Engineering

November 27, 2024

Seren Georgina A. Wilwayco 

In 2021, a company called Stichting Noordzee released a report regarding waste found in the Netherlands. Every 100 meters of a riverbank consists of virtually 500 pieces of waste. To combat this threatening issue, a team of engineers from Amsterdam have invented the Great Bubble Barrier. Co-founders Anne Marieke Eveleens and Philip Ehrhorn were disheartened by the normalization of waste in their waters. According to Ehrhorn, “I spend a lot of time in and around the water. And inevitably, at some point, you'll see plastic. And once you start seeing it, you'll see it everywhere.”...click here to read more

November 14, 2024

Rose Alexia Diño

Water scarcity is a pressing issue directly linked to population growth and climate change. As these factors intensify and worsen over time, the competition for clean water escalates, creating urgent global challenges that affect millions of lives. Under these circumstances, LifeStraw stands out as a beacon of hope. Founded by Torben Vestergaard Frandsen, LifeStraw evolved from his revolutionary idea, which was designed for the decontamination of Guinea worm larvae at the Carter Center, ultimately contributing significantly to the prevention of Guinea worm disease. Vestergaard’s simple creation of a plastic pipe filter to combat the disease led to a partnership with the Carter Center, and he sought out business-minded entrepreneurs to collaborate and expand his invention further...click here to read more

November 8, 2024

Bowen Zhou

When you see a bird, it flaps its wings to create a lift to fly. Similarly, the wings of an aircraft create lift with its wings. But instead of flapping like a bird to fly it mainly uses the pressure difference to create lift. Some people say it comes from Bernoulli’s Principle, or Newton’s Third Law, while others don't. It does this with things like the angle of attack and shape of the wing...click here to read more

October 28, 2024

Uy Pham

What would you do if a taxi came to pick you up, but there was no driver inside to transport you? No driver doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to have a ride — instead, you may be riding in a self-driving robotaxi. This soon may be the reality for the world of ridesharing with the latest expansion of self-driving robotaxis in cities across the United States. Shocked commuters have been startled by the sight of their taxi arriving with no driver or even staring at the moving car next to them, realizing that there’s no driver to be seen. This has slowly started to become the new reality for those living in cities such as Los Angeles, California; San Francisco, California; Phoenix, Arizona; and Austin, Texas...click here to read more

October 25, 2024

Matthew Fang

Electricity makes the world go round. It’s everywhere, from your house lights, to the phone or computer that you might be reading this on. The real struggle, however, lies in producing the energy needed. Many sources of energy we use today, such as natural gas, or oil from offshore drilling is often non-renewable, and also have negative impacts on our environment. However, there is a solution that could lessen our impact on our environment: solar energy...click here to read more

October 23, 2024

Sarah Nguyen

As the global population continues to rise, the demand for food is growing at an unprecedented rate. Traditional farming methods, limited by land and environmental challenges, are struggling to keep up with demand. In response to this urgent need, innovative agricultural technologies are emerging, with vertical farms and hydroponics leading the way. These methods promise to revolutionize how we grow our food, making agriculture more sustainable, efficient, and resilient...click here to read more

October 22, 2024

Freddy Buncay

A range of robots are being used throughout all of Asia to collect and remove plastic from waterways. The ten-foot-long automatic robot moves cleverly through the water as it consumes waste in the water. The gap in front of this robot boat is what allows the waste to enter while the conveyor belt is what removes the waste entirely. At the end of the conveyor belt is the collection basket where the garbage enters...click here to read more

October 16, 2024

Dylan Nguyen

Imagine a world where surgeries are performed with flawless precision, legal documents are written in seconds, and customer service is provided 24/7, fueled by chatbots that never tire. This isn't something out of The Terminator, it's the reality we're moving toward as robots and AI integrate more into our daily lives. Is this revolution a threat to our existence, or is it an opportunity for evolution?...click here to read more

