[{"id":1929,"date":"2026-10-28T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1929"},"modified":"2026-10-27T15:41:40","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T15:41:40","slug":"meet-the-faculty-syed-irfan-ali-meerza-department-of-computer-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/28\/meet-the-faculty-syed-irfan-ali-meerza-department-of-computer-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Faculty: Syed Irfan Ali Meerza, Department of Computer Science"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/syed.meerza\/\"><strong>Syed Irfan Ali Meerza, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, joins the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In this Q&amp;A series, we get to know faculty who recently joined VCU Engineering. Meerza 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\">What attracted me most to VCU Engineering was the opportunity to build an independent research program in an environment that strongly supports interdisciplinary work. My research sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, privacy and multimedia, so being part of a college where I can collaborate across computer science, engineering and other disciplines was particularly appealing. I was also excited by VCU\u2019s growing emphasis on AI and cybersecurity and the opportunity to work with students on emerging problems in these areas.<\/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 focuses on making AI systems more secure, trustworthy and responsible, particularly when they interact with digital content such as images, music and other media. One major direction of my work is developing techniques that give creators greater control over how their content is used by generative AI. For example, I study methods for protecting data from unauthorized AI training and for tracing the provenance of AI-generated or AI-modified content, including where it originated and how it has been transformed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At VCU, I am building the Artificial Intelligence and Multimedia Security (AIMS) Lab to continue this work. I plan to work with students and collaborators on problems involving AI security, generative AI, data privacy, content provenance and trustworthy machine learning, while also exploring applications across different 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\">During my first five years, I hope to establish a strong research program in AI security and trustworthy generative AI and build the AIMS Lab into an active environment where undergraduate and graduate students can develop into independent researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I would like our work to address important, real-world problems surrounding the rapidly growing use of generative AI, particularly questions of data ownership, provenance, attribution and security. I also hope to develop strong collaborations within VCU and with researchers at other institutions, build sustained externally funded research projects and contribute to the growth of VCU\u2019s programs in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.<\/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\">My background has always been at the intersection of computing systems, security and machine learning. As AI systems became increasingly capable of generating and manipulating digital content, I became interested in a different side of AI security. Instead of only asking how we can attack or defend a model, I started asking how we can protect the data and people interacting with these systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That led me to research problems involving privacy-preserving machine learning, adversarial machine learning, generative AI and digital content protection. More recently, I have become particularly interested in understanding how we can give creators meaningful control over their work as generative AI systems become more powerful.<\/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 concept-driven and practical. I want students to understand not only how something works, but why it was designed that way and what problem it is trying to solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I introduce a difficult topic, I usually start with the underlying intuition and then gradually move toward the technical details. I also like using examples, diagrams, experiments and real systems to connect theoretical ideas with what students will encounter in practice. Students can expect me to ask questions and encourage discussion rather than simply presenting material for them to memorize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, I want students to leave the classroom able to reason about unfamiliar problems rather than only reproduce solutions they have already seen.<\/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\">What I enjoy most about my field is how quickly it evolves. Generative AI has introduced questions we were not seriously considering even a few years ago, and many of them do not yet have established solutions. That makes research exciting because there is a genuine opportunity to define new problems and develop fundamentally new approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Working with students is especially rewarding because research is also a learning process. I enjoy seeing a student move from initially learning about a topic to questioning existing approaches, developing their own ideas, running experiments and eventually becoming confident enough to drive a research project themselves.<\/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 enjoy technology even outside of research. I like experimenting with computers, home servers, smart-home systems and home automation projects. I find it relaxing to build something, troubleshoot it and gradually make the whole system work together. I also enjoy reading whenever I have some free time.<\/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\">I have really enjoyed Richmond so far. I am still relatively new to the city, so there is a lot left for me to explore, but I like that Richmond has the energy of a city while still feeling manageable and accessible. Since starting at VCU, much of my time has naturally been centered on campus and getting my research and teaching established, so I am looking forward to discovering more of the city over the coming months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Syed Irfan Ali Meerza joins VCU Engineering as an assistant professor in Computer Science, focusing his research on AI security, trustworthy generative AI, data privacy, and digital content provenance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1829,"featured_media":1930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1150,1145,1241],"class_list":["post-1929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cs","tag-aasc","tag-new-faculty","tag-syed-irfan-ali-meerza"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1929","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=1929"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1929\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1931,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1929\/revisions\/1931"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1926,"date":"2026-10-27T15:20:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T15:20:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1926"},"modified":"2026-10-27T15:20:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T15:20:30","slug":"vcu-project-will-prepare-future-nurses-for-ai-driven-healthcare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/27\/vcu-project-will-prepare-future-nurses-for-ai-driven-healthcare\/","title":{"rendered":"VCU project will prepare future nurses for AI-driven healthcare"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Eyuphan Bulut secures grant to bring AI and cybersecurity training to the next generation of nurses<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in healthcare, nurses will need to understand more than how to use the technology. They also will need to know how to protect patients, their data and the systems on which modern care increasingly depends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new interdisciplinary project at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) aims to prepare them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/eyuphan.bulut\/\"><strong>Eyuphan Bulut, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> a professor in the College of Engineering\u2019s Department of Computer Science, has received a $100,000 grant from the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative for \u201cSecuring AI-Driven Healthcare: Experiential Cyber Learning for Next-Gen Nursing Workforce.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project brings together VCU\u2019s College of Engineering and School of Nursing to provide nursing students with practical experience in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and emerging healthcare technologies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAI is transforming healthcare, but its benefits can only be fully realized when healthcare professionals understand both its capabilities and its risks,\u201d said Bulut. \u201cBy equipping future nurses with AI and cybersecurity skills, we are helping build a safer, more resilient healthcare system.