Research /engineering/ en Hip to be an innovator /engineering/hip-to-be-an-innovator <span>Hip to be an innovator</span> <span><span>Hanna Nordwall</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-21T10:45:40-06:00" title="Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 10:45">Thu, 05/21/2026 - 10:45</time> </span> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2251"> Innovation </a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2264" hreflang="en">Bioscience</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2258" hreflang="en">Health</a> </div> <a href="/engineering/alexander-servantez">Alexander Servantez</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead"><strong>Engineer and doctor take medical device from С accelerator to commercialization&nbsp;</strong></p> <div class="align-left image_style-small_500px_25_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_500px_25_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/small_500px_25_display_size_/public/2026-05/combined-hip-photos-1.jpg?itok=FR7U_Hz1" width="375" height="654" alt="Slotted Cannula Jacob Segil combined photos"> </div> </div> <p><span>J</span>acob Segil and Dr. Omer Mei-Dan were enjoying a celebratory dinner in 2018 when the idea for their newest commercialization success struck.</p><p>“We were celebrating the sale of our first company at a restaurant. Mei- Dan grabbed a napkin and just started sketching an idea for a new project,” said Segil, a research professor in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. “He said he wanted it this way, with these features, and we just got to work on it right away.”</p><p>Segil and Mei-Dan, a surgeon and professor in the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, are the architects behind a redesigned surgical instrument called the CAP-LIFT cannula.</p> <div class="align-right image_style-small_500px_25_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_500px_25_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/small_500px_25_display_size_/public/2026-05/hip-combined2.jpg?itok=P3qesGKx" width="375" height="620" alt="Closeup image of hip, closeup of cannula"> </div> </div> <p>The device has completely transformed arthroscopic procedures in the hip region, making them safer and more efficient. In fact, Mei-Dan said the next-generation cannula has been a catalyst for hundreds of successful hip arthroscopy surgeries nationwide since its launch in August 2025.</p><p>But like many engineering projects, achieving real-world impact doesn’t just happen overnight.</p><p>“It began as a self-funded project on campus, where we were building prototypes and trying to envision how it could be used in surgery,” Segil said, pulling out a clear bag filled with different iterations of the CAP-LIFT cannula. “Each one of us would bring different perspectives to the table so that together we could make the best product possible.”</p><p>When the two finally came up with the right design, they submitted the technology and won С Boulder’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) in 2020. Segil said the annual innovation competition, which supports top projects throughout the С system with large grants to help translate research into successful business ventures, was a crucial early milestone in their endeavor.</p><p>From there, Segil and Mei-Dan used the LVC award to help push the device into human trials. By working alongside the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board, the two were able to produce units that could be used directly by Mei-Dan in the operating room, improving surgical safety and efficacy right away while beginning to collect real-life data.</p><p>“We were testing the different iterations of this product for the past five years in my practice,” Mei-Dan said. “The clinical yield was so significant I no longer wanted to perform a procedure without it. I’ve probably used it in over 1,000 total cases.”</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">More success stories</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><h2>More success stories</h2><p>Check out some of the other С Engineering startups that have gone on to commercialization success:</p><p><strong>Forge Nano: </strong>Advanced materials company based on atomic layer deposition nanocoating technology</p><p><strong>LiteWave Technologies/Arcfield: </strong>Commercializing a new type of LiDAR that can “see” objects in shallow water from above the water’s surface</p><p><strong>Think Bioscience: </strong>Developing small-molecule drugs for historically challenging targets by using synthetic biology to uncover novel mechanisms of biomolecular engagement</p><p><strong>Infleqtion: </strong>Valued at $1.8 billion, this quantum atomic company developing quantum computing, sensing and signal processing hardware is now the 10th “unicorn” to spin out of С Boulder</p><p><strong>Manifest Technologies: </strong>Bringing to market a fundamentally different approach to additive manufacturing that utilizes a proprietary light engine and sophisticated algorithms to cure photoreactive resin simultaneously across three dimensions</p></div></div></div><p>According to Segil, the data was strong and the device was functioning so well that it caught the attention of multiple medical device manufacturers as a potential game-changing acquisition for their portfolio.</p><p>After weighing the options, the two decided Smith &amp; Nephew, a global medical technology company with a strong presence in sports medicine, was the perfect match.</p><p>“They had a great understanding of our product,” said Segil. “They were able to take our designs, get them ready for commercialization and steer the marketing and sales side of things in a way that made us confident.”</p><p>Segil and Mei-Dan stayed involved throughout the manufacturing process, playing critical roles in product design, engineering support and even product demonstrations.</p><p>But seeing their invention reach commercial success was merely a bonus. For Mei-Dan, the real highlight was the impact they had on both surgeons and patients alike.</p><p>“We developed this product because we felt there was a major need within the field,” Mei-Dan said. “We weren’t envisioning commercial success. We just wanted to create something that works well in my hands, that would improve a surgeon’s work and be better for patient outcomes.”