December 2024

Mustard, accordions and cars: an astonishing mix!
Often hailed as the “Thomas Edison of the supercomputer industry,” Cray was renowned for his innovative spirit. After serving in World⁢ War II,he pursued⁢ electrical engineering and mathematics at the​ University of Minnesota. Dec. 20: Archy Sport

5 unusual Wisconsin museums: 'World's worst car,' accordions galore and tons of mustard
Cray, who was called the "Thomas Edison of the supercomputing industry," was a legendary eccentric. He dug tunnels under his home to help him think. A World War II veteran, Cray studied electrical engineering and applied mathematics at the University of Minnesota. He settled in the Twin Cities, eventually helping found Control Data Corp. Dec. 20: SC Times

Study claims that ‘Frosty the Snowman’ is the riskiest Christmas song of all for drivers
“The published research article seems interesting and may have some merit,” said Curtis Craig, a researcher at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. “But Insuranceopedia is overselling the conclusions.” Dec. 16: The Minnesota Star Tribune

Future-Proofing Chemical Engineering Education
The group consists of Alon McCormick, professor of chemical engineering and materials science at the University of Minnesota. Dec. 15: Chemical Processing 

University study finds insecticides in natural springs and shallow groundwater
A study conducted by the University of Minnesota Department of Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering and the Department of Natural Resources of Minnesota found high levels of insecticide in springs and some groundwater around Minnesota. Dec. 9: The Minnesota Daily

‘Big Data’ Helps Count Bike and Pedestrian Traffic in Minnesota
“Technologies like Bluetooth and GPS have made new data sources available that can be leveraged to get a good estimation of travel data,” says Center for Transportation Studies scholar Raphael Stern, assistant professor in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geo- Engineering. Dec. 9: Streets MN 

November 2024

New imaging technique could change how we look at certain objects in space
“We will now be able to obtain information about the 3D structures in polarized radio sources whereas currently we only see their 2D structures as they appear in the plane of the sky,” explains Lawrence Rudnick, an observational astrophysicist at the University of Minnesota, US, who led the study. Nov. 27: Physics World

Expert Presents Steel Bridge Research to Task Force and Receives Industry Recognition
The Dexter Memorial Lecture was instituted in 2005 in memory of Robert J. Dexter, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Minnesota who was an internationally recognized expert on steel fracture and fatigue problems in bridges. Nov. 24: Walls & Ceilings

Scientists Develop Technique to Create 3D Models of Cosmic Structures
In a recent study, an international team of researchers led by the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics (MIfA) at the University of Minnesota announced the development of a new technique for radio astronomy. This first-ever technique reconstructs radio images into three-dimensional “Pseudo3D cubes” that allow astronomers to get a better idea of what cosmic structures look like. This technique could lead to an improved understanding of how galaxies, massive black holes, jet structures, and the Universe work.” Nov. 15: Universe Today; Before It's News; (2 as of Nov. 18 at 9:12 a.m.)

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht reveals lessons learned from Tony Dungy
In 2019, Utecht created a Shower Sock prototype alongside University of Minnesota engineering students, leading Medical School clinicians, and the Bakken Medical Device Center industry experts. Nov. 15: Inkl; Yahoo! Sports; Touchdown Wire; (3 as of Nov. 18 at 9:16 a.m.)

Faster and More Efficient Electronics on the Horizon With New Semiconductor Material
"This breakthrough is a game-changer for transparent conducting materials, enabling us to overcome limitations that have held back deep ultra-violet device performance for years," said Bharat Jalan, Shell Chair and Professor in the University of Minnesota's Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science.” Nov. 8: Newswire; WDCTV; Science Daily; Nanotechnology Now; EE DesignIT; Nov. 9: MSN; Today News 24; Yahoo! News; Interesting Engineering; The University Network; Nov. 10: Todays Chronic; Nov. 11: Technology Networks; Innovations report; Semiconductor Engineering; Nov. 13: SciTech Daily; Optica; Nov. 14: Electronicsforu; Sky News; Nov. 16: La Vanguardia; (18 as Nov. 26 at 8:40 a.m.)

The Best Chemical Engineering Schools In The World 2025
The University of Minnesota's chemical engineering program is distinguished by its strong research focus and industry partnership. Students receive a comprehensive education in core topics like transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and reactor design. Nov. 8: University Magazine

Do lower speed limits on city streets actually slow down drivers?
“The jury is still out,” said Gary Davis, a professor in the Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota. “If you change signs but don’t do any other changes, what effect does that have on how fast a driver is going?” Nov. 4: The Minnesota Star Tribune; Nov. 7 Planetizen; (2 as of Nov. 7 at 9:00 a.m.)

Minnesota Warning As Springs Polluted With Pesticides, Analysis Reveals
"We use so many of these chemicals in Minnesota. Basically, every corn and soybean seed is treated before planting," Bill Arnold, a professor in the University of Minnesota's Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, said in a statement. Oct. 21: Seed Today; Phys.org; Oct. 22: US Weekly; Newsweek; MSN; Nov. 5: One Green Planet; Nov. 18: EurekAlert!; Nov. 19: Hoodline; Nov. 30: Pioneer Press; Isanti-Chisago County Star; (10 as of December 6 at 1:35 p.m.)

October 2024

Halloween 1957: How a widespread blackout put Medtronic on the map with the invention of the portable pacemaker
Bakken, who had an electrical engineering degree from the University of Minnesota, was intrigued by the story of Frankenstein, Kowal said, and believed in “the ability of electricity to heal.” Oct. 30: Yahoo! News; Twin Cities Pioneer Press; (3 as of Oct. 30 at 8:51 a.m.)

Researchers claim breakthrough that could drastically improve AI power consumption: 'This kind of technology is feasible'
"This work is the first experimental demonstration of [computer random access memory, or CRAM], where the data can be processed entirely within the memory array without the need to leave the grid where a computer stores information," said the paper's first author Yang Lv, a University of Minnesota department of electrical and computer engineering postdoctoral researcher. Oct. 29: MSN; The Cool Down (2 as of Oct. 29 at 8:35 a.m.)

Amputees Get A Leg Up With New Tech
“When we think about moving our fingers, the brain sends control signals through peripheral nerves to our hand muscles, telling them what to do,” explained Anh Tuan Jules Nguyen, a researcher at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, the US. Oct. 28: Asian Scientist

Renown Bridge Expert Presents Innovative Steel Bridge Research to AISI-Led Task Force, Receives Industry Recognition
The Dexter Memorial Lecture was instituted in 2005 in memory of Robert J. Dexter, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Minnesota, who was an internationally recognized expert on steel fracture and fatigue problems in bridges.  Oct. 25: Informed Infrastructure

Duluth's Sky Harbor Airport terminal named in honor of local space pioneer
Gilruth was born in Nashwauk and moved to Duluth as a child. He graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1931. Gilruth then attended the University of Minnesota, earning a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1935 and a master of science degree in 1936. Oct. 24: Duluth News Tribune

A Picture Is Worth 4.6 Terabits 19th-century photography technique employed in novel data storage method
After graduating at age 19 with a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1950 from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, he was planning to go to graduate school when he got a call from the head of the physics section at 3M’s R&D laboratory with a job offer. Oct. 24: Spectrum

New Imagery Technique Helps Understand the Universe
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering have developed a new technique that reconstructs two dimensional (2D) radio images–visual representations created from radio waves–into three dimensional (3D) "Pseudo3D cubes" to help better understand objects in the Universe. Oct. 22: Newswise; Phys.org; Oct. 23: Space Daily; One News Page; NewsR India; Oct. 27: UR ALL NEWS; (6 as of Oct. 28 at 8:49 a.m.) 

