Materials Engineering News

#GINNing Podcast: The Jeremy Henderson Experience

Austin Phillips | 04/17/26

Jeremy Henderson, a communications and marketing specialist in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering who served as the cohost of this #GINNing podcast, was born March 19, 1979. He left us too soon on April 17, 2026. No, Jeremy’s not dead, but he’s moving on to become the new senior manager for editorial and media relations for Auburn University’s Office of Communications and Marketing. Today, we’ll have one last chat with the velvet voice from Vestavia and look back on the man who helped build the best podcast in all of higher education. Buckle up… this is the Jeremy Henderson Experience.

$Chanho Lee, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, holds a newly designed and fabricated refractory multi-principal element alloy sample prepared for a mechanical property test.$

NSF backs Auburn-led research into rewriting rules of metallic materials

Jeremy D Henderson | 03/30/26

Structured metals can be really strong at high temperature — a good thing. Or they can be somewhat pliable at room temperature — also a good thing. But they can't be both. That's just how the game is played... for now.

A rendering of the entrance to the Analytical, Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Laboratory and expanded makerspace, featuring a new terraced entrance off the Ginn Concourse.

Auburn to construct world-class engineering lab, expand nation’s largest student-run makerspace

Jeremy D Henderson | 02/13/26

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering will begin construction this spring on a world-class laboratory designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, creativity and industry-relevant research in advanced manufacturing that will also expand the Design and Innovation Center, commonly known as the makerspace.

Siyuan Dai (pictured) leads an Auburn materials engineering team whose breakthrough nanophotonics research was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

Tiny Steps, Big Discovery: Auburn materials engineers make high-profile breakthrough in nanophotonics

Jeremy D Henderson | 02/05/26

Researchers in Auburn's Materials Research and Education Center are revolutionizing the discipline of nanophotonics one small step at a time — literally.

The latest ranking marks six consecutive years in the top 20 and a full decade in the top 25.

Auburn Engineering jumps two spots to No. 18 in latest U.S. News online graduate program rankings

Karen Hunley | 01/27/26

The latest ranking marks six consecutive years in the top 20 and a full decade in the top 25.

American Chemical Society funds Auburn materials engineering research into ‘holy grail of catalysis’

Jeremy D Henderson | 01/05/26

Assistant materials engineering professor Konstantin Klyukin is after the holy grail.

AUSome Science in 60 Seconds overall graduate winner Md Mijanur Rahman, left, and undergraduate winner Cade May.

Students' awesome research ideas celebrated at college's third AUSome Science in 60 Seconds

Joe McAdory | 11/03/25

Presented by the Council of Engineering Graduate Students, AUSome Science in 60 Seconds tasked students to create videos and explain their projects in one minute or less.

The Grand Engineering Challenges event, held in the Brown-Kopel Center Grand Hall, is organized by the college’s Office of Recruitment, Outreach and Scholarships, and it draws hundreds of students to campus each year.

Auburn’s Grand Engineering Challenges combines fun and learning for K-6th grade students

Austin Phillips | 10/15/25

Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering hosted more than 220 K-6th grade students Tuesday, Oct. 14, as part of its Grand Engineering Challenges event.

Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering honored faculty and staff, including Tyler Patterson (pictured), senior application systems analyst in the Office of Engineering Communications and Marketing.

Faculty, staff recognized at Engineering Research Awards banquet

Joe McAdory | 09/12/25

The awards recognize outstanding contributions that exemplify innovation, collaboration and real-world impact

NSF funds Auburn materials engineering research into combining light and matter

Jeremy D Henderson | 08/25/25

The National Science Foundation’s Division of Materials Research (DMR) has awarded Siyuan Dai, associate professor and Ginn Faculty Achievement Fellow in the Department of Materials Engineering, a $600,000 grant to explore ways of fusing light and matter that are literally opening new dimensions in nano-optics.

Zihe Gao, left, and Pengyu Chen are pioneering quantum imaging techniques to reveal hidden molecular details on exosomes—tiny cellular messengers—advancing cancer detection and earning national recognition in the NIH Quantum Sensing Technology Challenge.

