Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
University of Oklahoma Health: Obesity May Influence How Breast Cancer Becomes Invasive
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, May 29 -- The University of Oklahoma Health campus issued the following news:
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Obesity May Influence How Breast Cancer Becomes Invasive
Obesity may change how early-stage breast cancer becomes invasive, according to a study by University of Oklahoma researchers published in The American Journal of Pathology.
Obesity is a known risk factor for invasive breast cancer, but researchers have not fully understood how it helps early, noninvasive breast lesions become invasive cancer. These findings could help improve physicians' ability to predict and treat the disease.
In
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, May 29 -- The University of Oklahoma Health campus issued the following news:
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Obesity May Influence How Breast Cancer Becomes Invasive
Obesity may change how early-stage breast cancer becomes invasive, according to a study by University of Oklahoma researchers published in The American Journal of Pathology.
Obesity is a known risk factor for invasive breast cancer, but researchers have not fully understood how it helps early, noninvasive breast lesions become invasive cancer. These findings could help improve physicians' ability to predict and treat the disease.
Inthe study, breast cancers in women without obesity showed the typical signs of becoming invasive, including rapid cell division and increased ability to invade nearby tissue. But in women with obesity, researchers found a different set of biological changes that appeared to help the cancer become invasive.
The cancer environment became more inflamed, with the arrival of immune cells that advanced the growth of the tumor. The tumor cells also appeared better able to survive under stress, and there were changes in cellular metabolism - how the cells use nutrients for energy.
"This could be why women with obesity are at higher risk for invasive breast cancer," said Bethany Hannafon, Ph.D., co-lead author of the study and an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the OU College of Medicine. "The changes that the cancer cells are undergoing are allowing them to survive and thrive."
Researchers also identified differences in the "neighborhood" of cells and tissues surrounding the cancer. Epithelial cells, where the tumor originally develops, co-opt other cells around them to create an environment even more conducive to cancer growth.
"In women with obesity, there is cooperation between all the cell types, not just the cancer cells, which helps an early pre-cancer to become an invasive breast cancer," said co-lead author Elizabeth Wellberg, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Pathology at the OU College of Medicine. "That may be an area of future study - can a drug or intervention that targets only one cell type interrupt the whole network of progression toward invasive cancer?"
The research team also discovered higher levels of an enzyme called Sulfatase 2 (SULF2) in tumor cells of women with obesity, suggesting that it may play an important role in cancer progression. SULF2 will be another focus of future studies.
Understanding what causes early, noninvasive tumors (ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS) to become invasive is important because not all women will develop invasive cancer, yet they receive the same treatment.
"In women diagnosed with DCIS, about half will later develop invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) that spreads into surrounding breast tissue. But we currently have no way of determining which women are most at risk. As a result, many women with DCIS receive the same treatments used for IDC, including surgery, radiation and sometimes hormone therapy. Overtreatment is a major concern, but if we had better ways of determining risk, unnecessary treatments could potentially be reduced," Hannafon said.
While breast cancer survival rates have improved over the past two decades, the number of women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer has not declined, underscoring the need for better ways to predict and prevent disease progression.
"Obesity is on the rise - 50% of Americans are expected to be obese by 2030," said the paper's first author, Cole Hladik, Ph.D., who worked in Hannafon's lab while earning his doctorate. "That statistic further highlights the importance of considering a patient's metabolic health alongside the biology of the tumor itself."
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About the project
The study, "Spatially Resolved Obesity-Driven Molecular Changes in Early Breast Cancer," can be found at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2026.03.016. Samples for the study came from patients treated at the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, which funded the study, along with the OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center. National Institutes of Health-funded resources were also used in the research. In addition to the scientists, the interdisciplinary research team included a breast cancer oncologist, a surgical oncologist, a pathologist, computational scientists, surgical medical residents and graduate students.
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About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university with campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. As the state's flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. In Oklahoma City, the OU Health Campus is one of the nation's few academic health centers with seven health profession colleges located on the same campus. The OU Health Campus serves approximately 4,000 students in more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs spanning Oklahoma City and Tulsa and is the leading research institution in Oklahoma. For more information about the OU Health Campus, visit www.ouhsc.edu.
