News

VCU is part of a national team seeking to improve health for patients with spinal cord injury

Carrie Peterson, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in VCU’s College of Engineering, is researching how to improve health and quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injury who use manual wheelchairs — from childhood through adulthood.

Cain Scholarship winner Samuel Adu-Gyamfi seeks to make an impact

Two of the first graduates of VCU Engineering’s chemical and life sciences engineering program, Julia Cain (B.S.’01) and Nicholas Cain (B.S. ’01), created the college’s first alumni-endowed scholarship in 2017 because they wanted to give back.

VCU Engineering community engagement leader honored by Cary Elementary

Michael Powell, principal of John B. Cary Elementary School in Richmond, described the scene when his students got the chance to build a catapult last fall.

‘Alexa for chemistry’: National Science Foundation puts VCU and partners on fast track to build open network

D. Tyler McQuade, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, is principal investigator of a multi-university project seeking to use artificial intelligence to help scientists come up with the perfect molecule for everything from a better shampoo to coatings on advanced microchips.

Five Virginia Universities Receive Internship Program Grant Funds

VCU Engineering received $200K from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s Innovative Internship Fund and Program grant competition. The award will support the college's Tech Talent Internship Pipeline program, which aims to place 24 to 28 computer science and computer engineering students into new summer internship positions with employer partners.

Q&A with Nathaniel Kinsey, Ph.D.

Studying how light interacts with materials on the nanoscale is the research focus of Nathaniel Kinsey, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Computer science professor to receive 2019 service award from the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society

The IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IES) has selected Milos Manic, Ph.D., for its 2019 Anthony J. Hornfeck Service Award.

Intern’s work identifying malaria antibodies impresses researchers

Administrators at the Naval Medical Research Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, were so impressed with 2018 summer intern Tania Dobrescu that they invited her back to work in the same lab this past summer.

Medicine in motion

How a group of VCU students created the PharmaCart, an invention that could make it safer and more secure to distribute medicine in hospitals

Meet the class of 2023

Eight new Rams talk about their first weeks on campus. Main takeaway? The future is bright.

New faculty and academic promotions

Six new faculty members have joined the VCU College of Engineering faculty to date in 2019.

VCU Engineering appoints new director of makerspaces

As the college dedicates more square footage to active, collaborative design and fabrication, it has named Charles Cartin, Ph.D., as its inaugural director of makerspaces.

Hooman Tafreshi, Ph.D., joins editorial board of the journal Separation and Purification Technology

Hooman Tafreshi, Ph.D., Qimonda Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department at the VCU College of Engineering, has been named to the editorial board of the journal Separation and Purification Technology.

How a VCU grad student is getting her degree in style

Shani Levit describes herself as curious and innovative. She loves exploring and tackling new challenges — two qualities that drive her passion for engineering.

VCU Engineering appoints senior associate dean for academic affairs

Gregory Triplett, Ph.D., formerly associate dean for graduate studies and research in engineering, has been appointed senior associate dean for academic affairs in the VCU College of Engineering.

Philanthropist and businessman C. Kenneth Wright, who helped transform VCU, dies

Kenneth Wright, a longtime businessman and philanthropist whose generous giving is credited with helping to build today’s Virginia Commonwealth University, died this week. He was 94.

The gift that keeps on giving

Biomedical engineering faculty member and other scientists from the VCU’s C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research stand out among competitors for National Institutes of Health funding, thanks to significant donor support.

Engineering M.D.-Ph.D. student Jefferson Overlin receives NIH award

Jefferson Overlin (B.S.’15), the first student accepted into a new dual M.D.-Ph.D. program in biomedical engineering, has received a grant from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund his research.

Leonard becomes College of Engineering’s Executive Dean

John D. Leonard II, Ph.D., formerly executive associate dean for finance and administration, has been promoted to executive dean of the VCU College of Engineering.

The heat is on

An urban heat island occurs when a city has significantly elevated temperatures relative to surrounding rural areas. It should come as no surprise to Richmonders that the temperature within the city is higher. But temperatures can vary even within the city itself.

Streamlining pharmaceutical processes

The journal Organic Process Research & Development features a discussion between Medicines for All Institute leaders B. Frank Gupton, Ph.D., and D. Tyler McQuade, Ph.D., about their recent article, “A Holistic Approach to Streamlining Pharmaceutical Processes.”

VCU researchers gain insight into what makes a healthy cell stable

A team of researchers led by VCU College of Engineering and the University of Florida has found a possible mechanical explanation for how cell structure and tissue can be disrupted, which may provide clues into what happens in diseases such as cancer.

VCU Engineering faculty members receive Presidential Research Quest Fund grants

Three Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering faculty members have received 2019 grants through the VCU Presidential Research Quest Fund (PeRQ).

The Internet Ecosystem Innovation Committee (IEIC) welcomes new founding academic member Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

The Internet Ecosystem Innovation Committee (IEIC), an independent committee that promotes internet diversity and resilience through the formation of new global internet nexus points, today announced that Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has joined as a founding member.

State approves nation’s first Ph.D. program in pharmaceutical engineering

Virginia Commonwealth University will be home to the nation’s first Ph.D. program in pharmaceutical engineering. The doctoral program, a collaboration between VCU’s School of Pharmacy and College of Engineering, will focus on research and training students in areas of drug product development such as continuous manufacturing and drug-containing nanomaterials.

VCU Engineering’s diversity and inclusion efforts recognized by the American Society for Engineering Education

The VCU College of Engineering has been awarded a Bronze award by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Diversity Recognition Program.

Undergraduates from across the country train in mechanobiology research at VCU

Nicholas Toosi could have spent his summer working at his dad’s engineering consulting firm or at Pennsylvania State University, where he is a rising junior.

Early experiences at VCU ignited Goldwater scholar’s passion for research

What makes engineering so fascinating to Anastasios “Tassos” Karles are the myriad problems in need of solutions.

Computer science undergraduates conduct natural language processing research at Johns Hopkins University

Rachel Dorn, a post-baccalaureate certificate student in computer science, and Andriy Mulyar, a senior in the computer science department, are participating in Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Research Education for Undergraduates (REU) internships this summer.

VCU Engineering poised to lead cyber network in Central Virginia

When the Virginia Research Investment Committee voted in June to certify four regional cybersecurity nodes, Virginia Commonwealth University took the lead in creating the Central Virginia component.

Computer science researcher receives Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award

Irfan Ahmed, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, has received a 2019 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award presented by the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a consortium of 125 Ph.D.-granting institutions.

Two VCU Engineering faculty named fellows of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

Henry J. Donahue, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Professor and Distinguished Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been elected a fellow of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Start your engines!

VCU’s newest Formula-style race car is ready for action. Dubbed VCU02, it will go up against 79 other built-from-scratch racers at the 2019 Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) international collegiate competition in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Biomedical engineering undergraduate conducting cancer research at Yale

Biomedical engineering major Kristin Kim, a rising senior, is a research fellow this summer at a National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI) program at Yale University.

Postdocs win Early Investigator Awards

Evan Buettmann, Ph.D., and Michael Friedman, Ph.D., both postdoctoral fellows in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, have won Early Investigator Awards from the Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health.

VCU Engineering-based research to advance orthopaedic implants and clean air earn 2019 CRCF awards

Technologies for 3D-printed orthopaedic implants that promote bone formation and filters that produce their own bacteria-killing agents received 2019 Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) awards.

New NIH funding will support research into how the body responds to medical implants

A Virginia Commonwealth University engineering professor has received a $1.76 million grant to further his research on tissue healing and investigate how immune system cells control the body’s response to biomaterials such as a dental implant or hip replacement.

