AI in the Physical World: Helping Robotic Arms Solve Problems Using Tools News / May 12, 2026 When Tianyu Li, a doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), and George Jiayuan Gao, former master’s student in Robotics and current research engineer at Dyna, set out to study how robots might better interact with the physical world, they weren’t just thinking about smarter machines, they were... Read More
Solving Real-World Problems at Penn Engineering Senior Design News / May 11, 2026 At the 2026 Senior Design Project Competition, student teams presented projects tackling health, accessibility, climate control and more. Read More
Penn Engineers Shine at Venture Lab Startup Challenge News / May 6, 2026 At the annual Venture Lab Startup Challenge, Penn Engineering-affiliated teams took home more than $200,000, winning the grand prize, runner-up prize and much more. Read More
A Robotic Solution for Safer Tree Trimming News / May 5, 2026 Margaret Zhu and the Serpent Robotics team have leveraged Penn resources to create a tree-cutting robot, improving safety in a dangerous industry. The President’s Innovation Prize allows Zhu to iterate and pilot the device over the next year. Read More
What It Will Take to Make AI-Enabled Robots Safer News / April 29, 2026 Can the same AI safety techniques used for chatbots keep robots from harming people? Researchers from Penn Engineering, Carnegie Mellon and Oxford argue that the answer is no. The group argues that because robots can turn flawed reasoning into physical action, they need a more robust safety framework, one that... Read More
The 2026 Penn Engineering Student Choice Awards News / April 20, 2026 Penn Engineering is pleased to announce the faculty recipients of the 2026 Student Choice Awards. Each year, the Penn Engineering undergraduate student body thoughtfully selects the recipients of these awards for their dedication in teaching, mentorship and student advocacy. This year’s winners are Vanessa Chan, Sid Deliwala, Samantha McBride, Alejandro... Read More
Class of 2026 President’s Engagement and Innovation Prize Winners Announced News / April 16, 2026 Four prize-winning teams, including two affiliated with Penn Engineering, will design and implement post-graduation projects that make a positive, lasting difference here in Philadelphia and beyond. Read More
The Artemis II Mission: Reflections on an Ever-evolving Relationship with Space Exploration News / April 14, 2026 Penn Today spoke with three Penn experts about the Artemis II crew’s use of social media during the mission, how space images are more than just pretty pictures, and why space continues to fascinate. Read More
NSF AIRFoundry: A New Hub for AI-Driven RNA Research News / April 9, 2026 The NSF AIRFoundry, an $18-million facility designed to use AI to accelerate RNA research, has officially opened, broadening access to advanced tools that could advance medicine, agriculture and more. Read More
Two Penn Engineers Named AAAS Fellows News / March 26, 2026 Cherie Kagan and George Pappas are among the nearly 500 scientists, engineers, and innovators honored by the Association for the Advancement of Science this year for distinguished contributions to their fields. Read More
