Ten CMU Engineering Innovations That Could Change the World

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Ten CMU Engineering Innovations That Could Change the World

December 15, 2025

These give us reasons to get excited about the future

TL;DR

• To mark a decade of partnership with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) College of Engineering, we are showcasing 10 ways CMU Engineering is helping solve real-world challenges in health, transportation and society.
• Our collaboration has focused on translating complex innovations into compelling stories for a broad audience.
• Success comes for us when we connect incredible research to the ways it can make positive changes in our everyday lives.

For the past decade, FINN has had the privilege to serve as the agency partner for Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) College of Engineering, helping to translate their groundbreaking work from the lab to a global audience; to build a bridge between complex scientific research and the real-world challenges they're working to solve.

Our first assignment in 2015 centered on the lab of Professor Adam Feinberg, and their pioneering work in 3-D bioprinting of soft materialslike heart tissue. We jumped right in to assist the Carnegie Mellon team with pitch planning and coordination with the scientific journal where his work was to be published, and our combined efforts resulted in multiple placements in top-tier and trade outlets, including Fortune, Bloomberg Businessweek, BBC.com, Fast Company and LiveScience.

It was an exciting way to start our partnership, and our fascination and enthusiasm for the work they do have not diminished. Our job is to connect the lab and the world, to show how Carnegie Mellon's scientific research relates to the issues of the day, and to tell the story to the right people, from mainstream reporters to niche industry outlets.

To commemorate our decade of collaboration, we've made a list of 10 ways CMU is using science, engineering and technology to make the world a better place.

Powering a Sustainable Future

1. Driving Smarter EV Policies

Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy Jeremy Michalekand the Vehicle Electrification Group are helping to guide the future of transportation, including EVs, with commentary featured in outlets such as Auto News, WIRED, Kilowatt, E&E Newsand Fast Company. By analyzing the full-lifecycle impact of EVs, his team is able to answer real-world trade-offs and provides critical insights for policymakers and consumers alike, on topics such as:

• Manufacturing's Environmental Cost: The Vehicle Electrification Group analyzes the environmental impact of producing EV batteries-both the costs of EV adoption and how it is fundamentally pushing the U.S. to green its power grid.
• Grid and Infrastructure Strain: They study how widespread EV adoption will affect us, from the strain on our current electric grid to the environmental toll of battery manufacturing and driver behavior.
• Clarity on Policy: His work provides data-driven insights on the impact of expiring tax credits and the chaotic rollout of charging infrastructure.

2. Boosting Battery Power

Professor Reeja Jayanis tackling one of the most pressing challenges in energy: building a better battery. As a professor of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, her research focuses on using electromagnetic fields to control material synthesis at the molecular level, creating new coatings that can extend battery life and even enable cell regeneration. She talked about her unconventional path to science and entrepreneurship on the UnDisciplinedpodcast and regularly appears in media like Digital Trends, BuiltInand Auto News, to talk about a range of topics, such as:

• A New Approach to Energy Storage: The solid-state battery landscape is promising, with the potential to create more energy-dense batteries.
• Shaping the EV Industry: She is providing expert commentary on critical materials shaping the EV industry.

Pioneering Brain Science and Softbotics

3. The Future of Noninvasive Technology
Imagine a world where you could control a robotic arm with your brain, or where doctors could pinpoint a neurological issue without ever making an incision. This isn't science fiction, but the real-life goal of the work of Bin He, professor of Biomedical Engineering. His research in neural imaging and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) is set to redefine medical diagnostics and restore independence for patients.

• Remarkable Research:He and his team are using sophisticated engineering techniques to better understand and interact with the brain, leading to groundbreaking work in neural imaging, noninvasive neuromodulationand noninvasive brain-computer interfaces(BCI). In fact, his BCI work was recognized in STAT Madness 2025, where he made it to the Sweet 16!
• Noninvasive Breakthroughs: His lab is developing sophisticated engineering techniques that allow for a deeper understanding of the brain without surgery.
• Restoring Independence: Their research has the potential to create new ways to manage disease and give patients back control over their lives.

4. Hard Science on Softbotics

Carnegie Mellon has been at the forefront of robotics for over 40 years, and Mechanical Engineering Professor Carmel Majidiis continuing that legacy with his pioneering work in Softbotics. Majidi has provided commentary in places like BuiltIn, and his work has been featured on NPR's Science Friday, because his unusual soft robots are made from pliable materials that allow them to bend, stretch and flex, opening up a new world of applications.

• From Rigid to Flexible: By pioneering the use of gels and elastomers, he is able to create more adaptable and interactive robots.
• Real-World Applications: He is developing soft robots for a range of uses, including motor assistance, wearable technology and teleoperation.

