Green Energy Technology Undergraduate Program
2014 GET UP Fellows
Juan Andres Aguilar, Stevens Institute of Technology
Juan Andres Aguilar was born in Colombia, and relocated to the United States at the age of 17. He graduated from Hudson County Community College with an associate degree in engineering science. Currently, he is a rising senior at Stevens Institute of Technology working towards a degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in mechatronics. Furthermore, Juan was awarded with the Edwin A. Stevens scholarship which is giving to students who have demonstrated record of excellence in high school as evidenced by grade point average, class rank, SAT scores and high recommendations. Juan has also reinforced his leadership outside of the classroom through professional organizations such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). Being a part of professional engineering organizations has provided him the opportunity to develop his leadership skills during technical workshops and allowed him to further his knowledge in engineering through networking and conference opportunities. In Addition, He is also a fellow in the New Jersey Needs You (NJNY) program where he is offered the ability to establish and expand his professional career development through the mentoring by young, successful professionals. Finally, Juan hopes to pursue graduate studies in mechanical engineering with a focus in nanotechnology and/or robotics.
Juan graduate in 2015 and is currently employed at Daikin Applied Americas.
LinkedIn: Juan Aguilar
Tara Nealon, The College of New Jersey
Tara Nealon, born in East Brunswick, New Jersey, is a rising senior majoring in mechanical engineering at The College of New Jersey. She is a member of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honors society, and has been awarded through TCNJ the Armstrong Scholarship Award, the Engineering Fund Scholarship for Sophomores, and the Joseph F. Shelly Scholarship Award in her freshman, sophomore, and junior years, respectively. Areas of interest in mechanical engineering include thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. She is currently working on a research project with Dr. Aaron Mazzeo entitled "Microscale Windbelt Energy Harvesting Device with Inflatable Actuators" at Rutgers University as a participant in the Green Energy Technology Undergraduate Program (GET-UP). In the past, she was the Head Residential Teaching Assistant for the New Jersey Governor's School of Engineering and Technology, also hosted by Rutgers University. Tara hopes to continue her education upon graduating next spring by pursuing her Ph.D. with a focus in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.
Tara will be attending Princeton University (Mechanical Engineering Department) in Fall 2015!
LinkedIn: Tara Nealon
Video of presentation during mid-term symposium
Cindy Kumah, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Cindy Kumah is a Meyerhoff Scholar at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is currently studying Chemical Engineering. Her previous research experience includes a research internship in 2012 under Dr. Paul McGinn in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, in which she studied the effects of molybdenum and aluminum substitution on the conductivity, crystal structure, and physical properties of Lithium Lanthanum Zirconium Oxide, a solid electrolyte for lithium ion batteries. Upon earning her Bachelor's of Science in May 2014, she will pursue a PhD in Material Science and Engineering. Her research interests include materials for energy generation, conversion, and storage.
Cindy will be attending Rutgers University (Material Science and Engineering Department) in Fall 2015!
LinkedIn: Cindy Kumah
Video of presentation during mid-term symposium
Jordan Hoyt, The University of Tulsa
Jordan Dunn Hoyt was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and attended Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jordan is rising into his junior year at The University of Tulsa, majoring in Mechanical Engineering with minors in physics and economics. He is a NanoJapan REU alumnus, Tulsa Engineering Scholarship recipient, Oklahoma Academic Scholar, and a University of Tulsa Dean's Scholar. He has completed 2 years of research consisting of lab work at Tulsa University, Osaka University in Japan, and now at Rutgers, already having 2 published research articles in print with more in progress. Jordan intends to pursue a Ph.D. in a renewable energy related field in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and provide the next generations with a cleaner world in which to live. Jordan's research at Rutgers falls under the third GETUP thrust for "devices and energy management systems for energy generation, conversion, and storage."
LinkedIn: Jordan Hoyt
Monica Navarreto, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
Monica Navarreto Lugo was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Currently, she is senior at the University of Puerto Rico pursuing a double bachelors degree in Chemistry and Marketing Management with an expected graduation date of May 2015. Her research experience started at the end of her freshmen year, and until now, she has been involved in several research projects. These projects have focused on: study of chemical compounds for drug delivery purposes and the development of electrochemical biosensors ("Synthesis and Characterization of a Ferrocene-NAAD for the Detection of an Opportunistic Pathogen.") The former project won an award in the Chemistry category for the Poster presentation of the ABRCMS conference in November 2013 at Nashville, Tennessee. During 2012 Monica was selected to participate in the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement program (RISE) and in June 2013 she was selected as a research fellow in the Minority Access to research careers (MARC) program. Monica aspires to pursue dual graduate degrees: a PhD in Chemistry and a MBA. In the future, she hopes to become a professional in the area of the development and marketing of biomedical products.
