Noah D
- Research Program Mentor
MS candidate at Dartmouth College
Expertise
biomedical engineering, radiation oncology, computer aided design, thermodynamics, energy efficiency
Bio
Hello! I have a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering. For my MS thesis, I invented a novel system that enables real time dose measurements during radiation therapy. This entailed using a lot of computer aided design, 3D printing, cameras and knowledge of medical physics. I love to tinker, and as an undergraduate studying engineering, I created a low-cost solar water heater that I built in Uganda with Uganda Christian University. The system currently replaces tons of wood each year and reduces the university’s carbon footprint. I have been involved in research since sophomore year of high school, when I joined a biofilm research lab at a nearby university. I enjoy hiking in the White Mountains, but I am also really good at watching TV. I was also lucky enough to live in a place with a lot of snow last winter, and I picked up cross country skiing. Currently, I am co-founding a startup seeking to make radically more energy efficient greenhouses in New England.Project ideas
Perform an energy audit of your home or school to combat climate change:
Buildings account for 40% of global CO2 emissions. In this project, you can perform a professional energy audit of your home or public building. You will learn about thermodynamics, energy consumption/efficiency, building design, and develop real world skills that can mitigate carbon emissions. Use existing sensors or develop your own. Analyze data and make actionable recommendations. Conduct an impact analysis, including payback period, and quantify reductions in CO2 emissions.
Invent a safer bat box to help endangered species deal with habitat loss:
Habitat destruction and climate change are threatening hundreds of bat species. Bat boxes can provide shelter to bats and help support breeding. However, poor designs of boxes can lead to lethal overheating during the summer or warm periods. In this project, you can develop a better bat box design that provides shelter necessary to keep a bat warm in winter but not overheat in the summer. We can go over design processes and engineering decision making matrices. One can also explore passive venting or an automated process using Arduino. If interested, I can help you learn computer aided design and 3D printing basics. If you do not have access to a 3D printer, I can show you how to use external labs that print it for you. You can then test your invention and publish a paper describing it.
Review paper on the future of radiation therapy in developing countries and the use of technology to further equity in global healthcare:
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and cancer rates are skyrocketing in low and middle income countries. However, access to cancer treatment is extremely inequitable, with vast disparities between wealthy and resource constrained countries. In this review paper, you can explore different state of the art cancer treatments (such as immunotherapy, radiation, and chemotherapy) and the hurdles for implementing these treatments in resource constrained settings. You can then identify promising approaches and innovations that seek to make cancer treatment more affordable and accessible.
Publish your own original research project based on public health data from the CDC or Global Health Data Exchange:
I can help you brainstorm original research questions that take advantage of publicly available data on diseases, environmental risk factors, demographics and more. For example, you could examine correlations between extreme weather events and childhood development delays. I can then help you conduct a literature review, formulate a hypothesis, conduct data analysis (with Rstudio, Excel, or Python), and prepare a paper for publication.