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project begins this fall with the creation of a Smart Healthcare Security Lab, a hands-on learning environment where nursing students can explore AI-enabled healthcare technologies while learning about cybersecurity, privacy risks and emerging medical devices. The lab will serve VCU students as well as nursing students from other Virginia institutions, particularly community colleges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In spring 2027, the project will launch a Nursing Cyber Fellows track for 15 students \u2014 10 from VCU and five from partner institutions. Fellows will receive advanced training in topics including AI in healthcare, healthcare data and privacy, and cybersecurity for AI-driven medical systems. They also will complete hands-on assignments and interact with experts in healthcare and cybersecurity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In early summer 2027, fellows will complete two- to three-week externships at VCU Health and, when possible, other regional healthcare organizations. Students will work alongside nurses, nursing informaticists and clinical IT and security professionals, gaining firsthand experience with AI-enabled clinical systems and technology-supported patient care.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Amy Salisbury, Ph.D., RN, associate dean for research in the School of Nursing, serves as co-principal investigator.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Bulut, what makes this project unique is its emphasis on hands-on learning: not only teaching students how to use AI tools, but also how to use them safely, responsibly and with an understanding of cybersecurity and patient privacy.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also sees the project as a model that could grow, with the grant representing an initial step toward a larger training initiative designed to build a pipeline of nursing professionals prepared to navigate AI and cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe hope this model can be expanded to benefit healthcare education across Virginia and beyond,\u201d Bulut 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>Eyuphan Bulut secures grant to bring AI and cybersecurity training to the next generation of nurses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1927,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,165,15],"tags":[1150,122],"class_list":["post-1926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cs","category-faculty-awards","category-grants","tag-aasc","tag-eyuphan-bulut"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1926","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=1926"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1928,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1926\/revisions\/1928"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1923,"date":"2026-10-27T15:10:59","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T15:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1923"},"modified":"2026-10-27T15:11:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T15:11:01","slug":"exploring-efficiency-in-machine-learning-with-computer-science-faculty-at-the-vcu-college-of-engineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/27\/exploring-efficiency-in-machine-learning-with-computer-science-faculty-at-the-vcu-college-of-engineering\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring efficiency in machine learning with computer science faculty at the VCU College of Engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Thang N. Dinh, Ph.D. and Nan Xi, M.D., Ph.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>From data centers to delivery routes, learn what efficiency in machine learning looks like, why it matters, and how it\u2019s being improved<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">By Sarah Murphy<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mention \u2018machine learning\u2019 today, and you\u2019ll be met with a full spectrum of responses: sharp skepticism, awe and excitement, curiosity about what the future has in store.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, it is likely you are already using machine learning in your daily life. Unlock your phone using facial recognition? That is machine learning. Allow your email to filter out spam? That is machine learning, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organizations are also using machine learning, but on a much larger scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, predictive models are used to route shipping trucks, flag urgent hospital scans and forecast power grid demand. A decade ago, this software was the exclusive domain of tech giants; now, even local water utilities have the ability to run it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That shift, from a few big players to nearly everyone, is driving a new urgency for efficiency in machine learning\u2014something that the faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering are actively contributing to in their own research studies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Four Jobs of Machine Learning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When data becomes too vast for the human eye and systems defy simple logic, machine learning steps in to find the patterns and stories hidden in the noise.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/thang.dinh\/\"><strong>Thang N. Dinh, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, associate professor of computer science at the VCU College of Engineering, offers a simple way to think about machine learning through four big jobs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Predict<\/strong>: What will demand be tomorrow?\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recognize<\/strong>: Is this network traffic an attack?\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Generate<\/strong>: Write this text, draft this code, propose a new drug molecule.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Decide<\/strong>: Pick the best option out of an unbelievable number of possibilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In most cases, the work and energy of machine learning is out of sight, quietly embedded inside larger software and decision tools. Yet behind that invisible convenience sits an enormous energy footprint with an impact that is two-fold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTraining a machine learning model is a big one-time cost, like building a factory,\u201d says Dinh. \u201cRunning it, answering each question, is tiny, but it happens billions of times a day. As AI spreads into everything, the running costs are where the energy increasingly goes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consider a delivery driver with 15 stops. Using machine learning to find the best delivery route means choosing from over a trillion possibilities. Scale that math to factory schedules, drug design or power grids, and pure computation suddenly carries physical weight, dictating fuel burned and homes powered. At this scale, machine learning efficiency isn&#8217;t just about saving data center power; it&#8217;s about maximizing real-world energy saved.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cScheduling factories, running power grids, designing medicines: these are all versions of that same problem, blown up to enormous size,\u201d says Dinh. \u201cComputer scientists call it combinatorial optimization, and it is computing with direct physical consequences. Trucks burn real fuel, and grids serve real homes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the intersection where machine learning efficiency comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Understanding Efficiency<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Efficiency in machine learning goes beyond making a model faster. It has the potential to act as a multiplier across both sides of the energy equation, minimizing the power consumed by computation while also maximizing the real-world resources saved by the model&#8217;s decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIdeally, we want AI systems that achieve strong performance while using less computation, memory, energy and data,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/nan.xi\/\"><strong>Nan Xi, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, assistant professor of computer science at the VCU College of Engineering. \u201cMachine learning efficiency can reduce electricity consumption and the environmental impact associated with computation. It can lower the cost of developing and operating AI systems. It can also reduce dependence on extremely large computing infrastructures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, from a computer scientist\u2019s perspective, Dinh also argues that efficiency in machine learning is equal to the scientist arriving at a complete understanding of the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen you figure out how to solve a problem with a tenth of the resources, it usually means you finally saw its structure clearly,\u201d says Dinh. \u201cThe waste was a symptom of not understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When machine learning is more efficient, several things become possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Running models are dramatically cheaper and faster, which democratizes access, enables real-time processing on local devices for things like medical and robotic tools, and protects privacy by keeping sensitive data off remote servers. For example, small models allow a budget smartphone to do live translation of sensitive medical notes without ever sending data to the cloud; or a $80 Raspberry Pi to provide instant crop-disease diagnostics without expensive subscription fees. By lowering the barrier to entry and reliance on expensive data centers, efficient machine learning ensures that powerful technology becomes broadly accessible to the communities and organizations that need it most.