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Worcester State and WPI Create New Academic Pathways for Engineering Students
WORCESTER, Massachusetts, Aug. 20 -- Worcester State University issued the following news:
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Worcester State and WPI Create New Academic Pathways for Engineering Students
Worcester State University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute have established an academic partnership to create new pathways to graduation for engineering students.
The agreement grants Worcester State students who have successfully completed its new pre-engineering curriculum with a minimum 3.3 GPA guaranteed transfer admission into WPI.
Set for introduction this fall semester, Worcester State's pre-engineering curriculum
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WORCESTER, Massachusetts, Aug. 20 -- Worcester State University issued the following news:
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Worcester State and WPI Create New Academic Pathways for Engineering Students
Worcester State University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute have established an academic partnership to create new pathways to graduation for engineering students.
The agreement grants Worcester State students who have successfully completed its new pre-engineering curriculum with a minimum 3.3 GPA guaranteed transfer admission into WPI.
Set for introduction this fall semester, Worcester State's pre-engineering curriculumconsists of 18 courses, with two science electives, and includes coursework in organic chemistry, data structures, physical geology, materials science, and more. It was developed by faculty across Worcester State's School of Science, Technology & Health. Students who successfully complete the pre-engineering curriculum will then have the opportunity to matriculate into WPI to fulfill a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, environmental engineering, aerospace engineering, or a number of other engineering fields.
"We've always been proud to call WPI a neighbor here in Worcester. Now we're proud to call the school a partner, as partnerships like these exemplify what our university is all about," said Worcester State President Barry Maloney. "We're demonstrating our academic agility and excellence by rolling out an entirely new and outstanding pre-engineering curriculum. At the same time, we're breaking down affordability and accessibility barriers to connect more students to a world-class engineering degree."
"WPI and Worcester State share a deep commitment to our students, our city, and the future of the Commonwealth," said WPI President Grace Wang. "This agreement enables Worcester State's pre-engineering students to complete their engineering degrees at WPI, the most immersive STEM institution in the nation. By working together, our two institutions are expanding access to engineering education, preparing talented students for high-demand careers, and strengthening the skilled workforce that drives our region's economy."
On the academic side, the pre-engineering focus of the new curriculum at Worcester State aligns nicely with the way students and faculty already approach their research and studies in the School of Science, Technology & Health, according to Dean Linda Larrivee. The School of Science, Technology & Health houses Worcester State's Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and other Departments.
"Worceter State's accomplished, dedicated faculty members have always taught our students to approach their work with the creativity and outside-the-box thinking that makes them excellent problem solvers and critical thinkers. These traits are important for all fields, including engineering," she said. "That approach to teaching is demonstrated in the classroom and in the research conducted by students and faculty in the labs and in the field. In addition, it is evident in the work our students pursue and the skills they bring with them after graduating from Worcester State."
"Worcester State students will arrive at WPI with a strong interdisciplinary foundation and a clear path toward completing their engineering degrees," added Arne Gericke, WPI's Dean of Undergraduate Admissions. "At WPI, they will build on that preparation by working alongside faculty and peers in laboratories, research settings, and project teams that connect theory with real-world problem-solving. Just as importantly, they will have access to dedicated advising and a supportive campus community committed to helping transfer students thrive."
Leaders from both schools came together at Worcester State on Tuesday, August 18, to make the partnership official with a ceremonial signing. Worcester State and WPI have collaborated in the past, including on faculty research projects. The new partnership, though, is the first of its kind between the two, and leaders of both institutions shared their goal of strengthening Worcester's role as a hub for academic excellence and workforce development in the Commonwealth.
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Original text here: https://news.worcester.edu/worcester-state-and-wpi-create-new-academic-pathways-for-engineering-students/
University of Texas Health Science Center: Mentorship Program Builds Connections to Pediatric Careers
TYLER, Texas, Aug. 20 -- The University of Texas Health Science Center issued the following news:
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Mentorship program builds connections to pediatric careers
By Roman Petrowski
As the nation faces a growing shortage of pediatricians, faculty at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston are working to strengthen the pipeline by reaching future physicians before they decide which area of medicine to pursue.
