News

Class of 2021: Alex Trainham excels inside and outside the classroom

Before coming to Virginia Commonwealth University, Alex Trainham hadn’t really programmed before. In high school in Fredericksburg, Virginia, he was into computers and loved audio engineering — experimenting with beats, synthesizers and other music production tools — but it wasn’t until his mom mentioned a friend who codes that he began considering programming as a possible career.

VCU College of Engineering and partners develop plan to strengthen emerging business cluster

A coalition of regional economic development, private business and higher education leaders is mobilizing to build a global cluster of advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, research and development in Richmond and Petersburg.

Fotis Sotiropoulos appointed VCU provost and vice president for academic affairs

Virginia Commonwealth University President Michael Rao, Ph.D., today announced the appointment of Fotis Sotiropoulos, Ph.D., to the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Doctoral candidate featured by American Chemical Society

Doctoral candidate Katelyn Shell is presenting a talk for the Younger Chemist Committee of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on April 19.

Capstone Spotlight BME 104 - Patellar (Knee) Decompression Brace

This is an attachment that can fit onto existing ACL and knee braces that helps to very slightly lift the kneecap to reduce pain caused by bone-on-bone rubbing from the wearing away of cartilage in the knee.

Navigating drug and device development

Every day, millions of people in health care, from oncologists to rehabilitation specialists to dentists, use the tools at their disposal to help patients get better.

In memoriam: Thomas Farrell, Dominion Energy CEO and former VCU board member

VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., offered words of remembrance following the death of Dominion Energy CEO Thomas F. Farrell II. The 66-year-old Farrell died April 2 after battling cancer, his passing coming one day after he stepped down as executive board chairman at Dominion.

Cody Woodson: Tireless mentor, steadfast friend, celebrated TA

Scores of students who made it through Computer Systems (CMSC 257), a challenging computer science course that is almost a rite-of-passage among VCU Engineering undergraduates, have him to thank.

Capstone Spotlight: ECE 414 – An Autonomous Sea Vehicle

This autonomous sea vehicle (ASV) can detect and track nearby objects and determine how far away those objects are.

Michael H. Peters, Ph.D., discusses COVID-19 variants

Sharon Bowes, anchor and producer of NewsPoint360, interviews Michael H. Peters, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering at VCU Engineering.

Meet VCU Engineering’s first Completion Grant awardee

Kiana Hutt, the first student to be awarded a VCU College of Engineering completion grant, is a senior studying mechanical engineering. She grew up in Dinwiddie, Virginia, with three step-sisters and one brother. Her mother and stepfather are military veterans.

Lift off! VCU Engineering students design and 3D-print cargo drone for national obstacle course competition

An unmanned aerial vehicle created by VCU Engineering students to deliver cargo recently competed against similar UAVs from around the country in the 2021 Innovative Additive Manufacturing 3D Challenge.

New master’s program incentives for Ram Engineers

To continue VCU’s commitment to prepare you for the job market, the university and College of Engineering want to make it easier for you to transition directly into a master’s program at VCU if that’s the right choice for you.

Pi Day of Giving surpasses fundraising goal

VCU Engineering and Tau Beta Pi raised $4,054 in this month’s Pi Day of Giving fundraising campaign to benefit the Completion Grant fund.

HealthHacks Spring 2021 teams tackle medical challenges

From improving a heart scanning procedure to reducing bed sores, dozens of students spent 30 hours over the weekend of March 27-28 creating, then presenting their solutions addressing current needs in diagnosis and patient care.

For VCU freshman Juan Jones, life is nothing short of a miracle

At 19, Juan Jones is a happy, healthy freshman in Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Engineering. A biomedical engineering major, Jones exercises, eats well and lives “a normal life.” He’s even planning to take up football again, a sport at which he excelled in high school.

Robot coding for everyone

From the Jetson’s maid, Rosie, to Star Wars’ R2-D2, images of robots are everywhere. But relatively few people have much direct interaction with robots. There are good reasons why.

Lane Carasik, Ph.D, receives 2020 Lewis F. Moody Award

Lane Carasik, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering at VCU Engineering and director of VCU’s High Performance Research Computing core facility, has been awarded the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 2020 Lewis F. Moody Award. Carasik is an expert in computational and experimental thermal hydraulics.

Thank you for your service

VCU’s annual Service Recognition Celebration was held March 23 to honor VCU and VCU Health employees who reached university employment milestones in 2020.

Incoming VCU Engineering students now have a chance to earn a credential in user-experience design

Before classes begin this fall, the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University will offer its incoming first-year students the opportunity to earn an “Introduction to Design Thinking” credential from the VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation.

Trees, redlining and urban heat: A planting project in Randolph goes beyond beautification

Armed with shovels, wheelbarrows and passion, volunteers from Virginia Commonwealth University spent the first warm, sunny day of 2021 planting trees in partnership with Amelia Street School in Richmond’s Randolph neighborhood last week. The work was designed to add outdoor learning space to the school and reduce summertime heat within the city.