Auburn Engineering researchers advance to Stage 2 of NIH/NCATS Quantum Sensing Technology Challenge

Joe McAdory | 08/18/25

Zihe Gao and Pengyu Chen created a cutting-edge imaging method for cancer detection that advanced to Stage 2 of the NIH/NCATS Quantum Sensing Technology Challenge.

#GINNing Podcast: All We Do Is Chen

Jeremy D Henderson | 08/15/25

In the field of rapid immunodiagnostics, one name lights up the sensors more than any other — Pengyu Chen.

The Ginn Family, including (L-R) Matt, Ann, Sam, Samantha and Mike — made the largest single commitment to scholarships in Auburn University history.

Auburn University Samuel Ginn College of Engineering’s namesake and family commit $30 million to scholarships

Austin Phillips | 07/30/25

The namesake of Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and the Ginn Family Foundation has committed $30 million to the college to establish a new scholarship program, marking the largest single commitment to scholarships in Auburn University history.

NSF highlights Auburn’s leading research in biomedical sensor technology

Jeremy D Henderson | 07/24/25

The NSF's confidence in Pengyu Chen's transformative research into rapid immunodiagnostics was well-placed.

The flying car designed and developed by Alef Aeronautics.

Auburn mechanical engineering doctoral student spending summer developing flying cars

Jeremy D Henderson | 07/08/25

They promised us flying cars. Ehsan Vaghefi is trying to hold them to it.

AUSME compiles publicly available research data — including faculty publication records, citation metrics, co-author networks and academic backgrounds — into interactive, easy-to-navigate profiles.

College launches novel internet tool designed to foster research collaboration across multiple disciplines

Joe McAdory | 07/03/25

AUSME is a searchable, artificial intelligence-powered tool that transforms how researchers discover one another, form collaborations and pursue complex, cross-disciplinary challenges.

Graduate School dean named as chair of Department of Mechanical Engineering

Jeremy D Henderson | 06/30/25

George Flowers has been named as the new chair of Auburn University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, according to an announcement by Mario Eden, dean of engineering.

Graduate Engineering Research Showcase winner Tori Phillips, left, with Maria Auad, the college's associate dean for graduate studies and faculty development.

Chemical engineering student wins Graduate Engineering Research Showcase with study on hydraulic redistribution

Joe McAdory | 04/08/25

More than 150 students participated in the 12th Graduate Engineering Research Showcase, held April 3 in the Brown-Kopel Center.

Auburn Engineering’s graduate programs were ranked No. 6 overall in the Southeastern Conference and, once again, No. 1 in the state.

Auburn Engineering graduate programs earn high marks in recent U.S. News and World Report rankings

Joe McAdory | 04/08/25

U.S. News and World Report, which ranks graduate programs nationally each spring, designated Auburn Engineering No. 33 among public institutions when its annual list was released Tuesday, April 8.

#GINNing Podcast: @KrazyKlementine

Jeremy D Henderson | 04/03/25

This double-degreed Auburn engineering apostle extraordinaire is supporting the team and living the dream.

New Engineering Global Programs opportunity takes students to New Zealand

Dustin Duncan | 02/17/25

A new study abroad program through Engineering Global Programs will take Auburn Engineering students to the South Pacific, immersing them in the environmental landscapes of New Zealand.

Jonathan Pettus has been named executive director of the Auburn University Applied Research Institute. [Credit: UAH]

Pettus named executive director of Auburn University Applied Research Institute in Huntsville

Jeremy D Henderson | 01/28/25

Auburn University’s Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and Economic Development has hired Jonathan Pettus as executive director of the Auburn University Applied Research Institute (AUARI) in Huntsville, effective February 1.

#GINNing Podcast: The Right Material

Jeremy D Henderson | 01/24/25

From the woods of Columbiana to the Costa da Caparica, junior Anna Carter is living the dream, Birdsonging her away around this great material world of ours one extra engineering mile at a time.

The new rankings mark five consecutive years in the Top 20 and nine consecutive years in the Top 25.

Auburn Engineering ranks No. 20 in U.S. News online graduate program rankings, online computer science program moves up 10 spots

Karen Hunley | 01/21/25

The new rankings mark five consecutive years in the Top 20 and nine consecutive years in the Top 25.