The Department of Pediatrics has launched the CONNECT Pediatrics Mentorship Program, a statewide initiative designed to provide first-year medical students with mentorship, career
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TYLER, Texas, Aug. 20 -- The University of Texas Health Science Center issued the following news:
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Mentorship program builds connections to pediatric careers
By Roman Petrowski
As the nation faces a growing shortage of pediatricians, faculty at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston are working to strengthen the pipeline by reaching future physicians before they decide which area of medicine to pursue.
The Department of Pediatrics has launched the CONNECT Pediatrics Mentorship Program, a statewide initiative designed to provide first-year medical students with mentorship, careerguidance, networking, and opportunities to explore careers caring for children.
"If we can start with students early in their medical school training and mentor them early on, we can inspire them to consider a career in pediatrics," said Veronica Gonzalez, MD, associate professor of pediatrics.
Addressing a national challenge
CONNECT--which stands for Collaborative Outreach for Networking and Navigating Education, Career, and Training--grew out of a broader effort within the department to address concerns about the pediatric workforce.
Over the past several years, pediatric educators nationwide have examined how to strengthen interest in the specialty as fewer medical students pursue pediatrics and pediatric subspecialties. National organizations have approached the challenge from multiple angles, including reconsidering educational experiences beginning at the premedical level and continuing through medical school, residency, and fellowship training.
Recognizing that national efforts ultimately require action at individual institutions, faculty in the Department of Pediatrics approached Mary Aitken, MD, MPH, chair of the department, about how McGovern Medical School could help address the pediatric workforce shortage at the local and state levels.
Faculty began examining how students encounter pediatrics throughout medical school and how the department could provide greater exposure to the specialty through clinical care, academics, research, advocacy, and mentorship.
The initiative has also strengthened relationships with medical student organizations. Maria Caldas-Vasquez, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, has worked with the Latino Medical Student Association, while Emma Omoruyi, MD, MPH, professor of pediatrics, has connected with the Student National Medical Association, and Amalia Guardiola, MD, professor of pediatrics, serves as a liaison to the Pediatric Student Association. Through these relationships, the program is giving students additional opportunities to interact with pediatricians outside of the traditional curriculum.
"It's important for students to see not only the various roles they can pursue in pediatrics but also pediatricians from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, so they can see themselves represented and envision a place for themselves within the field," Omoruyi said.
In 2025, those efforts expanded beyond McGovern Medical School with a pediatric networking event that brought together medical students from UTHealth Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, and the University of Houston's Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. The event included a faculty panel and opportunities for students from all three Houston medical schools to connect with pediatricians and one another.
"We have these three medical schools in Houston, but we're often very siloed," Gonzalez said. "We're always looking for new ways to collaborate."
Following a strong response from students, organizers plan to hold the networking event again in October.
Expanding mentorship across Texas
CONNECT is planning to take its collaborative approach statewide, beginning with students at seven Texas medical schools whose primary campuses do not have affiliated pediatric residency programs.
It will recruit approximately two students from each school for its inaugural cohort in January 2027. Each student will participate in a yearlong mentorship experience and be paired with a pediatric faculty mentor and a "near-peer" mentor, such as an upper-level medical student or trainee, pursuing pediatrics or a pediatric subspecialty.
The approach will give students access to established pediatricians as well as trainees who recently navigated many of the same decisions they are beginning to face.
"It's not only about faculty, but it's also about the people who are coming up as faculty," Guardiola said. "Fellows and residents who enjoy the educational component of what we do will enrich what they do, and it will be helpful for them as well."
Mentors will meet regularly with students to provide career and academic guidance while helping them identify scholarly opportunities that may not be readily available at their home institutions. Those opportunities could include research, case reports, quality improvement projects, and other activities that allow students to explore pediatrics while strengthening their residency applications.
Organizers hope the relationships will help students understand the breadth of careers available within pediatrics, from general pediatrics to pediatric subspecialties.