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Original text here: https://inside.ouhsc.edu/news/article/obesity-may-influence-how-breast-cancer-becomes-invasive
University of Georgia: Pay-to-play System Prices Out Young Soccer Talent
ATHENS, Georgia, May 29 (TNSjou) -- The University of Georgia issued the following news:
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Pay-to-play system prices out young soccer talent
Linking sports to childhood education leads to unequal resource distribution, new study says
By Kylie Earnhardt
Every season, Georgia families spend thousands of dollars on youth sports in fees, travel, uniforms and other expenses.
University of Georgia senior Gabriella Etienne experienced that life, competing for a club soccer team in Cherokee County.
While parents complain about the costs and headaches of this system, it has rarely been studied
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ATHENS, Georgia, May 29 (TNSjou) -- The University of Georgia issued the following news:
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Pay-to-play system prices out young soccer talent
Linking sports to childhood education leads to unequal resource distribution, new study says
By Kylie Earnhardt
Every season, Georgia families spend thousands of dollars on youth sports in fees, travel, uniforms and other expenses.
University of Georgia senior Gabriella Etienne experienced that life, competing for a club soccer team in Cherokee County.
While parents complain about the costs and headaches of this system, it has rarely been studiedcritically by scholars. How did this expensive system arise, and what are its impacts on talent development?
New research from UGA's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication presented evidence that the youth sports system is a market response to the American system of linking sports to education. Etienne interviewed executive directors and heads of coaching at four elite Georgia clubs, as well as officials at Georgia Soccer's state office for the study.
"Virtually no other country tries to do sport development through schools in the way the United States does," said Welch Suggs, co-author of the paper and associate director of the Carmical Sports Media Institute at the Grady College.
Schools are funded unequally, and the resources available to an athlete depend heavily on geography and economic class. Elite, privatized club systems developed in response to this disparity, offering quality coaching and competitive schedules for a hefty price tag.
Playing for a private sporting club can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 annually once league registration and fees are factored in. This commodified "pay-to-play" structure prevents many talented players from low-income families from accessing the training and resources they need to advance as players, the researchers said.
Low-income families at disadvantage in children's sports
Suggs and Etienne found that barriers to entry also exist beyond finances.
Time is money, and families with working parents often can't carve out entire weekends to travel 100 or more miles away to tournaments. Athletes from lower-income families may not have reliable transportation to practices and games. Tryouts posted only in English unintentionally exclude non-English speaking players.
Some clubs award scholarships for talented players from underserved communities, but these isolated efforts only go so far in addressing broader infrastructural issues, the researchers said.
Collaboration between teams could help young players succeed
There may be options for young players across the country, but it starts with overcoming the competitive instincts baked into the American sports market, Suggs said.
Programs are inherently wired to battle against each other -- for players, resources and wins on the pitch -- but seizing opportunities to collaborate could mitigate some of these challenges.
Better access to collaborative scholarships to address existing barriers could be a start.
"If we can find ways to come together and establish a pathway that we're all decided on," Etienne said, "that might be a way to have more success and let more people be involved in the game."
Etienne presented this research at UGA's Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Symposium before the article's publication.
The study was published in the Journal of Policy History and is part of a broader research project on soccer in Georgia. Suggs plans to include the work in a book tentatively titled "Georgia and the Beautiful Game," under contract with the University of Georgia Press.
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Original text here: https://news.uga.edu/pay-to-play-system-prices-out-young-soccer-talent/?_gl=1*zkx69x*_ga*NDYwMzI4OTUxLjE3NjE3MjkzODM.*_ga_6H213MG7X1*czE3ODAwNDM1MjAkbzEwNSRnMCR0MTc4MDA0MzUyMCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.
University of Cincinnati: Not Your Grandma's Hobby - Young Adults Take Part in Needlepoint Meet-ups
CINCINNATI, Ohio, May 29 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news:
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Not your grandma's hobby: Young adults take part in needlepoint meet-ups
UC mental health expert explains value of unplugging
By Megan Burgasser, burgasma@ucmail.uc.edu
Needlepoint is no longer just your grandmother's hobby. As WKRC-TV Local 12 recently reported, Gen Z and millennials are picking up needles and thread instead of their phones.