October 14, 2024

Alexis Gogue

Bioengineering is the process in which we apply engineering concepts to construct innovative inventions and ideas. We utilize bioengineering to improve efficiency and enhance our knowledge of technology, healthcare, science, agriculture, sustainability, and more! Bioengineering has flourished in becoming an essential component of today's modern health care system. The combination of traditional engineering and issues within our health care, biomedical treatments, and advanced machinery grants many opportunities and breakthroughs in providing the utmost care and service for patients...click here to read more

October 11, 2024

Bowen Zhou

There are many different opinions about seaweed. Some call it gross, while to others it is a delicacy, to some it is a treat, while to others it is nothing but a weed, like a sargassum, which costs twenty-five thousand dollars a day to remove. Seaweed, regardless of how you see it, can be used for good with this up-and-coming technology allowing seaweed to be used to create a type of bioplastic. A company in Indonesia, called Evoware, has used seaweed to create plastic pellets, which are used to create things like plastic bags. In the past, they have made edible cups and straws. They make these plastic bags with pellets. Modern plastic consumables and other items are made through plastic pellets, they are melted and molded into shape. These new pellets that Evoware is making are scalable and they are also sustainable to manufacture...click here to read more

October 2, 2024

Vladimir B. Lañada

Have you ever wondered how we got to understand our universe? Well, it's all thanks to telescopes. Originally used for observing distant objects on Earth like surveying the land, military, etc. In the 17th century, an astronomer named Galileo Galilei, refined the instrument to the point that it could be magnified thirty times. By increasing the magnification, it allowed the telescope to observe celestial objects such as the moon, Jupiter, and more. Centuries later, telescope technology rapidly became better to the point we have them orbiting around Earth, such as the Hubble Space Telescope...click here to read more

September 26, 2024

Snika Gupta

Ultrasounds, used for looking into the body using soundwaves, are useful to find disease, track pregnancy health, tumor or biopsy treatment, blood flow, and lots more. They often last from thirty minutes to an hour and need medical supervision. Medical ultrasound is the most common method for deep tissue sensing but has more restrictions than wearable ultrasounds and depends on the operator. Wearable ultrasound patches are changing that...click here to read more

September 23, 2024

Juan Valenciana

Drivetrains are the key to how your vehicle moves, transferring the power from the engine to the transmission and making the wheels turn so that the car can drive. In a car, the engine burns fuel to create energy, similar to how when you pedal a bike, you generate power with your legs. The transmission is the first major component within the drivetrain. Based on the driver’s input, such as pressing the gas pedal or shifting gear, the transmission adjusts how much power the engine should be putting out by changing gear ratios and modulating the amount of torque (circulatory force) put through to the wheels...click here to read more

September 20, 2024

Seren Georgina A. Wilwayco

After years of science fiction media, the public revered wands and spells as products of the far future. Chu Junhao, a physicist from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, assisted in making a specific product come true. In regards to the new, light-manipulating invisibility cloak, he states, “Whether in real life or in the world of nature and animals there is a lot of 'invisibility', and this is not magic, it is a scientific means”...click here to read more

August 29, 2024

Lana Lai 

Picture a staggering mountain of clothes—new, barely used, or old—soaring 17 million tons high and piling up in the landfill every year. This was the alarming waste left in the landfill in 2018, a dire consequence of the fast fashion industry's relentless push for rapid overconsumption of clothes. But fear not; there's a solution on the horizon: an innovative, technological approach called Garment-to-Garment recycling is here to reduce waste and reuse garments, paving the way for a sustainable future in fashion...click here to read more

August 16, 2024

Uy Pham 

Ice hockey games, figure skating competitions, and speed skating races. An entertaining ice skating session with your friends. What do all these activities have in common? They all require ice rinks. The factors that maintain the temperature and structure of ice rinks are essential to ensuring that all ice activities, from recreational activities to professional sporting events, can be completed in a standardized, safe, and consistent manner — no matter the location of the ice rink...click here to read more