Assistant professor receives 2019 Young Investigator Award from the International Society for Aerosols in Medicine

Laleh Golshahi, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has received the International Society for Aerosols in Medicine (ISAM) Young Investigator Award for 2019.

Michael Friedman, Ph.D., receives young investigator award

Michael Friedman, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has won an Alice L. Jee award from the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS).

VCU collaboration with industry, universities, receives Virginia Catalyst grant

BrightSpec, a life science instrumentation company based in Charlottesville, Virginia, and B. Frank Gupton, Ph.D., the Floyd D. Gottwald Jr. Chair in Pharmaceutical Engineering and director of the catalysis lab at Virginia Commonwealth University, have received a grant from Virginia Catalyst for a project to use a new technology for pharmaceutical development processes.

Faculty research on vaginal microbiomes and preterm birth published in Nature Medicine

Tomasz Arodz, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science, and Stephen Fong, Ph.D., associate professor of chemical and life science engineering, are part of an interdisciplinary team that produced two major studies published May 29, 2019, in Nature Medicine.

Gabrielle Gurdin to present at Grace Hopper Celebration

Gabrielle Gurdin, a rising sophomore in the Department of Computer Science, has been selected to present at the 2019 Grace Hopper Celebration.

Computer engineering undergraduate wins Goldwater Scholarship

Anastasios Karles, a rising junior majoring in computer engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University, will receive a Goldwater Scholarship for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Announcing the 2019-2020 VCU Undergraduate Research Fellows

Several undergraduate students have received fellowships to work with faculty mentors from the College of Engineering on research projects for this summer and the upcoming academic year.

Making Smart Cities Smarter

Population and urban resource records are found on clay tablets, papyrus, medieval memoranda — and file cabinets in city hall. For centuries, these data have been tallied and entered by hand. What if automation could overhaul this process?

Congratulations, DERI fellows!

See the photos from the Dean's Early Research Initiiative (DERI) ceremony.

Q&A with Mo Jiang, Ph.D.

Improving the process of manufacturing pharmaceuticals and other biochemical products is a major research focus area of Mo Jiang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering.

Pasta + red = learning: How this NSF grant recipient taught herself to succeed with dyslexia

Dyslexia is caused by a structural abnormality in the brain that causes the right hemisphere to be larger than the left. People with dyslexia learn best through hands-on techniques. With the right tools, they can overcome learning obstacles.

Thea Pepperl, Ph.D., selected as Service-Learning Faculty Fellow

Thea Pepperl, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been selected by the VCU Division of Community Engagement as a 2019-2020 Service-Learning Faculty Fellow

Biomedical engineering and cardiovascular medicine team receive major grant

Jennifer Jordan, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Biomedical Engineering, and collaborators from the VCU Health Pauley Heart Center will receive a 2019 Collaborative Sciences Award from the American Heart Association to investigate a new treatment for cardiac sarcoidosis.

From Data to Decision

Cities collecting data is nothing new. Vast records of population and resources exist on clay tablets, papyrus, medieval memoranda — and in bulging file cabinets in every city hall. For most of history, these data have been counted by people and entered painstakingly by hand.

Meet mechanical engineering student Tyriq Clay from VCU’s TRIO program

Tyriq Clay is one of 41 students graduating this month who participated in TRIO Student Support Services, a federally funded program that helps vulnerable student populations navigate college.

Class of 2019: Wendy Sun’s passion for medicine, engineering and inclusion leads to Yale

Wendy Sun’s academic career has taken her from Toronto, Canada, and New York City to Richmond and the Dominican Republic.

Doctoral alum receives best paper award from Applied Spectroscopy

Ammon Williams (Ph.D. '16) has been selected to receive the award for best paper published in Applied Spectroscopy in 2018 on the topic of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

Post-baccalaureate student awarded for best poster at women in computing conference

Rachel Dorn received the award for best poster at the 2019 Capital Region Celebration of Women in Computing (CAPWIC) Conference.

Doctoral student receives first place poster award at FiltCon 2019

Mohammad Jamali, a doctoral student in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, won top honors in the student poster competition at FiltCon 2019, the annual meeting of the American Filtration and Separations Society.

VCU places second in Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition

A student team from VCU placed second in the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (MACCDC) held at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, on March 28-30, 2019.

Class of 2019: How Myles Boyd doubled down on his dream to earn an engineering degree

Myles Boyd came to Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012 to study engineering and ultimately go to medical school. It was a good plan, until two years later when Boyd hit an academic roadblock.

Up to Code: Music major finds skills and inspiration in new computer science course for non-majors

On Friday nights, sophomore music major Thomas Levine loves to play saxophone at Emilio’s, the Broad Street club that’s a second home to VCU jazz studies students.

VCU Engineering offers new undergraduate summer research programs

A year ago, Hayley Eicher, a biomedical engineering undergraduate student at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, had never worked in a laboratory environment.

Q&A with Jessika Rojas, Ph.D.

A nuclear engineering expert specializing in nanomaterials and radiation-induced synthesis, Jessika Rojas, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.

Gupta delivers keynote in Global Conference on Global Warming

Gupta spoke about past innovations in energy technologies and future clean energy.

Scoliosis, seizures, desire to help others lead 14-year-old to study engineering

What do you do if you love engineering but you’re too young for a program that lets high school students research engineering at a college level?

VCU’s Jordana Kron is searching for answers to a mystery disease

A disease that has no cause or cure, sarcoidosis affects people of all ages throughout the world.

Capstone returns to the Stu

The big day is almost here: the 2019 Capstone Design Expo is Friday, April 26, 2019. Several Capstone Design teams have joint projects with VCU School of Business students. Presentations from VCU’s Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) teams will also be on display at VCU’s Stuart C. Siegel Center.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: Iron Meteorite Imaging System

A capstone design team at VCU’s Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering is supporting NASA’s efforts to better understand an asteroid that may yield new insights into Earth’s mysterious core.

Demo Day to showcase VCU students’ most promising startups and innovations

Entrepreneurial-minded Virginia Commonwealth University students participating in the Pre-Accelerator Program will present their innovations and startup ideas Friday, April 26, 2019, at a community event at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU, 601 W. Broad St.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: Ambulance Drone for Overdose Response

A Capstone Design team is designing a drone that can deliver — and administer — a lifesaving injection to a person in the early stages of an opioid overdose.

VCU creates Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences

Virginia Commonwealth University has opened a Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences. The new interdisciplinary center, one of few in the country and the only one of its kind in Virginia, is a collaboration between the university’s School of Pharmacy and College of Engineering.

College students present more than 100 prototypes, designs at VCU Engineering expo

More than 100 engineering designs, prototypes, innovations and entrepreneurial business cases, created by engineering and business students, will be on display at the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering’s annual Capstone Design Expo.

MNE students receive scholarships from the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Nuclear Society

Mechanical and nuclear engineering students at VCU are receiving coveted awards from two of the country’s leading nuclear agencies.

VCU hosts solar competition for middle schoolers

Virginia Commonwealth University will host Rams Go Solar, a solar car design and construction competition for middle schoolers, on Saturday, April 13.

Senior academic advisor co-authors book on women of color in higher ed

Chavonn Reed, senior academic adviser for the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, is co-author of The Table: Stories of Black Women in Student Affairs. The book is an anthology of trials and triumphs that 11 women of color encountered while working in higher education. It aims to fill a void in literature about universities.

