Amazon’s senior manager of worldwide real estate engineering, Andy Balk, B.S. industrial and manufacturing engineering ’98, operates at the core of the company’s global effort to electrify its entire fleet of delivery vans.

Specifically, he’s responsible for ensuring that the European operational support network — which includes distribution hubs and fulfillment centers — is ready for the elemental shift in how the company transports goods. The changeover is a central component of Amazon’s pledge to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Can you harvest energy from your rain gutter? Can you recoup energy by mounting a wind turbine on the front of a Bronco? Can you build a knife-throwing machine?

These are the kinds of questions that inspire Quint Crispin, B.S. manufacturing engineering ’00, to create YouTube videos that illustrate the math behind engineering principles and document the process of iterating on an idea.

When we think about our health, we are likely to think about the food we eat, activities we do, and hours we sleep each night. But the buildings we spend time in – our homes, schools, and workplaces – also have a huge effect on our health.

For example, just look at two recent crises, said Parichehr Salimifard, assistant professor of architectural engineering–mechanical engineering track and Culbertson Faculty Scholar.

A smart compost bin being developed at Oregon State University could help to make a dent in a multibillion-dollar problem: More than one-third of all food produced in the U.S. goes uneaten. “At every other step of the agricultural supply chain, food waste is tracked, measured and quantified,” said Patrick Donnelly, assistant professor of computer science, who is leading the project.

To increase opportunities for engineering students planning to join the construction industry, the College of Engineering joined forces in 2021 with the OSU Foundation, the Construction Education Foundation, key donors, and construction industry advocates to create the Construction Industry Empowerment Scholarship Program. The program provides a three-year, $30,000 commitment to fund high-achieving, first-generation engineering students committed to joining the construction industry and who face significant financial need, starting in their second year.