the younger generation,” Masood said. “It’s one thing to sit back and absorb material in our classes, but I think the application of our problem solving and technical skills is more important. By using these technologies, we can find ways to provide underserved schools with resources that would not normally be available.” mn3@readtechno.com

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Paul Couston is a junior in industrial engineering. At the age of 20, he has built his own company, Optivolt, with the help of his co-founder, Rohit Kalyanpur. Optivolt sells solar-powered iPhone cases.

Engineering student finds success as a young entrepreneur BY YIFAN GU | TECHNOGRAPH WRITER

Inspired by early fancy From a young age, Couston liked playing with LEGOs and generally enjoyed the process of constructing and manufacturing new things. He spent many Saturdays practicing building new projects in his suburban Chicago home with his brothers. This early interest laid the foundation for him to visualize creating actual products in the future. Entering high school, Couston tried to figure out what really excited him. His rigorous math and science AP classes kept him busy, but he was also a varsity swimmer, a water polo player, and an active member of the band. At 16 years old, Couston started working as a swimming pool lifeguard. After being promoted to manager, he began

to improve and redesign the structural path of the work processes, improving the efficiency of the team’s rotation to allow guards to have longer breaks. “Managing that pool was my first experience in industrial engineering and management. It allowed me to build and test models to solve real business problems,” Couston said. Apart from his first job at the Schaumburg Park District, Couston became a sub-contractor at Evo Enterprises, responsible for remodeling and redesigning work for residential and commercial buildings. This led Couston to become more involved in the engineering process and how that relates to running a business.

Crafted by an internship After his first semester in college, Couston’s first internship was as a strategy and transformation intern at Express Scripts. Couston worked as an internal operations consultant for the company, participating in tech planning and execution of projects that improved the operations of the company. Couston used methods of continuous improvement and Six Sigma and Lean manufacturing principles at his job. “Express Scripts was an incredible experience and taught me what it's like to work as an industrial engineer. I'm so glad I worked for that company, I’m not sure where my career as an IE would be without that kind of experience at such a fast-moving corporation,” he said.

Enlightened by chance Couston stated that when he was a freshman, he didn’t have any idea of what to do in the future. He took a Technology Entrepreneurship class by chance, which led him to meeting his tutor Harlee Sorkin, the lecturer of TE 250: From Idea to Enterprise, who became Couston’s mentor tutor for the rest of his college life. “When I met Paul, he certainly had no intention of starting a tech venture. Sometimes that’s good because you don’t realize how overwhelming things can be in the startup world,” Sorkin said. “It allowed him to make his ideas reality and address challenges as they arose. In the meantime, he has been actively engaged in the UI tech startup ecosystem and has taken advantage of many of the resources available.” Couston said he fell in love with the process of formulating and solving problems, and learning how to actually run a

business. This is when he got the idea to start his own company.

Partnered for success From Couston’s perspective, innovation doesn’t mean producing something new, but rather it is about merging two ideas to improve them, making them better than before. This ideal is especially apparent in his current venture: Optivolt Labs. “It's crazy to think that energy is everywhere around you. Solar power is a proven example, but hasn't really made a big impact in the consumer electronics industry. That’s an opportunity we are trying to build upon. We’ve focused on developing a better way to charge instead of plugging into the wall. We concentrate on improving current, but inefficient tech in a new industry,” Couston said. As a high-tech innovator, Couston and his partner Rohit Kalyanpur, sophomore in Engineering, first envisioned the product at Optivolt Labs would redefine wireless charging in consumer electronics with a solar-powered phone charging case. The solar phone charging case is a compact system including two cases. The inner case is used to protect the phone, while the outer case, equipped with the solar panel and battery, can be utilized in both indoor and outdoor lighting to provide two extra charges to the life of the phone battery. “Paul and I have been business partners of Optivolt labs for a little more than a year now and our strengths complement each other’s weaknesses,” Kalyanpur said. “Initially, I wanted Paul on the team for his design and CAD skills, but I soon realized that his strengths were far more than just design. I really admire his hustler mentality which has pushed our company forward.”

