Earth has a natural thermostat that has kept the planet habitable for more than a hundred million years. Scientists have struggled to fully explain how it works, but new research identifies a missing link between phosphate availability and sea level. Temperature influenced the size of polar ice sheets and sea level. Sea level changes drove the availability of this nutrient and controlled how much carbon was buried in the ocean, which in turn regulates how much carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere and how warm or cool the planet runs.

Ěýco-authored byĚý, professor of Earth and environmental sciences in the University’s , traces how fluctuating sea levels and dissolved oxygen content controlled the availability of phosphate in the ocean and atmospheric carbon dioxide accumulation stretching across the last 60 million years. The research was published in .

“We know that atmospheric carbon dioxide decreased substantially as Earth cooled over the last 60 million years, but we have had remarkably little understanding of where that carbon ended up,” says lead authorĚý, professor of Earth sciences at the University of Oxford,Ěý. “Our results suggest that enhanced burial of organic carbon in marine sediments played a much more important role than was previously appreciated.”

The key to the study is phosphorus, specifically phosphate, an essential nutrient for marine life that the researchers describe as a previously “invisible” piece of the puzzle. At high sea levels, broad continental shelves efficiently trapped phosphate in shallow sediments, starving the open ocean of the nutrient. With less phosphate available, marine productivity declined, less organic carbon was buried on the seafloor and the ocean became well-oxygenated—while carbon dioxide built up in the atmosphere.

As sea levels fell, that dynamic reversed. Shrinking shelves released more phosphate into the water column, fueling a bloom in marine life. As that organic matter sank and decomposed, it consumed oxygen from the water until low-oxygen zones began to emerge. When those low-oxygen zones extended into contact with carbon-rich shelf sediments, they triggered a feedback loop in which oxygen-poor conditions caused more phosphate to be released from sediments, driving further organic carbon burial and pulling CO2 out of the atmosphere.

“Our co-author, Christian Bjerrum, studied the connection among sea level, ocean oxygen and phosphate with a computer model two decades ago,” Lu says. “We finally pieced together the geologic records necessary to test this hypothesis.”

The researchers identified a sea-level “sweet spot,” roughly 10 to 40 meters above modern sea level, where this feedback was most powerful. At that range, oxygen minimum zones overlapped precisely with the organic-rich sediments of the continental shelf, maximizing carbon burial for millions of years at a time. The team matched these patterns against 60 million years of geological data, including carbon isotope records, phosphorus accumulation rates in deep-sea sediments and a novel iodine-to-calcium proxy developed to reconstruct past ocean oxygen levels.

Lu’s lab conducted the iodine-to-calcium measurements, a technique that uses the chemistry of ancient foraminifera, microscopic marine organisms preserved in seafloor sediments, to reconstruct oxygen conditions in the ancient water column. Samples were analyzed using a mass spectrometer at Syracuse University, funded by the National Science Foundation.

The Eocene epoch, which lasted from roughly 56 to 34 million years ago, stands out as a period when this carbon burial mechanism was effectively switched off. Sea levels were at their highest, shelves were flooded, phosphate was efficiently buried in shallow sediments and the ocean was highly oxygenated. Without the feedback loop, carbon accumulated in the atmosphere and the planet remained warm.

Over geological time, the study proposes, the zone for carbon burial has narrowed as oxygen minimum ranges have deepened—a process that has progressively stabilized both atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide. The oscillations between carbon burial and atmospheric accumulation have grown more muted, making Earth’s climate system increasingly resilient.

Key Takeaways From the Study:

• Phosphate, an essential nutrient for marine life, acted as a hidden regulator of Earth’s carbon cycle for the last 60 million years — but how it plays this role exactly has not been fully understood.
• Sea level controlled how much phosphate was available in the open ocean, which determined how much carbon was buried in seafloor sediments and how much carbon dioxide accumulated in the atmosphere.
• A sea-level “sweet spot” — roughly 10 to 40 meters above modern levels — maximized carbon burial for millions of years at a time, acting as a natural brake on warming and helping drive Earth’s transition to today’s cooler climate.

The research was conducted with collaborators at the University of Oxford (Rickaby andĚý) and the University of Copenhagen ()Ěýand was supported by two National Science Foundation grants.