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But efficiency can create a rebound effect known as Jevons\u2019 paradox: as computing becomes cheaper, people use more of it, potentially offsetting some, or even all, of the energy savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis has been observed since the age of steam engines, and AI is its newest example,\u201d says Dinh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than suppressing this explosion in computing demand, the ultimate solution is to ensure the massive data centers fueling it are powered by sustainable energy sources that support long-term grid stability. This shifts the debate from whether society can afford the computing power, to how we can sustainably generate it and what we choose to compute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEfficiency is necessary for a sustainable path, but it isn&#8217;t sufficient,\u201d says Dinh. \u201cThe rest depends on choices: where facilities go, how the power is made, and what we decide is worth computing in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How is Machine Learning Efficiency Achieved? Contributions at VCU<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While hardware improvements and model architectures do advance AI performance, software innovations and smarter algorithms do the heaviest lifting in terms of efficiency. At VCU, Dinh\u2019s lab is pushing this frontier by developing better algorithms alongside unconventional, physics-aligned GPU-accelerated and quantum-enhanced computational paradigms to redefine how computing scales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMost efficiency research makes the model smaller,\u201d says Dinh. \u201cWe ask a different question: can you make the problem smaller, or hand it to a machine whose physics does the hard work for you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Xi\u2019s research focuses on computer vision and medical AI. He seeks to enable models to identify and reason about the most informative parts of complex visual data\u2014such as key body joints in movement analysis or specific regions in medical imaging\u2014rather than treating all pixels equally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy broader goal is to develop AI systems that are sophisticated enough to understand complex visual information while remaining practical enough to operate in real-world environments,\u201d says Xi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two researchers are collaborating on quantum AI projects, examining how matching the problem to the best-suited machine can yield optimal results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSometimes that means shrinking the problem until it fits scarce hardware,\u201d says Dinh. \u201cSometimes it means reshaping it until abundant hardware can take it. Either way, the gains come from understanding the problem&#8217;s structure, not from buying more computers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the question that continues to swirl at the center of machine learning efficiency: How can we best understand a problem&#8217;s structure so that AI delivers real-world impact without demanding endless computation? By shifting the focus from bigger data centers to smarter design, Dinh and Xi are proving that the most powerful tool in AI isn&#8217;t more silicon\u2014it&#8217;s better insight.<\/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>From data centers to delivery routes, learn what efficiency in machine learning looks like, why it matters, and how it\u2019s being improved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1924,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1150,1240,1070],"class_list":["post-1923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cs","tag-aasc","tag-nan-xi","tag-thang-dinh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1923","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=1923"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1925,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1923\/revisions\/1925"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1826,"date":"2026-10-21T18:37:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T18:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1826"},"modified":"2026-10-28T17:58:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T17:58:21","slug":"representing-vcu-at-the-2026-biomedical-engineering-society-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/21\/representing-vcu-at-the-2026-biomedical-engineering-society-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Representing VCU at the 2026 Biomedical Engineering Society Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Biomedical engineering students and faculty are representing Virginia Commonwealth University at the 2026 BMES conference in Orlando, Florida. Below are some of the fun and interesting happenings from the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saturday, October 24<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s a wrap! See everyone next year in Columbus, Ohio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155388-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1905 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155388-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155388-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155388-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155388-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155388-2048x1152.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\/576;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ighelose Princess Ohonsi presenting her research: Evaluating the pulmonary safety of decellularized extracellular matrix and excipient-enhanced growth dry powder surfactant formulation.<\/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=\"Acute Lung Injury Research: Developing New Lung Treatments | VCU Biomedical Engineering\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LIBEAqqayGk?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\">Rachel Watkins presenting her research: Correlation of bladder versus brain hemodynamics using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) in individuals with and without Overactive Bladder (OAB).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Noninvasive Overactive Bladder Diagnosis Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy | VCU Research\" width=\"540\" height=\"960\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bJYRixPc9lE?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\">Manvee Vuppala presenting her research: Effect of mechanical strain and respiration rate on myofibroblast differentiation in human lung fibroblasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/youtube.com\/shorts\/fhpgdb9RgdU?is=Bl3LIiNkW6VzEePF\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sabeya Neeha presenting her research: Development of an anatomically and acoustically accurate three-layer head phantom for cranial B-mode ultrasound and machine-learning-based detection of intracranial pathology.<\/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\">\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/JH-J6GZAnok?is=bMBmktV5fgf9IhZu\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juliana Norman presenting her research: Evaluating whether cyclic loading upregulates estrogen receptors in human MSCs, possibly contributing to female athlete sensitivity to estradiol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Why Are Female Athletes at Higher Risk for ACL Injuries? | VCU Biomedical Engineering Research\" width=\"540\" height=\"960\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pfia8NpI2hE?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\">Aarushi Rao presenting her research: Effect of synthetic surfactant dry powder aerosol on acute respiratory distress syndrome-related hypoxemia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Developing Inhaled Treatments for ARDS | VCU Biomedical Engineering Research\" width=\"540\" height=\"960\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yKNQkgif7Bg?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<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Friday, October 23<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ralf still leads in the lab mascot poll!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"771\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155133-771x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1899 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155133-771x1024.jpg 771w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155133-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155133-768x1020.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155133-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155133-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000155133-scaled.jpg 1928w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 771px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 771\/1024;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muhammad Uzair Rehman presenting his research: High-frequency QRS reduced-amplitude zone analysis during orthostatic stress in chronic cervical spinal cord injury: A preliminary case series.<\/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=\"Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: Electrical Stimulation &amp; Heart Monitoring | VCU Research\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kD9nZ6hdynU?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\">Erin Coates presenting her research: Depleting XYLT1\/2 decreases traction forces and alters cell morphology in ovarian cancer cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Ovarian Cancer Research &amp; Metastasis | VCU Biomedical Engineering Summer REU\" width=\"540\" height=\"960\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qM-Jln8nRXA?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\">Aimee Straka presenting her research: Tissue engineered amnion as a tool to study premature rupture of amniotic membranes.<\/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=\"Can Tissue Engineering Help Prevent Premature Birth? | VCU Biomedical Research\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lX9_ZmVfsAU?