As a graduate student, I will undertake research and coursework in Electrical Engineering to enhance my competencies in this field. I intend to complete my master's degree in order to pursue my doctorate. The research that I am most interested in pursuing at Northeastern University surrounds the optical properties of MEMS devices, and the development of substrate-based fast electro-optical interfaces. My interest in this area stems from my undergraduate study in MEMs development for tri-axial accelerometers.
Engineering has been a key interest of mine since childhood. While still in grade school I enjoyed listening to my father, an electrical engineer, teach me about advances in technology, and was always eager to hear more. I was introduced to my first computer at the age of five, and have loved interacting with them ever since. My decision to study engineering as a career was no surprise to those who knew me.
In college I found that I was always studying something I enjoyed. I believe it is because I enjoy my life and my work that I have been successful. Spending hours in the laboratory is not something that I dread, but instead I take pride in my work and its successful completion. One example of this that is still fresh in my mind is the successful design of a fully functional microprocessor in the Xilinx environment. All told, the project took over 150 hours of each design-team member's time. However, I did not look on it as a drain, but an experience for learning and a focus for my professional and technical development. When we finished the project we felt the sense of worth and pride in completion of a task that was once above our level of knowledge.
Pursuing a graduate degree ...
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...MEMs design, I hope to advance my understanding. Through research at the graduate level, it is my hope to become familiar with, and innovate the design of MEMs Optics in hopes of creating a reliable and practical MEMs Electro-Optical Interface for use in consumer electronics. It is my hope, that through my research, optical waveguides for intradevice communication might be realized.
Finally, my intent to pursue graduate study is laid plain. Study of MEMs optics is my intended focus, and I am committed to my goal. In pursuing a doctoral degree, I have closely analyzed myself to determine the reasons for my previous successes and my goals for the future. I have found that I do and have always enjoyed engineering, and that I have a strong desire to pursue my study further. I am prepared to commit myself to that study, and achieve what I have set out to do.
Optometry involves of a combination of intricate practical skills and academia allowing the improvement of an individual’s vision as an outcome changing their quality of life. I would feel privileged to gain the opportunity to study Optometry enabling me to improve the ocular health and vision of others as it would be a valuable contribution to the society.
The two modes of analysis that will be used to identify an unknown insert piece of DNA would be plating the transformation cells onto LA plates that have either ampicillin or chloramphenicol and PCR. We will use the PCR thermocycler to denature the restriction enzymes that were specifically used to assimilate the vector DNA. It is important to use the PCR thermocycler because denaturation of the restriction enzyme will prevent the restriction enzyme from cutting the vector DNA, after the insert DNA has assimilated to the vector DNA. After the addition of specific primers that complement the base pair to its corresponding target strand, PCR will be used. Subsequently, Taq polymerase will be used to determine whether the insert DNA has been properly assimilated to the vector DNA. Within this specific situation, the target strand will be the insert DNA. After we let the PCR thermocycler run for approximately 2 ½ hours, we will then put our PCR products in the gel and run the gel to completion. After the gel has run to completion, we will then take a photograph of the gel using the UV transilluminator with the assistance of our TA. If the insert DNA was properly assimilated to the vector DNA, then our corresponding gel photo would have one band. After the cells have been transformed, we would g...
"Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Fact Sheet." National Human Genome Research Institute. 10 Dec. 2007. National Institutes of Health. .
It was loaded into the gel instead of in the well leading to no results. There should have been a series of bands similar to well three. In lanes three, 5, and 6 we see the bands labeled A,B and C. Due to the short distance traveled down can discern that these bands are in fact DNA as it is both bulky and negatively charged. In lane seven one can see the band in the beginning, which is identified, as tRNA. E and F represent the left of “junk” from the inside of the cell that made it’s way into the sample such as mRNA and proteins. This can be told by seeing that the small materials traveled very far down the gel and were not removed by DNase. What truly tells one whether or not he or she extracted DNA are the blank spots on the gel. In lane four and eight there are missing bands. This is due to the fact in these samples enzymes where added to break down the nucleic acids, DNase in the case of lane four and RNase in eight, thus causing a gap where they should appear. The data that was collected seems to indicate that the sample that was extracted was done properly and yielded DNA. It should be noted that the lanes three and four were switched when adding the material into
My first secondary source is the book, “Blood and Rage: A Cultural History of Terrorism” written by Michael Burleigh. In his book, he investigates the nature of terrorism, with its origins in the West to the current global acts of terrorism. Burleigh examines the roots of terrorism in the last 150 years such as the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the Russian Nihilists, Red Brigades, Black International, Tamil Tigers and Al Qaeda. He also explores the political impact of those who cause violence and those who are affected by it. He shows that the groups are not only religiously motivated but are also motivated by ideological and separatist motives. He further shows how contrary to popular belief, terrorist are big fans of technology and much of their agitation is driven by the acts of Western Governments themselves. He towards the end of his book shows the positive side of his book and gives recommendations on how terrorism can be defeated.