</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-gold ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/mechanical/researchers-redefine-hip-arthroscopy-breakthrough-surgical-device" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Take a deep dive into the technology</span></a></p> <div class="field_media_oembed_video"><iframe src="/engineering/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DYIm_ANW6bzk&amp;max_width=516&amp;max_height=350&amp;hash=E9EtI6kSvfy8mEtrsaN38yBWN66SSZHiEyyP572yl3Q" width="516" height="290" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="Collaborative Breakthrough in Hip Surgery"></iframe> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>7</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-05/Slotted_Cannula_Jacob_Segil_20251205_JMP_032.jpg?itok=rKBVQa4-" width="1500" height="653" alt="Slotted Cannula Jacob Segil"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 21 May 2026 16:45:40 +0000 Hanna Nordwall 8288 at /engineering Downstream data /engineering/downstream-data <span>Downstream data</span> <span><span>Hanna Nordwall</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-20T08:43:17-06:00" title="Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - 08:43">Wed, 05/20/2026 - 08:43</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-05/Zhi_Li_Portrait_20260127_JMP_134_1.jpg?h=a491ccb1&amp;itok=f7MFDBxG" width="1200" height="800" alt="Zhi Li portrait downstream data"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2251"> Innovation </a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2280" hreflang="en">AI</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2277" hreflang="en">Climate</a> </div> <a href="/engineering/susan-glairon">Susan Glairon</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead"><strong>Researcher using AI to improve and personalize flood prediction</strong></p><p><span>W</span>hen Zhi Li was young, flash floods regularly swept through his village in China.</p><p>Once while he was swimming in a river, the water rose suddenly, submerging 10-year-old Li and pushing him downstream. Though massive amounts of rain had fallen upstream, where Li swam the sky remained a clear, deceptive blue.</p><p>“It was so quick,” said Li, an assistant professor of civil engineering who joined С Boulder in fall 2025. “I had no clue there would be a flood.</p> <div class="align-left image_style-medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2026-05/Zhi_Li_Portrait_20260127_JMP_200%202.jpg?itok=yFWoYmTl" width="750" height="629" alt="Zhi Li portrait header image"> </div> </div> <p>Fortunately, a stranger pulled him to safety. The experience inspired Li to devote his life to flood research. “Floods don’t necessarily happen where the rain falls,” Li said. “In my community, many lives were taken by floods. It was devastating.”</p><h2>Improved simulations</h2><p>In the United States, the National Weather Service issues weather forecasts and warnings based on expected rainfall and whether the precipitation is likely to overflow nearby rivers, streams or dams.</p><p>At Li’s Flood Lab at С Boulder, his simulations draw on NWS rainfall predictions and detailed terrain data, including ground permeability, land use, soil type and vegetation cover. By combining U.S. Geological Survey terrain maps with AI, his models predict flooding with far greater precision and speed than the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s traditional physics-based models.</p><p>His approach can pinpoint where floodwater will pool at a one-meter resolution, detailed enough to show whether an individual building is likely to flood, compared with FEMA’s 10-meter resolution.</p><p>Li said achieving one-meter resolution using FEMA’s traditional approach would require extensive expertise and about a year of computation. Using AI, he can simulate an entire county in just two to three hours at a far lower cost.</p><p>“Drilling it down to single households is only possible once you have an AI product like this,” Li said. “It was unimaginable in the past.”</p><p>To improve model accuracy, Li checks his results with local experts who know which areas are most vulnerable to flooding. This human insight serves as a guardrail for AI, which can sometimes “hallucinate” false warnings.</p><h2>Personalized warnings</h2><p>Li’s research also involves changing how flood risk is communicated. Instead of the traditional top-down approach, issuing a single warning message for an entire county, he envisions a customized alert that starts with individual households and scales up to neighborhoods, communities and counties.</p><div class="feature-layout-callout feature-layout-callout-medium"><div class="ucb-callout-content"><p class="text-align-center lead"><strong>“Floods don’t necessarily happen where the rain falls.”</strong></p></div></div><p>“There is evidence that during floods, some of the people with language barriers were unable to evacuate in time and lost their lives,” Li said. “Personalized warnings can help ensure critical information is clearly communicated so people can act quickly.”</p><p>His goal is to use data from the American Community Survey, an annual U.S. Census Bureau report on household demographics, to generate personalized warnings in each resident’s preferred language about whether their home will likely be affected. Evacuation guidance would also reflect a person’s mobility needs and access to transportation.</p><h2>Flood prediction for all</h2><p>Li is also developing an AI-powered assistant to democratize access to flood modeling. The approach aims to remove technical barriers that limit flood modeling to experts. Anyone would be able to see an area’s overall flood risk based on historical events. Users could interact with the model in a ChatGPT-style chat to explore flood risk maps by region.</p><p>The platform will eventually include real-time alerts and interactive simulations to empower communities to better understand their flood risks during an event without waiting for official warnings.</p><p>“I hope the model can be used anywhere in the world to reduce flood damage and provide accessible information to people at risk,” Li said. “That goal has always guided my research.”