PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

University of Oklahoma engineer receives NSF CAREER Award to advance gas sensing technologies

University of Oklahoma engineer receives NSF CAREER Award to advance gas sensing technologies
2024-03-26
(Press-News.org) NORMAN, OKLA. – Binbin Weng, Ph.D., an engineering professor at the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award presented to early-career faculty with the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. The $497,370 grant will fund his project “Enabling New States of Light in Mid-Wave Infrared Photonics for Gas Sensing Applications.”

Weng says there is a growing demand for distributed gas sensing networks capable of continuously monitoring gas threats on a broad scale. However, current technologies face significant challenges in size, power consumption and cost-effectiveness, hindering their widespread adoption in modern sensor network scenarios.

“My research focuses on developing gas sensors, crucial for monitoring environmental hazards, safeguarding human health and securing infrastructure. Take Oklahoma, for instance, where oil and gas production leads to unavoidable methane leakage, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing this issue requires continuous monitoring, as large leaks occur intermittently. Current solutions, like expensive handheld devices or infrequent satellite scans, are inadequate. A more effective, continuous monitoring approach is needed,” Weng said.

The CAREER award expands on Weng’s existing Department of Energy-funded research that focuses on enhancing the detection and mitigation of methane and natural gas emissions. OU researchers have devised a high-performance mid-infrared phototonic sensing solution for establishing a scalable, ongoing monitoring network for methane emissions in the Anadarko Basin, an oil and gas production basin in the United States.

Building on these advancements, Weng has set three main objectives for his latest research grant. He hopes to improve mid-wave infrared lights by using special control techniques through a scientific method known as active resonant grating. The technique is designed to make the lights work more effectively and produce more power efficiently, he says. Additionally, Weng plans to use a cheaper, more straightforward method to create better materials for infrared cameras in gas sensing networks. The improved materials will make the cameras work even better without needing extra cooling. Weng’s work also entails designing special pathways for sensing gases on computer chips. These pathways will help to solve some problems with how the chips detect gases, like when the chip’s structure isn't perfect or when it is hard to make the chip exactly as needed.

To receive a CAREER award, recipients must give back to the community. Weng plans to use his award to aid STEM education, particularly for rural teachers. His outreach program will involve undergraduates, especially minorities, in photonics research. Learn more about Weng’s laboratory.

###

Photo Cutline:

Binbin Weng, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to study gas sensing technologies.

About the project:

The project, titled “Enabling New States of Light in Mid-Wave Infrared Photonics for Gas Sensing Applications,” began March 1, 2024, with funding expected through Feb. 28, 2029. The project is jointly funded by the National Sciences Foundation’s Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems division and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research as part of award #2340060.

About the University of Oklahoma:

Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. OU was named the state’s highest-ranking university in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent Best Colleges list. For more information, visit www.ou.edu.

 

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
University of Oklahoma engineer receives NSF CAREER Award to advance gas sensing technologies University of Oklahoma engineer receives NSF CAREER Award to advance gas sensing technologies 2 University of Oklahoma engineer receives NSF CAREER Award to advance gas sensing technologies 3

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

More than meets the eye: Researchers uncover the microbial secrets of dry eye

More than meets the eye: Researchers uncover the microbial secrets of dry eye
2024-03-26
Researchers have used advanced sequencing technology to determine how the mix of microbes present in patients with healthy eyes differs from the mix found in patients with dry eye. The new work could lead to improved treatments for various eye problems and for diseases affecting other parts of the body.   Microbial communities in and on our body — collectively referred to as the human microbiota — play an essential role in keeping us healthy. Although many studies have focused on microbial communities in our gut, understanding the microbiota present in other body sites is critical for advancing our knowledge of human health and developing targeted interventions ...

Researchers identify microbes that help plants thwart parasite

Researchers identify microbes that help plants thwart parasite
2024-03-26
Bacteria that could help one of Africa’s staple crops resist a major pest have been identified by researchers at the University of California, Davis. Their findings, published March 26 in Cell Reports, could improve yields of sorghum, a mainstay of food and drink in West and East African countries. About 20 percent of Africa’s sorghum crop is lost due to witchweed (Striga hermonthica), a parasitic plant that steals nutrients and water by latching onto the plant’s roots. In the new study, UC Davis researchers show that soil microbes induce changes in sorghum roots that make the plant more resistant to infection by witchweed. They ...

Late surgical repair for preterm babies born with inguinal hernia shows better results compared to early repair, study finds

2024-03-26
Delaying surgical inguinal hernia repair in preterm infants until after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) appears to reduce the likelihood of serious adverse events, according to researchers at UTHealth Houston.  A study led by first and corresponding author Martin L. Blakely, MD, MS, MMHC, professor of surgery and pediatrics with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, analyzed the safety of early versus late surgical repair for preterm infants born with an inguinal hernia. The findings were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).  “The biggest question we wanted ...

Two plant extracts with potential as GLP-1 agonist weight loss pills are identified by AI-based analysis

2024-03-26
*Note - This is an early press release from the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2024) Venice 12-15 May. Please credit the Congress if using this material* Two plant compounds with potential as GLP-1 agonist weight loss pills have been identified in an AI (artificial intelligence)-based study, the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2024) (Venice 12-15 May), will hear. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists such as semaglutide and tirzepatide are highly effective at helping people lose weight.  By mimicking the action of a hormone ...

nTIDE March 2024 deeper dive: Gender employment gap narrows among people with disabilities post-COVID

nTIDE March 2024 deeper dive: Gender employment gap narrows among people with disabilities post-COVID
2024-03-26
East Hanover, NJ – March 26, 2024 – The shifting landscape of post-COVID-19 employment highlights a reduction in the gender employment gap among individuals with disabilities, a trend not observed among those without disabilities, according to last Friday’s National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) Deeper Dive Lunch & Learn Webinar. While men and women with disabilities have similar rates of employment, the data do not address whether women with disabilities in the workforce have lower-quality ...

