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LSU’s Jill Trepanier Educating K-12 Louisiana Students About the Environment

What began in 2018 as a single rooftop weather station on LSU’s campus as a tool to help freshmen connect to the science happening around them, has grown into an educational network in the southern part of the state, connecting K-12 students with the sky through real-time data, interactive technology, and hands-on learning. Trepanier, a professor and department chair in LSU’s Department of Geography & Anthropology, leads a project that now includes 10 weather stations installed at or near K–12 schools from Lake Charles to Grand Isle. “The environment is harsh in Louisiana. Beautiful, but harsh,” Trepanier said. “The more students know about it, the better they can protect themselves and their families. For me, that’s what it is all about.” The project all started to help college students in Trepanier’s meteorology and physical geography classes connect more deeply with the material by using weather data collected from the air around them. “These were 400 freshmen every semester who were not geography majors, so they didn't really love the science of the atmosphere. But they were able to connect with the information because they could see the data on an app on their phone as they were living in it.” Installed across South Louisiana, each weather station is solar-powered and connected to a console that uploads data to an online web platform and displays it on a dashboard. Then an app shows the local students the current conditions and records for the day. “When we look at data from the community, it might be many miles from where you are. And most people live within a few miles or less of their schools. It allows them a close-up view of what is happening, instead of relying on something miles away,” she said. Teachers can use the data with certain lessons or during a passing storm. But the available data also educates them on things like solar radiation, “It also helps aid things like seasonality and our relationship with the sun. It extends well beyond just rain.” The material is also aligned with the Louisiana Student Science Standards for environmental and Earth sciences. “By allowing students to compare real data across space and time, it helps them to understand how systems are connected. And most of these science standards have them focusing on system theory, in one way or another,” Trepanier said. Read the full story here.

Kyle Davis wins NSF CAREER Award for pioneering research on climate-resilient food systems

University of Delaware assistant professor Kyle Davis has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award—one of the most competitive and prestigious honors for early-career faculty—for his work advancing the climate resilience of global food systems. Davis, who holds joint appointments in the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, leads cutting-edge research at the intersection of agriculture, sustainability and global environmental change. His focus? Making food production more efficient, climate-smart and socially equitable—especially in regions grappling with limited water resources. With a growing global population and increasing pressure on land and water, Davis’s research is helping to answer one of the most critical questions of our time: How can we feed the world without destroying the planet? His lab’s work recently led to the development of MIRCA-OS, a groundbreaking open-source dataset that offers high-resolution global data on irrigated and rain-fed croplands across 23 crop types. The tool, co-created with UD doctoral student Endalkachew Kebede and published in Nature Scientific Data, allows researchers, farmers and policymakers to assess how crop choices, rainfall and irrigation interact with water systems and food security. Some of the thirstiest crops are grown in the most water-stressed areas Davis said. Shifting crop mixes to crops that require less water but still ensure farmer profits is a promising way to reduce the amount of water needed to irrigate crops and to avoid conditions of water scarcity. Davis’s research spans continents, with active projects in the United States, India, China and Nigeria, where his team is exploring solutions to water scarcity, crop nutrition and agricultural sustainability. His work has appeared in Earth.com, Phys.org and major scientific journals. In 2023, he was recognized with the American Geophysical Union’s Global Environmental Change Early Career Award. In addition to research, Davis is a dedicated mentor, guiding graduate students from around the world. “So much of my research is the result of their passion, abilities, drive and creativity,” Davis said. Davis is available for interviews on topics including sustainable agriculture, water use, climate adaptation, food systems and the power of data science in global development. He can be contacted by clicking the "View Profile" button.

