Enginuity

The impact of artificial intelligence on our daily lives is impossible to ignore. But what about AI’s potential to help save lives? Computer Science & Engineering Prof. Xia Ning also holds appointments in the College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy. This unique combination catalyzes her focus on developing cutting-edge AI methodologies with transformative applications in medicine, bridging the gap between computational innovation and real-world healthcare challenges. She is currently a co-lead of the AI in Health pillar of the newly established Ohio State AI(X) Hub. Views: 18

Dean Ayanna Howard chats about innovation and entrepreneurship with 2025 Next Gen Innovator of the Year Ian Harris and Early Career Innovator of the Year Eduardo Reátegui. Views: 28

The Ohio State University is an elite research institution where thousands of world-class researchers discover and innovate on a daily basis. But annually only one of these researchers is named Ohio State Innovator of the Year. In 2025, that someone is Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Sanjay Krishna. Sanjay and his team are developing next-generation infrared detectors, arrays and imagers. He is co-founder and chief technical officer of SK Infrared, a startup company focused on defense, aerospace and biomedical applications of infrared imaging. He also launched a course to teach entrepreneurial-minded engineering students how to create value from their inventions. Views: 47

Collaborations between companies and universities aren’t uncommon, but few, if any, can match the Honda-Ohio State Partnership and the mutual impact it has made on both iconic institutions. The 25th anniversary of this iconic partnership will be celebrated later this month, but in reality the collaboration began shortly after Honda arrived in the Buckeye State in 1979. Together, Honda and Ohio State have transformed research and learning experiences for students, launched careers, sparked innovation, and strengthened the mobility industry in Ohio and beyond. In this episode, Dean Ayanna Howard chats first with American Honda Motor Company Executive Vice President Bob Nelson, and then with two Honda Launchpad students (Sarina Mathis and James Colachis) about collaboration, innovation and creativity. Views: 411

Dean Ayanna Howard discusses commercialization and entrepreneurship at The Ohio State University with Kevin Taylor, the chief innovation officer for Ohio State’s Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge. In this role, he leads a commercialization and licensing team that works with researchers to translate their innovations into commercial opportunities that positively impact people’s lives and benefit the world. Oh, and Kevin is an Ohio State Engineering alumnus, so he and Dean Howard chat about some recent startup and licensing examples involving Buckeye Engineers. Views: 397

A professor in Ohio State’s William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Jessica Winter is a well-known leader in nanobiotechnology and has invented materials used in cancer detection and research. She has developed methods to tightly pack multiple nanoparticles in polymer carriers so that their properties could be multiplied. This approach led to her invention of MultiDot, a group of semiconductor nanoparticle quantum dots that allow researchers to track tagged molecules. In biomedical applications, researchers can attach the MultiDot to specific cell structures and better identify and understand disease progression. After being diagnosed with cancer, she started Core Quantum Technologies, which commercialized her research and focuses on a nanoparticle diagnostic that matches cancer patients to therapies, allowing patients to become fully informed about the best possible treatments for their disease. Views: 573

In 2020, Sampriti launched Navier, a next-generation maritime company whose mission is to build the most compelling zero-emission marine vessels. By adapting technology from automotive and aerospace, her company is making electric hydrofoiling more accessible and efficient. Last spring they began delivering their first product to customers, the N30 Pioneer Edition. She joins Dean Ayanna Howard to share her entrepreneurial journey, Navier’s past, present and future, and her advice for current Ohio State students. Views: 579

Ohio State Engineering alumnus Michael Triplett is what you would call a serial biotech entrepreneur. Today, he is co-founder and board chair of Armatus Bio as well as co-founder and board member of Clarametyx Biosciences, a startup infectious disease company pursuing novel therapeutics and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of biofilm-related bacterial infections. Not so long ago, he co-founded and served as president and CEO of Myonexus Therapeutics, a clinical stage gene therapy company developing first-ever treatments for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies. Myonexus was acquired by Sarepta Therapeutics for more than $225 million in April 2019.  Excelling at the interfaces of business and innovation, Michael is passionate about translating world-class science and technology into transformative businesses, products and capabilities that enhance human health, American competitiveness, and economic opportunity. He focuses on life sciences technology ventures, innovation, technology-based economic development, and STEM education for students of all backgrounds. Views: 561

