Media Watch

Scientists urge to resist reliance on “bathtub modeling” of flood risk

Tech Explorist -
In a compelling commentary published in the American Geophysical Union journal Earth’s Future, researchers from the University of California, Irvine … call on scientists to more accurately model these risks and caution against overly dramatized reporting of future risks in the news media. …“Bathtub models can both overpredict and underpredict flooding,” said co-author Brett Sanders, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Professor of Civil & environmental Engineering. “One of the biggest causes of error is that bathtub models fail to accurately account for the systems in place to protect people and assets, including storm drains, levees, and pumping.” Read More
Smart Water Magazine

Scientists urged to pull the plug on 'bathtub modeling' of flood risk

Smart Water Magazine -
“Bathtub models can both overpredict and underpredict flooding,” said co-author Brett Sanders, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Professor of civil & environmental engineering. “One of the biggest causes of error is that bathtub models fail to accurately account for the systems in place to protect people and assets, including storm drains, levees and pumping.” Read More
AZO Materials

High-Resolution Spectroscopy Identifies Key Factors in Iron-Based Superconductivity

AZO Materials -
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have identified the atomic-scale mechanisms that improve superconductivity in an iron-based material. … “Our vibrational spectroscopy approach enabled us to achieve highly detailed imaging of the vibrations at the superconducting material’s interface with its substrate.” said Xiaoqing Pan, Study Lead Author and UC Irvine Distinguished Professor, Materials Science and Engineering. … The ultrahigh spatial and energy resolutions of state-of-the-art instruments at IRMI provide exceptional experimental data for theoretical analysis,” said Ruqian Wu, Study Co-Author and UC Irvine Distinguished Professor, Physics and Astronomy. Read More
PhysOrg

Scientists urged to pull the plug on 'bathtub modeling' of flood risk

Phys.org -
In a commentary article published in the journal Earth's Future, researchers at the University of California, Irvine … call on scientists to more accurately model these risks and caution against overly dramatized reporting of future risks in the news media. … "Bathtub models can both overpredict and underpredict flooding," said co-author Brett Sanders, UC Irvine Chancellor's Professor of civil & environmental engineering. "One of the biggest causes of error is that bathtub models fail to accurately account for the systems in place to protect people and assets, including storm drains, levees and pumping." Read More
PhysOrg

Scientists reveal superconductivity secrets of an iron-based material

Phys.org -
Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have uncovered the atomic-scale mechanics that enhance superconductivity in an iron-based material, a finding published recently in Nature. "Primarily emerging from the out-of-plane vibrations of oxygen atoms at the interface and in apical oxygens in STO, these phonons couple with electrons due to the spatial overlap of electron and phonon wave functions at the interface," said lead author Xiaoqing Pan, UC Irvine Distinguished Professor of materials science and engineering ... Read More

Reports highlight San Clemente, Dana Point beach troubles and restoration efforts

The Orange County Register -
Brett Sanders, a UCI professor of civil and environmental engineering, shared information from a study researchers conducted in nearby Dana Point. … The UCI research found sand placed by the county at south Doheny State Beach and Capistrano Beach last year was chipped away during tropical storm Hilary and winter storms, but much of it made its way back to shore to replenish beaches to the south and also created sand bars near shore. Read More

Deformable Crumpled Nano-ball Coatings with Adaptable Adhesion and Mechanical Energy Absorption for Lunar Dust Mitigation

NASA -
Sungwoo Nam, [professor  in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UCI states], “Lunar dust may seem unimposing, but it presents a significant challenge for space missions. Its abrasive and jagged particles can damage equipment, clog devices, and even pose health risks to astronauts. This project addresses such issues by developing advanced coatings composed of crumpled nano-balls made from atomically thin 2D materials such as MoS₂, graphene, and MXenes. … Ultimately, the project contributes to advancing materials science and paving the way for NASA’s long-term vision of sustainable space exploration.” Read More

Person Of Interest: To The Stars

Orange Coast Magazine -
Ronke Olabisi is an associate professor of biomedical engineering at UC Irvine and a team member of The 100 Year Starship, an interdisciplinary initiative for space travel. … “We all have access to so much technology at the tips of our fingers, and it’s largely a result of the advances that were made by trying to go to the moon.” … What is an area of focus in your current research for the project? “One of the things I’m doing is bone growth and regenerative tissue research. … There are so many things about space exploration that can benefit us here on Earth in ways that we don’t realize.” Read More
The Wall Street Journal

Meet Musk’s Fixer, the Powerful Executive Reshaping Tesla

The Wall Street Journal -
“I focus on wherever the problem is, so a lot of firefighting,” [Omead] Afshar said at an alumni event in 2019 at the University of California, Irvine. “If there’s an issue, that’s where I am. Usually when people see me, they’re not always happy because it means there’s a problem.” … Afshar … graduated from the University of California, Irvine, where he studied biomedical engineering … Read More

IROS 2024 Concludes In Abu Dhabi, Drawing Record-Breaking 10,000 Participants

Day of Dubai -
Dr. Magnus Egerstedt, Dean of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, delivered the closing plenary session on ‘From Coordination to Collaboration in Multi-Robot Systems,’ providing insights into advancements in multi-robot coordination inspired by ecological models. Read More

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