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School of Engineering & Applied Science
On ENIAC’s anniversary, a nod to its female ‘computers’
Six women were the original operators of Penn’s pathbreaking ENIAC, the world’s first computer. On ENIAC Day, you can see a documentary featuring some of their stories that were originally obscured from history.
Wired up at FemmeHacks
Penn President Amy Gutmann and Vijay Kumar, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, visited the all-women collegiate hackathon this weekend.
Infection-resistant catheter plan wins Y-Prize
The team of four undergraduates propose reinventing the catheter to prevent urinary tract infections at the source, using a wrinkle printing technology developed at Penn.
‘Metallic wood’ has the strength of titanium and the density of water
In a study published in Nature Scientific Reports, researchers at the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, and the University of Cambridge have built a sheet of nickel with nanoscale pores that make it as strong as titanium, but four to five times lighter.
Engineers 3D print smart objects with ‘embodied logic’
Researchers at the School of Engineering and Applied Science have taken inspiration from the sorts of systems embodied in Venus fly traps, utilizing stimuli-responsive materials and geometric principles to design structures that have “embodied logic.”
Launching junior faculty into fulfilling careers
Taking a holistic approach, the Penn Faculty Pathways Program equips early career professors with the tools they need to excel professionally and personally.
‘Advocate for the hearing of the truth’ on climate change
Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, a Global Order Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Perry World House and a former deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy, encouraged scientists to tell policymakers what they know about climate change, to help shape regulations and policy decisions.
Duncan Watts appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett are pleased to announce the appointment of Duncan Watts as the University of Pennsylvania’s twenty-third Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor.
By the Numbers: Pennovation Works’ ascendant 2018
In its second year, Pennovation Works, a strategic blend of offices, labs, and production space that pushes for the advancement of knowledge and economic development, continued to move the needle on activating its space as an innovation destination.
Celebrating science
Eight Penn faculty share their favorite general interest books about science.
In the News
Science News
A new insulation material is practically weightless yet still durable
The School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Deep Jariwala commented on a new, nearly weightless insulation material made of porous aerogel capable of withstanding temperature shifts of over 1,000 degrees Celsius. “It’s notoriously hard to make materials that are not just lightweight but can also be heavily heat resistant.”
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Technical.ly Philly
For a glimpse into the future, look at aerial robotics
An event about aerial robotics with the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s dean Vijay Kumar is featured.
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Popular Science
Cell phones pose plenty of risks, but none of them are cancer
Reviewing the results of a study exploring the relationship between cell phones and cancer, Kenneth Foster of the School of Engineering and Applied Science remains unconvinced of potential dangers. “Health agencies are saying that if there’s something there, it’s probably so small that there’s not likely to be a large effect on the population,” Foster said.
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NBC News
After a stressful election, experts warn blockchain is not the answer
Matt Blaze of the School of Engineering and Applied Science weighed in on blockchain voting. “The charlatans pushing for blockchain elections and online voting are doing the equivalent of advocating a healthcare policy that assumes we’re about to cure cancer,” Blaze tweeted. “Maybe we will, but best not to bet on it.”
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The New York Times
The crisis of election security
Matt Blaze of the School of Engineering and Applied Science said that the investigation into Russian election interference has not found evidence that votes were actually altered, but also that “we haven’t looked very hard.” Furthermore, said Blaze, even if we were to look more closely, “it’s possible to do a pretty good job of erasing all the forensic evidence.”
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