Management Theory of Joseph Juran
Born in Romania in 1904, Juran was a prodigy, proficient in math and science. He was the first in his family to attend college at the University of Minnesota. After graduation, he worked in America for most of his life as an engineer. Oct. 21: Business.com 

5 unusual Wisconsin museums: 'World's worst car,' accordions galore and tons of mustard
 A World War II veteran, Cray studied electrical engineering and applied mathematics at the University of Minnesota. He settled in the Twin Cities, eventually helping found Control Data Corp. Oct. 21: Yahoo! Life; Sheboygan Press; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Wisconsin Rapids Tribune; Green Bay Press Gazette; Post Crescent; Oshkosh Northwestern; FDL Report; Marshfield News Herald; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Stevens Point Journal; (11 as of Oct. 22 at 10:02 a.m.)

Support for LGBTQ+ chemists must include addressing their basic needs
R. Lee Penn (left) is a professor of chemistry and Institute on the Environment resident fellow at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where they research geochemistry, environmental and green chemistry, and nanoparticles. Oct. 17: C&EN

The mRNA Moment
“In the face of a tremendous public health crisis, we saw emergency use authorizations for mRNA vaccines which effectively ‘normalized’ RNA medicine overnight,” says Varun Gadkari, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota. “Four years later, these therapies are now a fixture in day-to-day life and far more easily accessible.” Oct. 17: The Analytical Scientist

Douglas: Number of 70-plus degree days continues to add to record
According to the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering, there have been 20 recorded small to moderate earthquakes in the state since 1860. Oct. 16: Minnesota Star Tribune

Study seeks to improve brain health in children with Type 1 diabetes
Jaser and Jordan will work with, PhD, professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Bennett Landman, PhD, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; the Biostatistics Research Core at the University of Minnesota Oct. 16: VUMC News

A new iron magnet — invented in Minnesota — could reduce reliance on China for EV motors and cellphones
Niron’s magnets started with University of Minnesota professor Jian-Ping Wang, who unlocked a highly magnetic material called iron nitride. Oct. 16: Minnesota Star Tribune; Twin Cities Business (2 as of October 17 at 9:08 a.m.)

Paying Tribute to Our Black Leaders in Science
Jeannette E. Brown was the first Black woman to earn a graduate degree in chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1958. She joined Merck Research Laboratories in 1969 where her work synthesizing and purifying compounds contributed to our work in antibiotics. Oct. 12: Black Hot Fire Network

Senior Honors Student Lands Prestigious Research Experience
Blodgett’s efforts paid off, he learned, on his way to class. He had been accepted into the University of Minnesota’s REU program under Michael Coughlin, an assistant professor in the school’s Department of Physics. Oct. 10: The University of Toledo

Why are we seeing so many northern lights this year? Another show possible Thursday night
My colleague Minnesota Now host Cathy Wurzer talked about it with Bob Lysak, a professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota. Oct. 9: MPR News

Revved up: Professorship brings Indian Motorcycle collaboration into lab
Fulton Holtby was a pioneering mechanical engineering professor for 41 years at the University of Minnesota. He and Edna supported UW-Stout’s technical programs with scholarships for engineering students; he received an honorary doctorate from the university. Sept. 27: University of Wisconsin-Stout; Oct. 8: The Dunn County News; (2 as of Oct. 8 at 9:03 a.m.)

September 2024

Yes, it’s time to rethink ethanol
 As an adjunct professor in the University of Minnesota’s executive Management of Technology program, I delivered a series of lectures centered on the theme “How do you raise the price of corn 25 cents a bushel and stabilize Minnesota’s rural economy?” September 28: The Minnesota Star Tribune

Seymour Cray: The mind behind the fastest computers in the world
After earning a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1950, he quickly immersed himself in the burgeoning field of computer technology. Seymour Roger Cray became a prominent figure in 1950 with the UNIVAC division of Sperry Rand. September 28: Daily Hunt; India Today; Livarava (3 as of September 3 at 8:37 a.m.)

Speeding motorists turn Minneapolis avenues into urban speedway
“Very straight” multi-lane, one-way streets where drivers don’t have to fret about head-on crashes tends to encourage “risk-taking behavior,” said Nichole Miller, a research associate professor in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. September 23: The Minnesota Tribune

New insights explore the Longevity of Microelectronic Devices
This ground-breaking research was made possible by the collaborative efforts of scientists across multiple fields and institutions. In addition to the University of Minnesota’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Sciences, the team included researchers from the University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. September 22: Highways Today

New owner, same Como Backdoor
Bolton is a senior studying electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota. She attended many shows at the venue before she saw previous owner Henry Meyer’s Instagram story asking for someone to take over. September 20: MN Daily

14th Annual Cyber Security Summit Announces 2024 Visionary Leadership Awards Hosted By Cyera
Arun Kothanath is a faculty member at the University of Minnesota Technological Leadership Institute where he teaches graduate students enrolled in the Master of Science in Security Technologies program. September 17: AP News; MENAFN; PR Wire India; Business Times Journal; Growing Businesses in the News; The Entrepreneurship Reporter; MarCom World; The Marketing Communicator; SMB & Me; Global Media Watch; One World Daily Brief; Coast to Coast Tribune; North America Today; The Consumer News Network; Media Industry Observer; World Advertising Report; Global News Scanner; The MarCom Journal; Smart's Business Wire; Small Business Online Network; Economic News Observer; American Times Reporter; American News Observer; The America Watch; The World Newswire; World Online News Reports; Consumer Products World; Business Post Examiner; SMB in Action; State of the Union News; EIN Presswire; EIN Newswires; Business Herald Online; Eyeballs & Clicks; Economic Policy Times; Global Journal Observer; The Business Gazette Online; (38 as of September 18 at 8:55 a.m.)

Talking trash in Minnesota: Is it better to burn or bury garbage that can’t be recycled?
Minnesota and the country as a whole want to move away from landfills, but as long as we keep consuming and creating waste, it has to go somewhere, said Paige Novak, a University of Minnesota environmental engineering professor. September 14: The Minnesota Star Tribune

NASA Mercury 1st Class: The 7 Hard-Core US Test Pilots That Made History In Space
Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton was an aeronautical engineer and a test pilot with the USAF. He joined the US Army Air Forces during the Second World War. He joined the Minnesota Air National Guard after receiving an engineering degree from the University of Minnesota in 1949. September 13: Simple Flying

New Discovery Aims to Improve the Design of Microelectronic Devices
“What was unusual with this discovery is that we observed this burn out at a much lower temperature than what previous research thought was possible,” said Andre Mkhoyan, a senior author on the paper and professor and Ray D. and Mary T. Johnson Chair in the University of Minnesota Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Sciences. “The temperature was almost half of the temperature that had been expected before.” September 13: News Wire; QNews Hub; Phys.org; Nanotech-Now; September 14: UrAllNews; Sky News; September  16: SciTech Daily; September 19: Electronics Online; September 24: Tech Briefs; (9 as of September 24 at 8:45 a.m.)

The case for promoting the geographic and social diffusion of AI development
Meanwhile, the National AI Institute for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry (AI-LEAF) is based out of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and aims to leverage AI to lift rural economies through smart agriculture and forestry. September 12: Brookings

A Remarkable 3D-Printed Shield: The Unexpected Savior Following a Fire
Similarly,⁤ a team of engineering students from the University of Minnesota has ⁤designed a ⁣prosthetic shell for ​an injured sea turtle, ⁢providing a better attachment surface for weights and allowing ‌the turtle‌ to thrive. September 11: Archyde

Green screen, mini forest plant with help of students
Another important part of this project was the connection with the University of Minnesota Engineer Without Borders students. They added a rainwater catchment system from new gutters on the garden shed, and constructed new composting area, accessible pathways and six raised garden boxes. September 11: Monitor Saint Paul

Artificial intelligence in textile patterns and sizing
“The methods are here to stay, and they’re going to change a lot of things in particular—a lot of jobs, the way people work and, of course, they’re going to change education,” says Maria Gini, professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Minnesota, where AI is one of her specialties. September 1: Specialty Fabrics Review

August 2024

ACS announces its 2025 National Award winners
The following are the recipients of national awards administered by the American Chemical Society for 2025. Marks-Ipatieff Prize, supported by an endowed fund established by Tobin J. Marks: Kelsey A. Stoerzinger, University of Minnesota. August 26: Web Today; August 27: Chemical & Engineering News (2 as of August 28 at 9:52 a.m.)

