Aaron Schmidt

Thermal Conductivity of Insect Wings

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project is exploratory research to measure the thermal conductivity of insect wings and other tissues. Research on some insects including butterflies and bees has indicated that the wings are used as means of regulating body temperature, but the thermal properties of insect wings and other tissues are not well known. It’s possible that knowledge of these thermal properties could lead to improved insight into how insects regulate their body temperature, contributing to basic knowledge as well as providing insight into topics such as how climate change could be affect various types of insects like bees and mosquitos, and the design of insect-size flying robots.

LEARNING GOALS
•  Learn how to conduct background research on a topic by searching scientific literature such as peer-reviewed journals.
•  Learn about the biology of insects.
• Gain exposure to micro- and nano-scale characterization and fabrication techniques, such as atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron-beam deposition of metals.
• Learn to measure thermal properties such as thermal conductivity using optical techniques

Learn more about Professor Schmidt’s work.