[{"id":1804,"date":"2026-10-02T18:25:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T18:25:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1804"},"modified":"2026-10-02T20:05:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T20:05:14","slug":"robotics-autonomous-systems-engineering-degree-qa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/02\/robotics-autonomous-systems-engineering-degree-qa\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&amp;A with the Dean: Engineering Education in the Age of Physical AI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/engage\/about\/from-the-dean\/deans-bio\/\">Azim Eskandarian<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Modern engineering requires interdisciplinary expertise, and robotics is one of those important, shared disciplines. Learn more about VCU\u2019s new <a href=\"https:\/\/majormaps.vcu.edu\/Major\/robotics-and-autonomous-systems-engineering\">Bachelor of Science in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Engineering<\/a>, a first-of-its-kind program in Virginia, in this interview with <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/azim.eskandarian\/\"><strong>Azim Eskandarian, D.Sc.<\/strong><\/a>, the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eskandarian is an internationally renowned expert in intelligent vehicles, robotics and autonomous systems, a distinguished researcher and scholar, and a fellow of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and SAE International (previously Society of Automotive Engineers). He was inducted into the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (VASEM) this year. With the help of VCU faculty and staff, he has introduced several new, innovative programs at the university, expanded research and interdisciplinary collaborations, partnered with industry, and advanced student success.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Give us some background on the purpose of the engineering programs at VCU?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s go back to why VCU started a new engineering school 30 years ago \u2014 what is now the College of Engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The college began as a partnership between industry and the Commonwealth to build a new engineering school that could meet the tech talent needs of the state\u2019s capital and nearby regions. Other schools in Virginia were outstanding, but none served this population directly. Proximity to industry and home matters, both to students and to the commercial and manufacturing companies that hire them. So the college gave central Virginia a new way to build engineering skills, while bringing in new ideas and avoiding duplication of what other schools already did well. The goal was always a highly competitive, innovative program the region actually needs, without repeating others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some engineering fundamentals are required in any program, even if they overlap with other schools. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Our Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering offers a mechanical engineering degree, but every student must have some nuclear engineering knowledge because the local power industry needs it.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Biomedical engineering has strong ties to VCU\u2019s medical school, with joint research programs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chemical engineering focuses heavily on pharmaceuticals, with a joint doctorate in pharmaceutical engineering with the School of Pharmacy that\u2019s unmatched nationwide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historically, we\u2019ve built programs with a niche specialty within traditional engineering fields, and our newer programs tend to maintain that same uniqueness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are robots and autonomous systems, and why did the college decide to create this new degree program?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s start with a simple definition. A robot is any automatically operated machine that replaces human effort. An autonomous system is one that can perform complex tasks independently. Put those together, and you can see that while not every robot is autonomous, autonomous systems represent a form of robot with increasing levels of independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historically, robots operated under detailed, pre-programmed instructions with no ability to adapt \u2014 think of the first-generation robots that took over repetitive tasks such as welding, painting, assembly and packaging in automotive manufacturing. These systems reduced costs and increased efficiency, but could not respond to changing conditions or perform beyond narrowly defined functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Advances in sensing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and computing in the late 20th and early 21st centuries enabled robots to operate with greater independence, adapt to changing environments and collaborate with humans. Milestones such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Grand Challenge accelerated research into self-driving vehicles and mobile robotics. Today, robotics and autonomous systems engineering integrates engineering, computing and data analytics to support applications across multiple sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s the \u201cwhat.\u201d As for the \u201cwhy now\u201d \u2014 industry wants interdisciplinary engineering expertise, and robotics is one of the clearest examples of that need. Think about something as ordinary as a car engine \u2014 it only comes together because of mechanical, chemical, materials, electronics and computer engineering all working in concert. Or a smartphone, where hardware and software from a dozen different specialties have to function as one device. Robotics depends on that same kind of cross-disciplinary teamwork, arguably more than most fields \u2014 and it&#8217;s not just engineering disciplines either; today&#8217;s engineers also need real grounding in things like ethics, law and economics to do the job well. The field is growing exponentially. Industrial robots have long had a home in manufacturing, and autonomous drones in defense, but autonomous vehicles and humanoid and service robots are emerging fast \u2014 some still in development, some already here. Self-driving taxis like Waymo are already operating in cities like San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The numbers back this up \u2014 according to research from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketsandmarkets.com\/ResearchInsight\/future-of-autonomous-world.asp\">MarketsandMarkets<\/a> the worldwide market for advanced robotics and autonomous systems could grow past $10 trillion by 2035.<sup>1<\/sup> Virginia already has a strong presence in unmanned systems \u2014 uncrewed aircraft and advanced air mobility \u2014 and as those applications grow, so does the demand for engineers who can build them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In manufacturing, we\u2019re heading toward what\u2019s being called Industry 5.0, where humans and robots work side by side, with robots that have advanced sensing and AI control to operate safely around people. The push to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. only increases the need for engineers who can build those systems, and Virginia is already a growing hub for advanced manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In healthcare, robotic systems are already used in neurosurgery, orthopedics, laparoscopy and vascular procedures, and researchers are working on miniature robots that could one day be implanted to heal injuries or fight disease. In rehabilitation, AI-powered smart prosthetics and exoskeletons are helping patients regain function \u2014 and Virginia is home to three nationally ranked medical schools, including VCU\u2019s, which conducts advanced healthcare research.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ll also say this: Robotics and autonomous systems engineering is essentially the physical form of AI. There is significant emphasis and investment in AI globally right now, and the nations that lead in AI will succeed not only economically, but will have an unprecedented advantage and power over competitors. Robotics is where that intelligence meets the physical world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of that points to one conclusion: There\u2019s a growing need for engineers with real expertise in advanced robotics. So we built a new project-based Bachelor of Science in Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering to meet it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What will this program accomplish for students? What will they learn as they finish this degree?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robotics and autonomous systems are reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace, and understanding them is becoming essential for students in almost any field \u2014 they\u2019ll interact with or be impacted by this technology throughout their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our curriculum integrates across four areas: mechanical systems, electrical and electronic systems, and programming and computer science, plus biomedical engineering for domains like rehabilitation or surgical robotics. That comprehensive combination \u2014 all four areas in one degree \u2014 isn\u2019t something a traditional single-discipline program can offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is to prepare students to design, implement and test modern robotic and autonomous systems. They\u2019ll build a foundation in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, AI and biomedical engineering, where relevant, and learn to apply systems thinking to bring that knowledge together. They will also explore the ethical considerations around autonomy, preparing them to design and deploy these systems responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Graduates of this program will be prepared to design robotic systems, including humanoid and collaborative robots, prosthetic and assistive devices, and autonomous systems like self-driving vehicles, unmanned aerial platforms and autonomous spacecraft. They will be ready to join the robotics (or a related) industry directly or continue into graduate study. This expertise carries over into complex engineering systems more broadly, such as aerospace and systems engineering, which means strong employment prospects well beyond robotics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1L6A7078-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Dean Azim Eskandarian, VCU College of Engineering \" class=\"wp-image-1806 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1L6A7078-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1L6A7078-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1L6A7078-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1L6A7078-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1L6A7078-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/683;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>You mentioned the program\u2019s interdisciplinary and practical nature. Why do you emphasize a \u201cproject-based program?