LindkedIn: Monica Navarreto
Devin Maiello, The College of New Jersey
Devin Maiello was born in Martin County, Florida. He is an electrical engineering major going and senior at The College of New Jersey. Devin's has many academic accomplishments including, making the dean's list for four straight semesters, and receiving the Capital Steel Scholarship in 2013 (his junior year). Devin was also elected to the student chapter executive board for IEEE. Devin plans to pursue graduate school in the field of electrical engineering.
LinkedIn: Devin Maiello
Eleni Temeche, Jackson State University
Eleni Temeche was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is a junior in Jackson State University. Eleni has a double major in computer engineering and physics. She has achieved academic and presidential honors, and is a member of my university's National Honor Society. Her research at school focuses on analog discovery and mobile studios. As a GET UP fellow she researched Dye-Sensitized solar cells at Rutgers University. Eleni is planning to pursue graduate study in software engineering and material science.
LinkedIn: Eleni Temeche
Sean Noble, University of Missouri - Columbia
My name is Sean Noble. I was born and raised in St. Louis Missouri. I am currently a 5th year Senior at the University of Missouri Columbia. My major is Chemical Engineering with a focus in Materials. My Minor is International Studies with a focus on Japan. I am an American Chemical Society Scholar. I have been on Engineering honor roll at my school from Fall 2010 until Spring 2014. I intend to first pursue a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering and later a Doctorate in the same field of study. After finishing my schooling I intend to become a senior research leader for a company that focuses on Green Energy and Technology.
LinkedIn: Sean Noble
Keisha Mullings, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
Keisha Mullings is a rising senior at Rutgers University- New Brunswick majoring in Mechanical Engineering with an Energy Systems concentration. In her spare time she serves as the External Vice President of the Minority Engineering Educational Task (MEET) which is the Rutgers chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). She enjoys serving her community as a regular volunteer at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. She also takes delight in increasing her technical competency, by participating and excelling in competitions such as Johnson and Johnson’s 2014 Engineering Showcase. She placed 1st in both NSBE’s National Convention Hack-a-thon and Verizon’s Technical Challenge. Keisha finds public speaking gratifying, which led to her being awarded New Jersey Orators’ 2010 Orator of the Year. She appreciates opportunities, such as guest speaking at the Annual AKA Sorority Inc., MLK People Motivating Others Breakfast and winning 3rd place at Rutgers School of Engineering’s “Interns Present”, that allow her to sharpen her skills. As a Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship recipient and Youth Achievers Committee’s Augustus L. Jones Scholarship recipient, Keisha has stayed involved in the STEM community as a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Scholar, an American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) student member, a Rutgers Energy Institute assistant and a BEYA Development Institute for Emerging Leaders College Program Campus Coordinator. Upon graduating in May, she intends to pursue graduate study in energy systems.
LinkedIn: Keisha Mullings
Dhaval Rana, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
Dhaval Rana currently resides in New Jersey, but was born in India and moved to the United States at the age of 12. He is senior in Mechanical Engineering at Rutgers University. Dhaval was a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) scholar in 2014 and received scholarships for doing undergraduate research in a STEM field for the summers of 2013 and 2014. After graduation, Dhaval would like to work in industry for a few years, and then return to school for a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Faria Nusrat, Bloomfield College
Faria Nusrat was born in Bangladesh. She is currently a senior at Bloomfield College. Faria has excelled academically as evidenced by her achievement in the Dean’s List from freshman year to the present. Her participation in the NSF REU Site: GET UP has given me the opportunity to conduct research for the first time, allowing me to gain insight on the multidisciplinary efforts required to solve common problems. I am currently working on getting various research/lab experiences, with a laboratory assistant position and a research position in the field of Chemistry lined up at my own school. Upon completion of my Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Biology, I plan to study Chemistry at the graduate level.
Dr. Abel Navarro is an Assistant Professor in Science at Borough of Manhattan Community College. Abel E. Navarro received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry at New York University. His doctoral research involved the unfolded state of small peptides. Since undergraduate student, he never resisted the temptation of working in Biotechnology. Now as an Assistant Professor at BMCC, Dr. Navarro is conducting research with talented BMCC students and colleagues from other colleges about bioremediation of environmental pollutants using biological wastes. Abel is aiming the use of low-cost, yet efficient, adsorbents of contaminants from wastewaters.
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