Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials seized on contact tracing as the most effective way to anticipate the virus’s migration from the initial, densely populated hot spots and try to curb its spread. Months later, infections were nonetheless recorded in similar patterns in nearly every region of the country, both urban and rural.  A team of environmental engineers, alerted by the unusual wealth of data published regularly by county health agencies throughout the pandemic, began researching new methods to describe what was happening on the ground in a way that does not…

New Jersey Institute of Technology has a new campus, but you can only go there by computer because civil engineering major Pawel Sierhej built it entirely in Minecraft. Sierhej, a junior who commutes from Linden, said he was inspired to build the virtual campus because he missed being at the real one during the height of the COVID pandemic. It's a trend nationwide, as students at Boston University, Northwestern, Penn and UCLA modeled their campuses, too. "If I was a resident, I don't think I would be quite as nostalgic toward rebuilding the campus. The quarantine had me really isolated. I…

After a year layoff, one of NJIT’s standout annual research events returned to the campus community this month — more than 30 of the university’s top student-researchers took to their webcams to present their work for a virtual audience at the 2021 Dana Knox Research Showcase, "A Glimpse Into the Future.”  While the format was dramatically different from the 15 springtime showcases before it, students were just as eager to share research projects they’ve been working on tirelessly, in some cases before the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly curtailed last year’s event. The all-day…

NJIT’s Center for Pre-College Programs and Newark College of Engineering this month introduced their first-ever STEM competition for New Jersey’s elementary school students — the eSTEM Competition. Highlighting the marathon-like week of friendly competition was a special solar energy design challenge issued to schools across the state this past February, culminating in unique showcase of bright engineering ingenuity from scores of young innovators. It is the year 3020 and the world has finally stopped using fossil fuels. You must rely on the renewable sources around you to power…

New Jersey Institute of Technology has earned global recognition from the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking for the university’s pursuit of and progress toward targets set forth by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), earning No. 90 globally and No. 2 nationally in two key areas. In its third year, the THE Impact Ranking is a global assessment of the commitments universities make in their communities and abroad that align with the U.N.’s SDGs. The 17 different SDGs represent altruistic themes ranging from eliminating poverty and ensuring access to clean and…

New Jersey Institute of Technology is one of the nation’s best colleges for students seeking a superb education with great career preparation at an affordable price, according to The Princeton Review, an honor held since 2018. NJIT ranked No. 39 as a Best Value College and No. 10 for Best Career Placement among public colleges and universities. The Princeton Review profiles NJIT in the recently published 2021 edition of its annual guide, The Best Value Colleges. In order to make the list, institutions needed to demonstrate a stellar academic program and affordability, and offer strong…

Hieu Nguyen’s pandemic-inspired lighting would not only illuminate classrooms, offices and airport lobbies, but also disinfect them with invisible ultraviolet light that destroys pathogens such as the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. With three possible settings, his LED panels would emit visible light, ultraviolet light or both, irradiating air, water and surfaces in enclosed settings. Backed by a CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation, he is exploring novel nanotechnology to generate light that would cut the energy consumption of these devices by half. “Combining both of these…

Their expertise ranges from technologies to improve infrastructure in some of the most urbanized regions on the planet to some of the remotest. Philip Pong, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, focuses on advanced sensing devices to enhance visibility, or “eyes in the field,” that provide power systems the data they need to monitor conditions and make decisions. William Pennock, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, optimizes water treatment systems for areas where specialized sensors, equipment and supplies are hard to source…

In NJIT’s Materials and Structures Laboratory, Noah Thibodeaux is concocting a series of concrete mixtures containing varying levels of old, pulverized roadway. The lab, which is working with the New York City Department of Transportation to determine the feasibility of using recycled aggregate in new projects, is focused on its near-term performance and durability over time, as well as its impact on the environment.  “Durability and sustainability go hand in hand – you can’t have one without the other,” notes Thibodeaux, a Ph.D. student in civil engineering. “It’s important to assess…

U.S. News & World Report has released its 2022 rankings for the nation’s top graduate schools, with NJIT ranked among the best for graduate degree programs in engineering. The university slots in this year at No. 88 — up 23 positions in the past seven years — and has been included on the distinguished list since 2003. The 2022 rankings mark the sixth consecutive year NJIT has appeared in the top 100. NJIT’s Newark College of Engineering (NCE), which has been providing engineering education for over 100 years, offers more than 30 master’s and Ph.D. degree programs. Through substantial…