The Grainger College of Engineering

Quantum Scientists Have Built a New Math of Cryptography | Quanta Magazine In theory, quantum physics can bypass the hard mathematical problems at the root of modern encryption. A new proof shows how.

What if future cryptography didn’t rely on “hard math problems”? Professor Dakshita Khurana & her student Kabir Tomer introduced quantum one-way puzzles, a bold new path for encryption.

🔗 As featured in Quanta Magazine:
www.quantamagazine.org/quantum-scie...

News News

🔭 Illinois Physics PhD student Michael Wentzel and team propose a new method to detect high-frequency gravitational waves using superconducting magnetic levitation.

This could reshape how we explore the early universe and dark matter.

📖 Read more: physics.illinois.edu/news/levitat...

Stoichiometric crystal shows promise in quantum memory Stoichiometric crystal shows promise in quantum memory

Prof. Elizabeth Goldschmidt’s team just grew a stoichiometric europium crystal (NaEu(IO₃)₄) that shows real promise for quantum memory. Early results show longer photon storage, huge step toward scalable quantum networks. ⚛️
iquist.illinois.edu/news/76360

Communication, Team Stability Key To Improving Postpartum Hemorrhage Outcomes An experienced team of healthcare providers used to working together will likely be more successful when treating a postpartum hemorrhage, according to Abigail Wooldridge, assistant professor of Indus...

Dr. Abigail Wooldridge, Assistant Professor of Industrial & Enterprise Systems Engineering is using human factors engineering to reduce maternal deaths from postpartum hemorrhage designing tools that improve response time.

🔗 Read more: www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/communi...

New observatory will reveal millions of objects hidden in our solar system Astronomers anticipate an unprecedented view of the solar system as the Rubin Observatory begins to scan millions of hidden celestial objects.

"We’re about to rewrite what we know about our solar system."
- Professor Leslie Rogers

Rubin Observatory will scan the sky for 10 years, collecting 20 TB of data nightly. Astronomers built Sorcha to predict what it might reveal, from hidden asteroids to icy worlds.

🔗 www.earth.com/news/new-obs...

Elahe Soltanaghai, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign - Sensing Beneath the Forest Canopy: A New Tool for Wildfire Prevention - The Academic Minute We need new tools for wildfire prevention going forward. Elahe Soltanaghai, assistant professor of computer science and electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champai...

Grainger Engineering professor Elahe Soltanaghai is developing a drone-based system using ultra-wideband radar and backscatter tags to map fuel conditions under dense forest cover, a breakthrough in wildfire prevention.

academicminute.org/elahe-soltan...

Intuitive Machines moon landing: IM-2 mission touches down but status is unclear | CNN The Athena lander, built by Texas-based company Intuitive Machines, descended to the lunar surface but the orientation of the lander is currently unknown.

Athena just touched down near the Moon’s south pole, and Grainger Engineering professor Siegfried Eggl shared what that could mean for space exploration in CNN’s latest feature. 🌕
Water ice close to the surface? “Best-case scenario.”

www.cnn.com/2025/03/06/s...

Hovakimyan awarded for graduate student mentoring Hovakimyan awarded for graduate student mentoring

MechSE Professor Naira Hovakimyan has won the 2025 Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring from The Grainger College of Engineering. Read more: mechse.illinois.edu/news/75785

@uofigrainger.bsky.social

Ultracold atoms have been 'hyperentangled' for the first time By exerting unprecedented control over extremely cold atoms, researchers have put them in a state with several simultaneously quantum-entangled properties

As New Scientist reports a breakthrough in quantum research, Professor Jacob Covey shares insights on what it means for quantum systems future.

His work in atomic physics and quantum information is shaping the next generation of quantum technology.

🔗 Read more: www.newscientist.com/article/2481...

3D printers leave hidden ‘fingerprints’ that reveal part origins 3D printers leave hidden ‘fingerprints’ that reveal part origins

Each 3D printer leaves a “fingerprint”, and AI can see it. 🔍
Researcher team led by professor Bill King has developed a model that can ID which machine made a part with 98% accuracy from just a 1mm² photo.

More: grainger.illinois.edu/news/stories...

My Turn | Will small farms be left out of the AI revolution? "The future of farming will include advanced AI tools, but whether they work for everyone depends on choices we make now. Every farmer should have a fair shot at using

🌾 Will small farms be left behind in the AI revolution?

Vilas Dhar explores this in the News-Gazette, highlighting how farmers like Casey Hettinger retrofit gear with AI to stay competitive, without costly upgrades.

www.news-gazette.com/opinion/gues...

#GraingerEngineering

Should You Fly Through Newark Airport? Here’s What You Need to Know.

Professor Sheldon H. Jacobson shared with the New York Times that the delays were attributed to outdated infrastructure struggling to keep up with record travel demand, emphasizing the need for modernization across U.S. air traffic control systems.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/t...

Professor Brian DeMarco says what makes quantum computing so exciting is that its greatest strengths may still be undiscovered. That mystery opens the door to breakthroughs we haven’t yet imagined.

Dive into the full story via:
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...

