2025
May
Cranor discusses passkey security
CNET
CyLab Director Lorrie Cranor was quoted by CNET about Microsoft’s move to using passkeys instead of passwords for all new accounts. “From a security perspective, it is great to see them being pushed out to consumers, but I do have some concerns about their usability, especially in cases where consumers have multiple devices or lose or upgrade a device,” Cranor said. “Shared accounts and devices may also be problematic.”
Cranor quoted on iris-scanning technology
The Washington Post
CyLab Director Lorrie Cranor was quoted by The Washington Post about World’s iris-scanning, “proof of human” technology, which launched in six U.S. storefronts last week. While World is working to create a network of unique World IDs to distinguish between humans and robots, Cranor questioned why an iris scan was necessary. “Now I have features from the scan of my iris encrypted and stored on my phone, but if somebody else gets access to my phone or if a robot takes over my phone, does that mean that they can demonstrate that they’re human or maybe even me?” Cranor said.
April
Adams contextualizes Pittsburgh’s air quality score in recent report
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
EPP Head Peter Adams spoke with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Pittsburgh’s failing grade in this year’s American Lung Association report on national air quality. The report tracks the amount of fine particulates in the air and compares that to the air quality standard and to other locations around the country. The Pittsburgh area ranked the 12th worst in terms of air quality. However, Adams argues that these results do not reflect the air quality experienced in most of Allegheny County, and that because particulates travel through the air, these results are more symptomatic of the regional air quality of the northeast rather than being specific to Pittsburgh. “The idea that PM 2.5 is a city problem is inconsistent with the science. The entire northeast sort of sits in the same soup of pollution. This is very much a regional problem and not a city problem,” he said.
Cranor quoted on access to data in cases of theft
The Washington Post
CyLab Director Lorrie Cranor was quoted by the Washington Post about how the owners of stolen Apple products cannot regain access to their data. “You do have to provide a variety of information to sign up for an Apple account, and people could be required to provide things like police reports to show that they reported their phones stolen,” Cranor says. “I find it odd that Apple is fighting this without explaining their rationale.”
Cranor discusses Gmail cybersecurity
Dark Reading
CyLab Director Lorrie Cranor spoke with Dark Reading about the importance of securing one’s devices and accounts, regardless of encryption protections companies like Gmail install in their software. “While Gmail uses encryption in transit, if supported by the recipient’s server, it is not currently end-to-end encrypted, which means that there is the potential of exposing that sensitive data on both Google’s servers and the recipient’s servers,” Cranor explains.
Muller and Dennin quoted on fire smoke health risks
Phys.org
EPP’s Nicholas Muller and EPP Ph.D. student Luke Dennin were quoted in Phys.org on their research regarding the health effects of exposure to fine particulate matter produced by smoke from wildfires and prescribed burns. Their study, also co-authored by EPP/CEE’s Destenie Nock, EPP postdoctoral researcher Medinat Akindele, and EPP Head Peter Adams, revealed that such exposure caused more than $200 billion of health damages associated with 20,000 premature deaths in the United States in 2017. Smoke exposure was also positively correlated with measures of social vulnerability. “Our work reveals the extraordinary and disproportionate effects of the growing threat of fire smoke,” says Dennin, who led the study.
Muller quoted on lax air emission regulation
Bloomberg Law
EPP’s Nicholas Muller spoke to Bloomberg Law about the Trump administration’s reconsideration of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, which requires fuel and gas suppliers to disclose their emissions. Dissolution of the program could create a significant setback for emission reduction, according to Muller. “We had very clear evidence with very, very good data about how these programs were influencing firm behavior,” he says.
Sioshansi quoted on Ohio's energy grid needs
WFMJ
EPP’s Ramteen Sioshansi provided insight on how emissions will impact extreme weather events for a feature in WFMJ’s 21 News, debating the ideal balance of renewable and fossil fuel energy sources for Ohio’s electrical grid. Should the emissions issue not be addressed, Sioshansi says, “We’re going to see those patterns become more extreme and more frequent.”
ETIM hosts event on innovation and AI
ETIM hosted a networking and panel event on Innovation and AI: Challenges and Opportunities. The session was hosted by EPP/ETIM’s Phil Yu and Kristen Kailer, with Mark DeSantis moderating a panel featuring Chris Martin (BNY Mellon), Brian Beyer (Hellbender), and Andy Rape (Leaficient). A key takeaway from the discussion was how AI can effectively tackle both simple and complex problems, recognizing issues like trustworthiness must be considered. There were 16 companies in attendance, including Accenture, ATI, PPG, SAP, and Westinghouse.
