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Released: 17-Aug-2011 9:00 AM EDT
New Tool Allows First Responders to Visualize Post-Event Disaster Environments
Sandia National Laboratories

Using iPad™ mobile devices, emergency preparedness officials and first responders participating last month in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Level Exercise 2011 (NLE-11)were able, for the first time, to make use of a new, science-based software tool that allows them to view and modify accurate models of building damage and other post-event disaster effects.

Released: 9-Aug-2011 8:00 AM EDT
Improving General Aviation Security; Statistical Model Shows Usual – and Unusual – Activity
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas have developed a statistical model of the typical, day-to-day operations at non-commercial, general aviation airports. The research could help officials detect unusual activity or behavior that might be associated with a security threat.

Released: 19-Jul-2011 2:50 PM EDT
The Coast Guard’s Arctic Agenda Heats Up
Homeland Security's Science And Technology Directorate

With help from DHS Science & Technology Directorate, the Coast Guard charts a course for basic research before Arctic travelers find themselves on thin ice.

Released: 18-Jul-2011 8:30 AM EDT
Earthquake Soil Effects Study Could Improve Buildings
Georgia Institute of Technology, Research Communications

Japan’s March 11 Tohoku Earthquake, among the strongest ever recorded, is providing scientists with a treasure trove of data on rare magnitude 9 earthquakes -- including new information about how a shock this powerful affects the rock and soil beneath the surface.

Released: 12-Jul-2011 8:30 AM EDT
New Report: How to Improve California’s Public Transit System
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law

A new report offers steps that California policy makers and businesses can take to improve the state’s chronically underfunded public transit system. Author Ethan Elkind, a climate change research fellow at the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA schools of law, outlines how a well-funded system could address unemployment, high fuel costs and the long commutes that many Californians face.

Released: 30-Jun-2011 8:00 AM EDT
Students Energize New SLC 'Rail to Trail' Project
University of Utah

The new Nine Line linear park and urban trail on an unused railway corridor will connect two of Salt Lake’s most diverse neighborhoods, a creative example of urban revitalization and cooperation.

Released: 28-Jun-2011 4:00 PM EDT
Mid-Atlantic States' Unique Plan to Replace Dirtiest Trucks
University of Maryland, College Park

Four Mid-Atlantic States will offer one of the nation’s most generous programs to replace old, polluting trucks – short-haul “drays”. It doubles an EPA cash-for-clunkers-style effort with public and private money. "We no longer want our ports to be the place where old trucks go to die," says University of Maryland’s Joanne Throwe, program coordinator.

Released: 24-May-2011 11:55 AM EDT
The Ties That Bind: Making High-speed Rail Tracks Safer Focus of Research
Kansas State University

High-speed rail is poised to rapidly expand across the U.S. and a trio of Kansas State University engineering professors intend to help riders arrive safely.

Released: 11-May-2011 9:00 AM EDT
U.S. High-Speed Rail Objective Is Not Realistic, Says Transportation Expert
Cornell University

Richard Geddes, associate professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell University and author of “The Road to Renewal: Private Investment in U.S. Transportation Infrastructure,” comments on the Department of Transportation’s recent allocation of $2 billion for high-speed rail.

Released: 2-May-2011 1:30 PM EDT
Rensselaer Professor Michael O’Rourke Honored for Influential Snow Loading Research
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

Structural engineering expert Michael O’Rourke has won the prestigious 2011 Walter P. Moore Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The award cites Rourke’s “significant and career-long contributions to the development of structural codes and standards which have advanced the science of snow load engineering both nationally and internationally.” Accurate snow load data is critical for preventing the roofs of buildings from caving in under the weight of snow.

Released: 18-Apr-2011 10:45 AM EDT
Lessons Learned in the Gulf Spill Over Into Engineering Ethics
Binghamton University, State University of New York

It’s been almost a year since a series of explosions ripped through an oil-drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico killing 11 people and spewing millions of gallons of crude oil into the surrounding ocean. As the world watches yet another disaster unfold - the nuclear crisis in Japan - the initial question of ‘what went wrong’ has now become ‘how can we avoid it happening again.’ Binghamton University professor George Catalano has a possible solution. But it calls for a whole-scale re-examination of the engineering profession and its notions of ethical responsibility.

Released: 18-Apr-2011 8:00 AM EDT
On Southwest Airlines’ Boeing 737 Planes, ‘Cracks Weren’t Supposed to Happen,’ Says Cornell Aerospace Expert
Cornell University

Anthony Ingraffea, Cornell University professor of engineering, is an expert in structural aerospace engineering. His research concentrates on computer simulation and physical testing of complex fracturing processes. Ingraffea comments on the recent news that the FAA has ordered very frequent inspections of Boeing 737 airplanes in the Southwest Airlines fleet.

