UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

10/20/2026

Putting research into action for Vermont communities!

Abigail Brito Del Valle BS Data Science '27, Heidi Williams BA Sociology '28, and Kate Stockwell MS Statistics '27, students from UVM's College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) Justice Research Center (JRC), spent the day at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield, Vermont, helping advance the Vermont Justice Innovation Collaborative - a statewide collective impact effort bringing together researchers, corrections leaders, community organizations, and people with lived experience to strengthen reentry, public safety, and community wellbeing.

Through community-engaged data practices, these students are gaining hands-on experience addressing complex social challenges and helping build a stronger Vermont.

Learn more about the JRC: https://bit.ly/4eKGN1p

10/16/2026

The CEMS community is excited to congratulate UVM Interim Provost and Senior Vice President Linda Schadler on being named the recipient of the 2026 MRS Woody White Service Award from the Materials Research Society (MRS). The award recognizes individuals whose long-term service has made a meaningful impact on the society and the field of materials research science.

From leading groundbreaking research in materials science to serving as dean of CEMS and now as UVM's Interim Provost and Senior Vice President, Linda has made lasting contributions to engineering education, research, and the broader scientific community.

During her tenure as dean (2018–2024), Linda championed innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student success across CEMS. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved international recognition of her leadership, service, and contributions to the field of materials science and engineering.

Please join us in congratulating Linda on this outstanding achievement!

Read more: https://bit.ly/4yUHtcM



University of Vermont Materials Research Society

10/13/2026

Should we be excited about AI, afraid of it, or both?

We’re excited to share that Dr. Joshua Bongard, Veinott Professor of Computer Science at the University of Vermont and director of UVM’s Morphology, Evolution & Cognition Laboratory, will be the featured speaker in the Distinguished Burack Lecture Series on Tuesday, October 20, at 4:30 p.m. in the Jack & Shirley Silver Pavilion at UVM’s Alumni House.

An internationally recognized AI researcher whose work has been at the forefront of designing and building inorganic robots, as well as the world’s first living, programmable robots, known as xenobots, Dr. Bongard will present his lecture, “Don’t Panic! AI from the Inside,” separating hype from reality while exploring what artificial intelligence means for our lives, work, and future.

The Distinguished Burack Lecture Series showcases the exceptional achievements of UVM scholars, scientists, artists, and writers who are recognized as leaders in their fields, enriching both our academic community and the broader intellectual environment.

Learn more and add the event to your calendar: https://bit.ly/4ihQt5K

The Presidential Dan and Carole Burack Lecture Series highlights the exceptional caliber of our campus scholars, scientists, artists and writers who are acknowledged as preeminent in their discipline, thus enriching the academic environment. Dr. Joshua Bongard is the Veinott Professor of Computer Sc...

10/12/2026

New research from Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Gregory Rowangould, director of UVM’s Transportation Research Center (TRC), is advancing our understanding of transportation-related air pollution and environmental equity across the United States.

In the recently published study, Spatially Refined Analysis of Emission Burdens and Equity from Light, Medium, and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Traffic in the United States, Rowangould and his colleagues—including TRC research analyst Clare Nelson and recent TRC post-doctoral scholar Brittany Antonczak—provide the most comprehensive and spatially detailed analyses of traffic-related emissions ever conducted. Using detailed roadway and traffic data, the study estimated vehicle emissions and associated exposure burdens for nearly every U.S. census block, and revealed significant disparities across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.

This latest work significantly updates and advances Rowangould’s earlier research on proximity to heavily trafficked roadways, which federal regulations have frequently cited. By providing a more detailed, comprehensive picture of transportation emissions and their impacts on public health, the research provides valuable insights for future policy and planning decisions.

Congratulations to Professor Rowangould and his team on their continued contributions to research that helps shape conversations around transportation, sustainability, and environmental justice.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4hEUSzw



University of Vermont

10/05/2026

This past Friday, teams of engineering students had the opportunity to receive valuable feedback from visiting CEMS Advisory Board members on their planned senior-year capstone projects.

All CEMS majors complete an applied, project-based culminating experience, commonly known as a capstone, during their senior year. These projects can range from working alongside a community organization to develop a new data analytics dashboard to creating physical prototypes for an industry partner.

In the engineering disciplines, students work in multidisciplinary teams to design solutions for challenges submitted by companies, nonprofits, faculty, government agencies, municipalities, and community organizations. Through these capstone programs, students apply the technical knowledge and professional skills they have developed throughout their academic careers to address real-world challenges.

At fall and spring showcase events, students share their work, including functioning prototypes, with faculty, families, industry partners, and the broader UVM community.

We are grateful to our Advisory Board members for sharing their expertise and helping guide the next generation of engineers as they bring these innovative projects to life.



University of Vermont

10/02/2026

This afternoon, CEMS faculty and staff joined our visiting Advisory Board for an outstanding seminar on the “Expectations for AI Literacy in the STEM Workplace.” The panel featured industry leaders at the forefront of technology, data, and artificial intelligence: Christopher Tar, Software Engineering Manager at Google DeepMind; Artur Adib, Head of Embedded AI at Beta Technologies; Ezra Hall, Senior Director of the Aerospace, Defense and Critical Infrastructure End Market at GlobalFoundries; and Zachary Rivers, Director of Health Systems Data and Analytics at the Green Mountain Care Board.

