Undergraduate Researcher 

Automotive and Energy Research and Industrial Mentorship (AERIM) REU program  

 

I was an Undergraduate Researcher for the Automotive and Energy Research Industrial Mentorship (AERIM) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at Oakland University under Dr. Lianxiang Yang in the Optical Laboratories within the Department of Mechanical Engineering. During this program, I engaged in research on developing an original method to accurately find the friction coefficient on Aluminum Alloy sheet metal using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) to track deformation simulating the industrial manufacturing stamping process. Along with another undergraduate researcher, I consulted and worked closely with many professionals that resulted in the success of developing an innovative method that can accurately evaluate the friction coefficient of the sheet metal and test material behavior given the existing methods cannot be applied in realistic applications in the automotive manufacturing industry.

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Gold Experience (~400hours)

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In sharing my research work with professionals in the automotive industry through various lab facility tours and SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) sponsored events as well as conferences, I was able to obtain a broader picture and understand how my work was being used to help solve a tough problem the industry was currently facing. The results of my work were shared with the three largest domestic automotive manufacturing companies in the U.S. (Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler), presented at the Mid-Symposium for Undergraduate Research Experience conference, and published through SAE International. This experience not only gave me a taste for what research is like but also guided me to highly consider graduate school as a possible career path post-graduation.  In addition, the applications of my research led me to place more emphasis on safety in approaching my grand challenge on restoring and improving urban infrastructure. 

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The following is a list of valuable opportunities I had during my experience:

• Tour of GM Powertrain testing lab facilities at GM Global Propulsion Systems facility

• 2016 Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix 

• Tour of FCA Aeroacoustics tunnel facility at the Chrysler Technical Center (CTC) 

• Detroit SAE 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Vehicle Event

• Young Automotive Professionals Conference (YAPC)

• Mid-Michigan Symposium for Undergraduate Research Experiences (Mid-SURE)

  

Learning Objectives:

• Integrity

• Realistic Vision

• Being a team member

• Persistence