The new findings build on a body of research from Lu’s lab using the iodine-to-calcium proxy to reconstruct past ocean oxygen conditions. An earlier study, published in January inĚýNature Geoscience, used the same technique to reveal thatĚý—the exact reverse of today’s pattern—and that a planetary tipping point hundreds of millions of years ago flipped that distribution.

University researchers with groundbreaking ideas in semiconductors, microelectronics or advanced materials are invited to apply for an entrepreneurship-focused hybrid course offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program through Syracuse University this fall. The virtual course, which runs through September and October, includes an opportunity for an in-person immersion experience at SEMICON West, North America’s premier microelectronics conference, in San Francisco in October.

Interested working individual researchers and innovators .

The course provides hands-on entrepreneurship training and one-on-one coaching tailored to researchers working in far-reaching sectors that are critical to the next generation of semiconductor innovation. Successful applicants will be researchers working on solutions to enhance the performance and efficiency of electronic devices with applications to semiconductors across industries including big chip fabrication projects, consumer electronics, automotive, telecommunications, healthcare, artificial intelligence hardware and high-power materials.

Applications might range from 3D integrated circuits, system-on-chip integration and computing chips for tasks like pattern recognition, learning and sensory processing. Big data and machine learning innovations are also of interest, as well as conventional semiconductor design and manufacturing applications. The course benefits anyone interested in being part of the research, design, commercialization and supply chain associated with these industries.

Offered jointly by Syracuse University and Cornell University as part of the Interior Northeast I-Corps Hub (IN I-Corps), this NSF-sponsored course is open to faculty, postdocs, Ph.D. and master’s students, undergraduates and community-based startups working on semiconductor-related technologies with commercial potential.

Syracuse’s NSF I-Corps program is a partnership between and . The Syracuse Center of Excellence () serves as tech scout for the program.

The course opens for pre-course work on Monday, Sept. 21, and will follow this schedule:

Virtual:

Session 1: Monday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon

Session 2a: Wednesday, Sept. 30 (individual mentoring sessions)

Session 2b: Friday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to noon

Session 3: Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon

Session 4: Wednesday, Oct. 7 (individual mentoring sessions)

In-person at SEMICON West in San Francisco:ĚýĚý

Tuesday, Oct. 13, through Thursday, Oct. 15

Virtual wrap-up:

Session 6: Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon

Teams selected to participate may receive up to $5,000 in travel reimbursement, enabling participants to conduct in-person customer discovery interviews and attend specialized workshops during SEMICON West. Participation in this conference provides unmatched exposure to global industry leaders, cutting-edge technologies and potential collaborators or customers. Conference attendees include executives, engineers, startups and policy leaders shaping the future of chips.

Participants who complete regional courses may be eligible to receive lineage and a letter of recommendation for theĚý which includes a $50K grant).ĚýLearn more about courses here: and .

For questions about this SEMICON course, contact Linda Dickerson Hartsock, advisor for strategic initiatives for Syracuse University Libraries, at ldhart01@syr.edu

The blueprint for a better building may be hiding beneath the forest floor.

To design sustainable, weather-resistant structures, is studying the fungal networks that span thousands of acres underground—among the most expansive living organisms on Earth.

Mycelium is the fiber network behind fast-growing mushroom colonies that can span miles. Its underground strands connect to transfer water, nutrients and minerals, helping mushrooms grow and eventually emerge aboveground.

Qin’s research explores how these natural fibers can be harvested, grown and engineered into high-performing materials that could reshape how we construct buildings for generations to come.

“We focus on how these mycelium fibers grow and flourish and how those fibers can be used to replace a lot of the synthetic polymers,” says Qin, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering in the . “We then apply that knowledge to the fundamental mechanics behind designing the internal structures of buildings to make them lighter, stronger and more resistant to dynamic forces like impact from earthquakes.”

From the Forest Floor to the Laboratory

Qin’s team begins its work at the most fundamental level, with a single spore. Researchers introduce mushroom spores into a carefully prepared growing medium then use time-lapse imaging to monitor how the fibers grow, branch and connect.

By adjusting such environmental conditions as humidity, temperature and substrate stiffness, the group can influence how quickly and densely the mycelium network develops.

Once the network reaches maturity, it becomes a natural adhesive.