Neutrons by the trillions: Using computational physics to understand nuclear reactors

Zeyun Wu, Ph.D., associate professor in the mechanical and nuclear engineering department at VCU Engineering, is reshaping the future of nuclear power. Nuclear reactors are among the most complex engineered systems on earth, with different physical processes interacting simultaneously across various scales. Even the world's most powerful computers cannot simulate every detail of an operating reactor at once. With a background in computational reactor physics, Wu’s research develops modeling and simulation techniques crucial to understanding next-generation nuclear reactors. By creating these advanced tools, his research eliminates the need for costly physical experimentation while ensuring the safety, efficiency and environmental sustainability of future nuclear power plants. Wu's research focuses on understanding reactor behavior through two aspects: multi-physics and multi-scale modeling. The multi-physics approach integrates various physical phenomena, such as nuclear physics reactions, fluid dynamics, heat transfer and structural mechanics, into a unified simulation framework. The multi-scale modeling technique addresses the vast range of physical scales involved, from subatomic neutron interactions to meter-sized reactor components. Wu’s research can simulate the complex phenomena within reactors at different scales. These models, developed using advanced numerical methods, help predict reactor behavior under various conditions. One of the models Wu uses tracks neutron behavior, a fundamental aspect to understand nuclear reactions. His simulations track trillions of neutrons as they move through various reactor materials, cause fission events and generate power. "What drives power is actually the neutron," explained Wu. "Once an atom splits, along with the nuclear energy release, lots of neutrons come out. We're talking about 1012 to 1013 neutrons per second. Our code tracks each neutron to understand where it comes from and where it goes." By understanding neutron distribution across space, time and energy domains, Wu's team can predict power distribution throughout the reactor core. This helps identify potential hotspots – areas of heightened thermal activity that could pose safety challenges. Beyond neutron behavior, Wu's research also explores how cooling fluids interact with neutrons and carry away thermal energy, a field known as thermal hydraulics, because how the reactor components are cooled significantly affects the neutron behavior as well. This also explains why the multi-physics modeling becomes essential for nuclear reactor simulations. Wu founded the Computational Applied Reactor Physics Laboratory (CARPL) to continue his research in nuclear reactor modeling and simulation. Undergraduate and master’s students learn to use established nuclear simulation codes to analyze reactor problems – skills highly valued in the industry and national labs. Ph.D. students build on theoretical foundations to deepen their understanding, enhance existing models, and develop new ones. “My area of research has been continually evolving for the past 60 years or so,” said Wu. “Most of the codes we use have been developed by national labs, like Oak Ridge National Lab, but these codes aren’t perfect. National labs hire Ph.D. level students with this niche to identify deficits in the code, correct errors and even add new functions and improve them.” Looking forward, Wu hopes his research will have a real-world impact on the upcoming shift in nuclear power in America. Over the next 20 to 30 years, the nation's approximately 90 light-water-cooled nuclear reactors reach the end of their operational lifetimes. Light water refers to ordinary water (H₂O), used in most existing reactors to both cool the system and slow down neutrons to sustain the nuclear reaction. To replace them, experts are looking toward advanced, non-light-water-cooled reactors, such as the Molten Uranium Breeder Reactor (MUBR) shown in the figure. Computational methods and tools like Wu’s research lab developed will be essential to their development and implementation. Non-light-water cooled reactors offer significant advantages over the older designs. Some can operate at higher temperatures while others produce substantially less nuclear waste, addressing one of the industry's persistent challenges. "Unlike traditional water reactors, where we have decades of operational experience and established analysis tools, these new designs present unique challenges," explained Wu. "Companies like Dominion employ large teams of analysts who use well-tested computational tools to maintain their existing reactors, but those same tools aren't calibrated for these next-generation reactors. Our research is developing the computational methods and simulations these advanced reactors will need. When these new reactors come online, the methodologies we're creating now can be quickly converted into production-level nuclear codes, providing immediate practical value to industry.”

Could China Beat America in the Race to Get Boots Back on the Moon?

