Following a telecommunications outage that disrupted cell service nationwide, two West Virginia University experts are renewing calls for cooperative efforts to improve overall U.S. cyber resiliency. Christopher Ramezan, assistant professor, management information systems and cybersecurity, WVU John Chambers College of…
Tag: Infrastructure
Expert says West Coast flooding, mudslides remain threat from multiple large winter storms
As California and the west coast stare down yet another major winter storm, the threat of devastating flooding and mudslides is even more urgent. Drew Ellis, a climate science and meteorology expert at Virginia Tech, explains what causes these conditions.
Argonne shares urban science success story as part of UN Habitat Assembly
New student program at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory helps high school students from underserved communities get ready for STEM internships.
Argonne receives inaugural Green Fleet Award from Department of Energy
Argonne was honored with the first Green Fleet Award as the laboratory continues to purchase zero-emissions vehicles.
GW Expert Available: I-95 Highway Collapse in Philadelphia After Tanker Truck Fire
In Philadelphia, Monday morning traffic slowed drivers who tried to find new routes around a closed section of northbound I-95, which collapsed yesterday after a tanker truck caught fire underneath the highway overpass. Authorities say it could take months to repair, impacting…
Philadelphia I-95 bridge collapse: Warning signs and potential lessons
The University of Delaware’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering boasts experts in bridge safety who can talk about the I-95 highway bridge collapse in Philadelphia. Michael Chajes: Can speak to the need to replace aging roadways and bridges as well as forensic…
Broad Climate Change Concern in Florida Linked With Recent Extreme Weather
An increasing number of Floridians agree that human actions are causing climate change, including a record number of Florida Republicans. Virtually all respondents (90 percent) believe climate change is happening, with 65 percent attributing the causes to human actions, including 49 percent of GOP voters. Belief in and concern about human-caused climate change appears to be translating into support for policies to reduce emissions and reduce impacts. The explanation for this emerging consensus may be grounded in people’s lived experiences with weather events.
A new look at the electric vehicle supply chain as battery-powered cars hit the roads en masse
Researchers at Argonne have published a series of reports that look at how production of electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries for cars are reshaping the transportation sector, with impacts ranging from job creation to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Making electric vehicle charging stations cybersecure
Argonne research is informing smart infrastructure that can support the electric grid.
How Argonne makes the power grid more reliable and resilient
Argonne National Laboratory helps secure the nation’s energy future through innovative methods of deeply understanding the complexities of the electric power system.
Four major Illinois research institutions form a collaboration to improve urban forest drought resilience
Argonne, The Morton Arboretum, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign received a grant from NOAA to assess drought resilience in the urban tree canopy.
How University of Kentucky research team is proving human hair can be used to repair bridges, buildings
Did you know recycled human hair has many industry uses? As you might expect, beauty trends have fueled growth in the global hair business. But could those clippings — the ones often found on the floor of a hair salon — help repair dilapidated bridges and buildings across Kentucky and beyond? A research team in the College of Engineering at the University of Kentucky is leading the charge to answer that very question.
Poor infrastructure in Turkey, Syria partially to blame for the high number of earthquake casualties, says expert
The earthquakes in Turkey and Syria killed over 45,000 people and decimated large areas. The shockingly high number of fatalities raises the question of whether infrastructure issues are to blame. Roberto Leon, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, said there are several reasons for the large number of collapses, leading to mass casualties: Poor enforcement of existing codes (modern codes instituted after the 1999 Izmit earthquake) Grandfathering of older, deficient structures and not requiring their retrofit (structures built before 1999) Poor construction practices (i.
ComEd report shows how science and supercomputers help utilities adapt to climate change
Shifting climates are causing utility companies to take a closer look at the current and future power needs of their customers. Northern Illinois’ ComEd and Argonne National Laboratory used science to glimpse the future.
A year in review: Argonne’s breakthroughs in 2022
Argonne researchers put their stamp on 2022 with accomplishments as varied as quantum science, wearable medical sensors, and climate change resilience and recovery.
Department of Energy Announces $35 Million to Build Research Capacity, Infrastructure, and Expertise at Institutions Historically Underrepresented in Science
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $35 million to build research capacity, infrastructure, and expertise at institutions historically underrepresented in science, including minority serving institutions (MSIs) and emerging research institutions (ERIs). FAIR will enhance research at these institutions on clean energy, climate, and additional topics spanning the Office of Science portfolio. This investment will help develop a diverse, vibrant, and excellent scientific workforce and contribute to the science innovation ecosystem.