VCU invention improves solar cell light harvesting

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have developed a new material they believe could deliver solar energy at a lower cost. The innovation harvests sunlight using a more affordable material that could address a long-standing barrier to solar power’s viability as a cost-efficient energy source.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: Waterproof Osseointegration Covers

For a U.S. Army veteran who lost both legs above the knee, a Capstone Design team is designing and creating waterproof covers to protect his body while swimming.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: Box Turtle Tracker

Eastern box turtles, which regularly live to be as old as 100, have an almost unbreakable connection to their individual habitat. If their habitat is disturbed or they are removed from it, these turtles will often wander aimlessly trying to find their original home until they die.

Q&A with Brian A. Taylor, Ph.D.

A medical imaging physicist, Brian A. Taylor, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and a researcher at the C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: DropLock

For those sheltering in place during an active shooter event, every second counts. Why, then, do the current door barricade systems require users to slot fussy metal parts together just-so in the heat of the moment?

VCU students help Richmond high schoolers navigate the college application process

As a Virginia Commonwealth University freshman in fall 2017, Allen Shieh volunteered to give tips and advice as part of an introduction to applying to college session for Richmond students attending Open High School.

VCU researchers create new silk material for biomedical uses

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University, in collaboration with the University of Trento, Italy, have created fully degradable, flexible, silk-protein films that could potentially be used for biomedical purposes including tissue regeneration, biosensors and drug delivery.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: Wireless Neonatal Vital Sign Monitor

Newborn babies being cared for in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit need to have their vital signs monitored continuously. Currently, monitors with wires and cords are bulky and present an obstacle for nurses who need to move the infant and parents who wish to hold their child.

Q&A with Hong-Sheng Zhou, Ph.D.

Cryptography, with a focus on secure computing and blockchain, is a major research area for Hong-Sheng Zhou, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science.

Doctoral candidate Xiang He receives award from Chinese government

Xiang He, a doctoral candidate in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has been selected to receive a prestigious Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: Quick Release Rowing Assistive Grips

A Capstone Design team has created custom equipment to make rowing a safer sport for athletes with physical disabilities.

Hong-Sheng Zhou, Ph.D., receives Google Faculty Research Award

Hong-Sheng Zhou, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, has received a 2018 Google Faculty Research Award.

VCU programs rise in updated U.S. News & World Report rankings

Three Virginia Commonwealth University schools already ranked in the top 50 climbed further up the U.S. News & World Report list of the country’s best graduate programs in the magazine’s updated rankings released today. Overall, VCU has graduate programs ranked in the top 50 in 19 fields, according to the publication.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: Dynamic Center-of-Gravity Display

When trains derail, specialty cranes are deployed to place them back on the tracks. These cranes carry loads as heavy as 200,000 pounds on terrain riddled with mounds and valleys. The risk of a tip-over is high.

Capstone 2019 Highlight: Anthem Operation Dashboard

The electronic claims platform at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield processes tens of thousands of insurance claims per month — without the benefit of an effective monitoring system. To improve the performance of Anthem’s claims process, this Capstone Design team is building an operation dashboard that monitors run times and helps identify abnormalities.

VCU Engineering’s newest building has a past

The industrial-chic brick building at 12 W. Cary Street, known to the community for decades as Grubbs Auto Service, will soon reopen as VCU’s Maker Garage. Here, students will design and build high-performance Formula SAE cars, Hyperloop vehicles and other pieces of transportation’s future.

Q&A with Carrie Peterson, Ph.D.

Improving rehabilitation for individuals with spinal cord injury is a major research focus area of Carrie Peterson, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

2019 Women in Engineering Luncheon

Pamela Faggert, former chief environmental officer and senior vice president of sustainability at Dominion Energy, addressed a gathering of more than 100 at the 2019 VCU College of Engineering’s Women in Engineering Luncheon held Friday, Feb. 22, 2019 in Engineering East Hall.

Multidisciplinary collaborations lead to advances in pharmaceutical synthesis

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University working together across several disciplines have discovered ways to speed up chemical reactions that could dramatically drive down the costs of producing pharmaceuticals.

Nuclear engineering doctoral students receive best poster awards

Hunter Andrews and Dimitris Killinger, both doctoral students in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, received top honors in the student poster session, at the 2018 American Nuclear Society Winter Meeting and Nuclear Technology Expo.

New chemical and life science engineering Ph.D. program approved

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has approved a doctoral degree in chemical and life science engineering to be offered by the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University beginning in the fall of 2019.

Professional Development for Engineers

VCU’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education is partnering with the VCU College of Engineering to offer a new short course: Introduction to Little Data: Statistical Design and Analysis of Experiments.

VCU students pitch innovative ideas to improve health, education and energy

To help low-income Latinx women more easily access prenatal care, a team of Virginia Commonwealth University students is designing an app that would allow them to communicate with a medical provider. The women also could use the app to access health information via educational videos on topics such as nutrition, blood pressure and antepartum depression.

Medicines for All Institute develops new, cost-saving synthesis of anti-HIV drug

The Medicines for All Institute (M4ALL), which seeks to reduce the costs of manufacturing HIV/AIDS treatments and other lifesaving medications, has developed a new, efficient route to 5-fluorocytosine (5FC), a key starting material used in the synthesis of the anti-HIV drug emtricitabine.

VCU Engineering faculty elected senior members of the National Academy of Inventors

Two Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering professors have been named to the National Academy of Inventors’ inaugural class of NAI Senior Members.

Alumnus credits VCU as the catalyst for his success

Arzan Dotivala (B.S.’18) landed the job of wire design engineer at The Boeing Co. based in Seattle before graduating from the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering. It’s a highly technical job that involves developing the architecture for the wiring systems of aircrafts.

VCU Engineering’s billboard campaign begins

Look for familiar faces on your next drive or walk down W. Cary Street. VCU Engineering’s two-year billboard campaign is underway. The billboard is at 12 W. Cary, next to the site formerly known as Grubbs Auto Service (soon to reopen as VCU’s Maker Garage). The #EngineersMakeItReal campaign highlights the many opportunities open to Ram engineers.

VCU College of Engineering to host the American Nuclear Society National Student Conference

More than 600 students and professionals from across the U.S. are expected at the American Nuclear Society (ANS) National Student Conference to be hosted by VCU College of Engineering April 4-6, 2019. This is the first time a university in Virginia has been selected to host this event.

VCU’s DAR newsletter features Brian Campbell

VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) newsletter interviewed Brian Campbell, executive director of development for the College of Engineering, as its “DAR-ling.” Campbell shares what it was like to serve in the U.S. Air Force at a pivotal moment of history in Cairo, Egypt and how he feels about returning home to Virginia.

Alumni Update: Isaac Rodriguez and SweetBio

Isaac Rodriguez (B.S. ’10; Ph.D. ’13) used his two biomedical engineering degrees to co-invent a product, a combination of Manuka honey, a collagen derivative and nanoparticles, which promotes tissue regeneration. Though his primary expertise is in the lab, since graduation Rodriguez has stepped into the world of business to bring his invention to market.

VCU College of Engineering is in the news as Virginia prepares for arrival of Amazon HQ2

See who's talking about the College of Engineering.

VCU and VUU to offer dual degrees in physics and engineering or chemistry and engineering this fall

Officials representing Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Union University have signed an agreement for the creation of three dual-degree programs. Beginning in fall 2019, eligible students at both universities can earn a dual bachelor of science in one of the following: physics and electrical engineering, physics and mechanical engineering or chemistry and chemical and life sciences engineering.

Richmond heat map project wins Smart 50 Award

Stephen Fong, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering in the VCU College of Engineering, has won a 2019 Smart 50 Award for an urban heat island community mapping project in Richmond, Virginia.

