This Thin Device Can Store Energy, Strengthen Structures and Be Recycled

August 20, 2026

Engineers developed a new type of supercapacitor that can do more than store electricity — it can also provide structural support and be quickly disassembled into reusable parts. It could offer a more sustainable approach to energy storage for lightweight electric vehicles. Full Story

Simulated Reality, Real Benefits

August 19, 2026

When first-year students at UC San Diego School of Medicine step into the Professional Development Center to do their first simulated patient interactions, they don’t meet a mannequin or a computer program. They meet a person — a simulated patient who is trained to portray everything from new?onset chest pain to a difficult conversation about recurrent cancer. The center is also a frequent collaborator for faculty at Jacobs School of Engineering, including engineers developing humanoid robots and other technologies to streamline surgery and various medical procedures. Full Story

From Wearable Sensors to Printed Placentas

August 19, 2026

 Lindsey Burnett, MD, PHD, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences (OBGYN & RS) in the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine and director of the Pelvic Health After Birth Program at UC San Diego Health, teamed up with Ken Loh, PHD, TaylorMade Golf Chancellor’s Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Structural Engineering at UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, to investigate whether progressive weight?bearing exercise can protect the pelvic floor. The researchers received a 2025 Galvanizing Engineering in Medicine award from the Institute of Engineering in Medicine for their Biomechanical Monitoring for Birth Injury Prevention pilot study. Full Story

Inexpensive Reflective Tiles Pave the Way for Cost Effective Millimeter Wave Wireless Communications

August 18, 2026

Inexpensive custom tiles designed by electrical engineers at UC San Diego can be used to reflect millimeter wave signals in ways that address path obstruction and improve wireless network coverage. Full Story