Call it a matter of pride, national security or a desire for astronomical dominance; there's a sense of urgency within the U.S. government to return to the moon, sparked by China's team of taikonauts, who could land there before American astronauts get back to the lunar surface. The latest space race is a topic that is making national news. Florida Tech's experts are lending their opinions and insights about the likelihood of a lunar return, and what it might mean. NASA, with the urging of many politicians, has been racing to get astronauts back to the moon — before the Chinese land taikonauts on the lunar surface. But what’s the rush to return to a place the United States has already been and left 53 years ago? Especially when Mars looms as an enticing option for interplanetary travel. Space experts say there’s plenty of reasons for the urgency: national pride and national security. But also returning to the moon and building habitats would mean long term dominance in space and ensure access to resources that NASA didn’t know where there when the Apollo missions flew. Now with the Chinese making significant progress in human space exploration, the clock is ticking. “The Chinese in the last 20 years have made amazing strides in all aspects of space. They’re sending robots to the moon on a very regular basis. Now they’re doing some pretty amazing activities even on the far side of the moon, and they have a Chinese space station now in Earth orbit,” said Don Platt, associate professor of space systems at Florida Tech. Can China beat NASA to the moon? “The Chinese have really caught up,” said Platt. “I do believe that the Chinese are definitely advancing their efforts on the moon, and are identifying it as a critical aspect of their strategic future in space." When asked about the prospect of Chinese astronauts making it to the moon before NASA's planned Artemis III mission, Platt said he believes it’s a possibility and he cited the efforts China is making to highlight the importance of the nation's space efforts to its own populace. “They have some amazing videos. They’re really engaging the Chinese public, and really using it to do what what we’ve always done in space, and that is to inspire the next generation and to show the world the technical abilities of the Chinese,” said Platt.  May 21 - USA Today The race is on, and it's getting a lot of attention. If you're a journalist following this ongoing story, let us help with your coverage. Dr. Don Platt's work has involved developing, testing and flying different types of avionics, communications and rocket propulsion systems. He also studies astrobiology and biotechnology systems and human deep space exploration tools. Don is available to speak with media anytime. Simply click on the icon below to arrange an interview today.