\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Going back to that definition \u2014 robots are meant to perform tasks more efficiently, precisely and reliably than we can by hand. Autonomous systems do that with minimal human intervention while still responding safely to their environment. This field is inherently practical, so it makes sense to go beyond theory and get students actually building machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Project-based learning is already part of every major engineering curriculum here at VCU\u2014 all of our students complete capstone design projects, and many also participate in faculty research labs and vertically integrated projects throughout their studies. In these courses, they work in teams to conceptualize, design, build, test and validate real engineering products defined by industry or our faculty. We would like to incorporate more project-based learning into our other courses over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robotics and autonomous systems lend themselves especially well to this learning paradigm, so we designed the program such that the later courses \u2014 not the foundational prerequisites \u2014 are project-based. Students learn better this way, understand the systems more deeply, and are better prepared for real engineering jobs, which minimizes the on-the-job training that industry has been asking us to build into the curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Experiential learning has a real emphasis at VCU Engineering, and it\u2019s part of why our placement rate runs 90% to 93%, on par with the best engineering schools in the country. Our graduates are in demand and earn above the national average. I expect robotics and autonomous systems engineering to be another success story in that tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which engineering department will be teaching this curriculum?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This program is truly interdisciplinary \u2014 it doesn\u2019t belong to any single department.&nbsp; The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia approved it as a new degree program, the only one of its kind in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our faculty from four departments \u2014 Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Computer Science, and Biomedical Engineering \u2014 will teach the robotics and autonomous systems courses and their prerequisites. Building this program took real time and effort from a dedicated group of faculty, and I\u2019m grateful to every one of them \u2014 they are listed on our website. We have also hired several additional faculty recently, significantly expanding what we can offer<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the program grows and eventually offers master\u2019s and doctoral degrees, we may create a dedicated department or administrative unit for it. But its transdisciplinary nature will stay intact \u2014 faculty from multiple departments will keep sharing the instructional and research responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What resources or equipment do you have or need for this program? How are you getting them?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without the right resources, we couldn\u2019t offer this program. We\u2019re fortunate to already have solid infrastructure and space within our current engineering buildings. We have acquired instructional tools for an introductory robotics course using articulated, desktop-programmable robots, and two more instructional labs \u2014 mobile robotics and drones, and robot programming \u2014 are under development with internal funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We already have labs that give students a running start. Our Autonomous Robots and Vehicle Lab houses an autonomous car, mobile robots, micro-drones, a humanoid robot and a driving simulator. Our rehabilitation robotics lab is expanding with new funding, and our Smart City lab gives students a testbed for real urban applications \u2014 along with mechatronics, automation, electromagnetics, neuro-engineering and manufacturing labs rounding out the picture. These established resources give undergraduates real research opportunities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So we started from a solid foundation, added internal funding for new robotics lab courses and received state funding through Higher Education Equipment Trust Fund to build out our instructional labs. We\u2019ve also secured sponsored research funds for new equipment that will be in place this academic year. In addition to our existing labs, we\u2019re developing a new shared space for collaborative robotics research and education, featuring humanoid, quadruped, mobile and micro-drone robots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This program is starting strong, with instructional and research capabilities that rival the best in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are the job and employment prospects for students in this field?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our goal is always our students\u2019 success in landing real, productive careers. Robotics and autonomous systems engineering is a field in demand now and for the foreseeable future, and the project-based nature of the curriculum prepares students well for it. They can also go on to graduate school here or elsewhere for more research-focused roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This field is growing rapidly, and I expect that to continue as AI expands and robotics grows alongside it \u2014 especially autonomous and service robots. I expect robotics and automation jobs to grow faster than many other engineering fields over the next five years . This is what people are calling an \u201cautomation gap\u201d \u2014 a shortage of skilled workers who understand both the hardware and the complex software behind robots. Hiring managers are looking for robotics software engineers, perception engineers, automation data engineers \u2014 roles that don\u2019t map cleanly onto traditional computer science, electrical and computer engineering, or mechanical engineering positions, and require exactly the skill set our students will have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;d also point to the International Federation of Robotics \u2014 they publish an <a href=\"https:\/\/ifr.org\/ifr-press-releases\/news\/top-5-global-robotics-trends-2026\">annual list of top robotics trends<\/a>, and 2026&#8217;s list backs this up: robots working more independently thanks to AI, more versatile robots as information technology and operational technology converge, humanoids proving out their reliability, safety and security becoming essential as robots work alongside people, and robots helping close labor gaps.<sup>2<\/sup>&nbsp; All of it points to real growth and real opportunity for our graduates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What else would you like to share about this program?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re excited about this program and its unique approach to a growing, in-demand field. We\u2019re equally enthusiastic about expanding our expertise and labs through internal and external funding, while our faculty keep doing the research that shapes where robotics and autonomous systems go next. Students at every level benefit: Undergraduates can get into research labs, the program strengthens our vertically integrated projects and more students will have access to internships and co-ops as their skills develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also connects us to something bigger at the university \u2014 AI is one of six focus areas in VCU&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/convergence.vcu.edu\/\">Office of University Convergence Initiatives<\/a>. Robotics, as a physical form of AI, creates an opportunity for non-engineering students to engage with the field. I expect it will expand our collaborations across the university. We already work across schools, but this opens up more interactions: social aspects of robotics with the School of Social Work, policy with the Wilder School of Government, rehabilitation robotics with Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, and creative work with our School of the Arts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All in all, I see a very bright and successful future for this program and its graduates. I am proud that we\u2019re building a new generation of successful alumni and fulfilling a real, timely industry need.