Photo credit: Andrew McNeill, UW-Platteville photograher
Platteville-Max Konop, Jacob Zorea, and Matthew Jacob were recognized for their research at the UW-Platteville WiSys Quick Pitch competition on Tuesday, April 23.
Sophomore Max Konop earned first place for his pitch, titled “Fabrication of Micro Scale Pyramidal Channels for 3-D Printing Advanced Structures.” In his pitch, he discussed how fabricating micro-scale silicon chips with a specialized 3-D printing filament, such as glass or carbon fiber, could print superior structures in comparison with traditional 3-D printing filaments.
Konop’s faculty advisor is Dr. Gokul Gopalakrishnan, an associate professor in engineering and physics. With his win at his campus WiSys Quick Pitch competition, Konop is invited to give his pitch to a statewide audience at the WiSys Quick Pitch State Final. The competition will take place during the WiSys SPARK Symposium this July on the UW-Superior campus.
Jacob Zorea, a senior, earned second place for his project, titled “Markless.” Zorea pitched his creation, a simple dry erase marker created mostly from recycled paper products, as a way to make a positive impact on climate change. Utilizing Wisconsin’s vast paper product infrastructure, he would be able to scale quickly and efficiently. Zorea’s faculty advisor is Dr. Kyle Horne, an associate professor in mechanical and industrial engineering.
Freshman Matthew Jacob received the audience-voted people’s choice award for his project, “Phosphorescent Passive Radiation Detector/Meter.” In his pitch, Jacob explained how a phosphorescent polymer absorbs radiation and releases a faint to strong glow depending on the energy absorbed. Combining this with an illuminometer can measure the amount of radiation a person has absorbed and could be used in industries that frequently use radiation, including steel refining and piping, to ensure safer operations.
Additional participants included:
- Marc Aruguete, “SafeCrack Balloon for Aortic Valve Replacement”
- Magen Lyne, “College Student's Perception of Intimate Partner Violence in Relationships”
- Samantha Mock, “Supercharging Existing Agrochemicals to Eliminate Pesticide Resistance”
- Faith Rothkopf, “Synthesis and Antibacterial Properties of Metal-Organic Frameworks”
Judges included:
- John Biondi, Founder, The Cider Farm
- Chris Patton, Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services, UW-Platteville
- Dr. Wayne Weber, interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UW-Platteville
To view photos from the event, click here. Thank you to Andrew McNeill, UW-Platteville campus photographer, for attending the event and taking photos.
To learn more about WiSys Quick Pitch, click here. For questions about Quick Pitch, please contact Margot DeBaker, Regional Intellectual Property and Licensing Associate, at [email protected].