University of Houston Engineers Unveil AI Model for Predicting, Controlling Pandemic Spread
A team of engineers at the University of Houston has published a study in the journal Nature on how international air travel has influenced the spread of COVID-19 around the world.By using a newly developed AI tool, the team identified hotspots of infection linked to air traffic, pinpointing key areas that significantly contribute to disease transmission. “Our work provides a robust deep learning-based tool to study global pandemics and is of key relevance to policymakers for making informed decisions regarding air traffic restrictions during future outbreaks,” said Hien Van Nguyen, lead researcher and associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.
University of Houston Researchers Awarded New Funding for Superconductivity Project
Researchers at the Texas Center for Superconductivity and the Department of Physics at the University of Houston have received second-year funding from Intellectual Ventures, a global leader in the business of invention, to continue their important study of the retention at atmospheric pressure of high-pressure-induced/enhanced superconductivity. The project, which has been awarded $767,000 to date, is led by Paul C. W. Chu, T.L.L. Temple Chair of Science, professor of physics and founding director of the TcSUH, and Liangzi Deng, assistant professor of physics and a new TcSUH principal investigator.
From Houston to Scotland: Seed Grants Boosting Shared Energy Solutions and Innovations
The University of Houston and Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University have awarded seed grants to six innovative energy projects as part of their transatlantic research collaboration. The projects, which bring together researchers from both universities, focus on cutting-edge solutions ranging from advanced hydrogen sensing technology to converting waste into sustainable products. “This partnership is rooted in a shared commitment to advancing research that supports a just energy transition,” said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president for energy and innovation at UH.
Artificial Intelligence Drives Development of Cancer Fighting Software
University of Houston researchers and their students are developing a new software technology, based on artificial intelligence, for advancing cell-based immunotherapy to treat cancer and other diseases. CellChorus Inc., a spinoff from the University of Houston, is commercializing the UH-developed Time-lapse Imaging Microscopy In Nanowell Grids™ platform for dynamic single-cell analysis with label-free analysis. Now they’ve received a $2.5 million grant from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health to fast-track the development of an advanced “label-free” version of this technology in partnership with UH
NASA Awards UH $1.2 Million to Strengthen Diversity in STEM and Aerospace Engineering
NASA is awarding the University of Houston $1.2 million to grow diversity initiatives in STEM and aerospace-related engineering fields and address barriers to access and success for historically underserved and underrepresented students. The award is for a project called the Partnership for Inclusivity in Engineering Education and Research for Space, also known as PIE 2RS, a synergistic collaboration between UH, UH-Clear Lake, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the Boeing Company and the Greater Houston Partnership.
UH Energy Hydrogen Symposium Report Highlights Gulf Coast Hydrogen Ecosystem Opportunities and Challenges
The University of Houston’s Division of Energy and Innovation recently released an in-depth report titled “The Gulf Coast Hydrogen Ecosystem: Opportunities and Solutions,” following a similarly titled symposium focused on developing a successful Gulf Coast hydrogen ecosystem. The symposium hosted last spring by UH Energy, an umbrella for the University’s energy initiatives and programs, brought together industry experts, policymakers, and academics to explore the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy source.