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this Q&amp;A, VCU College of Engineering Dean Azim Eskandarian discusses the university\u2019s new Bachelor of Science in Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering\u2014a first-of-its-kind, hands-on program in Virginia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1805,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[1150,25,1135,1215],"class_list":["post-1804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-college","tag-aasc","tag-azim-eskandarian","tag-robotics","tag-robotics-and-autonomous-systems-research-team"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2033"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1804"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1804\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1808,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1804\/revisions\/1808"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1797,"date":"2026-10-02T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1797"},"modified":"2026-10-01T19:50:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T19:50:00","slug":"national-academy-of-artificial-intelligence-inducts-lukasz-kurgan-ph-d-as-a-member-for-his-development-of-bioinformatics-ai-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/02\/national-academy-of-artificial-intelligence-inducts-lukasz-kurgan-ph-d-as-a-member-for-his-development-of-bioinformatics-ai-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"National Academy of Artificial Intelligence inducts Lukasz Kurgan, Ph.D., as a member for his development of bioinformatics AI tools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The National Academy of Artificial Intelligence (NAAI) recently inducted <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/lukasz.kurgan\/\"><strong>Lukasz Kurgan, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, the Dean Robert J. Mattauch Chair of the Department of Computer Science, as a member for his contributions to AI research, education and innovation. Kurgan\u2019s work in bioinformatics has led him to develop cutting-edge AI tools used by fellow researchers worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt feels surreal to be listed among so many pioneers and distinguished AI scholars and developers,\u201d Kurgan said. \u201cThis recognition belongs to me just as much as to my current and former students, collaborators and colleagues who worked with me, supported me and guided me throughout my career. Moments like this energize me to keep pushing to raise the bar even higher.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kurgan is a data scientist who specializes in developing and applying AI-powered tools for analyzing protein structure, intrinsic disorder and function. The tools developed by his research lab help thousands of structural biologists, biophysicists, bioinformaticians and biochemists model biological systems to understand molecular mechanisms underlying cellular processes and to develop treatments for conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disease. <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/30\/national-science-foundation-continues-decade-of-support-for-protein-research-at-vcu\/\">The National Science Foundation recently renewed funding for Kurgan&#8217;s research on intrinsically disordered proteins.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As an NAAI member, Kurgan plans to build connections that support his interdisciplinary research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI plan to use my NAAI membership to network with the broader AI community, beyond my collaborators and colleagues in the bioinformatics area, and to popularize the tools and inventions that we developed and continue to develop in the Department of Computer Science at the VCU College of Engineering,\u201d Kurgan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Department of Computer Science provides <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/academics\/undergraduate\/\">undergraduate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/academics\/graduate\/\">graduate<\/a> students with the opportunity to <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/research\/\">perform real-world research<\/a> as soon as they enroll. From designing algorithms to solving complex computing problems to working with cutting-edge AI technology, students gain understanding of many important computing topics. Browse videos and recent news from the <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/\">Department of Computer Science<\/a> to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The National Academy of Artificial Intelligence inducted Lukasz Kurgan, Ph.D., for his pioneering contributions to AI research and development of cutting-edge bioinformatics tools used to analyze protein structures and functions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1829,"featured_media":1798,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,165],"tags":[1150,53,1235],"class_list":["post-1797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cs","category-faculty-awards","tag-aasc","tag-lukasz-kurgan","tag-national-academy-of-artificial-intelligence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1829"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1797"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1799,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1797\/revisions\/1799"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1789,"date":"2026-09-30T18:23:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1789"},"modified":"2026-09-30T18:23:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:23:10","slug":"national-science-foundation-continues-decade-of-support-for-protein-research-at-vcu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/30\/national-science-foundation-continues-decade-of-support-for-protein-research-at-vcu\/","title":{"rendered":"National Science Foundation continues decade of support for protein research at VCU"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The new award helps Lukasz Kurgan, Ph.D., advance AI tools for studying intrinsically disordered proteins<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant secured by <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/lukasz.kurgan\/\"><strong>Lukasz Kurgan, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, the Dean Robert J. Mattauch Chair of the Department of Computer Science at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering, will support development of artificial intelligence tools designed to help scientists better understand an important but understudied class of intrinsically disordered proteins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The $593,556 award continues a decade of NSF support for Kurgan\u2019s research on these proteins and will fund the development of new computational methods for highly accurate predicting and characterizing their functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis award builds on 10 years of NSF support that helped us develop widely used, competition-winning tools, including flDPnn, MoRFpred, disoRDPbind and DEPICTER,\u201d said Kurgan. \u201cWith this new funding, we will push the field even further by developing the next generation of state-of-the-art methods to predict and functionally characterize intrinsically disordered proteins, with a special emphasis on the largely overlooked bacterial and archaeal organisms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Intrinsically disordered proteins are currently understudied because they require specialized and sophisticated computational tools. They are implicated in cancers, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases, and are considered promising targets for drug development, Kurgan explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kurgan\u2019s project will use an AI approach known as contrastive transformer networks to develop new tools for identifying intrinsically disordered proteins and characterizing their cellular functions. The resulting computational resources will be made available online, allowing researchers worldwide to use them in their own investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The award will also support the educational mission of Kurgan and his research team through undergraduate STEM education and interdisciplinary training and mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, with an emphasis on the transdisciplinary nature of modern computational modeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This achievement is especially notable given today\u2019s highly competitive NSF funding environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are grateful for NSF&#8217;s continued support and excited to get to work on the next chapter of our research,\u201d Kurgan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Department of Computer Science provides <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/academics\/undergraduate\/\">undergraduate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/academics\/graduate\/\">graduate<\/a> students with the opportunity to <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/research\/\">perform real-world research<\/a> as soon as they enroll. From designing algorithms to solving complex computing problems to working with cutting-edge AI technology, students gain understanding of many important computing topics. Browse videos and recent news from the <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/\">Department of Computer Science<\/a> to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supported by a new National Science Foundation grant, VCU researcher Lukasz Kurgan, Ph.D., is developing advanced AI tools to better predict and characterize intrinsically disordered proteins linked to complex human diseases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1790,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,165,15],"tags":[1150,1151,53,49,1146,1174],"class_list":["post-1789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cs","category-faculty-awards","category-grants","tag-aasc","tag-hm","tag-lukasz-kurgan","tag-national-science-foundation","tag-research","tag-research-grant"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2033"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1789"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1789\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1791,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1789\/revisions\/1791"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1785,"date":"2026-09-30T18:18:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1785"},"modified":"2026-09-30T18:18:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:18:09","slug":"meet-the-faculty-juhwan-lee-department-of-biomedical-engineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/30\/meet-the-faculty-juhwan-lee-department-of-biomedical-engineering\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Faculty: Juhwan Lee, Department of Biomedical Engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/juhwan.lee\/\"><strong>Juhwan Lee, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, joins the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. In this Q&amp;A series, we get to know faculty who recently joined VCU Engineering. Lee shares his thoughts on why he joined VCU, his research, teaching and what he enjoys doing outside the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What attracted you to the VCU College of Engineering?