Penn Engineering

In August, White Sands National Park in New Mexico provided a setting for engineers to test robots designed to map hazards and climb dunes on the Moon or Mars. The TRUSSES team is now set to demonstrate their system at NASA's Ames Research Center in California.

https://bit.ly/4nxphQN

To combat extreme heat in Philadelphia this summer, Penn Engineers Nafisa Bangura, Angelica Dadda and Dylan York evaluated CoolSeal, a reflective pavement coating to mitigate urban heat.
https://bit.ly/4nrnht4

A new review from the lab of @ravi-radhak.bsky.social connects how a tumor's physical properties and the tiny messengers it releases, called extracellular vesicles (EVs), could shape the future of cancer treatment and therapies.

blog.seas.upenn.edu/penn-enginee...

Penn buildings achieve LEED certifications, showcasing commitment to sustainability | Penn Today Three recent building projects at the University of Pennsylvania have earned LEED Platinum, Gold, and Silver certifications, underscoring Penn’s ongoing commitment to sustainable design and constructi...

Penn's new home for energy science, the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST), has earned a LEED Platinum certificate--the highest standard in sustainable building design. Learn more about VLEST: https://bit.ly/3JywOwM @pennengineering.bsky.social @vagelosenergy.bsky.social

The C4R25 Conference recently brought together a global community of researchers, students and practitioners for a hands-on experience in scientific rigor. The three-day event on campus focused on the intersection of research and AI, featuring panel discussions and workshops.

Perseverance rover found rock samples with biosignatures, hinting at ancient life on Mars.
Douglas Jerolmack (@meam-penn.bsky.social) told @cbsnews.com.web.brid.gy that minerals and hexagonal mud-cracks suggest long-term water presence and ancient microbial life.

www.cbsnews.com/video/the-si...

Congratulations to Sherry Gao, Penn Compact Associate Professor in CBE and in BE, on receiving the Food, Pharmaceutical, and Bioengineering Division Early Career Award in Chemical Engineering from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Lung fibrosis, a silent disease, is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. Penn Engineering researchers exposed lung tissue to blue light, which reveals a mechanical problem with biological consequences.

https://bit.ly/45U6Zmj

Vanessa Chan, Penn Engineering's Vice Dean for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, discusses her journey through academia and industry with Technical.ly Philly in their "How I Got Here" series. Read the full article today.

https://technical.ly/workforce/penn-engineering-vanessa-chan-how-i-got-here/

A @pennmatsci.bsky.social team has brought quantum networking out of the laboratory and onto commercial fiber-optic cables. Utilizing Verizon's campus network, the novel chip uses the same Internet Protocol as today's web.

https://bit.ly/4g4w15S

A warm welcome to the latest group of Clark Scholars. During pre-orientation, the new cohort connected with peers and leaders and explored campus through a scavenger hunt.

Welcome back, Penn Engineers. The campus is buzzing with energy, and Dean Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean, extends a warm welcome to new and returning students, faculty and staff.

https://bit.ly/4fJkbxE

A new solar-driven water harvesting device, inspired by raspberries and sunflowers, collects moisture from the air. Developed by Shu Yang, the new material is 4.4 times faster than conventional systems, offering a promising solution for water scarcity.
https://bit.ly/4lIrTtu
@pennmatsci.bsky.social

Dean Vijay Kumar recently spoke with Ben Kaplan of Deep Venture Partners about the future of robotics. The two explore how AI is reshaping the future of robots, what swarm intelligence can teach us and the real-world impact of robots in medicine and disaster relief.

youtu.be/M3afIF_wExk

☕️ It really comes down to which you like more: efficiency or taste.

Drop your hot take in the comments.

🖌️: Art created by Jennifer Kim, Multimedia Designer.

Farnia Fresnel (ENG’98) built a career on understanding how people and systems connect. Her journey, from overcoming her fear of public speaking to coaching global audiences, was shaped by her start in systems engineering at Penn.

blog.seas.upenn.edu/alumni-qa-fa...

