Penn Engineering

Every AI major has been there. #AIStudents #STEMlife #TechHumor

Engineers from Penn and @CUNY have achieved a breakthrough in guiding multiple streams of light through chip-based networks using topology, a branch of math known for equating shapes like donuts and mugs. Since topological properties remain the same even when objects are deformed, these light-based networks are extremely robust. “It’s like building a highway for light where even large potholes have no effect on traffic," says Liang Feng, Professor in @MSEatPenn and in @ESEatPenn. "It’s as if the defects simply aren’t there.” bit.ly/4uCzkrF

AI Month at Penn is a month-long, University-wide initiative throughout April 2026 that will focus on human-centered AI. Check out the calendar for a full list of events across campus: bit.ly/4uBq8DT @PennAI___ @PennEngineers #AIMonthAtPenn #2026AIMonth #HumanCenteredAI

In @NatureMaterials, the lab of @MJMitchell in @pennbioeng redesigned lipid nanoparticles to boost mRNA vaccine performance while reducing common inflammatory side effects, thanks to chemistry that revs up the metabolism of immune cells. bit.ly/3NdvtAC

Announcing the 2026 Penn Engineering Commencement Keynote Speakers: 🎙️David C. Parkes (GrEng’01) Dean of @hseas and the George F. Colony Professor of Computer Science Doctoral Ceremony - Thursday, May 14 🎙️Vanessa Lyon (GEng’24) Managing Director and Senior Partner at @BCG Master's Ceremony - Friday, May 15 🎙️Amy P. Raskin (ENG'93) Chief Investment Officer at @ChevyChaseTrust Undergraduate Ceremony - Saturday, May 16 Read more about the speakers today. bit.ly/3L6uADx

The Computational Social Science Lab (@csspenn) is cutting through today's cluttered noise with its Media Bias Detector. Led by Duncan Watts, the tool analyzes patterns in article structure and language to reveal similarities across media outlets. “We’ve all experienced the divisiveness pervading popular media,” says Watts. “Our hypothesis is that this is exacerbated not by lies or ‘fake news’ but by bias. It’s a timely question, and in our particular historical moment, CSSLab has these incredible tools—massive new data sets and large language models, in particular—to find an answer. So we threw our energy into investigating.” bit.ly/4cJQzRo

Research at @Penn drives discovery, startups and real-world impact. "The problems that matter most now—whether in health, climate, AI, or inequality—don’t respect disciplinary boundaries. Our identity is shifting from a collection of excellent schools to something more deliberately integrated." In a recent conversation with Penn Today, David Meaney, Vice Provost for Research, discusses Penn’s research priorities, plans for growth, and the power of collaboration across disciplines. penntoday.upenn.edu/news/david-mea…

Congratulations to @XueSherryGao on her lab's renewal of the Maximizing Investigators Research Award (MIRA) from the @NIH. The $2+ million award will fund five years of continued support for research advancing genome engineering and exploring fungal natural products as a rich source of small molecule therapeutics. #GenomeEngineering #SyntheticBiology #Biocatalysis #NaturalProducts #NIH / @CBE_Penn

Last week, the Benjamin Franklin Society gathered in New York City to celebrate the power of philanthropy and community at Penn. Through their generosity, BFS members are expanding opportunities for students and fueling growth in AI, data science and interdisciplinary learning, while supporting bold initiatives like Penn Engineering 2030. At the event, Robert Ghrist (@prof_g) reflected on the lasting impact of philanthropy at Penn: “Your belief today becomes someone else’s possibility tomorrow. It lives on in the innovators who will design safer infrastructure, develop life-saving medical devices, advance sustainable energy and shape technologies we cannot yet imagine.” #PennBFS #InspiringImpact #PennInspires #LOVEPenn #bfsny

Penn Aerial Robotics unveiled three projects for SAE Aero Design West, then took them to the skies. Leviathan: 10-ft, 55-lb heavy-lift cargo UAV Tempest: blown-lift micro design for short takeoff Zenith: VTOL tailsitter with full-stack autonomy The team says, "We are super excited to continue pushing the boundaries of electric aviation and autonomous flight." #saeaerodesign #upenn #uav #robotics