Understanding variants of the coronavirus can offer clues about the next threats

Scientists are closely watching the emergence of variants of the coronavirus that may be more infectious. The spread of troubling variants in different parts of the world, including in the U.S., is happening as officials are racing to inject vaccines into the arms of adult populations.

Hot and cool: TekStyle, a startup by VCU Engineering students, wants to optimize your mask

TekStyle, a startup run by students in the College of Engineering at VCU, is designing a new facemask that protects the wearer in two ways.

Richmond Times-Dispatch op-ed by Virginia’s engineering deans: A united response during a pandemic

I write this on behalf of the deans of the following engineering schools in Virginia: Christopher Newport University, George Mason University, Hampton University, James Madison University, Liberty University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Sweet Briar College, the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia State University and Virginia Tech.

Three biomedical engineering graduate students receive Koerner Family Foundation awards

Three Virginia Commonwealth University biomedical engineering graduate students have been selected to receive stipends from the Koerner Family Foundation.

Imagine a word and ... a device speaks?

For people with a complete loss of speech, such as patients with late-stage ALS, there are roadblocks between the signals being fired in their brain and the ability to voice their thoughts in words.

Carlos Castano, Ph.D., and Jennifer Puetzer, Ph.D., receive National Science Foundation CAREER awards

Carlos Castano, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, and Jennifer Puetzer, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, have received Faculty Early Development (CAREER) awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for 2021.

Why a green pyramid?

The ziggurat on top of West Hall has been illuminated with green lights Feb. 21-27 in honor of Engineers Week 2021.

Boyan, Donahue named Orthopaedic Research Society fellows

Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin, Jr. Dean of the college, and Henry J. Donahue, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin, Jr. Distinguished Chair and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, were recognized for this honor on Feb. 15 at the ORS virtual annual meeting.

Biomedical engineering faculty researcher receives NIH grant

Jennifer Puetzer, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has won a grant from a multi-institutional resource center funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

VCU researchers lead projects selected for $1 million in funding from the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative

Three research projects led by principal investigators from the College of Engineering at VCU and one from VCU School of the Arts have been selected to receive funding from the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI).

College of Engineering at VCU offers new Ph.D. in computer science

VCU Engineering will offer a new doctoral program in computer science. This program reflects the Department of Computer Science’s robust growth in research funding and scholarship. It follows new doctoral programs in pharmaceutical engineering (a joint program with the School of Pharmacy) and chemical and life science engineering.

Computer science professor develops new methods to protect wind and solar power grids from cyber attacks

Renewable power sources have potential to reduce energy costs and carbon footprint, but the massive size of wind and solar power grids presents its own set of cybersecurity challenges.

The College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University opens new Engineering Research Building

The College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University officially opened its Engineering Research Building (ERB) today, marking a major milestone in the college’s growth in research and workforce development programs. The four-story, 133,000-square-foot facility significantly expands the college’s laboratory capacity for advanced research. It also supports economic development initiatives and hands-on engineering education.

VCU Engineering-led team receives FDA funding to develop new methods for evaluating the performance of generic nasal sprays for children

Laleh Golshahi, Ph.D., an assistant professor in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, is leading a multidisciplinary team that received a $1.6 million, three-year contract from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop physical and computer-based models to evaluate the performance of generic and brand-name nasal spray medications used by children.

Computer science professor to receive elite biomedical engineering honor

Cang Ye, Ph.D., has been selected for induction as a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), an elite group that comprises the top two percent of medical and biological engineers nationally.

American Nuclear Society poster award winner

Ryan McGuire, poster Award winner during the American Nuclear Society 2020 Winter Meeting

Save time, look great: Ready-to-use templates available

You’ve created the content. Let us help you make it beautiful — and on-brand.

VCU Engineering to celebrate grand opening of Engineering Research Building Feb. 3

For more than two years, Richmond has been watching VCU College of Engineering’s newest building take shape. Now it’s time to take a peek inside.

Electrical and computer engineering chair co-edits book on medical applications of antenna and sensor technologies

Erdem Topsakal, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is co-editor of “Antenna and Sensor Technologies in Modern Medical Applications."

Pitching for a new future: Entrepreneurial alumnus’s climate-friendly business wins VCU Alumni Pitch Competition

Within a year of graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University, Elliot Roth (B.S.’15/En; Cert.’15/DVC) founded Spira Inc., a food technology company that creates replacements for artificial colorants and animal proteins in food, cosmetic and textile products using spirulina algae.

mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines deemed safe, has been studied for decades, VCU expert says

Unlike traditional vaccines where a weakened or inactive form of the virus or pieces of a viral protein is injected into a person, the coronavirus vaccine utilizes messenger RNA technology. "You are not injecting any type of antigen in the body," said Sandro da Rocha, Ph.D., an affiliate professor in the VCU College of Engineering and an expert in nanomedicine

MNE researcher to present webinar at Gen IV International Forum

Cody Wiggins, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has been selected to present a webinar for the Gen IV International Forum webinar series. The webinar will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17.

