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Student team ranks high in international uncrewed aerial vehicle competition , articleA team of Virginia Tech students is part of a global competition to create a new type of uncrewed aerial vehicle that could provide critical help in natural disasters.
Date: May 06, 2025 -
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Problem-solving cells called pericytes could inspire a new species of supercomputer , articleA group of engineering and philosophy researchers are looking to the cells’ little-known clustering behavior for computing inspiration.
Date: Apr 04, 2025 -
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Where the rubber meets the test track: Kevin Fuller pairs his passions for racing and research , articleA 35-year career at Michelin put Fuller ‘90 in the driver’s seat countless times. He found his way to the test track through racing and an education in engineering.
Date: Mar 20, 2025 -
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Mark Paul named fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers , articleAs director of the Computational Science and Engineering Lab, Paul has bridged the disciplines of engineering, physics, nanoscale technology, biology, and more.
Date: Mar 20, 2025 -
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Research turns robotic hardware into flatware , articleEating meals can be a challenge for people with limited mobility. Virginia Tech researchers have created a new robot-friendly utensil to assist.
Date: Feb 07, 2025 -
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Rui Qiao named fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry , articleQiao, the John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is recognized for his work at the interface of chemistry and its applications to technologies such as electrical energy storage.
Date: Feb 03, 2025 -
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A fast-moving belly flop: Researchers unveil the unique skills of cricket frogs , articleThe way cricket frogs move across the surface of water has long been thought to resemble walking on water, but researchers in the lab of Jake Socha have discovered a different reality.
Date: Jan 06, 2025 -
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Decoding the arms of an octopus , articleNoel Naughton is part of a team that has modeled the mechanisms of an octopus’ arms, laying the groundwork for robotics that work the same way.
Date: Nov 20, 2024 -
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Planes in the air assess floods on the ground , articleThe Virginia Department of Emergency Management called on the Uncrewed Systems Lab to map flood damage caused by Hurricane Helene. The interdisciplinary team of students used aerial data capture in comparison with existing open-source virtual maps.
Date: Nov 19, 2024 -
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A legacy of three mechanical minds drives on , articleMechanical engineering graduate John Bobbitt IV '24 is part of a rich history of Hokies who love cars, from his grandfather’s Ford to his father’s work with professional race cars.
Date: Nov 18, 2024 -
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Virginia Tech researcher wins Society of Automotive Engineers’ Medal of Honor , articleThe highest honor granted by the standard-bearing automotive society has been bestowed on Mehdi Ahmadian, a researcher with more than four decades of impact in the field of vehicle dynamics.
Date: Nov 05, 2024 -
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Virginia Tech team creates new method of flexing on electronics , articleResearchers devised a new method for creating soft, flexible electric connections across and through circuit layers, paving the way for advanced soft robotics, wearable devices, and more.
Date: Oct 24, 2024 -
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New research on octopus-inspired technology successfully maneuvers underwater objects , articleAssociate Professor Michael Bartlett leads a team that created an octopus-inspired adhesive for strong attachment and rapid release in challenging underwater conditions.
Date: Oct 09, 2024 -
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Anne Staples receives National Institutes of Health Trailblazer Award to develop featherweight drug delivery devices , articlePatients who receive drug delivery from a wearable device might struggle with its bulkiness. A new device is under development to solve that problem with funding from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.
Date: Oct 04, 2024 -
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First-of-its kind tool puts particles in their places , articleNovel research combines acoustic waves and energy fields to allow scientists to manipulate cells without touching them and could help improve how we study and prevent diseases.
Date: Sep 18, 2024 -
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New home for engineering mechanics program creates abundant opportunities for faculty, students , articleWithin the College of Engineering, 14 faculty and eight staff members changed their home to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, effective July 1.
Date: Aug 15, 2024 -
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Virginia Tech joins global team for award-winning research using firefighting drones , articleVirginia Tech experts and a global group of researchers bring together strong research and best practices in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in outdoor firefighting.
Date: Aug 14, 2024 -
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Researchers develop 'organ on a chip' for better drug testing , article$2 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health made it possible to 3D-print synthetic models, which mimic part of the human brain and could replace the use of animals in developing treatments.
Date: Jul 18, 2024 -
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Virginia Tech researcher creates new tool to move tiny bioparticles , articleThe ability to move small things with microscale resolution and without making physical contact is far beyond the ability of human hands. Robotics provide a means to achieve this microscopic manipulation, and Assistant Professor Zhenhua Tian has created new tools for the task.
