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Infrastructure and extreme weather expert on recent weather events
Hiba Baroud, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is available for commentary on recent extreme weather events, including hurricanes, tropical storms and flooding. Baroud is an expert on infrastructure and climate change as they pertain to extreme weather events. She can speak to the potential dangers of the destruction and the cleanup decisions affected areas must make, including those that can help prepare for the future. Topics she can discuss include: How weathers and disasters are becoming more frequent and intense, therefore costing us more. Why cities must prepare before extreme weather hits, making future-based predictions and not just relying on historical data to understand potential concerns. With that, cities must also focus on restoration after an event happens, rather than prevention Additional dangers to residents' lives to be considered once the weather has passed - such as a lack of food and water, lack of power and road infrastructure issues
Three Aston University STEM pioneers shortlisted for Women in Tech Awards
• Three finalists from Aston University shortlisted for prestigious Women in Tech Awards • Two academics are up for the award which will be announced in October • A degree apprentice has also been nominated in the category Three STEM pioneers from Aston University are celebrating after being shortlisted for the prestigious Midlands Women In Tech Awards. Aston University’s Reham Badawy and Lucy Bastin have picked up nominations for the academic category while Jessica Morgan has been put forward for the apprentice category for the awards. The Midlands Women in Tech Awards are an opportunity to highlight and recognise the ongoing contribution of women in the tech sector. The aim of the awards is to raise the visibility of women in the tech space and enable the next generation to ‘see it and therefore aspire to it’. Jessica Morgan is studying a Digital Technology Solutions apprenticeship with Cap Gemini and Aston University, with experience working on projects within the public sector. She is in the final year of her degree apprenticeship and has been balancing work, studying and volunteering, while being on track for a first class honours. Reham Badawy is part of the Undergraduate Teaching Team at Aston University. Her research work has used smart tech to detect and monitor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. She is a strong advocate for women in STEM and is a UK Ambassador for Women are Boring. Lucy Bastin has a Masters in GIS and a PhD in Urban Ecology. She is a senior lecturer in Computer Science and was recently on secondment to the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. She developed web-based biodiversity information systems that support accessible and user-friendly reporting by the international community against policy and conservation targets such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Professor Kate Sugden, deputy dean for the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Aston University said: “We are delighted to see so many Aston University shortlisted candidates for the Women in Tech Awards. “In our eyes they are all winners and are great examples of our ongoing commitment to making significant contributions to the region and wider society.” Voting closes on August 20 and more details about the finalists can be found here: www.womenintechawards.co.uk The ceremony takes place on 7 October where the winners will be announced.
Podcast: 3D printing’s vital solution to medical problem caused by COVID-19
"They were looking to solve a problem and I was able to use my additive manufacturing knowledge to help them out, and the result of that was that we developed a new technology and span a company out of it." Dr Mark Prince Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering Aston University New device created in Aston University lecturer's home during coronavirus lockdown Aston Business School expert explains how 3D printers are already used to make hearing aids, dental crowns and hips ‘Imagination is the only limit’ for additive manufacturing’s future, according to Dr Ahmad Beltagui A senior lecturer at Aston University is helping ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinics around the world by using the hi-tech ingenuity of 3D printing. Dr Mark Prince used 3D printing to prototype and produce a valve for a mask so that ENT surgeons could continue to examine and treat patients without fear of spreading the virus. Dr Prince, a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at Aston University, was talking about his experiences in the latest episode of the 'Aston means business' podcast, presented by journalist Steve Dyson. The podcast also features Dr Ahmad Beltagui from Aston Business School, who talks about the wider benefits, some downsides and future potential of 3D printing in successfully disrupting traditional manufacturing. Dr Prince said his interest in additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, peaked after meeting two consultant ENT surgeons in the West Midlands. He said: "They were looking to solve a problem and I was able to use my additive manufacturing knowledge to help them out, and the result of that was that we developed a new technology and span a company out of it. "The company is Endoscope-i Ltd, founded in 2012 and now with an annual turnover of £200,000. The idea was simple: can we get medical endoscopic images of the ears and throat using a smartphone and we came up with a technique to do that." He said that, traditionally, he would have used large, expensive equipment to prototype the systems and new products. However, that wasn't possible with most of the university closed down at the height of the pandemic last year. He, therefore, had to look at other technologies that were safe to use in the home without breaking lockdown restrictions. Dr Prince explained: "When we are looking at diseases or concerns of the throat and nose we often stick an endoscope up the nose and down the throat, but of course you can't do that through a mask. "One of the founding members, Mr Ajith George, suggested that we could put a valve in the mask that allowed an endoscope to pass through it and allow the procedure to go ahead without breaking containment." "Work on the device started in mid-March 2020 and was ready for free supply to the NHS in November. Dr Prince added: "What that has allowed the NHS to do is any ENT clinic was able to fit it to a mask, put the mask on the patient, and carry on with an endoscopy procedure without all of the concerns of the pandemic." Meanwhile, Dr