News

For the second year in a row, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earthquake engineering experts Ricardo Dobry and Tarek Abdoun have been selected by the Geo-Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to receive the Thomas A. Middlebrooks Award. The award is presented to the author or authors of a paper published by the ASCE judged worthy of special commendation for its merit as a contribution to geotechnical engineering.

Building on what nature has provided, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have improved the efficiency of a leaf and branch compost cutinase that  breaks down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic used in clear and colored plastic water bottles and many other products.

An automatic door control system, an emergency response drone, a specialized drawing board, a planter system that cleans the air, a product to prevent plaque (re)growth on surgical stents, and a novel use of gamification for community security are all winners of the spring 2018 Change the World Challenge student innovation competition at Rensselaer.

Experimental results from the XENON1T dark matter detector limit the effective size of dark matter particles to 4.1X10-47 square centimeters—one-trillionth of one-trillionth of a centimeter squared—the most stringent limit yet determined for dark matter as established by the world’s most sensitive detector.

Li (Emily) Liu, associate professor of nuclear engineering and engineering physics in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been named a fellow of the Executive Leadership in Academic Technology and Engineering program—ELATE at Drexel—a professional development program for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s creditworthiness as A3, citing its large scale of operations, healthy student demand for its technology-oriented programs, growing net tuition revenue, strong fundraising, and President Shirley Ann Jackson’s transformative leadership.

How does a cell know when to divide? We know that hundreds of genes contribute to a wave of activity linked to cell division, but to generate that wave new research shows that cells must first grow large enough to produce four key proteins in adequate amounts.

When legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock took the podium at the 212th Commencement at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, he told a story from his own years as a young graduate, at a time when he was playing piano with the Miles Davis Quintet.

This year, 34 students will graduate from the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and start active military service as officers with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.

On Saturday, May 19, 1,945 students will receive degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the oldest technological research university in the United States, beginning at 8:15 a.m. in the East Campus Athletic Village (ECAV) stadium on campus. They represent the next generation of leaders, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, patent holders, game designers, architects, and innovators, in fields ranging from engineering to architecture, fine arts to science, game design to information technology, and business to active military service.