Expert: No easy solutions to protect power grid from crippling gunfire attacks
A Tulane University expert on homeland security says recent attacks and vandalism on electrical substations have raised questions about protecting these valuable pieces of America’s infrastructure. Last week, gunshots severely damaged two substations in Moore County, N.C., leaving 45,000 homes…
Story tips from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, December 2022
Naturally derived materials fit for 3D printing; Next-gen hydropower starts with testing; Long-haul trucking meets megawatt-scale charging; New insights advance atomic-scale manufacturing
Army strong: Research teams join forces to invent weld wire for tank, infrastructure repair
The U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense teamed up to create a series of weld filler materials that could dramatically improve high-strength steel repair in vehicles, bridges and pipelines. This novel weld wire could help revitalize America’s aging infrastructures, which in 2021 received a C- grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Chicago Pile 1: A bold nuclear physics experiment with enduring impact
Enrico Fermi’s Chicago Pile 1 experiment in 1942 launched an atomic age, an unrivaled national laboratory system, fleets of submarines, cancer treatments and the unending promise of clean nuclear energy. Argonne National Laboratory builds on its legacy.
Argonne awarded $6 million to develop technologies for recycling nuclear fuel
Recycling used nuclear fuel makes the most of nuclear power’s carbon-free energy potential. Argonne has received major funding to develop technologies that may result in a sustainable fuel stock and a reduction in U.S. dependency on fossil fuels.
University of Central Florida team protects virtual solar facility to win CyberForce Competition
More than 140 U.S. college teams competed to test their cyber defense skills and protect a fictional electric vehicle manufacturer’s solar installation from simulated cyberattacks.
Collegiate students fired up to protect virtual solar facility from cyberattack
Cybersecurity professionals are in high demand. The Department of Energy tasks Argonne National Laboratory with challenging and inspiring college-age students to compete against one another to outsmart cyberattackers in a simulated threat scenario.
5 big strides from Argonne towards nuclear energy’s future
Nuclear energy is an exciting carbon-free energy source. Recent work at Argonne National Laboratory shows how nuclear energy can improve and why it is such an enticing resource in the fight against climate change.
University of Redlands vision project aided by state funding
The University of Redlands is one step closer to making its University Village project a reality after receiving $8 million in funding from the State of California.
“University Village began as a vision and has evolved into an environmentally sustainable master plan that will bring significant fiscal and economic growth, new housing, and jobs to our area,” said University of Redlands President Krista L. Newkirk.
WashU Expert: Jackson water issues result of environmental racism
The increasing demand for electric vehicles and cell phones has accelerated the need for safer energy storage after numerous instances of commercial lithium-ion batteries overheating and catching fire. Peng Bai, assistant professor of energy, environmental & chemical engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St.
Argonne researchers win four 2022 R&D 100 awards
R&D Magazine has recognized four Argonne projects with R&D 100 Awards.
Call for Abstracts – The 17th APRU Multi-Hazards Symposium 2022
The Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, would like to cordially invite you to join the 17th APRU Multi-Hazards Symposium 2022, which will be held during November 29 – November 30, 2022 at the Mandarin Hotel Bangkok Samyan, Thailand.
Pioneering partnership opens doors to a new generation of engineers
In a pioneering partnership, Argonne, the DOE Packaging Certification Program, the University of Nevada, Reno, and other DOE national labs are helping to meet demand for new expertise in nuclear packaging by offering a novel graduate certificates program that trains future leaders in the field.
NYU Tandon’s IDC Innovation Hub awarded New Master Construction Innovation Contract with NYC Department of Design and Construction
A recently registered Master Applied Construction Innovation Research Services Contract between the New York City Department of Design and Construction/Town+Gown:NYC and the Institute of Design & Construction Innovation Hub (Innovation Hub) at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering will speed progress by providing all New York City construction agencies and authorities with efficient access to applied research services for innovation in construction, engineering design, and management.
Identifying global poverty from space
A new IIASA-led study proposes a novel method to estimate global economic wellbeing using nighttime satellite images.
Lowering the temperature on a hot topic: a climate change primer
Earth Day presents a good opportunity to help clear up some essential questions about climate change; what it is, what is responsible and how we know it’s real.
Infrastructure bill success hinges on education, public-private partnerships
The House passed an infrastructure package of $550 billion late last week that the White House is now expected to sign into law. Rick Geddes, professor and founding director of Cornell University’s Program in Infrastructure Policy, says that although the…
Argonne is helping communities avoid the climate crosshairs
Scientists at Argonne are addressing the vulnerabilities of infrastructure systems through the lens of climate impacts: They are creating detailed climate maps and adapting them to infrastructure as a way for communities to protect themselves from the effects of climate change.
