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CUE 2006

Robert H. Davis, Dean and Patten Professor

From the Dean

Engineers are needed today more than any time in our nation's history. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has shown that our basic infrastructure (buildings, utilities, etc.) is vulnerable to natural as well as man-made disasters. The recent rise in energy prices has reminded us (once again) of the need for improved energy conservation and efficiency and for the development of stable, long-term energy resources. Fears of bird-flu pandemic have heightened the need for improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Scientists and engineers are taking the lead roles in solving these national and global challenges.

In this issue of CUEngineering, I am pleased to share with you a sampling of the creative work done by University of Colorado faculty and students to address national and global challenges in three areas:

Biotechnology and Bioengineering – CU-Boulder's Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology includes plans for a new building to bring life scientists and engineers together to provide a systems approach to challenges in health care and biorenewable energy. Examples include the development of cell-replacement therapy for treating neurodegenerative illnesses like Parkinson's disease, and the use of computational genomics to provide a better understanding of how cells and proteins function (p. 8). I also urge you to read the article about employing biomechanics to create a prosthetic foot for amputees.

Renewable Energy – We are proud that our Solar Decathlon team has won both national competitions (in 2002 and 2005) to design, build, and operate a fully solar-powered house. As the defending champs prepare for the next competition, the focus will be on designs and systems that can be used in the residential home market. I also encourage you to read about fascinating research to use "rectenna" arrays as environmental sensors or to harvest ambient energy for low-power electronics such as recharging a pacemaker.

Sustainable Infrastructure – Closely related to our efforts in renewable energy are new approaches to sustainable building design, to integrate buildings with the natural environment and improve ventilation and energy efficiency. CU engineering students and faculty are also serving a variety of communities by working on environmental and sustainability challenges such as protecting drinking water from acid mine drainage and providing solar lighting and water purification for remote communities.

I am sure that you will enjoy reading the articles in this issue of CUEngineering, and I would welcome hearing from you about how we can make our world better.

Sincerely,

Robert H. Davis
Dean and Patten Professor
robert.davis@colorado.edu
http://engineering.colorado.edu