Date: May 24, 2024 -
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Virginia Tech researcher’s breakthrough discovery uses engineered surfaces to shed heat , articleAssociate Professor Jiangtao Cheng’s discovery offers great potential in heat transfer applications such as the cooling of industrial machines. When it comes to cooling equipment like nuclear reactors, every degree counts.
Date: May 24, 2024 -
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Zhenhua Tian receives National Science Foundation CAREER award to develop invisible acoustic tweezers , articleThe ability to precisely move small objects such as embryos, cells, and bacteria without physical contact could be a valuable tool for health care. Tian’s research group is developing these techniques with the $649,000 award.
Date: May 13, 2024 -
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In memoriam: Arvid Myklebust, professor emeritus of mechanical engineering , articleMyklebust was a pioneer in the field of computer-aided design, establishing centers for the burgeoning technology around the country.
Date: Apr 23, 2024 -
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Class of 2024: Master’s Student Ayden Cohn: presenting a better future for nuclear reactors , articleAyden Cohn has excelled in the field of nuclear engineering, and his efforts have earned him the title of Outstanding Master's Student in the College of Engineering.
Date: Apr 18, 2024 -
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Experts expanding the reach of engineering research , articleOne of the advantages of the research enterprise at Virginia Tech lies in its blend of experts with budding inventors. By employing specialists who both innovate and teach, a full body of knowledge is being passed on to the next generation of engineers.
Date: Apr 03, 2024 -
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Brian Lattimer named head of Department of Mechanical Engineering , articleLattimer. a three-time Hokie, has been a leader in both industry and academia.
Date: Apr 01, 2024 -
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Research seeks to break the mold of ultra-lightweight aerogels , articleProducing ultra-lightweight materials that are also strong could be a revolution across multiple industries. With groundbreaking work from an interdisciplinary team of chemists and 3D printing experts, that revolution could be closer.
Date: Mar 25, 2024 -
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Michael Bartlett, Steve Rowson named senior members of the National Academy of Inventors , articleThe award recognizes Bartlett and Rowson as rising leaders in their fields with success in patents, licensing, and commercialization and for producing technologies that have brought, or aspire to bring, real impact on the welfare of society.
Date: Mar 08, 2024 -
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Dylan Losey receives National Science Foundation CAREER award to build assistive AI , articleLosey leads a team that has explored the possibilities of human-robot interaction, and now he will expand that research to develop robots that understand — and are understood by — their everyday users.
Date: Feb 27, 2024 -
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International work puts robot avatars on the move , articleGraduate student Connor Herron went from Blacksburg to Genoa, Italy, to lend a hand in making a better system for long-range, remotely controlled robots that walk on two legs.
Date: Feb 21, 2024 -
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Bart Raeymaekers inducted to the European Academy of Sciences and Arts , articleRaeymaekers has a deep portfolio of research in tribology and additive manufacturing, and his work is being recognized by colleagues across the globe.
Date: Jan 23, 2024 -
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Origami-inspired robotic plants grow with their environment , articleResearchers at Virginia Tech and Clemson collaborate to produce robotic sensors that mimic the characteristics of plants for optimal environmental monitoring.
Date: Jan 04, 2024 -
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Boiled bubbles jump to carry more heat , articleBubbles are an optimal way to carry heat, and Jonathan Boreyko's team has engineered a surface that makes them jump to carry even more.
Date: Dec 04, 2023 -
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Brian Lattimer named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers , articleLattimer's research in the dynamics of fire and has been funded by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, Office of Naval Research, and National Science Foundation, among others.
Date: Oct 25, 2023 -
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Mechanical engineering professor uses coal to create 'wonder material' , articleLightweight, strong, electrically conductive, and antimicrobial — graphene is a prime candidate for a host of applications. Now, a Virginia Tech team is making the material from a surprising source.
Date: Oct 17, 2023 -
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Virginia Tech and Weizmann Institute of Science tackle cell migration on fibers , articleAmrinder Nain has established international research partnerships for unique investigations in cellular movement. As his team looks at the coiling movement of cells, he continues to champion globally connected labs.
Date: Oct 11, 2023 -
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Cross country, fast food, and authenticity: The journey of engineer Lianne Lami , articleLami ’88 had just started her career in engineering when it derailed. To make ends meet, she took a job at Taco Bell, where a customer asked her, “What do you normally do?” Her honest response jump-started a return to the field she has loved for almost 30 years.
