Engineering, the Environment, & Beyond

An article from the San Jose Mercury News, details the formation of a team of researchers working pro bono in response to the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Deepwater Horizon Study Group was organized by Dr. Robert Bea, P.E. (FL A ’60). Dr. Bea and the group “plan to issue the first of their monthly reports to the national commission” in July.

Read the article for more on Dr. Bea’s previous work and the current efforts of the Study Group

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In a news release from the University of Washington, the details of a recent grant from the U.S. Department of Energy are highlighted.

Together with area firm NBBJ, UW researchers were awarded a grant “to extend nationally a model that reduces hospital energy use by 60 percent.”

One key area of focus to reduce energy consumption is heating. Other strategies included in “the new hospital design” include, “goal setting, energy modeling, architecture, building systems, and plant systems.”

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NASA has awarded a grant to the University of Kentucky “to develop a CuteLab bus that will be used to carry out astrobionics research aboard the International Space Station.”

Professors, Dr. Suzanne Smith, Ph.D. (SC A ’77), and Dr. James Lumpp (IN A ’88), are the primary researchers on the project.

Read the project abstract and learn more about NASA’s grant in here

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