2024
December
Zhao quoted on robot dogs
bullitin
MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted in bullitin about how robot dogs are more likely to be used than humanoid robots because of their versatility and affordability. “For many applications, they represent the most practical and scalable robotic form,” said Zhao.
Grover and Weber awarded research funding to study female pain
Pitt CTSI
ECE’s Pulkit Grover and MechE’s Doug Weber won $50,000 for research from a contest by Pitt CTSI, Magee Women’s Research Institute, and the Magee-Womens Summit. The Women’s Pain research challenge offers three $50,000 awards to be used for researching pain primarily experienced by women.
Zhang receives 2025 ASME Van C. Mow Medal
ASME
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was recently selected to receive the 2025 ASME Van C. Mow Medal, which is bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated meritorious contributions to the field of bioengineering through research, education, professional development, leadership in the development of the profession, mentorship to young bioengineers, and with service to the bioengineering community. Zhang was selected “for pioneering contributions to developing novel algorithms of image-based geometric modeling, isogeometric analysis, multiphysics and data-driven modeling to simulate neuron material transport, traffic regulation and growth, cardiovascular systems, as well as leadership in the computational bioengineering profession.”
Zhang awarded AWM-SIAM Sonia Kovalevsky Lecture Prize
AWM and SIAM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was recently awarded the prestigious 2025 AWM-SIAM Sonia Kovalevsky Lecture Prize, which is awarded annually by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) and SIAM to highlight significant contributions of women to applied or computational mathematics. The lecture is normally given at the SIAM Annual Meeting. The citation from the award selection committee notes, “Dr. Yongjie Jessica Zhang is a distinguished scholar renowned for her pioneering work in computational geometry and finite element methods, with profound impacts across biomedical and engineering applications. As a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, she has advanced meshing techniques that enable precise simulations in complex domains that appear in medical imaging and biological modeling. Dr. Zhang’s innovative research on isogeometric analysis has set new standards in numerical accuracy and computational efficiency. Her numerous publications, leadership roles, and accolades, including her status as a fellow of several scientific societies, underscore her dedication to advancing the field and inspiring the next generation of computational scientists.”
November
Whitefoot quoted on EV metrics
Fast Company
EPP/MechE’s Kate Whitefoot was quoted in Fast Company about why EV manufacturers emphasize certain metrics like range in their advertising. “If you can advertise that EVs do have longer range, like up to 300 miles, then consumers are much more willing to purchase EVs and value them equally to gasoline vehicles,” said Whitefoot.
Michalek quoted on rideshare economics
Marketplace
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek spoke on Marketplace about how commuters are increasingly using rideshare instead of owning a car. “Because people work hybrid, work from home some of the days of the week, that changes the economics,” said Michalek.
Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. student receives $49k grant award
National Institutes of Health
BME’s Dhruv Bhattaram, a second-year Ph.D. student, received $49k from the National Institutes of Health to advance his research, which centers around the development and application of lung epithelial organoids called apical-out airway organoids (AoAOs). Bhattaram has been part of BME’s Charlie Ren’s Engineered Morphogenesis Group since spring 2023. As principal investigator on the NIH project, he will partner with ChemE’s Coty Jen, MechE’s Amir Barati Farimani, and University of Pittsburgh’s Kong Chen to present AoAOs as a next-generation theragnostic platform targeted towards airway health and cilia pathophysiology.
October
Michalek discusses ride-hailing discrimination
Associated Press
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek spoke with the Associated Press about racial discrimination in ride-hailing technology. “The technology is mitigating a social issue, which is pretty rare,” Michalek explains. “Discrimination is having little effect on average wait times, at least in part because these apps are able to quickly rematch when somebody cancels. Whereas with taxis, it was a very hard problem to solve.”
Jayan discusses solid-state batteries
MSN
MechE’s Reeja Jayan spoke with MSN about the potential of solid-state batteries being used in electric vehicles. “Cons currently include higher manufacturing costs associated with the way the solid electrolyte is made and pressurized into the cells,” Jayan explains.
September
Zhang delivers two keynotes in Eurpoe
MechE’s Jessica Zhang recently delivered keynote lectures in two workshops in Europe. She presented her latest research, “Generative Manufacturing: AI + IGA, Digital Twins and Reduced Order Modeling for Applications in Additive Manufacturing" in “MAThematical CHallenges to and from new technologiES (MATCHES),” in Rome, Italy on September 5-6, 2024. She also talked about “Investigating Neurodevelopmental Disorders Using Innovative IGA, Dynamic Domain Expansion, Local Refinement and Deep Learning” in “Finite Elements for Cell and Tissue Morphogenesis” in Fréjus (French Riviera), France on September 9-13, 2024.