Professor Hua Wang and team have developed an injectable hydrogel made primarily from extracellular vesicles—offering longer-lasting immune responses and new hope for depot vaccines. This breakthrough marks a leap forward for EV research and cancer therapy.

cancer.illinois.edu/researchers-...

A new nanophotonic platform by Grainger Engineering researchers Kejie Fang and Elizabeth Goldschmidt achieves 94% fidelity and 10,000x efficiency in nonlinear-optical quantum teleportation, paving the way for secure, noise-resistant quantum networks.

🔗 hmntl.illinois.edu/news/nanopho...

Grainger engineers have created a CRISPR-enriched method to detect antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater with far greater accuracy, identifying over 1,000 more antibiotic resistance genes than standard approaches.

www.igb.illinois.edu/article/rese...

#graingerengineering

How AI can help farmers produce more food with fewer resources There are promising signs that artificial intelligence might soon be able to help feed the world more efficiently.

🌾 Can AI help feed the future?

Professor Vikram Adve discusses how his team at AIFARMS is using AI tools—like chatbots trained on 400K+ agri-tech docs and predictive models, to help farmers make smarter, faster decisions in the face of shrinking resources.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

In a galaxy not so far away... engineers are the real Jedi. 🛠️🪐💡
May the 4th be with you from Illinois Grainger Engineering!

#MayThe4th #ForceOfInnovation #IllinoisGraingerEngineering

🧬 Illinois engineers are reshaping cancer care with real-time, microscope-free “optical biopsies.”
Developed by professor Stephen Boppart’s team, the tech is already in use across Central Illinois.

More: cancer.illinois.edu/researchers-...
#IllinoisGraingerEngineering #CancerResearch

YouTube video by Bloomberg Originals How Flying Cars Became a Billion-Dollar Bet | Bloomberg Primer

From air taxis to autonomous drones, eVTOLs(electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) are reshaping flight and professor Matthew Clarke is at the forefront, advancing battery tech to power the next era of electric aviation.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVoR...

#eVTOL #IllinoisGraingerEngineering

🐄💡 Turning cattle waste into valuable chemicals?

Illinois researchers developed a high-efficiency membrane that filters out volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from manure - cutting energy use by 80%.

🔗 Check it out: chbe.illinois.edu/news/stories...

#SustainableTech #IllinoisGraingerEngineering

🌍 Happy Earth Day!

The ECE Building is the first zero energy certified facility on campus—one of the largest of its kind nationwide. It offsets 100% of its energy with rooftop solar and Solar Farm 2.0 credits.

We are dedicated to supporting the campus mission to become carbon neutral by 2050.

YouTube video by Illinois Public Media What does quantum technology look like in action? We went to the library to see first-hand

What does quantum technology actually look like in action? There's an exhibit at the Urbana Free Library that lets you see for yourself.

We visited the library to take a deeper dive into the science with two @uofigrainger.bsky.social professors.

Landing on the Moon is no easy feat - and our Aerospace Engineering faculty are helping explain why. Prof. Siegfried Eggl points out that some asteroids may actually be easier to land on than the Moon. 🚀

🔗 Read more via CNN: www.cnn.com/science/live...

#IllinoisGraingerEngineering

Yun Seong Kim, a graduate student in Mechanical Science & Engineering is one of the winners of the 2025 Image of Research competition for his project Helix of Growth, a helix grown using FROMP chemistry and a self-sustaining process called growth printing.

#IllinoisGraingerEngineering

Today on World Quantum Day, we celebrate the science shaping tomorrow.

From quantum sensors to state-of-the-art computing, The Grainger college of Engineering is powering the future with quantum innovation.

#WorldQuantumDay #IllinoisGraingerEngineering #QuantumTech

What if your gut bacteria could fight disease for you?
🧬 Bioengineering professor Shannon Sirk and team has engineered Bacteroides to deliver proteins that may treat IBD by stopping inflammation early.

🔗 Read more: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#Bioengineering #GutHealth

Additively manufactured heat exchanger beats out traditional designs Additively manufactured heat exchanger beats out traditional designs

Professors Bill King and Nenad Miljkovic are revolutionizing heat exchanger design with 3D printing. Their research achieves up to 50% greater efficiency, unlocking new possibilities for thermal management and energy systems!

🔗 grainger.illinois.edu/news/stories...

#3DPrinting

Cunjiang Yu introduces light-activated bioprinted heart tissue Cunjiang Yu introduces light-activated bioprinted heart tissue

Illinois Grainger engineers, led by Prof. Cunjiang Yu, have developed light-activated bioprinted cardiac tissue, enabling wire-free, non-invasive heart treatments. This breakthrough could replace pacemakers and aid stroke recovery. 💡🫀

🔗 Read more: ece.illinois.edu/newsroom/73586

Celebrating Women’s History Month 🌟🔬

Rosalyn S. Yalow revolutionized medicine with Radioimmunoassay (RIA), a breakthrough in disease detection & hormone measurement. Her work earned her the Nobel Prize (1977) and continues to impact healthcare today.

#WomensHistoryMonth #STEMPioneer #NobelPrize