Protecting Our Planet's Health

5. Studying Melting Glaciers

As the world's mountain glaciers shrink at an alarming rate, David Rounce, assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a leading expert on the cryosphere, is working to predict the downstream consequences for millions of people. Using models, fieldwork and satellite data, he quantifies the future impact on water resources and helps communities prepare for climate-driven hazards.

• More than Forecasts: Rounce leads the CryoTartansresearch group to provide actionable information to inform global adaptation and mitigation strategies.
• Translating Data into Warnings: He offers clear public warnings, as he did for CNN, to help people understand the growing risks of a changing climate, such as glacial lake outburst floods.

6. Uncovering Hidden Airborne Dangers

When ABC Newswanted to discuss the wider environmental impact of algae, they spoke with
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering Coty Jen. She is investigating a danger often overlooked in conversations about harmful algal blooms: the air. Her lab studies how the makeup of particles in the air, like dust and pollution, affect the quality of the air we breathe and Earth's climate.

• From Water to Air: In collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, her lab analyzes the complex gases released by these algae blooms.
• Creating Better Measurement Tools: Her lab is developing innovative, cost-effective instruments that make it easier to measure atmospheric particles, which, in turn, can inform safety standards for air pollution. Better data collection can also help make climate prediction models more accurate.

7. Engineering Better Materials for Everyday Life

Live Science, American Recyclerand the WSJ Buy Sidehave tapped Professor Michael Bockstallerbecause he is a materials scientist who not only designs polymer hybrids for advanced applications, like solid-state lighting and batteries, but also applies his expertise to everyday consumer issues. A professor of Materials Science and Engineering, he has offered insights on:

• Food Storage:He is identifying and studying what materials make the most environmentally-friendly food storage solutions.
• Beyond the Lab: Bockstaller applies his knowledge of materials science to solve everyday problems and provides guidance on topics like plastic recycling and the science behind common consumer products.

Building for a Connected World

8. Fighting Disinformation with Data

We all see how fast dis- and misinformation can spread on social media and shape public discourse. Kathleen Carley, a member of CMU's CyLab Security and Privacy Instituteand professor in the School of Computer Science, combines cognitive science, sociology and computer science to understand the ecosystem of online influence.

• Understanding the Ecosystem: She analyzes everything from bots and trolls to coordinated campaigns that mimic legitimate news sources to provide a deeper understanding of how disinformation spreads and shapes public discourse.
• Developing Defenses: With her research on digital dis- and misinformation, we can develop practical solutions that protect society from malicious actors and online manipulation.

9. Enabling a Hyper-Connected World

Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Swarun Kumarisn't just focused on faster Wi-Fi. He leads the Emerging Wireless Technologies (WiTech) Lab, where researchers are exploring new ways to develop and apply wireless technologies to daily life and enable a more highly connected world. His work is about more than speed-it's about creating new ways for wireless technologies to integrate seamlessly into daily life.

• Beyond the Basics: Kumar has been awarded for his novel techniques to extend the range of low-power networks.
• The Wireless Future: Kumar appeared on the Wavelengths podcastto discuss building the wireless future.

10. Developing Africa's Tech Future

For over a decade, Carnegie Mellon has been the only U.S. research university with full-time faculty and master's programs on the continent. But CMU-Africa, located in Rwanda, isn't just about classrooms-it's about empowering a new generation of engineers to tackle Africa's most pressing challenges.

• A Pan-African Network: Through Afretec, CMU-Africa is collaborating with other universities to drive innovation, create locally relevant tech solutions and foster a startup ecosystem.
• A Secure and Resilient Digital Future: CMU-Africa is also home to the Upanzi Network, a coalition of engineering labs working towards a secure and resilient digital transformation on the continent.
• Building the Backbone: The goal is not to just train students, but to help lay the technological foundation for Africa as it stands poised for unprecedented growth and innovation.

The pace of technological change happening these days can feel overwhelming. However, the research and insights from CMU engineers-as well as faculty and researchers across the university landscape-are essential. Their efforts are focused on developing the solutions to society's challenges to ensure a future we can all benefit from.

Key Takeaways

• Impactful Storytelling is a Partnership Sport: The most compelling narratives come from deep collaboration. By embedding ourselves with faculty and researchers and the university's communications team, we don't just report their work-we help them translate their expertise into stories that resonate with a global audience.
• From Lab to Headline, Our Job is to Bridge the Gap: Our core value lies in making the complex accessible. We take groundbreaking, often technical, research and give it context by highlighting its real-world impact. This is how we transform a scientific paper into a conversation starter.
• Building Trust, One Story at a Time: Establishing thought leadership is a long-term strategy. By consistently showcasing diverse expertise across a range of subjects, we position our clients not just as innovators, but as essential voices shaping the future of their fields.

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POSTED BY: Patricia Stapor, Brianne O'Donnell