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April 2021

Marc Basnight and Dr. Martin-Vega

Apr 28, 2021

Basnight remembered as a champion for the College of Engineering

State Sen. Marc Basnight, a Dare County Democrat who served as president pro tempore of the NC Senate longer than anyone in history, died on Dec. 28, 2020, at the age of 73. 

illustration of state of north carolina and instituions affiliated with NC State Engineering

Apr 28, 2021

Engineering education close to home

The College of Engineering’s teaching programs extend beyond just NC State’s campus in Raleigh. Students from the Mountains to the Piedmont to the Coast can start their undergraduate degree at a different North Carolina college or university and complete it in Raleigh. Or they can complete their entire coursework closer to home in a site-based program. And with Engineering Online, students can earn their master’s degree in engineering or computer science from anywhere in the world. 

Dr. Louis Martin-Vega

Apr 28, 2021

From the dean

Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of NC State Engineering magazine. 

medical professional dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE)

Apr 28, 2021

Understanding and controlling materials’ antiviral properties can lead to better PPE

In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the College of Engineering and the College of Sciences began meeting weekly to figure out how they could contribute to slowing the spread of the virus and protecting frontline workers. Their immediate solution? Work on developing an antiviral coating that could be integrated into personal protective equipment (PPE) or applied to surfaces to inactivate SARS-Cov-2 and other viruses. 

Apr 28, 2021

Endless possibilities

At the College of Engineering, faculty members in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) are growing a rich portfolio of CRISPR-focused technologies by introducing novel CRISPR-Cas reagents, using CRISPR techniques to engineer new organisms and developing new bioprocesses to mass manufacture CRISPR products in anticipation of a slew of clinical approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

image of Amazon Alexa device

Apr 28, 2021

Study reveals extent of privacy vulnerabilities with Amazon’s Alexa

A recent study outlines a range of privacy concerns related to the programs users interact with when using Amazon’s voice-activated assistant, Alexa. Issues range from misleading privacy policies to the ability of third parties to change the code of their programs after receiving Amazon approval. 

stylized image of Fitts-Woolard Hall

Apr 28, 2021

The right space

“The opening of Fitts-Woolard Hall represents a tremendous step forward in reaching our full potential,” said Louis Martin-Vega, engineering dean. “We are getting much closer to completing a vision for the College.” 

Apr 28, 2021

Pericardial injection effective, less invasive way to get regenerative therapies to heart

Injecting hydrogels containing stem cell or exosome therapeutics directly into the pericardial cavity could be a less invasive, less costly and more effective means of treating cardiac injury, according to new research from NC State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Apr 28, 2021

Artificial Chemist 2.0: Quantum dot R&D in less than an hour

A new technology, called Artificial Chemist 2.0, allows users to go from requesting a custom quantum dot to completing the relevant R&D and beginning manufacturing in less than an hour. The tech is completely autonomous, and uses artificial intelligence (AI) and automated robotic systems to perform multi-step chemical synthesis and analysis.