Impact of UW Engineering research
Our work directly improves how people live, work and thrive. Across the College of Engineering, we put engineering in the service of humanity.
Environment
Understanding wildfires
As wildfires grow more frequent and intense, engineering researchers are developing new technologies to protect firefighters and communities from immediate and long-term dangers.
Health and medicine
Advancing cancer treatments
Our researchers are developing cancer treatments that not only destroy tumors but also promote healing, paving the way for more effective therapies with fewer side effects.
Community
Sensing solutions
By partnering with the Yakama Nation, our engineers have developed a new sensor to make roads safer — demonstrating how community-driven solutions can improve transportation for all.
Sustainability
An alternative to plastics
Our researchers are transforming coffee grounds and mushroom spores into compostable materials, offering a sustainable alternative to plastics and a new way to reduce waste.
Manufacturing
Charging up electric vehicles
By improving electric vehicle batteries and technology, our engineers are working with companies like Ford and GM to help the U.S. stay competitive in clean energy and create high-paying jobs.
Artificial intelligence
Spotting diseases with AI
Our researchers are using AI to analyze medical images and detect systemic diseases like lupus and diabetes earlier — enabling more accurate diagnoses and better patient care.
Food manufacturing
Juming Tang
Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Frank Jungers Endowed Chair of Industrial & Systems Engineering
A globally recognized food engineer, Juming Tang has developed FDA-accepted preservation technologies that make ready-to-eat meals safer and more nutritious and have a longer shelf-life. Now, he's working to build smart food processing and distribution systems using AI-powered, decentralized processing hubs — aiming to reduce waste, save energy and deliver higher-quality food to more people.
Reducing methane
Mary Lidstrom
Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering and Microbiology
Former UW Vice Provost for Research
A leader in microbial research, Mary Lidstrom is driving a national effort to reduce atmospheric methane using a unique strain of methane-eating bacteria. Her team is developing bioreactors that could remove the potent greenhouse gas at scale — transforming it into useful byproducts like animal feed and advancing climate solutions grounded in science.
Assistive technologies
Kim Ingraham
Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Kim Ingraham develops personalized, adaptive control strategies for wearable robots — like exoskeletons and powered wheelchairs — that respond to human movement. Blending robotics, biomechanics and machine learning, her work aims to enable mobility and independence for people with disabilities, especially children, by advancing assistive technologies toward real-world use.
Where ideas come to life
Visit some of the labs, centers and institutes where our researchers are pursuing solutions to improve the quality of life for all.