Ahmad Beltagui, a lecturer in operations and information management at Aston Business School, said you could get 3D printers from as little as £200 all the way up to expensive versions working with "exotic materials" like titanium. He said there were four main benefits to manufacturers: "Compared to traditional manufacturing methods you can produce shapes that are harder to produce; you can produce things in very small volumes; you can innovate faster and produce lots of prototypes, and you can produce things nearer to where they are required so you don't have to produce in a factory in one place and transport somewhere else." Dr Beltagui said: "The COVID-19 pandemic saw 3D printers used in homes to produce equipment such as cheap face visors for their local hospitals. The great thing about 3D printing is anyone can produce anything they want. "That's also the biggest risk – there is no control over what people produce or how safely they produce it. "At the beginning of the pandemic, someone in Italy found that they could produce some spare parts to keep the ventilators in their local hospital going. But then a few days later the manufacturer of those ventilators was considering whether or not it should take legal action." However, he said the printing machines had gradually become more reliable and there was a better level of quality, while the cost was coming down. Dr Beltagui added: "As to the future, the only limit is your imagination."
Ask an Expert: How do you manage a natural disaster during a pandemic?
Mark Abkowitz, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, discusses the challenges in managing a natural disaster during a pandemic.
Aston University celebrates launch of first wave of Institutes of Technology
"There remains a significant national skills shortage for engineering and we are pleased to be helping to address this through the provision of courses for young people wanting to progress to higher technical education, adult learners and people who want to develop their engineering skills." Professor Sarah Hainsworth Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences Aston University Institutes of Technology (IoTs) are collaborations between further education (FE) providers, universities and employers IoTs focus on the specific technical skills needs required in their local area They provide employers with a skilled workforce and students with a clear route to technical employment Aston University is joining in a nationwide celebration to mark the launch of the first wave of 12 Institutes of Technology on Thursday 8 July. Institutes of Technology (IoTs) are collaborations between further education (FE) providers, universities and employers. They specialise in delivering higher technical education (at Levels 4 and 5 – equivalent to the first and second year of a degree) with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, such as engineering, digital and construction. IoTs focus on the specific technical skills required in their local area. They will provide employers with a skilled workforce and students with a clear route to technical employment. By bridging skills gaps, these new institutions will drive growth and widen opportunity. Gillian Keegan, minister for apprenticeships and skills, said: “Institutes of Technology are the pinnacle of technical education, helping to develop the highly-skilled talent pipeline employers will need for the future. “By bringing together Further Education colleges, universities and businesses, Institutes of Technology are unique partnerships which will help to tackle skills shortages in vital sectors, from marine engineering to healthcare, cyber security to agri-tech. “Institutes of Technology are also playing a vital role in our multi-billion Plan for Jobs, which is helping to level up opportunities and support people to get the skills they need to get good jobs as we recover from the pandemic.” The Greater Birmingham and Solihull IoT has brought together the most innovative education providers within the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership area with leading industry stakeholders to create a powerhouse for advanced manufacturing and engineering. The consortium is led by Solihull College & University Centre, Aston University and Birmingham City University, working alongside South and City College Birmingham as a core partner and supported by BMET College, University College Birmingham and the University of Birmingham. The partnership will jointly design, develop and widen education and training opportunities aligned to the latest skills needs of leading-edge employers and the local, regional and national economy. The group will target under-represented learners, facilitating clear opportunities for progression from school to high-level occupations. In this new video, partners and employers explain what the IoT means to them: The following passage was included in the recent Government Skills for Jobs white paper, with the GBS Institute of Technology highlighted as an example of good practice: Government Skills for Jobs white paper Building work has started on the GBSIoT Hub at Aston University. It will be completed at the end of 2021 and will be an innovative hub, providing a fabulous resource for students and learners from across the region. Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology is all about two things: economic growth and prosperity. The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology is going to give us wonderful new skills in the sectors of the economy that are really growing fast here.” Professor Sarah Hainsworth, pro-vice chancellor and executive dean of the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences at Aston University, said: “We are delighted to be working with our partners on the Greater Birmingham and Solihull IOT for Advanced Manufacturing. It has been really exciting to see the work progressing on delivering the new Hub for students and learners on the campus at Aston University. "There remains a significant national skills shortage for engineering and we are pleased to be helping to address this through the provision of courses for young people wanting to progress to higher technical education, adult learners and people who want to develop their engineering skills. "The Hub will be home to a new cyber physical manufacturing rig which will create a simulated working environment linked to advancing Industry 4.0 technology and state of the art digital facilities and I really look forward to when it becomes the new home for our IoT students.” Find out more about the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology at www.gbsiot.ac.uk
Environmental scientist on heat wave in western U.S.