Renewable Energy is Not Just for the Grid: Supercharging Carbon Removal with Geothermal Energy Increases Carbon Abatement Energy policy research from the University of Pennsylvania

New research from kleinmanenergy.bsky.social reveals that pairing geothermal with direct air capture (DAC) can boost carbon dioxide abatement by up to 757%. Geothermal energy provides the consistent heat crucial for DAC systems, offering a reliable, 24/7 renewable power source.

bit.ly/4mbzQYA

This year's Engineering Summer Academy at Penn (ESAP) recently wrapped up, offering motivated, high school students hands-on experience in cutting-edge fields like AI, Biotechnology, Computer Science, and Robotics.

The research team from left to right: Elizabeth Bhoj, Kyle Vining, Kei Katusra, Nir Badt and Yuchen (Tracy) Jiang.

Penn engineers & dentists are collaborating to map how teeth hold key info for understanding rare craniofacial disorders.

blog.seas.upenn.edu/what-ever-gr...

In Singapore, Theertha Vannemreddy (CBE'27) balances catalyst research with cultural discovery. She notes, "true discovery doesn’t always happen in a lab." Her Penn Abroad journey highlights this firsthand.

global.upenn.edu/pennabroad/c...

Emily Han, a doctoral student in BE and co-author of the paper, and Dongyoon Kim, a postdoctoral fellow in the Mitchell Lab and co-first author of the paper.

Fewer side-effects, more effectiveness. Michael J. Mitchell's lab redesigned mRNA lipid nanoparticles using olive oil-inspired chemistry. Adding phenol groups reduces inflammation, making mRNA therapies safer & more effective. "It's a win-win," says Mitchell.
blog.seas.upenn.edu/less-pain-mo...

Meet Shoji Hall, Associate Professor in Materials Science & Engineering. His research focuses on electrocatalysis, or using electricity to drive chemical reactions to improve the efficiency of fuel cell catalysis, a critical step towards viable hydrogen energy.

blog.seas.upenn.edu/shoji-hall-w...

Penn Engineering Professors Benjamin Lee, Lei Gu and Troy Olsson showcased technologies in energy, AI, and computing at the PA Energy & Innovation Summit. #EnergyInnovation

Close-up image of an atomic force microscope, where mechanochemical reactions take place in controlled gas environments under the stress applied between a nanometer-sized tip (invisible to the naked eye) and a flat surface.

Researchers, Cangyu Qu & Lu Fang, from Robert Carpick's lab, developed a model predicting how mechanical stress drives chemical reactions. This advances greener manufacturing & better lubricants.
@meam-penn.bsky.social

blog.seas.upenn.edu/cracking-the...

Three Penn Engineering students/alumni received 2025-26 Fulbright grants. Nova Meng (BE'24) researches bee foraging & Theresa Haupt (BE'25) focuses on osteoarthritis kinematics in Australia. Paul Lin (GEng'21) studies AI & evacuation routes in Seoul.
penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-af...

Ralph Teetor presents his Speedostat technology to engineers in 1957. Cadillac later branded the technology “cruise control.” (Photo: Jack Teetor)

Discover the story of Ralph Teetor, a blind @meam-penn.bsky.social Penn alumnus who invented cruise control. His life of innovation is now featured in the documentary film "Blind Logic," brought to life by Jeff Daniels.
phoebewallhoward.substack.com/p/jeff-danie...

In June, Penn Engineering hosted the Xplorlabs Educator Fellowship Summit. Teachers explored safety science via workshops on sprinklers, burn scenes & Li-ion fires and heard talks by Chris Callison-Burch & Rob Ghrist.

Congratulations to George Pappas on receiving the 2025 IEEE Leon K. Kirchmayer Graduate Teaching Award. With over two decades of educating at Penn, Pappas is recognized for his "inspirational mentoring" of graduate students.

blog.seas.upenn.edu/george-pappa...

Same Towne building, new generation of engineers

🎥 Photo: ca. 1960, Courtesy of the University Photograph Collection.

Shu Yang is the Joseph Bordogna Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and chair of the Materials Science Department in the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Penn engineers and designers, led by Shu Yang (@pennmatsci.bsky.social) & Masoud Akbarzadeh have developed a 3D-printed concrete solution that enhances carbon capture, is more resilient, and uses fewer materials like cement. Read the full story today: penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-en...