Engineering

Every day, Americans rely on engineered systems such as bridges, buildings and offshore structures that are subject to extreme weather, earthquakes and a range of other conditions. Knowing how materials used in these systems respond to stressors is crucial to creating components that successfully and efficiently do the job.

Engineers rely on mathematical models to predict how the materials they use will react to stressors. However, some “state-of-the-art” models for ductile metals that have been in place for years have… Read more

Biologists and ecologists monitor wildlife to learn more about their behaviors, but tracking small creatures can be challenging, time-consuming and costly. Through a National Science Foundation grant, a multidisciplinary team at Northern Arizona University—led by Michael Shafer, associate professor of mechanical engineering; Carol Chambers, professor of wildlife ecology; and Paul Flikkema, professor of electrical engineering—has developed technology that could revolutionize the way this research is conducted through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Better yet, the scientists are… Read more