August 1, 2024

Edward Shabatayev 

The concept behind Civil Engineering is creating and supporting the infrastructure that surrounds our lives. GIS (Geographic Information System) technology equips people with the necessary tools to manage, produce, study, and envision the data correlated with controlling and expanding infrastructure. GIS allows civil engineers to turn the data they have gained into simple and understandable reports and graphics that may be studied and shared with other people. The data can be presented in layered graphics using digital geographic maps. These systems combine various types of data to create detailed maps and models that are essential for planning, designing, and managing infrastructure projects...click here to read more

July 10, 2024

Sarah Nguyen 

Developed by a team of Northwestern University researchers, dirt-powered fuel cells use energy from microbes that live in dirt. The research for these cells was published on January 12, 2024, and was led by Northwestern Alumni Bill Yen, a PH.D student at Stanford University. Yen began the project of dirt-powered fuel cells while he was an undergraduate at Northwestern....click here to read more

July 1, 2024

Gabrielle Guzman

Doctors in the United States treat over 6.8 million bone injuries annually. These injuries are most common in children and the elderly, leading to an average of two bone injuries in a person’s lifetime. Most of these injuries can be treated by wearing a cast for a few weeks or months. However, there are some cases where the bone, specifically one that is part of a limb, can not undergo that kind of treatment, and instead needs the bone to grow in order to heal. This resulted in the creation of circular fixators by Soviet doctor G.A Ilizarov...click here to read more

June 26, 2024

Juan Valenciana

Automotive braking systems are fundamental components of any vehicle and are essential for ensuring safety and control. These systems enable drivers to decelerate or bring their vehicles to a stop. Over time, braking systems have evolved significantly, driven by advancements in mechanical engineering and technology...click here to read more

May 8, 2024

Jessica A. Dennehy 

In a constantly changing world, where certainty (not to be confused with stability) appears forever out of reach, the adhesive and sealant industry has evolved beyond its traditional boundaries. After sufficiently covering the bases of traditional heavy-duty adhesives and sealants that deal with even the toughest leaks, the industry has shifted its trajectory to prioritizing flexibility over rigidness. A team of expert engineers at England’s Newcastle University has invented a glue engineered to be reversible, making an adhesive as adaptable as the world around it...click here to read more

May 6, 2024

Katie Ngo

Imagine trying to step outside for a breath of fresh air, only to be met with pollution and smog. For the people in Beijing, China, this has long been their reality, with Beijing historically struggling to lower levels of smog and pollution in the air. In its fight against air pollution, Beijing has invested in numerous solutions, including the Smog Free Project proposed by Studio Roosegaarde. After visiting Beijing, Daan Roosegaarde, tired of the prolific air pollution, designed a tower that would hopefully solve the city’s problem. The Smog Free Tower takes in polluted air, purifies it, and emits clean air. It might seem unassuming from the outside, just a seven-foot aluminum tower fitted with vents, but it has proven very effective. The tower can make the surrounding air around 75% cleaner, separating the clean air and the pollutant particles...click here to read more

April 30, 2024

Jessica A. Dennehy 

Approximately 36% of all manufactured plastic is used for packaging purposes. Approximately 85% of all packaging is improperly disposed of and ends up in landfills, the oceans, or animals' stomachs. A modern solution to this issue has emerged in the form of edible food packaging made of biodegradable, plant-based, and natural materials. Any film, sheet, or coating, as long as it can be eaten with the product, can be considered edible food packaging. This is a zero-waste, alternative form of packaging for portable foods and beverages. Thus, along with mitigating the negative effect of plastic packaging on the environment, edible food packaging is also a transition away from the world’s dependency on plastic...click here to read more

April 25, 2024

Reggie Dao

Ever since the Industrial Revolution, there have been several ways of producing energy to fuel our daily resources. Although the introduction of fossil fuels and manufactured energy is still prominent in the market, we’ve turned ourselves toward more natural sources of energy. Currently, society is leaning more towards a wide variety of renewable gasses ranging from solar power, wind power, and hydropower. Specifically for solar power technology, the strategy of collecting energy from the rain has been applied to fuel the electricity in today’s houses. But what exactly is rain energy?...click here to read more

