NSF Grant for Fire Science Fuels Student Research Initiatives

Here’s a summary of the key points from the article about the HDRFS program and the students involved in research projects:

Overview of HDRFS

• Program Name: Harnessing the Data Revolution for Fire Science (HDRFS)
• Funding: $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR program.
• Purpose: To enhance Nevada’s research capacity in wildfire science and related fields through research, education, and workforce development.
• Duration: Five-year program starting in 2022.
• Key Personnel: Fred Harris (statewide director) and Alireza Tavakkoli (U. of Nevada, Reno project lead).

Students and Their Projects

1. Jalen Banks (Electrical Engineering)

   • Project: LoRaWAN Sensor Distance Testing & Modification
   • Focus: Expanding telemetry for wildfire detection using low-power network technology.

2. Saharat Buntha (Physics)

   • Project: Experimental Investigation of Angular Light Scattering from Soot
   • Focus: Understanding soot optical properties to improve wildfire observation.

3. Carter Eads (Electrical Engineering)

   • Project: Oxidation-Resistant MoS₂ Gas Sensors
   • Focus: Developing sensors to detect carbon monoxide in wildfires at high temperatures.

4. Kaiden Farthing (Electrical Engineering)

   • Project: Low-Power Distributed Sensor Network for Early Wildfire Detection
   • Focus: Using sensor networks to collect data for early fire identification.

5. Caden Feller (Computer Science and Engineering)

   • Project: OpenPTZ
   • Focus: Creating a software solution for controlling research-ready field cameras.

6. Mia Fisher (Computer Science and Engineering)

   • Project: Evaluation of LLM-Based Fire Detection Systems
   • Focus: Assessing the reliability of AI systems for wildfire management against cyber threats.

7. John G. Henkel (Computer Science and Engineering)

   • Project: Establishing Coordination Between People and Robots
   • Focus: Improving synchronization in human-robot interactions.

8. Branden Hough (Computer Science)

   • Project: Machine Learning Model for Wildfire Detection
   • Focus: Utilizing AI and aerial imagery to detect wildfires.

9. Andrew Hsu (Computer Science)

   • Project: Gene Duplication’s Effect on Tissue Expression Divergence
   • Focus: Investigating evolution in gene expression patterns post-duplication.

10. Brianna Rea (Mechanical Engineering)

    • Project: Mechanical Characterization of Stainless-Steel Welds
    • Focus: Analyzing various welding techniques for nuclear fuel storage containers.

11. Audrey Shillinger (Biology)

    • Project: Identifying Signaling Components in Insect Adipose Tissue
    • Focus: Exploring molecular mechanisms in insect growth and survival under stress.

Conclusion

The HDRFS program is addressing vital research challenges in wildfire science while also developing a skilled workforce through diverse student projects across various disciplines.