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The collaborative environment was one of the biggest factors that attracted me to VCU. My research focuses on cardiovascular image analysis, deep learning, machine learning and their clinical applications, so close collaboration with clinicians, particularly cardiologists and radiologists, is extremely important to my work. I was impressed by VCU\u2019s highly collaborative research environment, including clinicians who are enthusiastic about research and the extensive clinical data and resources available through VCU Health. I saw the VCU College of Engineering as an ideal place to build interdisciplinary collaborations and advance my research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the application of your research? How are you planning to continue that work with VCU Engineering?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My research applies image processing, deep learning and machine learning to quantitatively analyze medical images, including computed tomography, intravascular imaging and chest X-rays. The ultimate goal is to identify quantitative imaging biomarkers that can improve cardiovascular risk prediction and enable more personalized treatment strategies. At VCU, I plan to continue this work by building collaborations across engineering, cardiology, radiology and other clinical disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What do you hope to accomplish during your first five years at VCU?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of my primary goals is to establish a strong, externally funded research program by securing major research grants, including National Institutes of Health R01 awards. I also hope to establish my own teaching trajectory at VCU focused on image processing, deep learning, machine learning and their applications to medical imaging.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How did you get into your field of research?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019d planned to pursue a Ph.D. since high school, although I didn&#8217;t know exactly which field I wanted to pursue at the time. During my junior year of college, I met a wonderful mentor who later became my Ph.D. advisor. While assisting with his cardiovascular imaging research, I became fascinated by the potential of medical image processing and AI to predict future cardiovascular risk. That experience ultimately led me to pursue this field.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How would you describe your teaching style and what can students expect when they step into your classroom?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I try to make my classes interactive and maintain open communication with students. I regularly check whether students are following the material and encourage them to ask questions whenever something is unclear. My teaching combines lectures with hands-on coding exercises, using MATLAB or Python so that students can apply what they learn to practical problems. Depending on the course, students can expect quizzes, coding exercises, paper reviews and team projects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What do you enjoy most about your field and about working with students?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the things I enjoy most about my field is the opportunity to collaborate with people from many different disciplines. My research is inherently interdisciplinary and brings together biomedical engineering, computer science, biostatistics, cardiology, radiology and other areas. It is a privilege to work alongside talented scientists and clinicians who bring different perspectives to challenging medical problems.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Working with students is equally rewarding. There is always a learning curve at the beginning of a research project, but watching students develop their skills, gain confidence and eventually become experts in their own areas is one of the most fulfilling parts of being a faculty member. I also learn a great deal from my students because they bring different backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and new research ideas to the lab.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Besides your academic work, what is something you&#8217;re passionate about or like to do in your free time?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m a huge sports fan, especially baseball and basketball (Go Cavs and Guardians!). I don\u2019t play as much myself anymore, but I really enjoy playing sports with my children and watching games with my family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How are you liking Richmond so far? Have you discovered something in particular you enjoy, a place or an event?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Richmond has been great so far, and my family and I are really enjoying the area. I particularly like the variety of breweries and wineries around Richmond. I also think Richmond is a fantastic place for road trips. You can easily get to Washington, D.C., the mountains and national parks, or the coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One thing I recently discovered is NASCAR! It will be a completely new experience for us, and I think it will be a lot of fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/09\/076D8BA9-F11E-4777-8728-19202C57D55B_1_102_o-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1786 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/09\/076D8BA9-F11E-4777-8728-19202C57D55B_1_102_o-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/09\/076D8BA9-F11E-4777-8728-19202C57D55B_1_102_o-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/09\/076D8BA9-F11E-4777-8728-19202C57D55B_1_102_o-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/09\/076D8BA9-F11E-4777-8728-19202C57D55B_1_102_o-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/09\/076D8BA9-F11E-4777-8728-19202C57D55B_1_102_o.jpeg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/768;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dr. Lee with his family<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meet Dr. Juhwan Lee, a new assistant professor in VCU&#8217;s Department of Biomedical Engineering, who leverages deep learning and AI image processing to advance cardiovascular disease prediction and personalized patient care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1829,"featured_media":1787,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1150,1151,1234,1145],"class_list":["post-1785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bme","tag-aasc","tag-hm","tag-juhwan-lee","tag-new-faculty"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1829"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1785"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1788,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1785\/revisions\/1788"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1780,"date":"2026-09-30T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1780"},"modified":"2026-09-29T17:27:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T17:27:48","slug":"american-society-of-mechanical-engineers-inducts-two-vcu-faculty-members-as-fellows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/30\/american-society-of-mechanical-engineers-inducts-two-vcu-faculty-members-as-fellows\/","title":{"rendered":"American Society of Mechanical Engineers inducts two VCU faculty members as fellows"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Karla Mossi, Ph.D. and John Speich, Ph.D. were recently inducted into the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for their contributions to engineering research and education. In their time at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering, they have connected engineering knowledge with professional practice, preparing students to enter the technical workforce and helping partner industries hire engineers across a variety of disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHaving Dr. Karla Mossi and Dr. John Speich recognized as ASME Fellows is a tremendous honor for the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering and the VCU College of Engineering,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/arvind.agarwal\/\"><strong>Arvind Agarwal, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, chair of the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering said. \u201cI am proud to have such accomplished and dedicated colleagues whose teaching, mentorship, scholarship and service strengthen our department and engineering community, and have created meaningful opportunities for our students to learn, grow and succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/karla.mossi\/\"><strong>Karla Mossi, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Associate Chair, Professor and Graduate Program Director<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mossi guided the creation of the VCU College of Engineering\u2019s Ph.D. in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. Leading the curriculum development, documentation and coordination of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia process, she helped create a distinct Ph.D. program that addresses industry needs for high-level workers in fields like advanced manufacturing, energy, nuclear systems, aerospace, materials and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This experience helped Mossi create the VCU College of Engineering\u2019s first online master\u2019s program for the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. It has helped working engineers, geographically constrained students and professionals seeking advanced credentials receive the education they require without leaving the workforce, resulting in <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2025\/04\/25\/partnership-for-progress-vcus-mechanical-and-nuclear-engineering-program-fuels-career-growth-at-newport-news-shipbuilding\/\">partnerships with companies like Newport News Shipbuilding<\/a> and many others. <em>The