Mid-Missouri highways seeing fewer crashes in 2024
Nichole Morris, Research Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Human Factor Safety lab at the University of Minnesota, said there was a national reduction in fatal crashes before the pandemic. August 26: Kbia

Why northern lights have been more common in Minnesota this year
We wanted to know why Minnesota has seen so many aurora displays. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Bob Lysak, a professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota. August 26: MPR News

Quantum Computing Leaps Forward with Advanced Superconducting Technology
The senior research author  Vlad Pribiag, who's an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Physics and Astronomy, noted: “We want to make computers more powerful, but there are some hard limits we are going to hit soon with our current materials and fabrication methods.” August 26: Securities

Manipulation of nanolight provides new insight for quantum computing and thermal management
“By manipulating the properties of hyperbolic polaritons, we can look to unlock new applications and advancements in various industries, such as polariton qubits (basic units of quantum information) for a compact quantum computer,” said Tony Low, the senior author of the study and the Paul Palmberg Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota. August 26: News Wise; Phys; Sky News; EurekAlert; August 27: The Quantum; August 28: HPC Wire (6 as of September 9 at 9:45 a.m.)

The First Scientist to Receive the Nobel Awards Twice in the Same Field
Bardeen went on to do postdoctoral research at Harvard University, taught at the University of Minnesota, and during World War II worked with the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory, which took advantage of his earlier work as a geophysicist to develop countermeasures against torpedoes. August 25: News Time Now

Get Ready for a Deep Dive Into Medical Plastics at Plastec Minneapolis
Wei Shen, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, will present a class of thermoplastic elastomers that exhibit elastomeric properties in both wet and dry environments. August 22: Plastics Today

Adaptive 3D Printing System Enhances Precision in Organism Handling
"The printer itself can act like a human would, with the printer acting as hands, the machine vision system as eyes, and the computer as the brain," explained Guebum Han, a former University of Minnesota mechanical engineering postdoctoral researcher and the study's first author. August 20: Phys.org; August 21: Space Daily; 3Printr; Energy Daily; The Tech Street; VoxelMatters; MSN August 24: 3D Printing; August 25: Ur All News; (9 as of September 9 at 9:50 a.m.)

Democratic primary for west metro seat will tee up special Senate election
Before joining the Senate in 2021, Johnson Stewart worked as a civil engineer. She also teaches civil engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. August 9: MPR News

A history-lover’s guide to the market panic over AI
Andrew Odlyzko, a professor of mathematics at the University of Minnesota, has a side hustle: he has become one of the world’s foremost experts on the history of speculative bubbles. August 6: The Economist; World News; August 7: Futurism; August 9: Share Investor; Business Times; (5 as of August 9 at 8:55 a.m.)

Early detection of neurodegenerative diseases through new visual technique
University of Minnesota Professor Hye Yoon Park, a senior co-author of the paper and professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Science and Engineering, said, “The simplicity and efficiency of Cap-QuIC could lower the barriers. August 6: The Paradise; Tech Explorist; Mirage; News Wise; Check Orphan; Medical Press; Head Topics; August 7: NR Times; August 8: Rynek Zdrowia; Nauka W Polsce; Parkinson's News Today; MSN (12 as of August 14 at 1:23 p.m.)

An Expert Shares Advice on How to Hire for Innovation
Alex Cirillo Jr. has been an adviser to the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and a member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Private College Council. August 5: Chronicle

Walz is a longshot to be the VP pick, according to bettors
Jaideep Srivastava, a University of Minnesota professor of computer science and engineering, said there have been some studies that prediction markets like PredictIt have some value in forecasting the outcome of events. August 2: Star Tribune

Sexual Stimulation
Today's guest is Dr. Elizabeth Bottorff, a postdoctoral researcher in the biomedical engineering department at the University of Minnesota who is studying sexuality after spinal cord injury. August 2: Sound Cloud

University of Minnesota Champions Cosmic Conservation, Lunar Vault to Shield Earth's Biodiversity
In a bold move to secure biodiversity for future generations, researchers from the University of Minnesota, in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution and other partners nationwide, have proposed a visionary plan: to establish a repository for vital biological materials on the lunar surface. August 1: Hoodline; Earth.com; Hot Hardware August 2: Universe Today; August 5: Boing Boing; Popular Mechanics; August 7: Anthropocene; August 20: Biobanking; (8 as of August 22at 10:34 a.m.)

July 2024

Berd's Revolutionary Bike Spokes Propel Athletes to Olympic Gold
Founded in 2015 by University of Minnesota alumni Charlie Spanjers (Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering), Brad Guertin (M.S. in Mechanical Engineering), and Kyle Olson (Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering), Berd embarked on a mission to revolutionize bicycle spokes.  July 31: Bicycle Retailer

Scientists propose lunar biorepository as ‘backup’ for life on Earth
“We needed an environment where temperatures naturally remain consistently near to or below -320 degrees Fahrenheit for long-term storage of biological samples without the need for human intervention or external power — two factors that could threaten the resilience of Earth-based repositories,” said John Bischof, a professor in the U of M College of Science and Engineering. July 31: UMN; The Guardian; Space; Interesting Engineering; Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute; Phys; CBS (7 as of July 31 at 3:37 p.m.)

Craft Brewing and Carbon Neutrality
Ask Paige Novak, a professor in the department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. For nearly the past decade, Novak has been working with Fulton Brewing to decrease the amount of energy needed to treat wastewater and by turning its bacteria into an energy resource. July 31: MSP Magazine

Researchers develop state-of-the-art device to make artificial intelligence more energy efficient
Engineering researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have demonstrated a state-of-the-art hardware device that could reduce energy consumption for artificial intelligent (AI) computing applications by a factor of at least 1,000. July 25: Bioengineer; Tech-I; July 26: Mirage News; Morning News; News Wise; EurekAlert!; Tech Xplore; Science Blog; Science Daily; News 8 Plus; Science News Net; July 27: Interesting Engineering; Multi-Platform AI; Head Topics; Knowledge; List 23; Scitech Daily; Swift Telecast; July 28: Tech Spot; Shift Delete; July 29: Tweak Town; Tech Telegraph; Yahoo! Tech; Digital Trends; MSN; IT Pro; Lab Manager; Aivanet: Yahoo! News; Inkl; Innovation News Network; July 30: Open Access Government; Electronics Foru;  Bug; NewsBytes ; Washington Latest; DevX; Hardware Upgrade; Azo CleanTech; July 31: Science Magazine; Innovation Origins; August 1: Semiconductor Engineering; August 3: Innovation Origins; August 5: Network Today; Live Science; Today's Chronic; The Madras Tribune; Inovacao Tecnologica; August 6: Enerzine; August 11: VN Explorer;  (50 as of August 12 at 8:23 a.m.)

EPA Picks UNH to Lead New Stormwater Center of Excellence
In addition to Houle, who will co-lead the project with Andy Erickson at the University of Minnesota, CCCESIT will involve UNH associate professor of civil and environmental engineering Tom Ballestero as well as Daniel Macadam, research engineer for the UNH Stormwater Center. July 25: UNH Newsroom

AI-Powered Underwater Vehicles Are Helping To Transform Marine Conservation
According to Junaed Sattar, the project’s principal investigator and associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Robotics Institute: “Our project is about making underwater robots more effective tools for scientists and conservationists. July 21: Deeper Blue 

U of M engineers send new Minnesota flag into space
Whether or not you think the design of the new Minnesota state flag is stellar, there's no denying its interstellar thanks to some mechanical engineers at the University of Minnesota. July 18: CBS News; Yahoo! News; Fox 9; The Bharat Express News; KSTP; Kare 11; July 19: MinnPost; KDHL; WJON; Star Tribune; KFGO; Froggy Web; Jack FM Fargo; July 21: KROC News (14 as of July 22 at 8:50 a.m.)

