2024 News

2024

2023 2025

Dec 16

Destenie Nock - Science Defender graphic

Nock named 2024 Science Defender

Dr. Destenie Nock, assistant professor of Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been named a 2024 Science Defender by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Dec 10

EPP research will help workers navigate evolving technology

Carnegie Mellon was awarded a $500,000 planning grant from the Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) to analyze the skills of the regional workforce and develop tools to match workers with jobs.

Nov 26

EPP research will help workers navigate evolving technology Opens in new window

A regional team led by EPP researchers has received ARISE funding to analyze the workforce of North and North-Central Appalachia and develop tools to match workers’ skills with evolving industry needs.

Nov 12

Seed grant spotlight: Improving electric-power resilience

College of Engineering researchers Maryam Hamidi, Ramteen Sioshansi, and Granger Morgan are developing a robust optimization model that is capable of analyzing threats to the grid and providing commensurate responses that improve its resilience and mitigate supply disruptions.

Nov 07

A colorful board with grooves cut for balls to move around inside

Engineering entrepreneurs find their way Opens in new window

When faculty and students in the College of Engineering create intellectual property, our culture supports their efforts to form startups.

Oct 25

A clipart of a hydrogen hub with trucks, hydrogen stations, towers, and buildings

Hubs: A step towards a hydrogen future? Opens in new window

Hydrogen is sometimes considered a secret ingredient in the recipe for a net-zero future. As a team of Carnegie Mellon researchers points out, hydrogen offers many advantages, but it’s not a panacea.

Research paper Opens in new window

Oct 14

EPP students developed research, met with stakeholders in Rwanda Opens in new window

Three CMU Engineering and Public Policy students spent part of their summer conducting research at CMU-Africa. They collaborated with educators and stakeholders there to integrate their research with the needs and expertise of the local community, and to strengthen ties between students in Pittsburgh and Kigali.

Oct 07

US industrial policy may strengthen EV battery supply chain Opens in new window

The Inflation Reduction Act offers incentives for diversifying the EV battery supply chain and reducing US dependence on China, but the potential impact of loopholes remains to be seen.

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Sep 30

Hand holding a phone with a ride sharing app saying "driver will arrive in 2 minutes" on the screen

Ride-hailing apps mitigate impact of racial discrimination Opens in new window

Uber and Lyft are dramatically reducing wait-time disparities for Black riders, but the impact of systemic segregation persists.

Research paper Opens in new window

Sep 16

Engineering and Public Policy PhD Student Emily Zuetell

Zuetell awarded “best student presentation” at sustainability conference

Emily Zuetell, a fourth-year PhD student in engineering and public policy and civil and environmental engineering, won the Best Student Presentation award at this year’s International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technologies (ISSST) conference.

Sep 06

Partnership members tour Xuansteel's hydrogen DRI plant

INDABA partnership convenes industry stakeholders in Beijing, tours decarbonized iron production

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon and Tsinghua Universities met in July with academic and industry partners in Beijing, where they examined ways to accelerate the decarbonization of the iron and steel industry, focusing on China.

Aug 15

Jaramillo completes ELATES, accepted into AAAS fellowship Opens in new window

EPP Professor Paulina Jaramillo is honing her policy outreach skills by participating in prestigious fellowship programs.

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Aug 08

Autonomous vehicles could deliver a solution to food deserts

In the near future, your groceries could be delivered to your neighborhood, street, or even front door by a drone or robot. In fact, much of the technology to make it happen already exists.

Jul 23

Picture of Dr. Sharon Walker and Dr. Paulina Jaramillo standing together.

Jaramillo completes ELATES program, accepted into AAAS fellowship

Engineering and Public Policy Professor Paulina Jaramillo completed the ELATES at Drexel fellowship—a national leadership development program for women in STEM fields in academia.

Jul 11

Christin appointed head of S3D

Nicolas Christin has been appointed as the next department head of S3D.

Jun 13

Light post on CMU's campus with flowers blooming in foreground

Engineering students awarded Fulbright Scholarships Opens in new window

Six students and alumni from the College of Engineering will research and study abroad on Fulbright program scholarships.

Jun 07

Hanig receives Rath Award

Lily Hanig was the 2024 recipient of the Bhakta and Sushama Rath Graduate Award for her research in the equity and sustainability impacts of U.S. transportation disruptions.

