Duke Engineering

06/24/2026

After a company spun out of a lab, one of its undergraduate researchers became its CTO.

Working alongside Duke University's Mike Bergin and Michael Valerino PhD '22, Alexandra Rivera BSE '23 helped develop a solution that enables solar farm operators to maximize energy production while minimizing maintenance costs.

Valerino co-founded Solar Unsoiled in 2022, and after graduation, Rivera stepped into the role of Chief Technology Officer.

Forever Duke

06/23/2026

Over half of Americans have used LLMs like ChatGPT and Google Gemini to spark creativity. Research published this spring from Duke University suggests these tools may actually narrow it.

“Commercial LLMs have all been trained on the same dataset—the entirety of the internet—and they all have the same goal,” shared Duke ECE's Emily Wenger. “It seemed likely to me that this would limit the amount of diversity we’d see in their creativity, so I decided to find out.”

https://pratt.duke.edu/news/ai-vs-human-creativity/

Commercial LLMs challenged with tests of originality and creativity generate results that are more similar to one another than people’s responses.

06/09/2026

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a new approach to delivering GLP-1 medications orally that does not require fasting and maintains their efficacy.

The technique could also be useful for any pharmaceutical based on peptides such as insulin or treatments for irritable bowel syndrome, HIV and osteoporosis.

Explore the research behind this new delivery system, supported by the AFOSR, Air Force Office of Scientific Research: https://bit.ly/4od7UWo

06/02/2026

From May 19-21, Duke University brought together leading experts in commercial aviation to discuss the future of the industry during the first regional meeting of the National Academy of Engineering hosted at Duke.

Participants dove into pressing topics from the realities of incorporating AI and autonomy into the modernization of air traffic control to exploring new business models and operational frameworks poised to build safer and more efficient aircraft and airspace systems for the next era.

✈️🔗 Catch the recap and summaries of each session: https://bit.ly/4a6NN6s

05/28/2026

Meet Argus, a 20-legged, 20-eyed robot engineered to navigate wilderness environments and explore other planets by embodying a new design principle coined by Boyuan Chen's robotics lab as dynamic symmetry.

By moving its center of mass equally in all directions, Argus rolls over sand and up parallel walls, and continues to thrust its telescoping legs forward after one fails.

See Argus in action: https://pratt.duke.edu/news/argus-robot-design/

05/12/2026

Sarah Willmann '26 BSE arrived at looking to solve problems at the intersection of math, science and sustainability, and what she found surprised her.

"You would not believe how much research there is to do in the realm of concrete and cement, and there’s a small but vibrant community of people who make it happen."

From a National Science Foundation (NSF) research experience at the University of Colorado Boulder to joining Laura Dalton's lab, Sarah dove deep into a research setting she didn't expect to love. Along the way, she led Duke's chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers all while serving as drumline captain.

Sarah's story demonstrates everything that's possible at Duke CEE. Read more: https://bit.ly/4uDSaO9

Duke University | Forever Duke

05/12/2026

Next week, the National Academy of Engineering is bringing together leaders from industry, government and academia to explore the future of commercial aviation at a regional event hosted by Duke Engineering and the Office of the Provost.

The program will focus on next-generation challenges and solutions in aviation, including innovation and emerging technologies, climate and weather-related considerations and air traffic control advancements.

🗓️ May 19-21, 2026
📍 Fitzpatrick Center, Duke University

✈️ Register for the event: https://bit.ly/42xc1CO

05/11/2026

Last weekend, we celebrated 329 new BSEs, 766 master's graduates and 125 new PhDs as they walked the stage.

Congratulations to our Class of 2026. You’ve earned this! 💙🎓

Catch our commencement recap: https://bit.ly/48Wwbd7

05/05/2026

CBS 17 put a spotlight on the Christensen Family Center for Innovation's BRiDGE incubator at the historic Chesterfield building in Durham, giving startups access to affordable lab space and a collaborative community among other resources.

"If we didn't have the BRiDGE, I don't know if we would've gotten the first 3D printer off the kitchen table," shared Protect3d CEO and Duke MEMS alum Kevin Gehsmann, whose company designs custom 3D bracing products for elite athletes, including customers from the NFL and NBA.

🔗 Catch the full story: https://www.cbs17.com/news/special-reports/incubator-at-duke-university-empowering-startups-entrepreneurial-dreams/

📸: Discover Durham

05/04/2026

We’re looking for rising sophomores from Duke Engineering and Trinity College of Arts & Sciences to serve as our multimedia interns in Fall 2026. 📸 🎥

Confidence in contributing bold and creative ideas, self-starter energy and the ability to manage multiple projects are a must! Sound like you? Apply by May 15th.

🔗 Trinity application: https://bit.ly/42OBS9i

🔗 Pratt application: https://bit.ly/4n6o3MO