Entering its second year, the partnership between Penn Engineering’s Cora Ingrum Center for Community and Outreach and ULRI’s Institute for Research Experiences & Education connects regional middle and high school educators with leading-edge research and experts. “Investing in educator communities of practice is a key strategy for strengthening STEM pathways and improving student outcomes,” says Chanda Jefferson, Director of Community Engagement and Outreach at Penn Engineering. Applications for the 2026–2027 Xplorlabs Educator Fellowship are open through April 5. seas.upenn.edu/xplorlabs/

Shujie Yang, an assistant professor at @meam_penn, is harnessing ultrasound to develop microrobotic medicine. “Sound has always been part of healing,” he says. “We intuitively understand its power. Now we’re building the science to harness it precisely.” Yang's programmable acoustic tweezers manipulate cells and viruses without physical contact, with long-term potential for targeted cancer therapies. bit.ly/3MRMkbY

Bone may appear solid, but at the cellular scale, it behaves more like a sponge. Ottman Tertuliano (@MEAM_Penn) and team developed a nanoengineered, 3D-printed scaffold that recreates solid deformation and fluid flow around living cells. “Understanding how individual cells respond to complex forces helps us bridge the gap between routine physiological activity like walking and the microscopic local changes those cells make to the tissue,” says Tertuliano. Published in @BiophysJ, the work introduces a new platform for studying how cells feel force. bit.ly/4rzN702

As part of Engineering Week, the Engineering Deans' Advisory Board hosted a @Prof_G lookalike contest in honor of one of Penn Engineering's most recognizable faculty. #EngineeringWeek

@ClaudiaLoebel has received the 2026 Young Investigator Award from @SFBiomaterials. The award recognizes outstanding early-career achievement in biomaterials research. Loebel’s work in mechanobiology is advancing how we understand tissue injury and healing. @PennEngineers

Empathy is essential in engineering. “You need to be able to understand other people's ideas and perspectives to bring out the best, most ingenious solutions,” says Tsu-Jae King Liu, President of the @theNAEng Episode 9 of "Innovation & Impact" is live. youtube.com/watch?v=BPTMHB…

Penn Engineering and @Rice_BIOE researchers refined a base-editing tool to more precisely change single DNA letters, dramatically reducing unintended “bystander” edits. Led by @XueSherryGao and Gang Bao, the work advances safer, potential therapies for cystic fibrosis and other genetic diseases. seas.upenn.edu/stories/engine…

Congratulations to CarboWells for winning the 2026 Y-Prize Competition! Teams applied the unique 3-D printed concrete developed by @ShuYangPenn to real-world problems. CarboWells proposed using the concrete, whose structure helps capture carbon, to plug the millions of leaking, defunct oil wells across the United States. The team, which includes Yash Iyer (W'29), Ronith Lahoti (CBE'29, C'29), Bhuranyu Mahajan (W'29), Yuki Qian (MSE'29, C'29) and Ali Altan Yilmaz (MSE'29, C'29), will receive $15,000 to support their research and prototype development over the next five years. seas.upenn.edu/stories/carbow… @Wharton @MackInstitute

Gen Z is rapidly integrating generative AI into work and learning. In a recent @HarvardBiz article, @PennEngineers Prof. @LyleUngar (@CIS_Penn) and co-authors analyze survey data from nearly 2,500 U.S. adults 18–28 on how young people use AI chatbots. bit.ly/4qKUO2v

Engineers Without Borders at Penn is partnering with farmers in The Gambia to design sustainable irrigation systems that support food security. After visiting FAIR Farms Gambia in January, students began developing solutions shaped by community insight and real-world needs. “I remember how worried I felt during a lead water contamination crisis back home, and so when I applied for Penn Engineering, I said I specifically wanted to work on water projects,” Wong says. “Being able to do that in a real, hands-on, impactful way means a lot to how we grow as engineers.” bit.ly/4ciqGIj