May 2024 Statler Circuit: Department Digest and Awards

Chemcial and Biomedical Engineering

Negar Farhang Doost, PhD candidate in the chemical and biomedical engineering department was awarded the best podium presentation on at the BioE day in Pittsburgh held in April. The presentation, titled "Exploring Candida auris' Dielectric Profile," covers the dielectric profile of Candida auris, a fungal infection that can cause serious illness. By exploring this aspect, contributions can be made to the broader scientific understanding of this pathogen, potentially paving the way for advancements in diagnosis, treatment, and control of infections caused by Candida auris. These advancements have the potential to improve public health outcomes greatly. The presentation was a collaborative effort with Tagbo Niepa, Arthur Hamerschlag Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and under the advisement of Soumya Srivastava assistant professor in the chemical and biomedical engineering department at WVU.

Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

Anurag Srivastava, professor and chair of the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering served as chair for International Conference on Smart Grid Synchronized Measurements and Analytics in Washington, D.C. on May 20-23. The international conference provides a leading forum for disseminating the latest research in Synchronized Measurements and Analytics. SGSMA brings together leading researchers and developers from academia, research, and industry from all over the world to facilitate innovation, knowledge transfer, and technical progress in addressing synchronized measurements and analytics to advance smart grids. The attendees have the opportunity to present their findings, learn about the recent research results from others, and be able to network with leaders in this area. “As the conference chair, I'm pleased to bring together scholars, industry leaders, and experts from around the world for important discussions about synchronized measurement and applications to make our power grids reliable and resilient," said Srivastava. "Working with everyone involved has been a joy. I'm excited to see the results of our teamwork in enable this gathering and first time, WVU hosted a Data Anomaly Detection Competition for Students on behalf of the conference.”

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering

Ikponmwosa Iyegbekedo Bright and Georges Brown Liwuitekong Dongho, graduate students from the petroleum and natural gas engineering department, received first and second prizes at the recent Appalachian American Association of Drilling Engineering (AADE) Annual Operators Forum. The Appalachian Basin, known for its rich energy resources, serves as a focal point for the oil and gas industry's innovation and exploration efforts.

Ikponmwosa Iyegbekedo Bright presenting to the judges.

Bright claimed the first prize in the student poster contest with his project titled "Feasibility Study and Production Optimization of Geothermal Deep Direct Use and Thermal Energy Storage in Appalachian Basin - A Case Study of MIP 1S Well on The West Virginia University Campus." Diving deep into the realm of geothermal energy utilization, his work presents a compelling case for the feasibility and potential of deep direct use and thermal energy storage.

While Dongho secured the second prize with his project titled "Drilling Optimization of Deep Geothermal Well Using Geomechanical Modeling." Through detailed geomechanical modeling, Dongho explored novel approaches to enhance drilling efficiency in deep geothermal wells, showcasing WVU's dedication to advancing cutting-edge technologies in the energy sector. 

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