Mental health experts said hobbies like needlepoint can provide real psychological benefits.
"Whether it's cross-stitching or knitting or mindfulness activities,
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CINCINNATI, Ohio, May 29 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news:
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Not your grandma's hobby: Young adults take part in needlepoint meet-ups
UC mental health expert explains value of unplugging
By Megan Burgasser, burgasma@ucmail.uc.edu
Needlepoint is no longer just your grandmother's hobby. As WKRC-TV Local 12 recently reported, Gen Z and millennials are picking up needles and thread instead of their phones.
Mental health experts said hobbies like needlepoint can provide real psychological benefits.
"Whether it's cross-stitching or knitting or mindfulness activities,I think they're all really vital for us to turn down our fight-or-flight response," said Stephen Rush, MD, professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Rush said hands-on hobbies engage the brain differently than endlessly scrolling social media feeds filled with stressful or negative content.
"Something like knitting is active," Rush explained. "It requires us to engage a part of our brain called the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for deliberate, purposeful and mindful action."
At Element Eatery in Madisonville, tables fill as members of Stitch Club Cincinnati gather for their monthly meet-ups. While everyone is welcome, most members are women in their 20s and 30s looking to unplug and connect.
Nearly 60 stitchers regularly show up with needles, thread and patterns in hand.
What was once considered an old-fashioned pastime is now becoming a modern form of self-care -- attracting a younger generation searching for connection, creativity and a break from the nonstop stress of the online world.
Watch the full WKRC-TV/Local 12 report (https://local12.com/news/local/cincinnati-hamilton-county-ohio-needlepoint-needle-stiching-stich-gen-z-millennials-element-eatery-madisonville-club-group-montly-meetups-trend-trendy-hobby-hobbies-friends-entertainment-community-knitting-knit-younger-generations).
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Original text here: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2026/05/uc-mental-health-expert-explains-value-of-unplugging-through-hobbies.html
UMass-Boston: Graduate Commencement Celebrates Class of 2026's Commitment to Service and Leadership
BOSTON, Massachusetts, May 29 -- The University of Massachusetts Boston campus issued the following news:
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Graduate Commencement Celebrates Class of 2026's Commitment to Service and Leadership
Madeline Kaprich
Graduate students and their families gathered for UMass Boston's 58th graduate commencement ceremony on Wednesday, May 27. In total, 1,090 master's and 122 doctoral students completed their graduate programs in the Class of 2026.
Graduates crossed the stage to cheers on Wednesday afternoon as UMass Boston celebrated its 58th graduate commencement ceremony, recognizing more than
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, May 29 -- The University of Massachusetts Boston campus issued the following news:
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Graduate Commencement Celebrates Class of 2026's Commitment to Service and Leadership
Madeline Kaprich
Graduate students and their families gathered for UMass Boston's 58th graduate commencement ceremony on Wednesday, May 27. In total, 1,090 master's and 122 doctoral students completed their graduate programs in the Class of 2026.
Graduates crossed the stage to cheers on Wednesday afternoon as UMass Boston celebrated its 58th graduate commencement ceremony, recognizing more than1,200 graduate students whose work reflects years of rigorous study, research, and dedication to their fields and communities.
Chancellor Marcelo Suarez-Orozco encouraged students to use their education in service of the common good and to approach the challenges ahead with courage.
"Bring an ethical compass to every challenge," Chancellor Suarez-Orozco said. "Be bold in your ideas, but meticulous in your methods; be ambitious, but always anchored in equity, empathy, and justice."
The keynote address was delivered by former mayor of Paris, the Honorable Anne Hidalgo, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from UMass Boston. Hidalgo was the first woman elected mayor of Paris and is internationally recognized for being a global leader in climate action and urban policy.
Drawing on her experiences, Hidalgo urged graduates to defend freedom, justice, and democracy while confronting global challenges such as climate change, reminding them that education is a powerful tool.
"You all leave here today with something extremely powerful in your hands: an education, a mind now free to imagine otherwise, and knowledge that change is possible," Hidalgo said. "Use it to invent the world to come."