Device created by VCU students could address issues with incubator covers for premature babies

As a pediatric nurse practitioner, Debra Hearington had seen her share of infants in isolettes — a special incubator for preemies that measures and regulates certain vitals, such as oxygen, temperature and humidity. And she had seen the frustratingly anachronistic covers used on these modern incubators.

International award-winning technology protects the power grid by hacking would-be hackers

For hackers, the U.S. energy grid is a treasure trove of classified information with vast potential for profit and mayhem. To be effective, the power grid’s protection system has to be a bit like a hacker: highly intelligent, agile and able to learn rapidly.

2018 Year in Review

A look back at the top stories and social media posts from 2018.

Massey scientists develop world’s most advanced drug delivery system with the highest tumor-targeting ability

In pre-clinical studies, VCU Massey Cancer Center scientists have developed a novel drug delivery system using nanoparticles that significantly outperformed the tumor-targeting abilities of its predecessors. The researchers are hopeful their findings could lead to improved outcomes and reduced side effects for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Tang studies nanoparticles as a means to develop more effective treatments for drug-resistant solid tumors

Christina Tang, Ph.D., designs novel chemotherapeutic systems in an attempt to gain insight on new drug combinations that could enhance the treatment of drug-resistant solid tumors such as breast, ovarian and prostate cancers.

In the News: BME alumni startup is featured in RVAHub.

Grad students put medical school on hold to bring their startup to life.

In the News: VCU is meeting industry demand for IT programs, says Dean Boyan in letter to Richmond Times-Dispatch.

A letter from Dean Boyan to the Richmond-Times Dispatch.

In the News: The Top 5 podcast talks with MNE alumna Donielle Boateng

The Top 5 podcast catches up with Donielle Boateng (B.S. ’14), an mechanical engineering alumna who is now a senior project engineer with Honeywell in California.

Jennifer Wayne, Ph.D., wins prestigious honor from American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Jennifer Wayne, Ph.D., professor in the VCU Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 H.R. Lissner Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Engineering Student wins AIChE Award

Amanda Pham, a sophomore at VCU, has received the Donald F. Othmer Sophomore Academic Excellence Award. Pham is double majoring in chemical engineering and chemistry.

Henry J. Donahue, Ph.D., named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Henry J. Donahue, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Distinguished Chair and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.

In the news: Richmond Times-Dispatch features Dean Boyan and engineering faculty on Virginia’s “cyber moon shot”

Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Dean of the VCU College of Engineering, discusses Virginia’s “cyber moon shot” to boost university research in cybersecurity and other high tech fields.

Engineering for Virginia’s Workforce

The VCU College of Engineering is building Virginia’s highly skilled workforce. From industry-driven collaborations like Capstone Design to internships and co-ops that immerse students in the workplace — and keep them working in Virginia after graduation — VCU Engineering is partnering with companies to fill the skills gap.

In the news: Richmond Times-Dispatch features engineer-turned-entrepreneur

Chemical engineering alumna Wendy Jiang (B.S. ’11), who co-founded Tablee, is featured in a Startup Spotlight.

VCU’s newest graduates reflect on the moments that mattered

For nearly 3,000 Virginia Commonwealth University students, the commencement ceremony on Dec. 8 marks both the end of a journey and the start of something new. After years of juggling class schedules, late nights in the library, meetings with advisers and professors, and writing draft after draft of papers, graduation day is nearly here. They will leave VCU with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees as well as a wealth of experiences and networks gained within and outside the classroom.

Build it and they will come

When Jenilee Stanley-Shanks, the director of government and community outreach for VCU’s College of Engineering, shows up at an elementary school, the kids know they’re in for a treat. In their minds, they’re going to be saving a house from catastrophic flood or becoming a real-life scientist who guides a robot through a maze. But what Stanley-Shanks is doing is sowing the seeds that will make kids pursue an engineering career.

VCU researchers discover new insights into how droplets separate from fibers

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have uncovered new insights into the physics of how liquid droplets separate from fibers, and their discovery may have major benefits for industry, the environment and human health.

In the news: NBC News talks with VCU Engineering’s dean and a computer science senior about Amazon HQ2.

With Amazon coming, Virginia schools look to boost computer education

VCU research to be advanced on International Space Station

Henry Donahue, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the VCU College of Engineering, will be able to further his research into space travel health impacts when SpaceX launches its Dragon spacecraft bound for the International Space Station (ISS) as early as next week.

School of Education facilitates STEM discussion with White House advisor

The VCU School of Education recently facilitated an informal discussion with Jeff Weld, Ph.D., senior policy advisor and assistant director of STEM Education in the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The meeting yielded valuable insights that can be applied to Weld’s new Federal STEM Education Plan, as well as ideas for a Virginia leadership group that is informing state-based STEM plans for the commonwealth.

In the news: BME alum Alexandria Ritchie (B.S. ’18) wins first place in the rvAwesome Founders awards Student category

Alex Ritchie (B.S. ’17), Neil Haley (B.S. ’18), Arthur Chadwick (current junior) and Chandana Muktipaty (B.S. ’14) are among the six finalists in the rvAwesome Founders awards.

Computer science and biomedical engineering projects take top honors in 2018 Dean’s Undergraduate Research Symposium

Year-long undergraduate research projects were presented in East Hall’s Qimonda Atrium Nov. 20, 2018, at the Dean's Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Hyperloop at VCU team’s pod vehicle design passes first hurdle

The Hyperloop at VCU student team, which made history last year as a finalist in the 2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition, has advanced past the first stage of the 2019 competition.

Innovative Sternheimer Awards announced

Seven senior design teams whose projects demonstrate outstanding innovation and entrepreneurship will receive 2018-2019 Mark A. Sternheimer Capstone Design Awards.

VCU Engineering’s marketing and communications team wins three top MarCom Awards

VCU College of Engineering’s Marketing and Communications team has received 10 MarCom Awards for 2018. The awards program, one of the largest, most-respected international creative competitions, is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.

Innovation by Milos Manic, Ph.D., and researchers from Idaho National Laboratory receives R&D 100 Award

Milos Manic, Ph.D., professor of computer science at the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, along with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) researchers Todd Vollmer, Ph.D., and Craig Rieger, Ph.D., received the Federal Laboratory Consortium Award (Far West Region) for their Autonomic Intelligent Cyber Sensor (AICS). Manic also holds a joint appointment with INL.

Doctoral student’s research showcased at Science Pub RVA

Mechanical and nuclear engineering student Sarah Morgan recently shared her doctoral research at one of Richmond’s hippest events: Science Pub RVA, an informal lecture and discussion series that takes place in local restaurants, bars and other non-academic venues.

VCU team wins Virginia caregiver hackathon

A multidisciplinary team from Virginia Commonwealth University won first place in a Virginia competition called “Caring for the Caregiver Hack.” The team was made up of two seniors in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the VCU College of Engineering, graduate students in the Department of Occupational Therapy in the VCU College of Health Professions and graduate students in the VCU Brandcenter.

Biomedical engineering postdoctoral fellow receives TRISH Fellowship

Michael Friedman, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in VCU’s Bone Engineering Science Technology (BEST) Lab, has received a two-year fellowship from the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH).

VCU College of Engineering hires Brian Campbell as executive director of development

Brian Campbell joins the VCU College of Engineering Nov. 15, 2018, as executive director of development. Campbell was selected after a nationwide search to find the right candidate to help increase fundraising efforts of this rapidly expanding college. He will lead the College of Engineering fundraising program, primarily through the coordination of major gift and annual fund strategies.

Ivory Coast, VCU form partnership to improve access to lifesaving medicines

Officials representing Virginia Commonwealth University and the government of Ivory Coast have signed an agreement to train researchers in the West African country to develop high-quality pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.

