News

Though the da Vinci Surgical System seems like cutting-edge technology, most surgeons are quick to admit that it a first-generation device — the model T Ford of its kind. Strong collaborations exist between Vanderbilt University Medical Center surgeons and School of Engineering engineers, allowing development of the next generation of… Read More

Vanderbilt engineering alumnus Brad Jaeger, BE’07 is part of an elite group of nine vehicles from seven teams that will continue in their pursuit of a multimillion dollar prize for super fuel-efficient cars. Jaeger is the Director of Research and Development for the Virginia-based team called Edison2. The Progressive Insurance… Read More

Two Vanderbilt engineering assistant professors have received prestigious 2010 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program awards. Jamey Young, chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Haoxiang Luo, mechanical engineering, each received awards totaling $400,000, issued for the next five years. Young’s grant – Metabolic Determinants of Programmed Cell Death… Read More

What do an astrophysicist studying how black holes merge, a chemist predicting the biological characteristics of novel proteins, a psychologist investigating decision-making and a mechanical engineer studying how nanotubes transport heat have in common? They all need tremendous amounts of computer power to conduct their research and they all will… Read More

John Leith Potter, internationally known as a pioneer in the aerodynamics of jet fighters, rockets and spacecraft, died July 20 in Homewood, Ala. He was 87. The chief designer of a unique, highly successful wind tunnel for studies of rarefied hypersonic flow, Potter was invited to give the review lecture… Read More

Professor G. Kane Jennings, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, with doctoral student Juan Tuberquia and undergraduate student Nabijan Nizamidin, was awarded the 2010 Arthur K. Doolittle Award from the American Chemical Society. L-R, Nabijan Nizamidin, Professor G. Kane Jennings, Juan Tuberquia. The award is given to… Read More

The Division of Sponsored Research received notification in June that the following grants in excess of $25,000 had been awarded to engineering faculty members: Theodore A. Bapty, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has received an award in the amount of $77,000 by the Department of Energy for “Lattice QCD SCIDAC: … Read More

Peter Pintauro, H. Eugene McBrayer Professor of Chemical Engineering and chair of the chemical and biomolecular engineering, has been named a fellow of the Electrochemical Society (ECS). A mark of high distinction, the fellowship was established in 1989 and recognizes individuals who have significantly contributed to electrochemistry and solid-state sciences… Read More

Vanderbilt mechanical engineering students have designed a thermoelectric generator for aerospace applications that elicited strong accolades at the spring 2010 NASA-sponsored University Launch Initiative and won the Payload Design prize. It has no moving parts and can convert some of the waste exhaust heat into usable electrical power. Read More

Cynthia Warner As the former head of global refining for BP, alumnus Cynthia Warner was one of Big Oil’s highest-ranking woman executives until she abandoned petroleum to become president of a small San Diego-based alternative-energy firm, Sapphire Energy in 2009. Warner has more than 27 years of experience in the… Read More