1. Path to My CAREER Goal - for NSF CAREER Proposal Writing Workshop
Xingwei (Vivian) Wang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Phone: (978)

2. NSF CAREER Proposal What is an NSF CAREER proposal?
Is it the same as the regular NSF proposals?

3. NSF CAREER Proposal
A roadmap

4. NSF CAREER Proposal A roadmap Where am I now? Where do I want to go?
Which path to take?

5. NSF CAREER Proposal A roadmap Who am I and where am I now?
What is my long-term CAREER goal?
How to reach my goal?

6. My Long Term CARER Goal
Become a leader in the optical sensing area.

7. Who Am I? Education Training
M.S.,  Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering Virginia Tech.
Certificate, Future Professoriate, Virginia Tech.
B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, China.
Training
Combination of expertise in electrical engineering, optics, and sensor technology.

8. Research Activities in VT
Biosensors
“an oligonucleotide functionalized fiber probe with a miniature protrusion for label-free DNA sequence detection”
won Paul E. Torgerson Research Excellence Award (2006) from Virginia Tech (VT).
Sensors for harsh environment applications
successfully verified near the fan of a turbine engine
6 VT invention disclosures; 1 licensed to a company (Prime Photonics) for commercialization.

9. Research Activities in UML
Biosensors
Massachusetts Life Science Center (MLSC) New Investigator Research Award
Optical fiber tip blood pressure sensor
Sponsored by UMass Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property (CVIP)
1 provisional patent
Optical temperature sensor
an NSF collaborative grant
Miniature optical acoustic sensors using MEMS technology
Sponsored by Army Research Lab (ARL)
1 US patent

10. PressureWire® (St. Jude Medical)**
Blood Pressure Sensor
Photo of the a blood pressure sensor inserted in a guidewire.
Initial market thrust: angioplasty $8 billion/year.
Broad applications: pressure measurements in lung, brain, intestines and other areas.
PCT International Application for filling in the US receiving office, Application No. PCT/US10/40460 (29 June 2010)
Comparison with current pressure sensor
The pressure sensor in the left anterior descending coronary artery
UML Sensor
PressureWire® (St. Jude Medical)**
Optical
Electrical
Immune to EMI
Susceptible to EMI
Biocompatible material
Electrical wires inside the patient body
~ $50
~ $600 **

11. Blood Pressure Sensor Fractional flow reserve (FFR)
Pressure decreased from 50 mmHg to 45 mmHg, caused by complete occlusion of coronary vessel
Plaque: Pa/Pd = 0.7
No plaque: Pa/Pd = 1
Blast event measurement (Fast response)
Add the helmet picture to better understand the applications.
Done.
Blast wave response comparison. The rise time of our sensor is 0.4 μs. The reference sensor is 12 μs.
Rise time of our sensor is 0.4 μs
Rise time of the reference sensor is 12 μs

12. Relationship between CAREER goal and prior funding support?
CAREER topic?

13. CAREER Proposal Topic Principle Application and Marketing
Novel Mechanism for Generation and Receiving of Ultrasound on a Single Fiber Using Nanoparticles.
CAREER Proposal Topic
Principle
The ultrasonic wave is steered by the phased array technique.
Application and Marketing
Comparison with current ultrasonic transducer
Optical
Electrical
Miniature Size?
125 µm diameter
Millimeter size
Safety to patients for in-vivo applications?
Yes. Biocompatible material.
Depends on packaging. Electrical wires inside the patient body.
Work in strong electromagnetic environments?
Yes. Immune to EMI.
No. Susceptible to EMI
High Temperature Survivability?
Up to 600 ºC
No.
Higher frequency?
>30MHz
<10MHz
Higher freq.?
Done.
Phased array?
Coronary intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for coronary artery disease diagnosis

14. Intellectual Merits
1) This proposal will be the first attempt to explore nanoparticles for photoacoustic generation in an ultrasound probe, which is expected to enhance the ultrasound generation efficiency.
2) The outcome of this research will open up a new avenue for research on integration of ultrasound generation and receiving on a single optical fiber tip.
3) The research will be the first attempt to optically steer the direction of ultrasound generated in an optical fiber which could allow fast 360-degree cross section view and defect detection in any angle.

15. Relationship between CAREER goal and prior funding support

16. Where Am I Now? Grants: Group: NSF CAREER Award; $400K
Massachusetts Life Sciences Center New Investigator Matching Grant, $ 599,775.
NSF MRI ($1.15M); PI
NSF MRI ($507,980); co-PI
NSF collaborative grant; PI in UML (not lead)
Companies (Raytheon; VasoTech; etc.)
Group:
1 Postdoctoral Researcher; 7 Ph.D. candidates (1 Ph.D. student graduated); 1 M.S. student; 3 REU students

17. Think about… Where you are now? Where do you want to go?
Which path to take?

18. Listen Listen to Dr. ZJ Pei
Read “NSF CAREER Proposal Writing Tips”, ZJ. Pei,
Attend NSF CAREER Proposal Writing Workshop; CMMI grantee conference

19. Prepare Well
Prepare well (preliminary results; educational plans; collaboration letters; etc.)
Listen to advice/suggestions (mentors; peers; students)
Revise and revise

20. Enjoy the Journey to the CAREER Goal
Manage time efficiently
Get excited about research
Collaborate

21. Acknowledgement Profs. Pei and Gao; UConn NSF UML colleagues
My group members