Released: 12-Apr-2011 3:00 PM EDT
Aviation Safety: New Computer Tool Forecasts Icing Hazards
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Aircraft safety is getting a boost from a new computer-generated forecast that provides pilots with critical weather information on the likelihood of encountering dangerous in-flight icing conditions.

Released: 5-Apr-2011 6:00 AM EDT
A Case for Network Neutrality: Charging For Fast Content Only Slows It Down
University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business

As the battle over “network neutrality” continues between supporters and Internet service providers (ISPs), a new study reveals compelling reasons to preserve a free and open world wide web. Economics Professor Benjamin Hermalin, University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, found that the purported benefits of tiered Internet service don’t materialize because over time, a tiered system slows down overall delivery speed.

23-Mar-2011 11:00 AM EDT
Waste Ash from Coal Could Save Billions in Repairing U.S. Bridges & Roads
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Coating concrete destined to rebuild America’s crumbling bridges and roadways with millions of tons of underused flyash waste from burning coal could extend the life of the structures significantly, saving billions of dollars, scientists reported here.

Released: 21-Mar-2011 1:40 PM EDT
Cyberinfrastructure to Meet Peak Demand for Emergency Data in Rural Areas
University of California San Diego

Ahead of the next fire season in parched areas of southern California, research groups at the University of California, San Diego are building a scalable computer infrastructure to provide better access to camera feeds from rural areas when fires, earthquakes, flash floods or other natural disasters hit San Diego County.

Released: 16-Mar-2011 5:00 PM EDT
Japan Crisis Could Cause More Pain at the Pump: Expert Says
University of Alabama at Birmingham

A gallon of gas is already getting pricy, but one UAB professor says the problems in Japan could lead to a domino effect on gas prices.

Released: 16-Mar-2011 8:00 AM EDT
Iodine 131 Greatest Threat in Japanese Nuclear Disaster
Cornell University

Bingham Cady is a professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University. He helped operate Cornell’s now-closed on-campus nuclear reactor and has been a consultant for several nuclear energy companies.

16-Mar-2011 6:00 AM EDT
Japan Tragedy: Secure World Foundation Emphasizes Value of Satellite and Social Media Tools
Secure World Foundation

Earth remote sensing satellites and social networking tools are in use to help respond to the multi-prong tragedy in Japan of earthquake, tsunami, and the crippling of nuclear power plants.

Released: 15-Mar-2011 2:00 PM EDT
Economist, Legal Scholar Argue for Public Infrastructure Investment
Cornell University

Robert Frank, professor of economics at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and Robert Hockett, professor of Law at Cornell University, comment on the pressing need for the U.S. to invest in its infrastructure.

Released: 14-Mar-2011 3:20 PM EDT
Japan and the Coming Nuclear Energy Re-Evaluation
University of Maryland, College Park

The damage to three nuclear power plants in Japan will renew debate worldwide, prompting a new look at needed levels of safety and redundancy, says University of Maryland energy policy expert Nathan Hultman. “The events at Fukushima Daiichi will complicate planning for nuclear expansion for the coming years in all countries.”

Released: 14-Mar-2011 3:00 PM EDT
Structural Engineer, Loading Expert Available to Comment on Stability of Nuclear Reactors
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Panneer Selvam, professor of civil engineering at the University of Arkansas, is available to discuss structural stability of reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex in Japan. Selvam has taught structural loading 20 years. His research has focused on methods for obtaining design loadings for wind, earthquakes and other natural disasters relevant to national and local building codes. He uses computer simulation in nanostructures to model the effect of natural forces on buildings.

Released: 14-Mar-2011 11:25 AM EDT
Japan's Reactor Safety Precautions Put to Test, American Public's Perception of Nuclear Reactors Contingent on Outcome
Kansas State University

The outcome of Japan's compromised nuclear reactors could steer public perception of nuclear reactors in America.

Released: 9-Mar-2011 3:45 PM EST
Labor Unions’ Past Messages Could Reshape Public Image
Butler University

Public support of labor unions has reached its lowest level in a quarter century. According to a February 2011 Pew Research Poll Center poll, only 45 percent of respondents expressed positive views of unions. In his studies of major speeches of the American labor movement, Casey Kelly, Ph.D., a communication instructor for Butler University, has found some key historic messages that unions might use to regain support.