U.S. News &amp; World Report<\/em> consistently recognized the success of this program, rating it among the top 10 online mechanical engineering programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In her role as graduate program director for the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Mossi prepares VCU engineers for emerging technical leadership roles in aerospace systems, complex engineering organizations and technology-driven industries. She built the infrastructure around the department\u2019s graduate education and created the Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Fund, which solicits alumni and company donations to help graduate students bridge funding gaps in their educational careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mossi\u2019s research spans work supported by Dominion Energy, NASA Langley and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Involving students in her research has provided them with training in smart materials, sensors, energy harvesting, flow control, instrumentation, nuclear-relevant materials and applied engineering systems. Her educational impact is closely connected to providing students opportunities to solve real-world engineering problems, providing employers with capable engineers ready to decipher complex problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outside VCU, Mossi has leadership roles in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the Virginia Latino Higher Education Network. Her contributions led to <em>Forbes Central America<\/em> recognizing Mossi as one of the \u201c100 Powerful Women of Central America.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am honored to become a fellow of ASME. I joined ASME as a student many years ago, so this recognition is especially meaningful to me,\u201d Mossi said. \u201cI am very grateful to Dr. Agarwal and to everyone who supported my nomination. Thank you for your time, encouragement and confidence in me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/john.speich\/\"><strong>John Speich, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Professor<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speich has held nearly every undergraduate education leadership position available in his 25 years at the VCU College of Engineering, from director of undergraduate studies to Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) coordinator, director of cooperative education, interim chair for the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering and many other roles. They reflect Speich\u2019s commitment to building durable academic systems, like the nuclear concentration he helped establish in VCU\u2019s mechanical engineering program. Garnering support from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Speich helped guide the nuclear program through a separate ABET accreditation beginning in 2012, creating a talent pipeline for VCU engineers to meet employment needs of the nuclear energy industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leading the development of the VCU College of Engineering\u2019s undergraduate professional development course, ENGR 395, Speich formed a way for students to find career success before graduation. When combined with internship opportunities and co-op experience courses, the coursework from ENGR 395 helps VCU Engineering graduates find consistent employment or be hired outright by the companies they worked at through the internship or co-op experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among Speich\u2019s research accomplishments is a longtime partnership with Adam Klausner, M.D., a urologist and professor at the VCU School of Medicine. <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/01\/15\/mechanical-and-nuclear-engineering-professor-john-speich-ph-d-advances-bladder-biomechanics-research-through-collaboration-with-vcu-school-of-medicine\/\">The duo are advancing bladder biomechanics research.<\/a> Speich\u2019s contributions to their work recently <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/04\/20\/american-institute-for-medical-and-biological-engineering-inducts-two-vcu-engineers-to-its-college-of-fellows\/\">earned him fellow status at the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is a great honor to be named as an ASME Fellow,\u201d Speich said. \u201cI am truly grateful to the mentors, colleagues and students that helped make this award possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering provides <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/mechanical-nuclear-engineering\/academics\/undergraduate\/\">undergraduate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/mechanical-nuclear-engineering\/academics\/graduate\/\">graduate<\/a> students with the opportunity to <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/mechanical-nuclear-engineering\/research\/\">perform real-world research<\/a> as soon as they enroll. From applying material science to additive manufacturing techniques to optimizing coolant systems for nuclear reactors and more, students gain understanding of many important engineering topics. Browse videos and recent news from the <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/mechanical-nuclear-engineering\/\">Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering<\/a> to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VCU College of Engineering professors Karla Mossi and John Speich have been inducted as American Society of Mechanical Engineers Fellows, recognizing their exceptional contributions to engineering research, education, and workforce development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1829,"featured_media":1781,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[165,6],"tags":[890,27,71,1169,1152],"class_list":["post-1780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty-awards","category-mne","tag-american-society-of-mechanical-engineers","tag-john-speich","tag-karla-mossi","tag-newport-news-shipbuilding","tag-smee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1829"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1780"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1780\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1782,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1780\/revisions\/1782"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1777,"date":"2026-09-29T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1777"},"modified":"2026-09-28T18:57:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T18:57:24","slug":"national-science-foundation-awards-250000-to-further-research-on-ai-related-security-risks-at-vcu-college-of-engineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/29\/national-science-foundation-awards-250000-to-further-research-on-ai-related-security-risks-at-vcu-college-of-engineering\/","title":{"rendered":"National Science Foundation awards $250,000 to further research on AI-related security risks at VCU College of Engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">By Nya Farmer<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virginia Commonwealth University\u2019s (VCU) College of Engineering is paving the way for research on the capabilities of AI coding tools, made possible by resources from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The $250,000 grant will go towards courses and labs to further student understanding of threats related to AI. <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/kostadin.damevski\/\"><strong>Kostadin Damevski, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, professor and graduate program director in the Department of Computer Science, will be principal investigator of this research initiative. He will lead the research alongside Preetha Chatterjee, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at Drexel University.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;\u201cOur goal is to prepare students to use AI effectively without assuming that its actions or outputs are automatically safe. This grant will allow VCU students to get hands-on experience with detecting and resolving AI-related security risks. Helping to identify the best ways to teach AI systems to other students and get ahead of potential threats,&#8221; Damevski said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The grant will help advance research- and education-based projects, with some funding going toward building hands-on labs to guide students on identifying AI-related security risks. Coursework will help professors gauge which threats students have the most difficulty identifying. These metrics will be used to create an effective curriculum that can be used across various institutions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe threat-modeling framework will give students a simple, repeatable way to look for security risks when AI agents help write software,\u201d Damevski said. \u201cInstead of only asking, \u2018Is the code secure?\u2019 Students will also ask things like: What can the AI access? What actions is it allowed to take? What information can influence it? Where should a human review its actions? And what safeguards should be in place? This is increasingly important because modern AI coding agents can browse the web, execute commands, access files and repositories, and use external tools.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Risks Damevski describes include prompt injection, which occurs when hackers disguise invasive data inside normal prompts to manipulate AI systems into revealing sensitive information. Permission settings for what AI can access are another vulnerability. Broad access to files, known as privilege creep, can compromise security.