College of Engineering researchers win second green chemistry award

Frank Gupton, Ph.D., the Floyd D. Gottwald Jr. Chair and chair of the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, and D. Tyler McQuade, Ph.D., professor of chemical engineering, have received a 2018 Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Doctoral student’s research featured on cover of The Journal of Applied Physics

Research by Noor M. Farhan, a Ph.D. student in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, was recently featured on the cover of the Journal of Applied Physics. The Journal of Applied Physics is an American journal publishing significant new experimental and theoretical results of applied physics research.

VCU receives NIH award to study mutation in heart disease

Seth H. Weinberg, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is using computational modeling to investigate a genetic mutation that can lead to sudden cardiac death. Weinberg is collaborating with Steven Poelzing, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (VTCRI), on a project that has received a four-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

VCU College of Engineering offers post-baccalaureate certificate programs in cybersecurity and data science

The Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering will launch post-baccalaureate graduate certificate programs in cybersecurity and data science this spring. These programs are designed for the working professional to remain current or gain fluency in the ever-growing fields of cybersecurity and data science.

‘She’s not going to let anything stop her’

Meet Sophia Entzminger, who has returned to VCU to complete a bachelor’s degree — a path she set off on more than 30 years ago. She enrolled in August along with her twins, Noah, who is studying computer science, and Mia, who wants to be a special education teacher.

Pharmacy on Demand initiative moves forward

Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering researchers are pushing forward with an initiative, Pharmacy on Demand, that represents a fundamental change in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Mary Beth (Bird) Knipper (B.S.’10) Wins 10 Under 10 Award

“I have always loved the adventure of moving,” says Mary Knipper, describing how her childhood as an “Army brat” became an adulthood that includes ethnographic research in Lesotho, a southern African nation.

Get on board: Computer science senior Megan Charity offers users a better ride through virtual reality

As the sophistication of virtual reality (VR) increases, so does an old-school problem: motion sickness.

VCU team places third in Biomedical Engineering Society Design Competition

A VCU College of Engineering team advised by Christopher A. Lemmon, Ph.D., won third place at the 2018 Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Undergraduate Design Competition.

WeatherCubes: Thinking Globally, Measuring Locally

The conversation about climate change continues to heat up but it’s hard to translate global changes to something that’s relevant on a local level. The latest collaboration between VCU’s College of Engineering and the Science Museum of Virginia seeks to rectify that, building on a series of studies that focus on monitoring the environment right here in Richmond. Best of all, with the new WeatherCubes service-learning project, students get hands-on experience in life science engineering with immediate real-world benefits.

New computing specialization offered to VCU undergraduates in all majors

VCU College of Engineering’s Department of Computer Science is offering a new specialization in fundamentals of computing open to VCU undergraduates regardless of their school, college or major. To earn the specialization, students must complete four courses.

VCU Engineering students lead the pack in powering the future

Virginia Commonwealth University students won the top awards at Dominion Energy’s first-ever Power the Future design-a-thon, hosted by the VCU College of Engineering, Oct. 20-21.

In the news: Richmond-Times Dispatch

VCU Engineering’s dean is in the news. Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the VCU College of Engineering, was interviewed by Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter Michael Martz for an article about university partnerships with the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM).

VCU launches ‘Innovation Challenges’ competition to solve problems facing education, energy and health

How can technology improve outcomes in K-12 and higher education? What is the future of electric vehicle charging in Virginia? And how can emerging technologies — such as the Internet of Things, virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence — improve the health of the Richmond community and beyond? Over the next month, teams of students at Virginia Commonwealth University will compete to provide answers to these questions as part of a new competition, VCU Innovation Challenges 2018, with a chance at $10,000 in prizes and services.

Unmet needs in assistive technology and prosthetics take center stage at VCU College of Engineering’s HealthHacks Nov. 3-4, 2018

Students from multiple universities and disciplines will join veterans, healthcare innovators and mentors in the VCU College of Engineering on Nov. 3-4, 2018, for the third annual HealthHacks, a 24-hour problem-solving marathon. Student teams will create new ideas and innovations in assistive technologies and prosthetics for unmet needs presented by mentors from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans and rehabilitation specialists. More than 200 student participants are expected. Throughout the event, veterans along with engineering, medical faculty and industry professionals will be on-hand for mentoring, technical guidance and feedback on concepts.

Making car batteries with biocarbon derived from corn?

Ram B. Gupta, Ph.D., associate dean for faculty research development at the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering and a professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, is testing a method to convert a corn processing waste byproduct into a valuable renewable source to power the batteries in electric and hybrid vehicles.

Braden Goddard, Ph.D., receives Young Former Student Award from Texas A&M University’s Department of Nuclear Engineering

Braden Goddard, Ph.D., assistant professor in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has received a Young Former Student Award from Texas A&M University's Department of Nuclear Engineering.

VCU College of Engineering selected to host 2019 IEEE Magnetics Society Summer School

The Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering has been selected to host the IEEE Magnetics Society Summer School June 2-7, 2019. The event, which is held on a different continent each year, will bring approximately 100 of the world’s top doctoral candidates in magnetics research to Richmond for a series of lectures on advanced topics in magnetism by international experts. This conference is funded by IEEE Magnetics Society, the National Science Foundation and VCU College of Engineering.

VCU’s DAR newsletter features Philip O’Connor

VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) newsletter selected Philip O’Connor, executive director of the College of Engineering Foundation and Corporate Relations, as its “DAR-ling.” In his interview with DAR, O’Connor talks about handling rejection, places he likes to take his dog and why employers are eager to partner with the college.

Students Develop Rapid Nicotine Test for E-Cigarettes

VCU students are designing tools that law enforcement officials could someday use to quickly detect nicotine in e-cigarettes being sold illegally to minors.

Andy Hobson wins VCU Alumni GOLD Award

Andrew “Andy” Hobson (B.S. ’12) has a talent for planning events and programs that connect VCU engineering alumni, students, staff and faculty with members of the larger community.

Hunter Andrews and Justin Bresson recognized in the 2018 Innovations in Nuclear Technology R&D Awards

Two students in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering have received awards in the 2018 Innovations in Nuclear Technology R&D Awards, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

In the News: Richmond Times-Dispatch

VCU Engineering community members are making headlines. Leaders of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Computer Science were featured in a front-page story about cybersecurity in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Erdem Topsakal, Ph.D., serves on the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative’s executive committee.

Supathorn Phongikaroon, Ph.D., to direct VCU's nuclear engineering education program

The VCU College of Engineering has named Supathorn Phongikaroon, Ph.D., director of nuclear engineering. A nationally recognized expert on nuclear waste minimization, Phongikaroon is an associate professor in the College of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.

Fundamental research hailed as “new horizon” in hypersonic flight

Mohamed Gad-el-Hak, Ph.D., professor emeritus in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, together with investigators at the University of Peking, China, has revealed an aerodynamic heating mechanism that sheds new light on the behavior of ultra-high-speed aircraft. Their discovery comes as news outlets including CBS, CNN and the Washington Post are reporting on the tightening race among China, the U.S. and Russia for dominance in hypersonic systems, aircraft and weapons that travel more than five times the speed of sound.

Richmond Inno’s 25 Under 25

Four recent VCU Engineering alumni — and one current student — made the top 25 under 25 list from Richmond Inno, which covers the innovation ecosystem in Richmond, Virginia.

Record-breaking attendance and dazzling innovations at fifth annual RamHacks

The fifth annual RamHacks, held September 22-23 in VCU Engineering’s East Hall, brought together 320 students from universities across the region for an adrenaline-fueled all-nighter of designing and coding.

