A new project from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to develop a predictive model for how tiny virus particles behave in the lungs holds the potential to significantly impact COVID research.

This spring, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the first technological research university in the United States, will award a total of 2,063 degrees — 119 doctoral degrees, 425 master’s degrees, and 1,519 bachelor’s degrees — to 2,033 students, some of whom have earned multiple degrees. These accomplishments will be celebrated during the 216th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 21, beginning at 8:15 a.m. in the East Campus Athletic Village stadium on the Rensselaer campus.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai today announced the creation of the Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine (CEPM), one of the first centers in the nation to bridge engineering and engineering science with medicine. This undertaking will build on a wealth of shared basic research discoveries, explore unique therapeutic innovations in cancer, Alzheimer’s and a myriad of infectious diseases; educate a new generation of biomedical leaders; and develop new technologies and processes that enhance patient outcomes in unprecedented ways.

Rensselaer Professor Jonathan Dordick and collaborators from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Albany Medical College have been awarded $500,000 from the New York State Biodefense Commercialization Fund to engage in research for the development of a Pentosan Polysulfate (PPS)-based nasal spray to block COVID-19.

Rensselaer Professor Michael Amitay has been awarded $800,000 from the Department of Defense as part of the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) to engage in research to advance the study of unsteady aerodynamics.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been awarded $607,505 from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) to help develop technologies to resolve the waste and storage challenges associated with Advanced Nuclear Reactor fuel cycles.

Two new research projects from the School of Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have been selected by the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute to receive funding to develop tools that will address critical aspects of robotic manufacturing technologies. The projects were chosen as they focus on modernization priorities set by the U.S. Department of Defense while strengthening U.S. manufacturing and empowering workers.

Manoj R. Shah, former Professor of Practice at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) for his “technical advancements in design, analysis, and applications of electric machines.” As a Professor of Practice in Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering (ECSE) at Rensselaer, Dr. Shah taught courses in electric power engineering bringing theory and practice together. Dr. Shah continues his engagement with the ECSE department at Rensselaer as a Senior Research Scientist.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has named three dynamic new members to the Rensselaer Board of Trustees.

Professor Emily Liu, a condensed matter physicist and nuclear engineer, has been named head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the oldest and one of the most renowned technological research universities in the nation. Dr. Liu is professor of nuclear engineering and engineering physics and brings extensive experience leading and managing multidisciplinary research, including collaborations with engineers, scientists, economists, and psychologists.