Creating a home base in pediatrics
Organizers believe the department's network of faculty members, residents, and fellows who are passionate about education and mentorship will provide a foundation for CONNECT to grow alongside student interest.
"Everybody in the department recognizes the need for recruitment," Gonzalez said. "We have so many passionate educators, and people have been so engaged in mentorship. I think our faculty will be very receptive to assisting in this effort."
In the long term, the department hopes to give CONNECT participants the opportunity to travel to Houston for an immersive pediatric experience. Students could visit clinics, meet faculty and trainees, learn about subspecialties, and participate in hands-on activities at the medical school's simulation and clinical skills centers.
"For students without pediatric residency programs at their own institutions, the experience could provide a window into aspects of the specialty they otherwise might not encounter during their medical education," Gonzalez said.
The ultimate goal extends beyond recruiting students to McGovern Medical School. If the model proves successful, organizers hope to share their results with national pediatric organizations and provide a framework that institutions across the country could replicate.
Doing so could help address a fundamental question facing pediatric educators: How can we provide future physicians with early exposure and meaningful mentorship needed to envision a career in pediatrics and build the pediatric workforce that children need?
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Original text here: https://www.uth.edu/news/story/mentorship-program-builds-connections-to-pediatric-careers
University of Cincinnati Student Keeps Ransomware Raiders at Bay
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Aug. 20 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news:
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UC student keeps ransomware raiders at bay
Cybersecurity major thrives at Kroger, U.S. Bank co-ops
By Cedric Ricks, 260-415-8554, cedric.ricks@uc.edu
Ethan Bernhardt is a cyber-sleuth at heart.
It started in high school with him taking classes in a criminal justice and forensics academy at Colerain High School in Cincinnati. He was interested in digital forensics and had a chance meeting with a ransomware negotiator.
These professionals use their technical IT knowledge along with good insight to protect
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CINCINNATI, Ohio, Aug. 20 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news:
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UC student keeps ransomware raiders at bay
Cybersecurity major thrives at Kroger, U.S. Bank co-ops
By Cedric Ricks, 260-415-8554, cedric.ricks@uc.edu
Ethan Bernhardt is a cyber-sleuth at heart.
It started in high school with him taking classes in a criminal justice and forensics academy at Colerain High School in Cincinnati. He was interested in digital forensics and had a chance meeting with a ransomware negotiator.
These professionals use their technical IT knowledge along with good insight to protectorganizations from cybercriminals by minimizing damage, reducing ransom demands, safely recovering encrypted data and stopping the release of stolen information.
"I learned more about the cybersecurity side of forensics, which I think is very cool and very important," says Bernhardt, a fourth-year cybersecurity student in the School of Information Technology at the University of Cincinnati. "It sounds cheesy to say, 'I want to better the world and make people feel more secure,' but there are a lot of bad actors out there and it is only gonna get exponentially worse."
Securing private information for individuals and companies is a necessity. And Bernhardt is continuing to sharpen his digital detecting skills with co-op experiences at Kroger Co. and U.S. Bank. He is one of more than 9,600 UC co-op students who gain valuable real-world work experience with partners across industry, government, nonprofit organizations and the university while continuing to make progress toward their degrees.
At Kroger, Bernhardt was an information systems auditor intern during three co-op experiences with the company. He gathered data for financial audits, corrected security flaws to protect sensitive files and ensured that network firewalls worked properly.
His work involved using automated code to find, format and document user permissions and system logs for mandated audits and also documenting how apps and automated scripts are used in a financial/sox and HIPAA compliant databases to improve security and restrict access to company information.
"Audits are a good way to make sure that what is in a company's policies is actually being regulated and followed," explains Bernhardt. "What good is a policy if nothing is being enforced? As auditors we help make sure the policies are being enforced and that financials for a company are correct."
This summer Bernhardt is enjoying his fourth co-op experience in cloud governance, risk and compliance at U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest bank in the United States, with a focus on identity, access risk and security governance across cloud production environments.
