Media Watch Archives
Battery scientist shares honest review after one year of driving Tesla Model Y — here's what she had to say
The Cool Down -
Battery scientist Jill Pestana's Tesla Model Y has somehow improved itself during the first year she has owned it, as the expert shared in a glowing review on TikTok. … Pestana is a battery engineer who obtained her Master of Science in materials science and engineering at the University of California, Irvine, according to her LinkedIn profile. Read More
A student accidentally created a rechargeable battery that she says could last 400 years
Upworthy -
UCI doctoral candidate Mya Le Thai has developed a nanowire-based technology that allows lithium-ion batteries to be recharged hundreds of thousands of times. … After playing around in the lab, she made a discovery that could lead to a rechargeable battery that could last up to 400 years. That means longer-lasting laptops and smartphones and fewer lithium ion batteries piling up in landfills. A team of researchers at UCI had been experimenting with nanowires for potential use in batteries, but found that over time the thin, fragile wires would break down and crack after too many charging cycles. Read More
More big fires will come. Our new newsletter series will help you prepare
Los Angeles Times -
Engineers at UC Irvine found that “very high wildfire density” hot spots were increasing. Data from 1920 to 1999 showed only one such hot spot: Los Angeles County. Data from 2000 to 2019 showed several. “In the past 20 years, that designation has expanded greatly in Southern California to include Ventura County, portions of Riverside, San Diego and San Bernardino Counties,” according to the report published in 2021. Read More
Buying a home in California? Here’s how seriously you should take Zillow’s climate risk data
San Francisco Chronicle -
“Flooding is probably one of the toughest hazards to get right,” said Brett Sanders, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Irvine. He and his colleagues developed a detailed flood model for Los Angeles that highlighted much higher flood risk than indicated in federally defined floodplains. In a 2024 study, Sanders and colleagues reported that just 20% of the Los Angeles properties their model identified as having a high risk of flooding overlapped with First Street’s predictions. Read More
Engineers Week Features Community Lecture On AI And Engineering By Pramod Khargonekar Feb. 19
Los Alamos Reporter -
The community is invited to celebrate Engineers Week with a public lecture by Pramod Khargonekar of the University of California, Irvine, on Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos. Khargonekar, the vice chancellor for research and professor of electrical engineering and computer science, will present “Future of Work and Workers in the AI Era.” Read More
Landslide fears mount in Orange County communities built on hillsides as heavy rain is expected
KABC -
Orange County communities built on hillsides are preparing for a powerful winter storm to move through Southern California. The moisture could trigger landslides …. "You can imagine soil gets muddy, and it's much easier for one layer on top of the other to slide off a slope," civil engineering professor at UC Irvine Anne Lemnitzer said. Watch More
Squid-inspired fabric can temperature-control clothing
The Brighter Side -
When balancing comfort and climate, advanced wearable materials are poised to revolutionize thermal management. A research team from the University of California, Irvine, has developed a groundbreaking fabric inspired by the unique properties of squid skin, capable of adapting to temperature needs. … “The strategies used for endowing our materials with breathability, washability, and fabric compatibility could be translated to several other types of wearable systems, such as washable organic electronics, stretchable e-textiles, and energy-harvesting triboelectric materials,” notes Alon Gorodetsky, lead researcher. Read More
California's Beaches Face Uncertain Future
KQED – The California Report -
UC Irvine Professor Brett Sanders, a coastal engineering expert, said … “We built dams all across the California coast. And the strategy behind the dams, in most areas, was either to provide flood control for downstream communities, in some cases to provide water supply,” Sanders said. “But the dams have now blocked the natural supply of sediment that the coastline needs to be healthy. And now we’re seeing accelerated rates of beach erosion.” [Starts 4:00]min Listen More
Community Invited To Celebrate Engineers Week With Public Lecture By Pramod Khargonekar Of UC Irvine Feb. 19
Los Alamos Daily Post -
The community is invited to celebrate Engineers Week with a public lecture by Pramod Khargonekar of the University of California, Irvine. … Khargonekar, the vice chancellor for research and professor of electrical engineering and computer science, will present “Future of Work and Workers in the AI Era”. Read More
Opinion: After the Los Angeles fires stop burning, another grave risk to lives and property looms
Los Angeles Times -
Brett Sanders, UC Irvine professor of civil and environmental engineering, urban planning and public policy and Jeffrey Mount write, “Any rain that follows the fires will bring a heightened risk of mudslides and debris flows that will test the limits of the region’s infrastructure. … Recent research at UC Irvine has shown that debris basins may overtop because of the cumulative effect of back-to-back storms. … Just as the danger of wildfires has grown, the risk of post-fire mudslides and debris flows is urgent and profound. It calls for immediate preparations and public cooperation to save lives and protect neighborhoods.” Read More