Meet the 2018-19 Wright Scholars

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. Wright designed his gift to help qualified students, especially nontraditional students, earn an engineering degree without dependence on loans.

Research interns Rami Dahman and Angelica Sunga receive VMEC Gold Scholar Awards

Rami Dahman and Angelica Sunga, seniors in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received Gold Scholar Awards for their research projects with the Virginia Microelectronics Consortium (VMEC) Summer Scholars Program.

VCU Engineering hosts RamHacks, one of the nation’s top hackathons, Sept. 22-23, 2018

Who holds the No. 1 computer science hackathon in the U.S.? The Department of Computer Science at the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, according to 2018 rankings by the official student hackathon league Major League Hacking.

Cydney Dennis wins SREB award

Cydney Dennis, a biomedical engineering doctoral student, has won an Institutional Award through the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program.

Department of Biomedical Engineering hosts undergraduate research experience

A dozen undergraduate students from VCU and other universities around the country got the chance to participate in research related to mechanobiology of disease and nanomedicine at VCU Engineering over the summer.

Biomedical engineering service learning course helps abroad and at home

Students taking a new service learning course at the VCU College of Engineering are gaining hands-on skills in repairing medical equipment to help patients in need, both locally in Richmond and overseas in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Engineering, arts and medicine collaboration creates 3-D training model for resident surgeons

Collaborators from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, School of the Arts and College of Engineering have designed a training model that provides surgery residents a new tool to practice their skills in the operating room.

First Look: Meet some fantastic new VCU students as they settle into their first semester.

Virginia Commonwealth University’s newest students — all 6,000 of them — are settling into their first semester on campus. VCU News caught up with seven as they begin classes and build their routines.

VCU College of Engineering welcomes 12 new faculty members

The VCU College of Engineering’s faculty continues to expand. The college’s 12 new faculty have added expertise in a wide range of fields that include cybersecurity, pharmaceutical engineering, biomedical engineering, and alternative energy. A number of VCU Engineering’s current faculty members have also received academic promotions.

Engineering East Hall makes “50 Reasons to love VCU” list

VCU’s Spring 2018 alumni magazine published a list of 50 reasons to love VCU. Engineering East Hall, with its prime location for collaboration and fun, made the list.

$3M grant will greatly expand STEM female faculty recruitment, retention and advancement at VCU

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $2.99 million grant to an interdisciplinary team of faculty women leaders at Virginia Commonwealth University that will increase the recruitment, retention and advancement of STEM female faculty across the university.

VCU researchers explore strategy to give damaged muscles new life

Michael McClure, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, is developing a strategy that could allow a patient to regain use of a severely damaged muscle.

Rebecca Walker wins NASA Fellowship

Rebecca Walker, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, has been selected for a NASA Fellowship Activity award.

Justine Drobitch receives National Science Foundation-funded internship

Doctoral student Justine Drobitch will spend six months interning in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the 2018-19 academic year. Her internship is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN) program. Her adviser is Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., Commonwealth Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Robert Klenke, Ph.D., reflects on nearly two decades of teaching at VCU

The university asked Robert Klenke, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering to share his experiences, favorite moments and lessons learned throughout the years.

All dressed up with somewhere to go: How this entrepreneur, transgender activist and RPI graduate lives life out in the open

Rhonda Williams (A.S.’68) has lived a life of dramatic change. She left Halifax County in rural Virginia after high school for the bustling state capital, Richmond. Over the years, she forged a career in the then-nascent field of software engineering, pursued a new path as an entrepreneur, came out as transgender and discovered new skills as an activist for diversity and inclusion.

After Historic SpaceX Debut, Hyperloop at VCU Sets Its Sights on the Future

Cheers erupted from the grandstand when SpaceX officials announced they will host a fourth Hyperloop Pod Competition next year, shortly after declaring the winners of this year’s international competition in Hawthorne, California.

VCU Awarded $1M to Engage More Students in Science, Regardless of Background

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has selected 33 colleges and universities, including Virginia Commonwealth University, for its 2018 Inclusive Excellence initiative, which aims to help schools find ways to engage more students in science — especially those from underrepresented groups, such as minorities, first-generation students and working adults with families.

Fascinated by technology and drawn to art, Tammi Chen brings eye for detail to VCU’s Hyperloop quest

Mechanical engineering undergraduate student Tammi Chen was not interested in buying a miniature BB-8 “Star Wars” toy. She wanted a bigger one — a robot whose body could actually roll around. Teaming up last summer with a friend, she said, “We can totally build one. So we did.”

Hyperloop at VCU: Meet the Dream Team

Get to know the leaders of the team that’s making VCU history!

The business behind Hyperloop at VCU

No one eats pizza in Powhatan County when Harrison Powers is out of town. That may be an exaggeration, but pizza consumption undoubtedly declines when Powers — who has been the sole delivery driver for the county’s only Pizza Hut for the past three months — matriculates at Virginia Commonwealth University.

This Quidditch-Playing Criminal Justice Major Is Helping Build the Transportation System of Tomorrow

Samantha Kaputa is studying criminal justice at Virginia Commonwealth University with plans to pursue a career in law enforcement, maybe in the CIA or as a K-9 police officer. She’s also on VCU’s Quidditch team, playing the positions of beater and seeker.

Team founder crafts vision for Hyperloop at VCU

Richmond-area orchid-business owner Art Chadwick knew that his son, Arthur, an astronomy enthusiast, had always been fascinated by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. But when Chadwick’s son, a mechanical engineering major in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, started talking excitedly about Musk’s futuristic transportation concept known as Hyperloop, he admits he was a bit lost.

Scientist, Artist, Inventor, Dean: The Many Sides of Shawn Brixey

At first glance, Shawn Brixey’s lab looks like any other in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering. For starters, there are optical isolation tables, lasers, video microscopes, circuit board printers, oscilloscopes, and computer numeric control machine tools. It looks and feels a lot like a hybrid physics/engineering lab.

The Sprint to SpaceX: Inside VCU’s Dash to Beat the Clock — and the Odds — at the Hyperloop Finals

At 6 p.m. on the most beautiful Saturday in June, five sleep-deprived students hunch silently around a table as a fluorescent light hums overhead. A wrench or drill occasionally cuts through the quiet. But there are few words. Like athletes or surgeons, they know the task — and each other’s rhythms — well enough to speak in the shorthand of nods, gestures and eye contact.

Hyperloop at VCU finishes construction of SpaceX Hyperloop competition pod

A Virginia Commonwealth University student team — part of an elite group of 20 teams selected internationally to advance to the final round of the 2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition this summer — today unveiled its fully constructed competition pod vehicle to the Richmond community.

VCU Engineering’s Marketing and Communications Team Recognized at 71st Annual Virginia Public Relations Awards

VCU College of Engineering’s Marketing and Communications team received three awards at the 71st Annual Virginia Public Relations Awards on May 24. Each year, the Richmond chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) recognizes outstanding public relations professionals and their work at the Virginia Public Relations Awards. The Public Relations Society of America is the nation’s largest professional organization serving the communications community.

Hyperloop at VCU students to unveil pod for SpaceX competition

Hyperloop at VCU, the student team competing in Elon Musk’s 2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition finals, will unveil its self-propelled transport pod vehicle to the Richmond community before it ships to California for the July competition.

VCU blasts into SpaceX Hyperloop finals

No one — not even Arthur Chadwick — could have known last summer that Virginia Commonwealth University had a shot of advancing to the finals of the 2018 international Hyperloop competition, the SpaceX-sponsored event that challenges university teams to design and build the best transport pod for Elon Musk’s high-speed ground transportation system.

