International student Ana Patino is analyzing the insulating properties of various 3D printing materials under different environmental conditions.
Ana Patino, a rising junior from Colombia, is putting her love of 3D printing to good use during a student research project this summer. The engineering science major is analyzing the insulating properties of various 3D printing materials under different environmental conditions. Ceramic Fiber Blanket
Ana says she reached out to many professors about possible summer research projects and Dr. Farhina Haque’s work with electrical circuits seemed like the perfect match. “Her specialty is high voltage and dielectric materials. She explained the project to me, and I was really interested because I love 3D modeling and 3D printing.”
Recently, 3D printing has drawn the attention of researchers in electrical engineering for its simplicity in manufacturing, high insulation properties and achievable complex geometry. However, how the dielectric characteristics of such objects under medium to high voltage are affected by environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity is still in question. This summer Ana is putting materials through various tests to see how they perform.
As an international student, Ana says being part of the close-knit engineering department and on the tennis team have made it easier to be away from home. “I’m really far away from my family, so they have been the ones guiding me through the process of understanding the culture, getting used to the food, getting used to the place, and understanding how things work here. They advise me on anything.”
Ana says summer research at Sweet Briar College allows students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a topic and to develop independent problem-solving skills.
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