It has offered a chance for Bernhardt to connect what he learned in the classroom with real-world security work. He's seeing how cloud security, identity and access management and governance all work together to reduce risk across an organization.
"One project I have been involved in uses a CNAPP tool, a cloud cybersecurity platform, to help identify identity-based risks, including highly privileged access to sensitive cloud resources, and evaluate how those findings could translate into real security concerns to members of my team and other members of senior leadership," explains Bernhardt.
"My experience at U.S. Bank, along with my previous co-ops at Kroger, has helped me better understand how important identity and access management is in real-world security. Ensuring people and systems have the right access is not just about meeting compliance requirements; it is about helping them do their jobs securely while reducing risk that a threat actor could take advantage of."
What is capture the flag?
Bernhardt has participated in numerous Capture the Flag (CTF) events which simulate real-world cyberattacks focusing on web exploitation. The gamified cybersecurity exercises and competitions allow participants to use hacking techniques to solve puzzles, exploit vulnerabilities and find hidden strings of text called "flags."
"The challenges can involve things like analyzing suspicious files, looking at network traffic, testing a purposely vulnerable website or solving a cryptography puzzle," explains Bernhardt. "It feels like a game because there are points, rankings, timers and teamwork, but the skills are very real."
For much of his time at UC he's been a member of Cyber@UC, a student organization that tries to teach the campus all aspects of cybersecurity.
The group stays up-to-date on new cybersecurity techniques, works with students on campus and at local high schools to encourage learning in the area of cybersecurity, runs various CTF events, operates and maintains a multiple platform lab and experiments with malware.
Bernhardt teamed up with classmates in April to compete in a statewide Capture the Flag competition hosted by the Ohio Cyber Range Institute on the UC campus. The event involved 68 teams with 226 students across Ohio who participated in the event. It gave students the opportunity to deepen their cybersecurity skills while competing in hands-on cyber challenges for a coordinated day of learning.
Bernhardt was a member of Team Cyber@UC during the event and the group won first place. Members also included UC students Gabriel Lowden, Nathan Hagan, Ian Balfour and Sean Huggins.
Bernhardt has been part of winning teams during CTF competitions at the Cincinnati-based Queen City Conference -- they won first place during the 2024 and 2025 events -- and were awarded the Black Badge, a custom electronic badge with a working geiger counter -- highly prized by participants. The Black Badge also provides lifetime entry to the Queen City Conference.
CTFs may feel like entertainment, but the events build skill sets for the future.
"They have helped me apply what I learn in class to hands-on problems that feel much closer to real security work," adds Bernhardt.
How do I get a cybersecurity co-op?
Students should take PD 1010 (Professional Development for CECH), an "intro to co op" class, and attend job search initiation meetings the semester before they are expected to co op, explains Richard Hoyt, assistant professor in the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies.
Chat with your academic adviser to build a degree map and use that to plan co op terms; there is flexibility in information technology, especially when employers want back to back rotations. Hoyt says students are taught the full job search process, but he stresses they can't just rely on platforms such as Handshake, LinkedIn and Indeed to find a co-op.
"The most successful students leverage networking, their own personal networks, attend UC career fairs and employer events and information sessions," adds Hoyt, who advises hundreds of cybersecurity co-op students annually. "Get your face in front of employers. That's especially important for the first co-op."
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Original text here: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2026/08/uc-cybersecurity-student-battles-ransomware-kroger-us-bank.html
Trevecca Enters Partnership With Campbellsville University's School of Chiropractic
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 20 -- Trevecca Nazarene University issued the following news:
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Trevecca Enters Partnership with Campbellsville University's School of Chiropractic
Trevecca Nazarene University has entered into a partnership with the School of Chiropractic at Campbellsville University that will allow Trevecca students who complete select bachelor's degrees to seamlessly enter Campbellsville's Doctor of Chiropractic program.