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe grant would first impact how we teach AI-based programming at VCU and Drexel, with the goal of extending that impact more broadly. We plan to disseminate our work through conference presentations, publicly sharing data and models and collaborating with a small group of other universities to pilot the approach,&#8221; Damevski said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Department of Computer Science provides <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/academics\/undergraduate\/\">undergraduate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/academics\/graduate\/\">graduate<\/a> students with the opportunity to <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/research\/\">perform real-world research<\/a> as soon as they enroll. From designing algorithms to solving complex computing problems to working with cutting-edge AI technology, students gain understanding of many important computing topics. Browse videos and recent news from the <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/computer-science\/\">Department of Computer Science<\/a> to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With a $250,000 National Science Foundation grant, Virginia Commonwealth University and Drexel University are developing hands-on coursework to teach software engineering students how to identify and mitigate AI-related security risks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1778,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,165,15],"tags":[1150,1233,10,123,49,1146,1174],"class_list":["post-1777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cs","category-faculty-awards","category-grants","tag-aasc","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-grants","tag-kostadin-damevski","tag-national-science-foundation","tag-research","tag-research-grant"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2033"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1777"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1779,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777\/revisions\/1779"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1774,"date":"2026-09-25T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1774"},"modified":"2026-09-24T14:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T14:15:26","slug":"summer-internships-jean-luc-folly-explores-the-world-of-advanced-manufacturing-at-the-commonwealth-center-for-advanced-manufacturing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/25\/summer-internships-jean-luc-folly-explores-the-world-of-advanced-manufacturing-at-the-commonwealth-center-for-advanced-manufacturing\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer Internships: Jean-Luc Folly explores the world of advanced manufacturing at the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jean-Luc Folly grew up in Centerville, Virginia, surrounded by people from many different backgrounds. It made him realize how much he valued diversity when choosing a college, and he chose Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for the opportunity to meet people from a variety of cultural and racial backgrounds while exploring his growing interest in science and technology.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A middle school Python programming class is where Jean-Luc\u2019s curiosity for technology began. \u201cI enjoyed being given a problem and having the freedom to develop my own solution, especially because there was rarely only one way to reach the answer,\u201d Jean-Luc said. This interest in technology and coding grew stronger with time and led him to pursue computer science, data science and artificial intelligence at the VCU College of Engineering.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expanding his knowledge in these areas of study, Jean-Luc secured a summer internship with the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM), a research and development organization focused on advanced manufacturing. \u201cThe internship gave me an opportunity to see how computer science, data, machine learning and AI can be applied to real-world manufacturing problems,&#8221; Jean-Luc said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Machine learning and deep learning are two areas connected to the study of artificial intelligence. During his time at CCAM, Jean-Luc got hands-on experience with both, while also growing his knowledge with the Python programming language and working with systems that process real-world data. Jean-Luc also enjoyed a professional and collaborative work environment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCCAM taught me that working in a professional environment does not mean you are expected to know everything,\u201d Jean-Luc said. \u201cA major part of being successful is knowing when to ask questions, communicate challenges and collaborate with people who have different areas of expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jean-Luc\u2019s advice for fellow students is to develop both technical and interpersonal skills during the internship experience, like the ability to communicate and form connections with colleagues. &#8220;If you are more reserved, challenge yourself to speak up when you have a question or something valuable to contribute,\u201d Jean-Luc said. \u201cAn internship is not only an opportunity to prove what you already know; it is an opportunity to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most memorable experiences of Jean-Luc\u2019s internship was leading meetings where he presented his work because of how valuable it was to receive feedback from team members and how much it made future presentations better. \u201cThat experience showed me being a computer scientist is not only about writing good code; it is also about being able to explain why your work matters,&#8221; Jean-Luc said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWorking at CCAM reinforced my desire to work in an environment where I can apply my software and data science skills across different technical fields. When I began my internship at a manufacturing-focused research organization, I was unsure how my software background would connect to manufacturing. Over the course of 11 weeks, I gained exposure to different manufacturing machines and learned how the data generated from these systems could be analyzed and used to develop software solutions, Jean-Luc said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing gave Jean-Luc the opportunity to hone his technical and professional skills while also developing a network of experienced professionals to call on for guidance as he enters the field. Jean-Luc hopes to pursue a career in aerospace as a data scientist. He wants to find creative solutions to complex problems, something he has enjoyed since his first programming class in middle school. \u201cI am especially interested in exploring how artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics can be used to improve efficiency, support decision-making and solve complex problems across different areas of an aerospace organization,&#8221; Jean-Luc said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VCU student Jean-Luc Folly gained hands-on data science and AI experience during his internship at the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, highlighting technical growth, effective communication, and collaboration in real-world engineering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1775,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,13,1127],"tags":[1150,1232,1190],"class_list":["post-1774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cs","category-students","category-ugrad","tag-aasc","tag-commonwealth-center-for-advanced-manufacturing","tag-internships"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2033"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1774"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1776,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1774\/revisions\/1776"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1770,"date":"2026-09-24T13:39:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T13:39:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1770"},"modified":"2026-09-24T13:39:25","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T13:39:25","slug":"gevick-safarians-is-building-tiny-worlds-to-fight-a-deadly-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/24\/gevick-safarians-is-building-tiny-worlds-to-fight-a-deadly-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Gevick Safarians is building tiny worlds to fight a deadly cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The M.D.-Ph.D. student is using microfluidic chips to simulate the environments metastatic prostate cancer travels through \u2014 and to find the chinks in its armor.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">By Christopher Richmond<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gevick Safarians remembers the conversations. Patients dealing with cancer and other diseases with very poor prognoses, hoping not for years but for months \u2014 a little more time to settle their affairs, to figure out who would care for their pets. Those encounters stayed with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Patients that are dealing with cancer deserve that added chance in life,&#8221; said Safarians, a third-year M.D.-Ph.D. student in <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vcu.edu\/\">Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine\u2019s<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.vcu.edu\/education\/graduate\/dual-degree\/mdphd\/\">Medical Scientist Training Program<\/a>. &#8220;And I see myself, with my training, in a unique position to be that person for them.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That sense of purpose is what brought Safarians to the <a href=\"https:\/\/cctr.vcu.edu\/education-and-training\/t32-training-program\/\">Wright Center&#8217;s Translational Biomedical Sciences T32 Training Program<\/a>, a federally funded fellowship supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences at the National Institutes of Health, that prepares predoctoral researchers to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and patient care. As a T32 trainee, Safarians is doing exactly that: bridging engineering and medicine to bring the three-dimensionality of the human body into the lab, one controlled variable at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A chip the size of a thumbnail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safarians works in the lab of <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/priscilla.hwang\/\">Priscilla Hwang, Ph.D.,<\/a> associate professor in the <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/biomedical-engineering\/\">Department of Biomedical Engineering<\/a>, in the <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/\">VCU College of Engineering<\/a>, whose research focuses on developing 3D microphysiological systems to study cancer progression and collective cell migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His focus within that work: metastatic prostate cancer, and the steep drop in survival odds that comes with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Once it&#8217;s localized and you&#8217;re able to catch it early, you see about a 90 percent survival over the course of five years,&#8221; Safarians explains. &#8220;But there are situations where metastasis can happen \u2014 and for those patients, unfortunately, five-year survival drops to just around 30 to 37 percent. And that&#8217;s what&#8217;s driving the need to create more therapeutic opportunities.