Meet Lisa Patton (’20), VCU’s first E. Eugene Carter Opportunity Award recipient

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering alumna Lisa Patton (B.S.’20) is VCU’s first recipient of the E. Eugene Carter Opportunity Award, which provides female Hispanic students up to $20,000 to repay subsidized federal loans upon graduation from an engineering program.

VCU College of Engineering partners with Bank of America to advance diversity and inclusion in STEM

Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) College of Engineering Foundation has received a $100,000 grant from Bank of America as part of an ongoing partnership to facilitate data science education at the university and support the college’s efforts to create innovative technical-education pathways that provide access to diverse communities.

VCU, VCU Health announce $24M Wright Foundation gift

Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health today announced a $24 million gift from the C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Foundation. With this gift, C. Kenneth Wright has contributed more than $70 million to VCU and is one of its top donors.

Mechanical and nuclear engineering researcher receives 2021 Frontiers of Materials Award

Jessika Rojas, Ph.D., assistant professor in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, received the 2021 Frontiers of Materials Award from The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS).

Mechanical and nuclear engineering researcher wins funding to expand global access to respiratory medicines for infants

Worth Longest, Ph.D., is principal investigator on a project to improve the way infants in respiratory distress receive life saving surfactant, a substance found in healthy lungs that keeps the tissue supple enough to expand and contract properly.

Director of Engineering and Biomechanics Lab named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

Peter Pidcoe, Ph.D., D.P.T., a professor and assistant chair in the Department of Physical Therapy in VCU’s College of Health Professions, has been named a 2020 fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

Milos Manic, Ph.D., named IEEE Fellow

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has named Milos Manic, Ph.D., a professor of computer science in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering and director of the VCU Cybersecurity Center, an IEEE Fellow.

A gift of oneself

As a biomedical engineering student, I knew that for patients with blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, a bone marrow transplant from the right donor can be the difference between life and death.

Chemical engineering students compete to brew the best coffee

After being introduced to fundamental chemical engineering concepts this semester, first-year students recently showed off what they learned in front of a panel of judges including the dean of VCU College of Engineering.

Documentary features VCU biomedical engineering student with heart transplant

Woody Jones, who was trying to cope with the reality that his athletic son, then 16, was in desperate need of a new heart, started videorecording their experience.

In memoriam: Stan Pauley, philanthropist and namesake of the VCU Health Pauley Heart Center

VCU and the Richmond community have lost a philanthropist and a visionary. Stanley Frank Pauley, a longtime champion of advancing engineering and medical innovations, passed away on Nov. 20. He was 93.

VCU part of $111M cybersecurity manufacturing partnership

VCU is part of a public-private partnership led by the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to help secure U.S. industrial infrastructure against cyber attacks.

VCU engineering professor leading development of a next-generation optical instrument for drug discovery

Sherif Abdelwahed, Ph.D., professor of electrical and computer engineering, is leading a team designing an instrument to automate data processing and analysis in the drug discovery process. The proposed system uses electronic visualization to confirm that a drug molecule is binding to the correct protein in order to be effective.

Hip-hop paves the way to coding comprehension

On a Thursday afternoon, David Shepherd, Ph.D., an associate professor of computer science in the VCU College of Engineering, shifts away from his university duties to teach computer coding to 30 Richmond sixth-graders from the STEM Academies at Thomas H. Henderson and Martin Luther King Jr. middle schools by leading them in lessons taking apart and putting together hip-hop rhythms, beats and melodies.

Annika Patel wants to talk about your spring semester schedule

Patel is VCU’s student ambassador for the Capital CoLAB. Capital CoLAB is a group of companies and universities in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland working to give all students technology skills that will make them instantly employable.

VCU College of Engineering begins initiative to address ‘tech-education deserts’

The VCU College of Engineering is collaborating with business leaders and community organizations to identify and analyze the technology education opportunities currently available in the Central Virginia region.

VCU engineering student with heart transplant featured on CBS 6 News

Juan-Mickel Jones, who underwent heart transplant surgery in high school, is now a first-year student majoring in biomedical engineering at VCU Engineering.

New leaders join VCU Engineering’s Medicines for All Institute

The Medicines for All Institute (M4ALL), based in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, is expanding its efforts to improve access to health care across two divisions — one for global health and one for domestic initiatives — and has hired new executives to lead each.

Biomedical engineering faculty member joins NIH rehabilitation engineering consortium

Jennifer Puetzer, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at VCU College of Engineering, has been accepted as a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Engineering Career Development Program (IREK12) scholar.

VCU Engineering takes platinum and gold in 2020 MarCom Awards

VCU Engineering’s 2019-20 annual review and 2019 holiday card were honored in this year’s MarCom Awards, an international creative competition recognizing outstanding achievements by marketing and communications professionals.

Engineering Research Building update

Four years ago, it was an unused patch of ground that was prone to flooding. Today, the northeast corner of Belvidere and Cary streets is VCU’s Engineering Research Building.

Computer science doctoral student receives prestigious ACM fellowship

Clint Cuffy, a doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science, is one of 12 students internationally to receive a highly selective fellowship from the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM).