Cranor quoted on the importance of appropriate security of government communications
POLITICO
CyLab Director Lorrie Cranor was quoted in POLITICO on government officials’ alleged recent flaunting of communication security protocols. National security advisor Mike Waltz has been under fire for a myriad of alleged violations, such as discussing sensitive issues on non-governmental channels such as Gmail and Signal, as well as accidentally adding a journalist to a sensitive Signal chat. These discussions have been condemned for violating government records acts, as well as for their security risks. Cranor was quoted on the necessity of keeping government communications secure against attackers. “Communication systems approved for government officials meet security requirements and government records management requirements. Attackers frequently target government officials and attempt to gain access to their messages as well as break into their accounts so that they can impersonate them. So, appropriate security is important.”
Cranor quoted on Signal group chat
The Wall Street Journal
CyLab Director Lorrie Cranor was quoted in The Wall Street Journal about how employees often prioritize convenience over security at work. “We see this pattern all the time, where users just want to get their job done and their view is that somebody else should be worrying about the security part,” said Cranor.
March
Sioshansi discusses the cost of nuclear power
WESA
ECE/EPP’s Ramteen Sioshansi spoke with WESA about the benefits and drawbacks of using nuclear power. “When you compare the cost of supplying customers using nuclear and you compare it to other electricity generation technology, it’s very difficult to justify that cost economically,” Sioshansi explains. This story was picked up by NPR’s Here and Now.
Nock highlights energy assistance program
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
CEE/EPP’s Destenie Nock published a story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review about Peoples Energy Analytics, an organization that helps connect people with assistance programs to cover home energy costs. “By analyzing energy usage patterns, billing trends, and temperature fluctuations, we partner with utility companies to identify struggling households and connect them with help,” said Nock.
Karplus quoted on EU energy plan
Canary Media
EPP’s Valerie Karplus was quoted in Canary Media about how Europe’s efforts to strengthen and decarbonize its energy supply could motivate other countries to follow their example. “The Europeans have been and will continue to be pioneers,” said Karplus. “They’re focused on the process. To the extent that any system or any new measures provide a stronger incentive for countries with high-pollution-intensive value chains to clean up, that’s a win.”
Scheffler quoted on data protection and access
CNN
CyLab/EPP’s Sarah Scheffler was quoted by CNN about data protection, in response to Apple users losing access to Advanced Data Protection. “One of the very few ways to make sure that your data can’t be leaked if a company is breached is to make sure that the company (itself) doesn’t have it,” Scheffler explains.
February
Michalek discusses federal EV charger freeze
WIRED
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted in WIRED on the recent federal government freeze on infrastructure for electric vehicles. “The freeze does really have an impact on how much infrastructure gets to roll out,” says Michalek. “It puts some players in a bad spot where they’ve already invested.”
Michalek discusses Trump’s counter to Biden’s electric vehicle policy
Politifact
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted in Politifact about an executive order set to overturn the Biden administration’s federal electric vehicle sales goals. “Weakening the rules may have some effect on the speed of the electric vehicle transition, but it takes about five years to design and build a new vehicle—longer than a presidential term,” said Michalek.
Combemale quoted on decline in U.S. manufacturing jobs
Marketplace
EPP’s Christophe Combemale was quoted in Marketplace about how manufacturing labor in the U.S. has been declining since the mid-2000s in favor of service professions. “That’s been the story of the U.S. labor market and occupational employment since the mid-2000s,” explained Combemale. “The overall share of U.S. manufacturing has been declining pretty consistently for decades.”
January
Nock quoted on utility assistance pilot program
WESA
CEE/EPP’s Destenie Nock was quoted by WESA about how Peoples Energy Analytics and Peoples Natural Gas use data algorithms to identify households eligible for utility assistance programs. “A lot of times, when people don’t sign up for these programs, it’s because they’re not aware that they even qualify. And also they’re not aware of the full benefit that they may receive from these programs,” said Nock.