Astrophysicists Strike Gold

BATON ROUGE – Since the Big Bang, the early universe had hydrogen, helium, and a scant amount of lithium. Later, some heavier elements, including iron, were forged in stars. But one of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics is: How did the first elements heavier than iron, such as gold, get created and distributed throughout the universe? A new answer has come from an unexpected place – magnetars. Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of stars that have exploded. They are so dense that one teaspoon of neutron star material, on Earth, would weigh as much as a billion tons. A magnetar is a neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field. On rare occasions, magnetars release an enormous amount of high-energy radiation when they undergo “starquakes,” which, like earthquakes, fracture the neutron star’s crust. Starquakes may also be associated with powerful bursts of radiation called magnetar giant flares, which can even affect Earth’s atmosphere. Only three magnetar giant flares have been observed in the Milky Way and the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud, and seven from other nearby galaxies. Astrophysicist Eric Burns and his team of researchers at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge study magnetars extensively through the observation of gamma-rays. These are the most energetic photons, most famous for turning Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk. Burns joined with researchers at Columbia University and other institutions to see if we could use gamma-rays to understand if magnetar giant flares forge the heaviest elements, and unexpectedly found the smoking-gun signature in decades-old data. The study, led by Anirudh Patel, a doctoral student at Columbia University in New York, is published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. “It’s answering one of the questions of the century and solving a mystery using archival data that people had just forgotten about, demonstrating something that occurred when the Universe was younger,” said Burns. “Giant flares should occur just after the first stars died, meaning we have identified what could be the origin of the first gold in the universe.” How could gold be made at a magnetar? Patel and colleagues, including his advisor Brian Metzger, Professor at Columbia University and senior research scientist at the Flatiron Institute in New York, have been thinking about how radiation from giant flares could correspond to heavy elements forming there. This would happen through a “rapid process” of neutrons forging lighter atomic nuclei into heavier ones. Protons define the element’s identity on the periodic table: hydrogen has 1 proton, helium has 2, lithium has 3, and so on. Atoms also have neutrons which do not affect identity, but do add mass. Sometimes when an atom captures an extra neutron the atom becomes unstable and a nuclear decay process happens that converts a neutron into a proton, moving the atom forward on the periodic table. This is how, for example, a gold atom could take on an extra neutron and then transform into mercury. In the unique environment of a disrupted neutron star, in which the density of neutrons is extremely high, something even stranger happens: single atoms can rapidly capture so many neutrons that they undergo multiple decays, leading to the creation of a much heavier element like uranium. When astronomers observed the collision of two neutron stars in 2017 using NASA telescopes and the gravitational wave observatory LIGO, they confirmed that this event could have created gold, platinum, and other heavy elements. “LIGO tells us there was a merger of compact objects, and Fermi tells us there was a short gamma-ray burst. Together, we know that what we observed was the merging of two neutron stars, dramatically confirming the relationship,” said Burns. But neutron star mergers happen too late in the universe’s history to explain the earliest gold and other heavy elements. Finding secrets in old data At first, Metzger and colleagues thought that the easiest signature to study from the creation and distribution of heavy elements at a magnetar would appear in the visible and ultraviolet light, and published their predictions. But Burns in Louisiana wondered if there could be a gamma ray signal bright enough to be detected, too. He asked Metzger and Patel to work out what that signal could look like. Burns looked up the gamma ray data from the last giant flare that was observed, which was in December 2004. He realized that while scientists had explained the beginning of the outburst, they had also identified a smaller signal from the magnetar, in data from ESA (European Space Agency)’s INTEGRAL, a retired mission with NASA contributions. “It was noted at the time, but nobody had any conception of what it could be,” Burns said. Metzger remembers that Burns thought he and Patel were “pulling his leg” because the prediction from their team’s model so closely matched the mystery signal in the 2004 data. In other words, the gamma ray signal detected over 20 years ago corresponded to what thought it should look like when heavy elements are created and then distributed in a magnetar giant flare. "This is my favorite discovery I've contributed to,” said Burns. “My colleagues found this signal in the past, but nobody knew what it could be at the time. Once these models were ready, everything fit like a perfect puzzle, which is extremely rare in science." Researchers supported their conclusion using data from two NASA heliophysics missions: the retired RHESSI (Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager) and the ongoing NASA Wind satellite, which had also observed the magnetar giant flare. Other collaborators on the new study included Jared Goldberg at the Flatiron Institute. Next steps in the magnetar gold rush Patel’s study estimates that magnetar giant flares could contribute about 10% of the total abundance of elements heavier than iron in the galaxy. Since magnetars existed relatively early in the history of the universe, the first gold could have been created this way. LSU PhD candidate Aaron Trigg, a NASA FINESST (Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology) fellow, who works with Burns, is responsible for finding more magnetar giant flares to study. “These are gargantuan outbursts of energy from the strongest magnets in the Universe, which are powerful enough to affect Earth’s atmosphere,” said Burns. Trigg’s work will help us better understand these sources.” NASA’s forthcoming COSI (Compton Spectrometer and Imager) mission can follow up on these results. COSI, a wide-field gamma ray telescope, is expected to launch in 2027 and will study energetic phenomena in the cosmos, such as magnetar giant flares. COSI will be able to identify individual elements created in these events, providing a new advancement in understanding the origin of the elements. LSU is one of the lead science institutes for COSI. Burns and LSU Assistant Professor Michela Negro have key responsibilities in the mission, and Trigg is working through how best to study giant flares with COSI. These LSU astrophysicists will be growing their research group as they approach launch in 2027. “I have so many questions about the cosmos and our place in it,” said Trigg. “This research allows me to explore those questions and share the answers with the world.”

