Amjad Aref named chair of civil, structural and environmental engineering Amjad Aref will assume the role on July 1, 2026. He succeeds Alan Rabideau, who has served as the department’s chair since 2022.

Congratulations to the next chair of #UBCSEE, Amjad Aref🎉 💡

The expert in structural engineering will assume the role on July 1st.

Learn more about the current and future chairs: ubseas.info/4dSvZ1H

#UBuffalo #UBSEAS

Why doesn’t the U.S. recycle more plastic? New study points to lack of access. Recycling infrastructure inequities in the South, sparsely populated states tied to lower income, less-college educated communities.

What keeps people in the United States from recycling plastic?

The answer is complex, but #UBuffalo researchers, including #UBSEAS faculty John Atkinson and Monica Miles, have found unequal access to recycling infrastructure plays a key role.

Read more: ubseas.info/4mrKz2m

Circular badge with a light bulb at the center and the words “Startup Week” at the top and “Buffalo • April 15–23 • 2026” around the bottom.

Buffalo Startup Week returns April 15 - 23!

This week is a celebration of founders, investors, community leaders and ecosystem builders who shape the future of entrepreneurship in Western New York.

Join the community driving Buffalo's innovation: ubseas.info/4egvdf1

Amy Baird.

Lauren Kuryloski.

Amy Baird and Lauren Kuryloski, associate professors in the Department of Engineering Education, presented at the Conference on College Composition and Communication. Their session showcased product design, campus accessibility, and web usability based on industry and professional standards.

SEAS ranked No. 30 in engineering among public universities nationwide The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences ranked No. 55 nationwide and No. 30 among public universities in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate School Rankings 

#UBSEAS is the #30 ranked public engineering school in the United States, and the top program in New York, according to the U.S. News and World Report Rankings.

More good news: Several department programs moved up this year. Find our where your program ranks: ubseas.info/4micrGc

Risk Analysis honors Industrial and Systems Engineering professor Jun Zhuang and student Jun Zhuang, Morton C. Frank Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and his PhD student, Sabiha Unal Eyi, have received the 2025 Best Paper Award from the journal Risk Analysis.

Researchers in #UBSEAS are helping to make schools safer.

Jun Zhuang and his PhD student Sabiha Unal Eyi were recognized by the journal Risk Analysis with the 2025 Best Paper Award.

Learn more about their paper and its impact: ubseas.info/4mlMKok

AI system curbs hallucinations in automated chest X-ray reports UB researchers develop AI framework that reduces common errors by anchoring report generation to what appears in the medical image.

AI is a useful tool in medical imaging analysis, but the AI vision-language can sometimes drift away from the X-ray image as they write.

#UBuffalo researchers are working to curb these, creating a more efficient analysis.

Learn more about the new method:


ubseas.info/4sNF8x7

Amit Goyal appointed associate editor-in-chief at NAE flagship publication, The Bridge University at Buffalo scientist Amit Goyal has been named associate editor-in-chief of The Bridge, the flagship quarterly journal of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

Amit Goyal has been named associate editor-in-chief of The Bridge, flagship journal of the National Academy of Engineering.

Learn more about professor Goyal's appointment:

#UBuffalo #UBSEAS

ubseas.info/41AdtUj

As wildfires intensify, UB researchers test if AI can improve fire spread prediction Evaluation of deep learning tools underscores strengths, limitations and opportunities for next‑generation hybrid modeling.

#UBSEAS faculty Negar Elhami-Khorasani and Yingjie Hu, are evaluating AI models to identify how they compare to traditional fire-spread models.

Learn more about how #UBuffalo researchers are advancing hybrid wildfire modeling to meet real-world conditions: ubseas.info/4bVm7Sd

On a wooden stage, 3 panelists are seated behind a black-draped table with water bottles and laptops. An Asian woman in a pink jacket stands adjusting items near her chair, while a man in a purple shirt speaks into a microphone. Another man looks at the stage.

Six people are seated around a table in a bright room with a large window. They're smiling, and some are looking at the camera. On the table are glasses, flowers, and plates with food. A sign with "Big Ideas Start@1776" is also visible.

A wide view shows a meeting in progress, with about 20 people seated in a circle. Whiteboards with handwritten notes surround them, and screens display text. Refreshments are on a table in the background.

Group of diverse people standing in a modern room with exposed ceiling pipes and lecture-style chairs, smiling at the camera. Text on the pipe reads 'ATLAND-UR 4 SCH 48 USA ASTM A53/ASME SA53 GR BE 4FM text@1'.

