Virginia Tech ICTAS

Seeking exceptional Virginia Tech Ph.D. students to help advance state‑of‑the‑art research infrastructure! ICTAS Matter Labs - including NCFL, MCL, and BioMCL - are hiring Graduate Research Assistants. Apply by March 27! brnw.ch/21x0SUA

Join the Nanoscale Characterization & Fabrication Laboratory for a Lunch & Learn on March 17! Ph.D. student Anugrahaprada Mukundan will share insights from her study on additively manufactured tungsten heavy alloys. Register here: brnw.ch/21x0IT2

The Exploring Biology Through Electron Microscopy Workshops originally scheduled for today (1/26) & tomorrow (1/27) have been postponed. Help us finalize the new date! Indicate your availability & preferred date(s) by filling out this poll. brnw.ch/21wZpnF

Join us for a hands-on workshop focused on biological sample preparation for TEM & SEM. Gain theoretical understanding & practical exposure to sample preparation, instrumentation, & troubleshooting techniques. Space is limited. Registration required. brnw.ch/21wZ7vT

The #VirginiaTech Helmet Lab has released its first-ever ratings for youth hockey helmets. Using its STAR system, researchers tested 33 helmets, with 10 earning a top five-star rating to help families make informed choices about impact protection. 🙌 🔗: brnw.ch/21wYr9O

@CNN Health spotlighted @virginia_tech’s Helmet Lab (@VTHelmetRatings), for its science-based helmet safety research – giving athletes, coaches, and families the data they need to choose the safest head protection. edition.cnn.com/health/virgini…

Have you heard about the dentist who decided to become a quantum physicist? 🤔 That’s not a joke. He’s a #VirginiaTech graduate student. Seven years ago, he was an oral surgeon and faculty member in dental medicine at Cairo University in Egypt. news.vt.edu/articles/2025/…

Want to fly your drone at Virginia Tech? Check out your options! Have additional questions? Contact the Virginia Tech Drone Park at vtdronepark@vt.edu.

Join us for a workshop focused on biological sample preparation for TEM & SEM. This workshop will provide participants with theoretical understanding & practical exposure to sample prep, instrumentation, & troubleshooting techniques. Register today ➡️ brnw.ch/21wXebD

The Drone Park has had a busy few weeks hosting groups (including our Doctoral Scholars), classes, and participating in yesterday's Hokie for a Day Expo! Want to learn more about the #VirginiaTech Drone Park? Visit ➡️ brnw.ch/21wWS3W

Interested in learning more about the Drone Park? Visit drones.ictas.vt.edu

We're looking for volunteers to keep our airspace safe! Read below.

Just a few days away! Join us on Monday, October 6 at 11:15 a.m. for our 2025 Hugh and Ethel Kelly Lecture! RSVP is requested ➡️ brnw.ch/21wWk7Z

153 years ago, Addison Caldwell walked 26 miles to enroll as the first student at what is now #VirginiaTech. Since then, we've not only helped plan for a secure future, we’ve shaped it. 🧡

Join us on Monday, October 6 at 11:15 a.m. for our 2025 Hugh and Ethel Kelly Lecture! RSVP is requested ➡️ brnw.ch/21wWcuu

Last week, the Nanoscale Characterization & Fabrication Laboratory hosted their first Fall Workshop! 🍁 Thank you to the team members, attendees, and instrument partners that made the event a success! Learn more about the NCFL ➡️ ncfl.ictas.vt.edu

New helmet ratings just dropped! The #VirginiaTech Helmet Lab has released the first-ever ratings system for construction helmets. Learn more about our latest ratings release. ⬇️ news.vt.edu/articles/2025/…

Stay in the know with Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings news, events, and updates! Follow us on all of our social media platforms! ⬇️

Even the best helmets can’t fully prevent concussions, raising the stakes for supplemental safety innovations. In a laboratory study simulating varsity-level football collisions, engineers tested three commercially available shell add-ons across multiple helmet models and impact speeds. All three add-ons – Guardian NXT, SAFR Helmet Cover, and Guardian XT – reduced peak head accelerations and concussion risk compared to controls, with Guardian NXT showing the most substantial effect. Notably, when both players in a simulated impact wore add-ons, risk reductions were even greater. As this study shows, add-ons can close the gap between current protection and what athletes actually need. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: link.springer.com/article/10.100… 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆: How Shell Add-On Products Influence Varsity Football Helmet Performance? 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘖𝘤𝘵. 2, 2024 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀: @nestark_bme, Mark T. Begonia, Caitlyn Jung, and @strowson @virginia_tech @vtengineering @BEAMvt @ICTASVT 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁: link.springer.com/journal/10439

What might 3D printing mean for the future? The recent past gives us a good preview, according to @VTEngineering's Chris Williams. He joined Curious Conversations to talk about past, present, and future of additive manufacturing. The full episode: news.vt.edu/articles/2025/…