OU Engineering

An engineering researcher at the University of Oklahoma is part of a National Science Foundation project addressing the logistical challenges of maintaining cryogenic temperatures for Messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, a molecule that allows human cells to recognize and protect against infectious diseases. Dimitrios Papavassiliou ,  a professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering in the Gallogly College of Engineering, is investigating Distributed Ribonucleic Acid Manufacturing – DReAM – that would create a manufacturing technique to produce mRNA sequences on demand and on-site. The NSF funds the research through a four-year, $2 million grant from its Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation program.  “The mRNA molecules are very fragile and require extremely low temperatures for storage and transportation. The DReAM team is working to avoid the need to maintain cryogenic temperatures. We hope our work will revolutionize care for viruses such as H...

Cultural anthropologist Dawn Martin-Hill, has been named the 2022 University of Oklahoma International Water Prize recipient for her commitment to improving water security for the people of the Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest Native reserve in Canada. In September Martin-Hill, an associate professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, was recognized at the OU International WaTER Symposium for her contributions to understanding how water quality and security are linked to Indigenous community culture, livelihood and health.  Jim Chamberlain, interim director of the OU WaTER Center, said, “Dr. Martin-Hill is deeply committed to bringing water to the underserved in North America. We had five excellent nominees for this prize and a panel of her peers determined that Dr. Martin-Hill’s work stood out as exemplary and representative of the WaTER Center’s mission to bring water and sanitation to communities in need.” The symposium brings together a group of expert paneli...

The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, headquartered at Tinker Air Force Base, is funding six research projects at the University of Oklahoma. A seventh project is being funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory. The nearly $5 million total investment will fund research that addresses sustainment and modernization needs for the Air Force. “Our partnership with OU is instrumental to our ability to meet future mission challenges,” said OC-ALC Cmdr. Maj. Gen. Jeffrey R. King. “These awards, following closely on the heels of our educational partnership agreement and software satellite facility on the Norman campus, represent the next step in this growing and vital relationship.” OU signed an educational partnership agreement with OC-ALC in July 2020 to cultivate aerospace and defense technology development and to improve and enhance education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Following the development of OU’s Lead On, University strategic plan , which defines four “...

You may not even realize it. The battery that powers your cell phone has not been in existence long. Lithium-ion batteries first became available commercially in 1991, introducing a new age of technology. Thirty years later, universities and businesses around the world continue to explore ways to improve the lithium battery to make it safer, more powerful and long-lasting. Bin Wang, an associate professor in the Gallogly College of Engineering School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, is one of the researchers around the globe working on next-generation batteries. In August, Wang received a three-year, $255,552-award from the Electrochemical Systems Program at the National Science Foundation. Wang is part of a collaborative study with researcher Zhaoyang Fan at Arizona State University.  One of the key concerns with lithium-ion batteries is storage capacity for large-scale usage. “Windmills and solar panels produce a lot of electricity....

From left,  OU team members Deborah Moore-Russo, Deborah Trytten, Natalie Youngbull, Heather Shotton, Casey Haskins and Randa Shehab.   Deborah Trytten, a computer science professor, is leading a research team at the University of Oklahoma focused on creating pathways to STEM disciplines for students with demonstrated financial need. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the project will support scholarships to 23 full-time students who are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in computer science.  The interdisciplinary team was awarded a nearly $1.5 million grant from the Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program at the NSF. They represent the many facets of the program to support Indigenous students at OU. The project is also supported by two advisory boards: the Advisors for Indigenous Community Engagement board consists of community members and professionals who support Indigenous education across Oklahoma. The Student Success Advisory Boar...

Daniel Resasco, a professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering in the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded the Excellence in Catalysis Award by the Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York, a prestigious regional organization with an awardee pool national in scope.  The award, sponsored by ExxonMobil, has been given to academic and industrial researchers in heterogeneous catalysis since 1982. Resasco’s affiliation with the organization dates back 40 years to when he was a graduate student at Yale University.  “I vividly remember attending the awards dinner and a seminar given by that year’s awardee so receiving this award and presenting the work conducted at OU almost 40 years later is a very special honor. This award recognizes world-renowned researchers and being part of this remarkable group makes me humble and proud at the same time,” he said.  Joining the OU faculty in 1993, Resasco holds the i...

The OU International WaTER Symposium is hosted by the Water Technologies for Emerging Regions (WaTER) Center as part of a broader mission to promote peace through sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene solutions. A virtual symposium starts at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 21. Five internationally recognized practitioners active in the field of water security will have determined the 2022 OU International Water Prize recipient earlier in the day. At the end of the symposium, the recipient will be announced. When: Tuesday, Sept. 21, 7-8:30 p.m. Registration is required. Upon registering a Zoom link will be sent to your email. Register here. What: At approximately 8 p.m. on Sept. 21, the University of Oklahoma International Water Prize is awarded to an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of water supply and sanitation for developing regions.  Who:  Presentations by each of the practitioners, who also are jurors, starts at approximately 7:15 p.m.  ...