Date: Oct 09, 2023 -
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Jiangtao Cheng receives international funding to study spiderwebs as biosensors , articleThe dew-covered spiderweb you see in your yard might soon become a platform to detect airborne viruses. Cheng received an international grant from the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation to build bio-inspired technology that could serve as an early warning system for pathogens such as COVID.
Date: Sep 29, 2023 -
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Shima Shahab named Mary Virginia Jones Faculty Fellow in Mechanical Engineering , articleA member of the Virginia Tech community since 2015, Shahab’s research and scholarship specializes on developing new approaches to creating acoustic lenses used in novel ultrasound therapy.
Date: Sep 12, 2023 -
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Pinar Acar receives NSF CAREER award to design the materials of the future , articleAcar’s team specializes in creating digital profiles of materials. In this project, the team will be creating digital models set to music.
Date: Jul 27, 2023 -
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In memoriam: Norman Eiss, professor emeritus of mechanical engineering , articleA member of the Virginia Tech community since 1966, Eiss was a familiar face on campus and within the town of Blacksburg.
Date: Jun 30, 2023 -
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Stronger tape engineered through the art of cutting , articleMichael Bartlett’s team at Virginia Tech has adapted kirigami, the ancient Japanese art of cutting paper, into a method for increasing the adhesive bond of ordinary tape by 60 times. Their work was published in Nature Materials.
Date: Jun 22, 2023 -
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Nain lab partners with researchers in Japan and Israel to put cancer cells on a tightrope , articleAn international research group led by Virginia Tech Professor Amrinder Nain and Professor Shiro Suetsugu of the Nara Institute of Science and Technology has uncovered new findings that explain how cancer cells adhere to their environment.
Date: Jun 22, 2023 -
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Rui Qiao named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers , article
Qiao, a professor and John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, directs the Laboratory of Transport Phenomena for Advanced Technologies.
Date: Jun 16, 2023 -
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Ling Li leads team to see through eyes made of stone , articleLi, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded $1.05 million over three years to lead a team studying the visual abilities of a unique underwater creature with thousands of eyes.
Date: May 31, 2023 -
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Brian Lattimer appointed interim department head for Department of Mechanical Engineering , articleThree-time Hokie Brian Lattimer, a professor in mechanical engineering, succeeds Azim Eskandarian, who was recently named dean of the VCU College of Engineering.
Date: May 23, 2023 -
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Alireza Haghighat earns Gerald C. Pomraning Memorial Award , articleThe prestigious award recognizes key contributions to the fields of mathematics and computation and their applications to the field of nuclear science and engineering. Haghighat, the Robert E. Hord, Jr. Endowed Professor in Mechanical Engineering, is director of the department's nuclear engineering program.
Date: May 18, 2023 -
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Finding the dream team to beat the heat , articleJonathan Boreyko’s team has discovered the superior ability of ice to quickly quench heat from metal in research published in Chem.
Date: Apr 14, 2023 -
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Safety and reliability for planes: Researchers explore atmospheric hazards to aircraft engines , articleVirginia Tech researchers Changmin Son, Wing Ng, Todd Lowe, and Mark Caddick are working with industry leaders at Rolls Royce and Pratt & Whitney to expand critical information about the impact of airborne particles and weather on gas turbine engines.
Date: Apr 10, 2023 -
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Researchers clear the way for well-rounded view of cellular defects , articleCellular dynamics are most often studied on the flat environment of a Petri dish, but Amrinder Nain's team has discovered that observing cells in an environment similar to living tissue provides new insights.
Date: Mar 31, 2023 -
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Michael Bartlett receives NSF CAREER award to study soft composite manufacturing , articleBartlett, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, will use the $590,600 National Science Foundation CAREER award to research and understand new strategies for manufacturing liquid metal-based soft composites.
Date: Feb 28, 2023 -
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3D printing breaks out of the box , articleStudents in the DREAMS lab have spent the last year pairing 3D printing with advanced automated assembly, creating a first-of-its-kind manufacturing process.
Date: Feb 10, 2023 -
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Harvesting energy from moving trains , articleThe Virginia Tech Center for Vehicle Systems and Safety and the Railway Technologies Laboratory are harnessing the energy created by moving trains and transforming that energy into usable electricity.
Date: Jan 24, 2023 -
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Building a network: The career journey of Irvine Sloan ‘05 , articleA sibling rivalry drove Sloan to become the first person at Virginia Tech to earn simultaneous degrees in mechanical engineering and electrical and computer engineering, and he hasn't slowed his pace since.
