MSE News and Events
Prof. Daniel Gall receives the Bill Sproul Award and Honorary ICMCTF lectureship from the Advanced Surface Engineering Division of the Americal Vacuum Society for outstanding scientific and/or technological contributions in the fields of surface engineering, thin films, and related topics.
Edwin Fohtung and coworkers demonstrate an X-ray Bragg coherent diffractive imaging technique to spatially resolve the evolution of nanoscopic ferroelastic needle-like domains in individual BaTiO3 nanocrystals under external pressure, published in the May 2020 issue of Advanced Electronic Materials and selected for the back cover.
With input from our students, we have adjusted the curriculum for the ARCH Summer 2020 semester to focus on skill sets that can be developed remotely including data dexterity, modeling, simulations and engineering math techniques. Laboratory-intensive courses previously scheduled for the summer will now be offered in the Spring and Fall 2021 semesters.
Prof. Liping Huang has been selected to became a fellow of the American Ceramics Society in recognition of her contributions to fundamental understanding of atomic structure and mechanical behavior of amorphous materials.
Professor Pawel Keblinski was named 2020 Materials Research Society Fellow for influential contributions to the development of computational methods leading to fundamental understanding of thermal transport in materials on nanometer length scales.
Institute News
New Combination of Materials Provides Progress Toward Quantum Computing
The future of quantum computing may depend on the further development and understanding of semiconductor materials known as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). These atomically thin materials develop unique and useful electrical, mechanical, and optical properties when they are manipulated by pressure, light, or temperature.
New COVID-19 Model Reveals Effectiveness of Travel Restrictions
More strategic and coordinated travel restrictions likely could have reduced the spread of COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic. That’s according to new research published in Communications Physics. This finding stems from new modeling conducted by a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Pandemic Purchasing Exacerbates Inequities in Urban Freight
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequities in urban freight and the delivery of goods. This misalignment in the supply chain is perpetuating food insecurity, especially in areas where grocery store access is limited or non-existent and for those who have limited access to e-commerce.
Deep Learning Enables Dual Screening for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease
Heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death in the United States, and it’s increasingly understood that they share common risk factors, including tobacco use, diet, blood pressure, and obesity. Thus, a diagnostic tool that could screen for cardiovascular disease while a patient is already being screened for cancer has the potential to expedite a diagnosis, accelerate treatment, and improve patient outcomes.
Greater Aircraft Efficiency Sought Through Improved Air Flow Control Techniques
The way that air moves over, around, or under an aircraft can greatly affect its aerodynamics. When air flow separates from the wings of a plane, for instance, the change in pressure on the vehicle can reduce pilot control or cause the aircraft to stall out. The development of more effective air flow control techniques depends on a better understanding of flow separation that occurs around aircraft of different shapes and sizes.