The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
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Congratulations to Mansoor Shehzad - Phi Kappa Phi

Undergraduate Research Award

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi April 15, 2022 at 8:00 AM

Mansoor Shehzad, of Ellicott City, MD was recently selected as one of two recipients of the 2022 Undergraduate Research Award from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 22BC University of Maryland-University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UM-UMBC).

Each spring, the chapter's awards committee selects two applicants to receive $500 each for this prestigious honor on the recommendation of the Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) Committee.

Mansoor was selected by the awards committee for his innovative research abstract and strong letter of support from his mentor, L. Michael Hayden. 

Mansoor Shehzad, Physics
Title of Research: Creating An Asynchronous Optical Sampling-Based THz-Imaging System To Detect Defects On Metal Armor
Mentor:  L. Michael Hayden, Physics
Abstract: 
The aim of this project was to use THz time-domain spectroscopy to non-destructively evaluate and identify corrosion and defects in the coatings of metal armor. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is a spectroscopic technique in which a sample's properties and shape are examined using short pulses of terahertz radiation. Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) using Terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) has the potential to be used for a variety of applications including medical imaging, security screening, and in manufacturing.  We used the asynchronous optical sampling (ASOPS) technique to obtain THz images of known metal and silicon calibration samples to determine and improve imaging resolution. We used time-of-flight measurements of both the samples and the substrate to form images of high contrast. Signal processing techniques like waveform smoothing and signal averaging as well as optimizing stage position helped create images with resolution as small as 1 mm. Further improvements in imaging techniques will help determine the remaining lifespan of coatings on an armor, providing a fast and reliable way of determining if the coating needs to be replaced and thus saving time and money.

Chartered in 2010, Chapter 22BC invites the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors for membership in Phi Kappa Phi. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

More About Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. The Society's mission is "To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others." Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization's more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards nearly $1 million to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, member and chapter awards, and grants for local and national literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org.

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