<br>&nbsp;</p><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"> <div class="align-center image_style-focal_image_wide"> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-05/Zhi_Li_Portrait_20260127_JMP_105.jpg?h=3e5ba793&amp;itok=eGht9Ite" width="1200" height="800" alt="Zhi Li and computer"> </div> </div> </div><div class="col ucb-column"><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-left ucb-box-alignment-none ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-darkgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title"><strong>Measuring the cost</strong></div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p>Li also has a vision for measuring a flood’s total impact to human health, ecology, agriculture and the urban economy as a way to mitigate flood costs.</p><p>Comparing it to the total gross domestic product (GDP) that is used to evaluate countries’ prosperity, he envisions creating a “gross flood damage” value to help policymakers determine the amount of government aid for a community and how to reduce flood impact in future years.</p><p>Invisible costs, such as a loss of income due to flooded agricultural and other work spaces, would also be included.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Researcher using AI to improve and personalize flood prediction</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>7</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-05/Zhi_Li_Portrait_20260127_JMP_067.jpg?itok=koSfdPvk" width="1500" height="2250" alt="Zhi Li and projector"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 20 May 2026 14:43:17 +0000 Hanna Nordwall 8285 at /engineering High time /engineering/high-time <span>High time</span> <span><span>Hanna Nordwall</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-19T15:06:53-06:00" title="Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - 15:06">Tue, 05/19/2026 - 15:06</time> </span> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2251"> Innovation </a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/1935" hreflang="en">Quantum</a> </div> <a href="/engineering/charles-ferrer">Charles Ferrer</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-right image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/diddams-portrait-2.png?itok=E_wj7GIt" width="228" height="228" alt="Scott Diddams"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="text-align-center small-text">Scott Diddams<br>Professor and Lead Researcher</p> </span> </div> <p class="lead"><strong>С Boulder faculty and alumni are pushing quantum science to new heights — literally&nbsp;</strong></p><p><span>A </span>team of scientists is attempting something no one has done before: Measuring Earth’s gravity at 14,000 feet using one of the most accurate clocks ever built.</p><p>Optical atomic clocks are instruments so precise they can detect tiny differences in the flow of time caused by Earth’s gravity.</p><p>“One of the most exciting things about quantum right now is that we’re finally moving from lab experiments to real-world environments,” said Scott Diddams, professor of electrical, computer and energy engineering and a lead researcher on the project. “We’re taking the best clock devices and testing them in entirely new ways.”</p><p>A portable optical atomic clock was transported this summer to the peak of Mt. Blue Sky — one of Colorado’s famed Fourteeners. Diddams and his colleagues then started to compare the time to another clock 9,000 feet below in Boulder through a one-of-a-kind free-space and fiber optic laser link.</p> <div class="align-center image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/bluesky%20double.jpg?itok=LH0YXBid" width="4557" height="1934" alt="Mt BlueSky Research station"> </div> </div> <p><br>Their ultimate goal: Make the most precise determination of whether a clock at higher elevations ticks at a faster rate than ones closer to Earth. If so, comparing how time flows between two elevations can unlock how we better understand our planet.</p><div class="feature-layout-callout feature-layout-callout-medium"><div class="ucb-callout-content"><p class="text-align-center lead"><strong>“This is about understanding the earth.”</strong></p></div></div><p>Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity tells us that time will pass more slowly under the influence of gravity, known as the gravitational redshift.</p><p>The Mt. Blue Sky collaboration includes Diddams, NIST physicist Andrew Ludlow (PhDPhys’08); NIST physicist Laura Sinclair (PhDPhys’11), who enabled the frequency comb time transfer; and NOAA geodesist Derek van Westrum (PhDPhys’98), who provided millimeter-level benchmark measurements.</p> <div class="align-center image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/bluesky%20big%20collage.jpg?itok=N-mFs_vA" width="4557" height="4702" alt="Mt BlueSky photo collage"> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-left ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><h2><strong>Quantum impacts</strong></h2><p>Here are just a few of the ways quantum sensing could help us understand our globe:</p><ul><li><strong>Tracking water movement: </strong>Changes in groundwater alter the mass beneath Earth’s surface and its gravitational potential. Precise gravity measurements could allow scientists to detect water flow for improved flood monitoring.</li><li><strong>Sensing Earth’s surface: </strong>Earthquakes redistribute land mass, creating tiny shifts in gravity. Atomic clocks may detect changes, offering new insight into tectonic activity.</li><li><strong>Watching magma rise: </strong>As magma accumulates beneath a volcano, the increased mass changes local gravity. Clock-based sensing could provide a clear picture of subsurface dynamics.</li></ul></div></div></div><p>What makes this endeavor remarkable is that we’re seeing how atoms inside an optical clock can reveal the gravitational pull on Earth — bridging the micro and the macro worlds.</p><p>“There’s not a lot of precedent for making measurements at this level,” said Ludlow, who developed the portable optical clock. “Then we’re adding into the mix that one of the clocks has to be up on a mountain top exposed to some harsh conditions.”</p><p>These optical clocks can measure changes in the Earth’s gravity down to just one centimeter in elevation, important in telling us where water flows, how land shifts and how the Earth responds to natural forces. Right now, that one-centimeter precision corresponds to measuring time at the 18th decimal point.</p><p>Although the team’s first trip to the Fourteener mainly tested whether the technology could survive the harsh mountain conditions — and it did — the researchers also successfully linked the Mt. Blue Sky clock to its twin in Boulder.