With industry support, the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Lab (DOE-NETL) has awarded the Penn State Steady Thermal Aero Research Turbine (START) Lab $6 million to spearhead the development of a National Experimental Turbine (NExT) rig, an initiative to help modernize the nation's energy infrastructure.>>
SEPTEMBER 2019
FEATURES
Researchers develop novel process to fabricate battery materials
By discovering a way to combine lithium salts with ceramics, researchers in the Penn State College of Engineering and the Penn State Materials Research Institute may have created a new class of materials for longer-lasting batteries. According to researchers, the composite nature of the batteries could make recycling easier, reducing landfill waste.>>
Electrical engineering professor receives NSF CAREER Award
The increasing development and use of cyber-physical systems has led to a heightened need for improved measures to protect data privacy. Minghui Zhu, associate professor of electrical engineering, has been awarded a five-year, $500,000 NSF CAREER Award to develop solutions that promote privacy while allowing cyber-physical systems to successfully accomplish control tasks.>>
New gift will revolutionize service enterprise engineering for new opportunities
Charles R. Schneider and Penn State are partnering on a nearly $9 million investment to greatly expand the College of Engineering's focus on improving processes and efficiencies across the service sector of the economy, a field known as service enterprise engineering.>>
Using prototypes to improve undergraduate engineering communication skills
While prior work has demonstrated that professional engineers frequently rely on prototypes to communicate, preliminary data suggests that undergraduate engineering students struggle to use prototypes effectively. The NSF has awarded researchers at Penn State $300,000 to develop a curriculum and educational tools targeted at improving prototyping communications at the undergraduate level.>>
Penn State researchers lead the way in Water-Energy-Food research in Africa
A team of Penn State researchers led by Rachel Brennan, associate professor of environmental engineering, recently received $250,000 in University Strategic Plan seed funding to address global Water-Energy-Food (WEF) challenges.>>
RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS
Engineering faculty named senior members of the National Academy of Inventors>>
Penn State industrial engineering professor addresses U.S. Congressional Caucus>>
Electrical engineering alumnus named Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellow>>
AROUND THE COLLEGE
Professor to tackle large-scale simulation optimization problems>>
Moving faster in a crowd: Examining cell particle movement>>
International leaders convene at Penn State to map future of nuclear power>>
Detention basins could catch more than stormwater>>
Former faculty member and spouse commit $4 million to electrical engineering>>
Innovating vehicle technology possible with new mechanical engineering faculty>>
Research team receives grant to commercialize 3D-printed concrete system>>
Improv teaches chemical engineering REU students valuable skills>>
Engineering alumnus makes $2.5 million commitment to facilities expansion>>