The AI and Society workshop brought together researchers and practitioners across disciplines and institutions to discuss the vision of the Department of AI and Society: to create a future world where AI systems are built by society for society.
Learn more about the workshop: ubseas.info/4bAcj…

Aerial view of a college campus featuring gray stone buildings, green lawns, and trees. A bus terminal with buses and cars is in the foreground. A mix of trees and residential buildings fills the background.

Fuel that #UBTrueBlue pride! 🤘 Several #UBuffalo programs rank among the Top 50 in the country in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, including the School of Dental Medicine ranking among the top 10 for dentistry ▶️ ms.spr.ly/63326Qt4Py

A person with short blonde hair and round glasses is smiling at the camera. They are wearing a black and white floral shirt. The background is blurred, but trees can be seen.

Jessica Swenson.

Congratulations to Lorna Treffert and Jessica Swenson in #UBDEE!

Treffert was selected to the Graduate Student Review Board of the Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education, and Swenson was promoted to associate professor.

engineering.buffalo.edu/engineering-...

UB researchers developing tool to spot AI‑generated radiology reports The aim is to guard against falsified medical documentation and bogus insurance claims.

#UBSEAS professor Nalini Ratha and #UBCSE PhD students Arjun Ramesh Kaushik and Tanvi Ranga are building a tool to spot AI-generated radiology reports.

Learn more about how the team has marked a major step forward for trustworthy AI research in health care: ubseas.info/3PW7s1F

From left to right: SEAS Dean Kemper Lewis, Geetha Srikantan, 2026 Engineer of the Year recipient, and Nate Bolt, UBEAA president.

Congratulations to #UBSEAS's 2026 Engineer of the year, Geetha Srikantan🎉

Learn more about Srikantan and her lasting commitment to advancing the engineering profession: ubseas.info/4d04GCg

Dissolution creates new path to recycling flexible plastics PP and PE are used as packaging materials, snack wrappers, microwave containers, and other flexible, plastic films. Their flexibility  makes them resilient to recycling processes, and these plastics often end up in landfills or leak into the environment.

Millions of tons of plastic end up in landfills or the environment annually. A #UBuffalo team is advancing solvent-based recycling for durable plastics and working to unlock flexible plastics for reuse.


Learn about the innovation

ubseas.info/4doE0Lu

Swihart recognized for excellence in mentoring Mark Swihart, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, was recognized by UB’s Graduate School with the Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award (EGSMA). 

Congratulations to #UBCBE SUNY Distinguished Professor Mark Swihart🎊
Swihart has been recognized with the Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award from #UBuffalo's Graduate School 🏅
Read about how Swihart approaches mentorship: ubseas.info/4cG1KKV

A person with glasses wearing a blue shirt and navy blazer covered in sticky notes with words such as "Problem", "Cause", "Ideas", "Guess", "Fix", "Tests", "Fault", "Solutions", and "?", with a wall full of sticky notes behind them.

Congratulations to Christopher Romeo in #UBDEE for winning #UBuffalo's Three Minute Thesis competition, where PhD students present their research in three minutes with one PowerPoint slide.

Learn about Christopher's research: www.buffalo.edu/three-minute...

A woman smiles while building a geodesic dome with spaghetti and marshmallows. "Columbia" is printed on the sweatshirt of a man standing behind her.

A young man throws a ring in an indoor setting. A painted box is in the foreground with red and green writing. "text@1" is painted on the box. There are cups lined up at the top of the box. Other people stand in the background.

Thinking about graduate school?

#UBSEAS is waiving application fees from March 8-21 during Free Application Weeks

If you're considering one of our 43 graduate and professional programs, now is a great time to apply!

Learn more and start your application:

engineering.buffalo.edu/home/academi...

CTSI awards 10 new Translational Pilot Studies grants for 2026 The CTSI has awarded new Translational Pilot Studies Program grants to assist investigators in developing promising new technologies and therapeutics.

The UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) has awarded 10 new Translational Pilot Studies grants for 2026, involving four #UBSEAS principal investigators and co-investigators! 👏

Learn about their projects ⬇️

ubseas.info/4tOSOJf

#UBISE #UBCSE #UBBME

Two women seated next to each other, one petting a dog in front of a backdrop that reads, "University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences". A camera is filming the scene.

Coming soon to a YouTube channel near you, The Barking Points🐾

#UBSEAS staff will be covering talking points related to admissions and student life, joined by canine co-hosts for a fun twist!! New episodes dropping every Wednesday at noon on our YouTube Channel.

