Posted on Leave a comment

CliftonStrengths Assessment Project | Part 4 with Jake Dobransky

Jake Dobransky

This year, Grove City College had several students take the CliftonStrengths assessment for free as part of a grant the college was awarded in order to foster a deeper exploration of calling and vocation for the students. The program development grant is from the Council of Independent Colleges, specifically their Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education. This assessment endeavors to provide students with a common language of talents and strengths and attempts to promote a culture where students thrive both inside the classroom here at Grove City College, and in the outside world. One of those students that took the CliftonStrengths Assessment is junior Jake Dobransky, who is pursuing a Business Economics major.

I asked Jake how the CliftonStrengths Assessment has helped to shape his understanding of calling and vocation, and he said, “The CliftonStrengths Assessment has helped me see that whatever future God has for me, He has wired me with strengths and gifts to prepare me for my future roles.” I also asked Jake about how learning his results has helped him in his academics and he said that the assessment has not really influenced his academic work. Although he did say it gave him a greater understanding of who he is, but he is still the same student as he was before.

I discussed with Jake how learning, and now knowing his results, has helped him in different leadership roles he may experience. He said, “The assessment gave me clear insight that my strengths don’t center in influencing others. If I want to inspire or change a group of people’s minds, it may be best for me to connect with an individual with influence and have them encourage others with their help.” I also asked him how learning his results has helped him in relationships with others, both on and off-campus, he said, “With my greater awareness of my sense of responsibility, I try to be more patient with those around me who like to waste time.  It is right and natural to be balanced, and that means having fun is good once in a while.” Jake said learning his different strengths and talents through this assessment has helped him to be a better Residents Assistant (RA) to those he serves. He said both in understanding why he values his work and how he can better engage with his residents.

Jake said he has not noticed any significant changes in his daily life, but he realizes now he is more self-aware. He said when working with others he is more patient and tries to selectively choose his words in order to achieve the best end result in any given situation. Jake said the best takeaway from this assessment was, “I am not an influencer by nature and must rely on facts and reason to convince others.  I have adjusted my efforts in how I try to relate with those around me.”

Jake plans to start a career where he can utilize the economics he is learning here at Grove City College and pair it alongside his love for data analytics when he graduates. Here on campus Jake is a member of the Beta Sigma fraternity, a Residents Assistant (RA) in Lincoln, a member of the Men’s Club Volleyball Team, a member of the Crimson and White Society, and a Member of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK).

Posted on Leave a comment

CliftonStrengths Assessment Project | Part 1

The CliftonStrengths assessment is an online talent assessment designed to allow people that take it to discover “the one true you.” Completing the CliftonStrengths assessment allows people to discover what they naturally do best; it helps them learn how to develop their greatest talents and allows them to use their customized results to live their best lives.

Widely known for its polls and employee selection research, Gallup (the company that makes the CliftonStrengths assessment) has conducted extensive research for over 30 years to identify talent that could be enhanced and used to pursue positive outcomes in work and educational settings. CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) is an online assessment of personal talent that identifies areas in which an individual has the greatest potential for building strengths. As an assessment based on positive psychology, its main application has been in the work domain, but it has been used for understanding individuals and groups in a variety of settings, especially higher education.

This year, Grove City College had several students take the CliftonStrengths assessment for free as part of a grant the College was awarded in order to foster a deeper exploration of calling and vocation for the students. The program development grant is from the Council of Independent Colleges, specifically their Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education. Grove City College has a mission of “equipping our students to pursue their unique callings.”  This assessment endeavors to provide students with a common language of talents and strengths and attempts to promote a culture where students thrive both inside the classroom here at Grove City College, and in the outside world.

Today, CliftonStrengths is available in more than 25 languages and more than 20 million worldwide have taken the assessment. CliftonStrengths presents 177 items that each consists of a pair of potential self-descriptors, and most of these descriptors are associated with a “theme.” A theme is a category of talents, which are defined as recurring and consistent patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior. The assessment measures the presence of talent in 34 distinct themes.

I will write a series of blog posts featuring students and faculty who have taken the CliftonStrengths assessment and interview them about how it has helped them learn more about themselves and their talents and how they are utilizing those results in their daily lives.

