September 2020
Our monthly email newsletter highlights just a few of the many ways that the Penn State College of Engineering works to inspire change and impact tomorrow.
NIH grant recipients to develop novel coronary heart disease treatment
Researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering are part of a team awarded a $2 million grant by the National Institutes of Health to develop a novel implant patch that can release protein drugs as needed for improved treatment of coronary heart disease.
Engineer developing out-of-this-world solutions for COVID-19 challenges
Xin Ning, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering, specializes in developing materials for use in space. He has now received a National Science Foundation grant to apply his research a little closer to home, with a stretchable sensor and foldable field hospital that could aid in the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Novel cutting mechanism devised for automated, robotic apple-tree pruning system
The first robotic cutting mechanism — or “end-effector” — for a fully automated, computerized pruning system for modern apple orchards has been designed by a Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering research team, an early step in the creation of a technology aimed at easing challenges facing tree-fruit growers.
With more than 12,500 undergraduate and graduate students, more than 400 faculty, and more than 100,000 alumni around the globe, the Penn State engineering community is strong. Our alumni share the benefits of being part of the Penn State engineering family.


Swim like a fish, sense like a robot
Researchers in the Department of Mechanical Engineering have been awarded $426,285 from the United States Army Research Office to probe how to use fish-inspired robots to sense and perceive underwater environments. These findings have the potential to enhance biologically inspired robotics that can glean more information in shallow, murky underwater environments where visual and sonar systems are difficult
to use.

"I never saw myself as an engineer, but this has been a super rewarding experience from top to bottom. I look forward to my future as a researcher and engineer." 

Noriana Radwan, a former kinesiology student and division one soccer player, is conducting research on teamwork and cognitive styles as a doctoral student in the Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.



Seeing the light: Researchers combine technologies for better light control

A new technology that can allow for better light control without requiring large, difficult-to-integrate materials and structures has been developed by Department of Electrical Engineering researchers. The new photonic integrated chip could allow for many advances in the optical field and industry, ranging from improvements in virtual-reality glasses to optical remote sensing, according to the researchers.
Soft robot actuators heal themselves
Repeated activity wears on soft robotic actuators, but these machines’ moving parts need to be reliable and easily fixed. Now a team of Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics researchers has a biosynthetic polymer, patterned after squid ring teeth, that is self-healing and biodegradable, creating a material not only good for actuators, but also for hazmat suits and other applications where tiny holes could
cause a danger.

"My goal since I was in middle school has been to get to one of the best universities in the U.S. and being selected as the marshal is such a big honor. I reached my goals and I am now ready to take the next step with great motivation."

Is’haq Al Hajri, an electrical engineering major with an energy business and finance minor, was named the College of Engineering’s student marshal for the 2020 summer commencement, held virtually on Aug. 15.



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