Waterford Today

Oakland University issued the following announcement on Oct. 19.

Recent Oakland University graduate Alyssa Lalko is working on research to develop a laser-based sensor that can detect toxins in the atmosphere. 

The Troy, Michigan native earned a degree in mechanical engineering from OU in 2020 and is now a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. As a member of Professor Greg Rieker’s Precision Laser Diagnostics for Energy and the Environment Lab, Lalko works with a team of doctoral student researchers and senior research scientists. 

“There are a lot of different pollutants in the atmosphere and our current detection and measurement systems have limitations,” Lalko explained. “They cannot continuously monitor the atmosphere and cannot sample a lot of different types of pollutants. We’re trying to solve these problems, focusing on pollutants that are harmful to human health.”

The research team envisions the laser-based sensor being used in various settings such as oil and gas fields and in urban centers with the goal of improving air quality. To detect and measure air pollution, researchers analyze how light from a laser interacts with the atmosphere.

“When you shoot a laser through a test sample, which for us will be the atmosphere, you collect the laser light on the other side of the sample with a sensor,” said Lalko. “We analyze how the laser beam has changed from when we sent it out of the laser to when it’s collected. Gas molecules each have their own unique interaction with light, so when we see the light on the sensor side, we can determine what chemical species were present, along with their temperature, pressure and other characteristics.”

Lalko was awarded a five-year Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation that will financially support her research and education. The fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. 

Lalko said her time at Oakland helped steer her toward a research-based graduate program. While an undergraduate, she participated in OU’s Applied Research Experience for Electrical and Computer Engineers (ApREECE) program and also spent two years working with OU engineering professor Osamah Rawashdeh on a project to help drones fly longer.

“Alyssa was a model student who took advantage of the opportunities we offer our undergraduate students at OU,” said Dr. Rawashdeh. “I am especially glad that she was able to find an opportunity that allows her to combine engineering with her concern and passion for the world we live in. We are proud of her and know she has a bright engineering future ahead of her.”

Lalko added, “It was extremely beneficial to have prior research experience. Graduate school was something I was thinking about for a long time, but I didn’t always know how to act on it. Mentors like Dr. Rawashdeh, Dr. (Xia) Wang and Dr. (Laila) Guessous made it seem attainable, and I’m really grateful they helped me navigate the process.”

Original source can be found here.