Biomedical engineering post-doc receives grant to study aging and bone

Michael Friedman, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is one of three recipients of the 2020 Fund for Research and Education Research Grant from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Computer science researcher receives NSF funding to develop new approach to cybersecurity instruction for community colleges

Demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to explode nationwide. Irfan Ahmed, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science in the VCU College of Engineering, has received a $250,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to help meet this need by teaching community college students advanced cybersecurity skills.

Jenilee Stanley-Shanks named a Richmond, Virginia, ‘Top 40 under 40’

The popular weekly alternative newspaper has named Jenilee Stanley-Shanks, director of government and community outreach at the VCU College of Engineering, one of Richmond, Virginia’s, Top 40 under 40 for 2020.

VCU grads organize to help in Beirut relief efforts

Three Virginia Commonwealth University graduates watched in horror on social media as a powerful explosion hit Beirut, Lebanon, in August. They knew they had to help.

VCU celebrates 179 faculty members awarded promotion and tenure in 2020

Virginia Commonwealth University on Monday celebrated and congratulated the 179 faculty members who were awarded promotion or tenure in 2020 in recognition of their academic and career accomplishments, their service to the university and community, and their dedication to student success.

AIChE student award winner

Emma Madrigal, winner of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) 2019-2020 Donald F. Othmer Sophomore Academic Excellence Award.

VCU Engineering professor receives NSF grant to fight food deserts with smart technologies and data analytics

A team of VCU researchers has received a one-year pilot grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve access to high-quality food throughout the Richmond region.

Biomanufacturing better ways to repair and regenerate tendons and ligaments

In 2007, Michael Francis, Ph.D.’10 (PATH), was learning the ins and outs of collagen in a biomedical engineering lab at VCU. He didn’t imagine at the time that collagen would one day become his life’s work and the basis for Embody Inc., a medical device company he co-founded in 2014, where he is now chief scientific officer.

Biomedical engineering researcher studies breast cancer tumor “on-a-chip”

Priscilla Hwang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at VCU College of Engineering, is using a 3D “tumor-on-a-chip” model to investigate how cells in breast cancer progress.

Meet the 2020-21 Wright Scholars

Now in its fourth year, the Wright Engineering Access Scholarship is VCU Engineering’s flagship scholarship program. It was established in 2017 with a historic $5 million gift from longtime benefactor C. Kenneth Wright (1924-2019).

Innovation Lab 3D-prints face shields for student lab safety

Students conducting research inside VCU Engineering’s laboratories have an additional layer of protection, thanks to the Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Innovation Lab.

As the temperature of ‘smart fabrics’ change, so do their colors

Christina Tang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, is testing new ways to spin liquid crystals into fibers that change color at different temperatures.

Fong named director for the Center for Integrative Life Sciences Education, Integrative Life Sciences Doctoral Program

Robert M. Tombes, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Life Sciences and Research at Virginia Commonwealth University, has appointed Stephen S. Fong, Ph.D., as the new director of the Center for Integrative Life Sciences Education and the Integrative Life Sciences Doctoral Program.

$1 million gift will help expand programs for international students

An anonymous $1 million gift to VCU Engineering will enrich the experience of international students at Virginia Commonwealth University and its College of Engineering by providing funds for a range of cultural and educational activities to help them thrive in a new environment.

Digitizing the supply network could jump-start America’s ability to produce crucial medicines

Virginia Commonwealth University chemical and life science engineering professor James K. Ferri, Ph.D., is working to make it easier for manufacturers in the U.S. to produce critically needed medicines such as ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic.

Dean Boyan receives North American Spine Society award

Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin, Jr. Dean of the VCU College of Engineering, has been awarded the 2020 Henry Farfan Award from the North American Spine Society (NASS) for outstanding contributions in spine related basic science research.

VCU engineering pioneer appointed director general of the World Nuclear Association

Sama Bilbao y León, Ph.D., longtime professor in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has been appointed director general of the World Nuclear Association (WNA). Headquartered in London, England, the WNA is the largest international organization that supports the global nuclear industry.

Hip-hop-based programming curriculum one of the ways Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center helps teachers grow

On a recent Monday night, VCU associate professor of computer science David Shepherd, Ph.D., taught coding remotely to a group of 18 adult students through a Twitch channel. Shepherd explained programming concepts that the students used to create hip-hop style musical patterns, rhythms and breaks.

Doctoral student receives ASME’s inaugural James Truchard scholarship

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has awarded the James Truchard Scholarship for 2020-21 to Johane Bracamonte, a doctoral student in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.

Wendy Jiang Scelia (B.S.’11) Wins 10 Under 10 Award

The awards program honors alumni who earned their first VCU degree within the past 10 years and have enjoyed remarkable professional success, made important contributions to their community and loyally supported the university.

What’s the science behind the best cup of joe? Ask a chemical engineer.

Chemical engineering is actually part of your daily life — starting with that first cup of coffee.

First-ever virtual RamHacks sets new records

New milestones and broken records were the theme at RamHacks 2020, the computer science hackathon presented by VCU Engineering’s Department of Computer Science Sept. 26 and 27.