This year's graduate student speaker, Sachin Gupta, earned a PhD in Applied Physics. He delivered a speech centered on perseverance and the importance of building community. Born in Moradabad, India, Gupta reflected on the setbacks that shaped his journey, including multiple graduate school rejections and the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic early in his academic career.
Gupta spoke about choosing to "try one more time" after being rejected from every graduate program he applied to during his first round, crediting his parents' encouragement for helping him continue pursuing his dream.
"We can either wait for someone else to create it, or we can stand up and build it ourselves," Gupta said.
Gupta's message encouraged graduates to live authentically and move forward despite uncertainty. "Live your life on your own terms, dream without fear, and keep walking toward what sets your soul on fire," he said. "No matter how many times life tells you 'no.'"
Wednesday's commencement ceremony also recognized four faculty members who received distinguished faculty awards. Professors Sharon Lamb and Werner Kunz received the Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Scholarship, Professor Steven Ackerman received the Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Teaching, and Professor Neal Bruss received the Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Service.
At the end of the ceremony, graduates rose together to confer their degrees, move their tassels from right to left, and take in the final moments of commencement. As family and friends cheered from the audience, they were welcomed into the UMass Boston alumni community and encouraged to use their education to advance well-being in their communities and professions.
"Your UMass Boston education is a well-earned gift, one that equips you to meet extraordinary moments with clarity, courage, and care," Chancellor Suarez-Orozco said. "Use it to strengthen democracy, to expand opportunity, and to sustain our planet for generations to come."
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Original text here: https://www.umb.edu/news/recent-news/graduate-commencement-celebrates-class-of-2026s-commitment-to-service/
UC-San Francisco: Can an Alzheimer's Blood Test Detect Early, Subtle Cognitive Decline?
SAN FRANCISCO, California, May 29 (TNSjou) -- The University of California San Francisco campus issued the following news release:
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Can an Alzheimer's Blood Test Detect Early, Subtle Cognitive Decline?
Biomarkers in midlife adults without dementia may be linked to the earliest signs of waning cognition, researchers found.
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For the first time, researchers found blood biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease that correlated with minor cognitive differences in midlife adults who did not have dementia. The study, led by UC San Francisco, also found that the biomarkers, which measure tau and amyloid
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, May 29 (TNSjou) -- The University of California San Francisco campus issued the following news release:
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Can an Alzheimer's Blood Test Detect Early, Subtle Cognitive Decline?
Biomarkers in midlife adults without dementia may be linked to the earliest signs of waning cognition, researchers found.
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For the first time, researchers found blood biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease that correlated with minor cognitive differences in midlife adults who did not have dementia. The study, led by UC San Francisco, also found that the biomarkers, which measure tau and amyloidplaque, were associated with a greater chance of cognitive decline in these participants.
The study published May 28 in The Lancet and is primarily funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Six percent of 1,350 participants, who were aged 53 to 69, had a high level of amyloid and tau in their blood, hallmarks of Alzheimer's, the researchers found. These proteins were linked with lower scores in two key cognitive areas.
"Alzheimer's disease pathology begins years before symptoms emerge," said senior author, Kristine Yaffe, MD, vice chair in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. "Detecting the disease early means patients can target modifiable risk factors and maybe seek other care."
Yaffe has led U.S. research on modifiable risk factors -- like physical and cognitive inactivity, depression, cigarette smoking, heart health -- and their role in dementia. Up to 40% of dementia cases could be delayed or prevented by addressing these risk factors, according to Yaffe, who is also a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, neurology, and epidemiology and biostatistics.
Delayed processing speed, executive function may be earliest signs
At baseline, participants with the high biomarkers had lower processing speeds -- the ability to respond quickly to changing information, such as to traffic signals or conversation -- and lower executive function, which involves planning, organizing, and staying on track, and is used in tasks like arranging a schedule or handling finances.
When tested five years later, the high biomarker group had about 2.5 to 4 times the risk of rapid decline in verbal memory and around 3 to 4 times the risk of rapid decline in processing speed, indicating an increased likelihood of developing Alzheimer's.
The participants were long-term enrollees of the multisite CARDIA study. Some 58% were women; 45% were Black, and the rest were white.