New genetic analysis tool tracks risks tied to CRISPR edits

New genetic analysis tool tracks risks tied to CRISPR edits
2024-03-26
Since its breakthrough development more than a decade ago, CRISPR has revolutionized DNA editing across a broad range of fields. Now scientists are applying the technology’s immense potential to human health and disease, targeting new therapies for an array of disorders spanning cancers, blood conditions and diabetes. In some designed treatments, patients are injected with CRISPR-treated cells or with packaged CRISPR components with a goal of repairing diseased cells with precision gene edits. Yet, while CRISPR has shown ...

Curbside collection improves organic waste composting, reduces methane emissions

2024-03-26
URBANA, Ill. – Most organic household waste ends up in landfills where it generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Composting food and garden waste instead of sending it to landfills can significantly reduce methane emissions and help mitigate global warming. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explores the effects of curbside compost collection programs in New South Wales, Australia. “Governments around the world are interested in composting organic waste and reducing their methane emissions, and they are looking for ways to make ...

Job flexibility and security promotes better mental health among employees

2024-03-26
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, 2024 Contact: Jillian McKoy, jpmckoy@bu.edu Michael Saunders, msaunder@bu.edu ## Job Flexibility and Security Promotes Better Mental Health A new nationwide study indicates that workplace policies that provide stability and flexibility to employees boosts overall well-being and encourages workers to seek health services when they need it. Employment is a recognized determinant of health, and different aspects of a job can be beneficial or deleterious to mental health. Job flexibility and job security, in particular, are key factors that contribute to employees’ ...

Researchers find energy development and tree encroachment impact Wyoming pronghorn

Researchers find energy development and tree encroachment impact Wyoming pronghorn
2024-03-26
While Wyoming is home to some of North America’s most abundant populations of pronghorn that have largely been stable in recent years, a new analysis shows that many herds are experiencing long-term declines in fawn production. Those declines are primarily a result of oil and gas development and encroachment of trees, according to researchers from the University of Wyoming, the University of Florida, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Arkansas and the Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory. Their findings have been published in the journal Global Ecology and ...

Researchers show that introduced tardigrade proteins can slow metabolism in human cells

Researchers show that introduced tardigrade proteins can slow metabolism in human cells
2024-03-26
University of Wyoming researchers have gained further insight into how tardigrades survive extreme conditions and shown that proteins from the microscopic creatures expressed in human cells can slow down molecular processes. This makes the tardigrade proteins potential candidates in technologies centered on slowing the aging process and in long-term storage of human cells. The new study, published in the journal Protein Science, examines the mechanisms used by tardigrades to enter and exit from suspended animation when faced by environmental stress. Led by Senior Research Scientist Silvia Sanchez-Martinez in the lab of UW Department of Molecular Biology Assistant Professor Thomas Boothby, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New method to steer electricity in atom-thin metals may revolutionize devices

New study: Powerboats can impact lakes below the surface

Plan, prepare, conquer: predicting mountain accident risks with deep learning and pre-climb data

New ancient marine reptile species discovered in Germany's famous Jurassic fossil beds

Psychedelics and non-hallucinogenic analogs work through the same receptor, up to a point

​​​​​​​The Lancet: Plastic pollution is an underrecognised threat to health, experts warn as they launch a project to track plastics’ health impacts and monitor progress

The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics to track impact of plastic production and pollution on human health

Announcing The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics

Study unexpectedly finds living in rural, rather than urban environments in first five years of life could be a risk factor for developing type 1 diabetes

Editorial urges deeper focus on heart-lung interactions in pulmonary vascular disease

Five University of Tennessee faculty receive Fulbright Awards

5 advances to protect water sources, availability

OU Scholar awarded Fulbright for Soviet cinema research

Brain might become target of new type 1 diabetes treatments

‘Shore Wars:’ New research aims to resolve coastal conflict between oysters and mangroves, aiding restoration efforts

Why do symptoms linger in some people after an infection? A conversation on post-acute infection syndromes

Study reveals hidden drivers of asthma flare-ups in children

Physicists decode mysterious membrane behavior

New insights about brain receptor may pave way for next-gen mental health drugs

Melanoma ‘sat-nav’ discovery could help curb metastasis

When immune commanders misfire: new insights into rheumatoid arthritis inflammation

SFU researchers develop a new tool that brings blender-like lighting control to any photograph

Pups in tow, Yellowstone-area wolves trek long distances to stay near prey

AI breakthrough unlocks 'new' materials to replace lithium-ion batteries

Making molecules make sense: A regional explanation method reveals structure–property relationships

Partisan hostility, not just policy, drives U.S. protests

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: August 1, 2025

Young human blood serum factors show potential to rejuvenate skin through bone marrow

Large language models reshape the future of task planning

Narrower coverage of MS drugs tied to higher relapse risk

[Press-News.org] University of Oklahoma engineer receives NSF CAREER Award to advance gas sensing technologies