Nature has provided engineers with extraordinary templates for materials and devices. Of particular importance for the development of adhesives are a gecko’s feet. Many sticky materials that mimic the gecko have been developed. However, producing...
November
2015
On a recent talk radio program, Zeynep Ton, the author of the book The Good Jobs Strategy , discussed the defining factors of a good job — fair wages, predictable schedules, and opportunities for growth and success. The last element — opportunities...
November
2015
Success Strategies from Women in STEM: A Portable Mentor, 2nd Edition Peggy A. Pritchard and Christine Grant, Eds., Academic Press, San Diego, CA, $44.95, 518 pages, July 2015, ISBN: 978-0-12397-1-814 This comprehensive guide compiles career advice...
November
2015
Process safety engineering involves the use of fundamental engineering knowledge ( e.g. , thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and kinetics) to develop and apply measures to prevent, mitigate, and respond to catastrophic incidents. The objective of this...
November
2015
Historically, PhD students in fields such as humanities and social sciences were likely to seek a tenure-track faculty position at a research university. But, the increasing number of young professionals pursuing PhDs far outstrips the number of...
Post-impact explosions are responsible for 40% of aviation fatalities. Although jet fuel has improved over the years, it is still flammable on impact. The impact experienced during a plane crash can cause the liquid jet fuel to break up into small...
Sodium-ion batteries have emerged as a promising, low-cost alternative to lithium-ion batteries to store electrical energy for the power grid. Sodium is less expensive, not as toxic, and more abundant than lithium. The problem, however, is their low...
Chief executives of ten global oil and gas companies have jointly declared their support for an effective climate agreement to be reached at the 21st session of the United Nations (UN) Conference of Parties to the UN Framework on Climate Change (...
If Harry Potter were to design solar panels for Hogwarts, his invisibility cloak may come in handy. But rather than providing a sneaky hideout for the wizards, the cloak would conceal dead zones on solar cells. Such a technology would redirect...
Biofuels are not all created equal. Some are made from corn, others from cellulose. And, while most of the biofuels on the market today are ethanol-based, other biofuels are just as, if not more, viable. For example, butanol, a slightly longer-chain...
