2022 Media Watch Archives
Research Bits: March 15 - NFC clothing
Semiconductor Engineering -
Engineers at the University of California Irvine propose an e-textile “body area network” that can enable near-field communication (NFC) at larger ranges. “If you’ve held your smartphone or charge card close to a reader to pay for a purchase, you have taken advantage of near-field signaling technologies. Our fabrics work on the same principle, but we’ve extended the range significantly,” said Peter Tseng, UCI assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science. “This means you could potentially keep your phone in your pocket, and just by brushing your body against other textiles or readers, power and information can be transferred to and from your device.” Read More
Entrepreneur Drove Computing and Audio Forward Through Decades of Disease
The Wall Street Journal -
Thomas Yuen spent the final decades of his life funding and promoting stem-cell therapy research, in hopes of finding treatments for chronic diseases like the one that runs in his family. He donated to the University of California, Irvine’s stem research department and spared no expense outfitting his own R&D firm, PrimeGen Biotech, which has been accumulating stem-cell patents since 2004 …. Mr. Yuen immigrated to America and attended community college before transferring to UC Irvine to study electrical engineering. [Subscription required, campus-wide access provided by UCI Libraries. Sign-up here: https://guides.lib.uci.edu/news/wsj] Read More
PC manufacturing pioneer Tom Yuen passes away at 70
Venture Beat -
Tom Yuen (’74 electrical engineering) was on dialysis for 42 years, and I’m sad to learn that the serial entrepreneur who cofounded AST Research passed away at age 70 on February 13. But I’m glad to know that he beat the odds on his kidney disease for far longer than doctors expected. … To commemorate Yuen’s passion for philanthropy, the family has asked that instead of sending flowers, friends and family donate to two causes he was truly passionate about: Support Stem Cell and Kidney Disease Research and UC Irvine – https://secure.give.uci.edu/ThomasYuenMemorialGifts .... Among his accolades, he earned a TechAmerica Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the UCI Alumni Association’s Extraordinarius Award in 2014. Read More
SoCalGas begins developing 100% clean hydrogen pipeline system
Utility Dive -
"We are on the precipice of huge growth in the production, distribution, and use of green hydrogen to enable high renewable use and zero emissions in all sectors of the economy," Jack Brouwer, director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement. "For nearly a decade, SoCalGas has worked together with us and others to make the hydrogen economy a reality, including helping us build the very first power-to-gas-to-power system in the country right here on the UCI campus." Read More
Green Universities Offering Sustainability Degree Programs
Earth911 -
UCI reports that nearly 50% of their course offerings include sustainability and over 96% of their academic departments provide sustainability course offerings. The university offers several sustainability-focused degrees, including an Environmental Science and Policy B.A. degree, a B.A. of Urban Studies, and Environmental Engineering degrees, as well as several related minors. The many earth-focused student organizations include the Green Medicine Initiative at UCI, Engineers for a Sustainable World, and the Earth Systems Science Club. The UCI Sustainability Resource Center offers programming, internships, training, and other opportunities. Read More
Documentary about sea level rise and coastal erosion takes look at Balboa Island, Crystal Cove
Daily Pilot -
“I’m always following the news, and have always been concerned about climate change and seeing the sea levels rise locally,” [Mike] Moodian said. “I decided that this was a story that needed to be told.” His thoughts led him to create a 30-minute documentary called “Coastal Crisis: California’s Vanishing Beaches,” which will air at 3:30 p.m. on KDOC-TV this Sunday. … “Coastal Crisis,” written and narrated by Moodian, includes the voices of experts such as Brett Sanders, a UC Irvine professor of civil and environmental engineering …. [Subscription required, you can request an electronic copy of the article by sending an email to communications@uci.edu.] Read More
Large-Scale Green Hydrogen Infrastructure System Unveiled for California
POWER Magazine -
Jack Brouwer, director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), noted that SoCalGas has worked with the university and others for nearly a decade to make the hydrogen economy a reality. Efforts included “helping us build the very first power-to-gas-to-power system in the country right here on the UCI campus,” Brouwer said. “The Angeles Link is a great example of what can be done when government, industry, and academia work together toward a common purpose,” he said. Read More
San Clemente hopes to add 250,000 cubic yards of sand to beaches
Spectrum News 1 -
Brett Sanders, a University of Irvine professor of civil and environmental engineering, walked on the other end of the project recently at Linda Lane. He noted that the city’s project is a good start. "But it’s only one piece of the puzzle," he added. "What we need to be thinking about is the entire Southern California coastline from San Diego up to Santa Barbara and thinking about how we restore natural supplies to the coast.” … "So the question is, what is the long term plan? And we’re going to need more projects like this," he said. Read More
More than half of California’s bridges are not in good shape; billions on way for repairs
The Orange County Register -
“The bottom line is that big ticket items get the press, and not pavement management or bridge conditions,” said Michael McNally, professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Irvine. … “Given our state’s booming economy and budget surpluses, however, now may be the time to reconsider infrastructure health before we have bridge collapses, drinking water problems or related issues for things people just expect to work,” McNally said. [Subscription required, campus-wide access provided by UCI Libraries. Sign-up here: https://guides.lib.uci.edu/news/ocregister] Read More
Neil Sahota - AI Advisor to the United Nations, IBM Master Inventor, & Chief Innovation Officer at UC Irvine
Intelligent Automation Radio -
To even begin understanding how wide-ranging the effect of artificial intelligence is currently, we undertake a wide-ranging discussion with Neil Sahota, AI advisor to the United Nations [and UCI lecturer in the engineering school]. Neil takes us a on grand tour of some really exciting ways AI’s capabilities are being used around the world today. He also introduces us to a thinking framework he developed that can guide us on how to harness AI’s capabilities to create disruptive advances. Read More