</p><p>Next year, they will continue capturing detailed time comparisons at these extreme elevations, hoping to operate at the same precision as in the lab.</p><p>“This is about understanding the Earth,” Diddams said. “If we’re able to tell where water flows or what’s going on under the surface when we can’t directly see it, that’s something quite exciting. This can ultimately impact lives and property.”</p> <div class="align-right image_style-default"> <div class="field_media_oembed_video"><iframe src="/engineering/media/oembed?url=https%3A//youtu.be/U-QgV1-DTkI&amp;max_width=516&amp;max_height=350&amp;hash=EZ2n9nTvPk5ukvD3Xeq-qTia3rB1Q3CHI4HMbjdEn7c" width="516" height="290" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="Quantum Science That Could Reshape the Way We See The Earth"></iframe> </div> </div> <p>While it may be obvious in Colorado that Mt. Blue Sky stands higher than Denver, Diddams noted that the position of the highest ground is much more challenging to determine precisely in flat coastal regions over long distances. A shift of even a few centimeters in elevation can determine whether floodwaters move toward communities or away from one.</p><p>“These clock-based tools can open up how we use powerful quantum-based measurements,” Diddams said. “We don’t know exactly what that’s going to yield, but we think it will give us new ways to measure the shape of the Earth.”</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>С Boulder faculty and alumni are pushing quantum science to new heights — literally</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>7</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-05/MtBlueSky_Research23GA.jpg?itok=8Ms1VT-x" width="1500" height="499" alt="Mt BlueSky research station goats"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 19 May 2026 21:06:53 +0000 Hanna Nordwall 8283 at /engineering News & Noteworthy /engineering/2026/news-noteworthy <span>News &amp; Noteworthy</span> <span><span>Hanna Nordwall</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-15T14:44:46-06:00" title="Friday, May 15, 2026 - 14:44">Fri, 05/15/2026 - 14:44</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-05/AI-Sustainble%20illustration.jpg?h=c93c359f&amp;itok=Ujhyb9va" width="1200" height="800" alt="AI, sustainable engineering illustration"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2280" hreflang="en">AI</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2267" hreflang="en">Aerospace Engineering</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/587" hreflang="en">News</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/1935" hreflang="en">Quantum</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2035" hreflang="en">Sustainability</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 1"> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-right image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/NAE_2-line_PMS288_with_mark-Dec2019_2.png?itok=ZlCSQIXl" width="200" height="168" alt="NAE logo smaller"> </div> </div> <h2>С Engineering hosts NAE Quantum &amp; Space Symposium</h2><p>С Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science hosted the National Academy of Engineering’s Regional Meeting &amp; Symposium, which focused on the <span>convergence of quantum technologies and space applications</span>. Participants discussed technical pathways for space deployment, implications for satellite architectures and national security applications and shared insights on accelerating the transition from laboratory prototypes to mission-ready systems. The program leveraged Colorado’s interconnected ecosystem of academic quantum and aerospace research, national laboratories, and commercial quantum, space and technology partners to facilitate technical exchange across academia, government and industry on this emerging frontier.</p></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-below"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <figure class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/NAE%20-%20collage.jpg?itok=gSzMMEVE" alt="NAE Symposium hosts and special guests" loading="lazy"> <figcaption class="ucb-paragraph-media__caption" style="text-align: left;"> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="small-text">Clockwise from top: NAE Symposium hosts and special guests, from left, Hanspeter Schaub, Scott Diddams, Dana Anderson, Tsu-Jae Liu and Keith Molenaar; С Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz greets an attendee; aerospace PhD student Zack Funke explains his research during the poster session.</p> </span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-left image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/diddams-portrait.png?itok=tBrFpE8h" width="228" height="228" alt="Scott Diddams"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="small-text text-align-center">Scott Diddams</p> </span> </div> <h2>Diddams, Schaub elected to NAE</h2> <div class="align-right image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/hanspeter.png?itok=bHNtJL3p" width="228" height="228" alt="Hanspeter Schaub"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="text-align-center small-text">Hanspeter Schaub</p> </span> </div> <p>Two С Engineering faculty members were elected to the 2025 class of the National Academy of Engineering.</p><p>Scott Diddams is a professor and Robert H. Davis Endowed Chair in Discovery Learning in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering. He is also affiliated with the Department of Physics and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He was recognized for his outstanding contributions in optical frequency combs and their applications.</p><p>Hanspeter Schaub is a distinguished professor and chair of the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences. A leader in the field of astrodynamics and spacecraft control, his research has advanced theoretical and practical understanding of spacecraft operations.</p><p>Diddams and Schaub were among 128 new U.S. members and 21 international members in the class of 2025.