VCU Engineering shows significant gains — and breaks some records — in enrollment, graduation

Despite a global pandemic creating higher education enrollment challenges like never before, VCU College of Engineering has seen significant increases in enrollment, retention and graduation rates overall, especially in disciplines that provide the workforce Virginia’s employers are seeking most.

Alumnus’ VCU journey leads to new corporation — and a chance to fix America’s drug shortage problem

Earlier this year, the federal Department of Health and Human Services announced a four-year contract worth $354 million for Richmond-based Phlow Corp. to manufacture medication components and drugs in the United States that could treat COVID-19 and other diseases.

These members of the Class of 2024 are off to a strong start, whether from campus or their homes.

Davis liked that VCU was close to home, but far enough away to branch out on his own.

Computer science senior to attend world’s largest gathering of women in computing

When the world’s largest gathering of women in computing takes place next week, Sabrina Kundu, a VCU Engineering senior majoring in computer science, will be there.

VCU Engineering receives grants for job creation initiatives in pharmaceuticals, high-tech industries

To boost the availability of talent to fill the demand for high-paying, private sector, technical jobs in the greater Richmond region, Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering is leading two projects designed to support growth in the pharmaceutical industry and provide wide-ranging support across the expansive digital economy.

VCU named National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research

The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have named Virginia Commonwealth University a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Research. The CAE program promotes higher education and research in cyber defense to reduce vulnerability in the national information infrastructure.

Inspired by his grandfather, a VCU Engineering grad’s design nearly becomes the new Mississippi state flag

When the Mississippi legislature decided to remove Confederate imagery from its state flag, a VCU Engineering graduate’s design for a new flag was one of five finalists selected from a pool of nearly 3,000 submissions.

RamHacks 2020 takes place virtually Sept. 26-27

Virginia Commonwealth University’s biggest hackathon is going virtual for 2020. RamHacks, a 24-hour computer design and programming sprint, hosted by the College of Engineering’s Computer Science department, will take place online Sept. 26-27.

VCU Engineering researchers are working to make clean energy easier and cheaper

Lane Carasik, Ph.D., assistant professor in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, is developing methods to make clean energy more cost-effective. He’s motivated by a simple principle.

It wasn’t an ordinary summer break, but students found plenty of ways to make it meaningful

Farnsworth never figured he would spend the summer delving into the world of computers and their understanding of human language.

VALRC collaboration teaches new skill to adult learners

A group of Virginia adult learners recently began a free online bootcamp in computer coding, thanks to a joint venture between the Virginia Adult Learning Center (VALRC) and the VCU College of Engineering. VALRC is a division of The Literacy Institute, a center affiliated with the VCU School of Education.

2020 Undergraduate Research Poster Showcase

Normally, VCU’s undergraduate research symposium is an in-person event held each spring. But 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic, has not been normal.

Meet one of VCU’s first to earn the Capital CoLAB badge

Charles Osei is one of VCU’s first students to earn the Capital CoLAB Digital Generalist badge, a credential that carries exclusive internship and hiring advantages with major companies throughout Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

Second-year students address engineering’s grand challenges in Sophomore NAE Challenge

Second-year Ram Engineers spent their last week of summer devising solutions to Grand Challenges for the 21st Century.

Meet VCU Engineering’s new faculty

Four new faculty members join the VCU Engineering ranks this fall. They bring expertise in cyber-physical systems, artificial intelligence for autonomous systems, algorithm design — and a wealth of industry experience. Meet our newest faculty members.

USAID and National Academies appoint Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., as a Jefferson Science Fellow

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine have named Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., a Jefferson Science Fellow for 2020-21.

Engineering dean appointed to new Virginia authority for innovation-led development

Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin, Jr. Dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, has been appointed to a new state authority to oversee innovation-led development in Virginia.

Computer science faculty member’s study among most cited in WIREs publication

A study by Alberto Cano, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science, is one of the top 10 most cited papers in Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews (WIREs) Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery.

Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., receives 2020 IEEE Nanotechnology Pioneer Award

Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., Commonwealth Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has received the 2020 Nanotechnology Pioneer Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Doctoral student takes top honors at major digital forensics conference

A doctoral student in VCU’s Department of Computer Science was lead author of a study named best student paper at one of the world’s top digital forensics conferences.

Electrical engineering scholar receives VCU’s 2020 Distinguished Dissertation Award

Md Ahsanul Abeed, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’20), has received VCU’s 2020 Distinguished Dissertation Award.

‘The improvement of the human condition’: 16 research projects receive Quest Fund grants

This year’s recipients of Presidential Research Quest Fund awards demonstrate Virginia Commonwealth University’s commitment to understanding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to supporting a wide range of scholarly research among the school’s faculty.

Mechanical engineering grad wins VCU Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award

Khushar Javed, M.S. (M.S.’20), has received VCU’s 2020-21 Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award.

Gary Tepper, Ph.D., elected IAAM Fellow

Gary C. Tepper, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM).

Graduate student wins grant to expand STEM education for youth with learning disabilities

Biomedical engineering doctoral student Brooke Danielsson has received a grant from the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) to support a community outreach program aimed at middle school students with learning disabilities.