An Expert Guide to the Papacy and Pope Francis

The death of Pope Francis marks a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church, ending a papacy that redefined the Church's relationship with the modern world. As the College of Cardinals prepares to gather in conclave, Catholics across the globe are closely watching to see whether the next pontiff will build upon Francis' legacy or chart a new course. The following experts are available to provide insight into a range of related topics, including Pope Francis' enduring impact and what lies ahead for the world's 1.4 billion Catholics: Massimo Faggioli, PhD Professor, Theology and Religious Studies Dr. Massimo Faggioli is a world-renowned expert on the history and administrative inner workings of the Catholic Church, with specific expertise in the papacy, Vatican II, the Roman Curia, liturgical reform, new Catholic movements and Catholicism and global politics. As quoted on NPR: "Historically, we see in different conclaves a certain swinging of the pendulum. What the conclave and the next pope cannot do is to ignore and deny the changing features of global Catholicism, which is much less European, much less white, less North American and more Global South..." Kevin Hughes, PhD Chair, Theology and Religious Studies Dr. Kevin Hughes is a leading historical theologian, offering insights into the life, legacy and impact of Pope Francis. He can also speak to the significance of the Pope in Catholicism and the influence of his teachings on the global Catholic Church. As quoted on Scripps News: "[Pope Francis' selection] was really the Church extending beyond the limits of its European imagination. His Latin American identity was really crucial to embracing a new moment within the Church and opening the door in so many ways, and I think he bore witness to that throughout his papacy." Jaisy Joseph, PhD Assistant Professor, Systematic and Constructive Theology Dr. Jaisy Joseph is a trained ecclesiologist, able to address a wide range of topics relating to the papacy, conclave process and Catholic Church. Previously, she has commented on the Church's presence in Asia and the Global South, offering expert commentary on its growth, challenges and shifting influence. As quoted by ABC News Digital: "[The election of someone from the Global South would be] a move in that direction of how to be a global church. That move from a Eurocentric church to a truly global church—I think that's what Francis really inaugurated." Patrick Brennan, JD Professor of Law; John F. Scarpa Chair in Catholic Legal Studies Professor Patrick Brennan is an expert on the conclave process and the main rules that govern it. He can also speak to topics such as the contemporary and historical importance of secrecy in the conclave, what the cardinals may be looking for in the next Pope and the factors that cause similarities and differences from one conclave to the next.  As quoted on Fox 29's Good Day Philadelphia: "The purpose of the general congregation is for the cardinals, who don't know each other in some cases, to get to know each other better as they learn about the current state of the Church and together decide on the needs of the Church and priorities for the new pontificate." Brett Grainger, ThD Associate Professor, Study of Spirituality and American Religious History Dr. Brett Grainger is a go-to source for discussions of the changing face and role of modern spirituality in America. He serves as an expert on contemporary religious trends and can also speak to the broader public reaction to Pope Francis' passing, especially outside of the Catholic faith. As quoted by Courthouse News Service: "People are disaffiliating from a tradition—that doesn't necessarily mean in fact that they don't believe in God anymore...What's more important is 'Is this giving me life? Is this making my life more meaningful? Is this giving me the kind of energy and purpose that I'm looking for?' That's where religion is going." Michael Moreland, JD, PhD Professor of Law and Religion; Director, Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy Dr. Michael Moreland is a renowned scholar of constitutional law, religious freedom, public policy and ethics. He can provide expert commentary on items related to the Catholic right and the state of religious politics in the United States. As featured on NBC News Digital: Michael Moreland said the mass appeal of "Conclave" captured how, even in a secular modern age, there is still pervasive intrigue around "the ancient rituals of the Catholic Church." "The significance of the theological and spiritual aspects of Catholicism and this process of electing a pope was kind of reduced into partisan politics," he said. Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Christian Theology Sister Ilia Delio addresses topics in her work such as theology and evolution, technology and human becoming and understandings of Catholicity in a world of complexity. She can provide expert insight into Laudato si', Pope Francis' position on the environment, the relationship between science and religion and integral ecology. As featured in the National Catholic Reporter: "We are clearly an Earth in crisis," with a reversal necessary to secure a sustainable future, said Ilia Delio... Delio posed a series of questions: about the relationship between religion and science; what Laudato si', and Christianity more broadly, can offer ecological movements; and whether the concept of kinship or creation as family might better reflect humanity's place within nature than "care for creation." To speak with any of these media experts, please contact mediaexperts@villanova.edu.

