As the academic year comes to a close, I am proud of the creativity and collaboration our student organizations continue to bring to the College of Engineering.
Throughout the year, student teams across the college, including Concrete Canoes and Rocket Canes, have come together to design, build, and test their ideas. The video below offers just one example of how they are turning their knowledge into action.
The same spirit will be on full display at our Senior Design Expo on April 28, when graduating seniors present their capstone projects. The expo represents the culmination of years of learning and hard work. I hope you can join us in person or tune in to our livestream.
Warm wishes,
Vincent Omachonu
Interim Dean, College of Engineering
University of Miami
Every year, students in the University of Miami College of Engineering’s American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) Student Chapter design, build, and race a concrete canoe, putting their engineering knowledge, teamwork, and performance-driven design skills to the test.
New National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award recipient Mingzhe Chen, an electrical and computer engineering assistant professor, is developing a new approach to wireless communication that focuses on sharing meaning, not just data. His research explores how AI-enabled networks can transmit only the information that matters, laying the groundwork for more efficient, intelligent wireless systems.
Biomedical engineering student Rachel Todebush has been selected as a 2026 Goldwater Scholar, a highly competitive national honor recognizing exceptional promise in STEM research. Her work in Type 1 diabetes research underscores the important role of undergraduate researchers in advancing biomedical innovation.
An interdisciplinary team, including civil and architectural engineering associate professor Prannoy Suraneni, created engineered concrete tiles that significantly improved the survival of young corals. By modifying the chemistry of materials already used in coral nurseries, the team showed a fourfold increase in early-stage coral survival.
SPOTLIGHT
Girl Scouts explore engineering
The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) student chapter hosted by Girl Scout Engineering Day, bringing Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida to the College of Engineering for a day of inactive design challenges, teamwork and problem-solving. The event gave scouts the opportunity to earn an “Engineering Day” patch while learning directly from engineering students.
BME doctoral student gains international recognition
Biomedical engineering doctoral student Dani Koble was selected to attend the 75th Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany, an international gathering that connects Nobel laureates with promising early-career researchers. Her work focuses on organ-on-chip technologies that model cellular behavior to support the development of more targeted medical treatments.
Student startup wins funding
A student-led team with roots in the College of Engineering earned $100,000 in funding through the University Student Startup Accelerator (USTAAR) for AldMD. Bringing together expertise across engineering, computer science, and medicine, the team has developed AI tools that help clinicians spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on patient care.
Engineering students took learning beyond the classroom during a visit to the Lowe Art Museum 🎨 Glass artist Tom Patti discussed how glass behaves as an engineered material, explaining how composition, fabrication techniques, and scale affect strength and durability 🧪. The visit helped connect materials concepts covered in class to real‑world application.
Our students made a strong showing at this year’s Graduate and Postdoctoral Research Symposium, presenting work across a range of engineering disciplines. They also showcased innovations in coral reef protection, metal additive manufacturing, and drug delivery systems, demonstrating the depth and
impact of engineering research at the U.🔬
Norman Einspruch (right, striped tie), dean of engineering and architecture, examines a model of buildings along Miracle Mile in Coral Gables (1970s)
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