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\">Simone Chapman presenting their research: Designing a leak-proof flow system for 3D-printed blood vessel models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"3D-Printed Blood Vessels &amp; Cardiovascular Research | VCU Biomedical Engineering\" width=\"540\" height=\"960\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fG3Klt5KF_Y?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<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thursday, October 22<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trivia night sponsored by VCU in Marigold 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154994-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1882 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154994-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154994-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154994-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154994-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154994-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The faculty, students and staff behind VCU at BMES 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154989-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1881 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154989-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154989-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154989-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154989-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154989-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shivam Shukla presenting his research: Characterization of tissue oxygenation and thermal responses to cold provocation using near-infrared spectroscopy and thermal imaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Detecting Vascular Disease Through Medical Imaging | VCU Biomedical Engineering Research\" width=\"540\" height=\"960\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JkOCdcYv3Xs?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\">Claire Klaye presenting her research: Piezo channels in the fibrotic remodeling of interstitial lung diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"How Piezo Ion Channels Impact Lung Disease | VCU Biomedical Engineering Research\" width=\"540\" height=\"960\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IBVN4PQtY2E?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\">Ralf and Eggbert networking with other mascots.<\/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\/10\/1000154967-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1878 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154967-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154967-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154967-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154967.jpg 1320w\" 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;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to work at booth 908.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154926-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1864 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154926-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154926-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154926-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154926-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154926-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even Eggbert dipped his toes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"771\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154908-771x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1861 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154908-771x1024.jpg 771w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154908-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154908-768x1020.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154908-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154908-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154908-scaled.jpg 1928w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 771px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 771\/1024;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the conference shuts down due to unexpected circumstances, you make the most of it. \ud83d\ude0e <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154901-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1860 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154901-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154901-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154901-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154901-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154901-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154899-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1859 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154899-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154899-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154899-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154899-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154899-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154910-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1858 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154910-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154910-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154910-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154910-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154910-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The conference room isn&#8217;t the only thing that&#8217;s on fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"1080\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1920 \/ 1080;\" width=\"1920\" controls src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/fire-video.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wednesday, October 21<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Day one recap from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DezOKXhxFMp\/?vrfl=MXZtM2xkMWNtZWF5dQ==\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DezOKXhxFMp\/?vrfl=MXZtM2xkMWNtZWF5dQ==\">BMESatVCU<\/a> on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154941-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1870 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154941-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154941-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154941.jpg 720w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 576px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 576\/1024;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"575\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154943-575x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1868 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154943-575x1024.jpg 575w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154943-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154943.jpg 716w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 575px) 100vw, 575px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 575px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 575\/1024;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looks like Ralf is leading the mascot poll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"771\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154842-771x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1855 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154842-771x1024.jpg 771w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154842-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154842-768x1020.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154842-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154842-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154842-scaled.jpg 1928w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 771px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 771\/1024;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cardi V and Betty the Beat from Florida International University stopped in to say hello.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154838-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1854 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154838-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154838-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154838-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154838-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154838-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Come see us at booth 908!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154824-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1846 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154824-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154824-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154824-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154824-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154824-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154818-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1848 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154818-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154818-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154818-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154818-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154818-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"1920\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1080 \/ 1920;\" width=\"1080\" controls src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154837.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who will become the favorite mascot?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"771\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154810-771x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1841 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154810-771x1024.jpg 771w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154810-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154810-768x1020.