Recent Projects

Lake Superior is home to an at-risk form of migratory brook trout (called coasters), some of which spawn in local rivers. These fish were once common throughout the lake, but there is now only one verified breeding population of coasters along the south shore. These fishes’ primary spawning sites...

A multitude of anticancer treatments exist, but most of these options kill both a patient’s healthy cells and their cancerous ones. A surprising alternative may have been discovered, in rice callus. Test results have shown 80 to 95 percent of cancerous cells die when treated with rice callus, with...

Alaska's Bering Glacier, the largest glacier in North America, has been experiencing extensive ablation, or melt. Since 1900, the terminus—the glacier's endpoint—has retreated more than seven miles. In order to provide data for scientists and policy makers to act on, we must continue to monitor...

It's an interesting paradox: villagers in the most remote Ghanaian towns often receive better medical care than those in towns outside of larger cities. With a mobile clinic, we can help mitigate the spread of dangerous diseases and illnesses, and provide some emergency services to those most in...

Mixing concrete is a bit of an art. Not enough air in the mix can cause concrete to crack when it freezes; too much air yields weak results. To check the final result, engineers polish samples of hardened concrete, and then count air bubbles by hand. Developing an open-source, computerized...

As one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions, highway construction activities must be closely monitored. With careful planning and analysis, offending emissions can easily be lowered—minimizing negative environmental impact. An easy-to-use emissions calculator could help pave the road...

Volcán de Fuego (or the "Volcano of Fire") in Guatemala is a very active volcano, typically having small explosions each day. During periods of increased activity, the volcano can erupt violently, threatening thousands. With better monitoring, scientists could suggest more accurate, and timely,...

As the digital revolution continues to transform our society, many older adults and other groups are being left behind. Digital competency for these citizens is a hidden and profound social justice issue. The Breaking Digital Barriers team aims to provide solutions through research and local...

Help tomorrow's engineers design cutting-edge snowmobile technology today. The Clean Snowmobile Challenge pits teams of students from different schools against one another to design the best environmentally friendly snowmobile—presenting concepts for quieter, cleaner, and more efficient vehicles...

Over a million of our nation's veterans are currently returning to the United States from their overseas posts. Yet the economic activity of veterans in their post-military career is vastly unknown and could have great positive effects on our nation's economy—and veterans themselves—if better...