Fostering Engineering Ingenuity and Self-determination in Computer Science Undergraduate Students

Abstract Computer Science undergraduate students arrive in the first year with great expectations of themselves. However they soon realize that being the next disruptive innovator takes a lot of knowledge, inspiration and hard work. This realization chips away at their determination until they accept their fate as just another developer. Last year we conducted an experiment in maintaining student enthusiasm for innovation, aimed at first year students. We created multiple teams, lured them with easily programmable Arduino projects, then asked them to make the projects work together and finally implement an android app to control those projects. This generated a complex skill set for the students and fostered team work and self determination towards innovation. One such project was the Smart Hotel project, awarded with three international prizes, had 5 public presentations, was described in multiple interviews on TV and radio and is being updated with pro-activity and artificial intelligence

Lignin Modification with Carboxylic Acids and Butyrolactone under Cold Plasma Conditions

The modification of organosolv lignin powder (ALCELL) with different carboxylic acids such as oleic, lactic, and butyric acids and butyrolactone under cold plasma discharge has been performed. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermal methods (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG)) proved that the lignin modification took place. The structure, morphology and thermal properties are specific for each kind of product obtained. The modification degree determined on the basis of XPS data varies from 4 to 13% depending on reagent used. The significant changes in the thermal properties indicate that the modification by cold plasma affected also some bulk properties. This is the case mainly for modification with butyric acid and butyrolactone. It was concluded that the cold plasma modification is an efficient and eco-friendly technique able to produce new valuable products from lignin, widening its compatibility with various polymers and also its applications