Research and Economic Development

It all started when computer science majors Siena Ha and Nate Brennan arrived late to UC Riverside’s Highlander Orientation in the summer of 2018. They quietly walked into Bourns Hall minutes apart, taking seats in the back to minimize the disruption and finding themselves sitting beside each other. “It was at this moment we introduced ourselves and first met,” Brennan said.

Millions of women undergo episiotomies during childbirth every year, yet the mechanics behind these surgical cuts remain largely unstudied. A new research project is poised to change that, addressing this significant gap in women’s healthcare.

One is harnessing the power of yeast. Another is profiling maliciousness. A third is using electromagnetic levitation to create new metal alloys.  Sci-fi characters? No. Award-winning doctoral students? Yes! 

​UC Riverside engineering associate professor Fudong Liu will oversee a multidisciplinary team spanning academia and industry that has been awarded a $6 million federal grant to develop advanced catalytic technology to reduce Earth-warming methane pollution in the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG). With additional financial support from the participating universities and companies, the project will total $7.5 million.