CenterPoint has a $2.2 billion plan for avoiding another power outage disaster. Will it help?
“It’s like trying to charge a Tesla with a double-A battery,” Massoud Amin, a professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Minnesota, said of CenterPoint’s plan. July 18: Houston Landing

20 Things the World Should Thank Minnesota For
James J. Ryan was a professor in the University of Minnesota’s Mechanical Engineering Department from 1931 to 1963. Not only did he research and create safety features for cars, he also crash-tested these devices himself. July 10: B105; July 27: Kat 106; KDHL; July 28: KROC; (4 as of July 29 at 8:25 a.m.)

Seymour Cray and the Dawn of Supercomputing
He was drafted for World War II as a radio operator, where he was assigned to break Japanese naval codes. He returned home to earn a B.Sc. in electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota and a M.Sc. in applied mathematics. July 4: All About Circuits 

Ars Live: Join us July 9 for a lively discussion on time travel in the movies
Also joining us is physicist Jim Kakalios of the University of Minnesota, who teaches a hugely popular freshman seminar entitled “Everything I Needed to Know About Physics I Learned from Reading Comic Books.” July 2: Kowatek; Ars Technica; (2 as of July 2 at 8:51 a.m.)

June 2024

AI-Powered Underwater Robots Revolutionize Marine Conservation
"Our project is about making underwater robots more effective tools for scientists and conservationists. With improved vision and localization, these robots can better understand and protect our underwater environments, which is crucial for ecological balance and human prosperity," said Junaed Sattar, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Robotics Institute, and principal investigator on the project. June 26: Ocean News; June 27: AZO Robotics; (2 as of June 28 at 8:43 a.m.)

Breast cancer cells adapt to survive despite starvation
“It’s always a bit surprising how fast the extracellular matrix can degrade in a tumor,” said Paolo Provenzano, a biomedical engineer at the University of Minnesota, who was not involved in the study. June 26: DDN

The Rapidan Dam near Mankato will likely survive this flood. But what about the next?
"It's basically an albatross around the county's neck," said John S. Gulliver, a professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering. June 25: Yahoo! News; June 26: Courthouse News Service (3 as of June 27 at 9:00 a.m.)

Phoam Labs’ floral revolution
Years later, while running a flower school in California, Butcher met Professor Marc Hillmyer, director of the Center for Sustainable Polymers at the University of Minnesota. June 25: Financial Times

The Toro Co. Releases 2023 Sustainability Impact Report
Partnered in launching the Minnesota Center for Electrification Opportunity with the University of Minnesota’s Technological Leadership Institute to lead workforce development training and increase economic competitiveness in electrification infrastructure. June 24: Compact Equip; June 26: Rental Equipment Register; Rural Lifestyle Dealer (3 as of June 27 9:00 a.m.)

Enhanced Gravitational Wave Detection Promises New Insights Into Universe
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering have co-led a study aimed at enhancing the detection of gravitational waves, which are ripples in space and time. June 22: Tezzbuzz

The Wake Surfing Problem: Big Waves and Big Controversy Are Coming to a Lake Near You
The Wake Boat Study The University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory is where scientists, engineers, and researchers solve problems with water. So it made sense that panicked cabin and boat owners would turn to a university in lake country to see what the science says about wake boat waves. June 20: Yahoo! Life; Outdoor Life; (2 as of June 25 at 9:26 a.m.)

Revolutionary Inventions you Didn't Know Came from Minnesota
James J. "Crash" Ryan, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Minnesota from 1931 to 1963, invented the automatic retractable lap safety belt and patented it in 1963, according to the Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame. June 17: B105; June 22: KROC; July 11: B105 (3 as of July 11 at 8:31 a.m.)

Chemistry graduate student group helps foster community
The Community of Chemistry Graduate Students (CCGS) at the University of Minnesota aims to forge relationships between graduate students and help promote a healthy academic environment. June 17: MN Daily

Don’t let Silicon Valley fool you – we all pay for the gullibility of our elites
“Top-level business and technology leaders do fall prey to collective hallucinations and become irrational,” is how Andrew Odlzyko describes it. He’s a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota, and a former research scientist in industry, who has studied the phenomenon of technology bubbles. June 17: Yahoo! News; Yahoo! News UK; The Telegraph; (4 as of June 17 at 8:20 a.m.)

Apple Will Use AI To Generate Infinite Emojis. Will It Ruin The Fun?
Teenagers are the undefeated champions of appropriating new technologies for their own use, said Loren Terveen, a computer science professor at University of Minnesota help us convey meaning, says Terveen,who studies the many ways people use emojis, from portraying an emotion to making an oblique reference. And young people have shown emojis can be powerful tools for subversion and irony. June 12: MENAFN; World of Software; Press Herald; ES Euro; Wired Focus; June 13: The Peninsula; June 17: Seattle Times (6 as of June 17 at 8:16 a.m.) 

The Toro Company Releases 2023 Sstainability Impact Report
Partnered in launching the Minnesota Center for Electrification Opportunity with the University of Minnesota's Technological Leadership Institute to lead workforce development training and increase economic competitiveness in electrification infrastructure. June 12: Le Lézard; (75 as of June 13 at 8:35 a.m.)

6 Students Named 2024 National Merit Scholars In Naperville
One of the winners is Luke Golobitsh, who will study computer science at the University of Minnesota. June 11: Patch

Blaine Student Takes Top Prize at National Stem Challenge
Muminah graduated from Al-Amal School in Fridley at the beginning of June, and at the same time, she graduated college with an associate degree, because of all of the PSEO credits she’s earned. In the fall, she’ll head to the University of Minnesota to pursue biomedical engineering. June 11: North Metro TV

2024 East Metro Player of the Year: Eagan’s Sam Simon
The love affair, to some extent, will reach its conclusion with this week’s state tournament. After long consideration, Simon made the difficult decision to forego playing lacrosse at the highest level in college. Instead, he’ll go to the University of Minnesota, where he plans to pursue a degree in engineering. June 10: Twin Cities Pioneer Press; Yahoo! Sports; (3 as of June 11 at 9:05 a.m.)

Minnesota State Mankato Names Travis Thul Vice President for Student Success and Engagement
Since September 2021, Thul has served as director of operations and senior fellow at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Technological Leadership Institute, an interdisciplinary educational center within the College of Science and Engineering. June 10: MNSU; June 11: The Free Press; (2 as June 11 at 9:05 a.m.)

Former Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart running in special election for Minnesota Senate seat
Johnson Stewart, a resident of Minnetonka, is a civil engineer and teaches courses at the University of Minnesota. She started her own construction inspection and materials testing business, but she sold it in 2021. She said her engineering background is a valuable asset for the Legislature. June 7: News From The States; Minnesota Reformer; Blox Digital; Yahoo! News; Voice of Alexandria; (5 as of June 10 at 8:58 a.m.)

‘I’ve just always really loved learning’: Hailey Markoff: Grafton High School valedictorian
 These courses helped her discover her passion for astrophysics, the field of study she will be entering in the fall at the University of Minnesota Twin-Cities. June 4: GM Today

Genetic Microinjection Robot
NSF-supported researchers at the University of Minnesota  Twin Cities have constructed a robot that uses machine learning and computer vision to fully automate the complicated microinjection process used in genetics research. June 1: National Science Foundation News

Coherent Appoints Jim Anderson as Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Anderson serves on the Dean's Advisory Board for the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota. June 1: The LaGrance Daily News; (243 as of June 13 at 8:30 a.m.)

May 2024

Pius High School twins will graduate at the top of their class
Anna Miler is valedictorian, while her twin brother Drew Miler is salutatorian. Drew will go to the University of Minnesota to study aerospace engineering. May 24: WISN; May 28: Spectrum News 1 (2 as of May at 8:50 a.m.)

