Mizzou Engineers advanced energy, AI, materials, transportation, health in 2023

This past year, Mizzou Engineers worked on significant solutions to society’s most-pressing challenges. They advanced nuclear power. They studied ways to turn leftover bread crust into plastics that will degrade naturally in the environment. They made artificial intelligence explain itself. They invented new materials, investigated self-driving trucks and came up with an innovative system to optimize blood supplies.

Mizzou Engineer studies how construction methods impact drilled shaft foundations

A Mizzou Engineer has received funding from the Transportation Research Board — a division of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine —to study how construction methods may impact the foundations of bridges and other transportation structures.

Prasanna receives UPE Academic Achievement Award

Shivika Prasanna, a Ph.D. student in computer science, has received a prestigious Academic Achievement Award from Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE).

Easley takes top spot at industrial engineering research competition

Senior Madeline Easley took first place in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering’s annual Undergraduate Research Competition.

Mizzou Engineer helps study effects of hurricanes on water, sediment quality

With heavy rainfall and strong winds, hurricanes can alter the make-up of ecosystems, pushing salt water into freshwater bodies and disturbing sediment on the ocean floor. While this impacts water quality and disrupts aquatic life, the effects of hurricanes on water and sediment quality aren’t well understood. Enter Maryam Salehi, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Mizzou. Salehi is an expert in the transport and fate of contaminants, including microplastic pollution.

Interdisciplinary team develops fast, reliable model to predict how seeds move

Playing an essential foundational role in an ecosystem, plants contribute to the well-being of human health by helping create resources like food and medicine. Therefore, to better understand how plants can maintain resiliency in the face of challenges like climate change, a team of researchers at the University of Missouri and Michigan State University recently collaborated to develop an innovative mathematical model that can provide fast and reliable predictions of how far wind can carry a plant’s seeds.

Xiao Honored as 2023 Emerging Investigator, Presents Keynote at AWWA Conference

Feng “Frank” Xiao, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, was honored by the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) as the 2023 Emerging Investigator lecturer and presented a keynote address at the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Water Quality Technology Conference in Dallas last month.

Mizzou faculty discuss road projects during MSPE Fall PDH Days

Two civil engineering faculty members joined industry professionals and state agencies for the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE) Fall PDH Days in October.

Mizzou Engineer developing system to combat cybersickness experienced by soldiers using XR goggles

In theory, augmented and virtual reality are ideal tools to train soldiers for battle in safe, controlled settings. In reality, these extended reality (XR) goggles are causing all sorts of problems — headaches, nausea, eye strain and other forms of so-called cybersickness.

Team places second in National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency competition

A team from the University of Missouri Institute for Data Science and Informatics (IDSI) and Data Science and Analytics (DSA) program recently placed second in the National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency’s Geo-Hack for Humanity.