Dean Ayanna Howard chats with globally recognized entrepreneur, technologist and community leader, Ratmir Timashev about his entrepreneurial journey and the new Center for Software Innovation. The founder of Veeam Software, he is an alumnus, a champion of education and technological innovation in the Midwest, and a staunch supporter of The Ohio State University. Learn more about Ratmir Timashev: www.ratmirtimashev.com. Views: 241

Dean Ayanna Howard chats with Peter Mohler, Ohio State’s Executive Vice President for Research, Innovation and Knowledge, about Ohio State’s growing innovation district – Carmenton. It began as a vision shared between the university, the City of Columbus and JobsOhio. The groups came together to accelerate collaboration between the public, private and academic sectors — collaboration with the power to nurture our region, from economic success to health to social and cultural vibrance. As you can imagine, Buckeye Engineers are making things happen in Carmenton! Views: 262

In 2017, The Ohio State University joined the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) — a coalition of engineering programs from across the nation committed to preparing its students with an entrepreneurial mindset. Over the past six years, the college has focused on curriculum development, implementation, and assessment, and the engagement of faculty and students in entrepreneurial-minded learning (EML), centered on three key elements: curiosity, connections, and creating value, also known as the three Cs. Enginuity guest Professor David Tomasko is the College of Engineering’s associate dean for academic programs and student services. He was part of the team that advocated for Ohio State’s involvement in KEEN, and he’s currently co-leading a KEEN-funded project. Views: 252

Climate change is among the world’s most urgent challenges, and it affects every person – make that every species – on Earth. Rising temperatures are fueling environmental crises, natural disasters, food and water insecurity, economic disruption, and increases in respiratory and infectious diseases. Assistant Prof. Kelsea Best’s research is focused on climate change, specifically how it interacts with human societies and infrastructure, how people may adapt to climate change effects, and how climate adaptation measures can be designed and implemented in a just and equitable way. Views: 269

On January 8th, The American Red Cross announced an emergency blood shortage as it experiences the lowest number of people giving blood in the last 20 years. Without a dramatic increase in blood donors, shortages will occur more often. That’s why Ohio Eminent Scholar Andre Palmer, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, has devoted his research lab to advancing viable artificial blood components. Views: 305

In this episode, Dean Ayanna Howard chats with M4 Lab Director Megan Malara. The 4 Ms stand for Medical, Modeling, Materials and Manufacturing. It is one of the first residents of Ohio State’s spectacular Pelotonia Research Center on west campus. The engineers, physicians and students that work there leverage the power of additive manufacturing, better known as 3D printing, to improve – and in some cases, save – lives. Views: 260

The College of Engineering’s breadth and depth equips it better than most institutions to approach the lofty goal of making mobility smarter. From autonomous vehicle technologies to new planning methods for city infrastructure, Buckeye Engineers lead global discussions and advance national initiatives. But one of our most treasured assets in mobility innovation is our connection to the Transportation Research Center, more commonly known as TRC, located on 45 hundred acres of land in East Liberty, Ohio, about 40 miles northwest of campus. It is North America’s most advanced, independent mobility testing service provider, fulfilling the complex engineering, research, evaluation and testing needs of industries and governments worldwide. In this episode, Dean Ayanna Howard chats with Brett Roubinek, president and CEO of TRC. Views: 353

A new field is forming at the intersection of computer science, wildlife biology and social sciences: Imageomics. With a $15 million grant from the National Science Foundation, Professor Tanya Berger-Wolf, director of the Translational Data Analytics Institute, is working with a team of researchers, scientists and students to leverage AI to lead a movement in wildlife conservation. Views: 286