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154810-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154810-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154810-scaled.jpg 1928w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 771px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 771\/1024;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"771\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154806-771x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1842 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154806-771x1024.jpg 771w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154806-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154806-768x1020.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154806-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154806-1542x2048.jpg 1542w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154806-scaled.jpg 1928w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 771px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 771\/1024;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154807-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1843 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154807-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154807-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154807-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154807-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154807-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reception ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154811-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1839 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154811-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154811-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154811-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154811-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154811-2048x1542.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\/771;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rubbing elbows with famous rodents.<\/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\/10\/1000154774-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1836 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154774-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154774-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154774-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154774-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154774-2048x1536.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\/768;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The celebrities have arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154773-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1834 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154773-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154773-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154773-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154773-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154773-scaled.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 768px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 768\/1024;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Setting up the booth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"1920\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1080 \/ 1920;\" width=\"1080\" controls src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1088\/2026\/10\/1000154765.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Biomedical engineering students and faculty are representing Virginia Commonwealth University at the 2026 BMES conference in Orlando, Florida. Below are some of the fun and interesting happenings from the event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1829,"featured_media":1848,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1239,1220],"class_list":["post-1826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bme","tag-biomedical-engineering","tag-biomedical-engineering-society"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1826","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=1826"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1826\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1920,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1826\/revisions\/1920"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1827,"date":"2026-10-21T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1827"},"modified":"2026-10-20T18:20:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T18:20:52","slug":"meet-the-faculty-gustavo-cardona-department-of-mechanical-and-nuclear-engineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/21\/meet-the-faculty-gustavo-cardona-department-of-mechanical-and-nuclear-engineering\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Faculty: Gustavo Cardona, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/gustavo.cardona\/\"><strong>Gustavo Cardona, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, joins the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering from the University of Delaware. In this Q&amp;A series, we get to know faculty who recently joined VCU Engineering. Cardona 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\">I was drawn to VCU Engineering for the opportunity to build an interdisciplinary robotics research program in a growing research environment. My work sits at the intersection of robotics, control, artificial intelligence and human-robot interaction, so I was especially interested in a university that encourages collaboration across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Virginia Commonwealth University also offered me the opportunity to develop my own research group, the Planning, Autonomy, and Reliable Control for Embodied-Systems (PARCE) Lab, while collaborating with faculty working in areas ranging from autonomous systems to nuclear engineering and other safety-critical applications.<\/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 focuses on developing autonomous robots that can operate safely and reliably in complex environments, particularly when they interact with people or other robots. One part of my work studies human-robot collaboration and shared autonomy, where a human and a robot must decide how to distribute control and responsibility during a task. I also work on formal methods, planning, multi-robot systems and techniques that let us mathematically specify what a robot should do and verify whether its behavior meets those requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At VCU, I am building PARCE Lab. We are working with platforms like humanoid robots, robotic manipulators and teams of aerial robots. My goal is to combine theoretical work in planning, control and formal verification with experiments on real robotic systems. I also see strong opportunities to work with researchers across VCU on applications where reliable autonomy and human interaction are particularly important.<\/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\">My main goal is to establish a research group with a strong identity in safe and reliable robot autonomy. I want PARCE-LAB to be a place where undergraduate and graduate students can work on both the theoretical foundations of robotics and experiments with real systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From a research perspective, I hope to develop a sustained program around human-robot collaboration, formal methods for robotics and multi-robot autonomy, while building partnerships within VCU and with researchers at other universities and government laboratories. I also want to support students in publishing strong research, attending major robotics and control conferences, and developing the technical independence they will need for their own careers.<\/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 was drawn to robotics because it brings together several areas I found interesting: mathematics, control, computation and physical systems. What became especially intriguing to me was the question of how we can make autonomous systems behave reliably when the environment is uncertain and when people are part of the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That eventually led me toward control, formal methods and human-robot interaction. Rather than asking only whether a robot can complete a task, I became interested in questions such as whether we can specify precisely what the robot is expected to do, reason mathematically about its behavior and provide guarantees about safety while still allowing the robot to adapt to a human or a changing environment.<\/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 connect mathematical concepts to physical intuition and implementation. In robotics and control, students often encounter equations before they have a clear picture of what those equations mean for an actual system. I prefer to start with the physical problem, develop the mathematical model, then show how the mathematics becomes an algorithm or controller that can be implemented on a robot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Students can expect me to emphasize understanding rather than memorization. I want them to be able to explain why a method works, what assumptions it depends on, and what happens when those assumptions no longer hold. Whenever possible, I also connect the material to simulation and real robotic systems so students can see the relationship between theory and practice.