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Part of what makes metastatic prostate cancer so difficult, Safarians said, is the sheer variety of environments the cancer passes through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt&#8217;s very heterogeneous in terms of the environments it experiences in the body \u2014 starting from the prostate, then metastasizing through the blood, reaching places like the bone, liver or lungs,\u201d he said. \u201cAll of these places have different landscapes, and in those landscapes there are many features that may be affecting the tumor: making it more metastatic, more proliferative or even treatment resistant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Gevick Safarians is building tiny worlds to fight a deadly cancer\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yMSfCSUBIPg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Metastatic prostate cancer survival rates drop dramatically once cells spread through the body, but M.D.-Ph.D. student and Wright Center T-32 trainee Gevick Safarians is using microfluidic engineering to change those odds. Working in the lab of Priscilla Hwang, Ph.D. in VCU&#8217;s College of Engineering, Safarians is creating thumbnail-sized chips that simulate the three-dimensional conditions cancer encounters in blood and tissue, aiming to find new ways to fight prostate cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The microfluidic chip is designed to reckon with that complexity. Each chip is a small, hand-fabricated device containing channels about 100 microns wide, fine enough to flow fluid through, culture living cells in, and fill with hydrogels formulated to mimic the chemical and mechanical properties of real tissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOutside of the body, we can try simulating pieces of these environments,\u201d Safarians said. \u201cWith these simulations, we can have a better idea of what these effects may be doing to the cells, and that can help inform future therapeutics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because the chip is mounted on glass, a microscope can capture live-cell imaging directly through the bottom, producing video of cells responding in real time to the conditions Safarians sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe beauty of it,\u201d he said, \u201cis that we can take images of the cells, even videos, as they&#8217;re undergoing these different cues we put them through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Simulating the journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One dimension Safarians is especially focused on is fluid shear stress \u2014 the mechanical pressure cancer cells experience as fluid flows past them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn the blood, where there&#8217;s a lot of flow, cancer cells can experience very high levels of shear stress,\u201d he said. \u201cBut when they reach tissues like the bone or lung, these are much lower interstitial fluid velocities. With our microfluidic chip, we can simulate these different amounts of flow and study what kind of impact that has on the cancer cells themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The chips also let him vary the surrounding matrix \u2014 stiffness, fiber alignment, chemical composition \u2014 and to culture cells as three-dimensional spheroid clusters rather than flat layers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI like to say this is a step up from just hydrogels in isolation,\u201d he said. \u201cMicrofluidics allow for that fluidic aspect of the microenvironment as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/image\/30041715-b3d1-4df0-96ca-89573a1ddf2a\" alt=\"A photo of a man wearing blue latex gloves gesturing towards a computer monitor. \" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gevick Safarians works building microfluidic chips in the lab of Priscilla Hwang, Ph.D. (Christopher Richmond)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Translational science, redefined<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Wright Center&#8217;s T32 program is pushing Safarians to think beyond the bench. Through coursework in community-engaged research and team science, a clinician mentorship component focused on clinical trial design, and a community mentor pairing, the fellowship asks its scholars to grapple with a question that&#8217;s important to keep front of mind in the lab: Who does this work ultimately serve, and are they part of the conversation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe definition of translational science is completely changing,\u201d Safarians said. \u201cNow we&#8217;re seeing scientists and engineers trying to work with community members \u2014 teachers, coaches, religious leaders, community advisory boards \u2014 to help formulate research questions that are more applicable to the communities they hope to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That shift resonates with him. A breakthrough that patients don&#8217;t trust or have never been asked about is a breakthrough that falls short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUntil people are a part of that process and see the behind the scenes \u2014 if they don&#8217;t have that belief \u2014 it&#8217;s almost like that technology never even existed,\u201d he said. \u201cSo involving people is very critical.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Safarians, the patients he remembers from his clinical training are the reason every piece of this matters \u2014 the microfluidics, the T32, the community partnerships, the long road from chip to clinic. He is still early in that journey. But he knows exactly why he&#8217;s on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The project described was in part supported by CTSA award No. UM1TR004360 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent official views of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences or the National Institutes of Health.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Originally posted on VCU News: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/article\/gevick-safarians-is-building-tiny-worlds-to-fight-a-deadly-cancer\">https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/article\/gevick-safarians-is-building-tiny-worlds-to-fight-a-deadly-cancer<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The M.D.-Ph.D. student is using microfluidic chips to simulate the environments metastatic prostate cancer travels through \u2014 and to find the chinks in its armor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1772,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,1128,13],"tags":[1151,139],"class_list":["post-1770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bme","category-grad","category-students","tag-hm","tag-priscilla-hwang"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2033"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1770"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1770\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1773,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1770\/revisions\/1773"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1759,"date":"2026-09-23T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1759"},"modified":"2026-09-22T18:57:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T18:57:44","slug":"vcu-researchers-join-national-call-for-nih-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/23\/vcu-researchers-join-national-call-for-nih-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"VCU researchers join national call for NIH funding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The annual Rally for Medical Research urges Congress to support biomedical innovation and the STEM workforce.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/contact\/mcneill.aspx\">Brian McNeill<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four Virginia Commonwealth University researchers traveled to Washington on Sept. 17 to join patients, families and advocates from across the nation at the 14th annual Rally for Medical Research, urging Congress to prioritize and increase funding for the National Institutes of Health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The researchers met with five congressional offices and conveyed a message to lawmakers and congressional staffers about the importance of NIH funding for biomedical innovation and the country\u2019s future STEM workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cKeeping our lab open and fully functional requires constant, predictable support. NIH grants are the lifeblood that powers our daily operations \u2014 funding the staff, the specialized technology and the raw materials needed to run experiments. Without that baseline, years of carefully built momentum can disappear overnight,\u201d said&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/priscilla.hwang\/\">Priscilla Hwang<\/a>, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering. \u201cResearch funding isn\u2019t just about advancing technology or making scientific discoveries; it is a direct investment in human lives. It\u2019s the key that turns tragic realities into stories of hope and success\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to Hwang, the VCU delegation included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pt.chp.vcu.edu\/team\/kiefer-michael.html\">Michael Kiefer<\/a>, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy in the College of Health Professions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pharmacy.vcu.edu\/directory\/xu-qingguo.html\">Qingguo Xu<\/a>, D. Phil, a Blick Scholar, professor of pharmaceutics and co-director of the Pharmaceutical Engineering Program in the School of Pharmacy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/worldstudies.vcu.edu\/directory\/rector.html\">Amy Rector<\/a>, Ph.D., an anthropology professor in the School of World Studies and associate dean for faculty affairs in the College of Humanities and Sciences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rector said she was excited to represent faculty from across the College of Humanities and Sciences who use federal funding, including from the NIH, to conduct impactful and lifesaving research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFrom chemistry, to physics, to life sciences and sustainably, federal funding leads to careers in science, therapeutic discoveries and patents for technologies that will cure cancers and improve health and quality of life,\u201d Rector said. \u201cThis funding also supports training of bright young VCU students who will be our future doctors and medical professionals. These faculty and their students contribute so much data to solve health problems faced by families across the commonwealth, and federal funding is the fuel for their careers in science and their lifesaving research.