Feb. 3, 2025 - External Newsletter
News from the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering

Watch Jacob Segil, CEO of Afference and research professor in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, showcase a new piece of haptic technology in an episode of Freethink's Hard Reset docuseries that will "redraw the borders of reality."
High Impact, Interdisciplinary Research
Spinout LongPath Technologies to expand methane detection with $162M DOE loan
Greg Rieker, associate professor of mechanical engineering and co-founder of LongPath Technologies, gathered with others on the CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ campus to celebrate a $162.4 million loan package from the U.S. Department of Energy. The loan will help Rieker and LongPath expand methane detection using laser-based quantum devices that scan the atmosphere in real time.
New PhD research area allows students, faculty to explore engineering design in a wider context
The Paul M. Ray Department of Mechanical Engineering has launched a new research area in design. The new focus area, geared toward PhD students, involves the study of the design process and how various contexts (environmental, psychological, political, etc.) affect the artifacts that today’s engineers aim to create.
Daily discusses how satellites and AI help fight wildfires today
Research Professor John W. Daily has spent several decades studying combustion, including wildfire behavior and the technology used to track fires and predict where wildfires might turn. In this article by The Conversation, Daily explains this technology and how it may have been used in the recent LA fires to prevent greater catastrophe.
Pioneering sodium-ion batteries: a sustainable energy alternative
Associate Professor Chunmei Ban and her research team are exploring the use of sodium-ion batteries as an alternative to lithium-based energy storage. Sodium is widely distributed in the Earth's crust and is an appealing candidate to remedy concerns over resource scarcity with lithium-ion batteries.
PhD student wins national award for fluids research in stroke therapy
First-year PhD student Nick Rovito has been named the winner of the Young Engineer Paper Competition at this year's International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE) held by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His novel research aims to answer two questions: why do stroke treatments fail, and how can we increase their efficacy in the future?
Vriend discusses the mechanics of avalanches, with tips for surviving
Avalanche risk may be rising around the world, and as temperature patterns change, they may be more difficult to predict. Associate Professor Nathalie Vriend uses a technique in her lab called photoelasticity to study small-scale avalanches. In this article published by The Conversation, she explains what causes these innocent-looking snow slopes to collapse, and gives tips to help skiers survive if they encounter one.
Other Department Highlights
- 5 CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ startups to watch in 2025 | CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ Today
- Tom's Guide calls Segil, Afference "the future of digital touch" | Tom's Guide
- University of Colorado students are taking part in advancing robotics to help first responders | CBS News Colorado
- Climate change is encouraging unsanitary toilet practices among vulnerable communities | The Conversation
- New research on exotendons advances assistive technology for runners | CUME
- Celebrating the 80th birthday of former ME professor Roop L. Mahajan | ASME
- NASA selects crew for 45-day simulated Mars mission in Houston | NASA
- Behind the Blades: How Paula Pérez Engineers Equitable Wind Energy Solutions | NREL