Jun 06

Stefanie Sydlik (left) and Gerald Wang (right)

Scott Institute seed grants advance clean energy research at Carnegie Mellon University Opens in new window

ince the Scott Institute’s founding in 2012, a core initiative has been the Seed Grants for Energy Research program. With this funding, researchers across the university receive important early-stage support for developing cutting-edge energy research.

May 23

Photo of Nicholas Muller teaching at a whiteboard

Building an equitable, inclusive and prosperous future

A commitment to the pursuit of economic justice, and thereby to a sustainable future, is reflected in Carnegie Mellon University’s research, education and practice. From the classroom to the community, CMU’s students, faculty and staff are partnering to help economies thrive while fostering a healthy environment.

May 09

Comfort vs. cash: energy behavior changes during COVID-19 Opens in new window

The pandemic altered how individuals consumed energy in their homes, and in some areas the changes adversely affected energy poverty.

Apr 19

Charged to make change

Hannah Morin, a dual Ph.D. major in materials science and engineering and engineering and public policy, began her tenure in GSA as a representative in the assembly for EPP, and has since progressed to vice president of campus affairs, and has now been president of the organization since December 2022.

Apr 15

Inaugural alumni awards celebrate success and service Opens in new window

On April 11, distinguished guests from across the university and alumni communities, gathered in Scaife Hall to honor eight individuals whose leadership, creativity, and volunteerism underscore what can be achieved with an engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

Apr 10

image of a laptop keyboard with a cable on it

Infrastructure as a social sensor Opens in new window

A recent study examines the relationship between having access to broadband internet and unemployment during the pandemic, treating infrastructure as a proxy for bias rather than access.

Mar 20

Honoring the memory of Jerry Cohon Opens in new window

Heartfelt messages, memories, and reflections have flooded the halls of Carnegie Mellon as many mourn and honor the memory of Jerry Cohon, a profound and enduring figure at the university and beyond.

Mar 19

Assembly line robots working on batteries

Anticipating and reducing EV battery supply disruptions Opens in new window

A recent study analyzes the relationship between EV battery chemistry and supply chain vulnerability for four critical minerals across particular countries that are key contributors to production.

Research paper Opens in new window

Feb 15

Man's hand holding electric vehicle pluc

Shifting gears in the transition to electric vehicles Opens in new window

Electric vehicle emissions costs are anticpated to continue to decline through 2025, after which they will be affected by key factors such as the evolution of the power grid, battery technology, and public policy.

Feb 06

CMU partners to reimagine energy in the region Opens in new window

Faculty from Carnegie Mellon University will collaborate with West Virginia University and University of Pittsburgh on a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines program.

Jan 25

Hart receives George Washington Prize

Undergraduate senior Katie Hart, who is pursuing a double major in engineering and public policy and civil and environmental engineering, has recently been honored with the 2024 George Washington Prize.

Jan 18

EPP graduate students receive CMU fellowships

EPP graduate students Anna Cobb, Ioana Iacob, and Emmy Moore were selected as recipients of CMU College of Engineering and engineering & public policy fellowships.

Jan 09

Quantifying barriers to establishing sequestration wells

Recent work from the Department of Engineering and Public Policy (EPP) estimates the time required to develop, approve, and implement a geologic sequestration site in the U.S. by identifying six clearance points that must be passed for a site to become operational and provide insights into how this timeframe could be reduced.

Media mentions

Sierra Club

Adams discusses the deadly impact of heat and data centers

CEE/EPP’s Peter Adams spoke with Sierra Club about the effects that data center generators could have on surrounding communities, sharing his findings that if data centers get their power from diesel generators instead of the grid, they could cause around 500 additional premature deaths per year in the US.

National Academies

Whitefoot joins National Academies Committee

EPP/MechE’s Kate Whitefoot is serving on the National Academies Committee to explore current and potential next-generation battery energy storage technologies for defense applications.

Multiple sources

Nock reveals truths about electricity use and affordability

CEE/EPP’s Destenie Nock wrote an article that discusses the perspectives on affordability from energy companies, and the importance of balancing reduced energy use to save funds while maintaining household safety and health. The article can be read in The Conversation, Chron, and Yahoo! News.

Forbes

Data center research cited in Forbes

A Forbes article analyzing data centers and electricity prices in the U.S. referenced a study authored by a cross-institutional team of researchers including EPP’s Joseph DeCarolis and Paulina Jaramillo. This collaborative network comprises the Open Energy Outlook, a key initiative of Carnegie Mellon’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation.

More Mentions

rEPPort

rEPPort is the Department of Engineering and Public Policy’s bi-annual newsletter.