When introduced to biomass materials like wood chips or sawdust, mycelium fibers grow into the gaps between particles and bind everything together, functioning like a biological version of wood glue without any synthetic chemicals.

“The beautiful thing is you don’t need to use glue or any synthetic adhesive,” Qin says. “Instead, you just use this natural fiber system to bind biomass together, and it spontaneously grows.”

The result is a material that resembles medium-density fiberboard but is produced entirely from natural components.

Qin calls the bonding process “biowelding,” a technique that effectively joins wood components the way welding joins steel, but without heat, chemicals or combustion risk.

To optimize the recipe for these composite materials, Qin’s lab uses artificial intelligence. Because biomass sources vary widely in particle size and chemical composition, no single equation can reliably predict the best combination of pressure, temperature and material inputs.

Instead, the team runs large-scale experiments and uses machine learning tools to identify which variables produce the lightest, strongest and most durable results.

“Using machine learning and AI is a very powerful tool that helps us understand these complex systems and figure out the correlation between this complex structure and the performance of the materials in that structure,” Qin says.

A Greener Way to Insulate

One of the most promising applications of Qin’s research involves building insulation, and Qin has discovered that mycelium insulation avoids many of the traditional negatives associated with current insulation options like fiberglass, cellulose and polystyrene.

Mycelium comes from a renewable source that is petroleum-free and possesses a much smaller carbon footprint than other insulation choices. Qin’s research has also shown that mycelium provides effective insulation while allowing the building to breathe.

“It’s a sustainable source, a green material,” Qin says. “It’s also safer and cheaper for scaled manufacturing purposes.”

In collaboration with mechanical and aerospace engineering colleagues and and , an assistant professor in the School of Architecture, Qin is developing mycelium-based insulation panels specifically designed for building retrofits, targeting older houses across New York state that have proven to be energy inefficient.

In 2024, the University received $846,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop and demonstrate MycoCore, a product aimed at addressing a lack of low-carbon insulated façade systems for deep energy retrofits through a unique panelized solution manufactured with engineered bio-composites using regional agri-waste. Wilson serves as the principal investigator, while Qin, Bing and Jensen are co-principal investigators.

Mycelium research at the University began in 2019 with the interdisciplinary Mycelium Research Group—formed from internal research seed funding—examining mycelium building materials as one objective within the Architecture-led exploratory project.

Filtering the Air We Breathe

When Qin arrived at Syracuse University from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he created the , a research group studying biomechanics and biomaterials to improve the efficiency and performance of building materials.

His research earned Qin a in 2022. But in the beginning, while Qin recognized the benefits of using mycelium as an adhesive, he didn’t realize the mushroom’s unique network structure could also address air filtration challenges.

Working with Zhang and mechanical and aerospace engineering colleague , Qin’s lab is now exploring how mycelium materials can be integrated into heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to capture airborne particles and absorb chemical gases that slowly release from synthetic wood products, furniture and paint.

“Once we start to collect samples and put them in the microscope, we see this unique complex network structure,” Qin says. “Once we do the mechanical testing, we see how this complex network connects to the mechanical, thermal and many material responses. At that point, we start to explore many different applications.”

This work is supported by a Center of Excellence faculty fellowship Qin received last year.

Qin credits the NSF CAREER grant with allowing his team of student researchers to spend four years exploring mycelium’s potential.

“We knew mycelium can be used as an adhesive, but we knew much less about the insulation or the air filtering implications,” Qin says. “The NSF CAREER grant really allowed us to explore the fundamental scientific applications found in mycelium while discovering all of the related applications. It was a game changer.”

Three Syracuse University students have been awarded prestigious graduate research fellowships through the , and one student has been recognized with an honorable mention.

The fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in STEM, social sciences and STEM education in the U.S. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support, with an annual stipend of $37,000 and a $16,000 educational allowance. Students can apply as rising seniors, recent graduates or first-year graduate students.

The 2026 recipients of the NSF GRFP are the following:

• Julia Fancher ’26, a physics major and applied mathematics major in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and member of the RenĂ©e Crown University Honors Program;
• Daniel Hettrick, a first-year Ph.D. student in anthropology in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and
• Gabe Suarez, a first-year Ph.D. student in theoretical physics in A&S.