Webster-Wood quoted on a new mushroom based biohybrid robot
CNN
MechE’s Vickie Webster-Wood was quoted by CNN about a new robot developed by researchers at Cornell University that uses a mushroom’s mycelium in its hardware, allowing the robot to respond to the environment. In regards to fungi, Webster-Wood says, “If they are more robust to environmental conditions this could make them an excellent candidate for biohybrid robots for applications in agriculture and marine monitoring or exploration.”
Tucker discusses deepfakes
Medium
CMU-Africa DIrector Conrad Tucker spoke with Medium about his work and strategies for the public to protect themselves against deepfakes and disinformation. “Policies need to be established to protect users so that they can be confident that the content they are consuming can be trusted,” Tucker says.
Congratulations to our Andy Award Nominees
Carnegie Mellon University
Congratulations to the following College of Engineering Andy Award Nominees. Cheer them on at the event on Tuesday, October 15 in McConomy Auditorium.
Commitment to Excellence: Rookie
- Amber Dworek (INI)
- Eric Mrock (MechE)
- Patricia Musiime (CMU-Africa)
- Geena Provenzano (CEE)
- Lauren Smith (College Offices)
Commitment to Excellent: Veteran
- Melissa Brown (MechE)
- Andrea Cohen (College Offices)
- Allison McLachlan (CEE)
- Kristyn Williams (MechE)
- Emma Zink (III)
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Jessica Tomko (ECE)
Commitment to Students
- Jeannette Daly (ECE)
- Mika Inamahoro (CMU-Africa)
- Jennifer Spirer (College Offices)
- Ed Wojciechowski (MechE)
Innovative and Creative Contributions
- Brian Belowich (CEE)
- Monica Submit (CMU-Africa)
- Anthony Talotta (MSE)
Spirit
- Abraham Darriel (CMU-Africa)
- Christa Jones (INI)
- Melissa Ritchie (CEE)
Teamwork and Collaboration (Standing Teams)
- CMU-Africa Student Induction Program: Jacqueline Bangirana, Nancy Biwott, Gikundiro Buki, Nick Carney, Abraham Darriel, Reginald Donkor, Gisele Gihozo, Mika Inamahoro, Rosine Kamahoro, Lucy-Anna Kelly, Sandra Malaika, Ines Manzi, Mugire Flavia Mugwaneza, Irene Munene, Johnson Nziza, Marie-Ange Rukundo, and Monica Sumbi.
- Chemical Engineering Academic Team: Maria Barnes, Heather Costello, Chelsea Lee, Nora Sieworiek
August
CMU’s Safety21 leads inaugural Future of Transportation Summit
Carnegie Mellon University
Transportation safety experts from CMU’s Safety21 partnered with the DOT’s University Transportation Centers to lead the inaugural Future of Transportation Summit in Washington, D.C., from August 13th to 15th. CMU faculty showcased their research and innovations to improve transportation safety.
Michalek speaks about autonomous grocery delivery
SupplyChainBrain
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek spoke about a recent survey on how customers prefer to have their groceries delivered. He found that most customers do not care whether or not their groceries are delivered by an autonomous vehicle, such as a driverless car, a sidewalk robot, or a drone. A sizeable minority are willing to “compromise” if it means that their groceries are delivered quickly. Michalek also spoke about current concerns with autonomous grocery delivery, as it it currently most feasible in urban areas where it may contribute to traffic congestion.
Zhao weighs in on whether AI will be able to act without human oversight
Forbes
MechE’s Ding Zhao spoke with Forbes about the need for humans to oversee AI in higher order AI applications. “For personal entertainment on a small scale, we have likely built a certain level of confidence,” he said. “The key is to clarify liability—who should be responsible for decisions, the user or the machine—the enterprise behind the technologies?"
Zhao demonstrates LocoMan at landslide site
Carnegie Mellon University
The dog-like robot, already known for helping around the house, can climb steep hillsides and use its paws to place sensors on difficult terrain, making landslide monitoring safer for humans.
Zhao quoted on humanoid robots for retail
PYMNTS
MechE's Ding Zhao was quoted in an article by PYMNTS about the most effective ways to automate industry.