Unlike widely available methods for detecting tau and amyloid, like brain scans or spinal fluid tests, blood tests are inexpensive and noninvasive. They are currently FDA-approved for patients with symptoms but could eventually include those without symptoms, said Yaffe.
These blood tests should be used with caution, Yaffe added. "There's a possibility of false positives and they can only be used for Alzheimer's, not other dementias, meaning about 60% to 70% of all dementia cases," Yaffe stated. "But for some people who discover they have the biomarkers, testing could open a window to embark on interventions that may postpone Alzheimer's onset."
Authors: First author is Xiaqing Jiang, PhD, formerly of the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. For other authors, please see the paper.
Funding: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute contracts (75N92023D00002, 75N92023D00003, 75N92023D00004, 75N92023D00005, and 75N92023D00006); National Institute on Aging (R01AG063887 and R01AG09143); Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship (AARFD-23-1150636 and NIA R35AG071916, R01AG063887, R01AG091431, and 1K99AG083211).
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Original text here: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2026/05/431981/can-alzheimers-blood-test-detect-early-subtle-cognitive-decline
Four Bard College Graduates Win 2026 Fulbright Awards
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, New York, May 29 -- Bard College issued the following news release:
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Four Bard College Graduates Win 2026 Fulbright Awards
Four Bard College graduates have won 2026-27 Fulbright Awards for individually designed research projects, an English teaching assistantship, and the pursuit of a master's degree. The Fulbright program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others' viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way
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ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, New York, May 29 -- Bard College issued the following news release:
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Four Bard College Graduates Win 2026 Fulbright Awards
Four Bard College graduates have won 2026-27 Fulbright Awards for individually designed research projects, an English teaching assistantship, and the pursuit of a master's degree. The Fulbright program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others' viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the waythey think. During their grants, Fulbrighters meet, work, live with, and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. Bard College is a Fulbright top producing institution.
Danika Dortch '26, a Literature major at the College and a French Horn Performance major at the Bard Conservatory, will conduct an independent project on the composer Leos Janacek and his influence on the writer Milan Kundera. She will reside in Brno, Czech Republic, and conduct archival research on Janacek, Kundera, and Moravian folk music in order to examine their influence on Czech national identity.
Peter Fields '26, a Classical Studies major who has served as a Latin and Greek tutor at Bard, has been awarded an English Teaching Assistantship to Romania. While at Bard, he participated in an archaeological dig of an ancient Roman villa in Transylvania, an experience which sparked his interest in Romania and its culture, both ancient and modern.
Annaliese Simons '26, a Written Arts major, was awarded a Fulbright study-research grant to pursue a master's degree in public policy, with a focus on disability studies, at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany. Annaliese has been captain of the Bard Debate Team, as well as copresident of the Bard Disabled Students Association. They aspire to a career in disability advocacy.
Shosha Wheeler '26, a Mathematical Sciences major, has been awarded the Fulbright Austria Community-Combined Award. For her project, Shosha plans to lead math-based community project for immigrant youth in Vienna, while also taking courses in mathematics at Universitat Wien. At Bard, Shosha has served as a math tutor and volunteer for MAGPIES, the math outreach program for girls.
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About the Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international academic exchange program. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds and fields with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas to build mutual understanding and find solutions to critical global issues. For more information visit fulbrightprogram.org
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About Bard College
Founded in 1860, Bard College is a four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences located 90 miles north of New York City. With the addition of the Montgomery Place and Massena properties, Bard's campus consists of more than 1,200 parklike acres in the Hudson River Valley. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of music degrees, with majors in nearly 40 academic programs; advanced degrees through 14 graduate programs; 10 early colleges; and numerous dual-degree programs nationally and internationally. Building on its 166-year history as a competitive and innovative undergraduate institution, Bard College has expanded its mission as a private institution acting in the public interest across the country and around the world to meet broader student needs and increase access to liberal arts education. The undergraduate program at the main campus in upstate New York has a reputation for scholarly excellence, a focus on the arts, and civic engagement. Bard is committed to enriching culture, public life, and democratic discourse by training tomorrow's thought leaders. For more information about Bard College, visit bard.edu.
