Millipedes represent some of the earliest known terrestrial animals and are highly understudied, but two West Virginia University researchers are working to shine a light on these important invertebrates.
Engineers at West Virginia University are creating a new energy conversion system that has the potential to bridge renewable energy sources into the existing United States energy infrastructure.
A team of West Virginia University researchers are making railways safer by developing a Band-Aid-like protective jacket for tank cars that haul hazardous materials. The composite material, because of its superior puncture and fire resistance qualities, will prevent spills and leaks caused by accidents, ultimately protecting surrounding communities, the environment and emergency responders from disasters.
A three-year collaborative project to develop a new low-cost process to convert the natural gas that is commonly flared at industrial sites could benefit a number of industrial sectors including the carbon fiber industry, carbon composite, electronics, electrical arc steel making, polymer additives and many others, all while having a positive effect on the economy and environment.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing uncertainties in the higher education world, West Virginia University received $195 million in external funding for research and other sponsored programs this past fiscal year.
West Virginia University engineer Arvind Thiruvengadam, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, said the uncertainty in maintenance and labor costs for heavy-duty vehicles like 18-wheelers prevents fleets from considering changing gears to alternative fuels.
With the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas production sites, engineers at West Virginia University are developing new technology that will not only harness the gas but improve gas consumption.
One knowledge gap to understanding the health effects of inhaling outdoor air pollution, according to Salik Hussain, assistant professor at the West Virginia University School of Medicine, is that the scientific community has largely focused on studying only individual toxicants, such as particles or gases.
A new portal created at West Virginia University is increasing access to surface and groundwater water quality data from shale gas regions around the state to inform stakeholders about trends in water quality.
As demand increases for sustainable and environmentally friendly energy and products, the Mid-Atlantic region with its abundance of forests and abandoned mine land is poised to grow its biomass-based renewable energy and products economy.