Jonathan Gilligan, Associate Professor of Earth & Environmental Science and Civil & Environmental Engineering at Vanderbilt University, is available for commentary on the recent heat waves and how climate change plays a role. Professor Gilligan's research focuses on global climate change and environmental policy. He also serves on Vanderbilt's Climate Change Research Network, which focuses on the reduction of carbon emissions from individuals and households. He can speak to how climate change is affecting our temperatures and future related trends we might see.
Metal-Breathing Bacteria Could Transform Electronics, Biosensors, and More
When the Shewanella oneidensis bacterium “breathes” in certain metal and sulfur compounds anaerobically, the way an aerobic organism would process oxygen, one of the materials it can produce is molybdenum disulfide, a material that could be used to enhance electronics, electrochemical energy storage, and drug-delivery devices. Shayla Sawyer, an associate professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering at Rensselaer, has centered much of her research on the unique abilities of this bacterium. Her lab’s exploration in this area could be an important step toward developing a new generation of nutrient sensors that can be deployed on lakes and other water bodies. Compared with other anaerobic bacteria, one thing that makes Shewanella oneidensis particularly unusual and interesting is that it produces nanowires capable of transferring electrons. “That lends itself to connecting to electronic devices that have already been made,” Sawyer said. “So, it’s the interface between the living world and the manmade world that is fascinating.” Sawyer is available to talk about this unique and innovative area of research, and the potential to develop the next generation of electronics and sensors.
Free bioenergy tool launching at Aston University to accelerate bioenergy production in Global South
• Aston University team of bioenergy researchers set to launch free tool to calculate energy potential • The launch event on 1 July will allow participants to use the tool for themselves and is focused on bioenergy development in the Global South • The tool can calculate bioenergy output from waste materials including straw, nutshells and manure A simple tool which allows users to easily calculate how much bioenergy they can produce from biomass is being launched this week by researchers from the Energy and Biproducts Research Institute (EBRI) at Aston University. The easy-to-use tool, called the Bioenergy Mass-Energy Balance Model, allows the user to experiment virtually with different biomass materials in several industrial processes including cement production, tea production and food processing to understand the potential implementation. Developed with the focus on bioenergy development in the Global South, users can simply and easily calculate how much heat or electricity they can produce from the biomass. The EBRI team based at Aston University who developed the tool will be launching the model and summarising their methodologies at an online event on Thursday 1 July. Dr Katie Chong, lecturer in chemical engineering, who led the development team said they were looking forward to the launch. “This tool will be available to everyone for free and has been built in Excel to make it accessible for all. We wanted to keep it as simple as possible and we really think it will make a difference, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa,” she said. Mirjam Röder, associate professorial research fellow at EBRI, added: “The launch event will be a chance for us to introduce the Mass-Energy Balance Model, summarise the methodologies and give participants the opportunity to use the model and generate their own results in our guided walk-through during the workshop.” The tool was developed as part of a larger two-year research programme by the team at Aston University who are a core member of the consortium implementing the Bioenergy for Sustainable local energy services and Energy Access in Africa (BSEAA). Aston University partnered with NIRAS-LTS, E4Tech and AIGUASOL. The project was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) as part of the Transforming Energy Access programme. To sign up for the free event which runs from 9.30am until 11.30am on Thursday 1 July, visit this link. For more details about the world-leading research taking place at EBRI, click here.