UNH Receives $1.8 Million Grant to Study Road Resilience to Sea Level Rise
After a summer of high heat, steady sea level rise and devastating hurricanes, coastal roads have continued to take a severe beating resulting in endless wear and tear. Because these roadways have become increasingly vulnerable, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded a $1.8 million grant to researchers at the University of New Hampshire to study how and why coastal hazards like excessive flooding are causing roads to crack and crumble and find ways to protect them.
FSU expert available to comment on hurricane evacuations
By: Bill Wellock | Published: August 31, 2021 | 12:21 pm | SHARE: For many people, choosing whether to evacuate in the face of an incoming hurricane or other natural disaster is not an easy decision.Hurricanes threaten people and property, but evacuation also carries risks and costs, especially if a would-be evacuee has difficulty moving or caring for themselves without help.
FSU professor available to provide comment on infrastructure needs as Congress debates bipartisan package
By: Bill Wellock | Published: August 25, 2021 | 3:27 pm | SHARE: The federal government is debating billions of dollars of investment in infrastructure that would develop roads, bridges, public transit, high-speed internet and more.Eren Ozguven, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, researches how infrastructure contributes to communities’ abilities to respond to emergencies in his role as the director of the Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER) Center.
Breaking Down the Elements of $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill
Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Assistant Professor Luis Quintero, an economist who examines urban growth, housing markets, and infrastructure development, offers his insights into the infrastructure bill in the following Q&A.
Argonne, New York Power Authority plan for the future in a changing climate
Argonne and the New York Power Authority are collaborating to determine how the utility’s infrastructure may be affected by extreme weather and other hazards.
Climate experts share insights in new report from Argonne’s America Resilient Conference
America Resilient proposed key ways to mitigate the degree of likely human suffering, loss of biodiversity, and disruptions to critical societal systems by building resilience and mitigating the effects of climate change in the United States.
Tiny but mighty precipitates toughen a structural alloy
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have found a way to simultaneously increase the strength and ductility of an alloy by introducing tiny precipitates into its matrix and tuning their size and spacing.
Leading civil and environmental engineer at West Virginia University identifies construction quality as potential contributor to Florida building collapse
Though a lot was not known immediately about the cause of the deadly collapse of a high-rise residential building in Surfside, Florida on June 24, Hota GangaRao, a civil and environmental engineering professor at West Virginia University’s Benjamin M. Statler…
How will we protect American infrastructure from cyberattacks
While the Biden administration negotiates an infrastructure package, ASU experts offer insight about the protective role cybersecurity must play
World’s largest outdoor earthquake simulator undergoes major upgrade
A major upgrade to the world’s largest outdoor earthquake simulator reached a milestone mid-April when the facility’s floor–all 300,000 lbs of it–was put back into place. When completed this fall, the simulator will have the ability to reproduce multi-dimensional earthquake motions with unprecedented accuracy to make structures and their residents safer during strong shakes. Researchers lay out the details of the upgrade in a paper published recently in Frontiers in Built Environment.
Director of UCI Cybersecurity Policy & Research Institute available to address recent ransomware attacks.
As the first executive director of the multidisciplinary Cybersecurity Policy & Research Institute at the University of California, Irvine, Bryan Cunningham is focused on solution-oriented strategies to address technical, legal and policy challenges to combat cyber threats, protect individual privacy and civil…
Infrastructure plan presents opportunity to turn the faucet on for enhancing water quality, access
As a sweeping federal infrastructure plan looks to tap into enhancing the nation’s water systems – from drinking water to wastewater to water reclamation projects, West Virginia University scientists agree that access and quality remain a most pressing need for…
Modern infrastructure security must be reframed with more thorough approach
Infrastructure has always been a target in warfare, according to Mikhail Chester, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Arizona State University. “Think about military aircraft dropping bombs on bridges or railroad lines. But battles today are not just army…
Rural America primed for mileage if $2 trillion infrastructure plan passes
Rural communities help fuel the nation, though decades of aging and deteriorating infrastructure have stifled the potential of the American economy and way of life, according to West Virginia University experts. A proposed $2 trillion federal infrastructure plan, announced by…
Biden’s EV pitch gives auto industry a vital boost to all-electric goal
President Biden is pitching a $174 billion investment in electric vehicles on Tuesday during a visit to a Ford EV plant in Michigan. The administration aims to incentivize sales of EVs through consumer rebates, while sparking new battery production facilities…
Colonial Pipeline is a harbinger of things to come in business
Six days after the Colonial Pipeline was attacked by cyberhackers and left millions hanging at the gas pump, they have gained control of their operations once again. But not before the refinery paid their attackers $5 million in untraceable cryptocurrency, according to…