Whitefoot discusses digital twin technology
IBM
EPP/MechE’s Kate Whitefoot was featured in IBM’s Think newsletter, where she discussed how digital twin technology can help reduce climate change. “I am watching developments in digital twins to support sustainable and resilient manufacturing, materials innovations for electric vehicle batteries that improve range and battery life, electrified automated vehicles and an expanding EV charging infrastructure,” said Whitefoot. “There have been large investments in these areas, and we are likely to see exciting new roll-outs of these innovations.”
2024
December
Nock named a 2024 Science Defender
Union of Concerned Scientists
CEE/EPP’s Destenie Nock was named a 2024 Science Defender by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The title is bestowed annually on “individuals and groups who use science to improve the world and help people, including those who have taken a stand to protect science and scientists from political or other interference.” Nock was selected for her ongoing work in affordable energy and energy justice as both a researcher and a startup founder.
November
Michalek quoted on rideshare economics
Marketplace
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek spoke on Marketplace about how commuters are increasingly using rideshare instead of owning a car. “Because people work hybrid, work from home some of the days of the week, that changes the economics,” said Michalek.
October
Karplus quoted on nuclear energy for AI
The Hill
EPP’s Valerie Karplus was quoted by The Hill on major technology companies using nuclear energy in order to power their AI systems while being conscious of the environment. “Nuclear energy is really emerging back on the scene in a big way and in part because we’re now talking about a world where we’re going to see load growth, and we haven’t seen that in over a decade, about two decades actually,” explains Karplus.
Michalek discusses ride-hailing discrimination
Associated Press
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek spoke with the Associated Press about racial discrimination in ride-hailing technology. “The technology is mitigating a social issue, which is pretty rare,” Michalek explains. “Discrimination is having little effect on average wait times, at least in part because these apps are able to quickly rematch when somebody cancels. Whereas with taxis, it was a very hard problem to solve.”
Karplus quoted on the uncertainties and potentials of green hydrogen
Axios
EPP’s Valerie Karplus was quoted in Axios on “green hydrogen,” which refers to hydrogen that is created by splitting water molecules with renewable electricity rather than the more usual way of heating carbon dioxide. A new Harvard study has cast some doubt on green hydrogen’s viability due to its cost to distribute and manufacture. However, the study doesn’t discredit green hydrogen as an idea. Karplus noted, “If we look longer term, the potential for both technological innovation and clever business models to bring down some of those costs is enormous.”
Donahue discusses chemical detectors in regards to 2023 train derailment
Associated Press
ChemE and EPP’s Neil Donahue spoke with the Associated Press about last year’s East Palestine train derailment in Ohio. He discussed how it is customary to report chemical levels that exceed chemical detectors and their reliability.
September
Apt discusses smart meters in Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
EPP’s Jay Apt was quoted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the new smart meters replacing old parking meters in Pennsylvania. “People used to have to go out and look for streetlights that are out or other indications, but now it has greatly decreased the time it takes to restore power,” he said.
Combemale discusses study on EV powertrains
The Guardian
EPP’s Christophe Combemale spoke with the Guardian about his study investigating the labor time of EV powertrain production processes and the impact that might have on the upcoming election. “We can say very strongly at the moment the evidence suggests it takes as many or perhaps more labor hours to produce [an EV powertrain],” Combemale explains.
Sioshansi quoted on battery energy
Marketplace
EPP’s Ramteen Sioshansi spoke with Marketplace about using battery energy as an alternative, sustainable source of energy. Sioshansi specifically discussed how batteries currently cannot completely replace fossil fuels. “The handful of hours when the wind and solar is not producing enough, well, we still have gas generators that can basically fill that gap,” he said.
August
Donahue quoted on air purifiers for pets
U.S. News
ChemE and EPP’s Neil Donahue was quoted by U.S. News on the benefits of HEPA air purifiers for pets. “HEPA air filters are extremely effective at removing fine particles. This includes pet dander, viruses like COVID, smoke particles from cooking, and dust of all sorts,” he says.
Michalek speaks about autonomous grocery delivery
SupplyChainBrain
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek spoke about a recent survey on how customers prefer to have their groceries delivered. He found that most customers do not care whether or not their groceries are delivered by an autonomous vehicle, such as a driverless car, a sidewalk robot, or a drone. A sizeable minority are willing to “compromise” if it means that their groceries are delivered quickly. Michalek also spoke about current concerns with autonomous grocery delivery, as it it currently most feasible in urban areas where it may contribute to traffic congestion.