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Original text here: https://www.bard.edu/news/releases/pr/fstory.php?id=21404
Duke University Pratt School of Engineering: Emerging Technologies and Commercial Opportunities in Aerospace
DURHAM, North Carolina, May 29 -- Duke University Pratt School of Engineering issued the following news:
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Emerging Technologies and Commercial Opportunities in Aerospace
Day three of the NAE regional meeting held at Duke featured engaging discussions centered on industry opportunities for technology adoption and capital investments.
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The third and final session of the NAE regional meeting held at Duke University took place the morning of Thursday, May 21. As aviation evolves toward increasingly autonomous and integrated systems, the session explored emerging business models and operational
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DURHAM, North Carolina, May 29 -- Duke University Pratt School of Engineering issued the following news:
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Emerging Technologies and Commercial Opportunities in Aerospace
Day three of the NAE regional meeting held at Duke featured engaging discussions centered on industry opportunities for technology adoption and capital investments.
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The third and final session of the NAE regional meeting held at Duke University took place the morning of Thursday, May 21. As aviation evolves toward increasingly autonomous and integrated systems, the session explored emerging business models and operationalframeworks.
The session began with a keynote lecture from John-Paul Clarke, the Ernest Cockrell, Jr. Memorial Chair in Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Cockrell started his talk by noting how the crew operating a commercial aircraft's cockpit has dropped from five to two over the decades but has since remained steady. The reason for that stall: The general public still wants a human to make critical decisions during a flight.
But there are still opportunities for introducing more autonomy into the flight process, Clarke noted, anywhere it could be complementary or perhaps even better than humans. Some examples he noted were finding quick backups for flight trajectories and planning, making quick decisions when landing approaches go awry, and spotting the rare occasion when conflicting approvals are given that place people in danger.
"Accidents usually happen when two safe orders are given that interfere with one another," Clarke said. "Today's AI systems could quickly recognize these instances and provide 10s of seconds of warning. These are the types of situations where AI could be implemented for short periods of time."
The second keynote speaker was Ron Epstein, senior equity analyst at Bank of America Merryl Lynch. A Duke graduate himself, Epstein described his job as giving banks advice anytime they want to make investments related to aerospace, whether that be equity transactions, initial public offerings, or upgrading or downgrading a company's stock valuation.
Through this unique lens, Epstein made the case that the world is entering another golden age of aviation. He noted that over $160 billion of venture capital is now flowing through a wide range of aerospace-related startups. With so many small companies looking to become the next great American success story, and with the rise of AI's use in computer engineering, today's most talented and sought-after graduates are often entering the aerospace industry.
"The space industry today is where the internet was in the 1990s; it is essentially going through the dot-com boom and a huge period of innovation," Epstein said. "There's a growing realization that hard physical technology that solves a problem has value, and there is a lot of space in the industry for a big new player to emerge."
The session then moved to two shorter talks given by Jesse Quinlan, a program technologist for NASA's Advanced Air Vehicles Program, and Miroslav Pajic, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke. Quinlan focused on the potentially transformative aviation technologies being pursued at NASA while Pajic talked about the potential security threats posed to control systems and networks by the inclusion of AI and other autonomous systems.
The whole group then came together for a question and answer session moderated by Jerome Lynch, Vinik Dean of the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke. The group addressed topics such as the potential for electric airplane startups, the need for regulatory agencies to reassess what constitutes too much risk and new business models that might arise from emerging technologies.
"The people who made the [aviation] rules are long gone, and it is time to rethink the functions that the rules are trying to achieve," Cockrell said, referring to the incredibly high safety standard every part of an airplane must meet before it is allowed to fly. "We need to rethink the certification process to meet the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law."
After Lynch noted that many other countries are leaping ahead of the United States because they have less regulations, the group discussed potential new business models that could evolve as new technologies come to market. One of the most promising, the group thought, was the prospect of a new regional air mobility network that relies less on the current setup of airport hubs.
"Imagine a network of truly short flights enabled by lower-cost, lower-capacity electronic aircraft," Epstein said. "The current hub-to-hub setup has its limits. But to ever get to that point, we have to think what an optimal network would look like and also what the policy and financial systems around it would have to look like to make it possible."
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Original text here: https://pratt.duke.edu/news/nae-2026-session-3/