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <figure class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-content-row-img-lg" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/wide_image_style/public/2026-05/AI-Sustainble%20illustration.jpg?h=c93c359f&amp;itok=W32nG5GB" alt="AI, sustainable engineering illustration" loading="lazy"> <figcaption class="ucb-paragraph-media__caption" style="text-align: left;"> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>Degrees launched in AI, sustainable engineering</h2><p>С Engineering has launched two master’s programs designed to meet industry demand in key areas of national importance.</p><p>A Master of Science in artificial intelligence is now available both online and in-person (starting fall 2027), making С Boulder one of only a handful of universities offering a master’s degree in AI. The core curriculum addresses a breadth of areas central to AI engineering expertise, including machine learning, statistical learning, natural language processing and ethics.</p><p>The Master of Science in sustainable engineering represents a new model of cross-college collaboration at С Boulder, uniting expertise from business, engineering and the natural sciences to prepare students for the global demand for sustainability jobs. The nine-month program features an integrated 15-credit core with students from С Boulder’s MS in Sustainable Business, as well as engineering-focused electives and a capstone project with real-world partners in industry or government.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 2"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-left col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <figure class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--square" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-05/Erin%20Overcash_1.jpg?h=69a04821&amp;itok=tJcZwys_" alt="Lt. Cmdr. Erin Overcash" loading="lazy"> <figcaption class="ucb-paragraph-media__caption" style="text-align: left;"> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="text-align-center small-text">Astronaut Candidate and U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erin Overcash. Photo credit: NASA</p> </span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>Alum tapped as NASA astronaut candidate</h2><p>In September, <strong>Erin Overcash </strong>(AeroEngr'14, MS'17) reported for duty as part of NASA's 2025 astronaut candidate class. In addition to her С Boulder degrees, she attended U.S. Navy flight school and has logged more than 1,300 hours of flight in a variety of aircraft, according to her astronaut profile.</p><p>During her time at С Boulder, Overcash competed in track and field in the pentathlon, hurdles and high jump, among other events. She went on to train with the USA Rugby Women's National Team and has also competed in Ironman Triathlon events.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-right image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/Marcus%20Holzinger%20Hatfield%20Endowed%20Professor.png?itok=WwvskRLN" width="228" height="228" alt="Marcus Holzinger Hatfield Endowed Professor"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="text-align-center small-text">Marcus Holzinger<br>Hatfield Endowed Professor</p> </span> </div> <h2>Professorship established in space policy &amp; law</h2><p>С Boulder donors Dale and Patricia Hatfield have given $2.5 million to establish the Hatfield Endowed Professorship in Space Policy &amp; Law.</p><p>Underscoring the university’s commitment to leadership in this fast-evolving field, the professorship will drive teaching and research on space policy and law, with broad implications for national security, global communications, navigation, weather forecasting and international collaboration.</p><p>This interdisciplinary position will rotate every two years between the College of Engineering and Applied Science, the Leeds School of Business and Silicon Flatirons, supporting faculty whose teaching and research advance this work. Professor Marcus J. Holzinger of the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences is the inaugural Hatfield Endowed Professor, bringing expertise in space policy, domain awareness, development and strategy.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 2"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-left col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <figure class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/Decompiel%20Your%20Mind%20Book.jpg?itok=v3veOKeq" alt="Decompile your mind book cover" loading="lazy"> <figcaption class="ucb-paragraph-media__caption" style="text-align: left;"> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>New book addresses engineering student wellness</h2><p>As Counseling and Psychiatric Services therapists embedded in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, Audrey Gilfillan and Alison West have more than eight years of combined experience supporting engineering students.</p><p>They recently harnessed that experience to co-author Decompile Your Mind: An Engineer’s Guide to Thoughts and Emotions, which tackles common challenges faced by engineering students, including perfectionism, imposter syndrome, self-criticism, loneliness, emotional suppression, rumination and uncertainty.</p><p>“Engineers have inspired us to rethink how we approach mental health — but the content itself offers value to many people, not just engineers,” West said. “Anyone who sees the world through an analytical, logical lens can gain value from this book.”</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-left image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-05/JayArehart.png?itok=5JsQs_3n" width="228" height="228" alt="Jay Arehart"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p class="text-align-center small-text">Jay Arehart<br>Assistant Teaching Professor</p> </span> </div> <h2><strong>Symposium tackles embodied carbon reduction practices and materials</strong></h2><p>С Boulder’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and the Structural Engineering Institute co-hosted a summer symposium focused on advancing the structural engineering profession toward zero carbon.</p><p>The event, which drew 166 participants from 65 companies, marked an industry-wide step toward cutting emissions tied to building materials like steel and concrete, said faculty member and event organizer Jay Arehart.</p><p>The event explored design practices and materials that reduce embodied carbon — the greenhouse gases emitted during the production, transport and disposal of building materials. Arehart said he believed it was the largest gathering to date of structural engineers focused on embodied carbon reductions.