April 10, 2024

Jessica A. Dennehy 

A group of interdisciplinary researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Northeastern University have invented a shape-shifting fiber made of LCE, or liquid crystal elastomer, coined “FibeRobo”. FibeRobo can be made directly into fabric or embedded into other preexisting materials depending on the desired effect of its application. The LCE that makes up the fiber is thermally activated, contracting up to 40%, with minimal twisting when temperature increases and reverting to its original form as the temperature decreases, all without utilizing sensory technology...click here to read more

April 1, 2024

Mary Isabelle Reyes

Artificial organs for transplantation, herbicide-resistant crops, and space suits — what do these three have in common? If you guessed anywhere along the lines of "same discipline", "made by a certain profession", or "related to life", you would be correct! Specifically, these three significant scientific innovations and many other similar breakthroughs are all products of biological engineering...click here to read more

March 13, 2024

Sasi Kondru

Under 9% of STEM-related bachelor's degrees in the U.S. were earned by African Americans in 2023. The race and gender gap in STEM has historically been prevalent due to a lack of STEM-related opportunities or resources for marginalized communities. Additionally, due to the field being traditionally male-dominated and having little diversity, many people, especially women of color, feel discouraged from pursuing a STEM-related career...click here to read more

February 6, 2024

Lara Villard

When building the future, we must first look into the past. Although seemingly counterintuitive, history holds many of the answers to the problems we face today. In the increasingly globalized society we live in, many architects have designed buildings, while groundbreaking and impressive, that lack regard towards the region they inhabit. Vernacular architecture challenges the notion that a building stands separate from its surroundings. Although there is no clear definition, vernacular architecture is buildings constructed with local contexts in mind. That means taking a look into regional materials, cultural influences, and the needs of the community...click here to read more

January 29, 2024

Armita Rohani

With a new world of technology dominating everyday lives, ranging from iPads and iPhones to the James Webb telescope, devices such as these have caused a remarkable change to societal life—including manufacturing. A smart factory system is an interconnected network of machines, communication mechanisms, and computing power that utilizes A.I. technology for data analysis, system improvement, and to drive automatic processes. By integrating machines into a “digitally connected ecosystem,” (What is a Smart Factory?), smart factories can interpret data–by using artificial intelligence, sensors, gateways, and previous data from a business–regarding production and efficiency, and change workflow to optimize performance...click here to read more

December 18, 2023

Nathaniel Keoni De La Cruz

Water is a necessity for all living things, and direct access is a true blessing. Electrical engineering is the future of accessible clean water. Water purification systems that are electrically engineered allow people in modern society to receive water with very few contaminants. While most developed countries have direct access to clean water without risk of illness.  The United Nations has taken notice of the importance of providing clean water for all living things, especially in developing countries. Goal six of the United Nations' sustainable development goals is focused on exploring innovative ways to grant universal access to uncontaminated water and sanitation. There are many ways to purify water using electrical engineering including electrolysis water purification systems, and desalination processes which include reverse osmosis. Are these sustainable ways of purifying water?...click here to read more

November 16, 2023

Taelor Mafnas

Pavements are the paths that bind our homes, businesses, states, and ultimately, families and communities together. Despite this, many people don’t know the history and processes that contributed to the convenience of our everyday lives. As bicycles became more prominent in the United States during the 1800s, bicyclists came together to kickstart the Good Roads Movement, highlighting the importance of quality roads for religious groups, farmers, and students. The support behind this movement led the federal government to begin looking into funding the transformation of traditional streets and organizations to form for the same cause...click here to read more

November 15, 2023

Jasmine Nguyen

Imagine a world where people are starving from a food shortage, where once-common animals are on the brink of extinction, and where going outside starts to seem unbearable due to the constant heat waves. There’s no need to imagine it because that’s where the world is headed. Sea levels are rising, the temperature of oceans and our atmosphere are skyrocketing, and habitats are being destroyed. These are the consequences of the world’s increasing use of fossil fuels and production of greenhouse gases...click here to read more