July
Zhang receives IACM Fellows Award
IACM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang received the International Association for Computational Mechanics (IACM) Fellows Award during the the 16th World Congress on Computational Mechanics and 4th Pan American Congress on Computational Mechanics in Vancouver, Canada from July 21-26, 2024. Conferred every two years, the IACM Fellows Award recognizes up to eight individuals with a distinguished record of research accomplishment and publication in areas of computational mechanics and demonstrated support of the IACM through membership and participation in the Association, its meetings, and activities.
McComb investigates potential application of Large Language Models in material selection
Autodesk
MechE’s Christopher McComb recently investigated the potential application of Large Language Models (LLMs) in material selection. His paper analyzes the responses obtained by prompting several LLMs to rate the appropriateness of various materials in certain design scenarios. McComb’s team found that, compared to ratings by human experts, the LLMs tended to overestimate the appropriateness of most materials, with less variance across different scenarios. The paper underscores current challenges in the direct application of LLMs for highly nuanced tasks, while highlighting specific areas of improvement and demonstrating the potential ability of LLMs to provide accurate assistance in material selection.
Faculty award winners announced
Congratulations to the 2024 faculty award winners who represent six departments across the College of Engineering. The recipients were recognized for their achievements as researchers and educators. The winners include: Benjamin Richard Teare Teaching Award: Jon Peha (EPP); David P. Casasent Outstanding Research Award: Gregory Lowry (CEE); Distinguished Professor of Engineering: Lorenz Biegler (ChemE); George Tallman Ladd Research Award: Amanda Krause (MSE) and Akshitha Sriraman (ECE); Outstanding Mentoring Award: Alan McGaughey (MechE); Outstanding Service Award: Jonathan Malen (MechE); and Steven J. Fenves Award for Systems Research: Carl Laird (ChemE).
Weber weighs in on first Neuralink clinical trial
Scientific American
MechE’s Doug Weber was asked about brain-computer interfaces and Neuralink’s first human trial. He compared recording neuron activity to trying to record two people talking in a crowded stadium, and on plans to improve the second trial’s performance by implanting it a bit deeper into the brain, said: “It’s a strategy worth testing, assuming it doesn’t change the safety profile.”
Weber comments on a new paralysis treatment
Axios
MechE’s Doug Weber was asked by Axios to comment on a treatment for spinal cord injuries resulting in arm and hand paralysis. The treatment was developed by a team from the University of Washington, and it has shown in clinical trials that it can improve patients’ ability to move and complete tasks with their hands, which they previously could not do. Weber said, “It is noteworthy that this study tested 60 people, which is a fairly large sample of people having a range of motor deficits due to spinal cord injury.”
Sullivan quoted on household product safety
Daily Mail
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan was quoted in the Daily Mail about the safety of household cleaning products like air fresheners. “To a chemist ‘really clean’ would actually be no scent because the scent is caused by a chemical,” Sullivan first told the Washington Post. “Truly clean means very low levels of chemicals.”
May
Presto quoted on inequality of air pollution exposure
The Guardian
MechE’s Albert Presto was quoted by the Guardian on how people of color are historically more likely to be exposed to harmful air pollution. “People of color are more likely to be living near an industrial area or highway, and therefore have higher exposure.
Whitefoot quoted on the MPG Illusion in the US
Vox
EPP/MechE’s Kate Whitefoot was quoted in Vox on the EU’s more transparent gas measurements in comparison to the US. The EU’s liters per 100 kilometer driven method being “directly related to energy use and directly related to emissions” providing researchers with more precise data on fuel economy.
Michalek quoted on the pros and cons of electric cars
Living Planet Podcast
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted on the Living Planet podcast on how the electricity source that electric cars use can greatly alter their environmental benefits. Michalek compares electric cars using renewable energy sources and electric cars using energy sources from coal-fired power plants.
Michalek quoted on Tesla Supercharger adapters
The Atlantic
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted on the potential benefits of adapters for Tesla Superchargers. The company’s Superchargers, which charge electric vehicles (EVs) much more quickly than other chargers, are being expanded to be compatible with non-Tesla EVs through the use of adapters. Michalek tells The Atlantic that, if implemented successfully, these adapters could help drivers feel more assured that their EVs could make long road trips, potentially helping to boost EV sales.
April
Whitefoot quoted on labor involved in electric vehicle production
NBC News
MechE/EPP’s Kate Whitefoot was quoted in NBC News on the amount of labor involved in electric vehicle production. Amid arguments that a nationwide transition to electric vehicles would result in mass job losses, Whitefoot’s recent study found that electric vehicle production would actually lead to an increase in working hours required to manufacture automobiles. The idea that electric vehicles require less labor “has to do with this really simplistic view that if you have fewer parts, you have less labor,” said Whitefoot. “And that is just not the case.”