Even with a drastic reduction in driving due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Americans saw the largest increase in traffic-related deaths in 2020 when compared to other racial groups. An estimated 38,680 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2020 — the largest projected number of deaths since 2007 — and the number of Black people who died in such crashes was up 23 percent from 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. UConn’s Dr. Norman Garrick spoke with NBC News about the new report: Norman Garrick, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Connecticut, said the numbers are saddening, but not surprising. “Black people tend to be overrepresented as walkers in this country,” Garrick said. “This is not by choice. In many cases, Black folks cannot afford motor vehicles. And people that walk in this country tend to experience a much, much higher rate of traffic fatality. We’re talking eight to 10 times more. It’s a perfect storm of a lot of horrible forces.” This most likely represents yet another way the health crisis has had an outsize effect on Black people. Even in the early days of the pandemic, the National Safety Council found that the emptier roads were proving to be more deadly, with a 14 percent jump in roadway deaths per miles driven in March. And Black people are more likely to face traffic injuries in general; from 2010-2019, Black pedestrians were 82 percent more likely to be hit by drivers, according to a 2021 report from Smart Growth America, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group focused on urban development. June 22 - NBC News Dr. Garrick is a professor in the UConn School of Engineering's Department of Civil Engineering and is co-director of the Sustainable Cities Research Group. He is an expert in the areas of transportation behaviors, parking, public transit, and bicycle lanes. Dr. Garrick is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Aston University – inspiring more women into engineering careers
• Aston University is celebrating International Women in Engineering Day • College of Engineering and Physical Sciences photography campaign of females as #EngineeringHeroes • Campaign aims to encourage girls into engineering careers A team of female engineering heroes from Aston University’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences has banded together to encourage girls into STEM careers. As part of International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), the world’s largest initiative to celebrate the achievements of women in engineering, Aston University’s very own team of engineers have shown themselves to be the very best STEM superheroes. Aston University Mechanical Engineering Student and STEM Ambassador Olamide Olabode Dressed in capes and taking selfies for the event on Wednesday 23 June, female ambassadors from the College, in collaboration with the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology, have also put together video content to show off their engineering skills and become ‘heroes’ for girls wanting to do the same. Also launching on the day will be a competition for participating schools linked to Aston University. Girls are being challenged to come up with their own superhero gadget / gizmo idea. Professor Sarah Hainsworth OBE FREng, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Aston University, said they were proud to be a part of INWED2021. “It is so important to us to encourage more girls into STEM subjects. Our hope is that through our teaching, and our partnership with the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology with its focus on technical skills for advanced manufacturing and giving students a clear route to technical employment, many will follow in the footsteps of our incredible team and be the STEM leaders of the future. “At Aston University, we work on sustainability for the environment, bioengineering, robotics, machine learning, sensors, communications, artificial intelligence, technologies for future vehicles and the issues that shape our future. On International Women in Engineering Day (INWED 2021), our College of Engineering and Physical Sciences celebrates the amazing contribution of our women colleagues who represent the cutting edge of engineering who are making vital contributions to our health and wellbeing, our society and our planet,” she added. Katy Lewis, marketing manager, said schools invited to take part were from the Aspire to Aston progressive programme, which works with 10 schools in and around Birmingham from areas of high deprivation. “At each of these schools there are up to 40 pupils per year group who have the academic ability to aim for university but lack the knowledge and confidence to do so and are selected for the programme. Our aim is to raise aspirations and normalise the idea of going into higher education, which is why us doing challenges like this one is so vitally important, so we can’t wait to help find the STEM female stars of the future,” she said. Currently the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences has 25% female academic staff (the UK STEM staff benchmark being 17 – 19%). The amount of female students studying the engineering subjects at Aston University has also grown over the past five years from 22% - 27%, above the UK STEM benchmark of 17% – 19%. To find out more about engineering at Aston University, visit ww.aston.ac.uk/eps For more details about the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology, visit this link: http://gbsiot.ac.uk/