LSU will create a new engineering discipline to address design concepts behind buildings and infrastructure in hurricane-prone regions. The program will offer courses in civil engineering and disaster engineering for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is seeking entries for its Science Journalism Awards competition, including a new online news category. The awards recognize excellence in science writing for a general audience and will support journalists covering emerging media platforms.
A Purdue University engineer is working on software tools that can prevent design conflicts and improve the efficiency of e-workers. The tools use 'neuro-fuzzy' programs to identify conflicts and provide fine details about their nature, enabling a resolution.
Mete Sozen, a structural engineer from Purdue University, has proposed a simplified alternative engineering method for designing earthquake-resistant buildings in Turkey. The five-page method is simpler than the current 75-page code and could be more easily understood and applied by engineers.
Researchers will study advanced technologies to minimize earthquake damage and losses in critical facilities like hospitals. They will examine retrofitting methods, smart materials systems, and monitoring systems to detect post-earthquake damage.