UB researchers developing new device to streamline communication across radio frequencies Radio receivers listen across huge swaths of radio frequencies to detect threats and communicate. These airwaves are crowded with interference. UB researchers are developing technology that removes interference and help ships navigate treacherous areas.

#UBEE proff. Bibhu Datta Sahoo is leading #UBSEAS researchers in developing technology that would remove radio interference and help ships navigate treacherous areas.

Learn more about the work that Sahoo says could enable the next generation of smart radios: ubseas.info/4cvRF3b

George Lee stands smiling with arms crossed in a black V-neck sweater. Behind him are metal beams and bars that make up a structure, with a large bolt to the right.

George C. Lee, #UBCSEE former chair and professor emeritus, and former dean of #UBSEAS, passed away on Feb. 21.

Learn about Lee's life, legacy and impact on SEAS and the period of tremendous growth Lee oversaw during his 17-year tenure as dean here: ubseas.info/46zErOY

Andrew Whittaker.

Andrew Whittaker has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering — one of the highest honors in the field 🌟

His work helps shape national engineering standards and strengthen safety of critical infrastructure.

A proud moment for #UBuffalo and #UBSEAS

New device advances possibilities for displays and biosensing UB researchers have developed a new device that can change color and behavior on demand. This technology could change the next generation of consumer products, like e-readers and smart watches, and biosensors used in liquid biopsies. 

A new device, developed #UBSEAS researchers Peter Q. Liu, Md Abdul Kaium Khan and Shoaib Vasini, is advancing the possibilities for displays and biosensing ⌚ 🖥️

Read about the electrically reconfigurable nanophotonic device here:: ubseas.info/4rSLSZD

Lab setup features a geodesic sphere covered in sensors, positioned behind two Photonics Industries units on a blue-lit grid table. Cables and optical equipment surround the sphere, highlighting a complex scientific experiment.

A group watches a robot in a clear cube, controller in hand. A rocket hangs above. Many people watch, some holding phones, in a large room with windows. A blue barrier tape has text@1 on it.

Two men outdoors watch a drone fly within a netted enclosure. A table with a computer screen and laptop sits nearby, with a water bottle. A large tank and building are in the background under a clear blue sky.

Two engineers, one in a white hard hat and the other in a red hard hat, stand near a large blue wind tunnel labeled "Windslab CSEE UB" in a high-ceilinged lab setting. The tunnel is equipped with multiple fans.

#UBuffalo students 👀
Considering changing your major or exploring options? Join us on Wednesday, February 25 at 10 for the Major and Career Expo week at the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center to learn about #UBSEAS and tour spaces
Register: buffalo.campus.eab.com/events/AjW6S...

Overhead shot of a table where three people work on a robot with car wheels.

#EWeek2026 is just a week away ⚙️🚀🤖

We will be sharing updates on the events that our #UBSEAS student clubs are putting on all throughout next week, and the schedule of events can be found here: ubseas.info/4qGuW7I

National Grid partners with SEAS to provide STEM experiences for local K-12 students The partnership is helping students find wonder­­ — and opportunity — in the science of everyday life.

Over the past 12 years, #UBSEAS and National Grid have been providing opportunities for local K-12 students to take STEM from an abstract concept to something that is a part of their every day life and future ⚛️⚙️
Read more about the outreach efforts: ubseas.info/4reg4hZ

Constantinou recognized with ASCE’s Walter P. Moore Jr. Award Michael Constantinou, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the University at Buffalo Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, is the recipient of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Walter P. Moore, Jr. Award. 

ASCE has recognized Michael Constantinou with the Walter P. Moore Jr. Award.

His research on seismic protective systems has helped shape U.S. civil engineering standards and several Federal Emergency Management Agency standards.

#UBuffalo #UBSEAS

ubseas.info/4a6K5KH

Study: Cigarette filters are an underestimated source of microplastic pollution Filters release two dozen microfibers upon first contact with water, threatening wildlife and human health.

#UBuffalo researchers discovered that cigarette filters significantly contribute to microplastic pollution. Discover the impact these harmful microfibers have on the environment and their relationship to the chemicals and toxins found in cigarettes

#UBSEAS

ubseas.info/49MAf0s

Engineer Alley is back! 🏀

Join the SEAS Alumni Association as UB Men's Basketball faces Central Michigan on February 28. The courtside tailgate starts at 1 p.m. and features a catered lunch with open bar before the 2 p.m. tipoff. 💙🤍

Register now ➡️ ubseas.info/4bkXUGo