University of Minnesota students say they've found an 'eco-friendly' way to trap and kill Japanese beetles
"The tree would be completely covered by the Japanese beetles because of their preference of fruit trees and orchards," the University of Minnesota computer engineering student said.  May 24: Star Tribune; Yahoo! Tech; May 29: ArcaMax; The Sacramento Bee; Tri-City Herald; Belleville News-Democrat; The State; The News & Observer; Sun Herald; The Telegraph; The Charlotte Observer; Mahoning Matters; Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Tree Frog News; June 4: The Columbian; June 22: The Star (17 as of June 25 at 9:20 a.m.)

Eight summer students will learn self-driving car technology at LTU under NSF grant
The student researchers include Benat Froemming-Aldonado, a data processing major from the University of Minnesota. May 22: TechCentury

NASA sounding rocket chief praises first solar flare campaign from Poker Flat
The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager mission was the first to launch, at 2:13 pm The mission is led by Lindsay Glesener, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics. May 15: Italy24

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: Arrows run to ‘Senior Day’ sweep
Sandy will attend the University of Minnesota next fall and study aerospace engineering, with the lofty goal of becoming an astronaut. May 9: Pipestone County Star

No funding, no lab, no problem for dogged University of Minnesota student inventors
Steven Saliterman, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, and a small group of undergraduates were building a new medical device from scratch. May 9: Star Tribune 

U Minnesota develops machine learning robot for genetic research
The research was co-led by mechanical engineering graduate students Andrew Alegria and Amey Joshi, and the team is working to commercialize the technology through the University of Minnesota start-up company Objective Biotechnology. May 8: Tech Transfer eNews

‘Alerts’ for Black Hole Collisions Can Notify Astronomers Within 30 Seconds of Detection
"With this software we can detect the gravitational wave from collisions between neutron stars that are normally too faint to see unless we know exactly where to look," says Andrew Toivonen, team member and PhD candidate student at the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities School of Physics and Astronomy, said in a statement. May 5: VN Explorer; May 7: Paper Blog; Space;  Yahoo! News; (4 as of May 9 at 8:50 a.m.)

The Inspiring Story Of Elliott Tanner: Minnesota’s Own Sheldon Cooper
Elliott is a real-life Sheldon Cooper (from 'The Big Bang Theory).'  We first learned about Elliott when he was about 10 years old, and now, at just 15 years old, Elliott has graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Master's Degree in Physics. May 7: Mix 94.9; 1390 Granite City; Wjon; (3 as of May 7 at 9:00 a.m.) 

FG, Scientists Reiterate Commitment To Green, Sustainable Chemistry
These initiatives will equip our students and researchers with the skills and mindset to be stewards in protecting the planet and to model the essential role of chemistry for a sustainable future,” professor and organic chemistry laboratory director, University of Minnesota, USA, Jane Wissinger, advocated. May 7: Mc Ebisco; Leadership (2 as of May 7 at 9:00 a.m.)

Your phone can tell when you’re depressed
 Stevie Chancellor, an assistant professor in computer science and engineering at the University of Minnesota, says that with informed consent, tools like this can be “really good because they notice things that you may not notice yourself.” May 5: VN Explorer; May 7: Press News Agency; Vox; SyFeed; (4 as of May 9 at 8:52 a.m.)

New county engineer ready to go
“I actually had some scholarship money to attend the University of Wisconsin in Madison, but changed my mind and went to Duluth,” April comments. “While registering at UMD, I asked if I could switch my major to engineering from education and was told that I could. Then I found out everything that a civil engineering degree encompassed and decided it was the path for me.” May 5: Faribault County Register

University Of Minnesota’s Professor Vladimir Sverak Inducted Into The Academy Of Arts And Sciences
University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering Professor Vladimir Sverak was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), one of the nation’s most prestigious honor societies. May 4: India Education Diary

Revealing the Mysteries of the Cosmos With Faster Gravitational Wave Detection
A new study will improve the detection of gravitational waves—ripples in space and time. Scientists at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering co-led the research with an international team. May 1: List23 May 2: Rumble; SciTech Daily; May 3: Sohu; Net Ease; May 7: ES Euro; Sohu; (7 as of May 13 at 8:20 a.m.)

New Advance in Neural Stimulation Tech Could Help Treat Neurological Disorders
Around the same time as the NIH call for proposals, Saha and her team at the University of Minnesota Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering were already actively developing new neurostimulation technologies using microscopically-sized magnetic coils, or microcoils, that promised to deliver a more precise effect. May 2: Technology Networks

Optimist Club honors 10 student athletes
Fleege is a football and track and field standout for the Crusaders. He will attend the University of Minnesota next fall and will major in accounting finance. May 1: St. Cloud Live

Prolific potholes in the prairie star in award-winning short film
Bill Arnold, a professor at the University of Minnesota, and his team are rowing out to the middle of the potholes and collecting samples to study how these vital habitats are reacting to climate change. May 1: U.S. National Science Foundation

Researchers create new chemical compound to solve 120-year-old problem
For the first time, chemists in the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering have created a highly reactive chemical compound that has eluded scientists for more than 120 years. The discovery could lead to new drug treatments, safer agricultural products, and better electronics. May 1: News Wise; ICARO; PHYS; WN; DayFR Euro; May 2: Morning News; Mirage; Bioengineer; UMN News & Events; May 3: Hoodline; May 4: Globe Echo; India Education Diary; May 6: Today's Chronic; Swift Telecast; Chem Europe; Chemie DE; News Concerns; May 7: Next Technology; May 8: SciTech Daily; List23; May 10: Free Republic; May 11: Science Net; May 13: Global Happenings; Oboz; (23 as of May 13 at 8:30 a.m.)

April 2024

Warm winter complications for Minnesota fish
Gretchen Hansen, professor in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and William Herb, research associate in the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory in the College of Science and Engineering, provide expert commentary about how fish populations might be different this year. April 29: UMN News & Events

University of Minnesota Professor Vladmir Sverak  Earns Place In Prestigious American Academy of Arts and Science
Professor Sverak, a heavyweight in the world of partial differential equations, has been recognized for his contributions that cross the boundaries from purely theoretical explorations to critical real-world applications. April 25: UMN News & Events; April 27: Hoodline (3 as of Apr. 29 at 9:30 a.m.)

Researchers advance detection of gravitational waves to study collisions of neutron stars and black holes
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering co-led a new study by an international team that will improve the detection of gravitational waves—ripples in space and time.  April 26: Morning News; News Wise; Mirage News; Bioengineer; Science Daily; Head Topics; PHYS; Science Mag; News R; One News Page; April 28: News Concern; Globe Echo; Today's Chronic; My Droll; The Paradise April 29: The Week; Money Haat; Swift Telecast; Daily Hunt; (20 as of Apr. 30 at 10:14 a.m.)

Automated machine learning robot unlocks new potential for genetics research
In addition to Kodandaramaiah, Gohl, Alegria, and Joshi, the team included several researchers from the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering and the University of Minnesota Genomics Center’s Innovation Lab. April 26: Morning News; News Wise; Mirage News; Bioengineer; Diwou; Science Daily; PHYS; Head Topics; WDC TV News; Cryptorank; Cryptopolitan; Binance Square; Space Daily; April 27: News Concern; Today's Chronic; Swift Telecast ;  April 29: Technology Networks; Rocking Robots; Money Haat (20 as of Apr. 29 at 9:31 a.m.)

Coming Together: Interfaith Prayer Breakfast approaches 51st year
Ramirez will be training the next generation of synthetic and computational organic chemists at the Ramirez laboratory in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities this January. April 25: Pasadena Weekly

New Cybersecurity Center to Boost Security Workforce in the Grid Industry
Murti Salapaka, Professor and Vincentine Hermes-Luh Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, added, “We will develop secure distributed strategies for aggregating power from multiple smaller capacity DERs that behave as a virtual power plant that can provide ancillary services to the grid.” April 23: News Wise; Bioengineer; Science Mag; Diwou; EurekAlert; April 24: AZO Clean Teach; (6 as of Apr 25 at 8:31 a.m.)