VCU Engineering doctoral student publishes new tool for researchers investigating optical effects

Ray Secondo, a doctoral student in VCU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is lead author of an article that offers researchers a first-of-its-kind mechanism for studying a key aspect of this effect.

Community partnership gives elementary school students a glimpse into the world of engineering

Fifth-grader Khiarae Fuller already knows she wants to get a degree in engineering thanks to her participation in the Engineering in Vision program, a partnership of VCU’s College of Engineering, the Kiwanis Club of Richmond and John B. Cary Elementary School in Richmond.

VCU researcher developing potential treatment to block COVID-19

Michael H. Peters, Ph.D., professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, is developing a potential COVID-19 treatment for Hoth Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company based in New York, N.Y.

VCU researcher receives grant to advance understanding of cell behavior in response to tissue mechanics in disease

Christopher A. Lemmon, Ph.D., Inez Caudill, Jr. Distinguished Professor in Biomedical Engineering, will receive a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to support his investigation into how cells respond to mechanical properties of soft tissues in the human body, which could shed light on cell behavior in illness such as cancer and fibrotic diseases.

Study in Nature Electronics reveals new magnetic process that can lead to more energy-efficient memory in computers and other devices

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have made an important advance that can lead to more energy-efficient magnetic memory storage components for computers and other devices, according to findings reported in the June 29 issue of the journal Nature Electronics.

Computer science professor named Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Fellow

The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) has named Milos Manic, Ph.D., a CCI Fellow for 2020-2022. Manic is a professor of computer science in the VCU College of Engineering and director of VCU’s Cybersecurity Center.

VCU Engineering researcher receives Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund award

B. Frank Gupton, Ph.D., has received grant funding from the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) for his work to develop specialty catalysts for pharmaceutical applications.

Q&A forum on the Fall 2020 semester at VCU Engineering

Students, faculty and staff tuned in via Zoom June 17 for a Q&A forum about the return to campus at VCU Engineering.

VCU Engineering researcher part of multi-institutional team to understand the behavior of materials in extreme conditions

Gennady Miloshevsky, Ph.D., is VCU’s principal investigator on a grant from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to 18 major research institutions working to better understand the behavior of materials in extreme conditions caused by weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Gennady Miloshevsky, Ph.D., co-authors chapter in new textbook edition

University students across the U.S. now have an opportunity to learn from Gennady Miloshevsky, Ph.D., associate professor in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.

Virginia Commonwealth University awards first digital tech badges to Capital CoLAB graduates

Virginia Commonwealth University has become the first higher education institution in the Capital Region, which includes Richmond, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, to issue web-enabled digital badges to students completing the Capital CoLAB Digital Tech Credential.

Mohamed Gad-el-Hak, Ph.D., honored in Journal of Fluids Engineering

“Visionary.” “Indefatigable.” “Ahead of the curve.” These are just a few of the terms used to describe Mohamed Gad-el-Hak, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, in the July 2020 issue of the Journal of Fluids Engineering.

VCU Engineering researcher is developing magnetic devices that improve efficiency of artificial networks

Jayasimha Atulasimha, Ph.D., Qimonda Professor in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, is principal investigator on a $450,000 collaborative grant from the National Science Foundation for a new method that could drastically reduce the power needed to operate artificial neural networks that are used in smartphones, medical technologies and other devices that use embedded systems.

VCU Engineering undergraduate and graduate students receive American Nuclear Society national scholarships

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering students Sierra Tutwiler and Dimitris Killinger have received national scholarships from the American Nuclear Society (ANS) for 2020-21.

VCU Engineering experts offer solutions to prescription medication shortages in Virginia Business magazine

Despite the fact that the U.S. is the largest consumer of pharmaceuticals in the world, a dramatic shortage of essential generic medications is looming.

Keeping our campus going

VCU News interviewed VCU Engineering’s operations manager, Cindy Lovelace, as one of the employees who has been keeping the campus running during the coronavirus pandemic.

VCU Engineering’s Medicines for All Institute partners with industry to secure the domestic pharmaceutical supply chain

To prevent domestic shortages of critical medications, the Medicines for All Institute, based in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, has joined forces with pharmaceutical industry leaders to bring manufacturing of vulnerable pharmaceuticals and their ingredients back to the United States.

Graduate assistants honored at virtual awards ceremony

VCU Engineering celebrated its hard-working graduate research assistants and graduate teaching assistants at a virtual ceremony held by Zoom teleconference May 14. Finalists for graduate assistant awards were presented and winners in each category were named.

Faculty members receive promotions and tenure

The following faculty members have received promotions and tenure. These take effect July 1, 2020.

VCU Engineering faculty win COVID-19 research funding

Several VCU College of Engineering researchers were selected to receive the first round of awards from the VCU COVID-19 Rapid Research Funding Opportunity.

VCU researcher harnessing supercomputers in the race against COVID-19

Michael H. Peters, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, is using powerful supercomputers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley to investigate the “spike” protein of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

VCU initiatives share faculty expertise, inventions to spur fight against COVID-19

To support the rapid development of discoveries and inventions to fight COVID-19, Virginia Commonwealth University is making its faculty expertise more accessible to industry, entrepreneurs, hospitals and other researchers.