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <figure class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-content-row-img-lg" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/wide_image_style/public/2026-06/Presidents%20Inclusive%20Excellence%20Award.jpg?h=18d331d7&amp;itok=rhu48LeS" alt="С President Todd Saliman, left, with Amy Moreno-Sherwood" loading="lazy"> <figcaption class="ucb-paragraph-media__caption" style="text-align: left;"> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p>С President Todd Saliman, left, with Amy Moreno-Sherwood</p> </span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>Inclusivity champion wins С System award</h2><p>Amy Moreno-Sherwood, senior director of the Campos Student Center (formerly the BOLD Center), was the recipient of the 2025 President’s Inclusive Excellence Award. The award is one of the university’s highest honors for individuals who go above and beyond to build inclusive and empowering communities.</p><p>Dean Keith Molenaar said Moreno-Sherwood’s unwavering commitment has profoundly impacted the college community. “Amy’s leadership of the Campos Student Center has elevated efforts to support engineering students of all backgrounds,” Molenaar said.</p><p>“Amy’s dedication and innovative approach are truly inspiring. Her recognition with the President’s Inclusive Excellence Award is a testament to her exceptional contributions.”</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Learn what events and innovations have been taking place in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Zebra Striped</div> <div>7</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 15 May 2026 20:44:46 +0000 Hanna Nordwall 8277 at /engineering Toward safer self-driving cars /engineering/2026/04/20/toward-safer-self-driving-cars <span>Toward safer self-driving cars</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-20T09:57:17-06:00" title="Monday, April 20, 2026 - 09:57">Mon, 04/20/2026 - 09:57</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-04/AdobeStock_224332680.jpeg?h=5f32b5f0&amp;itok=AVvV1WIY" width="1200" height="800" alt="Stylized visualization of self driving car software."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/409"> Faculty </a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <a href="/engineering/jeff-zehnder">Jeff Zehnder</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p><a href="/cs/majid-zamani" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="5cfc2bc3-f4e9-4307-aee9-905eda43df92" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow"><span>Majid Zamani</span></a><span> is designing safer self-driving car technology with math.</span></p><p><span>An associate professor of computer science at the University of Colorado Boulder, Zamani is working on a </span><a href="https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101292651" rel="nofollow"><span>European Research Council (ERC)</span></a><span> proof-of-concept project that uses mathematical models to guide autonomous vehicles, rather than relying on testing to capture every possible crash scenario.</span></p><p><span>“Existing autonomy software are not formally proven to work all the time,” Zamani said. “Waymo taxis carry sensor suites worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and are marketed as self-driving, yet they do not always operate autonomously. At times, they become stuck and require remote operator intervention, a limitation that can undermine public trust in the system.”</span></p><p><span>The issue is edge cases. Existing autonomous driving software incorporates results from millions of miles of travel, but cars still encounter new situations regularly. While humans easily adapt to unforeseen road conditions, machines do not.</span></p><p><span>When those incidents arise, automakers update their software to address the new scenario, each time adding more lines of codes. Some vehicles now exceed 100 million lines of computer codes, Zamani said.</span></p><p><span>“One might say that 98 percent of the challenge of autonomy has been solved, leaving only 2 percent unresolved. But that remaining 2 percent is still enormous. When measured against the millions of miles driven each day, even a small fraction of failure cases translates into a significant real-world problem,” Zamani said.</span></p><p><span>What if there was a better way?</span></p><p><span>Utilizing an ERC grant awarded through his visiting-professorship at the </span><a href="https://www.lmu.de/en/" rel="nofollow"><span>Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München</span></a><span> in Germany, Zamani wants self-driving cars to rely on concrete physics and mathematical formulas rather than endless testing of scenarios.</span></p><p><span>“These are Newton’s laws. We understand the relationship between velocity and acceleration, and we can calculate how long it will take a car to stop once it detects an obstacle. The mathematics is clean, and if we succeed, we can certify the system’s effectiveness,” he said.</span></p><p><span>Zamani and his team are focused specifically on lane changes and have made significant progress. Through the grant, they plan to soon test their work on an embedded </span><a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/autonomous-machines/embedded-systems/jetson-orin/" rel="nofollow"><span>NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin platform</span></a><span> using</span><a href="https://www.morai.ai/" rel="nofollow"><span> MORAI, a high-fidelity driving simulator</span></a><span> that mimics real-world conditions.</span></p><p><span>“We have proven that our software is formally correct. Now we need to demonstrate it in practice,” he said.</span></p><p><span>Designing self-driving cars around mathematics and logic may seem like the obvious approach, but it requires substantial computation, which is one reason current systems do not fully rely on it.</span></p><p><span>“Imagine a busy intersection in a large city, with bicycles, pedestrians, traffic signals, other vehicles, and road conditions that shift with the weather. A mathematically grounded system must decide in real time how to respond, but the sheer number of interacting variables makes the problem extraordinarily complex, even though many of those interactions are ultimately governed by physics,” he said.