Posted on Leave a comment

Nanotechnology in Grove City: Part Two

Nanostructures- Seeing the What Cannot be Seen

Dr. Wolinski of the Grove City College Physics Department leads a study on the development and uses of Gallium Oxide nanowires. Six young men of the department work week after week tuning machines and making discoveries on the possibility of building bridges micrometers wide. Part Two consists of Zachary Johnson and Ryan King, programming and running tests with the SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). The device images, engraves, and scans samples to give the team a good view of their work.

Zachary Johnson- Introducing the SEM

Zach begins today’s journey with the SEM. He does much of the actual sample scanning for the group. After Seth Byard creates a sample, he sends it to Zach to take some photos. Zach fits cut up silicon wafers into the SEM and vacuum seals the electron chamber for a clear image. After that, most of his work takes place on the computer, isolating the micrometers of area he wants to photograph. Inside the chamber, electrons bombard the sample and bounce off every which way. A specialized sensor inside can follow the motion of electrons and generate an image of what they bounced off of. At this point, Zach zooms and refocuses repeatedly until he has gone in far enough and has a clear image. The electron beam can focus in to allow for better photos, and can even concentrate enough to carve the samples themselves!

Ryan King- Software to Keep the Electrons Scanning

However, in order to use the SEM at all, Zach must control dozens of variables at the time, an arduous process for sure. Yet Ryan has come to solve this problem. His job for the research team is to create a program for the SEM, a job requested by the manufacturers themselves! Tescan, the company that built the SEM, has quite a number of clients who cannot keep track of the variables. In fact, they have a number of buyers who break their machines by running too many parameters at once. Ryan’s program keeps track of the parameters running and gives updates about them- warning users of dangerous situations before they run out of time. Ryan’s work is a pivotal part of the research, and is quite impressive to boot.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to check out the video in the link below for the full story!

Posted on Leave a comment

Hopeman School Project with Professor Buxton – Exercise Science

Professor Jeffrey Buxton, Exercise Science

Professor Jeff Buxton, a professor of exercise science at Grove City College, is currently pursuing his doctoral degree in Exercise Science from the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. He currently holds an M.S. in Exercise Science from California University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. in Kinesiology from Penn State University.

Professor Buxton has a wife, Mandie, and three children, Cayden (8), Elliya (6), and Amya (2). On campus, professor Buxton is a faculty advisor for Exercise Science Club, a faculty advisor for IRON, a member of the Wellness Committee, and he teaches multiple classes on campus, including: Introduction to Exercise Program Design, Personal Training, Exercise Prescription, Research Methods, Biomechanics, Research Practicum, Certified Exercise Physiologist. He has been a professor at Grove City College for six years.

Currently, Professor Buxton is completing his dissertation with the project: “The Effects of a Novel Ground-based Movement Training Program on Functional Movement, Range of Motion, and Muscular Strength and Endurance.” A dissertation is the primary project that is completed as part of a doctoral degree. In general, it is a research project of some kind that is carried out by the doctoral student under the guidance of their faculty and a dissertation committee, which is chosen by the student. This project is a necessary requirement to complete for the doctoral degree Buxton is pursuing.

When asked to “define” the project that he is working on, professor Buxton said, “My project will be looking at the effects of ground-based movement training on select fitness characteristics, including functional movement abilities, dynamic motor control, joint range of motion and muscular strength and endurance. Ground-based movement training (GBMT) is a style of training that explores and utilizes dynamic human movements. The quadrupedal position (all fours) is the base for most GB movements and often these movements mimic those of the animal kingdom! GBMT generally involves crawling patterns, rolling, specific poses or postures and transitions between these poses.”

The project will be a simple pre-test/post-test design. After pre-testing subjects will be randomly assigned to either eight weeks of GBMT (60min sessions 2x/week) or a control group (simply maintain current physical activity). After the eight-week intervention professor Buxton and his research group will perform a post-test and analyze the results.

When asked what data collection is involved with this dissertation, Buxton said,  “We plan to collect body composition changes (fat mass, fat free mass, etc.), joint range of motion scores for the shoulders, hips and ankles, Functional Movement Screen scores (functional movement quality), Y-Balance test scores (dynamic motor control for upper and lower extremities), hand grip strength and pushup test scores (upper body muscular endurance).”

