Researchers at the University of Rhode Island are developing “smart” nanoparticles capable of self-assembly and direction. Because the potential benefits of this technology are so far-reaching, they building interdisciplinary partnerships with colleagues across the University.
In the medical field, intelligent particles can be used as a drug delivery system for cancer patients. The particles will attack only cancerous cells and bypass healthy ones. Nanoparticles made of specific metal molecules also can detect complex medical conditions by latching onto cells and acting as beacons as physicians test for disease.
Chemical engineering Professor Arijit Bose and Associate Professor Geoffrey Bothun are leading teams to develop safer alternatives to oil dispersants used after a spill. Nanoscience may also hold the key to detecting pollutants in our environment. URI Researchers are studying micro- and nanoplastics and how they behave in in coastal environments. They are also in the early stages of developing a new sensing approach for detecting PFASs and other substances. Assistant professor, Yi Zheng, is using nanoscience to contribute to renewable energy technology by looking at nanoscale thermal transport and its relationship to solar energy harvesting and radiative cooling.Our mission is to grow scientific knowledge and translate that into information, products or processes that benefit society. This can only be done through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Associate Professor, Geoffrey Bothun
COE Alum Tania Silva de Oliveira Gives Graduate Commencement Address May 19 - Tania Silva de Oliveira is a chemical engineer and an analytical research scientist at a Boston-based global pharmaceutical company that develops drugs to treat some of the world’s most serious conditions.
Never a Dull Day for College of Engineering’s Michael Platek - As an electrical materials research engineer, there’s no such thing as a typical day for Michael Platek. Among many other responsibilities, Platek makes sure some of the most sophisticated and expensive research equipment at URI works properly.
Familiar Surroundings for College of Engineering’s Newest Professor - It normally takes new faculty time to meet their colleagues and get familiar with their surroundings. There was no such learning curve for Irene Andreu, who became an assistant professor of chemical engineering at URI this fall.
Faculty
Simon Ostrach Professor
Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering
401.874.2283 – shuklaa@uri.edu