VCU College of Engineering holds groundbreaking ceremony for new collaboration, research and makerspace facility

University, business and government leaders gathered Tuesday, June 5, to officially break ground for the VCU College of Engineering’s new Engineering Research Building (ERB). Slated to open in 2020, the 133,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will transform the northeast corner of Cary and Belvidere Streets and serve as a collaboration hub to support advanced research, economic development and hands-on approaches to engineering.

Biomedical Engineering Graduate Wins OZY Genius Award

Alexandria Ritchie, a 2018 biomedical engineering graduate of the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, is one of 10 OZY Genius Award winners selected nationally for her idea to develop a pressure-sensing epidural needle device.

Fulbright Scholar Develops Technology to Bring Independence to People with Disabilities

When Shawn Joshi was 14, his brother suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. Joshi was able to find technological solutions for the family’s day-to-day life, and has carried that idea with him to this day.

Engineering Students, Recent Grads Spent Senior Year Tackling Augmented Reality

Cory Gray spent his senior year at Virginia Commonwealth University working with classmates from the College of Engineering and School of Business developing an augmented reality app for Newport News Shipbuilding. “The biggest thing I got out of this was project management,” said Gray, a recent computer science graduate. “I had to learn how to work with my teammates and, at times, manage them. Through this whole process, I learned about what kind of leader I am. Now that we [have come] to the end, I can reflect on that and think about how I can improve as a leader and a coworker.”

UROP Spotlight: Using Zebrafish to Study Neuron Development

VCU’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) gives undergraduate students a chance to conduct real-world studies alongside nationally and internationally recognized faculty. It often represents one of the biggest highlights of their undergraduate careers.

Experts from VCU’s College of Engineering and Wilder School Explain Why Virginia Should Expand Distributed Solar Energy Usage

Distributed solar energy can provide at least 5 to 10 percent of the nation’s electricity demand, without causing negative impacts to the electrical grid or significant rate increases for consumers, according to new research by a Wilder School expert in alternative energy.

Brandon Watts Will Be the First in His Family to Graduate from College. Here’s How He Did It.

Computer Science major Brandon Watts grew up in a home without internet. He nearly didn’t go to college — “I was looking at going into the military for a few years to pay for school,” he said. And he nearly didn’t go to VCU, only applying the day before the deadline at his mother’s insistence.

Alumni spotlight: Jose Ortiz

Once a computer engineering student learning coding and operating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in the lab of Robert Klenke, Ph.D., Jose Ortiz (B.S. ’08; M.S. ’10) now serves as the Avionics Technical Lead for Facebook’s Aquila project. Aquila, a solar-powered aircraft, seeks to bring the internet to remote regions of the world by beaming coverage from the sky. Ortiz said, “Facebook has provided a refreshing take to aeronautical engineering by allowing an environment where higher risks can be taken in order to create high impact systems to connect people.”

Bridget McInnes, Ph.D., Named a 2018 Outstanding Faculty Mentor

Each year, the VCU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program accepts nominations from students for our “Outstanding Faculty Mentor” Awards. Undergraduate researchers are asked to identify a professor or faculty mentor who regularly goes above and beyond to create and engage students in research opportunities.

Doctoral Candidate Lauren Griggs to Receive VCU’s Presidential Award for Community Multicultural Enrichment

Biomedical engineering doctoral candidate Lauren Griggs will receive VCU’s Presidential Award for Community Multicultural Enrichment (PACME) on April 26, 2018. PACME Awards honor members of the VCU and VCU Health System communities whose extraordinary efforts have built civility, cross-cultural understanding and inclusive excellence throughout the university. Griggs will receive the 2018 PACME Student Award.

VCU Engineering Researcher’s Study to Power Next Generation Optical Telecommunications Published in the Journal Nature

Nathaniel Kinsey, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, is investigating methods to make information transfer across the internet faster through cutting-edge research called plasmonics. Plasmonics harnesses the interaction between an electromagnetic field and free electrons in a metal, often for use in sensing and information technology applications.

VCU’s engineering school becomes the VCU College of Engineering

Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Engineering is now the VCU College of Engineering. This change reflects the college’s increase in programs, research, faculty and student census, and supports its mission to advance a collaborative, creative and entrepreneurial engineering culture.

Computer Science Major Receives NSF Graduate Fellowship for Research on the Internet of Things

Steven Hernandez, a senior computer science student, has received a fellowship appointment to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). The award provides tuition and a stipend for up to five years. The fellowship program supports outstanding graduate students with “demonstrated potential to contribute to strengthening the vitality of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise.”

Engineering Student Researches Machine Learning Related to Language Processing

Clint Cuffy has always been interested in machine learning — the area of computer science in which computers use data to learn how to perform tasks, rather than being specifically programmed to do those tasks. But he lacked the opportunity to delve into the subject.

NSF awards VCU a $1.2M grant to train math and science teachers for the Richmond region

The National Science Foundation has awarded $1.2 million to a Virginia Commonwealth University scholarship program that recruits science, technology, engineering and math students and trains them to serve as secondary school math and science teachers in the Richmond region.

VCU’s schools of Education and Engineering Receive Army Grant to Promote STEM Engagement in High-Needs Schools

VCU’s schools of Education and Engineering have received a $50,000 one-year grant from the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) to engage students from the Richmond region’s high-needs schools in the Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) program. JSS is an educational program that challenges students to create fast, interesting, well-crafted solar vehicles.

Students Present Innovative Prototypes at Annual VCU Engineering Design Expo

The Capstone Design course teaches leadership, teamwork and design skills in a collaborative environment and provides students the opportunity to develop and complete projects that may lead to product innovation for the benefit of society. Each year in the fall semester, student teams can compete for additional financial support for their projects through a generous gift from Mark A. Sternheimer.

Hyperloop Team on a Mission: Build Pod for SpaceX’s Final Round of Competition

After advancing through two preliminary rounds to become one of only 11 teams in the United States and one of only 20 teams across the globe earning the honor to compete in the final round of SpaceX’s Hyperloop Pod Competition, the Hyperloop at VCU team is now in the final sprint to make their pod design a reality and get it to the final competition in California.

Demo Day showcases VCU student-led startups as they compete for $25,000 in funding

A new kind of patio door system that can open as a French door or as a sliding glass door. A nonprofit funeral home serving Richmond. A phone application to assist children, especially with autism, assimilate to new health care environments through virtual reality. A catheter that is more resistant to bacterial infection. A dating service for people with terminal or chronic illnesses and severe physical or mental disabilities.

VCU Professors Join Elite Biomedical Engineering Group

Three Virginia Commonwealth University professors have joined the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, an elite group that comprises the top 2 percent of medical and biological engineers nationally.

VCU’S NUCLEAR ENGINEERING GRADUATE PROGRAM IS RANKED NUMBER 24 BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

VCU Engineering’s nuclear engineering graduate program is ranked no. 24 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. VCU is the only university in Virginia with an accredited undergraduate nuclear engineering major concentration, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. programs in mechanical and nuclear engineering. VCU Engineering also offers the country’s only hybrid doctorate in mechanical and nuclear engineering.

Manic Is General Chair and Keynote Speaker in Major Conferences

Milos Manic, Ph.D., professor of computer science, will be a general chair of the annual conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IECON) Oct. 21-23 in Washington, D.C. Now in its 44th year, the conference is expected to draw more than 1,000 researchers from around the world.

From the Next Avenue news website:

People are talking about research being done at the VCU School of Engineering.

