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Penn engineers first to train AI at lightspeed
Tianwei Wu (left) and Liang Feng (right) demonstrating some of the apparatus used to develop the new, light-powered chip.

Tianwei Wu (left) and Liang Feng (right) demonstrating some of the apparatus used to develop the new, light-powered chip.

(Image: Sylvia Zhang)

Penn engineers first to train AI at lightspeed

Penn engineers have developed the first photonic chip that reshapes how light behaves to carry out the nonlinear mathematics at the heart of modern AI while reducing energy use.

Ian Scheffler

2 min. read

Penn students develop AI-driven solution to transform senior care
Nami Lindquist, Melanie Herbert, and Alex Popescu

Melanie Herbert (center), a fourth-year in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, created Sync Labs—an innovative AI solution that addresses caregiving in senior care. Joined by Nami Lindquist (left) of the Wharton School and Penn Engineering and Alex Popescu of Penn Engineering (right) their technology, which has earned them the 2025 President’s Innovation Prize, allows caregivers to see three times more seniors while providing more personalized care.

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Penn students develop AI-driven solution to transform senior care

Fourth-year students Melanie Herbert, Nami Lindquist, and Alexandra Popescu were awarded the President’s Innovation Prize for Sync Labs, a privacy-centered AI system to address the growing caregiving gap in senior care

8 min. read

Improving AI and machine learning
(From left) Zachary Ives, Zixuan Yi, and Ryan Marcus.

Zixuan Yi with advisers Zachary Ives (left) and Ryan Marcus.

(Image: Sylvia Zhang)

Improving AI and machine learning

Zixuan Yi, a doctoral student in computer and information science, bridges the gap between learning methods and real-world system constraints utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning.

From Penn Engineering

1 min. read

Armoring CAR T cells to take on cancer
3D visualization showing a reddish-blue tumor mass with internal vasculature, surrounded by blue CAR T cells and small extracellular vesicles against a dark background.

Wei Guo of the School of Arts & Sciences and colleagues from the Perelman School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, and School of Engineering and Applied Science have teamed up to uncover how solid tumors’ complicated microenvironments can manipulate cancer-fighting CAR T cells through extracellular vesicles, causing the engineered CAR T cells to commit fratricide—essentially turning against each other instead of attacking the cancer.

(Image: iStock / Marcin Klapczynski)

Armoring CAR T cells to take on cancer

Wei Guo of the School of Arts & Sciences and colleagues from the Perelman School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, and School of Engineering and Applied Science have uncovered how solid tumors manipulate cancer-fighting CAR T cells through extracellular vesicles, causing the engineered CAR T cells to commit fratricide—essentially turning against each other instead of attacking the cancer.

3 min. read

Five Penn faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Top row: Dennis Discher, Michael Correa-Jones, and Cherie Kagan. Bottom row: Sophie Rosenfeld and Susan Weiss.

Top row: Dennis Discher, Michael Correa-Jones, and Cherie Kagan. Bottom row: Sophie Rosenfeld and Susan Weiss.

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Five Penn faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Dennis E. Discher, Michael Jones-Correa, Cherie R. Kagan, Sophia Rosenfeld, and Susan R. Weiss are being recognized for their contributions to engineering, political science, history, and biology.

3 min. read

How Penn engineers are restoring historic Springfield Mills
Jason Pastor and another lab worker at Penn’s MEAM lab.

Jason Pastor (left) is a senior coordinator of instructional labs at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) at Penn Engineering.

(Image: Courtesy of Penn Engineering)

How Penn engineers are restoring historic Springfield Mills

The gristmill on Wissahickon Creek, which dates back to 1761, required repairs to its modern machinery upgrades. Volunteers at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens turned to MEAM’s Precision Manufacturing Lab at Penn Engineering for the design of precision components.

From Penn Engineering

2 min. read

From sewing to 3D printing: Taylor Caputo and the Engineering Studios at Penn’s
Taylor Caputo in Penn’s Venture Lab.

Taylor Caputo is a lecturer in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics and director of the Engineering Studios @ Venture Lab.

(Image: Courtesy of Penn Engineering Today)

From sewing to 3D printing: Taylor Caputo and the Engineering Studios at Penn’s

The lecturer in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics and director of the Engineering Studios @ Venture Lab helps students bring student visions for new products to life through laser cutters, 3D printers, and even sewing machines.

Ian Scheffler

2 min. read

Turning bicycles into an engineering study tool
Penn students riding bikes over a bridge in Amsterdam.

Students explored Amsterdam with a bike tour and even a bicycle scavenger hunt.

(Image: Elizabeth Feeney)

Turning bicycles into an engineering study tool

Penn students explore the Netherlands’ cycling infrastructure and learn about bicycle design principles in Dustyn Roberts’ popular Penn Global Seminar.

5 min. read