<\/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 thing I enjoy about robotics is that abstract ideas eventually have to confront the physical world. A method can look elegant mathematically, but putting it on a real robot quickly exposes assumptions, limitations and new research questions. I enjoy that combination of theory and experimentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Working with students is rewarding for a similar reason. I particularly enjoy seeing students move from learning an existing method to asking their own questions about why something works and how it could be improved. That transition from following instructions to thinking independently as an engineer or researcher is one of the most satisfying parts of advising students.<\/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 am a big basketball fan. I enjoy watching the NBA and following the season, and I also like playing basketball whenever I can. It&#8217;s one of my favorite ways to disconnect from work and stay active.<\/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\">I have really enjoyed Richmond so far. One of my favorite things about the city is the James River and having such a large outdoor space so close to downtown. I have also enjoyed the weather and being able to spend more time outside. Richmond has a great variety of restaurants as well, so trying different places around the city has been a fun part of getting to know the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gustavo Cardona, Ph.D. joins VCU&#8217;s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, where he is establishing the PARCE Lab to advance research in autonomous robotics, safety-critical control, and human-robot interaction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1829,"featured_media":1828,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1238,1145],"class_list":["post-1827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mne","tag-gustavo-cardona","tag-new-faculty"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1827","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=1827"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1829,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1827\/revisions\/1829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1821,"date":"2026-10-20T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1821"},"modified":"2026-10-19T17:30:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T17:30:32","slug":"new-dry-powder-system-aims-to-deliver-two-treatments-to-the-lungs-at-once","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/20\/new-dry-powder-system-aims-to-deliver-two-treatments-to-the-lungs-at-once\/","title":{"rendered":"New dry powder system aims to deliver two treatments to the lungs at once"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">P. Worth Longest, Ph.D., left, and Michael Hindle, Ph.D., demonstrate an aerosol delivery device. Named VCU&#8217;s 2025 Innovators of the Year, they have spent two decades attacking inhaled drug delivery from both ends: Longest on devices and transport in the College of Engineering, Hindle on formulation in the School of Pharmacy. (Photo credit: Will Rummel)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A VCU Commercialization Fund award will help Michael Hindle and P. Worth Longest test a platform that repairs the lung&#8217;s surfactant layer while delivering a drug to the same tissue.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">By John Battiston<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inhaled medicine sounds like it should be the simplest kind of medicine there is. You breathe it in, and it goes where it needs to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It usually doesn&#8217;t. The respiratory system evolved as a filter, engineered to trap foreign particles high in the airway so that mucus can clear them. Even the most modern commercial inhalers deliver only about 20% of a dose to an adult&#8217;s lungs; scale those airways down to a premature infant, and the figure falls to roughly 1%. Inhaled therapeutics fail in testing often because too little of the drug arrives, not necessarily because it is wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For two decades, Virginia Commonwealth University researchers <a href=\"https:\/\/pharmacy.vcu.edu\/directory\/hindle-michael.html\">Michael Hindle<\/a>, Ph.D., and <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/worth.longest\/\">P. Worth Longest<\/a>, Ph.D., have been engineering that delivery problem from both ends. Hindle, the Peter R. Byron Distinguished Professor and interim chair of the <a href=\"https:\/\/pharmacy.vcu.edu\/departments\/pharmaceutics\/\">Department of Pharmaceutics<\/a> in the School of Pharmacy, focuses on formulation. Longest, the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Distinguished Chair in the College of Engineering&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/mechanical-nuclear-engineering\/\">Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering<\/a>, handles the device and transport side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Named VCU&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/article\/vcu-innovators-of-the-year-advance-lifesaving-aerosol-therapy-for-newborns\">2025 Innovators of the Year<\/a>, the pair is now advancing a patent-pending platform that does something no inhaled product currently does: treat the lung&#8217;s own damaged machinery and the disease at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Three ingredients, one particle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The platform combines a therapeutic \u2014 whether an anti-inflammatory, an antibiotic, an antiviral or a vaccine antigen \u2014 with a phospholipid-based synthetic lung surfactant and a hygroscopic material such as salt or sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the lung, the lipid layer that lines the alveoli and lets them expand and collapse without sticking shut is called the surfactant layer. When a lung is injured, it is among the first things to fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Damage to the surfactant layer is greatly underappreciated right now, because it just hasn&#8217;t been treatable before without a highly invasive procedure,&#8221; Longest said. &#8220;You need to treat that damage and restore surfactant function, but you also need to treat the inflammation that comes with it. You can think of it as a co-treatment.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the lung surfactant replaces the damaged surfactant layer, the hygroscopic material absorbs moisture in the lung and swells, so particles small enough to slip past the throat don&#8217;t simply get exhaled again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Surfactant also spreads on contact, carrying the co-delivered drug across the enormous internal surface area of the lungs in a thin film. It can potentially carry a drug to regions that are poorly ventilated and therefore hard to reach otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/image\/f7fca5c0-e509-479b-8e0c-cb10d336d8f2\" alt=\"A photo of two men from the chest up. The man on the left is holding a small hand held machine that has a white cloud coming out of a tube.\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Even modern commercial inhalers deliver only about 20% of a dose to an adult&#8217;s lungs, and roughly 1% to a premature infant&#8217;s. A $50,000 VCU Commercialization Fund award will help Hindle and Longest test a platform that pairs a therapeutic with synthetic lung surfactant and a moisture-absorbing material to reach deep lung tissue. (Photo credit: Will Rummel)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What the funding unlocks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hindle and Longest received a $50,000 Commercialization Fund award from <a href=\"https:\/\/techtransfer.research.vcu.edu\/\">VCU TechTransfer and Ventures<\/a> \u2014 part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/research.vcu.edu\/\">Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation<\/a> \u2014 to generate the preclinical efficacy data the platform needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their team has already produced highly dispersible formulations pairing the surfactant with a corticosteroid, several antibiotics and an antiviral. What it has not yet done is show, in a preclinical model of acute inhalation injury, that the combination outperforms either component alone. Proving that level of effectiveness includes three milestones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Formulating the powder with two lead therapeutics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establishing a toxic gas or smoke exposure model.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Measuring treatment outcomes against surfactant-only controls.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It&#8217;s really the missing piece of the puzzle for us,&#8221; Longest said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve developed the devices and largely developed the formulation concepts. We need this proof of concept, which will then unlock future funding.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team is targeting funding from federal resources such as the Department of Defense&#8217;s Military Burn Research Program \u2014 a strong fit, given that the treatment requires no operating room and no specialist. \u201cTreatments for lung injuries occur in an intensive care unit with intubation and ventilatory support, which cost a lot of money and are potentially very harmful for a patient dealing with a lung injury,\u201d Hindle said. In a mass casualty scenario, he added, \u201cminutes save lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The bigger target<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 U.S. cases annually, acute inhalation injury is a deliberately narrow first indication. The platform&#8217;s reach is far wider: severe viral and bacterial pneumonias, ventilator-associated pneumonia, pediatric pneumonia in low-resource settings and inhaled vaccines, among many other potential applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Longest&#8217;s eye is on acute respiratory distress syndrome, also known as ARDS, the condition that filled ICUs during COVID-19. &#8220;There&#8217;s really no effective treatment for that breathing condition other than trying to support the patient with oxygen,&#8221; he said. Better still, he added, would be keeping high-risk patients from progressing to ARDS in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond proof of concept, many hurdles await on the platform\u2019s path to commercialization. Toxicology studies, clinical trial materials, inhaler manufacturing and an eventual commercial partner must all occur successfully before the first human dose. &#8220;We&#8217;re very aware that the road to first-in-man is a long road,&#8221; Hindle said, &#8220;and that&#8217;s something we&#8217;re hoping to accelerate.