July
Faculty award winners announced
Congratulations to the 2024 faculty award winners who represent six departments across the College of Engineering. The recipients were recognized for their achievements as researchers and educators. The winners include: Benjamin Richard Teare Teaching Award: Jon Peha (EPP); David P. Casasent Outstanding Research Award: Gregory Lowry (CEE); Distinguished Professor of Engineering: Lorenz Biegler (ChemE); George Tallman Ladd Research Award: Amanda Krause (MSE) and Akshitha Sriraman (ECE); Outstanding Mentoring Award: Alan McGaughey (MechE); Outstanding Service Award: Jonathan Malen (MechE); and Steven J. Fenves Award for Systems Research: Carl Laird (ChemE).
Jaramillo weighs in on the rules surrounding hydrogen production
Heatmap
EPP’s Paulina Jaramillo spoke with Heatmap about the Treasury Department’s proposed “three pillars” rules around tax credits for hydrogen production in the U.S. A group of senators cited a CMU analysis, led by Jaramillo, in a letter criticizing the proposed rules for artificially hindering the environmental benefits of green hydrogen. Jaramillo argued that the Treasury should subsidize electrolytic hydrogen regardless of how it’s powered. “We need to deploy this infrastructure,” Jaramillo said. “We need to deploy it now so it’s available later.”
Sioshansi quoted on durability of the national power grid
Marketplace
EPP’s Ramteen Sioshansi was quoted in Marketplace on the durability of the national power grid. Hurricane Beryl recently left hundreds of thousands of Texans without power for multiple days. Experts warn that the country’s decades-old power infrastructure will be more vulnerable to storm damage as global temperatures continue to rise. “At the end of the day, someone has to pay for these types of investments to make electricity supply more reliable,” Sioshansi said. “And so, there’s always this trade-off.”
Seven Engineering faculty awarded grants from Scott Institute
Carnegie Mellon University
Seven faculty from the College of Engineering received funding from this year’s Scott Institute Seed Grants to pursue projects advancing dacarbonization research and energy equity. This year’s winners include: CEE’s Gerald Wang, researching plastics decarbonization; MSE’s Paul Salvador and Mohammad Islam, researching carbon dioxide air capture with aerogels; EPP’s Ramteen Sioshansi and Granger Morgan, researching mitigating electric supply disruptions; ChemE/EPP’s Neil Donahue, upgrading an equipment’s ability to detect particles at low temperatures; and MSE’s Mohadeseh Taheri-Mousavi, repairing an induction furnace melter to study the effects of hydrogen on metal alloys.
Carley discusses new tools designed to curb the spread of disinformation online
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
CyLab/EPP’s Kathleen Carley spoke with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the need to improve detection of inaccurate or misleading content online. In recent years, digital spaces have seen a significant increase in the spread of disinformation and the use of deepfake technology. New detection tools such as Trustnet and MUSE aim to help users spot inaccurate information, but the process still depends on the trustworthiness of intermediate messengers. “There has been an increased use of deepfakes and disinformation in every election this year around the world,” Carley said. “It’s not only a U.S. problem.”
June
Sioshansi speaks about the risks to the electric grid during heat waves
Marketplace
EPP’s Ramteen Sioshansi spoke with Marketplace as electricity demand soars in the summer, and the strain may challenge electric grids, with less-prepared grids possibly even facing a shortage. He said that the challenges facing electric grids are changing as the extreme heat creates more risks to generating electricity. “Thirty years ago, was they were looking at, OK, on occasion, you know, a handful of the generators are going to fail,” but now they’re more likely to be knocked out.
Combemale comments on the effects of tariffs on Chinese-made semiconductors
Marketplace
The Biden administration has set tariffs on semiconductor parts made in China in order to create more semiconductor engineering jobs in the United States, though some experts are doubtful that the tariffs will have that effect. EPP’s Christophe Combemale said that “we don’t actually have a good sense of who’s available” to fill jobs in the currently-tight market, and that the industry should do more work to recruit new workers from places like engineering schools, other industries, and abroad.
May
Jaramillo comments on the US exporting natural gas
Public Source
EPP’s Paulina Jaramillo spoke with Public Source about how natural gas is not the solution to the climate crisis. Jaramillo claims that “getting rid of coal and reducing all your other fossil fuel combustion,” is what is necessary to effectively decarbonize.