Tucker speaks on Africa’s adoption of AI regulations with Communications of the ACM
Communications of the ACM
CMU-Africa Director Conrad Tucker speaks on Africa’s adoption of AI regulations with Communications of the ACM. With the increasing usage of programs such as ChatGPT, governments all over the world are figuring out how to regulate AI so that users can interact with them safely. Tucker describes the current state of AI there as “quite fragmented,” varying in “different perspectives and policies across African countries.”
Sullivan shares thoughts on fragrance products in Yahoo
Yahoo
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan shares his thoughts on fragrance products in Yahoo. Currently, the industry lacks regulations for companies to disclose the ingredients in their products, potentially exposing consumers to harmful chemicals when lighting a candle or spritzing a room with room spray. “Products can contain dozens of chemicals, and all it shows up as is one word on the ingredient list: fragrance,” he says. This story was also covered in The Guardian.
March
Michalek quoted in article on the affordability of electric vehicles
BBC
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted in the BBC on the past and future of electric vehicles, saying: “Before Tesla, most people’s experiences with an EV would be a golf cart or something….There was a sense of it being a small, slow vehicle where you have to compromise a lot.” Despite this early perception, electric vehicles quickly became a status symbol due to their high prices, though this is changing as well due to cheaper options becoming available.
CMU Engineering partnered with Penguins, Covestro in annual “Rethink the Rink” event
Pittsburgh Business Times
Over spring break, 16 CMU students met in groups to collaborate on projects to “rethink the rink” and improve the safety of hockey. This was the seventh annual instance of this event, which has arisen out of a partnership between CMU, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Covestro.
Michalek quoted on the environmental impact of electric vehicles
Daily Mail
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted in a recent article from the Daily Mail. The article discussed possible adverse effects of electric vehicles on the environment, such as tire treads wearing out more quickly due to the weight of the vehicle battery. Michalek said that the “critical factor” in the vehicles’ environmental impact was the use of coal: “If you’ve got electric cars in Pittsburgh that are being plugged in at night and leading nearby coal plants to burn more coal to charge them, then the climate benefits won’t be as great, and you can even get more air pollution.”
Zhao quoted on the applications of humanoid robots
Popular Science
MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted in an article in Popular Science at the end of February. The article discussed advances in technology for human-shaped robots, particularly those created by the robotics company Figure. Figure has announced a partnership with OpenAI it hopes will allow its robots to be able to understand and process human speech, which will make them more useful in workspaces such as warehouses. Speaking on these robots capabilities, Zhao called these robots’ possible implementations the “billion-dollar question” and said: “Generally speaking, we are still exploring the capabilities of humanoid robots, how effectively we can collect data and train them, and how to ensure their safety when they interact with the physical world.”
Majidi explains how robots can help with understanding ancient creatures
Ars Technica
MechE’s Carmel Majidi explains how robots, built to mimic the traits revealed by ancient fossils, can help with understanding extinct creatures. Together with PhD student Richard Desatnik, Majidi led the construction of a robot likeness of pleurocystitid, an ancient relative of starfish, to understand how it might have moved on the sea bed. Majidi tells Ars Technica that this technology will help scientists gain a much fuller picture of evolutionary history than what they could glean from living organisms alone. “We can begin to learn from the 99 percent of species that once roamed the earth instead of just the 1 percent,” he says.
Three new professorships in Mechanical Engineering
Three new professorships were announced in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Burak Kara has been named a George Tallman and Florence Barrett Ladd Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Carmel Majidi has been named the Clarence H. Adamson Professor of Mechanical Engineering; and Jon Malen has been named the Raymond J. Lane Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
Zhang featured in Celebrating Women at SIAM
SIAM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was featured by SIAM in celebrating Women’s History Month, for her contributions to the applied mathematics and computational science field.
Michalek fact-checks claims about a supposed ban on gas-powered cars
FactCheck.org
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek responded to two recent advertisements. These advertisements claim that proposed regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation seek to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles. He agreed that these claims are exaggerated, and clarified: “[T]he new standards are not a ban on gasoline vehicles, and I don’t think anyone expects automakers to stop making gasoline vehicles in response to these standards.” Instead, these regulations would increase the number of electric vehicles, and he noted that automakers would still be able to produce some gas-powered vehicles.