Focused on the future “I don’t know what my future holds, but I know a big part of it will be entrepreneurship. I have this weird entrepreneurial bug and I really enjoy pushing the norm with innovation,” Couston said. Couston stated that it’s too early to define his specialization in any field. He really enjoys manufacturing practical products, and managing projects in consumer electronics and industry.

He said he is open to any new opportunity and always has a positive attitude toward new ideas. Whether pursuing a master’s degree or starting another business, problem-solving and business development are key skills Couston has learned in his time at University. “I don't know what my future holds, but whatever the opportunity, I know I’ll be ready,” Couston said. yifangu3@readtechno.com

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University teams gear up for Midwestern Robotic Design Competition BY ASHLEY RAYAN| TECHNOGRAPH WRITER

very year, a team of students from the University creates a robot to complete multiple tasks, such as navigating through tunnels, unlocking doors and dropping balls into baskets. Though this may sound simple, creating such a robot requires hours of research and assemblage. In March, teams of six from colleges across the nation come to the University to show off their carefully created robots at the Midwestern Robotics Design Competition. MRDC, held at the Kenney Gym Annex, is planned to coincide with the Engineering Open House, where

hundreds of high school and middle school students come to see exhibits showcasing the work of Illinois’ engineering students. According to the 2017 MRDC rules, the competition contains four visually obscured tunnels, four swing doors, four locks, four keys and three soccer balls. Each match consists of at least four robots competing to score soccer balls in a hidden scoring bin. Teams are awarded points based on how much of the course they complete, among other things. Robots that use special skills while scoring, such as flying or autonomy, have their score multiplied by two or four, respectively. The first day of the competition allows the teams to get a feel of the course. During the second day, teams are given the opportunity for their robot to score points by completing the course. Last year, 31 teams competed in the tournament, mostly from Midwestern schools such as Valparaiso University, Illinois Institute of Technology and Northwestern University. Most schools send multiple teams to compete, each team consisting of six members. It often takes a team of more people to construct the robot, but only six are allowed to compete. This makes the competition even more stressful, as team members shout instructions to the six in control of the robot. “This year, we are expecting around the same number of teams. It would be great to add a few more, maybe one or two teams,” said Michael Gale, sophomore in Engineering and director of the MRDC at Illinois. The competition is entirely studentrun through the RSO iRobotics. Before the series each year, the committee of students meet to establish rules and guidelines, and to create the course for the competition that year. “Right now we are creating the

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2017 Results 1ST Place- ATMAE (Southern Illinois University) 2ND Place - SIUC Robotics (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale) 3RD Place - Ernie (Valparaiso University) Most Creative Design Northwestern University Robotics Club (Northwestern University) Demolition Round Winner Northern Artificial Intelligence (Northern Illinois University) course that the teams will be competing on in March. Then, once we have the course and the tasks that the robots will be attempting to compete, we will be able to give that information to the teams, and they can use it to program their robots,” Gale said. The committee isn’t just for engineers. It's open to students of all backgrounds with an interest in robotics. “Currently we have mostly underclassmen, but we do have a few upperclassmen and graduate students on the committee as well,” said Ted Stelling, co-director of the MRDC. The tournament started through a donation from Jerry Sanders, co-founder of the multinational semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices. It was originally named after him, called the AMD Jerry Sanders Creative Design Competition, but the name was later changed to reflect new

funding. “Jerry Sanders was an alumni of our engineering program and after he started his own company, he came back with $25,000 and asked to start a robotics competition here at the school,” Stelling said. “He continued to fund us until he wasn’t able to anymore, due to the recession and things like that.” The MRDC is a long-standing tradition for the engineering program, meant to showcase the talents of students as well as the way that robotics technology has improved throughout the years. The group also aims to introduce potential engineering students to the more competitive side of engineering. “This is the 31st year of our organization holding this competition, although the technology that goes along with it has changed a lot over the years,” Stelling said. amrayan2@readtechno.com