Date: Jan 03, 2023 -
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Researchers team up to visualize radiation with virtual reality , articleThree Virginia Tech professors from nuclear engineering, physics, and industrial engineering are bringing together their expertise and inventions to create a highly innovative technology for high-fidelity, real-time monitoring of nuclear power plant cores.
Date: Jan 03, 2023 -
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Alireza Haghighat plays a leading role in nuclear expansion for the commonwealth , articleHaghighat has spent more than a decade advising Virginia governors in the expansion of nuclear energy for the state, and an October announcement by Gov. Glenn Youngkin is a bold marker in the progress he has made.
Date: Jan 02, 2023 -
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John Palmore leads project to deter carp with sound , articleAssistant Professor John Palmore has received $340,000 from the Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center to create new tools using sound waves to control the movement of invasive species of Asian carp.
Date: Jan 01, 2023 -
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Rolf Müller named Raymond E. and Shirley B. Lynn Professor of Mechanical Engineering , articleA member of the Virginia Tech community since 2008, Müller's research has generated new principles for sensing in complex natural environments by taking inspiration from bats.
Date: Nov 23, 2022 -
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Alireza Haghighat named Robert E. Hord Jr. Professor of Mechanical Engineering , article
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 2011, Haghighat is an internationally known researcher, educator, and leader in the field of nuclear science and engineering.
Date: Nov 23, 2022 -
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Tom Diller honored with emeritus status , articleA member of the Virginia Tech community since 1979, Diller made significant contributions in the engineering, entrepreneurial, and interdisciplinary aspects of heat transfer and, in particular, heat flux and temperature measurements and sensors.
Date: Nov 23, 2022 -
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In memoriam: Reza Mirzaeifar, associate professor of mechanical engineering , articleMirzaeifar was an enthusiastic learner across many topics, earning himself the nickname of “walking Wikipedia” in his circle of friends. He passed away Oct. 19.
Date: Nov 22, 2022 -
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Ling Li looks to sea urchins for stronger ceramic foams , articleLi, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, has unlocked a mystery in the porous microstructures of sea urchin exoskeletons that could lead to the creation of lightweight synthetic ceramics. His findings were published in Nature Communications.
Date: Oct 27, 2022 -
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Engineering alumnus Rear Adm. Jeff Jablon teaches, mentors on land and sea , articleRear Adm. Jeff Jablon did not foresee a future in the military when he was a student at Virginia Tech, but he found that leading others was a good reason to change his mind. Today, he oversees the U.S. Pacific submarine fleet.
Date: Sep 29, 2022 -
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First bats fly through Virginia Tech's new bat cave in Brunei , articleThe tunnel built by Rolf Mueller's team in Brunei to study the mechanics of how bats fly has completed its multi-year journey and is now hosting live bats.
Date: Aug 30, 2022 -
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Student work establishes Virginia Tech as a leader in 3D printing , articleThe Design, Research, and Education for Additive Manufacturing Systems Lab is diligently pushing 3D printing to its next level and helping teams of students rack up a series of international design competition wins that introduce major cost savings for industry, catapult new possibilities for work in space, supercharge engines, and enrich quality of life.
Date: Aug 10, 2022 -
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No five-year plan , articleVirginia Tech alumnus Eric Schneider has followed a winding path from mechanical engineer to entrepreneur.
Date: Aug 05, 2022 -
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Underwater glove puts octopus' abilities on the hand of humans , articleIn the Virginia Tech lab of Michael Bartlett, a team of researchers has engineered a glove that mimics the arm of an octopus. They call it: Octa-glove. This work is set to be featured on the cover of Science Advances.
Date: Jul 13, 2022 -
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Alan Asbeck receives NSF CAREER award to create new type of lower-body exoskeleton , articleAsbeck, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and his team will study the way people walk and adapt to exoskeleton assistance.
Date: May 19, 2022 -
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Class of 2022: Gwyneth Schloer tackles five degrees in five years , articleGwyneth Schloer is is receiving undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering, economics, and Spanish. She is working toward two graduate degrees as well, while also working for Northrup Grumman.
Date: May 09, 2022 -
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Shima Shahab receives NSF CAREER Award to develop innovative methods for delivering ultrasound treatments , articleShahab, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has worked with her team to develop focused ultrasound as an effective tool for treating issues within the brain.