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He and Longest have good reason to trust the process. One of the first grants they ever received, in 2008, came from the VCU Technology Validation Fund, a direct predecessor of the TechTransfer and Ventures Commercialization Fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Mike and Worth have been building this portfolio deliberately for years, one validated step at a time,\u201d said Thomasine Isler, innovation and industry engagement manager at TechTransfer and Ventures. \u201cOur job is to make sure the commercialization strategy grows alongside the research, protecting each meaningful innovation and creating a pathway for the right partner to ultimately bring these technologies to patients.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Commercialization, Hindle notes, is not the end goal. &#8220;We show clinicians images of lungs that look pristine after a lot of damage, because of the therapies we\u2019ve delivered,&#8221; he said, referring to preclinical results with the team&#8217;s earlier surfactant-only formulations. &#8220;What excites me most is getting those treatments into their hands and seeing actual responses in patients.&#8221;<\/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\/new-dry-powder-system-aims-to-deliver-two-treatments-to-the-lungs-at-once\">https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/article\/new-dry-powder-system-aims-to-deliver-two-treatments-to-the-lungs-at-once<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A VCU Commercialization Fund award will help Michael Hindle and P. Worth Longest test a platform that repairs the lung&#8217;s surfactant layer while delivering a drug to the same tissue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1822,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[165,6,15],"tags":[1132,1151,1166,135],"class_list":["post-1821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty-awards","category-mne","category-grants","tag-commercialization-fund","tag-hm","tag-vcu-techtransfer","tag-worth-longest"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1821","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=1821"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1821\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1824,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1821\/revisions\/1824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1818,"date":"2026-10-14T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1818"},"modified":"2026-10-13T17:25:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T17:25:03","slug":"meet-the-faculty-zixuan-steve-feng-department-of-computer-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/14\/meet-the-faculty-zixuan-steve-feng-department-of-computer-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Faculty: Zixuan \u201cSteve\u201d Feng, Department of Computer Science"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/zixuan.feng.phd\/\"><strong>Zixuan \u201cSteve\u201d Feng, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, joins the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering from Oregon State University. In this Q&amp;A series, we get to know faculty who recently joined VCU Engineering. Feng 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\">What attracted me most was the energy of a growing college. Virginia Commonwealth University Engineering is relatively new, but there is already a strong sense of unity. People are working together, supporting one another and pushing toward a shared vision. I can really feel the cohesion and momentum here.<\/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 focuses on software engineering from a socio-technical perspective, including AI for software engineering (AI4SE), agentic AI, natural-language programming and software development. I study how these technologies can improve software quality, developer productivity and collaboration across software teams and open-source communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am leading the NOODLE Lab (Navigating Open-source, Organization, Developer and Learning Ecosystems) within the Software Engineering Center at the VCU College of Engineering. Through the lab, I plan to develop human-centered, trustworthy AI approaches that help developers build, maintain and collaborate on better software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At no other point in human history have we been equipped with tools this powerful to accelerate technological progress and expand what humans can achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Software engineering has such an important role to play in the AI era. We need to engineer the systems, infrastructure, interfaces, safeguards and practices that translate these technologies into real-world applications, responsibly, reliably, efficiently and in ways that benefit humanity.<\/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\">I hope to establish a strong research program in natural language programming and software development, mentor outstanding students, build meaningful collaborations and contribute to VCU Engineering\u2019s growing reputation. Ultimately, I want my NOODLE Lab to produce impactful work while preparing students to become confident, thoughtful practitioners and researchers.<\/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 came to this field through the open-source community. Open source was where I began exploring software research, learning from others and meeting many generous and inspiring people. That experience showed me how collaborative software development can be, and it continues to shape both my research interests and my commitment to contributing back to open source development.<br><\/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\">My teaching style is encouraging, supportive and growth-oriented. I have done significant research on mentoring in software engineering and developed a mentoring framework that I bring into the classroom. Students can expect an environment where questions are welcome, effort is valued and they are encouraged to challenge themselves while receiving the guidance they need to succeed.<\/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\">I enjoy seeing students grow. The more they develop their skills, confidence and independence, the happier I am. Software engineering is an exciting field because it gives people the ability to turn ideas into real systems that can help others. Being part of a student\u2019s journey as they discover that ability is especially rewarding.<br><\/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 have had many hobbies over the years, but at this stage of my life I am especially focused on pursuing my dreams and making the most of this opportunity at VCU. I enjoy learning, connecting with people and continuing to build toward the goals that motivate me.<\/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\">I really like Richmond. Its history and character feel very different from the West Coast, sometimes it feels like discovering a different country. I especially enjoy Cary Street and its historic atmosphere. It feels like a classic American street where you can walk around, enjoy the architecture, stop for ice cream and take in the local culture.<\/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>VCU Engineering welcomes assistant professor Zixuan \u201cSteve\u201d Feng, Ph.D., who leads the NOODLE Lab focusing on human-centered AI for software engineering, open-source collaboration, and supportive student mentorship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1829,"featured_media":1819,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1150,1145,1237],"class_list":["post-1818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cs","tag-aasc","tag-new-faculty","tag-zixuan-feng"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1818","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=1818"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1820,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1818\/revisions\/1820"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1809,"date":"2026-10-06T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/?p=1809"},"modified":"2026-10-08T17:41:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T17:41:14","slug":"a-beyond-the-skin-imaging-device-moves-toward-the-bedside-and-the-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/2026\/10\/06\/a-beyond-the-skin-imaging-device-moves-toward-the-bedside-and-the-market\/","title":{"rendered":"A beyond-the-skin imaging device moves toward the bedside \u2014 and the market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>VCU biomedical engineer Anuradha Godavarty is advancing a non-contact, dye-free blood flow scanner toward a commercial future in wound care and vascular medicine.