As automated vehicles become more sophisticated, effective interaction depends on more than following simple commands. A vehicle may need to interpret a person’s broader intent while simultaneously accounting for traffic conditions, roadway rules, vehicle capabilities and other safety constraints. Transportation engineers at the University of Utah are bringing those elements together to develop AI-enabled control […]
Read MoreUniversity of Utah Ph.D. student Fengze Yang has received the ITE Mountain District Outstanding Graduate Student Award, recognizing his contributions to transportation engineering, student leadership, and the transportation profession. Yang, who studies transportation engineering in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering under Assistant Professor Chenxi Liu, was presented the award at the ITE Utah […]
Read MoreFor Rasoul Sorkhabi, CvEEN research professor at the University of Utah’s Energy & Geoscience Institute, 2026 marked a banner year—bringing significant professional recognition and new opportunities to share his expertise in subsurface geoscience, petroleum basins, the evolution of geoscience, and the societal importance of geoscience. In April, the Petroleum History Institute presented Sorkhabi with its […]
Read MoreAging infrastructure, climate change, and an increasing demand for water reuse are exacerbating microbial risks in water systems—especially from opportunistic pathogens. In order to improve drinking water quality and reduce the risk of waterborne disease, Dr. Dowdell is advancing our understanding of how microbial communities behave in complex water environments, from large-scale treatment plants to […]
Read MoreEnvironmental engineering Ph.D. student Lauren Hagerty has been named a 2026–27 ARCS Foundation Fellow, earning prestigious support as she begins her graduate research at the University of Utah. The ARCS Foundation supports promising scientists and engineers whose research has the potential to drive scientific discovery and innovation. Through its partnership with the University of Utah, […]
Read MoreFor Rupesh Uprety, earthquake engineering isn’t just an academic discipline—it’s personal. When the 2015 Gorkha earthquake devastated his home country of Nepal, Uprety was a second-year undergraduate student. Witnessing the destruction inspired him to dedicate his career to designing safer, more resilient buildings for communities in earthquake-prone regions. Today, as a Ph.D. student at the […]
Read MoreLuis Ibarra, assistant professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, is one of six professors from the University of Utah that have been named Fulbright Scholars for the 2026-27 academic year. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education, the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program selects over 800 […]
Read MoreRepublished on June 17, 2026 from the One-U Responsible AI Initiative. Behind every AI prompt is a chain of physical infrastructure—from data centers and power grids to cooling systems, mined minerals, and discarded hardware—with consequences for people and the planet, University of Utah researchers reminded the campus community during an Earth Month panel discussion. “We […]
Read MoreTo many drivers, construction along the west side of I-215 may seem like another seasonal traffic delay. For researchers at the University of Utah, however, the project represents an opportunity to study cutting-edge pavement technology with the potential to reshape how highways are built and maintained. Last week, members of Dr. Romero’s research group visited […]
Read MoreDeveloping new cancer treatments requires more than breakthrough medicines. It also depends on the ability to safely produce medical isotopes—the specialized radioactive materials that make those therapies possible. Improving access to these critical medical isotopes remains one of the field’s most significant challenges. At the University of Utah, Ph.D. candidate Nicholas Becker is dedicating his […]
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