Dr. Ron Barredo, dean of Trevecca's School of STEM and Health Sciences, helped initiate the partnership and believes it provides an important avenue for undergraduates
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 20 -- Trevecca Nazarene University issued the following news:
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Trevecca Enters Partnership with Campbellsville University's School of Chiropractic
Trevecca Nazarene University has entered into a partnership with the School of Chiropractic at Campbellsville University that will allow Trevecca students who complete select bachelor's degrees to seamlessly enter Campbellsville's Doctor of Chiropractic program.
Dr. Ron Barredo, dean of Trevecca's School of STEM and Health Sciences, helped initiate the partnership and believes it provides an important avenue for undergraduateswho want to pursue careers as practitioners.
"We're excited about this partnership and the statement it makes about the preparation our undergraduate degrees provide for post-baccalaureate professional and graduate studies," Barredo said. "We look forward to offering our graduates a seamless pathway to a quality advanced degree at Campbellsville, on the way to a promising career in chiropractic medicine."
As part of the schools' new agreement, Campbellsville will reserve 10 seats in each new class of the doctoral program for qualifying graduates from Trevecca's Bachelor of Science program in biology or from the pre-physical therapy track in its Bachelor of Science in exercise science program.
"We are incredibly excited to partner with Trevecca and its students as we work together to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals," said Dr. Erica Callahan, dean of Campbellsville's School of Chiropractic. "This memorandum of agreement represents more than an academic partnership--it reflects our shared commitment to excellence, servant leadership and the belief that Christ-centered healthcare providers can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those they serve. We look forward to all that we can accomplish together."
Trevecca's School of STEM and Health Sciences has expanded in the last few years with the addition of the new Health Sciences Building and the growth of Trevecca's nursing program, which now includes an on-campus Bachelor of Science in nursing and online associate and bachelor's degrees in nursing for working adults.
Campbellsville University, located in Campbellsville, Kentucky, shares Trevecca's commitment to academic excellence and its dedication to instilling servant leadership in its graduates.
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Trevecca Nazarene University is a private, four-year Christian university in the heart of Nashville, Tenn. Founded in 1901, Trevecca offers more than 75 undergraduate majors as well as graduate, doctoral, associate and certificate programs. With students from 44 states and 41 countries, the University was rated the top Christian university in Middle Tennessee and the top-ranked Nazarene university in the U.S. in the 2026 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings. Trevecca is focused on preparing students for lives of leadership and service.
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Original text here: https://blog.trevecca.edu/news/trevecca-enters-partnership-with-campbellsville-universitys-school-of-chiropractic
Ryan Deuel Named Outstanding New Teacher at Clarkson University
POTSDAM, New York, Aug. 20 -- Clarkson University issued the following news:
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Ryan Deuel Named Outstanding New Teacher at Clarkson University
Clarkson University Assistant Professor of Honors Ryan P. Deuel has been awarded the Outstanding New Teacher Award for 2026.
Established by the University Committee on Improvement in Teaching in 1991, the award recognizes an outstanding teacher within his or her first four years at Clarkson University. Criteria for selection include excellence in the classroom, capacity to motivate and challenge students and creativity in teaching methods and curriculum
... Show Full Article
POTSDAM, New York, Aug. 20 -- Clarkson University issued the following news:
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Ryan Deuel Named Outstanding New Teacher at Clarkson University
Clarkson University Assistant Professor of Honors Ryan P. Deuel has been awarded the Outstanding New Teacher Award for 2026.
Established by the University Committee on Improvement in Teaching in 1991, the award recognizes an outstanding teacher within his or her first four years at Clarkson University. Criteria for selection include excellence in the classroom, capacity to motivate and challenge students and creativity in teaching methods and curriculumdevelopment.
"Deuel demonstrates his ongoing commitment to Honors pedagogy and the student experience, even as he provides extensive student support and broader administrative and service experience that contribute to strong Clarkson-Potsdam community relations and to the success of Clarkson University as a whole," Kate Krueger, Director of Honors and Professor Literature, said in her nomination letter. "He is genuinely invested in uplifting students to achieve their potential and to developing high-impact learning experiences for students."