College of Engineering researchers develop technology to increase production of biologic pharmaceuticals for diabetes treatment

Chemical and Life Science Engineering Professor Michael “Pete” Peters, Ph.D., is investigating more efficient ways to manufacture biologic pharmaceuticals using a radial flow bioreactor he developed. With applications in vaccines and other personalized therapeutic treatments, biologics are versatile. Their genetic base can be manipulated to create a variety of effects from fighting infections by stimulating an immune response to weight loss by producing a specific hormone in the body. Ozempic, Wegovy and Victoza are some of the brand names for Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists used to treat diabetes. These drugs mimic the GLP-1 peptide, a hormone naturally produced in the body that regulates appetite, hunger and blood sugar. “I have a lot of experience with helical peptides like GLP-1 from my work with COVID therapeutics,” says Peters. “When it was discovered that these biologic pharmaceuticals can help with weight loss, demand spiked. These drug types were designed for people with type-2 diabetes and those diabetic patients couldn’t get their GLP-1 treatments. We wanted to find a way for manufacturers to scale up production to meet demand, especially now that further study of GLP-1 has revealed other applications for the drug, like smoking cessation.” Continuous Manufacturing of Biologic Pharmaceuticals Pharmaceuticals come in two basic forms: small-molecule and biologic. Small-molecule medicines are synthetically produced via chemical reactions while biologics are produced from microorganisms. Both types of medications are traditionally produced in a batch process, where base materials are fed into a staged system that produces “batches” of the small-molecule or biologic medication. This process is similar to a chef baking a single cake. Once these materials are exhausted, the batch is complete and the entire system needs to be reset before the next batch begins. “ The batch process can be cumbersome,” says Peters. “Shutting the whole process down and starting it up costs time and money. And if you want a second batch, you have to go through the entire process again after sterilization. Scaling the manufacturing process up is another problem because doubling the system size doesn’t equate to doubling the product. In engineering, that’s called nonlinear phenomena.” Continuous manufacturing improves efficiency and scalability by creating a system where production is ongoing over time rather than staged. These manufacturing techniques can lead to “end-to-end” continuous manufacturing, which is ideal for producing high-demand biologic pharmaceuticals like Ozempic, Wegovy and Victoza. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medicines for All Institute is also focused on these production innovations. Peters’ continuous manufacturing system for biologics is called a radial flow bioreactor. A disk containing the microorganisms used for production sits on a fixture with a tube coming up through the center of the disk. As the transport fluid comes up the tube, the laminar flow created by its exiting the tube spreads it evenly and continuously over the disk. The interaction between the transport medium coming up the tube and the microorganisms on the disk creates the biological pharmaceutical, which is then taken away by the flow of the transport medium for continuous collection. Flowing the transport medium liquid over a disc coated with biologic-producing microorganisms allows the radial flow bioreactor to continuously produce biologic pharmaceuticals. “There are many advantages to a radial flow bioreactor,” says Peters. “It takes minutes to switch out the disk with the biologic-producing microorganisms. While continuously producing your biologic pharmaceutical, a manufacturer could have another disk in an incubator. Once the microorganisms in the incubator have grown to completely cover the disk, flow of the transport medium liquid to the radial flow bioreactor is shut off. The disk is replaced and then the transport medium flow resumes. That’s minutes for a production changeover instead of the many hours it takes to reset a system in the batch flow process.” The Building Blocks of Biologic Pharmaceuticals Biologic pharmaceuticals are natural molecules created by genetically manipulating microorganisms, like bacteria or mammalian cells. The technology involves designing and inserting a DNA plasmid that carries genetic instructions to the cells. This genetic code is a nucleotide sequence used by the cell to create proteins capable of performing a diverse range of functions within the body. Like musical notes, each nucleotide represents specific genetic information. The arrangement of these sequences, like notes in a song, changes what the cell is instructed to do. In the same way notes can be arranged to create