</span></p><p><span>The team is developing methods to make its physics- and mathematics-based approaches more scalable. That includes both refining its algorithms and exploring neural networks and other machine learning techniques.</span></p><p><span>“Sometimes, a very small change in the model architecture can lead to an algorithm that scales much more effectively,” he said. “It is challenging, but we have made meaningful progress. Implementing the MORAI high-fidelity simulator is an important step toward showing that what we promise is possible and demonstrating provable safety in complex autonomous driving scenarios.”</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `/cs/toward-safer-self-driving-cars`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:57:17 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 8247 at /engineering Using aerospace technology to study glacier melt in Greenland /engineering/2026/04/16/using-aerospace-technology-study-glacier-melt-greenland <span> Using aerospace technology to study glacier melt in Greenland</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-16T16:15:35-06:00" title="Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 16:15">Thu, 04/16/2026 - 16:15</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-04/SCP_GL2025_DSC02265_0_jpg.jpg?h=172392b7&amp;itok=BFb2cRKL" width="1200" height="800" alt=" Khan collecting data on the Greenland ice sheet."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <a href="/engineering/jeff-zehnder">Jeff Zehnder</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p><a href="/aerospace/alia-khan" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b42a8b6b-4efc-4f70-9c55-9b47efb97921" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow">Alia Khan</a> is integrating field-based biogeochemical analysis with NASA’s next generation satellite sensors to quantify how biological algae blooms, mineral dust, and wildfire smoke are darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet and accelerating its melt.</p><p>Khan, an associate professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences and the Environmental Engineering Program at the University of Colorado Boulder, has been awarded a four-year, $857,000 NASA grant to develop tools to improve sea-level rise projections.</p><p>The work is focused on Greenland, home to massive amounts of frozen water in a large land-based glacier, also known as an ice sheet, that is nearly two miles thick in some places.</p><h2>Increasing melt rate</h2><p>“There are growing dark spots on the Greenland Ice Sheet,” Khan said. “While fresh snow is the most reflective surface on Earth, the ‘bare ice’ exposed during summer melt is naturally darker. When light-absorbing particles like algae and dust accumulate there, they further reduce reflectivity and cause the ice to melt even faster. Currently, this darkening isn't fully captured in most Earth system models, meaning we are likely underestimating future sea level rise.”</p><p>The enhanced darkening of the ice sheet is caused by the combined impact of soot, mineral dust, and seasonal ice algae blooms. These particles significantly increase heat absorption, creating a feedback loop that intensifies surface melting as the Arctic warms.&nbsp;</p><p>“Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense, sending plumes of soot to settle on the ice,” Khan said. “At the same time, retreating glaciers leave behind fine dust that the wind blows back onto the surface. These particles, along with algae fueled by increased meltwater nutrients, are transforming the ice sheet from a reflective shield into a heat-absorber.”&nbsp;</p><h2>New technology</h2><p>To measure the impact, Khan is leveraging NASA’s <a href="https://pace.gsfc.nasa.gov/" rel="nofollow">PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite</a>. Launched in 2024, PACE provides high-resolution hyperspectral imagery—capturing a vast spectrum of light from ultraviolet to infrared—to reveal details of the Earth’s surface that were previously invisible to orbiting sensors.</p><p>“PACE’s hyperspectral technology allows us to tease apart the unique spectral signatures of mineral dust and living algae,” Khan said. “By mapping these specific characteristics, we can determine exactly how each one contributes to surface melt, allowing us to improve our predictions for the future of the Greenland Ice Sheet.”&nbsp;</p><p>Khan will combine this data with planned in-person surveys of the Greenland ice sheet using drone flights and collection and analysis of surface samples of snow and ice.</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-left ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-white"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-content"><div>&nbsp;</div><p class="small-text">Sailboats amidst icefloes off the coast of Greenland.</p></div></div></div><p>“The samples will be used to validate the satellite imagery and to measure specific quantities of dust, black carbon, and algae. This includes analyzing a suite of photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments, as well as conducting DNA analysis,” she said.</p><h2>Like nowhere else</h2><p>Spending time on the ice sheets is a unique and rare opportunity. Accessible only via helicopter, they are places few humans have seen up close.</p><p>“There’s a pretty significant wind chill and survival gear is necessary, whether or not we plan to spend the night, but it’s such a privilege to work in a place almost completely untouched by humans,” Khan said.</p><p>The collected data and images will be used in the creation of complex new algorithms to more accurately map the dark zones throughout the melt season.</p><p>“It takes a lot of computing power, but there’s so much exciting new technology we can apply here to build models we haven’t had before,” Khan said.</p><p>As Greenland's ice loss remains a primary driver of global sea-level rise, by refining our understanding of Greenland’s melt rates, Khan’s work fills a critical gap in the climate models used by scientists and policymakers to improve future projections.</p><p>Additional investigators on the grant include Peng Xian at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Heidi Dierssen at the University of Connecticut.