Kevin Ackerman

Majored in Biomedical Engineering, Minored in Music, Chemistry, Biochemistry
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Class of 2016
From Staatsburg, NY

Kevin graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in May 2016 and went on to pursue a Medical Doctor degree from Weill Cornell Medicine.

Follow Kevin

Education

Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Franklin D. Roosevelt Senior High School

Kevin in the News

Staatsburg Resident Kevin Ackerman One of 907 Graduates to Receive Bachelor's Degrees at 148th WPI Commencement

On Saturday, May 14, on the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) campus quadrangle, 907 bachelor's degrees were awarded during the university's 148th commencement ceremony. Kevin Ackerman of Staat...

June, 14 2016 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident, Kevin Ackerman Named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Spring 2016 Dean's List

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Kevin Ackerman of Staatsburg, N.Y., a member of the class of 2016 majoring in biomedical engineering, was named to the university's Dean's L...

May, 26 2016 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident Kevin Ackerman Awarded Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Salisbury Prize for 2016

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Kevin Ackerman of Staatsburg, N.Y., a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, has been awarded the university's Salisbury Prize for acade...

May, 03 2016 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident, Kevin Ackerman Named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Fall 2015 Dean's List

February, 15 2016 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident, Kevin Ackerman Named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Spring 2015 Dean's List

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Kevin Ackerman of Staatsburg, N.Y., a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, was named to the university's Dean's List for academic exce...

May, 18 2015 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident, Kevin Ackerman Named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Fall 2014 Dean's List

February, 05 2015 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident, Kevin Ackerman Named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Spring 2014 Dean's List

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Kevin Ackerman, of Staatsburg, N.Y., a sophomore majoring in biomedical engineering, was named to the university's Dean's List for academic ...

May, 29 2014 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident, Kevin Ackerman Named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Fall 2013 Dean's List

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Kevin Ackerman of Staatsburg, N.Y., a sophomore majoring in biomedical engineering, was named to the university's Dean's List for academic e...

January, 30 2014 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident Kevin Ackerman Named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Spring 2013 Dean's List

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Kevin Ackerman of Staatsburg, N.Y., a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering, was named to the university's Dean's List for academ...

May, 23 2013 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident Kevin Ackerman Named a Charles O. Thompson Scholar

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Kevin Ackerman, of Staatsburg, N.Y., a first-year student majoring in biomedical engineering, has been named a Charles O. Thompson Scholar...

March, 22 2013 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Staatsburg Resident Kevin Ackerman Named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Fall 2012 Dean's List

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Kevin Ackerman of Staatsburg, N.Y., a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering, was named to the university's Dean's List for acade...

February, 01 2013 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Kevin Ackerman Enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Kevin Ackerman of Staatsburg, N.Y. has enrolled in Worcester Polytechnic Institute, one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. Kevin is a graduate of Franklin D. Roosevelt...

November, 26 2012 - Verified by Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Achievements Added by Kevin

Kevin Ackerman was recognized for earning an academic award

Valedictorian

Added by Kevin

Activities

Student Support Network

Spring 2015 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Added by Kevin

Alpha Eta Mu Beta

Fall 2014 - Spring 2016 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Added by Kevin

Alpha Epsilon Delta

Spring 2014 - Spring 2016 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Added by Kevin

Tau Beta Pi

Fall 2013 - Spring 2016 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Added by Kevin

MSD

Fall 2012 - Spring 2016 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Added by Kevin

BMES

Fall 2012 - Spring 2016 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Added by Kevin

JazzGroup (Jazz)

Fall 2012 - Spring 2016 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Added by Kevin

Club Tennis (WPI Tennis)

Fall 2012 - Spring 2016 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Added by Kevin

Work Experience

Tutor Team Leader at Academic Resources Center

A significant leadership position organizing the ARC programs, helping improve other tutors skills through the training of other tutors while continuing to tutor their peers.

August 2014 - May 2016

Tutor at Academic Resources Center

Tutor calculus IV, physics, inorganic and organic chemistry

August 2013 - May 2016

Projects + Publications

A Bicycle Share Plan for Worcester Polytechnic Institute

This project, sponsored by WPI Facilities, proposes a bike share program to promote sustainable transportation at WPI. We interviewed operators of other university bike shares to determine which aspects of their programs were successful and unsuccessful and how they correlate to the WPI community. We consulted with stakeholders at WPI to learn how a bike share could benefit the campus and to identify the challenges to successful implementation. We conferred with Worcester city government officials, regional officials, and representatives of local bike advocacy groups to determine the state of biking in Worcester. Based on our findings, we ascertained the essential aspects of a university bike share and produced implementation plans for a bike share at WPI.

Research Projects

Bioreactor and a Novel Microengineered Vascular Network

A major challenge in tissue engineering is overcoming the diffusion limit of oxygen and nutrients in engineered tissue. The team designed and developed perfusable microengineered vasculature within a fibrin hydrogel. This vasculature was created using a gelatin sacrificial mold that was tunable and continuously perfused for up to 24 hours. Additionally, a bioreactor system with a custom microfluidic chamber was developed to perfuse and study tissue constructs. The combined system maintained viability of C2C12 cells seeded greater than 1200 [mu]m from the edge of the perfused vasculature. This project suggests that microengineered vasculature formed using gelatin sacrificial molds and cultured in a microfluidic chamber have potential to be used in cardiac tissue engineering.

Research Projects

The effect of sterilization methods on the structural and chemical properties of fibrin microthread scaffolds

A challenge for the design of scaffolds in tissue engineering is to determine a terminal sterilization method that will retain the structural and biochemical properties of the materials. Since commonly used heat and ionizing energy‐based sterilization methods have been shown to alter the material properties of protein‐based scaffolds, the effects of ethanol and ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization on the cellular compatibility and the structural, chemical, and mechanical properties of uncrosslinked, UV crosslinked, or 1‐ethyl‐3‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) crosslinked fibrin microthreads in neutral (EDCn) or acidic (EDCa) buffers are evaluated. EtO sterilization significantly reduces the tensile strength of uncrosslinked microthreads. Surface chemistry analyses show that EtO sterilization induces alkylation of EDCa microthreads leading to a significant reduction in myoblast attachment. The material properties of EDCn microthreads do not appear to be affected by the sterilization method. These results significantly enhance the understanding of how sterilization or crosslinking techniques affect the material properties of protein scaffolds.

Publications

Pedaling an Idea

In his sophomore year, senior biomedical engineering student Kevin Ackerman had a lab meeting at Gateway Park that started five minutes after his class let out at the main campus. It was an unfortunate result of a busy schedule. “I’d end up sprinting” to make it on time, he says; and never mind time chatting after class with other students or professors. It just wasn’t an option. That experience—and reading a 2014 alternate transportation IQP done by other students—helped lead Ackerman and senior aerospace engineering student Jack Colfer to take it one step further—creating their own IQP for a bike share program at WPI.

Articles

Gompei's Gears

WPI’s free bike share program got into gear last week with a formal launch of Gompei’s Gears. The bicycles are available to students, faculty, and staff who register at four campus locations.

Articles

Badges Awarded