VCU Engineering’s 2020-21 VCU Undergraduate Research Fellows and mentors

A number of VCU Engineering undergraduates and faculty mentors will receive funding through VCU’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) for collaborative research projects during the summer and upcoming academic year.

Three VCU students win National Security Education Program’s Boren Scholarship

Three Virginia Commonwealth University students have been selected for Boren Scholarships for the 2020-21 academic year.

Biomedical engineering department offers non-thesis option

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at VCU College of Engineering is now offering a master’s degree with a non-thesis option.

2020 Capstone Design winners celebrated, top honors announced

Capstone Design made history in 2020 with its first-ever virtual awards ceremony held May 8.

New graduate school incentives for Class of 2020 Rams

We mean it when we say you are our inspiration. We’re #RamProud of this extraordinary Class of 2020.

Virtual Capstone Expo 2020

Please join us for a virtual Capstone Design Expo award ceremony from 1-3 p.m., Friday, May 8.

A call-to-action for the VCU Engineering Class of 2020

To the extraordinary seniors graduating this month, you are our inspiration. In true Ram Engineer style, you made it to the finish line — undeterred by changing (and, let’s face it, challenging) circumstances.

A ‘Tom Sawyer type of adventure’: Sam Cole’s path from tugboat deckhand to VCU research lab

Sam Cole remembers the hard work he put in as a deckhand and later as a tankerman on a tugboat while in his early 20s. Cole spent the days tying rope and working with the crew to guide vessels along the Gulf Coast. He was exhausted at the end of each day.

Engineering and health care experts create data model to track and predict the spread of COVID-19 across central Virginia

In the fight against COVID-19, surviving today’s battles requires social distancing and the best personal protective equipment available. Winning the war requires data — and plenty of it.

VCU Engineering lab produces hand sanitizer

When the COVID-19 pandemic emptied store shelves of such in-demand products, Thomas D. Roper, Ph.D., figured his VCU College of Engineering lab could help with one of them: hand sanitizer.

Computer science alum recognized for extraordinary contributions to the Institute for Defense Analyses

Jason Greer (B.S. ’07) received the 2019 W.Y. Smith Award for Excellence in recognition of his contributions to the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA).

Mechanical and nuclear engineering student awarded U.S. Department of Energy scholarship

Tristan Villarreal, a junior in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, is one of 42 students in the country to win the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) undergraduate scholarship.

Ram B. Gupta, Ph.D., elected AIChE Fellow

Ram B. Gupta, Ph.D., associate dean for faculty research development and professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Hip Hop music helps kids learn how to code

A multidisciplinary team of Virginia Commonwealth University faculty members is turning to hip-hop music as a fun and effective way to teach basic computer science concepts to middle school students.

Class of 2020: Samuel Adu-Gyamfi is helping make medicine more accessible

Tyler McQuade saw something special in Samuel Adu-Gyamfi. Adu-Gyamfi was taking an undergraduate chemical engineering class taught by McQuade, and the professor sought him out to work in his lab.

VCU Health’s innovative decontamination process mitigates N95 mask shortage in hospitals

Virginia Commonwealth University Health System has begun a pilot program to safely decontaminate N95 masks using equipment and a method developed by VCU Health and VCU Ventures.

Engineering researcher and medical experts design DIY ventilator kit

To address supply shortages resulting from COVID-19, an interdisciplinary team at VCU has designed a ventilator that hospitals, health systems or makerspaces can produce using a few tools and a 3D printer.

VCU Engineering students, alumni honored in NSF graduate fellowship program

Two VCU Engineering students and two alumni have received recognition in the highly prestigious National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Two VCU students named Goldwater Scholars

Two Virginia Commonwealth University students have been selected for the Goldwater Scholarship, the premier national scholarship for undergraduate science, technology, engineering and math students.

VCU Engineering alum honored by Rochester Institute of Technology for outstanding research contributions

VCU Engineering alumnus Mohamed Samaha, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’12) was recognized by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for outstanding research contributions.

VCU Engineering offers free programs and resources to keep kids learning at home

School is out, but VCU College of Engineering is offering free programs and resources to help keep kids learning and discovering for the rest of the school year and beyond.

A cane that steers? A glove that finds unseen objects?

Cang Ye, Ph.D., professor in VCU’s Department of Computer Science, is an internationally recognized inventor of assistive robotics for people with visual impairments, but that wasn’t his original plan.

VCU programs retain top U.S. News & World Report rankings

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts ranks among the top five and five other VCU schools are ranked in the top 50 of the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools list, according to the magazine’s annual rankings released today.

Capstone Spotlight: ECE 412

Project Title: Delivery System for Disposable, Low Environmental Impact, High Data Transfer Rate, One Way, Underwater Communications System

Up & Atom!

VCU is all about women in STEM. Pictured above are Deborah Noble-Triplett, Ph.D., VCU's senior vice provost for academic affairs, and Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin, Jr. Dean of the VCU College of Engineering.

