Working together across disciplines, researchers from Penn State and the University of Freiburg are applying materials that adapt, respond to the environment, self-power, and regenerate to meet the challenges of adaptive architecture.
Administrator
David L. Allara, distinguished professor emeritus of chemistry and materials science and engineering at Penn State, has been named a 2022 Kavli Prize Laureate in the field of nanoscience by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
A method of highly accurate and sensitive virus identification using Raman spectroscopy, a portable virus capture device and machine learning could enable real-time virus detection and identification to help battle future pandemics, according to a team of researchers led by Penn State.
Inspired by the structure of muscles, an innovative new strategy for creating fiber actuators could lead to advances in robotics, prosthetics, and smart clothing, according to a Penn State led team of scientists who discovered the process.
The Materials Research Institute (MRI) has announced that Zoubeida Ounaies, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Convergence Center for Living Multifunctional Material Systems (LiMC2), will serve as acting director of MRI during the upcoming sabbatical of Clive Randall, director of MRI and distinguished professor of materials science and engineering. In addition, Ounaies has been named an associate director of MRI.
Shashank Priya, associate vice president for research and director of strategic initiatives in the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research (OSVPR), has been named vice president for research at the University of Minnesota and will conclude his tenure at Penn State on Sept. 29. Senior Vice President for Research Lora Weiss said the University plans to conduct a national search for Priya’s replacement.
The ability of piezoelectric materials to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and vice versa makes them useful for various applications from robotics to communication to sensors. A new design strategy for creating ultrahigh-performing piezoelectric ceramics opens the door to even more beneficial uses for these materials, according to a team of researchers from Penn State and Michigan Technological University.
Robert Hickey has been promoted to associate professor of materials science and engineering effective July 1, 2022.
Upcycling plastic waste into graphite, used in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, could positively contribute to the global economy, preserving resources, saving energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, according to Penn State researchers. Under a seed grant from the Materials Research Institute, the researchers will explore ways to take single-use plastic waste and turn it into high-quality graphite.