It’s not a toy: the Turing Tumble, a computer powered by gravity
The entire vehicle was created by University of Minnesota Professor Paul Boswell and his wife Alyssa as a teaching tool for the basics of computer science. April 20: Memesita

How Duluth's Quarry Park played a part in early moon research
When an analysis of that loose soil, known as Sample 10084, was published, it caught the attention of the now-late Samuel Goldich, a University of Minnesota professor known for his significant developments in geochemistry. April 20: Brainerd Dispatch; Detroit Lakes Tribune; Echo Press; Grand Forks Herald; West Central Tribune (5 as of April 22 at 8:36 a.m.)

Research Reveals Brain Processes Behind Animal Foraging
Co-author includes Paul Schrater, professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Minnesota. April 20: Mirage News

What are Edge Technologies? Diminishing Cloud Computing's Latency
Dr. Abhishek Chandra is a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He co-leads the Distributed Computing Systems Group Lab at the University. He received his MS and PhD in computer science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Dr. Chandra’s research interests are in the areas of operating systems and distributed systems. April 18: Online Engineering Programs

Q&A: Uncovering why people develop acute respiratory distress syndrome
Researchers of this study, led by Joseph Zasadzinski, PhD, professor in the department of chemical engineering and materials science at the University of Minnesota, found that more lysolipids, or the “byproduct of the immune response to viruses and bacteria,” can lead to uneven lung inflation that evolves into respiratory distress, according to a university press release. April 16: Healio

Prayers, Pancakes, and Progress at the Pasadena Mayor’s Interfaith Prayer Breakfast
It was recently announced that Dr. Ramirez will be training the next generation of synthetic and computational organic chemists and will be starting the Ramirez laboratory in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities this January 2025. April 11: Pasadena Now

Julie McDonald: Professor talks about using AI to re-create deceased loved ones
Ahmad, who also has taught engineering and computer science at the University of Minnesota Computer Science Department, UM’s Center for Cognitive Science, and Istinye University and the Indian Institute of Technology–Kanpur, spoke about the future of AI in society. Millions of people already use AI every day, whenever they ask Alexa or Siri to answer a question for them. April 8: The Chronicle

Oshkosh's EAA museum debuts 'Women in Aerospace' exhibit to inspire future aviators
This new exhibit was developed by a Wisconsin woman, Elise Palecek, an Oshkosh native who is currently studying aerospace engineering at the University of Minnesota. It was created to help young girls feel included in the fields of aviation and space and inspired by the women who came before them. April 6: Fox 11 News

Could An Earthquake Now Happen Again in Minnesota?
According to the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering: "Weak to moderate earthquakes do occur occasionally in Minnesota, but a severe earthquake is very unlikely. While our state has one of the lowest occurrence levels of earthquakes in the United States, a total of 20 small to moderate earthquakes have been documented since 1860." April 5: KDHL Radio; April 6: KROC News (2 as of Apr. 8 at 8:25 a.m.)

Minnesota logistics company tests possibilities of electric semi-autos
“Fleet companies like Murphy here really need to have certainty that they can get to their destination,” said Will Northrop, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota. April 4: The Bharat Express News; Report Wire; CBS News (3 as of April 5 at 9:22 a.m.)

 NASA rockets to gather sun data in rare daytime Poker Flat launches
The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager mission is led by Lindsay Glesener, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics. April 4: Italy 24

31 Secrets Not Many People Know About the Iconic White Castle
White Castle co-founder Ingram brought in University of Minnesota Physiological Chemistry professor Jesse McClendon to conduct a study to help Americans get over their burger fears. April 4: Aol

Transporting spin information at the speed of light
“It is great to see spin-orbit-torque (SOT) materials that can be part of the enablers to demonstrate the first spin-laser. We are glad to be part of this large team to try out different SOT materials,”1 NE says co-author Jian-Ping Wang, Distinguished McKnight University professor and Robert Hartmann Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota. April 3: UBNow

March 2024

Non-invasive brain stimulation could change human behavior, researchers say
If you’re using vinegar (acetic acid) compared to store-bought kits, it’s important to use a diluted form. Associate professor of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota- Rochester, Xavier Prat-Resina Ph.D., explained that too much vinegar can cause a reaction. Mar. 31: KTT

Non-invasive brain stimulation could change human behavior, researchers say
“Previous research showed that brain activity was time-locked to stimulation. What we found in this new study is that this relationship slowly changed and the brain adapted over time as we added in external stimulation,” said Alexander Opitz, University of Minnesota biomedical engineering associate professor. Mar. 28: Medical Design

New study is first step in predicting carbon emissions
“To gather the amount of data needed at each individual farm, it could cost the farmers time and money that they may not be willing to give,” said Licheng Liu, a research scientist in the University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering. Mar. 26: Farmtario

Helpful Assistants, Romantic Partners, or Con Artists? Part One » CCC Blog
Moderated by Dr. Maria Gini, CCC Council Member and Computer Science & Engineering professor at the University of Minnesota. Large Language Models are at the forefront of conversations in society today, and the jury is out on if they are living up to the hype surrounding them. The panelists of this AAAS session addressed the possibilities, challenges, and potential of LLMs. Mar. 26: Coin Genius

US defence research university departments win $17.6m in DoD awards
Winning teams include the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, which, under principal investigator Marien Simeni, will explore ablation on hypersonic vehicle heat shielding by using pulse lasers. Mar. 21: Naval Technology; Army Technology (2 as of Mar. 22 at 9:09 a.m.)

AI Study Can Predict Carbon Levels
Researchers at University of Minnesota’s AI-LEAF are using artificial intelligence to predict carbon cycles in agricultural ecosystems. “AI can take all of this data and make better use of it faster, more accurately and cheaper,” said AI-LEAF co-founder Zhenong Jin. Mar. 15: Red River Farm Network; Mar. 21: Star Tribune (2 as of May 7 at 10:22 a.m.)

Research Unveils Breakthrough in Brain Stimulation Therapies
"Previous research showed that brain activity was time-locked to stimulation. What we found in this new study is that this relationship slowly changed and the brain adapted over time as we added in external stimulation," said Alexander Opitz, University of Minnesota biomedical engineering associate professor. "This showed brain activity shifting in a way we didn't expect." Mar. 15: Mirage News; Newswise; Mar. 18: Technology Networks; NR Times (4 as of Mar. 19 at 8:35 a.m.)

Class of COVID: For Minnesota high school seniors, pandemic taught lessons in struggle, perseverance
In Minneapolis, Aisha and Kelly think a lot of their success is due to the fact that they had more resources than some other students. Kelly currently has his heart set on the University of Minnesota’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. Mar. 14: MPR News

Doing Good in the World Inspires EE Professor
Franklin, who is a professor of electrical and computer engineering (ECE) at the University of Minnesota (UMN), was surprised at the feedback she got. Mar. 14: EE Times; Dispatchist (2 as of Mar. 15 at 8:59 a.m.)

Great Lakes ice cover is shrinking. What does that mean for shipping?
“It turns out that ice is a really, really strong predictor of what happens the following summer,” said Large Lakes Observatory physicist Jay Austin in a recent talk for the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment. Mar. 13: Milwaukee's NPR

Research Unveils Fresh Insights Into Deadly ARDS
"This study looked into the correlation of the concentration of the lysolipid in the lungs. Once that fluid reached a certain level, it started to cause severe impacts," said University of Minnesota Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Professor Joseph Zasadzinski and lead professor on the research. Mar. 12: Mirage News; News Wise; FirstWord Pharma; MSN UK; MSN; News Medical; Global Health Newswire; ReachMD Mar. 14: Hoodline (9 as of Mar. 15 at 8:58 a.m.)

What you need to know about Nvidia and the AI chip arms race
GPUs were originally used in video games to render computer graphics, explained Sachin Sapatnekar, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Minnesota. Mar. 8: Market Place; Tech Codex (2 as of Mar. 11 at 10:25 a.m.)

