college of engineering

Aerial image shows cities as a pattern of lights sprawling across a wide area

Nov 19, 2025

How a New Modeling Method Could Make Energy Systems More Efficient – Even in an Uncertain Future

The new method helps policymakers determine which parts of an energy system have the biggest impact and merit extra attention.

blurred image shows code streaming across a computer screen

Nov 17, 2025

Researchers Unveil First-Ever Defense Against Cryptanalytic Attacks on AI

Security researchers have developed the first functional defense mechanism capable of protecting against “cryptanalytic” attacks used to “steal” the model parameters that define how an AI system works.

Stock image of a colorful and dynamic textile.

Nov 14, 2025

Research Round Up: Responsive Materials

NC State University leads the development of responsive materials engineered to sense and react to stimuli in exciting, innovative ways. Remarkably versatile, these advanced materials can harvest energy from friction, self-repair structural damage, assemble themselves into electronic devices — and more.

three AI-generated illustrations for childrens stories are displayed next to each other

Nov 13, 2025

How Parents and Kids Really Feel About AI-Generated Images in Children’s Books

Parents and kids raised some concerns about errors in the AI-generated illustrations.

Nov 6, 2025

Study: Composite Metal Foam Could Lead to Safer Hazmat Transportation

Composite metal foam can withstand tremendous force – enough to punch a hole in a railroad tank car – at much lower weight than solid steel.

Oct 27, 2025

High Levels of Short-Chain PFAS Found in Wilmington Residents’ Blood

High levels of ultrashort-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were found in blood samples taken from Wilmington, N.C. residents between 2010-2016.

An image of digital renderings of tiny fossils, ranging from black and white to a prism of colors.

Oct 23, 2025

Tiny Fossils, Big Tech

At NC State University, a team of researchers is using cutting-edge 3D modeling and artificial intelligence to solve a tricky problem: sorting microscopic fossils no bigger than a grain of sand.

diagram shows how a metabot can fold itself from a two-dimensional sheet into various multi-dimensional structures

Oct 15, 2025

‘Metabots’ Shapeshift From Flat Sheets Into Hundreds of Structures

The metabots resemble animated sheets of plastic, capable of moving around a surface or grasping objects.

Oct 13, 2025

Improved Cough-Detection Tech Can Help With Health Monitoring

The advance makes it easier to monitor chronic health conditions and predict health risks such as asthma attacks.

A step-by-step diagram shows how a two-dimensional sheet can be cut and folded to create a three-dimensional shape that resembles a Chinese lantern

Oct 10, 2025

‘Chinese Lantern’ Structure Shifts Into More Than a Dozen Shapes for Various Applications

The rapid shape-shifting behavior of the structures can be controlled remotely using a magnetic field.

NC State metal gateway sculpture silhouetted against the sky

Oct 8, 2025

Designing Polymers for Use in Next-Generation Bioelectronics

New research offers insights into how to fine-tune the electronic properties of polymers for use in applications such as implantable electronics and light-harvesting technologies.

a laptop computer streaming green text sits on a table in a dark room

Oct 8, 2025

Hardware Vulnerability Allows Attackers to Hack AI Training Data

Researchers have identified the first vulnerability that allows attackers to compromise the data privacy of AI users by exploiting the physical hardware on which AI is run.

a pair of hands holds a small pile of fine, tan powder.

Oct 7, 2025

Engineers Develop Solid Lubricant to Replace Toxic Materials in Farming

Farm equipment used to plant seeds relies on solid lubricants, but existing solid lubricants pose toxicity concerns. Researchers have created a new lubricant that works better and is nontoxic.

A person holds two small blocks of steel metal foam.

Oct 7, 2025

Some Like It Hot: Composite Metal Foam Proves Resilient Against High Stresses at High Temperatures

Coupled with the material’s high strength-to-weight ratio, the finding suggests that CMF could be used in applications ranging from automobile engines to aerospace components to nuclear power technologies.

An info graphic showing safe distances for trees and plants around a house to protect against wildfires.

Oct 1, 2025

Wildfire Risks From Hurricane Helene, One Year Later

NC State’s NCICS is collaborating with the North Carolina Forest Service, the US Forest Service and other agencies to address wildfire risks. If this year’s drier conditions persist in the western part of the state, counties that have barely begun to rebuild and recover one year after Hurricane Helene could face another climate crisis.