Self-Watering Soil Could Transform Farming

A new type of soil created by engineers at The University of Texas at Austin can pull water from the air and distribute it to plants, potentially expanding the map of farmable land around the globe to previously inhospitable places and reducing water use in agriculture at a time of growing droughts.

Get to Know Your New ME Faculty: Lei Zhou

Dr. Lei Zhou is currently an Assistant Professor in the Walker Department of Engineering. Her research focus is Robotics and Intelligent Mechanical Systems, and she serves as the director of the Precision Mechatronics and Control Lab. The lab centers on the design and control of precision mechatronic systems for various applications such as manufacturing equipment, scientific instruments, and robots.

S.V. Sreenivasan Elected to the National Academy of Engineering

The National Academy of Engineering has elected S.V. Sreenivasan, professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin as part of the Class of 2021. Sreenivasan is being recognized by the academy for his innovation and entrepreneurship in industrial deployment of nanoimprint lithography equipment, having pioneered the creation of nanoscale manufacturing systems that have enabled broad commercial deployment of unmanned vehicle nanoimprint lithography technology.

John Goodenough Receives Washington Award from Western Society of Engineers

The Western Society of Engineers will celebrate Engineers Week (Feb. 20-27) by honoring Nobel Laureate and Cockrell School of Engineering professor John B. Goodenough as the 103rd recipient of the Washington Award. The prestigious award is conferred upon an engineer whose professional accomplishments have preeminently advanced the welfare of humankind. Past recipients of the award include Henry Ford, Orville Wright and Neil Armstrong.