Eadin Block ’26, a physics major and Spanish language, literature and culture major in A&S, received an Honorable Mention in this year’s competition.

Julia Fancher

Fancher, a University Scholar, Goldwater Scholar and two-time Astronaut Scholar, was gifted a copy of “Rise of the Rocket Girls,” a book about the women “human computers” who worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, when she was in middle school.

“I was instantly captivated by the stories of these women who discovered new insights into our universe through math and physics, and I knew that I wanted to do the same,” she says. To kickstart that path, she actively pursued the STEM resources her school district and community had available.

During her first year at Syracuse, she joined Professor Eric Coughlin’s high-energy astrophysics lab, where she researches tidal disruption events, in which a star is destroyed by the tidal field of a supermassive black hole. Her research has been published internationally and earned several awards.

Her second research project was a collaboration between Coughlin’s lab and local high school students through the Syracuse University Research in Physics summer program. She has also mentored students internationally.

Fancher plans to pursue a Ph.D. in astrophysics and become a professor conducting research in theoretical high-energy astrophysics.

“The NSF GRFP will provide me with the resources necessary to continue pushing the forefront of astrophysics research while nurturing the next generation of scientists,” she says. “I want to ensure that students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to explore their interests and are encouraged to pursue careers in STEM just as I was.”

Daniel Hettrick

Hettrick’s research centers on the cultural resilience of the Kootznoowoo Tlingit, a Native Alaskan nation in Southeastern Alaska, during the period following the United States’ purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.

Hettrick’s dissertation focuses on the former Tlingit summer village of Killisnoo, Alaska, occupied from 1867 to 1928. Using a holistic historical anthropology approach, he combines archaeological excavation, artifact analysis, ethnohistory, oral histories and Indigenous community collaboration to investigate how the Kootznoowoo Tlingit selectively adopted, adapted and rejected Russian and American cultural, religious and economic institutions—all while preserving a distinct Tlingit identity.

His commitment to preservation was deepened through firsthand experience. He visited historic Orthodox churches in Sitka and spoke directly with Tlingit Orthodox Christians while conducting research as an undergraduate. Those conversations also complicated his assumptions: learning that community members held a genuine sense of pride in inhabiting both Indigenous and Orthodox identities pushed him to think more carefully about how people navigate multiple, seemingly contradictory cultural frameworks.

Hettrick is committed to building reciprocal relationships with the Angoon Tlingit before and throughout his research. He recognizes that access to a community’s history, particularly one that has faced exploitation by both the state and academia, must be earned through demonstrated respect, humility and a genuine exchange of value. His long-term goal is to make collaborative, community-centered archaeology the standard rather than the exception.

Gabe Suarez

Suarez works with Professor Alexander Maloney on three-dimensional quantum gravity. His path to theoretical physics was unconventional: raised in rural Danville, Kentucky, he began working as an apprentice electrician at 14, not because the work fascinated him, but because it sharpened a way of thinking he would carry into physics.

“If a system is logical, and you’re honest with yourself about what you do and don’t understand, you can reason your way to the answer,” he says. That principle guided him through self-studying general relativity as a sophomore, completing five graduate courses as an undergraduate and being named Physics Senior of the Year at the University of Kentucky.

His senior thesis furthered a systematic categorical framework for Ward’s conjecture, a 1985 proposal that all integrable systems descend from a single universal gauge theory structure. He is quick to note that the conjecture’s value lies in its proof techniques, not its statement: the algebraic geometry and category theory required to settle it are precisely the tools modern fundamental physics increasingly demands. The tools connect directly to his Ph.D. work on how semiclassical Einstein gravity emerges from ensembles of conformal field theories.

Beyond research, tutoring his brother helped him learn that a teacher’s real job is showing someone they can learn, then stepping back. He has since carried that philosophy into recitation teaching, K-12 outreach and a return visit to his own rural high school, where he spoke to students who, like his younger self, may not yet see theoretical physics as a path available to them.

In addition to their faculty mentors, Fancher, Hettrick, Suarez and Block all worked with the University’s (CFSA) to prepare their applications.

Students interested in learning more about or applying for the next NSF GRFP award cycle or any other nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships should visit theĚýĚýor emailĚýcfsa@syr.eduĚýfor more information.