As far as procedure goes when completing this dissertation, there were many different components.  First, his project had to meet the approval of his doctoral degree concentration track director. It then had to be approved by the universities head of research. From there the project proposal had to be approved by his dissertation committee members. He said, “At this point I am now awaiting approval from both Grove City College and Rocky Mountain University’s IRBs (Institutional Review Board). Once I have both IRB approvals, I can begin recruiting subjects and eventually collecting data.”

While waiting, he is pilot testing his methods with the help of student research assistants. According to Buxton, there is no concrete completion date for the dissertation, other than the seven years provided for most doctoral students. He said, “My hope is to begin and finish data collection this upcoming spring and then to defend my project at the end of the summer.”

Posted on Leave a comment

Independent Research: The Ant Robot

It is no secret that the engineers at Grove City are incredibly talented and innovative. One project that stood out to Dr. Mohr, an engineering professor here, was designed and built by sophomore Theo Stangebye. Instead of reading me go on and on about the complexities, Dr. Mohr thought it best Theo explain the process himself. Theo and his sister, Sophie, were even kind enough to put together a short video showcasing the technology – enjoy!

Hi, my name is Theo Stangebye and I’m a sophomore electrical/computer engineering major at Grove City College. This past semester, I’ve had the privilege of working in the control systems lab with Dr. Mohr through the independent study program. During that time, we’ve been working on developing a robot with the ability to track ants and other small insects as they move across a field in order to study their behavioral patterns.

The development of this robot has been a collaborative effort: the project was suggested by professors in the Biology department, the chassis was designed and 3D printed by a mechanical engineering student, and the robot’s motherboard was designed by Dr. Mohr.

The robot utilizes a tail-dragger design and measures about one foot in length from front to back. We’ve equipped the robot with many instruments and sensors which will eventually help it navigate in the wild, including a movable lidar sensor, an inertial measurement unit, quadrature encoded wheel, and a GPS receiver. Currently, however, the robots computes distance and direction solely based on the movement of its two front wheels. The whole system is controlled with a myRIO by National Instruments and is programmed by LabVIEW.

Working on the project this semester has been a blast. I’ve developed low level control algorithms which allow the robot to be controlled with series of simple, high level commands, such as “drive 30 inches at an angle of 45 degrees.” To enable this form of control, I utilized a PID loop, which constantly checks the direct the wheels to correct for errors in the robot’s heading. PID loops are standard in industry applications, so getting to write my own algorithm was an excellent learning experience.

There were challenges along the way, but getting to see the finished product has been very rewarding. The robot can perform complex maneuvers, like tracing a star pattern, with great amounts of precision. If you’d like to see the robot in action, please check out the video on this page. I’m excited to see we will accomplish in the future, especially as we interface cameras into the robot next semester.

 

Posted on Leave a comment

Building a Mobile Robot

As part of the mobile robotics class being offered next spring, Grove City engineers are designing a new robot. The hardware looks amazing, with components like National Instruments’ myRio, Garmin’s LIDAR-Lite, an inertial measurement unit, and a GPS. The robot will be equipped to navigate the outdoor world, and it will be up to the students to program it.

What I also think is cool about the robot is the team working on it. Dr. Mohr is teaching the mobile robotics class and so is leading the project, but developing the robot spans both the Electrical Engineering (EE) and Mechanical Engineering (ME) departments. A senior ME, Joel Bodine, has been designing the chassis as part of an independent study with Dr. Archibald. And Mr. Jaillet, the EE lab technician, has been essential to the project’s success, helping with practical details from his years of experience with electronics and design.

Joel Bodine - New Robot
Joel presenting the latest design concept

All of the ME students become masters of Creo by senior year, and that was clear with Joel, as he used the software to model every aspect of the chassis and then knew how to present from the model. But Joel had also learned a lot about designing for production and was able to draw on that experience. For instance, Grove City owns two 3D printers, which Joel will use for creating the chassis, so along with functional evaluation of each chassis design comes a consideration of how feasible printing each design is.

