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Every day, Americans rely on engineered systems such as bridges, buildings and offshore structures that are subject to extreme weather, earthquakes and a range of other conditions. Knowing how materials used in these systems respond to stressors is crucial to creating components that successfully and efficiently do the job. Engineers rely on mathematical models to predict how the materials they use will react to stressors. However, some “state-of-the-art” models for ductile metals that have been in place for years have…

Biologists and ecologists monitor wildlife to learn more about their behaviors, but tracking small creatures can be challenging, time-consuming and costly. Through a National Science Foundation grant, a multidisciplinary team at Northern Arizona University—led by Michael Shafer, associate professor of mechanical engineering; Carol Chambers, professor of wildlife ecology; and Paul Flikkema, professor of electrical engineering—has developed technology that could revolutionize the way this research is conducted through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Better yet, the scientists are freely…

Nearly four in 1,000 children are afflicted with cerebral palsy (CP), making it the most common cause of pediatric physical disability in the United States. This neurological disorder, typically caused by damage to the brain before birth, affects a child’s muscle control and coordination and often makes walking extremely difficult. What’s more, children with CP in Arizona, in both rural and urban areas, lack access to the basic treatment needed to prevent this ambulatory decline, which worsens as they grow…