The (NSF) has awarded $45 million over three years for phase two of theĚý,Ěýa regional initiative in which Syracuse University is a core partner.

Launched in 2024, the initiative aims to make upstate New York a national hub for battery technology by bringing together researchers, entrepreneurs and workforce trainers to develop the next generation of batteries—the kind that will power electric vehicles, store renewable energy on the grid and strengthen national security. It’s led by and includes partners (RIT), , , and .

“Syracuse University is proud to be a core partner in advancing battery technology research, building workforce pathways and strengthening the upstate New York economy,” says , vice president for research. “The success of the Engine’s Energy Storage Workforce Development Network in the first phase has contributed to a regional innovation ecosystem that connects innovation to talent development and economic growth across upstate New York. We look forward to working with our Engine partners to build on this success in the years ahead.”

In phase two, the Engine will focus on developing safer, more cost-efficient next-generation battery systems; integrating artificial intelligence into materials discovery and manufacturing; and deepening partnerships with regional corporations and the defense sector. A new advanced battery safety testing facility, the first of its kind in the Northeast, is set to open at RIT this summer.

Phase two will also see the expansion of workforce development programs, with a particular emphasis on preparing the next generation of engineers and scientists to meet growing industry demand. The Engine may receive up to $160 million in total NSF funding over 10 years, with an additional $16 million in matching funds from .

Since its launch, the Engine has supported 15 industry-academia research teams, served more than 300 learners through its workforce development network and funded more than 15 high-tech battery startups. Those startups have attracted more than $20 million in follow-on funding in the past year alone.

and the hosted students, researchers, industry leaders and government officials this week for the , putting Central New York’s rapidly expanding semiconductor and quantum technology ecosystem on display.

Held under the theme, “New York State Talent and Technology—Shaping the Future,” the daylong event at Goldstein Auditorium drew participants from NNN partner institutions across the state and from sponsors including , , , , and .

The University has made significant investments to anchor the region’s semiconductor and nanotechnology future. It also leads the for the , a federally designated consortium accelerating semiconductor innovation across Central New York. Together with , the University invested $20 million to build the (CASM) to train the next generation of semiconductor technicians and engineers.

Through the University’s , nearly 500 veterans have enrolled in semiconductor workforce training programs. The University also holds a $1 million NSF ExLENT grant providing adult learners, including mid-career professionals and veterans, with hands-on exposure to semiconductor, quantum and optical technologies. And the University’s now includes 18 faculty across three departments, with the 8,000-square-foot Quantum Technology Center expected to open this summer.

A Major PartnerĚý

“The investments Syracuse has made in facilities and faculty have positioned us to be a major partner to industry,” says University Vice President for Research . “Our faculty and labs allow our students to gain the skills that employers need. Events like the NNN Symposium are where students meet the people who will hire them, where faculty learn what industry needs and where the connections are made that turn research training into careers.”

Keynote addresses came from , chief business officer of GlobalFoundries and a Syracuse University engineering alumnus; , senior vice president and executive director of and , senior director of U.S. expansion programs for Micron. A workforce development panel brought together representatives from , , , and . Student researchers from NNN partner universities across the state presented their work in oral and poster formats, followed by a career fair connecting students directly with hiring companies.

Forefront Future

“The innovation and collaboration on display shows that Central New York is at the forefront of America’s nanotechnology and semiconductor future,” says Ěýinnovation concierge, NY SMART I-Corridor, workforce development pillar lead for the Upstate NY Energy Storage Engine and director of strategic partnerships for Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. He and Yoanna Ferrara, director of technology innovation in the Office of Research, organized the symposium. “We will carry this momentum forward by continuing to deepen partnerships between upstate New York universities, industry leaders and government to strengthen New York’s semiconductor ecosystem.”

Farzana Rahman, associate teaching professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), hasĚý received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CSforAll award to expand access to next-generation computing education for high school students across Central New York. Endadul Hoque, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science,Ěý serves as co-principal investigator on the project.

The NSF CSforAll program supports initiatives that broaden participation in computer science by increasing access to high-quality, inclusive computing education. This award focuses on addressing persistent challenges faced by high school educators in teaching rapidly evolving computing topics— such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, algorithmic bias and accessible software design—by providing experiential, classroom-ready learning resources and sustained teacher support.