I learned a few things from observing the meeting. For instance, if you’re designing a robot for the outdoors, you should make sure you have good ground clearance; no one likes it when their robot gets stuck going over a hump. There is also a lot more to designing a chassis than is apparent: You can’t forget details like how the charging cord will connect to the battery charging port or how the wires will go where they need to go. There is also a lot of room for creativity, as was obvious from the different concepts Joel had developed.

Over the summer, Dr. Mohr will be working out some of the details of class projects for the mobile robot, but expects students to use the robot for things like localization (finding where you are and mapping the environment) and an interactive game.

Dr. Mohr also showed me the circuit schematic he has been working on, which is impressive. It’s also a lot neater than the one I made recently for his PCB design class. (Side note to future EE’s: You should definitely take the PCB class. It’s offered occasionally as a one-credit special topic class. I am learning so much about designing everyday circuits that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise learned with my computer concentration, and PCB’s are really cool.)

Robot Schematic

And there you have it! Future engineers at Grove City will get to program this mobile robot which is currently being designed and produced. And future students who, like Joel, have an interest in independent research, will get to continue working on the cutting edge of Grove City’s engineering program.

Posted on Leave a comment

A Virtual Way Through the Crowd

Crowds are curious things. As I have navigated many in airports, train stations, and other public places in France this semester, I’ve been surprised at how a path through the crowd that my friend took ahead of me, a few seconds ago, is not necessarily the path I should take. People are moving constantly and I need to keep moving as well if I do not want to lose my guide.

Dr. Cory Boatright, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Grove City College, has done research on crowd simulation since 2011. Crowd simulations are usually of pedestrians, and are defined by giving hundreds or thousands of virtual agents a starting position and a destination. When the simulation starts, individuals begin to make their way through the ever-changing crowd. While visualization is not required, it is helpful for understanding. Below is a screenshot from Dr. Boatright’s work:

From Dr. Boatright's research

While working on his Ph.D., Dr. Boatright’s research focused on using a data-driven approach to crowd simulation, instead of a procedural or geometrical take, with the intent of making the simulation faster. This past summer, two Grove City students worked on updating the framework used for the simulation. When that project is completed, it will be easier to set up simulations to research other things.

“The nifty thing about crowd simulation,” Dr. Boatright noted, “is that it crosses a lot of fields — everything from massively parallel computing to law enforcement.” One interesting application explored in a paper [1] is using software to process a video feed of a crowd, update a live model of the crowd, and predict destinations of pedestrians. The software could then flag unusual behavior, like someone in a lobby who has been wondering about and is not taking a direct path anywhere.

A second research interest for Dr. Boatright is vectorizing raster graphics. A raster image is essentially defined by a grid of pixels, where every pixel has a defined color. Photos, for instance, are raster images. A vector image, on the other hand, uses shapes or paths to define what is seen. Thus a vector image has infinite resolution. Vector graphics are generally used in design, while raster graphics are used for photos.

So when might one want to vectorize a raster image? Boatright referenced Wendell August Forge, which often makes ornaments based on photos provided by customers. This requires an artist to take the photo and trace the important paths in a vector format. If this task could be completed with software, it would save a lot of time.

Boatright has always been interested in large-scale problems and squeezing as much performance as possible out of a computer. Although crowd simulations and IBM’s Watson do very different things, Boatright’s simulation can handle thousands of virtual agents on his personal PC, while Watson fills a room.

Anyone interested in computer science will find that GCC professors, like Dr. Boatright, have a wealth of interesting research to draw on — and some of the research areas present opportunities for students to get involved.

1. Boatright, Cory D.; Kapadia, Mubbasir; Shapira, Jennie M.; Badler, Norman I. (2012). Pedestrian Anomaly Detection using Context-Sensitive Crowd Simulation. In First International Workshop on Pattern Recognition and Crowd Analysis.

Posted on Leave a comment

Why I Left a Large Research University for Grove City College

10403683_10207831400606002_5843808818986563671_nSince a young age, I have dreamed of obtaining my Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and pursuing a career in research. Therefore, when I began looking at colleges, I focused my attention on colleges that had large research programs and offered an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering and ended up choosing a school that specialized in biomedical research. I thought I had chosen the perfect school, a school that would jump-start me to my career aspirations.