Released: 8-Feb-2011 11:00 AM EST
Expert: Roof Collapses Predictable in Record Snowy Winter
University of New Hampshire

A structural engineering professor at the University of New Hampshire is available to discuss two hazards of this season’s record snowfalls: roof collapses and ice dams. Ray Cook, assistant professor of civil engineering, can discuss the science behind this winter’s many roof collapses and give advice for preventing them.

Released: 8-Feb-2011 9:00 AM EST
Innovation Coalition to Meet With Lawmakers in D.C.
Association of University Research Parks (AURP)

Innovation leaders will educate the 112th Congress about innovation at the 2011 Innovation Coalition Fly-In Meeting, February 16, 2011. Lawmakers and their staffs will be briefed about the innovation process and why innovation is so important in creating a thriving economy.

Released: 3-Feb-2011 12:40 PM EST
U.S. High-Speed Rail Plans Are on the Wrong Track
Cornell University

R. Richard Geddes, associate professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell University and author of “The Road to Renewal: Private Investment in U.S. Transportation Infrastructure,” raises doubts about President Obama’s call for the development of an intercity high-speed rail network in the United States.

Released: 1-Feb-2011 4:00 PM EST
New Infrastructure Sustainability Measuring System
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

A new, independent non-profit organization tasked with developing and administering a sustainability rating system for North American infrastructure—the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI)—will hold its first board meeting later this week on February 8 and 9. The organization was founded by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), the American Public Works Association (APWA) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Released: 31-Jan-2011 2:25 PM EST
How Public Transportation in the Philippines Is Being Transformed to Keep Kids in the Classroom
Mount Holyoke College

JeepNeed, an innovative science education program created by two young women, transforms Jeepneys--a common form of transportation in the Philippines--into a powerful tool to combat the country's high drop-out rate.

Released: 24-Jan-2011 7:45 AM EST
Engineers Increasing Wireless Speed
Virginia Tech

In the first phase of a more than two-year study funded by InterDigital, Virginia Tech researchers have made great strides in the development of more reliable and efficient spectrum sensing techniques that will be needed to meet the ever-expanding demand for wireless technologies.

Released: 21-Jan-2011 3:30 PM EST
What You Need to Know About Preventing an Infant Abduction
LifeBridge Health

The story of Carlina White has brought new light to the subject of infant abduction. To protect their infants, the Director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore says all parents need to know and follow these tips.

Released: 20-Jan-2011 3:00 PM EST
Stakeholders Have Explicit Expectations of Fire Departments
Rowan University

Due to budget problems, the City of Camden, N.J., has just laid off numerous police and fire personnel. It's not the only community facing a financial crisis. Dr. Robert Fleming, a nationally recognized authority on fire and emergency services and the author of Effective Fire and Emergency Services Administration, discusses stakeholder expectations.

Released: 5-Jan-2011 2:00 PM EST
Expert Available to Comment on NHTSA’s Proposal to Limit Truck Speeds; Researcher Conducted Study Showing Speed Differentials Compromise Safety
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Steven Johnson, industrial engineering professor at the University of Arkansas, is available to comment on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recent proposal to enact federally mandated rules that would require trucks to activate speed limits. Johnson has studied speed limits and car-vs.-large-truck speed differentials on rural, interstate highways and found that different speed limits for cars and large trucks compromise safety by causing greater speed variation and a higher number of vehicles passing each other. He is currently involved in research funded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regarding the implementation of speed-limiting devices on commercial vehicles.

Released: 10-Dec-2010 9:00 AM EST
A New Blast Resistant Glass - Tougher and Thinner
Homeland Security's Science And Technology Directorate

Engineers are working to develop a blast-resistant glass that is lighter, thinner, and colorless, yet tough enough to withstand the force of an explosion, earthquake, or hurricane winds . Today's blast-resistant windows are made of pure polymer layers, but this is a plastic composite with an interlayer of polymer reinforced with glass fibers.

Released: 29-Nov-2010 3:30 PM EST
ORNL’s Leal and Snead Named American Nuclear Society Fellows
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Luiz Leal and Lance Snead from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been elected to the American Nuclear Society’s Class of 2010 Fellows.

Released: 10-Nov-2010 1:40 PM EST
What Can Corporate America Learn From the Chilean Miners?
Saint Joseph's University

Leadership is everywhere. Nowhere was this more evident than in the belly of the Chilean mine in the weeks and months following the Aug. 5 collapse. “Corporate America has a lot to learn from the Chilean miners,” says Ron Dufresne, Ph.D., assistant professor of management at Saint Joseph’s University who studies leadership.