Led in collaboration with Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester, the project will adapt and evaluate accessible learning labs (ALL). The project will use browser-based, sandbox-style virtual computing labs for effective integration into grades 9–12 curricula. These labs are designed to be easily adopted and customized to fit diverse classroom contexts, lowering technical and resource barriers for teachers and students alike.

At ECS, Rahman and Hoque are leading community-focused efforts that emphasize close collaboration with local schools and districts, including Jamesville-DeWitt, Fayetteville-Manlius, Lafayette, Christian Brothers Academy and the Syracuse City School District, as well as regional Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) partners. Together, these partners will engage in iterative co-design, classroom implementation and continuous evaluation to ensure the labs align with real instructional needs.

“As computing technologies continue to shape every aspect of society, it is critical that high school students have early, meaningful exposure to these topics,” says Rahman. “This project allows us to work directly with local educators to co-create accessible, hands-on learning experiences, while also strengthening Syracuse University’s relationships with the school districts in our community. By strengthening partnerships with local school districts, this work also helps create a sustainable pipeline for students to pursue undergraduate programs in ECS.”

A key component of the project is teacher professional development. The team will host summer professional development workshops in summer 2026 and summer 2027, providing high school teachers with training, curricular support and implementation strategies to integrate these experiential labs into their classrooms. Ongoing co-curricular engagement will further support sustained adoption beyond the workshops.

“This award enables us to build long-term research–practice partnerships with local schools,” says Hoque. “By supporting teachers and engaging students early, we are helping to create a strong computing ecosystem, one that not only benefits K–12 education, but also builds pathways into higher education and careers in computer science.”

In addition to advancing high school computing education, the project contributes to research on experiential learning in computer science (CS), assessing its impact on student engagement, confidence and instructor readiness. All developed materials will be made open-access, supporting broader adoption nationwide and advancing the goals of the national CS for All movement.

Syracuse University is accepting through Wednesday, Jan. 28, for its I-Corps Regional Course for Startups, a month-long virtual program designed to help research-driven teams accelerate the commercialization of their tech innovations. The virtual course runs from Feb. 23 through March 25, and is targeted at teams affiliated with community-based incubators or innovation ecosystems.

Teams that want to collaborate with the University or other National Science Foundation I-Corps Northeast Interior Hub partner institutions or other regional universities are strongly encouraged to apply. This program is ideal for teams already working with university researchers in community-based or university-based incubators. University faculty and student researchers who are commercializing technology are encouraged to apply. Space is limited.

NSF I-Corps courses are designed for teams from academic institutions, research organizations and innovation hubs to empower researchers with the tools, skills and strategies needed to bring technological innovations to market. Eligible projects must be beyond the idea stage and can range from validated scientific discoveries to prototype or early manufacturing efforts.

Syracuse University’s program is part of the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps ecosystem, a nationally recognized network that helps researchers bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and real-world applications. Through hands-on activities, live virtual sessions and one-on-one mentoring, participants engage in intensive customer discovery, learning how to identify the strongest product–market fit for their technology or research project. Teams will test assumptions, refine their value propositions, assess the commercial potential of their technologies and receive feedback and guidance from NSF-trained instructors.

Participation in the program positions eligible teams for potential nomination to the national I-Corps Teams program and for NSF I-Corps lineage. It can also serve as a pathway to federal grant opportunities such as NSF SBIR/STTR, which provide up to $2 million in non-dilutive funding to help bring research-based innovations to market, as well as to private investment.

The Syracuse University–hosted course is offered through the Interior Northeast I-Corps Hub (IN I-Corps), funded by the NSF and led by Cornell University in collaboration with partner institutions including Dartmouth College, Rochester Institute of Technology, the University at Buffalo, Binghamton University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Rochester, the University of Vermont and West Virginia University. The NSF I-Corps program at Syracuse is led through a cross-campus collaboration by Syracuse University Libraries, the Whitman School of Management and the Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering (CASE).

, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to design an AI-enabled robot that can conduct safe, efficient roof inspections.

A hybrid drone that can land on and navigate around a building roof, the robot is designed to switch seamlessly between flight mode and legged mode. This technology allows for safe and detailed roof inspections, an often hazardous construction task that can lead to falls, injuries, and even fatalities.

