Engineering News

Illuminated vintage light bulb centered on a white background, surrounded by hand-drawn business and innovation sketches including charts, graphs, flowcharts, team diagrams, targets, and financial symbols, representing creativity, strategy, and problem-solving.

Do you have the next big idea? Apply for Storer Award by Nov. 20

Thursday, October 15, 2026
From improving accessibility for people with hearing loss to advancing organ transplant communication and creating safer cycling equipment, University of Iowa engineering students have made the most of competing in the Hubert E. Storer Engineering Student Entrepreneurial Start-Up Award competition
A power generation facility sits beside agricultural fields, with several cooling towers and smokestacks emitting large columns of white and gray vapor that billow across the sky. A narrow road runs through the foreground between green crops and a golden field, while dramatic clouds and sunlight create strong contrast overhead.

Engineering professor's research finds promise in detecting methane leaks

Thursday, October 15, 2026
Space-based monitoring systems show promise in detecting methane leaks from crude oil and gas operations, according to new research from a University of Iowa engineering professor and colleagues. 
water_quality_sensor3

UI water quality sensors face precarious future as midterms loom

Thursday, October 15, 2026
An IIHR-led network of water quality sensors provides real-time data on Iowa rivers, but researchers say ongoing funding remains uncertain.
cbe 100 logo

CBE centennial celebration concludes, highlighting more than a century of innovation, education 

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
The University of Iowa (UI) Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering (CBE) will mark the conclusion of its year-long centennial celebration with a reception at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Meeting on Nov. 10 in Minneapolis.  
Three cyclists ride loaded touring bikes across a rocky volcanic landscape in Iceland, following a dirt track with a large flat-topped mountain visible in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

From hand-built bike to the edge of space, UI student discovers the breadth of an engineering education

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
For University of Iowa chemical and biochemical engineering PhD student Jackson Begolka, the past year has taken him far beyond the traditional boundaries of an engineering education. 
IIHR Exterior building

Iowa Flood Center launches updated Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) platform

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
The Iowa Flood Center launched an updated Iowa Flood Information System with improved design and integrated flood and drought data.
Venanzio Cichella

UI professor looks to develop formula for quicker response in self-driving underwater vehicles

Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Venanzio Cichella, associate professor of mechanical engineering, has won a grant to develop a mathematical algorithm to help self-driving underwater vehicles more quickly make decisions and react to changed conditions.
A student uses a screwdriver to connect electronic components on a prototype while classmates work nearby with laptops, wires, and engineering materials in a makerspace.

Rev your engines: RC car workshop helps engineering students build STEM skills

Tuesday, October 13, 2026
University of Iowa engineering students created a workshop series called Assemble. Wire. Drive., a hands-on workshop series designed to make engineering skills more accessible to younger peers.
Milan Sonka speaks during a panel discussion at an AI symposium.

AI Symposium: Milan Sonka on regulation, education and the future of AI

Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Milan Sonka, director of the University of Iowa’s AI initiative, shares insights on AI regulation, education, healthcare applications, and emerging challenges.
Fiddelke sits in a chair, gesturing with his hands while talks to engineering students at the Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences

Target CEO returns to his roots, shares career lessons with Iowa engineering students

Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Michael Fiddelke, chief executive officer of Target and a University of Iowa industrial engineering alumnus, returned to his alma mater October 5 for a conversation with students at the College of Engineering, offering candid advice about careers, leadership, and lifelong learning.