February
Whitefoot quoted on electric vehicle tax credits
Fox Business
EPP/MechE’s Kate Whitefoot was quoted in Fox Business on the updated federal policy surrounding tax credits awarded for purchases of new or used electric vehicles. According to the IRS, electric vehicles assembled outside of North America will no longer qualify for the tax credit, an effort to reduce reliance on international manufacturers. Thus far, only 13 electric vehicles qualify for credit. “I do expect that this [list] will increase over time,” Whitefoot said. “That’s because it’s going to take time for automakers to set up the domestic battery and mineral supply chains necessary to meet the tax credit requirements—which are still relatively new.”
LeDuc and Majidi’s new soft robot highlighted in PopSci
PopSci
MechE’s Philip LeDuc and Carmel Majidi have developed a new soft robot inspired by a prehistoric sea creature, which was featured in Popular Science. Pleurocystitids, a precursor to the present-day invertebrates, had tail-like structures that allowed them to move underwater easily.
LeDuc, Ozdoganlar, and Yang featured in Interesting Engineering
Interesting Engineering
MechE’s Philip LeDuc, Burak Ozdoganlar, and Feimo Yang have developed a new tissue engineering technique that may alleviate the organ transplantation crisis. The work was featured in Interesting Engineering. “What makes our method different from other kinds of 3D printing is that instead of letting the water completely freeze while we’re printing, we let it maintain a liquid phase on top,” said Yang, who hopes that the versatility of the 3D-printed blood vessels will have further applications beyond the immediate organ transplant issue.
Jayan quoted on temperature and battery-powered vehicles charging
Wards Auto
MechE’s Reeja Jayan shares her thoughts on how temperature affects battery-powered vehicles’ ability to change in Wards Auto. The cold can make batteries charge less effectively. “If you have limited charging stations, as we have in the U.S., you can imagine how this becomes bad quickly,” she says. Experts hope that with the growing EV industry, this solution will be solved and more charging stations will begin to appear.
Whitefoot talks electric vehicle tax credits
CNET
EPP/MechE’s Kate Whitefoot spoke to CNET about adding to the list of electric vehicles that qualify for a federal tax credit worth thousands of dollars. “I do expect this [list] will increase over time,” Whitefoot said, noting that improvements in battery and mineral supply chains could help.
January
Sullivan weighs in on water microdroplet chemistry
Chemistry World
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan spoke with Chemistry World about the contentious topic of water microdroplet chemistry, which has inspired mixed feelings among researchers in the field. Sullivan, for his part, is more skeptical. “Many physical atmosphere chemists who I regard as very careful experimentalists…do not think that this idea that oxidants are spontaneously being produced in microdroplets is real—they are quite convinced it’s contamination or some sort of artifact,” said Sullivan.
2023
December
Michalek discusses his research on EV adoption in rural communities
The Verge
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek discusses his research on EV adoption in rural communities in The Verge. “If electric vehicles are offered as ubiquitously as gasoline vehicles, and if their technology goes where we think it’s going to go, then we would expect roughly half of people to prefer an electric over a gasoline for both cars and SUVs,” he says. Michalek’s extensive work in EVs and their integration into our current society is also mentioned in MSN, The Wall Street Journal, and CNET.
Halilaj speaks on the benefits of using AI for biomechanical analyses
Medscape
MechE’s Eni Hallilaj speaks on the benefits of using AI for biomechanical analyses in Medscape. Especially for “highly heterogeneous conditions that we have not been able to fully characterize through traditional studies with limited patients,” the app allows for the possibility of having hundreds or even thousands involved in studies. “The opportunities here are endless,” Hallilaj says.
CMU-Africa researchers published in Science Robotics
Science Robotics
CMU-Africa's Conrad Tucker, David Vernon, Adedayo Akinade (MS ECE '24), Yohannes Haile (MS ECE '23), Natasha Mutangana (MS EAI '24) were published in Science Robotics, as a Focus article, for their work with culturally sensitive robotics. The article was featured in the magazine's special issue on robotics and AI in the Global South. In the piece, the researchers discuss how embedding culturally sensitive body, hand, and facial gestures in social robots will make them more acceptable in Africa.
Webster-Wood talks with Nature about biohybrid robots
Nature
MechE’s Victoria Webster-Wood talks with Nature about biohybrid robots. “A biohybrid is really any robot that combines both biological materials and synthetic materials,” she says. These machines have many potential applications including search and rescue following earthquakes.