Innovative faculty recognized by the VCU chapter of the National Academy of Inventors

Faculty innovators help empower Virginia Commonwealth University to respond to pressing social needs, VCU President Michael Rao told members of the VCU chapter of the National Academy of Inventors.

Your E-ZPass is not magic

Visual simulations bring the invisible to life and demystify electromagnetics

Doctoral student to advocate for scientists in Washington

Remy Cooper (M.S.’17), a biomedical engineering doctoral candidate, has been selected to participate in an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) workshop about science policy and advocacy.

VCU Engineering student selected as Young Scientist for Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

Brooke Danielsson, a biomedical engineering doctoral student at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been selected as one of 660 young researchers worldwide to serve as a Young Scientist at the 70th annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting this summer in Lindau, Germany.

Collaboration with one-of-a-kind drug production lab at VCU accelerates Massey's innovation

For the better part of a decade, Clevenger was incapable of furthering this investigation because there was no way he could acquire this drug. Now, he will finally be able to continue this research thanks to a new Massey collaboration with a world-class drug synthesis laboratory at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Q&A with Wei-Ning Wang, Ph.D.

Wei-Ning Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, is an expert in aerosol-enabled technologies. His research focuses on using these technologies to address challenges in energy, the environment and human health.

Transgender activist Rhonda Williams (A.S. ’68) addresses VCU Engineering’s Identity and Culture reception

At VCU Engineering’s Identity and Culture reception, keynote speaker VCU alumna Rhonda Williams (A.S.’68) began her remarks with a look back at technology game-changers who didn’t fit the traditional engineering mold.

Q&A with Dean Krusienski, Ph.D.

Dean Krusienski, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, focuses on neural signal processing and analysis for the development of brain-computer interfaces and neuroprosthetic devices.

VCU Engineering assistant professor named 2020 Engineer of the Year by the Richmond Joint Engineers Council

Ravi Hadimani, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, was named Engineer of the Year by the Richmond Joint Engineers Council (RJEC).

VCU Engineering friend and benefactor receives the 2020 Outstanding Virginian Award

Virginia legislators awarded William H. Goodwin, Jr., longtime friend and benefactor of the VCU College of Engineering, the 2020 Outstanding Virginian Award. The resolution cites Goodwin’s leadership of Virginia’s business community and support of the commonwealth’s universities and philanthropic endeavors.

VCU computer science faculty member named IEEE Access Outstanding Associate Editor

Alberto Cano, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, has been honored as an IEEE Access Outstanding Associate Editor for 2019.

Next-level virtual reality: bringing in brain signal feedback

Dean Krusienski, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, is investigating how to make virtual reality (VR) environments responsive, in real-time, to the user’s state of mind.

VCU researchers to develop next-generation, long-lasting batteries

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers in the College of Engineering Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering will receive a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop next-generation rechargeable batteries.

Medicines for All Institute and South African manufacturer enter partnership to improve access to lifesaving medications

The Medicines for All Institute (M4ALL) has entered into a partnership with a manufacturer in South Africa to commercialize advances made by the institute to improve access to lifesaving medications for HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

‘A gym for cells’: VCU Engineering doctoral student is awarded an American Heart Association fellowship

Sarah Saunders (B.S.’17), a doctoral student in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has received a prestigious American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship.

Nuclear engineering Ph.D. student wins Roy G. Post Foundation Scholarship

Dimitris Killinger (B.S.’15) , a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has received a Roy G. Post Foundation Scholarship for 2020. He is one of eight graduate-level recipients selected internationally for this award, which recognizes students with outstanding research achievements in safe management of nuclear materials.

Q&A with Alberto Cano, Ph.D.

Machine learning, evolutionary computing and big data are specialties of Alberto Cano, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science.

More than 30 Ram Engineers featured in VCU alumni magazine’s 'Power Issue'

VCU Engineering is all over the latest issue of Shafer Court Connections, VCU’s alumni magazine.

Studies by VCU Engineering researchers among the top 10 percent most cited in PLOS One

Two studies by investigators at VCU College of Engineering are among the top 10 percent most cited publications in the Public Library of Science (PLOS One).

Biomedical engineering Ph.D. student wins NIH award

Franck Kamga Gninzeko (B.S.’17), a Virginia Commonwealth University biomedical engineering doctoral student, has received a prestigious dissertation award from the National Institutes of Health.

Krzysztof ‘Krys’ Cios named IEEE Fellow

Krzysztof “Krys” Cios, Ph.D., D.Sc., M.B.A., professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science in the VCU College of Engineering, has been named an IEEE Fellow for 2020. He is being recognized for outstanding contributions to data mining and machine learning.

Ph.D. student receives grant to attend AMIA Symposium

Computer science doctoral candidate Amy Olex received a travel grant to attend the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 2019 Annual Symposium held in November in Washington, D.C.

2019 Year in Review

VCU Engineering’s expanding faculty and new programs such as the nation’s first Ph.D. in pharmaceutical engineering and a computing specialization made headlines in 2019.