Assistant Professors JiYong Lee in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Jose Capa Salinas in the Department of Civil Engineering joined the School of Engineering at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota this academic year. They bring a wealth of expertise and experience to their respective fields.
Capa Salinas is making a significant impact in civil engineering with his groundbreaking research on using drone-captured images for infrastructure inspection, while Lee is advancing the field of biomedical applications through his work in 3D printing and micro/nano fabrication.
Flying drones saves time, money
Using drones for bridge inspections could revolutionize the field for three key reasons, Capa Salinas said. First, he explains, “It’s very expensive to deploy a snooper truck or any specialized equipment to get close to a bridge and see if there’s something wrong with it.” The second reason is that drones eliminate the need for road closures, which can disrupt traffic and commutes. Lastly, drones are safer, reducing risks to inspectors.
“Imagine I am a bridge inspector, and I have to go and put on some protective equipment to go and look at our bridge, and that it’s hundreds of feet over the ground,” Capa Salinas described. “Maybe it’s over a river, and while doing that, you also have to be looking at something that might be wrong in the bridge. That can be dangerous for a lot of people.”
The more cost-effective, convenient and safer option is to use drones to check if the bridge is sound. Given that roughly 36% of all bridges in the U.S. need repair, this work is vital. Minnesotans are all too familiar with the importance of bridge safety since the tragic collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge.
Seeing the brain window
JiYong Lee’s focus on medical applications is equally fascinating and life-saving.
“One of my research objectives was making high-density, transparent electrodes,” Lee said, explaining how this technology can help map brain surfaces. This brain-mapping technique, known as the ‘brain window,’ could offer unprecedented insights into human cognition by using both optical and electrical signals.
jiyong leeBrain window means we can see the brain surface through our device ... If we can map our brain surface based on movement or thinking, it opens up deep and detailed study.”
The most efficient way of creating this technology is through 3D printing.
The three key factors – time, money and environmental impact – make 3D printing superior to microfabrication. Additionally, 3D printing enables the creation of high-density, micro-sized structures with high transparency, a challenge to achieve using other techniques.
Lee credits 3D printing with giving him the freedom to prototype complex structures more effectively than traditional methods. “If you use a 3D printing system, you can easily and efficiently create complex, micro-sized structures or electrodes,” he said. This technology is essential for his further work as there is a possibility to make biomaterial based health monitoring systems.
Foundations laid abroad in home country
This isn’t Lee’s first experience working with microscopic devices. Originally from Seoul, South Korea, he studied biomedical research during his graduate years. There, he had the opportunity to learn from a cardiovascular surgeon and contribute to the development of a drug-delivery system using “very tiny, micro-sized needles that can directly deliver a drug to the target cardiovascular tissue,” he said. The collaboration in South Korea laid the foundation for his work with medical devices as a mechanical engineer in the U.S., where he now designs devices with real-world medical impact in mind.
Lee’s journey from South Korea to the University of St. Thomas is more than a geographic shift; it marks an evolution in his research. After completing his college degrees, including a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Yonsei University in South Korea, he relocated to the U.S. as a postdoctoral researcher and visiting scholar in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota.
“Coming here (to St. Thomas) gave me new opportunities, especially in 3D bioprinting,” he said. However, his education in South Korea gave him a solid foundation for what he does now.
One of area of his research at the University of St. Thomas focuses on developing bioink, a material containing a natural biopolymer that is used to produce engineered, artificial tissue using 3D printing technology. Lee said the research can be used to make a “3D-printed pressure sensor and a 3D-printed motion sensor based on the conductive bioink, which could be applied or implanted to the tissue for health monitoring. With the pressure sensor, we can measure blood pressure in our body,” he said.
Capa Salinas’ unique journey blends classical music, civil engineering and a passion for teaching. Originally from Loja, Ecuador – known as the “music capital of Ecuador” – he began playing the cello at age 12, later balancing his two passions while studying engineering. He earned an undergraduate degree at Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja in Ecuador and both his master’s and doctorate from Purdue University.
jose Capa SalinasMost of my best thinking I have done with playing cello, so I always encourage my students to play.”
Settled in the Twin Cities
Jose Capa Salinas chose engineering due to his passion for math, but he also saw it as a way to help people. His passion led him to the U.S., where he could access advanced research and educational opportunities.
He has been involved in both state and private transportation research projects and is a contributor to the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). This program allocates funding to address transportation challenges. One of the key questions they tackle is how to improve the nation’s roads. His involvement with this program allows him to collaborate with other experts in the field and stay connected to cutting-edge solutions.
“That’s my commitment to my students to be up to date and to bring the latest. I cannot be an isolated person and just be in this room reading. I have to talk to other people,” Capa Salinas said.
Capa Salinas is currently working on a collaboration with one of his colleagues, Dr. Travis Welt, an associate professor in the Civil Engineering Department. They are reviewing the structural behavior of steel storage tanks. These tanks are 70 feet in diameter and have been used by NASA to store rocket fuel. “We are working with 3M looking at the effect of changing the insulator type from one sphere to another,” Capa Salinas said.
Both professors share a strong enthusiasm for working with students and colleagues at St. Thomas.
Lee finds the transition to a teaching-focused university refreshing, appreciating the collaborative atmosphere where professors share resources and labs. “It’s a great environment,” he said, noting how easily he’s been able to start his research with students. Outside of work, Lee stays active with rock climbing, swimming, and traveling, while also enjoying time with family and friends.
Capa Salinas, who is equally excited about his new role, enjoys collaborating with students and colleagues in his multidisciplinary field. He welcomes students from diverse backgrounds, saying, “If a student is not a civil engineering major but is interested in drones or bridges, my door is open to work with them.”
