Rodney Sutherland joined FIFE as a freshman during the program’s inception year of 2010after graduating from Howell Cheney Tech in Manchester.  He is a Biomedical Engineering student with a  focus in the Biosystems, Imaging & Instrumentation track. In his sophomore year, Rodney began researching nano-materials under the guidance of Dr. Puxian Gao working one improving the effectiveness of catalytic converters.  In the summer of 2013 he switched his research focus and joined Dr. Anson Ma’s complex fluids lab.  Rodney utilizes a mixture of mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering experience in his research that he is currently using in the design of a large ink drop generator and polymer foaming apparatus. In his spare time Rodney enjoys playing volleyball, racquetball, basketball, and video games. Rodney hopes to graduate UCONN and find full time work in a manufacturing or research plant for a few years before obtaining his MBA; with the long term goal of becoming a hands-on managing engineer of a engineering consulting firm.