How innovation in technology used to manage and treat water could spur economic development
​​The University of Minnesota is working on a project to recover nutrients from water. It also has a project that focuses on sensors that can detect nutrients like nitrates, phosphates and heavy metals in water, which Tianhong Cui, the co-lead of the University of Minnesota project and professor of mechanical engineering, will be working on. Mar. 7: MinnPost; Ex Bulletin; Business News (3 as of March 8 at 9:05 a.m.)

2024 Winners of IChemE Medals Named
​​Qi Zhang, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, was awarded the Junior Sargent Medal in recognition of his novel technique and fundamental advances in process systems engineering and their application to industrial decarbonization, and to mapping the role of green ammonia in the energy transition. Mar. 6: Chemical Processing

The atomic bomb, exile and a test of brotherly bonds: Robert and Frank Oppenheimer
Frank, meanwhile, had joined the physics department at the University of Minnesota, building detectors to catch cosmic rays streaming from space with equipment tethered to balloons he frequently lost but chased gamely through Cuban forests and other remote locations. Mar. 5: Knowable Magazine; Mar. 8: Smithsonian Magazine; My Droll; Mar. 9 The Madras Tribune; Mar. 11: Portside; Mar. 31: The Good Men Project (6 as of April 1 at 8:21 a.m.)

University Of Minnesota Consortium Wins Inaugural NSF Regional Innovation Engines Award
​​“This work allows us to collectively address water problems and advance collaboration between U of M researchers, governmental agencies and industry partners from Minnesota and across the region,” said Tianhong Cui, co-lead of the University of Minnesota team and professor of mechanical engineering. Mar. 5: India Education Diary

TECHQuantum hotbeds of tomorrow? 7 U.S. cities with the potential to foster the next great quantum technology ecosystem
Research Institutions: The University of Minnesota focuses on science and engineering research and is an important asset. Recently, a research team led by the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, received his $1.4 million grant for quantum computing. Mar. 4: ExBulletin; The Quantum Insider (2 as of Mar. 5 at 8:36 a.m.)

Microsystems for healthcare meeting is a European first
Professor Tianhong Cui, who was a global chair at the University of Bath before taking up his current visiting professorship in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering (also a Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota), said the workshop will solidify Bath’s status as a leader in the field. Mar. 4: EurekAlert!

State wrestling: St. Cloud's Camryn Kenning repeats as 235-pound girls champion
"It's pretty amazing what she did tonight. She's a talented girl," Boeck said. Kenning will attend the University of Minnesota next fall and major in mechanical engineering. Mar. 3: St. Cloud Live

Promising Results: Combination Drug Therapy For Treatment-Resistant Cancer
A combination of two cancer drugs could be effective against malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) — soft tissue tumors that are stubbornly resistant to chemotherapy and radiation — according to a laboratory study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Study co-authors included the Masonic Cancer Center and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Mar. 2: India Education Diary

February 2024

New study is first step in predicting carbon emissions in agriculture
The study by scholars from the UMN-led National AI Institute for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry (AI-LEAF) and UIUC-led Agroecosystem Sustainability Center was recently published in Nature Communications, a peer-reviewed, open access, scientific journal. Feb. 28: Today News 24; Feb. 29: News Leaflets (2 as Feb. 29 at 8:42 a.m.)

How dwarf galaxies lit up the Universe after the Big Bang
Massive galaxies would have absorbed much of their own UV light, says Claudia Scarlata, an astrophysicist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. And there might have been too few quasars to orchestrate the whole process. Feb. 28: Euro Es Euro; Nature; Feb. 29: Scientific American (3 as March 1 at 8:25 a.m.)

New Perspective on the Expansion Rate of the Universe
An international team including Tom Broadhurst, Ikerbasque research professor at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and associate of the DIPC (Donostia International Physics Center), and Patrick L. Kelly, from the Minnesota Institute of Astrophysics, dependent from the University of Minnesota in the United States, has performed a new calculation of the Hubble constant by analyzing the light from multiple appearances of a supernova. Feb. 26: Time News

New study is first step in predicting carbon emissions in agriculture
For the first time, researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMN) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have demonstrated that it is possible to provide accurate, high-resolution predictions of carbon cycles in agroecosystems, which could help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Feb. 22: Science Daily; PHYS; Feb. 28: Environmental News Network

Spotlight on Excellence: Minnesota's Own Columnists Shine at Newspaper Contest
Balancing his role as a guest columnist since April 2023 with his studies in aerospace engineering at the University of Minnesota, Janagan Ramanathan has successfully honed his craft, securing third place in the "Best Columns" category. Feb. 22: BNN; Newsleaders (2 as of Feb. 22 at 8:39 a.m.)

The Northern Lights Are Nearing a Peak
When it comes to the science, Cynthia Cattell, who studied auroral particle acceleration for her doctorate thesis and taught at the University of Minnesota, wants to set the record straight. “[Other media outlets] will say the aurora is caused when particles from the sun come streaming down, and they hit the poles and cause the aurora. Feb. 21: MN Monthly

29 Chinese Scientists Awarded $75,000 In Scientific Research Bonuses As 2024 Sloan Fellows
One of the winners is Zhen Liu, an assistant professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota.His current research focuses on theoretical particle physics, particularly phenomenology at high energy colliders.  Feb. 21: Gaming Deputy

Magnet Startup Niron Attracts More Big-Name Investors
That inspired University of Minnesota electrical engineering professor Jian-Ping Wang and his team to develop a new magnet material that doesn’t contain rare earth metals. Feb. 20: Twin Cities Business

Snowflakes Swirl According to Surprisingly Simple Math
Further research is needed to assess the mathematical pattern's universality, says University of Minnesota mechanical engineer Jiarong Hong. “We will look into the applicability of [this result] to our data sets of snowflakes captured under different conditions.” Feb. 20: Scientific American; March 1: Knews Media; March 2: Owatek (3 as of March 4 at 9:01 a.m.)

‘Losing our language, traditions’: Growth in Somali culture programs aims to address second-generation language loss
Sana Mohammed, a junior in computer science and a Somali language student at the University of Minnesota, said she was born and raised in Minnesota, and she can only understand some Somali words but struggles to fully understand, speak, read and write. Feb. 19: Hiiraan; Sahan Journal (2 as of Feb. 20 at 8:25 a.m.)

Minnesota United Presents 2024 'Starry Night Kit'
Additionally, from 7 - 9 p.m. CT, a light show and stargazing with experts from the University of Minnesota Institute of Astrophysics will take place just outside of Allianz Field. Feb. 16: Our Sports Central; CBS News (2 as of Feb. 19 at 8:43 a.m.)

Minnesota Orchestra Releases Music and Healing, Concert Broadcast and Digital Initiative
During its 2023 Summer at Orchestra Hall festival, the Minnesota Orchestra premiered a first-of-its-kind program entitled Music and Healing. Each episode includes an intimate conversation between Hicks and a different artist or mental health expert, including  University of Minnesota’s Professor of Biomedical Engineering Dr. Hubert Lim. Feb. 15: Minnesota Orchestra; Feb. 16: Broadway World; (2 as of Feb. 16 at 8:55 a.m.)

Theatre in the Round Celebrates Women in STEM with Silent Sky and Art Gallery
This event, immediately following the performance if Silent Sky, will feature a panel of women in various career stages from the University of Minnesota School of Physics and Astronomy. Feb. 15: Mill City Times

Scientific team drills into ground in Babbitt, hoping to strike helium reserve
'If you've gone to get an MRI, it's inside and cooling the magnets and all the instruments in hospitals that are doing imaging," Paul Crowell, Chair of the University of Minnesota's School of Physics and Astronomy, told WCCO. "It's really the only practical way for certain large scientific apparatus to keep it that cold continuously." Feb. 14: CBS News

Two University of Minnesota professors elected to the National Academy of Engineering for 2024
Catherine French and Timothy Lodge, professors in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). This is among the highest professional distinctions awarded to an engineer. Feb. 14: University of Minnesota TC

Phantom jams: The hidden culprit behind Atlanta's mysterious traffic gridlock
According to Raphael Stern, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering, phantom jams are more than a frustrating inconvenience. They're the result of human behavior within high-density traffic situations.  Feb. 13: 11 Alive

Chrome engine devs experiment with automatic browser micropayments
A few years later, in a 2003 paper [PDF], “The Case Against Micropayments,” Andrew Odlyzko, presently a professor in the department of School of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota, wrote, “Micropayments are the technology of the future, and always will be.” Feb. 13: FocusTechnica; i3Investor; Daily UK News; The Register; Mezha Media (5 as of February 14 at 10:50 a.m.)

