The 2019 Conference for Undergraduate Research at FIU (CURFIU 2019) took place on the Modesto Madique Campus on Monday, April 8th. It is the largest multi-disciplinary research conference at FIU. The conference included various presentations, posters, and workshops by top student researchers at FIU including various from the mechanical engineering department.
Seniors, Brian O’Farrell and Andrew Martinez, presented their work in anticipation of the upcoming Senior Design Showcase on April 18th. Farrell’s project focused on creating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for combat ships while Martinez’s project focused on the development of soft robotic actuators. Sophomores, Briana Canet and Nicole Bacca, had the opportunity to present their ongoing research with CELL-MET, an NSF Engineering Research Center in Cellular Metamaterials, which is lead by Dr. Arvind Agarwal at FIU. Senior, Catalina Young, also presented her work focused on materials science conducted in the Plasma Forming Lab, where Dr. Agarwal is the principal investigator. In addition to the various presentations, students also had access to potential employee and
graduate school recruiters from around the country including Yale University, Johns Hopkins University, and many more.
Overall, students had the opportunity to share their research with a diverse group of individuals from distinct backgrounds and ultimately strengthen their skills as the next generation of researchers.
Congratulations to all student presenters and we wish you well in your research endeavors!