different musical compositions, nucleotide sequences can completely alter a cell’s behavior. Microorganisms transcribe the inserted DNA into a much smaller, mRNA coded molecule. Then the mRNA molecule has its nucleotide code translated into a chain of amino acids, forming a polypeptide that eventually folds into a protein that can act within the body. “One of the disadvantages of biologic design is the wide range of molecular conformations biological molecules can adopt,” says Peters. “Small-molecule medications, on the other hand, are typically more rigid, but difficult to design via first-principle engineering methods. A lot of my focus has been on helical peptides, like GLP-1, that are a programmable biologic pharmaceutical designed from first principles and have the stability of a small-molecule.” The stability Peters describes comes from the helical peptide’s structure, an alpha helix where the amino acid chain coils into a spiral that twists clockwise. Hydrogen bonds that occur between the peptide’s backbone creates a repeating pattern that pulls the helix tightly together to resist conformational changes. “It’s why we used it in our COVID therapeutic and makes it an excellent candidate for GLP-1 continuous production because of its relative stability,” says Peters. Programming The Cell Chemical and Life Science Engineering Assistant Professor Leah Spangler, Ph.D., is an expert at instructing cells to make specific things. Her material science background employs proteins to build or manipulate products not found in nature, like purifying rare-earth elements for use in electronics. “My lab’s function is to make proteins every day,” says Spangler. “The kind of proteins we make depends entirely on the project they are for. More specifically I use proteins to make things that don’t occur in nature. The reason proteins don’t build things like solar cells or the quantum dots used in LCD TVs is because nature is not going to evolve a solar cell or a display surface. Nature doesn’t know what either of those things are. However, proteins can be instructed to build these items, if we code them to.” Spangler is collaborating with Peters in the development of his radial flow bioreactor, specifically to engineer a microorganismal bacteria cell capable of continuously producing biologic pharmaceuticals. “We build proteins by leveraging bacteria to make them for us,” says Spangler. “It’s a well known technology. For this project, we’re hypothesizing that Escherichia coli (E. coli) can be modified to make GLP-1. Personally, I like working with E. coli because it’s a simple bacteria that has been thoroughly studied, so there’s lots of tools available for working with it compared to other cell types.” Development of the process and technique to use E. coli with the radial flow bioreactor is ongoing. “Working with Dr. Spangler has been a game changer for me,” says Peters. “She came to the College of Engineering with a background in protein engineering and an expertise with bacteria. Most of my work was in mammalian cells, so it’s been a great collaboration. We’ve been able to work together and develop this bioreactor to produce GLP-1.” Other Radial Flow Bioreactor Applications Similar to how the GLP-1 peptide has found applications beyond diabetes treatment, the radial flow bioreactor can also be used in different roles. Peters is currently exploring the reactor’s viability for harnessing solar energy. “One of the things we’ve done with the internal disc is to use it as a solar panel,” says Peters. “The disk can be a black body that absorbs light and gets warm. If you run water through the system, water also absorbs the radiation’s energy. The radial flow pattern automatically optimizes energy driving forces with fluid residence time. That makes for a very effective solar heating system. This heating system is a simple proof of concept. Our next step is to determine a method that harnesses solar radiation to create electricity in a continuous manner.” The radial flow bioreactor can also be implemented for environmental cleanup. With a disk tailored for water filtration, desalination or bioremediation, untreated water can be pushed through the system until it reaches a satisfactory level of purification. “The continuous bioreactor design is based on first principles of engineering that our students are learning through their undergraduate education,” says Peters. “The nonlinear scaling laws and performance predictions are fundamentally based. In this day of continued emphasis on empirical AI algorithms, the diminishing understanding of fundamental physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics that underlie engineering principles is a challenge. It’s important we not let first-principles and fundamental understanding be degraded from our educational mission, and projects like the radial flow bioreactor help students see these important fundamentals in action.”