November 13, 2023

Mai Shashua

Emily Warren Roebling was an engineer who helped guide the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Roebling was born in Cold Spring, New York, on September 23, 1843. She was the second youngest of twelve children, the closest to her older brother, Gouverneur K. Warren. He was one of the people who led Roebling to work on the Brooklyn Bridge after supporting her decision to get educated. He later became a corps commander in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Emily visited him; there she met Washington Roebling, an engineering officer on her brother’s staff. Emily and Washington fell in love and got married on January 18th, 1865...click here to read more

October 31, 2023

Fadwa Dalay

The world of instruments is one that we all hold a fond love for in our hearts. As humans, we are constantly listening to music, making it, and dancing to it. With that being said, have you ever wondered about the history of the wonderful world of music? Why do all instruments sound distinctly different and how do their designs differ? The history of musical instruments dates back to the beginnings of human culture. The Neanderthal flute dates back from 50,000–60,000 years ago. To this day, the Divje Babe is the oldest known musical instrument in the world, still standing as the best evidence for the existence of music in the tribes of archaic humans. During these early times, musical instruments were generally used for rituals, such as horns to signal success after a triumphant hunt or drums during religious ceremonies. Cultures eventually ended up developing compositions and performances of melodies for entertainment purposes...click here to read more

October 17, 2023

Maryam Bala

Have you ever looked at a building and wondered, “How was this even built?” Many New Yorkers (including myself) have stared in awe at a building known as “The Edge” and asked this very question. Despite its world-renowned status and popularity, many have wondered whether it is a sound structure. Buildings require a great deal of planning and construction.  All forms of mathematics, physics, and engineering statistics are used to determine what a building can handle. Architects and civil engineers perform equations and tests that are responsible for not only The Edge but many other interesting buildings all across the world...click here to read more

October 4, 2023

Janessa Angela Alerre

Self-driving cars, or robotic cars, are vehicles that are capable of traveling without human intervention. They are nothing new in today’s society -  the concept of an autonomous vehicle dates back to the 1900’s. In 1925, an electric engineer from New York, Francis Houdina, was the first to apply the idea of an autonomous vehicle, a car controlled through a remote...click here to read more

September 8, 2023

Janessa Angela Alerre

Every year, one billion trees worth of paper are utilized and discarded. Yet the increasing rate at which trees are cut down annually is abetted by the even quicker rate at which paper is discarded daily. Paper is made of a thin, non-woven material that is usually created from a blend of fibers and milled plants. Paper can be used in a plethora of ways, such as writing, drawing, wrapping, printing, etc. After it has finished its assumed purpose, this paper is too quickly thrown away and the vast majority of it ends up in landfills. This means that we are effectively taking away from our habitats for a purpose that also adversely impacts our planet. These facts are simply ignored by the general public, and thus, plantable seed paper presents a promising solution to this crisis...click here to read more

September 1, 2023

Sofia McGrath

There has been a recent advancement of a company named “Releaf Paper,” which utilizes new technology to manufacture and internationally produce paper and packaging from a unique raw material: fallen leaves. They are working towards the goal of replacing wood cellulose as a source of paper since it entails cutting down a tremendous number of trees annually. Releaf Paper promotes this idea of sustainability by using biowastes to create paper for the well-being of our earth’s forests. But how did such a remarkable company - with such an evident impact on the environment - initially come to be?...click here to read more

August 30, 2023

Caroline Cronin

The history of the hybrid car dates back to the 1900s, proving that we have been striving for healthier transportation options for over 100 years. The first hybrid car was made by Jacob Lohner and Ferdinand Porsche. Initially, Lohner decided that gas cars were loud and smelled bad. Around the same time, Porsche made an in-wheel motor, which was an electric motor that could fit inside the wheel of a car. Lohner then sought to combine his car with Porche's invention to make a hybrid. The car was named the “Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil” in honor of its makers. It was also the first car designed with four-wheel drive, as requested by the customer. However, it wasn’t until 2002, just over a century later, that hybrid cars gained recognition and that people started buying them...click here to read more