“As part of this project, we’re developing a new aerial-legged robot that can both fly and walk,” says Liu. “The idea is that the robot can take off like a drone, land on a roof and then switch into legged mode to carefully navigate around obstacles. By combining multiple sensing technologies – cameras for vision, LiDAR for mapping and tactile feedback for surface contact – the robot can build a rich understanding of its environment and make intelligent decisions in real time.”

Liu, an expert in construction robotics and human-robot interaction, joined the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) in 2024 after completing a Ph.D. in architectural engineering at the Pennsylvania State University. He also holds master’s degrees in electrical engineering, robotics and civil engineering.

“Roof inspections are one of the riskiest jobs in construction, and our aim is to reduce the hazards workers face while also making the process faster and more accurate,” Liu says. “Instead of having a person climb onto a roof, the robot can do the job autonomously and provide detailed inspection data.”

“We’re also partnering with construction companies to test the robot in actual worksites, which will give us valuable feedback on how it performs outside the lab. Beyond the technical side, we’re planning workshops and outreach programs to introduce students to AI and robotics in civil engineering. We hope this project inspires the next generation of engineers to see how advanced technologies can make construction both safer and smarter.”

“Dr. Liu’s research exemplifies our department’s commitment to both rigorous scholarship and practical application,” says CEE Department Chair Andria Costello Staniec. “This project not only advances our understanding of AI technologies, it also delivers real-world impact that will protect workers and has the potential to transform construction industry safety practices.”

This collaborative three-year grant was awarded through NSF’s Foundational Research in Robotics program. Liu will serve as principal investigator, working with collaborators from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, as well as ECS mechanical and aerospace engineering professors Amit Sanyal and Zhenyu Gan, who will serve as co-principal investigators.

G’05, G’08, assistant teaching professor in the , a National Science Foundation (NSF) Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) award for quantum and semiconductor upskilling. Hasanovic will develop an education program to give adult learners hands-on preparation for semiconductor, optics and quantum technology careers.

NSF’s ExLENT program is designed to support experiential learning opportunities in emerging technology fields. The program is especially focused on eliminating barriers to STEM education for adult learners by providing training programs that lead to new career pathways.

Professor Hasanovic’s program, Quantum and Semiconductor Upskilling for Career Change through Experiential Education Deployment in Central New York (Q-SUCCEED-CNY), will span six semesters and offer training on specific technologies, interactive demonstrations, industry talks and mentorship. Workshops will take place in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate working adults. Each semester-long cohort program will conclude with a five-day immersive bootcamp covering topics like clean room protocols, semiconductor processes, optical measurements and laser applications.

“This was truly a collaborative effort, and I express my deepest gratitude to all the internal and external partners who contributed to this proposal,” says Hasanovic. “I look forward to working with them—not only on this project, but on future efforts that aim to build a stronger regional tech workforce. By connecting adult learners with emerging technologies and real industry pathways, we’re not just preparing individuals for new careers—we’re investing in the long-term economic strength and innovation potential of Central New York.”

“This award strengthens Syracuse University’s growing leadership in semiconductor and quantum education and research,” says Alex Jones, Klaus Schroder Endowed Professor and the chair of electrical engineering and computer science. “Alongside our increasingly recognized activities in areas such as artificial intelligence and wireless communications, Professor Hasanovic’s program further positions the University at the forefront of innovation in the nation’s most critical technologies.”

Hasanovic has extensive experience in teaching and program development for quantum-enabled technologies, as well as a long career in radio-frequency engineering and design. Q-SUCCEED-CNY builds on the success of EdQuantum, an NSF-funded curriculum Hasanovic created for photonics technicians, and other Syracuse University programs for semiconductor workforce training.

In addition to creating the EdQuantum program, Hasanovic has authored several electrical engineering textbooks and manuals. With both a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and an MBA from Syracuse University, he is uniquely equipped to develop collaborations between industry and academia.

Hasanovic will lead Q-SUCCEED-CNY as Principal Investigator (PI), with support from Jones and Professor Prasanta K. Ghosh as Co-PIs. The program is an interdisciplinary effort, integrating career coaching through the College of Professional Studies, and will also leverage partnerships with Onondaga Community College, the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, Jubilee Homes, Westcott Community Center and other regional businesses and community-based organizations.