Q1Aamp DNA mini kit, leading to the second period being the amplification of 16s rDNA consensus sequence by PCR, particularly using the primers RW01 and DG74. The unknown sample is then taken for gel electrophoresis to confirm and purify the amplified 16s rDNA fragment, done in the third period of the experiment. Once the running of the gel is completed, a cut of the 370bp PCR fragment is taken, and is put for purification of 16s rDNA fragment by the QIAquick gel elution kit, allowing the DNA to elute at the bottom of the microcentrifuge tube
Then we pulse-spinned the contents for allowing flow to the bottom. Following, we utilized a floating rack to allow incubation for thirty minutes. After incubation, we proceeded to load 2 micro liters of loading dye into each individual test tube. Following, we allowed the samples to rest on ice. Since we utilized agarose gel, at this point we obtained the gel and filled the chamber with the buffer. The buffer was loaded properly, so we had it properly cover the gel just enough, and it covered both negative and positive poles at the proper height. Next, we loaded ten micro liters in each respective well in the gel. Following, we covered the chamber and connected the leads. Then allowed current to flow for 43 minutes is how long it took our group. The handout recommended approx. 30
5 test tubes were used for this lab, each label 1-5. Then we added 1ml of assign solution for each test tube. Tube 1 had DNA, 2 had RNA, 3 had the nucleic acids from the liver extract supernatant, 4 had water, and 5 had the unknown. 2ml of Dische’s reagent was then added to each test tube. All of the test tubes are then place in boiling water. After 15 minutes in the boiling water, we recorded the color of each of the different test tubes in a table.
Next the restriction enzymes are used to cut the DNA into smaller pieces. Restriction enzymes work by cutting the DNA at a specific sequence and results in many fragments of different lengths. These fragments are called restriction fragments length polymorphisms (RFLP’s). These RFLPs are then put into an agarose gel. Using gel electrophoresis, the fragments are sorted according to size. When the current of the electric field is turned on, the negative RFLPs will start to move across the gel towards the positive end. The smaller fragments move farther across the gel than the larger ones. The gel is then covered by a piece of nylon and thin paper towels, which are used to absorb moisture from the gel. The DNA fragments get gently transferred from the gel to the surface of the nylon. This process is called blotting. Radioactive probes get washed over the nylon surface. These probes will join to any DNA fragments that share the same composition. The final step to making a genetic fingerprint is to place a photographic film on top of the nylon surface. The probes leave marks on the film wherever they attached to the RFLPs. Dark bands will then show up when the film is developed, which marks the length of the RFLPs. Then scientists are able to compare the DNA from the crime scene and the DNA from a
Prepare sufficient electrophoresis buffer (usually 1x TAE or 0.5x TBE) to fill the electrophoresis tank and to cast the gel.
Landis, Raymond B. Studying Engineering: A Road Map to a Rewarding Career. Los Angeles, CA: Discovery, 2013. Print.
The scientific and medical progress of DNA as been emense, from involving the identification of our genes that trigger major diseases or the creation and manufacture of drugs to treat these diseases. DNA has many significant uses to society, health and culture of today. One important area of DNA research is that used for genetic and medical research. Our abi...
All individuals, except identical twins, have unique DNA. DNA fingerprinting is an unambiguous identification method that takes advantage of the difference in the DNA sequence. This process of DNA fingerprinting starts with the isolation of the DNA from the identified sample, such as blood, saliva, semen or other body tissues. In instances where the available sample is small for the process of fingerprinting, then the sample is augmented through a process called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR is the process of DNA replication that does not use living cells and, therefore, the process is appropriate in fingerprinting old samples. The focus of this process is on the short tandem repeats (STR) that have short units of DNA that are repeated several times in a row. After the DNA is isolated and amplified it is treated with restriction enzymes. This process cuts the DNA strands at definite sequences called restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). Since everybody’s DNA is different the resulting RFLPs will be of different sizes. These fragments are observed in gel electrophoresis; a process that separates DNA based on the size of fragments. RFLP analysis is based on the fact that since everyone’s genetic sequence or the variable number of tandem repeats is different this result in the different sizes of RFLPs. Gel electrophoresis involve the separation of the fragments of DNA as they migrate through an agarose gel when an electric current is applied to the gel. The DNA that has separated is then drawn out of the gel with a nylon membrane which is treated to break the hydrogen bonds holding the DNA strands together. The separated strands of the DNA is then cross-linked to the nylon membrane a...
Hecht, Jeff. Understanding Lasers: An Entry- Level Guide. 2nd ed. New York: IEEE Press, 1993.
Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is the integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators and electronics on a common silicon substrate using microfabrication techniques. MEMS are a hot area of research because they integrate sensing, analyzing and responding on the same silicon substrate hence promising realization of complete systems-on-a-chip. As MEMS are manufactured using batch fabrication techniques similar to IC technology, MEMS are expected to deliver high functionality at low prices.