TROY, N.Y. — Two-dimensional semiconductors, particularly those made of a class of material known as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), hold exciting potential for a range of current and future technologies, like solar cells, LED lights, and quantum computing. But the field is fairly new, and there is still much that is unknown.

A new degree program in biological neuroscience at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute explores the structure and function of the brain and nervous system. The major, which was recently approved by the New York State Education Department, will be offered beginning in the spring 2020 semester through the Rensselaer Department of Biological Sciences.

TROY, N.Y. – Hundreds of high school students will gather on the campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, January 4, for the season kickoff of the 2020 FIRST ® Robotics Competition. At the event, teams will learn the details of this year’s challenge — FIRST RISE, powered by Star Wars: Force for Change.

TROY, N.Y. — As the lithium-ion batteries that power most phones, laptops, and electric vehicles become increasingly fast-charging and high-performing, they also grow increasingly expensive and flammable.

TROY, N.Y. — Whether you’re traveling for work or for fun, nothing ruins the start of a trip quite like jet lag. Engineers affiliated with the Lighting Enabled Systems & Applications (LESA) Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a way to deliver personalized advice using smart wearable technology that would help travelers adjust more quickly.

As the year comes to a close, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute congratulates all of the members of the faculty and staff who retired this year and thanks them for all they did for the Rensselaer community!

The online master’s degree in mechanical engineering offered by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was recently ranked among the country’s best by Intelligent.com, an independent website specializing in higher education information.

In Nano Letters, researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute recently demonstrated how they could harness promising characteristics of one such material — vanadium dioxide (VO2) — in order to lay the groundwork for practical application in future technologies.

In a research project funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), Mariana Figueiro, a professor and the director of the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is investigating whether a tailored lighting intervention can lessen the impact of symptoms in older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

TROY, N.Y. — Cardboard boxes being delivered to homes and businesses — one, two, even three packages at a time — are as ubiquitous as holiday lights this time of year. While most people enjoy giving and receiving gifts throughout the season, there’s increasing concern over the rise in congestion, emissions, and energy consumption associated with an influx of deliveries. A new survey conducted by a research team at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute indicates that some online shoppers are open to receiving packages in another way, if it would help offset this growing problem.