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `/aerospace/2026/04/10/using-aerospace-technology-study-glacier-melt-greenland`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:15:35 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 8246 at /engineering A simple shot shows promise to reverse osteoarthritis within weeks /engineering/2026/04/06/simple-shot-shows-promise-reverse-osteoarthritis-within-weeks <span>A simple shot shows promise to reverse osteoarthritis within weeks</span> <span><span>Susan Glairon</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T16:05:27-06:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 16:05">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 16:05</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-04/Osteoarthritis_Grant.CC_.098%20copy.jpg?h=10d202d3&amp;itok=HNhifEwQ" width="1200" height="800" alt="Stephanie Bryant, professor of chemical and biological engineering, stands beside a seated colleague in a laboratory, observing a computer screen displaying microscope images while using a microscope workstation with lab equipment and sample containers nearby."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2268" hreflang="en">Biological Engineering</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2278" hreflang="en">Chemical Engineering</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2258" hreflang="en">Health</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>A С Boulder-led team has developed a suite of new therapies aimed at reversing osteoarthritis in a single injection. With animal studies showing promise and funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health extended, the team could be ready for human trials by 2028.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/today/2026/04/06/simple-shot-shows-promise-reverse-osteoarthritis-within-weeks`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:05:27 +0000 Susan Glairon 8234 at /engineering Kristi Anseth receives the Biomaterials Global Impact Award /engineering/kristi-anseth-receives-biomaterials-global-impact-award <span>Kristi Anseth receives the Biomaterials Global Impact Award</span> <span><span>Susan Glairon</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-31T14:48:45-06:00" title="Tuesday, March 31, 2026 - 14:48">Tue, 03/31/2026 - 14:48</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/callout/kristi_anseth.png?h=199a934e&amp;itok=WT8xNuJH" width="1200" height="800" alt> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/419"> Awards </a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2268" hreflang="en">Biological Engineering</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2278" hreflang="en">Chemical Engineering</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2258" hreflang="en">Health</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Distinguished Professor Kristi Anseth has received the Biomaterials Global Impact Award, which recognizes distinguished research and development accomplishments in the field of biomaterials. Anseth is known for developing tissue substitutes that improve treatments for conditions like broken bones and heart valve disease.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/chbe/kristi-anseth-receives-biomaterials-global-impact-award`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:48:45 +0000 Susan Glairon 8229 at /engineering Winter never came to Colorado. What does it mean for water supplies? /engineering/winter-never-came-colorado-what-does-it-mean-water-supplies <span>Winter never came to Colorado. What does it mean for water supplies?</span> <span><span>Susan Glairon</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-31T11:25:53-06:00" title="Tuesday, March 31, 2026 - 11:25">Tue, 03/31/2026 - 11:25</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-03/Screenshot%202026-03-31%20at%208.57.58%E2%80%AFAM%20copy.jpg?h=f47c9888&amp;itok=0aViEPU_" width="1200" height="800" alt="Map showing that across Colorado, snowpack sits at below 50% of normal levels as of March 30, 2026. (Credit: National Weather Service)"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2208" hreflang="en">Civil Engineering</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2277" hreflang="en">Climate</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2288" hreflang="en">Environment</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Associate Professor Ben Livneh, who’s also the director of the Western Water Assessment (WWA) at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), shares insights on what this “snow drought” means for water availability, how it compares to past trends and what may lie ahead as Colorado approaches peak snowpack season.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/ceae/winter-never-came-colorado-what-does-it-mean-water-supplies`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:25:53 +0000 Susan Glairon 8227 at /engineering Could 3D-printed livers make transplant lists a thing of the past? /engineering/2026/03/24/could-3d-printed-livers-make-transplant-lists-thing-past <span>Could 3D-printed livers make transplant lists a thing of the past?</span> <span><span>Susan Glairon</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-24T08:46:21-06:00" title="Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 08:46">Tue, 03/24/2026 - 08:46</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/engineering/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-03/AdobeStock_780286042%20copy.jpg?h=07089ada&amp;itok=prTLxcQR" width="1200" height="800" alt="An AI generated illustration of a liver. Adobe Stock photo"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2251"> Innovation </a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/60"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2268" hreflang="en">Biological Engineering</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2278" hreflang="en">Chemical Engineering</a> <a href="/engineering/taxonomy/term/2258" hreflang="en">Health</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>С Boulder researchers and partners at MIT, Harvard and Columbia are working to recreate the human liver’s complex structure in the lab. With support from a $25 million ARPA-H grant, the team aims to develop 3D-printed, transplantable liver tissue made from human cells that the body won’t reject.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/today/2026/03/17/could-3d-printed-livers-make-transplant-lists-thing-past`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:46:21 +0000 Susan Glairon 8220 at /engineering