Deuel first began teaching at Clarkson in 2021 as an adjunct instructor for Clarkson's Department of Communication, Media and Design. In 2023, he was hired as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Honor and became a fulltime Assistant Professor of Honors in 2025. Deuel also serves as a faculty affiliate for Clarkson's Institute for STEM Education and the Institute for a Sustainable Environment.
Deuel is a practitioner-turned-scholar, combining more than a decade of previous higher education administrative experience with his doctoral research. He is a critical scholar of international higher education whose work employs poststructural theory and discourse analysis to examine how international organizations mobilize global student flows through trade-in-services frameworks. His research has been published in the academic journals Higher Education Policy, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, and Globalisation, Societies and Education.
His forthcoming publication in the National Collegiate Honors Council's (NCHC) journal Honors in Practice, titled "See for yourselves: Developing critical AI literacy among honors students through classroom article mapping activity," examines how university honors students engage with generative AI concepts, applications, and its ethical implications while also critically examining AI outputs and empowering students to recognize their own analytical skills and reading competencies.
Deuel earned his doctorate degree in Integrated Studies in Education in 2022 from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Deuel has also presented his research at the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the American Sociological Association (ASA), the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), and the Canadian Society for the Studies in Education (CSSE). He currently serves as a peer reviewer various academic journals, including the Journal of International Students and the Journal of Global Higher Education, among others.
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Clarkson University is a proven leader in technological education, research, innovation and sustainable economic development. With its main campus in Potsdam, N.Y., and additional graduate program and research facilities in the Capital Region and Hudson Valley, Clarkson faculty have a direct impact on more than 7,800 students annually through nationally recognized undergraduate and graduate STEM designated degrees in engineering, business, science and health professions; executive education, industry-relevant credentials and K-12 STEM programs. Alumni earn salaries among the top 2% in the nation: one in five already leads in the c-suite. To learn more go to www.clarkson.edu.
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Original text here: https://www.clarkson.edu/news-events/ryan-deuel-named-outstanding-new-teacher-clarkson-university
Drexel University: For Green Building, 'Durable' Is the New 'Sustainable'
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Aug. 20 (TNSjou) -- Drexel University issued the following news:
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For Green Building, 'Durable' Is the New 'Sustainable'
Designing buildings to withstand extreme weather events may also reduce their environmental impact
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Reducing the negative environmental impact of buildings -- globally one of largest contributors to greenhouse gas -- might be even more difficult than expected. New research from Drexel University indicates that, due to the steady increase in damaging extreme weather events each year, designers must begin to consider not if, but how long,
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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Aug. 20 (TNSjou) -- Drexel University issued the following news:
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For Green Building, 'Durable' Is the New 'Sustainable'
Designing buildings to withstand extreme weather events may also reduce their environmental impact
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Reducing the negative environmental impact of buildings -- globally one of largest contributors to greenhouse gas -- might be even more difficult than expected. New research from Drexel University indicates that, due to the steady increase in damaging extreme weather events each year, designers must begin to consider not if, but how long,their buildings will be rendered inoperable -- and how the resources to get it back online will contribute to its overall environmental impact.
In a recently published review of research in the Journal of Industrial Ecology, the author, from Drexel's Nick Howley College of Engineering and Computing, pointed out emerging gaps in how a building's total environmental impact is calculated -- a process called life cycle assessment -- due to the destruction and disruption caused by extreme weather. The comprehensive analysis, which takes into account the greenhouse gas emissions involved with everything from making the building materials, to its construction and its operation, is currently used in rating systems that incentivize environmentally friendly building and design practices.
"If we truly want to reduce the environmental impact of building construction and operation, which currently accounts for more than a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is vital that we look at the full picture," said Fernanda Cruz Rios, PhD, an assistant professor in the Howley College's School of Engineering, who conducted the research. "More frequent extreme weather events are changing the calculus around what it takes to maintain a functional building -- this must be factored in when thinking about resource consumption."
Cruz Rios conducted a systemic review of 40 studies looking at building resiliency through the lens of life cycle assessment. They fell into four main categories for which resilience was examined: seismic activity, heat, flooding and wind.