Chemical engineering researcher will send experiments with foams and emulsions to International Space Station

James Ferri, Ph.D., professor of chemical and life science engineering, is part of an international team of researchers collaborating with NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) to send experiments on the behavior of foams and emulsions to the International Space Station (ISS). The team’s findings will be transferred to industry for applications ranging from medicine to food science to a world of consumer goods.

VCU Engineering student team selected for 2018 National Academy of Inventors Student Innovation Showcase

The Brise-solette student team of Virginia Commonwealth University has been selected to participate in the 2018 Student Innovation Showcase hosted by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). The VCU team is one of only six in the nation chosen to compete in the showcase, held April 6, 2018, at the Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection in Washington, D.C. as the closing event of the Seventh Annual Conference of the NAI. Finalists were selected based on the novelty, potential benefit to society, potential for commercialization and technical feasibility of their technology.

Gupton and McQuade to Receive ACS Affordable Green Chemistry Award

B. Frank Gupton, Ph.D., the Floyd D. Gottwald Jr. Chair and chair of the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, and D. Tyler McQuade, Ph.D., professor of chemical engineering, will receive the 2018 American Chemical Society (ACS) Award for Affordable Green Chemistry.

Leveraging Twitter Sentiment with Data Science: CS Researchers Design Systems for More Emotionally Aware Social Media

Three assistant professors in the Department of Computer Science (CS) in Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Engineering are developing algorithms that can help the online news and social networking service Twitter detect attitudes and feelings, and even identify hate speech. Bartosz Krawczyk, Ph.D., Bridget McInnes, Ph.D., and Alberto Cano, Ph.D., have designed a robust system to computationally determine whether a tweet is positive or negative. This process, called sentiment analysis, is valuable to marketers and political consultants. It is also used to monitor social phenomena and spot potentially dangerous situations.

VCU Team Advances in Cyber Defense Competition

A student team from the VCU School of Engineering will advance to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Finals of the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, the nation’s biggest student cyber defense competition. VCU’s team competed with 33 others for eight slots in the Regional Finals.

VCU's schools of Engineering and the Arts partnered to screen film about movie star — and electrical engineer — Hedy Lamarr

Members of the VCU schools of Engineering and the Arts, as well as the community, gathered at the university’s Grace Street Theatre for a screening of “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story,” an award-winning documentary about about the legendary screen actress’ little-known — but important — contributions to science and engineering.

VCU’s DAR newsletter features VCU Engineering director of marketing and communications

VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) newsletter selected Kendra Gerlach, director of marketing and communications in the School of Engineering, as its “DAR-ling.” In her interview with DAR, Gerlach reveals why she chose VCU Engineering, where you might find her on the weekend — and an art form she has been practicing since age three.

Engineering Student Explores AI and the Allure of Travel During Semester-long Study Abroad in Scotland

Growing up in Virginia Beach, Corey Sutphin rarely ventured outside of the Hampton Roads area. In fact, a trip to North Carolina to visit his grandfather was the only time he breached the Virginia state line as a kid. His journey to Richmond to attend Virginia Commonwealth University was a near-epic one in the context of his youth, and he kept his travel to modest distances through his first three years in college.

Computer science students land jobs with top tech companies

Graduation is months away, but computer science seniors DongChen “Jay” Guan, Stuart Geipel, Quark Wei, as well as master’s student Chase Greco (B.S.’17), already have job offers from top tech companies.

VCU School of Engineering receives GO Virginia funding to support commercialization of pharmaceutical manufacturing technology

GO Virginia announced Feb. 13 that the VCU School of Engineering has been awarded a grant intended to spur economic development across the region. The $500,000 grant will support commercialization efforts to implement FDA-approved, sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing in Virginia using innovative, low-cost technologies while also increasing the highly skilled workforce needed to support the pharmaceutical industry.

Doctoral Student Daniel Bond’s Research Will Help NASA Improve Protective Materials for Deep Space Travel

Research by Daniel Bond, a doctoral student in VCU’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, will help NASA engineer better barriers against the much-higher radiation levels astronauts will face in deep space. As the agency prepares to send crews beyond Earth’s lower orbit, it needs spacecraft that protect against strong space radiation.

VCU Engineering is expanding: announcing VCU’s new Engineering Research Building

A state-of-the-art research building slated to open at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering in 2020 will significantly expand the school’s laboratory capacity and serve as a collaboration hub with large areas of open space.

Jayasimha Atulasimha, Ph.D., Is Named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Jayasimha Atulasimha, Ph.D., Qimonda Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has been named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). One of the oldest engineering societies, ASME is active in 158 countries. Fellowship is conferred on approximately three percent of ASME members.

VCU Team One of 20 Selected Internationally for 2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition Finals

Hyperloop at VCU, a student organization devoted to designing and building a transportation pod for SpaceX's 2018 Hyperloop Pod Competition, has advanced to the final round this summer. The competition challenges university teams to design and build the best transport pod for Hyperloop, a high-speed ground transport concept being advanced by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. The primary criterion is achieving maximum speed with the self-propelled pod vehicle.

For students in VCU’s Pre-X program, no idea is too big or too small

David Vu, a fourth-year doctoral candidate in VCU’s School of Pharmacy, is taking part in Pre-X as he develops a mobile application to help children, especially those with autism, to assimilate to health care environments by using virtual reality.

VCU Engineering Professor Receives Governor’s Highest Award for Teaching Excellence

Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., Commonwealth Professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering, is a recipient of the 2018 State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) Outstanding Faculty Award.

VCU Researcher Develops Advanced Alternative to Glaucoma Eye Drops

Hu Yang, Ph.D., Qimonda Professor in the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering at the VCU School of Engineering, is developing novel medication formulations through nanotechnology that could help glaucoma patients preserve their eyesight. Yang is working on systems to deliver a sustained release of medication that can be applied to the eye so patients would no longer need to use eye drops several times a day. “We had some very exciting results,” he said of one such formulation. One dose may be effective for four days, rather than only several hours, he said.

Daniel Conway, Ph.D., Receives Biomedical Engineering Society CMBE Rising Star Award

Daniel Conway, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the VCU School of Engineering, received the Rising Star Award at the 2018 Biomedical Engineering Society - Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (BMES-CMBE) Conference. The Rising Star Award designates exceptional early career principal investigators. Conway was one of eight awardees selected internationally.

Nathaniel Kinsey, Ph.D., Receives Air Force Research Award to Study How Light Interacts with — and Changes — Materials

Lasers, Blu-ray players and Google cars are just a few of the technologies that operate using light waves. Specialty materials with enhanced optical properties can streamline the design of these and other devices and make them work more efficiently. With an Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) grant, Nathaniel Kinsey, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is conducting research to develop optically enhanced materials.

Cool Runnings: For MNE Alumnus Brad Trevillian (B.S.’06), Internships and Capstone Set a Path for Leadership with Trane

Today, Brad Trevillian (B.S.’06) oversees a $500 million revenue stream for air conditioning giant Trane. He said VCU’s engineering program gave him a solid foundation in keeping things cool — and making it real.

Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Presents at Conference

Patrick Link, a doctoral student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, recently presented his research at the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society Americas (TERMIS-AM) annual conference and exhibition.

Robert J. Mattauch, Ph.D., Receives IEEE’s 2018 Microwave Pioneer Award

Robert J. Mattauch, Ph.D., dean emeritus of the VCU School of Engineering and the founding chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been selected to receive the 2018 Microwave Pioneer Award of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S).

VCU Hyperloop Team Makes It to Final Round of SpaceX Competition

VCU’s new student Hyperloop team has made it to the final round and will be competing in SpaceX's 2018 Hyperloop Pod Competition this summer.