McKelvey School of Engineering

One in three American adults has high blood pressure. Jessica Wagenseil, DSc, associate professor of mechanical engineering, is investigating how mechanical properties of the cardiovascular system contribute to this widespread disease.

The Department of Energy has awarded the Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center (PARC) $14.4 million for continuing research on natural and bio-inspired systems for harvesting the sun’s energy. The center, which is hosted by Washington University in St. Louis, was one of 32 projects selected for funding from among more than 200 proposals and one of only 22 to receive second-round funding.

As of June 1, 2014, Leading Together: The ­Campaign for Washington University had raised $1.547 billion toward a minimum goal of $2.2 billion.

A project to provide low-cost eyeglasses for people in the developing world and one to develop a cell-death detector will share $25,000 to further develop their projects as winners of the 2014 Discovery Competition. Washington University in St. Louis’ School of Engineering & Applied Science created the competition in 2012.

That the WUSTL-connected contingent comprises 40 percent of this year’s Arch Grant winners is no surprise to H. Holden Thorp, PhD, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Get an up close look at the eight WUSTL-affiliated 2014 Arch Grant winners.

Washington University’s Bear Cub program is funding four innovative projects that have commercial potential. Pictured is William G. Hawkins, MD, who is developing a new treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Interdisciplinary student teams presented innovations designed to solve problems in health care at IDEA Labs’ Demo Day last month. Engineering student Matthew Burkhardt (seated) won a summer internship through the university’s Skandalaris Center to continue developing his team’s invention. His teammates are (from left) Yuni Teh, Katrina Leyden, Adina Stoica and Elizabeth Rosenberg.​

The Gephardt Institute for Public Service selected eight sophomores for its fourth cohort of the Civic Scholars Program. Civic Scholars enroll in two years of academic coursework related to civic leadership and are mentored to prepare for a life dedicated to public service. They also carry out a civic project the summer before their senior years.

More than a dozen distinguished individuals will speak at Commencement-related events later this month for graduates and their friends and families. The weeklong celebration culminates at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 16, with WUSTL’s 153rd Commencement ceremony in Brookings Quadrangle.​​