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RIDE Center Faculty Fellow - S. Vaithee Swaran, Ph.D.

S. Vaithee Swaran, Professor of Chemical & Physical Sciences

Dr. Vaithee joined Westfield in Fall 2019 and teaches physics and physical chemistry. His professional interests include computational chemistry, physics and chemistry education, and global water issues. He has begun to see and utilize the RIDE Center as a space for his students to learn physics and the basics of computer programming while having fun tinkering with electronics. Dr. Vaithee utilizes the RIDE Center to host labs and other research sessions for his students, incorporating hardware and software tools such as Arduino microcontrollers. 

Professor Vaithee

Projects

1. Arduino-based infrared thermometer

  • Students in a PHSC 0117 lab built the instruments themselves, and used it to investigate Newton's law of cooling.
  • The lab introduced (i) electronics hardware, (ii) computer programming, (iii) electromagnetic waves, and (iv) heat transfer using RIDE Center equipment.

Upcoming ideas: 

1. Wearable force sensors to demonstrate the directional nature of forces.

2. Sensors to detect ripening produce by detecting ethylene gas from fruits and vegetables.

infrared thermometer using arduino software