College of Engineering News
Career Compass Recognized with 2021 ABET Innovation Award
As Career Compass enters its fifth year, Frank Falcone, the College’s director of Professional Development and Experiential Education, reflects on the program’s successes, as recognized by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) with its 2021 Innovation Award.
Extracting Value from the Air
Though less prevalent than oxygen and nitrogen, argon—air’s third most abundant component—plays an important role in industry, including the production of silicon wafers. Recovering argon from air is an expensive process, and for the past five years, with a sponsored research grant from Air Products and Chemicals, Villanova’s Dr. Charles Coe has investigated new, cost-effective means for achieving this separation. His team’s findings have led to two U.S. patents and related publications.
Entrepreneurial Engineering Student’s Business Supports Campus Organizations
Joseph Zinno, a rising senior in mechanical engineering, has spent the past two years nurturing his business venture, Rooted Designs, which sells engraved Villanova keychains, magnets, coasters and more. Rooted in the communities he is part of, Joe donates 20% of every sale to a Villanova charity chosen by the customer.
CubeSat Club and AIAA Launch Villanova’s First Weather Balloons
In early May, two groups of Villanovans launched the University’s first weather balloons. For the CubeSat Club, the goal was to test the radio beacon and ground station antenna they built last year on the roof of Tolentine, and gather telemetry readings including pressure, altitude, temperature, and humidity.
First Commercial-Scale Wind Farm in the U.S. Would Generate Electricity to Power 400,000 Homes
The Vineyard Wind project is part of a larger push to tackle climate change, with other offshore wind projects along the east coast under federal review. Sustainable Engineering’s Karl Schmidt speaks to the impacts and the value of a life cycle assessment for wind energy initiatives.