Those with chronic illnesses look to web for support during crisis

Roughly 150 million U.S. citizens with chronic illnesses turn to online support communities for assistance — a number likely to grow as COVID-19 forces high-risk individuals to stay home. But not all online health forums are created equal, one expert from Mizzou Engineering warns.

Mizzou Engineering Highlights Research

Lafferre Hall was bustling with activity March 5 as the College celebrated its third annual Research Day. The College’s research drives innovation and new technology, while exposing Mizzou Engineering students to cutting-edge ideas and discoveries, preparing them to become the engineering leaders of tomorrow.

Smartphones, smart cars, smart… bandages?

Researchers at the University of Missouri are developing a bandage with “smart” capabilities that could help people with diabetes better treat foot ulcers so they can heal, improving their quality of life.

Aerial Reconnaissance

Yi Shang, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, recently received a four-year, $372,000 grant from the MDC to assess the feasibility of using unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and deep learning computing techniques for waterfowl and wetland habitat monitoring.

Student Success Focus of NSF Grant

A five-year project that started Jan. 1, 2020 seeks to increase the recruitment and retention of high-achieving undergraduates and graduate students from low-income backgrounds to earn degrees in civil engineering. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program.

Hunt Wins National Continuing Educator Award

Mizzou Engineering Associate Prof. and E-Learning Strategic Initiatives Fellow Heather Hunt in the Department of Biomedical, Biological & Chemical Engineering has won the 2020 Adelle F. Robertson Emerging Professional Continuing Educator Award from the University Professional & Continuing Educator Association (UPCEA).

In Search of a Better Cancer Treatment

Bret Ulery, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering, recently received $298, 013 (per year for two years) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore “aptamer-modified POSH inhibitor micelles as a novel leukemia treatment modality;” in other words, find safer, more efficient treatment systems for ALL.

Wearable AC

One day, soldiers could cool down on the military battlefield — preventing heat stroke or exhaustion — by using “wearable air conditioning,” an on-skin device designed by engineers at the University of Missouri. The device includes numerous human health care applications such as the ability to monitor blood pressure, electrical activity of the heart and the level of skin hydration.

Weightless Wonderland: Mizzou Engineering Team Does Research in Zero Gravity

A research experiment by a Mizzou Engineering team in a zero-gravity environment could lead to the development of an efficient method of harvesting water in space.

Constructing ‘smart’ roads

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Thousands of miles of roads and bridges continue to age across Missouri, and policy makers are looking for answers to the crumbling infrastructure.