Looking specifically for whether or not the research quantitatively integrated resilience metrics in their life cycle analysis, Rios found that although all of the studies addressed some form of resilience, most failed to consider key aspects related to inoperability. These include quantifying what it would take to make a building robust against extreme weather -- such as using stronger materials, building redundancy or interoperability into systems -- and how quickly and what resources it would take to get it back online after an event.
"These knowledge gaps point to the fact that these assessments are conducted assuming that the building will continue to be operational -- the environmental cost of fragility has systemically been underestimated," Cruz Rios said. "We now know that is not accurate in most cases, so we need to work toward a true-to-life representation of the building's carbon footprint both when it is operating and when it is drawing on resources to resume operation."
Based on this analysis, Cruz Rios created a new framework that factors in the environmental costs and benefits of resilience. By using it, designers can weigh the relative cost of taking action to ensure building resiliency against inaction -- this may inform their choices around things such as designing concrete walls to withstand seismic activity, installing backup generators or building with interior finishes that can quickly be replaced or modified to restore full occupancy after flooding.
Adapting the life cycle assessment system could also provide a more accurate picture of vulnerabilities in the built environment, which could help to plan emergency response.
"Under current life cycle assessment methods, two hospitals - one designed to keep functioning through a disaster and one that isn't - can end up with nearly identical environmental scores on day one," Cruz Rios said. "But if one goes dark for months after a storm and has to be rebuilt, while the other keeps running, that difference never shows up in how we measure their environmental impact. Being able to design for that resilience, and actually measure what it's worth, is what's missing right now."
Cruz Rios's model captures both the environmental cost of compensatory services that must be deployed while a building's operation is being restored -- temporary shelter, emergency fuel, evacuation transportation -- as well as the additional cost of designing a building so that it can better withstand extreme environmental challenges. It also considers modifications to improve the building's resiliency after the event.
The model also credits the damage, repairs and downtime a resilient design choice helps a building avoid altogether. For example, a building that doesn't need to be gutted and rebuilt after a flood never accrues the environmental cost of that rebuild in the first place and that avoided cost counts in the building's favor in Cruz Rios' model.
According to Cruz Rios, the next step for broad adoption of this expanded model for life cycle assessment would be to have it formally incorporated in environmental design rating systems, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), National Green Building Standard or Green Globes -- which often come with tax credit incentives for buildings that achieve them.
"This isn't a new system that replaces what designers already do," Cruz Rios said. "It's a set of modules that plug directly into the life cycle analyses they're already running when a building is designed. Adoption into formal standards will likely take time, that kind of change always does, but I'm already hearing from designers who've noticed this gap on their own and want a way to prove that building for durability is also building sustainably. Right now, the tools don't give them that."
Read the full paper here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44498-026-00152-7
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Original text here: https://drexel.edu/news/archive/2026/August/building-life-cycle-assessment-extreme-weather
American University: Meet CAS's New Faculty--and Learn What They Can't Wait to Share With Students
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- American University issued the following news:
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Meet CAS's New Faculty--and Learn What They Can't Wait to Share with Students
Five new professors bring expertise in AI, archaeology, mental health, philosophy, economics, and more to American University's College of Arts and Sciences
By Patty Housman
From an archaeologist excavating the past to an artificial intelligence researcher protecting critical infrastructure, the College of Arts and Sciences is welcoming a new group of faculty members whose work spans the humanities, social sciences, arts, and sciences. This
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- American University issued the following news:
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Meet CAS's New Faculty--and Learn What They Can't Wait to Share with Students
Five new professors bring expertise in AI, archaeology, mental health, philosophy, economics, and more to American University's College of Arts and Sciences
By Patty Housman
From an archaeologist excavating the past to an artificial intelligence researcher protecting critical infrastructure, the College of Arts and Sciences is welcoming a new group of faculty members whose work spans the humanities, social sciences, arts, and sciences. Thisfall, they'll bring new ideas, research opportunities, and real-world experience into AU classrooms and labs.