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rector added that the VCU delegation was also advocating for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNIH funding supports faculty who have undergrads and grads in their labs who will be better prepared for a variety of careers,\u201d she said. \u201cThis research also drives what they teach in their classes, so hundreds of students each year benefit from NIH-funded research.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kiefer said NIH funding is vital to his work. &#8220;This was a valuable opportunity to meet with lawmakers and emphasize why consistent federal support and avoiding policy hurdles that delay funding decisions is so crucial. The research we do today builds on years of NIH-backed discoveries, and disruptions in funding lessen the impact of the foundational research that brought us to this point.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alyssa Button, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine, also participated in the Rally for Medical Research, advocating on behalf of the Society for Behavioral Medicine, an organization in which she serves on its policy and advocacy committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rally sought to highlight how federal investments in NIH have fueled breakthroughs in healthcare resulting in increased life expectancy and improved quality of life worldwide, strengthened America\u2019s economic competitiveness and national security, and secured U.S. leadership in science and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to rally organizers, NIH-supported research generated nearly $95 billion in economic activity and sustained more than 390,000 jobs across the nation in fiscal year 2025. At VCU, researchers received approximately $111.9 million in NIH funding in fiscal 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Carly Katz, VCU\u2019s assistant vice president of federal government relations in the Office of the President, said the goal of this year\u2019s rally was \u201cto bring the value of NIH-funded research to life by connecting congressional staffers directly with faculty members to learn about the scientific discovery process and human impacts of NIH-funded innovations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Originally posted on VCU News: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/article\/vcu-researchers-join-national-call-for-nih-funding\">https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/article\/vcu-researchers-join-national-call-for-nih-funding<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Four Virginia Commonwealth University researchers traveled to Washington on Sept. 17 to join patients, families and advocates from across the nation at the 14th annual Rally for Medical Research, urging Congress to prioritize and increase funding for the National Institutes of Health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1760,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1151,762,139],"class_list":["post-1759","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bme","tag-hm","tag-national-institute-of-health","tag-priscilla-hwang"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1759","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2033"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1759"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1759\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1761,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1759\/revisions\/1761"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1759"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1759"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1759"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1767,"date":"2026-09-23T17:06:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T17:06:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1767"},"modified":"2026-09-23T17:06:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T17:06:43","slug":"vcu-college-of-engineering-climbs-10-ranks-in-u-s-news-and-world-report-undergraduate-program-ratings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/23\/vcu-college-of-engineering-climbs-10-ranks-in-u-s-news-and-world-report-undergraduate-program-ratings\/","title":{"rendered":"VCU College of Engineering climbs 10 ranks in U.S. News and World Report undergraduate program ratings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rising 10 ranks in the <em>U.S. News and World Report<\/em> listing of top undergraduate engineering programs, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-colleges\/virginia-commonwealth-university-3735\">Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering now stands at 102 in the nation<\/a>. The university itself is among the nation\u2019s top 100 public schools and a top 100 best value school for in-state students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur rise in the <em>U.S. News and World Report<\/em> rankings reflect the growing strength, reputation and impact of VCU Engineering,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/azim.eskandarian\/\"><strong>Azim Eskandarian, D.Sc.<\/strong><\/a>, the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the VCU College of Engineering. \u201cThis recognition is a direct result of our students\u2019 dedication, our faculty\u2019s excellence and the staff\u2019s commitment to our mission. It also underscores the value of our strong partnerships with private industry and the public sector, which expand opportunities for students through experiential learning, including internships and co-ops. Together, these efforts strengthen our ability to prepare engineers for today\u2019s workforce and the emerging technologies that will shape the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than 90% of VCU engineers find job placements upon graduation with 65% working directly in their chosen field of study, according to the college\u2019s own First Destination Survey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur students receive a strong return on their investment, with recent graduates receiving a median income of $82,150 after graduation,\u201d said Eskandarian. \u201cThis is comparable to the best engineering schools in the nation, made possible by our award-winning Career Services department.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To reinforce the continued growth of the VCU College of Engineering, <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/08\/18\/ten-new-faculty-join-vcu-college-of-engineering-for-the-2026-fall-semester\/\">11 new faculty members recently joined the university<\/a>. Their research and teaching specialties cross a number of existing VCU Engineering programs, some also support the college\u2019s new <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/05\/19\/new-bachelor-of-science-in-robotics-and-autonomous-systems-engineering-launches-at-vcu-college-of-engineering-in-fall-of-2026\/\">Bachelor of Science in Robotics and Autonomous Systems<\/a>, which <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/09\/17\/robotics-and-autonomous-systems-program-at-vcu-college-of-engineering-receives-1-million-of-community-project-funding\/\">received $1 million of Community Project Funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By collecting graduate school data annually, U.S. News is able to present the most current figures on enrollment, job placement, faculty and other critical quality indicators that help prospective students make informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The VCU College of Engineering offers innovative <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/future-students\/first-year\/undergraduate-degrees\/\">undergraduate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/future-students\/graduate\/graduate-degrees\/\">graduate<\/a> degree programs tailored to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving engineering field. As part of a premier research university, students are given the opportunity to <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/research\/\">perform real-world research<\/a> in our state-of-the-art facilities as soon as they enroll. Browse videos and recent news to discover how the <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/explore\/\">College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University<\/a> prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rising 10 ranks in the U.S. News and World Report listing of top undergraduate engineering programs, the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering now stands at 102 in the nation. The university itself is among the nation\u2019s top 100 public schools and a top 100 best value school for in-state students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1829,"featured_media":1273,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[1111,1110],"class_list":["post-1767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-college","tag-rankings","tag-u-s-news-world-report"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1829"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1767"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1768,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1767\/revisions\/1768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]