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">By John Battiston<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of us have had our blood oxygen levels measured with a pulse oximeter at the doctor\u2019s office. Clip the device to a fingertip and read the number: If oxygen saturation is too low, we know that something is wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/directory\/anuradha.godavarty\/\">Anuradha Godavarty<\/a>, Ph.D., has spent more than a decade asking a bigger question: What if you could see that same oxygen information not at a single fingertip, but across an entire appendage, without ever touching the patient at all? That is the promise of NIROS, the near-infrared optical scanner developed in Godavarty&#8217;s Optical Imaging Laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A professor in the <a href=\"https:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/departments\/biomedical-engineering\/\">Department of Biomedical Engineering<\/a> at Virginia Commonwealth University&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/egr.vcu.edu\/\">College of Engineering<\/a>, Godavarty is now advancing the device from a validated laboratory prototype toward a commercial-ready product. Funding comes, in part, through a <a href=\"https:\/\/techtransfer.research.vcu.edu\/about\/commercialization-fund\/\">Commercialization Fund<\/a> award from VCU TechTransfer and Ventures, part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/research.vcu.edu\/\">Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Seeing what the naked eye can&#8217;t<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NIROS uses near-infrared light, the same portion of the spectrum a pulse oximeter relies on, to measure how much oxygen-rich blood is reaching tissue just beneath the skin. Unlike a pulse oximeter, it captures that information across a whole region rather than a single point, and it does so with a camera-based system that never makes contact with the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Godavarty compares NIROS to a platform technology like ultrasound, with one core system that adapts to many uses. Wherever blood flow beneath the skin is compromised, NIROS can offer a picture: Diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers in immobilized patients, burns and their associated vascular problems. In each case, clinicians currently lack a simple way to confirm whether enough oxygenated blood is reaching the tissue that needs it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That gap matters most in high-stakes scenarios. For instance, Godavarty notes, in reconstructive &#8220;free flap&#8221; surgeries \u2014 in which healthy tissue is separated from one part of the body and transplanted to an injured or unhealthy area \u2014 the first 72 hours determine whether transplanted tissue survives. Until now, surgeons have only been able to watch oxygen reaching the flap at discrete points, not across the entire flap area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two design choices set NIROS apart from established methods: The device requires no injected contrast agents, and it never touches the patient. Both features have direct commercial implications, moving tissue imaging out of specialized facilities and toward the bedside and the outpatient clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Injected dyes immediately narrow where and how a technology can be used. &#8220;The moment I have to inject a contrast agent to see, it can only be administered at a certain facility, and I cannot make this a bedside or outpatient procedure,&#8221; Godavarty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contact-based imaging carries its own limits. Many of the wounds NIROS is designed to assess are infected, painful or bleeding, situations where touching the equipment against a patient is suboptimal. The non-contact approach, Godavarty found, changes the experience for patients as much as for clinicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;When we were showing it to patients and telling them we won&#8217;t even touch you, they were more appreciative,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To date, Godavarty\u2019s team has imaged hundreds of patients across sites in the United States and in India. There are no safety concerns with the device, as it uses only near-infrared LEDs, with no radiation or ionizing energy involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tapping into a bigger market<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Godavarty&#8217;s team initially only tested the technology on patients with diabetic foot ulcers, until a telltale pattern emerged: Almost every patient was compromised in their peripheral vasculature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Whenever clinicians intervene surgically to open up closed peripheral arteries and vessels, they have no way to visually tell if they have good perfusion to the surface of the foot,\u201d Godavarty said. \u201cSo we said, \u2018Why don&#8217;t we position this as a technology that looks at peripheral vascular compromises on a larger picture?\u2019&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That repositioning points NIROS at a far larger opportunity. The global peripheral artery disease market is already valued at an estimated $7\u201310 billion, and is projected to keep climbing as populations age and diabetes rates rise. Within that market, tissue-perfusion imaging has become a high-value asset in vascular labs, wound care centers and limb-salvage programs, the settings where oxygenation determines whether a wound heals or a limb is lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Godavarty sees vascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists, interventional radiologists and wound care specialists as the earliest customers. At VCU Health, she plans to collaborate with plastic surgeon and burn specialist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vcuhealth.org\/find-a-provider\/profile\/prabhu-senthil-kumar\">Prabhu Senthil-Kumar<\/a>, M.D., and vascular surgeon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vcuhealth.org\/find-a-provider\/profile\/daniel-newton\">Daniel Newton<\/a>, M.D., as NIROS moves toward clinical evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat stands out about Dr. Godavarty\u2019s approach is that she\u2019s engaging industry and clinicians throughout the development process, not just at the end,\u201d said Thomasine Isler, innovation and industry engagement manager at TechTransfer and Ventures. \u201cBy incorporating real-world feedback early, she\u2019s building a technology that solves clinical problems and has a stronger path to commercialization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/image\/4ca8af72-f884-4ea4-98d7-900a3e7e6d92\" alt=\"Four people stand in a laboratory space.\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Optical Imaging Laboratory team, from left: Ph.D. student Aasma Dahal; postdoc Shivam Shukla, Ph.D.; Godavarty; and Ph.D. student Himaddri Shakhar Roy. Many of the lab&#8217;s past students and postdocs are listed as co-inventors on the patents underlying NIROS. (John Battiston)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From lab prototype to FDA-ready device<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After four or five iterations, Godavarty\u2019s team has a prototype that clinicians already like. But the leap to a product means conforming to regulators\u2019 requirements and focusing on user-friendly design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It&#8217;s very different when you&#8217;re doing research. We don&#8217;t care if the prototype&#8217;s outer wiring is yellow or blue,&#8221; Godavarty said. &#8220;But imagine something you&#8217;re buying off the shelf. You want that device to look compact and clean. It&#8217;s a whole different mindset. That&#8217;s what we are learning in these last few months.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Commercialization Fund award will support that transition through prototype refinement, regulatory consultation and software development. Godavarty frames the work as a shared effort built over years and many hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It could be one person&#8217;s dream, but it just became everybody&#8217;s effort towards it,&#8221; she said, crediting the students and postdocs of her Optical Imaging Laboratory. Many of them are listed as co-inventors on the underlying patents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Godavarty, who joined VCU in January after 21 years building her lab in Florida, the motivation is the same one that drew her to biomedical engineering in the first place: Watching something leave the lab and reach the people it was built for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;If you can make something that you can take to the next level of being able to see it in the clinic \u2014 that&#8217;s the biggest excitement that keeps driving me,&#8221; she said.<\/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\/beyond-the-skin-imaging-device-moves-toward-the-bedside--and-the-market\">https:\/\/news.vcu.edu\/article\/beyond-the-skin-imaging-device-moves-toward-the-bedside&#8211;and-the-market<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VCU biomedical engineer Anuradha Godavarty is advancing a non-contact, dye-free blood flow scanner toward a commercial future in wound care and vascular medicine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2033,"featured_media":1810,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1202,1132,1151],"class_list":["post-1809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bme","tag-anuradha-godavarty","tag-commercialization-fund","tag-hm"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1809","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=1809"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1809\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1816,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1809\/revisions\/1816"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"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}]}}]