"Our newest faculty bring an extraordinary range of expertise and ideas to CAS," says Dean Linda Aldoory. "They are asking important questions, pushing their fields in new directions, and creating opportunities for students to ask big questions, engage in hands-on research, and build successful careers."
Meet the five newest faculty members in the CAS community--and find out what they can't wait to share with students this fall.
* Isaiah King
Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics and Statistics
Isaiah King is helping computers recognize cyber threats before they become real-world attacks. His research uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and graph-based algorithms to strengthen cybersecurity and protect critical infrastructure. Outside the lab, King is also an accomplished creative writer whose fiction and poetry have appeared in literary publications--bringing an uncommon blend of technical expertise and creativity to the classroom.
What He Can't Wait to Share: The "Math-y" Side of Programming
"I'm excited to share the more math-y side of programming with CSC students who may not think of themselves as mathematicians," says King, "and MATH students who may not think of themselves as computer scientists."
Teaching this fall: CSC-320 Algorithms and Data Structures
* Zev Cossin
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Zev Cossin studies the past to better understand today's biggest global challenges. An historical archaeologist and environmental anthropologist, Cossin explores how European colonialism transformed communities and landscapes across the Americas, and how those changes continue to shape issues such as climate change, food insecurity, and environmental justice today. His research spans Ecuador and Minnesota and combines archaeology, archival records, oral histories, and ethnography. He is passionate about experiential education and involving students in field research and community-based projects.
What He Can't Wait to Share: Let's Build a Lab
"I can't wait to work with students to begin building a new Public Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Lab in Anthropology. I'm looking forward to building new spaces for community and hands-on training with students to spark creative reflection on the ways the past shapes our contemporary world."
Teaching this fall: ANTH-235 The Buried History of the U.S.
* Lisa Velkoff
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Lisa Velkoff is a clinical psychologist whose research focuses on understanding, treating, and preventing eating disorders and suicidality. In her research, Dr. Velkoff aims to identify momentary predictors that can tell us when someone is at risk for disordered eating behaviors or self-harming behaviors, with the ultimate goal to use this knowledge to develop better interventions for treatment. Lisa's research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Academy for Eating Disorders, and other private foundations, and reflects a commitment to using science to improve people's lives.
What She Can't Wait to Share: The Science of Human Behavior
"This year, I look forward to sharing with AU students the many exciting ways that researchers use the scientific method to understand human behavior, and I'm glad to have the opportunity to do this both in the classroom and in the lab."
Teaching this fall: PSYCH 215: Abnormal Psychology
* Jacob Abolafia
Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion
What can prisons, ancient philosophy, and political myths teach us about today's world? Quite a lot, according to Jacob Abolafia. A political philosopher trained at Yale, Cambridge, and Harvard, Abolafia studies the history of political thought from classical antiquity to the present, exploring topics ranging from incarceration and democracy to ethics and political economy. His courses invite students to connect timeless philosophical questions with today's most pressing social and political debates.
What He Can't Wait to Share: Democracy Is More Than a Word
"The thing I'm most excited to share with AU students this fall is that democracy is not only a word. It's a set of practices and a way of life that they, as students and citizens, are already involved in and can use to shape their own lives and the world around them."
Teaching this fall: The Philosophy of Democracy and Human Rights
* Lilly Springer
Assistant Professor of Economics and Health Studies
Lilly Springer studies questions that affect millions of families every day. Her research examines how health, family life, and work intersect, with a focus on reproductive health, social safety-net programs, and parents' participation in the workforce. Springer is also committed to mentoring students and broadening opportunities within the field of economics, bringing both rigorous research and a passion for teaching to AU's classrooms.
What She Can't Wait to Share: The Economics of Our Health
"I am excited to share with AU students how policies and economic forces influence all aspects of our health," says Springer, "from pregnancy and birth to palliative care."
Teaching this fall: ECON 200: Principles of Microeconomics
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Original text here: https://www.american.edu/cas/news/meet-new-faculty-2026.cfm