Released: 22-Oct-2010 1:20 PM EDT
Psychologist Explores Motivations Behind 2007 Cyberattack on Estonia
University of Alabama

In April 2007, the government of Estonia decided to move a statue honoring Russian soldiers who died in World War II out of the capital of Tallinn. Angry ethnic Russians throughout the world launched a cyberattack on the small Baltic nation, crippling its cyber infrastructure for four days. Why did such an attack happen? And can it happen again?

Released: 12-Oct-2010 1:45 PM EDT
Why It's Hard to Crash the Electric Grid
University of Vermont

Study shows why terrorists would have a hard time bringing down the US electric grid.

4-Oct-2010 4:00 PM EDT
Poverty Grows in Suburbs, but Social Services Don’t Keep Up
University of Chicago

Poverty has grown in America’s suburbs during the recent economic downturn, but poor people in many suburban communities are finding it hard to get the help they need. Poverty rates grew quickly in the suburbs of the largest metropolitan areas during the 2000s, and by 2008, the number of suburban poor exceeded the number of city poor by 1.5 million.

Released: 5-Oct-2010 8:00 AM EDT
FSU Spin-Off Company to Play Lead Role in Protecting Nation's Ports
Florida State University

Pulling it together was a Herculean task that took some five years to complete, but now a massive training curriculum designed by Florida State University researchers to ensure the security of the nation’s 350 commercial ports is about to enter the marketplace.

Released: 23-Sep-2010 2:00 PM EDT
Failing Infrastructure Damaging to Nation’s Economic Prosperity
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

American Society of Civil Engineers says new transportation index sends a clear message to congress and the white house.

Released: 16-Sep-2010 8:00 AM EDT
NIST Data: Enabling the Technical-Basis for Evacuation Planning of High-Rise Buildings
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Researchers at NIST are stepping up the pace for designing safer building evacuations by releasing large, numerical datasets tracking the movement of people on stairs during high-rise building evacuation drills.

Released: 27-Apr-2010 4:00 PM EDT
GW Professor, Expert on Workplace Safety, to Testify at Subcommittee Hearing on Modernizing Whistleblower Protections
George Washington University

GW Professor Dr. Celeste Monforton, an expert on worker safety, will testify at a congressional hearing on a proposal to strengthen protections for workers who blow the whistle on dangerous workplace conditions. She will speak as an advocate for families of workers killed, and those who are seriously injured or become ill on the job. Dr. Monforton’s research and her career have focused on occupational safety, and more specifically, mine safety.

Released: 23-Apr-2010 9:00 PM EDT
Causes and Consequences of the Helium-3 Supply Crisis
Washington University in St. Louis

Industries such as nuclear detection, oil and gas, and medical diagnostics could face crippling shortages of Helium 3, a nuclear weapons production byproduct that has become increasing scarce.

Released: 21-Apr-2010 11:40 AM EDT
Research Restores Credit for an Engineering Feat
Case Western Reserve University

New research found documents that prove Alfred L. Rives was the designer and lead builder of the Cabin John Bridge, for 40 years the longest single-span stone bridge in the world and the longest in the U.S. still today. Rives was denied credit after joining the Confederacy.

Released: 13-Apr-2010 5:00 PM EDT
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Says SILEX Needs a Careful Look
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

As global leaders discuss ridding the world of nuclear weapons, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory (NRC) Commission has acknowledged that a new laser technology— which could lead to even more global proliferation – deserves a closer examination.

Released: 7-Apr-2010 1:50 PM EDT
Bridges in Trouble: Diagnosing Their Ills from a Distance
Michigan Technological University

Tess Ahlborn believes we could learn a lot from bridges, if only we could hear what they have to say. She aims to find the best ways to listen in.

Released: 7-Apr-2010 10:45 AM EDT
Expert Commentary: Deadly West Virginia Mining Accident Reminiscent of Past Disaster
University of Alabama at Birmingham

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Professor of Labor History Colin Davis, Ph.D., says this week’s mining disaster in West Virginia is reminiscent of one of the nation’s most deadly mining accidents that occurred in 1907.

Released: 21-Aug-2007 5:35 PM EDT
Engineering Professors Developing Monitoring Techniques in Evaluation of W.Va. Bridges
Drexel University

Drexel University engineers are researching methods to establish the safe load capacity of aging concrete bridges in West Virginia.

Released: 7-Aug-2007 3:00 PM EDT
Prof Develops System to Remotely Monitor Bridges
Clarkson University

A Clarkson University professor, operating under a state-funded research grant, has developed a system that allows for remote monitoring of bridges using a dense network of wireless sensors. The work is part of an effort to increase the way state and county departments of transportation in New York State keep track of its bridge inventory.



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