Karplus interviewed on decarbonization and women in STEM
Global Women Asia
EPP’s Valerie Karplus was interviewed by Global Women Asia about her work concerning the intersection of energy innovation and decarbonization. As founder and director of the MIT - Tsinghua China Energy and Climate Project, Karplus’ work has influenced her role as a faculty member at CMU.
Sioshansi comments on wildfire prevention power shut offs
Scripps News
EPP’s Ramteen Sioshansi spoke with Scripps News about the potential negative consequences of shutting down power lines which have been the main source of wildfires in recent years. Sioshansi discusses the predicament of people being completely reliant on electricity, while also being in danger of those electrical sources.
Whitefoot quoted on the MPG Illusion in the US
Vox
EPP/MechE’s Kate Whitefoot was quoted in Vox on the EU’s more transparent gas measurements in comparison to the US. The EU’s liters per 100 kilometer driven method being “directly related to energy use and directly related to emissions” providing researchers with more precise data on fuel economy.
Michalek quoted on the pros and cons of electric cars
Living Planet Podcast
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted on the Living Planet podcast on how the electricity source that electric cars use can greatly alter their environmental benefits. Michalek compares electric cars using renewable energy sources and electric cars using energy sources from coal-fired power plants.
Sioshansi ranked on ScholarGPS
ScholarGPS
EPP’s Ramteen Sioshansi ranked #26 in the energy storage specialty on ScholarGPS. Highly Ranked Scholars™ are identified by career productivity levels (number of publications), as well as the quality and impact of their work.
Muller quoted on the economic and health effects of air quality standard changes
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
EPP’s Nick Muller weighed in on the effects of a change the Environmental Protection Agency recently made determining acceptable standards for air quality. The old standard allowed 12 micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter of air, while the new standard only allows nine micrograms. This means that several areas of Allegheny County that were previously within the standard are now “out of compliance.” Muller said, “Reducing [the standard] makes good economic sense, if we define economic sense to include the health and well-being of the citizens, but also workers, and the ability to attract new young workers who value environmental quality to the area.”
Michalek quoted on Tesla Supercharger adapters
The Atlantic
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted on the potential benefits of adapters for Tesla Superchargers. The company’s Superchargers, which charge electric vehicles (EVs) much more quickly than other chargers, are being expanded to be compatible with non-Tesla EVs through the use of adapters. Michalek tells The Atlantic that, if implemented successfully, these adapters could help drivers feel more assured that their EVs could make long road trips, potentially helping to boost EV sales.
Donahue ranked on ScholarGPS
ScholarGPS
ChemE/EPP’s Neil Donahue ranked #20 in the aerosol specialty on ScholarGPS. Highly Ranked Scholars™ are identified by career productivity levels (number of publications), as well as the quality and impact of their work.
Fischhoff remembers late mentor Kahneman
Science
EPP’s Baruch Fischhoff wrote a retrospective for Science on the late Daniel Kahneman, Nobel prize-winning psychologist and author of works including Thinking, Fast and Slow. Kahneman, who was Fischhoff’s graduate advisor along with Amos Tversky, was awarded an honorary degree from CMU in 2012. “The imprint of Danny’s thinking and counsel have been lasting—and made EPP the most natural home in the world,” Fischhoff said.
April
Whitefoot quoted on labor involved in electric vehicle production
NBC News
MechE/EPP’s Kate Whitefoot was quoted in NBC News on the amount of labor involved in electric vehicle production. Amid arguments that a nationwide transition to electric vehicles would result in mass job losses, Whitefoot’s recent study found that electric vehicle production would actually lead to an increase in working hours required to manufacture automobiles. The idea that electric vehicles require less labor “has to do with this really simplistic view that if you have fewer parts, you have less labor,” said Whitefoot. “And that is just not the case.”
Cranor quoted on “broadband nutrition labels” for internet service
Marketplace
CyLab Director Lorrie Cranor was quoted on the introduction of “broadband nutrition labels” for internet service. The FCC now requires large internet service providers to post a snapshot indicating what users are paying for and what they're getting, mimicking nutrition labels on food products. Cranor notes that users may still struggle to understand these labels. “Don’t just give me numbers, tell me how good is this? If I want to play video games, if I want to stream movies,” Cranor said.