Weird and complex life emerged on Earth as the planet's magnetic field gave way

The Earth’s magnetic field plays a key role in making the planet habitable. It shields lifeforms from harmful solar and cosmic radiation. It helps limit erosion of the atmosphere and keeps water from escaping into space. But new data show a prolonged near collapse of Earth’s magnetic field that took place some 575-565 million years ago coincided with the blossoming of macroscopic complex animal life. We now face the possibility of a new, unexpected twist in how life might relate to the magnetic field, says John A. Tarduno, the William R. Kenan Professor of Geophysics and the dean of research at the School of Arts and Sciences and the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Rochester. “That twist could reach deep into Earth’s inner core,” says Tarduno, who recently wrote about the findings for Physics Today magazine. Tarduno is frequently cited by news outlets, like CNN, The Washington Post, and Smithsonian magazine, on matters related to the Earth’s inner core, or dynamo, and magnetic field. He can be reached at john.tarduno@rochester.edu.

Life Beyond Earth? Florida Tech's Expert's are Hoping SPHEREx Will Have The Answer

In March, NASA's SPHEREx — short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer — was launched to the skies and far into space. Its mission has received plentiful media coverage but demands the expert analysis of scholars like astrobiologist Manasvi Lingam, an assistant professor of aerospace, physics and space sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology.  The space telescope is designed to [operate] with unmatched clarity, gathering a big-picture view that will help scientists tackle questions about the origin of the universe itself, the galaxies within and life's essential ingredients wafting in our home galaxy, the Milky Way. While scientists have previously detected lots of complex organic molecules in the interstellar medium and protoplanetary disks, "we still do not know a lot about the actual abundances of useful building blocks," astrobiologist Manasvi Lingam of the Florida Institute of Technology told Space.com. That means scientists don't have strong constraints about how efficiently frozen water molecules are transferred from interstellar clouds to protoplanetary disks, where they would eventually be incorporated into newborn planets, he said. "This mission can improve the data, and help make better forecasts about the probability of the origin of life on those worlds." Looking to know more about Astrobiology and the work Manasvi Lingam is doing at Florida Tech? March 01 - Space.com Looking to know more about this latest NASA mission? Let us help. Astrobiologist Manasvi Lingam, author and assistant professor of aerospace, physics and space sciences at Florida Tech, is available to speak with media regarding this and related topics. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview.

Space suit experiment lands on the moon

University of Delaware research made a moon landing on Sunday along with other experiments aboard the unmanned Blue Ghost spacecraft. These projects will help scientists better understand what it will take to successfully land humans on the moon, and could possibly pave the way for an extended stay. The experiment led by UD researcher Norman Wagner and his company STF Technologies, LLC, aims to determine how moon dust particles stick to different materials exposed to the moon’s environment. These particles, called regolith, are fine and very sharp, similar to volcanic rock or dust found on Earth. Prototype spacesuit materials made by UD and STF Technologies will be tested for their ability to repel this moon dust in experiments strapped outside a lunar lander designed to carry payloads to the moon’s surface. The UD spacesuit shell textiles are treated with multiple nanotechnologies, including shear thickening fluid, a revolutionary material co-developed by UD and STF Technologies that normally behaves like a liquid, but becomes a solid under impact, a useful feature when puncture resistance is a priority. The hope is that beyond puncture protection, the STF-infused spacesuit textiles will offer greater dust deterrence, increasing the material’s lifespan in space. Other RAC experiments will test materials for solar cells, optical systems, coatings and sensors. In other related work, the Wagner lab currently has experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) through a NASA collaboration to develop new construction materials for lunar exploration. These ISS experiments, part of a Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) that launched last November, extend Wagner’s previous work on ways to make concrete in space, for such items as rocket landing pads, buildings, roads, habitats and other structures. More recent work in the Wagner lab by undergraduate researchers and doctoral students focuses on methods for curing 3D-printed materials in space, including using microwave technology. “Here we aren’t trying to get rid of the moon dust — we are trying to leverage it to create extraterrestrial cement through additive manufacturing on the moon,” said Wagner, Unidel Robert L. Pigford Chair in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Contact mediarelations@udel.edu to set up an interview.