Date: Mar 21, 2022 -
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Pinhas Ben-Tzvi named fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers , articleBen-Tzvi is the founding director of the Robotics and Mechatronics Lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and focuses on fundamental and applied research in robotics, mechatronics, and controls.
Date: Mar 15, 2022 -
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Equity, mentoring, Legos, and Googling: Student Joseph O’Such brings an eclectic worldview to campus with help from scholarships , articleO’Such spent a lot of his childhood with his family in Lane Stadium, shouting “Hokie hi” on Saturday afternoons with thousands of other fans. As a budding engineer, he also envisioned himself walking the Blacksburg campus as a student one day. With the help of two key scholarships, that dream became a reality.
Date: Feb 22, 2022 -
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A star in the world of ceramic engineering , articleMechanical Engineering Assistant Professor Ling Li has found clues in the skeletons of the knobby starfish that could lead to innovations for stronger ceramics. His work was featured on the cover of Science Magazine.
Date: Feb 16, 2022 -
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Chris Williams named senior member of the National Academy of Inventors , articleWilliams has excelled in the field of additive manufacturing (also called 3D printing), establishing himself as a pioneer from the earliest days of the technology’s appearance on the Virginia Tech campus.
Date: Feb 11, 2022 -
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New soft robot morphs from a ground to air vehicle using liquid metal , articleA research team led by Michael Bartlett, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has created a drone that changes modes by using temperature and dynamic materials. Their work was recently published in Science Robotics.
Date: Feb 09, 2022 -
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Using ice to boil water: Researcher makes heat transfer discovery that expands on 18th century principle , articleResearcher Jonathan Boreyko and graduate fellow Mojtaba Edalatpour have made a discovery about the properties of water that could provide an exciting addendum to a phenomenon established over two centuries ago. The discovery also holds interesting possibilities for cooling devices and processes in industrial applications using only the basic properties of water.
Date: Jan 21, 2022 -
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Drones that fly away from a 3D printer: Undergraduates create science nonfiction , articleA Virginia Tech undergraduate student team is developing a 3D-printing system capable of autonomously creating drones that could fly away as soon as their fabrication is complete.
Date: Dec 10, 2021 -
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Student explores the broad engineering workforce with co-ops and internships , articleSpencer Macturk has immersed himself in the work of co-ops and internships, connecting what he learns in the classroom to industry. He aims to finish five such experiences by the time he graduates.
Date: Nov 29, 2021 -
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Engineering student brings youth drone academy program to the Dominican Republic , articleThe program was modeled on part of the Malawi class co-founded by Assistant Professor Kevin Kochersberger, putting materials in the hands of students to build motorized foam gliders to test the laws of aerodynamics, electricity, and surfaces.
Date: Nov 19, 2021 -
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Reza Mirzaeifar named John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow , articleA member of the Virginia Tech faculty since 2014, Mirzaeifar has a notable record of conducting research in the area of advanced materials, including metal-graphene composites, 3D printed alloys, thin films, and shape memory alloys/polymers with particular emphasis on studying the mechanical behavior of these materials at nano, micro, and macroscales.
Date: Nov 18, 2021 -
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Shima Shahab receives NSF EAGER award to study acoustic holograms , articleShahab, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Multiphysics Intelligent and Dynamical Systems Laboratory, is the principal investigator on a study that will investigate the way sound waves are reshaped as they encounter an engineered lens, and the reshaping of a wave within body tissues.
Date: Nov 17, 2021 -
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Jiangtao Cheng named fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers , articleThe status of fellow is bestowed upon members of the society with 10 or more years of active practice and at least 10 years of active corporate membership, as described by the organization. Roughly 3,000 fellows have been chosen out of the more than 100,000 members.
Date: Nov 05, 2021 -
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Through the eyes of underwater creatures , articleWith funding from the Office of Naval Research, mechanical engineering Assistant Professor Michael Bartlett is putting a bio-inspired sensory system to work in a series of soft electronics to be worn by humans.
Date: Nov 03, 2021 -
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Fighting fire with foam, the eco-friendly way , articleTwo Virginia Tech researchers have been awarded $1.2 million to develop an electronic molecular toolbox that uses machine learning and analytical techniques to support the development of environmentally friendly, firefighting foam.
Date: Oct 25, 2021 -
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Researchers learn how swimming ducks balance water pressure in their feathers while diving , articleA team of students working with Jonathan Boreyko, associate professor in mechanical engineering, has discovered the method ducks use to suspend water in their feathers while diving, allowing them to shake it out when surfacing.
Date: Jun 02, 2021
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