July 25, 2023

Tsz Kiu Amanda Leung

With the rapidly rising sea levels and occurrences of wild weather events today, stormwater management systems are of increasing importance. Retention ponds in particular help manage floodwater and protect watersheds. Retention ponds, or stormwater ponds, are man-made with a permanent body of water and vegetation around the perimeter...click here to read more

June 21, 2023

Maryam Bala

Engineering is a science that has existed since the dawn of time. Our Primitive and Stone Age ancestors created Oldowan tool kits, kits that consisted of stone hammers and Acheulean handaxes, the oldest testament to modern-day Manufacturing Engineering. The Egyptian pyramids serve as the oldest testament to Civil Engineering. These beautiful yet seemingly outlandish pyramids demonstrate complex understandings of both structures and the logic behind them. Those who came before us in the world of STEM possessed no knowledge greater than ours. They knew of no magic for construction and could read from no all-knowing book. Rather, they used a process known as the engineering process, a process very similar to the one still in effect today...click here to read more

October 11, 2022

Noa Essner

Throughout history, the objectives of space agencies’ projects worldwide were to expand humanity’s knowledge of the universe and how it works beyond its limited comprehension. Among all these incredible missions, however, none have previously considered the benefits of allocating more resources to design projects in a field known as “planetary defense.” This changed when in September 2022, NASA paved the way to protect the Earth should a celestial body be aimed to crash into it...click here to read more

October 9, 2022

Kymberlyn Calderon

Katherine Johnson (1918-2020) was an American mathematician known for her contributions to NASA’s early spaceflight research. Johnson was a brilliant force, skipping several grades in school to become one of the first black students at Virginia State College to get into the graduate school program. In 1957, Johnson’s life would change forever. During the Cold War, the Space Race also began. Katherine’s previous work for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) landed her a vital role in the Space Race when NACA was incorporated into NASA due to desegregation, enabling her to become one of the first black engineers for NASA in 1953, setting a precedent for countless other women, especially women of color, to follow...click here to read more

August 25, 2022

Kymberlyn Calderon

When the Rubik's Cube was first released in the 1980s, it was seen as a toy that only the smartest people might figure out. Eventually, people realized the need for patience surpassed the need for intelligence to solve it. Solving the puzzle once creates a euphoria for people to improve, and one of the easiest ways to improve is by buying a puzzle that turns better. Traditional Rubik's Brand puzzles are often quite stiff and may require the solver's entire wrist to turn a single side, but innovations throughout the decades have allowed people to turn the puzzle with up to fifteen turns per second. Though Rubik's Cubes operate primarily on mechanics and mathematics, science also made this innovation possible...click here to read more

July 26, 2022

Dora Fields

In 1921, the word “robot” was first used in a Czech play. The playwright, Karel Capek, used the word (derived from the Czech word for “slave”) to describe a group of machines that worked in factories. By the end of the play, the robots rebelled against their human operators and defeated them. While the word “robot” has evolved since its initial usage, the fears of the public remain the same: with robots becoming more complex and gradually gaining more self-autonomy, where does this leave humans?...click here to read more

May 23, 2022

Lara Villard

More often than not, the stores from which we buy our clothes are major contributors to the “fast-fashion” crisis undertaking the world in the twenty-first century, which is directly feeding global emissions. Take a moment and think about the last item of clothing you bought. A graphic tee, a pair of boots, possibly a new outfit for your high school dance? Now think about where you bought that piece of clothing...click here to read more

April 29, 2022

Lara Villard

In an age where temperatures are rising at an increasingly concerning rate, and as our world faces catastrophes such as severe storms, droughts, and a loss of biodiversity, we need living spaces that curb these disastrous effects and connect us to our environment, rather than isolate us from it. While it is only one factor of many, buildings play a big role in energy consumption and leave a large impact, whether positive or negative on the environment...click here to read more

April 29, 2022

Keren Teichner

In our world there exist thousands of different species of bees, but the seven of these species that can produce honey have long had a target on their backs. Since the 1980s, the bee population has been in rapid decline due to farmers and manufacturers seeking to use the bees for their honey, and in recent years, the bee problem has further deteriorated, leaving the situation worse than ever before....click here to read more