Baobao Zhang, associate professor of political science and Maxwell Dean Associate Professor of the Politics of AI, has received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award for $567,491 to support her project, “Future of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Current and Future Workers.”

The NSF CAREER Award is one of the most prestigious early‑career recognitions from the foundation, supporting faculty who integrate outstanding research and education. Zhang’s study will explore how generative AI is transforming American workplaces—examining its effects on worker productivity, job satisfaction and skill development.

Zhang joined the faculty in 2021. She serves as a senior research associate with the and the Campbell Public Affairs Institute. Her research focuses on trust in digital technology and the governance of AI, studying public and elite opinions toward AI, and how institutions adapt to technological change.

She received earlier recognition for her contributions to AI governance, including the Public Voices Fellowship on Technology in the Public Interest (2023-24) and the Schmidt Futures AI2050 Early Career Fellowship (2022). Her work has been published in journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Nature Human Behavior, and she co‑edited the volume, The Oxford Handbook of AI Governance.

“Professor Zhang’s work on the governance of artificial intelligence exemplifies the Maxwell School’s strength in addressing timely, real‑world issues,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “This NSF CAREER Award not only acknowledges her exceptional early‑career scholarship but also furthers our mission to equip future policymakers with tools to navigate an economy that is increasingly shaped by AI.”

When materials are forced into new shapes, a tipping point can shift them from flexibility and resilience to failing or breaking. Understanding that tipping point is at the core of Jani Onninen’s research. He has received a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to explore challenging mathematical problems of predicting how materials change under stress.

, a professor in theĚý, is drawing on two fields of mathematics—geometric function theory and non-linear elasticity—to understand how and why materials fail under certain conditions.

“Imagine a blacksmith shaping hot metal,” Onninen says. “Each hammer strike creates a small deformation. Early on, each deformation is reversible. You can undo it and return to the original shape. But as the blacksmith continues hammering, the sequence of deformations approaches a limit where this reversibility breaks down. This signal tells us something critical. The blacksmith should stop—before the material reaches conditions conducive to forming a crack.”

Materials in the Real World

Traditional mathematical models use “Sobolev homeomorphisms” to describe a material when it deforms and collapses. These models assume two things. One, the material can return to its original shape (it’s “invertible”). Two, the deformation follows the path that uses the least energy. When these models show that a deformation can’t do these two things, it’s a warning signal that the material could fail.

In real life, however, materials don’t always behave according to these ideal mathematical models.

Materials tend to use the least amount of energy possible when they change shape. But sometimes the most efficient or “energy-saving” ways a material might deform don’t fit current math equations. So, researchers are trying to learn the most energy-efficient ways for a material to go from one shape to another.

Warning Signs Before Failure

At the heart of this research is the challenge of understanding and modeling more complex elastic deformations, as well as identifying warning signals in mathematics before materials reach their breaking point.

Onninen, in collaboration with former University postdoctoral researcher Ilmari Kangasniemi, has developed a new framework—the theory of quasiregular values—and achieved breakthroughs, including solving the Astala–Iwaniec–Martin uniqueness problem and providing fresh insights into Picard’s theorem, a foundational result in mathematics from the 1870s.

Onninen’s work is theoretical, studying what happens beyond the boundaries of current mathematical models. But basic research can lead to practical advances years or decades later. Eventually it could have applications in engineering, manufacturing and other fields to learn how much stress a material can handle. This could have implications for understanding wear and tear in infrastructure, like roads and bridges, clothing materials, such as cloth and plastics, and vehicle materials, like metals and plastics.

Building the Next Generation

The NSF grant will also support the training and mentorship of graduate students and early-career researchers, ensuring the continuation of this cutting-edge research.

“Some of the most exciting progress I’ve made has come from working closely with colleagues—sharing ideas, challenging each other and building something new together,” Onninen says, emphasizing the collaborative nature of mathematical discovery.

This latest grant marks Onninen’s seventh standard NSF award since joining the University.

“The mathematics department is thrilled that Professor Jani Onninen has received this prestigious NSF award, recognizing his groundbreaking work,” saysĚý, professor and department chair. “His research continues to elevate the department’s profile and provides outstanding opportunities for our graduate students to participate in cutting-edge research, fostering their development as the next generation of scholars.”

Story by John H. Tibbetts