David Espindola - What AI Means to Us as Human Beings
Espindola is the award-winning author of Soulful You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence and the Exponential Era and an advisory board member of the Technological Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota. Feb. 13: Ivoox

A Mobile App to Report Driver Intrusions Into Work Zones
“The work zone intrusion app gives workers a way to report how, when and where incidents are happening, and gives MnDOT the capability to analyze the data, identify trends and, ultimately, keep incidents from happening,” said Brian Davis, research fellow, University of Minnesota Department of Mechanical Engineering. Feb. 13: MN Transportation Research

National Academy of Engineering elects 114 members and 21 international members
Catherine E. French, one of CSE's Distinguished Professor of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, was elected to the National Academy of Engineering; one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. Feb. 9: ES Magazine; March 5: India Education Diary; BNN (3 as of Mar. 5 at 8:22 a.m.)

Kraus-Anderson Construction Makes First Acquisition
KA started off in 1897 and quickly began working on some of the Twin Cities’ biggest projects, including the chemistry building on the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus. Feb. 5: Twin Cities Business

Who Invented Duct Tape?
For much of his teenage years Drew earned a living as a banjo player for various dance bands, eventually scraping together enough money to pay for an engineering degree at the University of Minnesota. Feb. 4: ReportWire 

University of Minnesota Researchers Revolutionize DNA Computing with Cascaded Memristors
Researchers Xingyi Liu and Keshab K Parhi from the University of Minnesota have developed a new approach to molecular and DNA memristors, allowing for cascading. Feb. 2: Quantum Zeitgeist

Revolutionizing Kidney Dialysis: Dr. Valérie Pierre at Red River Valley Chemistry Conference
Dr. Valérie Pierre, a distinguished Chemistry Professor from the University of Minnesota, is set to present her groundbreaking research on kidney disease at Bemidji State University’s Hagg-Sauer Hall 150, on February 2. Feb. 2: BNN

January 2024

University of Minnesota Charting a Sustainable Future with Up to $160M NSF Grant for Great Lakes Water Innovation
 "This work allows us to collectively address water problems and advance collaboration between U of M researchers, governmental agencies, and industry partners from Minnesota and across the region," stated Tianhong Cui, the University of Minnesota team co-lead and a professor of mechanical engineering, while addressing the University's news service.  Jan. 31: Hoodline

Waterways see less road salt with mild winter but it's not all good news
"The flow is really important. Normally this time of year, much of the river is frozen over and really only moving water over the spillway of St. Anthony Falls," said Andy Erickson, a research manager at the University of Minnesota's St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL).  Jan. 31: Kare11

Agnitron’s New Showerhead: Advancing MOCVD Technology
Agnitron would like to acknowledge Greg Haugstad of the University of Minnesota Characterization Facility (UMN CharFac) for conducting RBS measurements. Jan. 31: Compound Semiconductor

How new magnets could accelerate climate action
Though iron nitride (specifically, a phase called alpha double prime) was discovered in the 1950s, it wasn’t until the 1970s that researchers discovered its strong magnetic properties, says Jian-Ping Wang, a professor at the University of Minnesota and the technical founder and chief scientist at Niron Magnetics. Jan. 31: MIT Technology Review; Feb. 2: Tech Telegraph; (2 as of Feb. 2 at 8:48 a.m.)

Moving at the Speed of Snow
“The same snowflake may fall at different speeds, depending on the wind or the turbulence,” said Michele Guala, a fluid mechanics expert at the University of Minnesota who was not involved in the new study. Jan. 30: Eos 

Satellite-Based Method Measures Carbon In Peat Bogs
The research team included Paul Glaser at the University of Minnesota. The work was supported by the National Research Foundation Singapore through the SMART program, by the U.S. National Science Foundation, and Singapore’s Office for Space Technology and Industry. Jan. 27: India Education Diary

Wooster native won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1927
Compton got his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Science, at Wooster. He went on to be a physics professor at the University of Minnesota before spending time as a research engineer. Jan. 27: The Bargain Hunter

Revolutionary ‘Stretching Metals’ Can be Used for Next-Generation Applications
“This breakthrough represents a significant advancement with far-reaching implications in a broad range of fields,” said Bharat Jalan, senior author on the paper and a professor in the College of Science and Engineering. Jan. 22: Lab Worldwide

Mysterious booms, shaking: Were they frost quakes?
"Effectively, what's happening is you have frozen ground, because there's some water in the soil that freezes and the whole ground is frozen, and all of a sudden a crack forms really rapidly. When that happens, that releases energy that sometimes you can hear, and that's the boom. And sometimes it causes shaking," explained Lars Hansen, associate professor in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Minnesota. Jan. 21: Kare11

Scientists may have the key to treating tinnitus: Retrain the brain
Nerves in the tongue are also thought to be associated with increased neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change — and believed to activate parts of the brain associated with attention, said Hubert Lim, the chief scientific officer of Neuromod Devices, the Dublin-based company that created Lenire, and a biomedical engineering professor at the University of Minnesota. Jan. 19: The Washington Post; Pedfire; ExBulletin (3 as of January 22 at 8:55 a.m.)

Breaking Physics: The Radical Search for the Universe’s Missing Pieces
Nadja Strobbe at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is one of those researchers. She works on experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator of its kind.  Jan. 15: SciTechDaily; Jan. 16: FocusTechnica; List23; ScienceNet; (4 as of January 17 at 8:30 a.m.)

Mishicot seniors Logan Marquardt and Katelyn Callahan are this week's Stellar Students
Logan Marquardt plans to major in aerospace engineering; one of his teachers stated that " His innate curiosity and analytical mind make him a natural scientist. He was one of the best physics students I have ever had, being equally outstanding in lecture and lab." Jan. 14: Yahoo! News

James W. Cortada, "Inside IBM: Lessons of a Corporate Culture in Action" (Columbia Business School, 2023)
James W. Cortada is a senior research fellow at the Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He spent nearly forty years at IBM in various sales, consulting, management, and executive positions. Jan. 14: Ivoox;  PlayerFM; (2 as of January 16 at 8:50 a.m.)

International Experiences Aid New Division of Agriculture Food Scientist, Engineer
Originally from Brazil, Ferreira recently joined the U of A System Division of Agriculture as an assistant professor in the Food Science Department. He previously conducted post-doctoral research training in food and protein chemistry at the University of Minnesota. Jan. 12: University of Arkansas News

Why Humans Are Putting a Bunch of ‘Coal’ and ‘Oil’ Back in the Ground
“If you’re just burying carbohydrates, you always have this risk that you don’t have it in the right conditions,” says Paul Dauenhauer, senior adviser and cofounder of Carba and a chemical engineer at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Jan. 10: Wired; Jan. 12: TechMag, My Droll; Jan. 16: Mother Jones; Jan. 20: Grist; (5 as of January 22 at 8:45 a.m.)

From COVID-19 to TB, mucosal vaccines stop infections before they start
“For COVID, it's transmitted through the upper respiratory tract, so it's really important to establish immunity in the lungs and the nose,” said Brittany Hartwell, an immuno-engineer at the University of Minnesota. Jan. 9: Drug Discovery News

Mike Hess Joins IEEE Pulse as Editor-in-Chief
Mr. Hess is currently an adjunct professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Earlier in 2023, he retired from his position as vice president of Corporate Technology and Innovation at Medtronic. Jan. 3: City Biz; Boston Herald; Yahoo! Finance (120 as of January 4 at 9:53 p.m.)