College of Engineering

Bicycle rolling-stop laws don’t lead to unsafe behavior by riders or motorists, research shows

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Laws that let bicyclists treat stop signs as yield signs lead neither riders nor motorists to act unsafely, according to a groundbreaking Oregon State University study.

The project by OSU College of Engineering researchers featured a novel experimental technique – linking separate bicycle and motor vehicle simulators – and the findings are important as more and more states consider bicycle rolling-stop legislation, said David Hurwitz, the study’s leader.

Pacific Northwest semiconductor and mass timber industries each receive $500,000 awards from White House

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University-led efforts focused on microfluidic technology for semiconductors and mass timber design and manufacturing each have received $500,000 awards from the White House.

In Oct. 2023, the White House, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, announced the designation of 31 Tech Hubs, including the two led by Oregon State.

One person can supervise ‘swarm’ of 100 unmanned autonomous vehicles, OSU research shows

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Research involving Oregon State University has shown that a “swarm” of more than 100 autonomous ground and aerial robots can be supervised by one person without subjecting the individual to an undue workload.

The findings represent a big step toward efficiently and economically using swarms in a range of roles from wildland firefighting to package delivery to disaster response in urban environments.

New plant hardiness map, used by gardeners nationwide and based on OSU climate data, unveiled

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released its new Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the national standard by which gardeners can determine which plants are most likely to survive the coldest winter temperatures at a certain location.

The USDA describes the latest map, jointly developed by Oregon State University’s PRISM Climate Group and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, as the most accurate and detailed it has ever released.

Oregon State to lead $2M federal push toward more-efficient, longer-lasting electrical components

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers in the Oregon State University College of Engineering are spearheading a $2 million federal effort to explore new ways of developing electrical components that are better able to withstand extreme operating conditions, especially high temperatures.

The team will try to find novel, artificial-intelligence-based methods for designing and building long-lasting, high-efficiency electrical components for harsh-environment applications such as high-power radar and the aerospace, automotive and wireless communications industries.

Scientists develop tool to predict dam removal costs by analyzing 55 years of past removals

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Scientists analyzed more than 650 dam removal projects over 55 years in the United States totaling $1.52 billion inflation-adjusted dollars to develop a tool to better estimate the cost of future dam removals.

The analysis arrives at a time of increasing awareness of the disruptive impact dams can have on ecosystems, while thousands of dams are increasingly being removed because they are aging, unsafe, no longer serving their original purpose or in need of costly repairs and maintenance.

Alternative fuel for planes, purification system for well water highlight Engineering Expo

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Alternative fuel for airplanes, a purification system for wells contaminated with metals, and menstrual pads that test for hormone levels associated with disease are among the roughly 200 senior capstone projects that will be on display June 9 at the 2023 College of Engineering Expo.

Subscribe to College of Engineering