Two years later, I found myself at Grove City College, a school I initially had written off my list of potential schools because it offered neither the major I wanted nor an explicit emphasis on research. Although I never envisioned I would one day be a Grover, it has been the best choice I have made. Why?

1. Small class sizes.

At the first institution I attended, I was thrown into classes with hundreds of students which made interactions with the professor very impersonal. A few of my classes didn’t even have enough seats for everyone, so the professors encouraged us to just “skip class and read the textbook.” At GCC, nearly all of my classes are under 50 students. If I raise my hand, the professor immediately calls me out by name and answers my question. I am treated as a person in class, not a number.

2. Opportunities for student research.

Research at my first institution was everything I had wanted it not to be. I was the lab rat, doing the chores of graduate students. I did not have the opportunity to actually perform research, as I was too busy cleaning the microscope or proofreading emails. At Grove City College, I was involved in a research project with an electrical engineer in which we created a 3D-printed hearing aid. The research project allowed me to travel to two conferences, as well as win the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Undergraduate Research Competition.

3. A strong, well-rounded education. 

I love being an engineer, and if I could, I would stay in the lab all day culturing and analyzing cells. But as an engineer, that is not all I am required to do. I must be able to communicate my ideas effectively and efficiently. I must be able to carry intellectual conversations about topics other than Bernoulli’s equation or shear stress theories. Grove City College, by emphasizing a liberal arts education, has enhanced my knowledge in all disciplines, not just engineering.

4. The option to compete in sports.

I love being active. Throughout my life, I have always been involved in multiple sports. When I went away to a D1 university, I no longer had the opportunity to participate in varsity athletics. I felt a void – I missed being a member of a team, I missed the competition. At Grove City College, since it is a D3 school, I was able return to varsity athletics and it has become one of my most valuable college experiences.

5. A Christian environment.

Going to college and learning how to live on your own is hard. Suddenly, we must make decisions for ourselves, we face new challenges and we are given unique opportunities. The atmosphere at Grove City College, more so than my previous institution, has helped me grow as a Christian. I am constantly provided with the support I need to help me face tough situations and make hard decisions from faculty, staff and fellow students. I can honestly say the study body as a whole at Grove City College is the nicest group of people I have been encountered.

Posted on Leave a comment

Student Research Spotlight: Matthew Kauffman

307666_585934938089830_1723733297_nCan you do research at a small, undergraduate, liberal arts college? Yes! Grove City College has a flourishing research program spread among various programs in both technical and non-technical majors. Matthew Kauffman is a current junior electrical engineering major from the little town of West Liberty, Ohio. He is currently involved with multiple musical groups on and off campus and has combined his love of music with his interest in electrical engineering to develop his own independent study with Dr. Mohr.

What is the research you are conducting?

I am designing and building a tremolo/boost effects pedal for use with electric guitar. For someone who is not a guitarist, this is a little box which I plug my guitar into before my amplifier which creates an effect, or in this case, two effects. The first effect is providing a boost, which essentially is just making my guitar signal “louder” before it gets to the amplifier. This effect is especially useful when a guitarist wants his guitar to get louder for a certain part of a song, such as a solo. The second effect, and main effect, is the tremolo effect. This is where the volume of the guitar signal is varied up and down with a waveform. This is a classic effect that is probably best known for its inclusion in surf music.

IMG_20160424_202118793-min

Do you receive any form of compensation for your work, such as class credit or monetary compensation?

Grove City College awards electrical engineering elective credit by considering the class as an independent study. Generally, research counts as one to two credits per semester. In order to receive class credit, you are required to develop a syllabus with your professor outlining what your goals are for the semester.

What has been the hardest part of your research?

The hardest part of working on this project has been trying to find simple ways to implement my ideas into my oscillator circuit (the part which creates the waveform for the tremolo). I needed to find a balance between finding a simple circuit that won’t take up too much space, but yet meets all my expectations in performance. Because most oscillator circuits aren’t used in the way I am using mine, it took me a while and a lot of research to find the right pieces that could do what I desired.

What has been the most rewarding part of your research?

The most rewarding part of this project is when I get part of a circuit working to the point where I can plug my guitar into it, turn the knobs and actually hear the results coming through an amp. I have a feeling it will be even more rewarding when I finish putting it into an enclosure and install it on my personal guitar pedal board. 