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Research reveals impact of immigration on CU economy BY MOLLY ZUPAN | TECHNOGRAPH WRITER

resident Trump’s travel restrictions went partially into effect on Nov. 13. It was another measure against immigration to the United States, including the administration’s repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. Champaign County, on the other hand, is welcoming immigrants with open arms. Throughout the next few years, collective efforts from the University YMCA, Research Park, the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the cities of Champaign and Urbana will carry research focused on local immigrants to the next level. On Sept. 12, Champaign County was granted participation in the Gateways for Growth Challenge. Along with 24 other communities, Champaign-Urbana was recognized as a place that demonstrates an effort to shine a light on the positive influences brought by the immigrant population. Associate Director of Research Park, Laura Weisskopf Bleill, described Champaign as a “place that celebrates differences.” Bleill said the research and data about the workforce in the community is essential to understanding immigrants’ major contributions to our economy. Demographic data analysis, economic studies and in-depth interactions with local immigrants will form the foundation

of the research. Communities with high immigrant populations and supportive foundations, such as Champaign County, were granted resources and assistance from the New American Economy (NAE) and Welcoming America. Resources provided for further strategy research include quantitative research reports, on-the-ground technical assistance and planning grants from NAE that local partners have agreed to match. The Gateways for Growth Challenge began in 2015 to motivate communities to create resourceful and inclusive environments for newcomers so that they could contribute to economic stimulation. Cities such as Chicago, Memphis, Little Rock and San Diego were also selected to participate in this nationwide challenge. This was the second round of the grant announcements. Indianapolis, Columbus and Pittsburgh were three of the cities selected for the first round in 2016. Research and planning has just begun. The University YMCA, Champaign County EDC, Research Park and the cities of Champaign and Urbana have teamed up to create strategies for effective immigrant integration. Craig Rost, executive director of the Champaign County EDC, said, “One of the goals is to invite people in and provide them with the resources that they need.”

“The evidence is already in – immigrants revive neighborhoods and drive economic growth.” JOHN FEINBLATT NEW AMERICAN ECONOMY PRESIDENT Rost was invited to join the collective effort by Mike Doyle, executive director of the University YMCA. The Gateways for Growth Award will be officially granted to Champaign County once the research and planning is complete. University YMCA Communications Director, Megan Flowers, expressed that Champaign County’s diverse population is

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not entirely a result of the University. Although the University attracts individuals from all over the world, “a lot of immigrant families and refugees have been moving into the area from places like the Congo, Latin America, Central America, Mexico, Guatemala and East Asian countries for various reasons beyond the University,” Flowers said. The University YMCA has successfully opened doors for local immigrants by creating an annual Welcoming Week. Every fall, Welcoming Week brings together immigrants and locally born residents to enhance cross-cultural understanding and raise awareness of the benefits of a unified, diverse community. According to an NAE press release from 2017, the President of NAE, John Feinblatt, said, “While Congress debates the values of immigration, in city after city, the evidence is already in — immigrants revive neighborhoods and drive economic growth.” The NAE is a collection of Democratic, Republican and independent business leaders who support immigration reforms that will boost local economies and produce jobs. In the press release, Executive Director of Welcoming America, David Lubell, said, “Inclusive economic strategies that take into account both U.S. and foreign-born communities make cities more vibrant, attractive places for all residents.” Welcoming America is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that is pushing a movement that promotes the creation of inclusive communities. The group focuses on enhancing the quality of life for immigrants. The cities of Champaign and Urbana were chosen to collaborate on such a significant project because they have the strengths, skills and dedication to do so. The research and planning for well-integrated communities for everyone, despite race, socioeconomic status or origin, has begun. Only time will tell what this new initiative will prove about the role of immigrants in Champaign County. mollyz2@readtechno.com

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