Moderated by Computer Science Professor Nick Cheney, the discussion covered a broad range of AI-related topics from the rapidly evolving skill sets needed in today’s high-tech industries to how leading research universities like UVM can adapt to meet that demand.

A huge thank you to all our panelists for sharing their insights and experience for this timely discussion!



GlobalFoundries Green Mountain Care Board BETA Aviation

09/24/2026

Yesterday afternoon, senior civil engineering students Alena Annunziata, Eliza Rogers, and Ryan Thatcher joined their professor, John Lens, at UVM's Horticultural Research Center to scout the proposed location of a solar array that the student team, which also includes senior Dylan Pizura, will engineer as part of its senior capstone project.

The group met with College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Research Professor Margaret Skinner, PhD student Laura Eckman, and Leif Johnson, project lead from Vermont-based solar company Norwich Technologies.

Unlike conventional solar arrays, where panels are mounted on pedestals and angled toward the sky, this project will utilize an innovative bifacial vertical array in which both sides of each panel can generate power from sunlight. In addition to the potential for higher energy yields, vertical arrays are particularly attractive in agricultural settings because their footprint is much smaller than that of traditional arrays, leaving more land available for crops.

The project originated in the CALS Department of Agriculture, Landscape and Environment as part of research into agrivoltaics, the integration of solar power production and agriculture. Funded by the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program through a Research for Novel Approaches in Sustainable Agriculture Grant, the completed project will serve as a demonstration site showing how agricultural land can generate additional income for farmers through solar arrays while having minimal impact on crop production.

Like all engineering programs at UVM, seniors in Civil and Environmental Engineering complete an intensive capstone project during their senior year that integrates coursework and hands-on research into a culminating real-world design experience. Each project is hosted by a community partner or client, often local, state, and federal agencies; municipalities; nonprofits; or UVM departments and faculty, as part of UVM's Community Engaged Learning programs.



Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education UVM CALS

09/21/2026

As artificial intelligence continues to transform how we learn, work, and live, thoughtful leadership on its ethical implications has never been more important.

UVM Physics Research Professor Larry Medsker was featured this past week in the Shelburne News for his work as editor and contributor to the new "AI and Ethics Handbook," as well as his long-standing contributions to advancing conversations about responsible AI. The handbook brings together experts from around the world to explore AI's impacts across disciplines and aims to help professionals navigate a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Dr. Medsker shares his view that ethical considerations should be part of AI's design from the very beginning and that human judgment must remain central as these technologies evolve. He also advocates for helping students learn how to use AI responsibly, recognizing that AI literacy will be an essential skill for future leaders and innovators.

Read the story: https://bit.ly/3V4GQyj

In the age of artificial intelligence, a Shelburne resident published an AI ethical handbook to help guide professionals and everyday people on the use of AI.

09/18/2026

How can engineering help reduce food waste, strengthen local food systems, and improve food access?

In a recent VCET Start Here podcast episode, Rachael Floreani, professor of Mechanical Engineering at UVM and founder of Burlington Bio, discusses how her company is upcycling agricultural byproducts into nutritious food ingredients. Drawing on her background in engineering, biomaterials, and research, she shares how innovation can help transform materials that might otherwise be discarded into products that support healthier, more affordable food options.

The conversation also explores her journey from researcher and educator to entrepreneur, highlighting the role engineers can play in addressing complex societal challenges through creativity, collaboration, and a commitment to impact.

We're proud to have faculty who are advancing knowledge in the classroom and laboratory while translating their expertise into solutions that benefit communities in Vermont and beyond.

🎙️ Listen to the episode: https://vcet.co/rachael-floreani-burlington-bio/

Rachael Floreani speaks with us about the world of upcycled nutrition, which utilizes commonly discarded food that we often take for granted.

09/16/2026

Through the Richard Barrett Scholars Program, undergraduate students in the University of Vermont College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) are putting their classroom knowledge into action, tackling complex engineering challenges through hands-on research experiences that connect innovation, sustainability, and community impact.

From scaling production of life-saving therapeutic food to testing self-healing concrete, these students are helping shape a more sustainable future, one project at a time.

For more than two decades, the Barrett Foundation's generosity and vision have empowered students to work alongside faculty mentors and industry professionals on meaningful, hands-on research with the potential to benefit communities in Vermont and beyond.

These experiences do more than advance knowledge. They prepare the next generation of engineers, researchers, and environmental leaders to make a difference where it matters most.

Congratulations to our 2026 Barrett Scholars: Eli Baer ’27, Emma Bergsten ’27, Piper Floyd ’28, Sophia Golub ’27, Jess McGovern ’27, Bryn Miller ’27, Bella Mowrer ’29, Caleb Quinn ’27, and Riley Shue ’27. We can't wait to see where their research leads!

Read the full story:
https://bit.ly/4htxRzb



Edesia Nutrition Gund Institute at UVM