11/15
Science & Technology
The Singh Center for Nanotechnology turns 10
The Singh Center for Nanotechnology turns 10
Since its founding, the Center’s multidisciplinary approach has been a strength, where researchers from Penn Engineering, Arts & Sciences, and more come together in one space.
A peek into the future of visual data interpretation
A peek into the future of visual data interpretation
Researchers from Penn have developed a framework for assessing generative AI’s efficacy at deciphering images.
Who, What, Why: John Donges
Who, What, Why: John Donges
At Penn Vet for more than two decades, John Donges has worked on nearly half the issues of Bellwether, the School’s alumni and donor magazine. So, it made sense that he was the editor of a special 100th issue, publishing this month.
Lipid nanoparticles that deliver mRNA to T cells hold promise for autoimmune diseases
Lipid nanoparticles that deliver mRNA to T cells hold promise for autoimmune diseases
A new platform to engineer adoptive cell therapies for specific autoimmune diseases has the potential to create therapies for allergies, organ transplants, and more.
Making better decisions with AI
Making better decisions with AI
Kaustubh Sridhar, a doctoral student in Electrical and Systems Engineering, aims to improve autonomous agents in the real world with more accurate decision-making programming.
A twist on atomic sheets to create new materials
A twist on atomic sheets to create new materials
A collaborative team of physicists in the School of Arts & Sciences have found that putting a twist on tungsten disulfide stacks illuminates new approaches to manipulate light.
Carbon capture and common misconceptions: A Q&A with Joe Romm
Carbon capture and common misconceptions: A Q&A with Joe Romm
In a conversation with Penn Today, Joe Romm casts a sobering light on “solutions” to curb climate change.
A centimeter-scale quadruped leverages curved-crease origami
A centimeter-scale quadruped leverages curved-crease origami
Researchers led by Cynthia Sung in Penn Engineering have crafted a more simplified approach to the design and fabrication of these robots.
Scientists observe composite superstructure growth from nanocrystals in real time
Scientists observe composite superstructure growth from nanocrystals in real time
The findings could enable engineers to more reliably manufacture next-generation materials by combining different nanocrystals.
The alchemy behind the diamond: Unearthing baseball’s beloved mud
The alchemy behind the diamond: Unearthing baseball’s beloved mud
Researchers at Penn are working on cracking the code behind Major League Baseball’s “Magic Mud.”
In the News
WHYY (Philadelphia)
Climate policy under a second Trump presidency
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences discusses how much a president can do or undo when it comes to environmental policy.
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Interesting Engineering
Superhuman vision lets robots see through walls, smoke with new LiDAR-like eyes
Mingmin Zhao of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and colleagues are using radio signals to allow robots to “see” beyond traditional sensor limits.
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Technical.ly Philly
A sneak peek inside Penn Engineering’s new $137.5M mass timber building
Amy Gutmann Hall aims to be Philadelphia’s next big hub for AI and innovation while setting a new standard for architectural sustainability.
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Salon.com
Exxon CEO wants Trump to stay in Paris climate accord
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences voices his concern about the possibility that the U.S. could become a petrostate.
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Associated Press
Amid Earth’s heat records, scientists report another bump upward in annual carbon emissions
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that total carbon emissions including fossil fuel pollution and land use changes such as deforestation are basically flat because land emissions are declining.
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The Wall Street Journal
How can we remove carbon from the air? Here are a few ideas
Jennifer Wilcox of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the Weitzman School of Design says that the carbon-removal potential of forestation can’t always be reliably measured in terms of how much removal and for how long.
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Associated Press
California air regulators approve changes to climate program that could raise gas prices
Danny Cullenward of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the Weitzman School of Design says that many things being credited in California’s new climate program don’t help the climate.
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Times of India
Self shocks turn crystal to glass at ultralow power density: Study
A collaborative study by researchers from the School of Engineering and Applied Science has shed new light on amorphization, the transition from a crystalline to a glassy state at the nanoscale.
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Interesting Engineering
U.S. achieves billion-fold power-saving semiconductor tech; could challenge China
A collaborative effort by Ritesh Agarwal of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and colleagues has made phase-change memory more energy efficient and could unlock a future revolution in data storage.
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The Independent
Climate scientists fear Trump will destroy progress in his second term – and the outcome could be ‘grim’
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that a second Trump term and the implementation of Project 2025 represents the end of climate action in this decade.
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