What non-technical skill have you found yourself using frequently?

The non-technical skill I have used the most is my musical skills to help me determine what ideas are actually useful or not. For example, I eliminated a portion of my circuit when I determined it wasn’t a very musical or useful sound.

How has this project related to your studies?

The first half of this project was entirely circuit design. I used many ideas I learned in my circuits classes, whether it was to add my own design elements or analyze design elements I found in my research. 

Has this project shaped your plans for the future?

Music has always been my biggest passion outside of my major. My dream job would be working somewhere in the audio equipment industry, but even if I don’t end up doing that, I still plan on doing effects pedal design on the side. In fact, I have plans for starting my own effects pedal company this summer to sell my designs.

To learn more, check out Grove City College’s Department of Electrical Engineering webpage.

Posted on Leave a comment

Student Research Spotlight: Female Engineers in Anderson Lab | 4

For engineering students interested in research, there are many opportunities to get involved, both on and off campus! In fact, nearly 25% of engineering students at Grove City College are involved in some type of research or independent study. Many of these students work in ‘Anderson Lab’ with Dr. Anderson, one of Grove City College’s mechanical engineering professors. Every school year, he has 10-15 students doing research  for him for 1-3 credits. He also has students working with him at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts each summer. This semester, Dr. Anderson has 12 students working in his lab on seven different projects.

Below is an interview with one of the female mechanical engineering students currently doing research with Dr. Anderson.  She shares more information on her research project and some benefits of doing research. For another interview with a student doing research with Dr. Anderson, check out this post.


Samantha Parry – Mechanical Engineering ’16, Astronomy Minor

Sam 5
Samantha Parry in front of her summer research set-up

What’s your project?

I’m studying the effect of turbulence on oyster behavior and ecology. I am working on PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) analysis of oysters in a turbulent tank. I am analyzing data that was taken at WHOI to determine an absolute vertical velocity of oysters swimming in a turbulent tank at different turbulence levels by determining the velocity of the fluid and the relative velocity of the oyster larvae and subtracting the two using MATLAB.

How did you get involved in this research?

I applied to work in the Anderson Lab in the fall of my junior year because I went to one of his student’s research talks during sophomore year and thought the work was really interesting.

Sam 3
Oysters used in research

What skills (technical or non-technical) have you used the most during your research experience?

I have used the coding skills I learned as a freshman the most in my research. My research heavily involves programming in MATLAB, as well as understanding LabVIEW. Knowing MATLAB is crucial for my research’s success. It gives me the ability to generate the data result and to manipulate the data result to something everyone can understand.

What are some benefits of doing research?

Sam 2 oyster tracks processed
Processed oyster tracks

This research helped to expand my career options and gave me a chance to do high-level work on my own. I also liked learning tools to do higher-level data analysis and programming by myself, and then being able to utilize them. It’s a very rewarding feeling when all your hard work pays off and you get the correct result that you’ve been debugging for days! It has extremely enriched my career options because in the engineering field, research experience is strongly encouraged pre-grad school. Dr. Anderson’s lab experience has granted me a summer internship between my junior and senior year, and for that I am extremely thankful.

Have you done research off-campus, like at a summer internship?

I was a research assistant with a professor at FAU (Florida Atlantic University) in his research lab. He specializes in bio-inspired propulsion systems and fluid dynamics research and does a lot of similar things as Dr. Anderson. A large part of my summer I spent on an individual project building an experimental setup for fluid dynamic research.

Sam 4 Turbulence_tank_for_Oysters
Turbulence tank for Oysters from 2013 Senior Design Project

How has doing research shaped your plans for after graduation?

Doing research has taught me what it means to be in academia, and I learned that I like the lifestyle and the academic community. I am going to the University of Florida for graduate school next year for a PhD in Aerospace Engineering. Although the research topic is not the same, I have experience with researching and it gives me confidence to take this next step forward. I know that graduate admission committees selected me as a good candidate for their schools because I had research experience. I’d like to be a college professor someday, and doing research was extremely important experience required to be admitted to grad school. So for that, I am extremely thankful for this opportunity I had at Grove City College.

To learn more about Grove City College’s Mechanical Engineering program, visit the department page!