While we can’t shrink surgeons down to the size of a neuron, engineers are rapidly advancing technologies that operate at scale with cells and their even smaller components. Technology at the micro- and nanoscales opens up a new frontier of opportunities when it comes to fighting disease and increasing the quality of human health.
Creating a future healthcare system that is innovative, sustainable and equitable will not happen without engineers, and Penn Engineering, in partnership with Penn Medicine, is uniquely positioned to be a leader in addressing this challenge.
How can musicians gather together for live performances when the usual methods employed to combat the spread of respiratory viruses like COVID-19 (masks, plexiglass dividers and of course… no gathering) cannot be used? In 2020, The Philadelphia Orchestra sought the expertise of Penn Engineers Paulo Arratia and Douglas Jerolmack to answer this question.
Controlling microscopic processes is inherently challenging. The everyday tools we use to manipulate matter on the macroscale can’t simply be shrunk down to the size of a cell, and even if they could, the physical forces they rely on work differently when their targets are measured in nanometers. But while it’s no easy feat, attaining this type of control would pay enormous dividends.
Moore’s Law has been gospel in the electronics world for more than half a century, but it may be nearing its end, says Deep Jariwala. With state-of-the-art transistors already smaller than a hundred silicon atoms across, it will eventually be impossible to go any smaller, creating a minor crisis for engineers: If silicon is already pushed to its limit, how can they improve upon the performance of electronics in the future?
In a few short decades, 3D printing has gone from unique to ubiquitous. It’s used nearly everywhere, from making toys and gadgets in classrooms nationwide to manufacturing new parts on the International Space Station. Ellie Weinstein (MEAM ’19) has a different venue in mind for this emerging technology, however: the kitchen.
Postdoctoral fellows are an integral part of the success of any top-tier research university. While they are considered trainees who benefit from a full-time research experience and mentorship from investigators who are often at the forefront of their fields, they are also essential contributors to new research that advances their institution and positively impacts the world.
In today’s ever-expanding world of content and entertainment, video games have taken center stage. Penn Engineering students are uniquely equipped to navigate the modern gaming industry as their training in the Digital Media Design (DMD) program prepares them to approach game development with technical rigor and creative insight.
The Studios @ Venture Labs, a collaboration between Penn Engineering and Wharton, are a collection of workspaces and labs located in Tangen Hall that allow Penn students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation to access digital and analog fabrication technologies in order to rapidly make their ideas a reality.
Penn Engineering’s Fall 2022 News highlights a whirlwind of innovation, education and community, from hosting the global ICRA robotics conference and unveiling the new REV7 electric racecar, to launching an online MSE-DS Data Science degree, receiving a $3M NSF grant for data-driven soft-materials research and expanding online program scholarships.