The President’s Buckeye Accelerator program at Ohio State supports students who launch startups, combining entrepreneurial skill building, deep mentorship, community building and funding with a structured process. Parawave, a startup formed by Engineering students Adithya Ramaswami and Jack Murray, was chosen as part of the program’s first-ever cohort. They join Dean Ayanna Howard to discuss launching a drone company while finishing their degrees. Social Profiles: https://www.linkedin.com/company/parawave/https://www.instagram.com/parawaveaero/https://twitter.com/parawaveaerohttps://www.facebook.com/parawaveaero Views: 282

In January 2022, leaders from Intel announced a $20 billion investment in the construction of two new computer chip factories in central Ohio. And this past September, Intel awarded three grants to Ohio State – a combined $4.5 million – to prepare a highly skilled and diverse semiconductor industry workforce and to advance development of semiconductors and next-generation device technologies. Listen as Dean Ayanna Howard chats with Steve Ringel, Distinguished University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who also serves as executive director of Ohio State’s Institute for Materials Research, home of the new Center for Advancing Semiconductor Fabrication Research and Education. Views: 274

Blending the agility of artisans and the reproducibility of machines, HAMMER, a brand new National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, has the potential to create more robust local supply chains, lower manufacturing’s carbon footprint and create new economic opportunities. Listen as Dean Ayanna Howard chats with HAMMER Director, Professor Glenn Daehn. Views: 226

One of the most exciting developments in biotechnology is the emerging field of regenerative medicine. Our guests today are two Ohio State engineers advancing a technology called tissue nanotransfection that has the potential to drastically improve outcomes for patients battling chronic diseases and debilitating injuries. Listen as Ayanna Howard, dean of the College of Engineering chats with Professors Natalia Higuita-Castro and Daniel Gallego-Perez about their cutting-edge research! Views: 253

HackOHI/O is a free, 24-hour hackathon that attracts over 800 participants for a full weekend of coding, learning, networking and innovation. The event is hosted by OHI/O, an Informal Learning Program dedicated to fostering tech culture at The Ohio State University. This year, HackOHI/O is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and has some exciting announcements. Dean Ayanna Howard chats with Cal King, Director of OHI/O and Student Co-Lead Adit Anup about how students benefit, how companies get involved and how much fun is had at the hackathon, happening October 8-9, 2022. Views: 215

While other universities own and operate airports, The Ohio State University Airport stands out for prioritizing education and research while providing exceptional service to its commercial and civil aviation clients. In this episode, Dean Ayanna Howard chats with Stephanie Morgan, Executive Director of Air Transportation and the Aerospace Campus since 2019. Not only does Stephanie lead the business and operations of the airport, she’s also a veteran who attended the United States Military Academy and an instrument-rated private pilot who has a degree in aeronautical administration and an MBA. Among many honors, she was recently named a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Tune in to hear all the exciting things happening in education, outreach and research at The Ohio State University Airport! Views: 235

As the academic year wraps, Ohio State’s EcoCAR team heads out west for the final leg of the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge, a collegiate automotive engineering competition put on by the US Department of Energy. Dean Ayanna Howard connects with two of the leaders of the team – Shaumya Jha and Colin Knight – to talk about the challenge, what they’ve learned, and how participating helps students prepare for life after graduation. Sponsored by General Motors and MathWorks, schools participating in this competition each received a new Chevy Blazer, and were challenged to improve efficiency and connectivity. Provided with hardware and software resources, Ohio State Engineering students collaborated to come up with what might be the award-winning vehicle! And Shaumya and Colin share some exciting news about the team’s future partnership with Wilberforce University. To learn more about the Ohio State EcoCAR team, follow them on Instagram or visit their website. Views: 242

The city of the future, we are told, is the smart city with numerous civic, health and sustainability benefits. But will smart cities help us all be more inclusive? In Episode 6 of Enginuity, Dean Ayanna Howard, chats with Jennifer Clark, Professor and Head of the City and Regional Planning Section at the Knowlton School in The Ohio State University College of Engineering. Professor Clark shares insights from her recent book, Uneven Innovation: The Work of Smart Cities, and discusses the negative effects of innovating in a vacuum, and explains how the Knowlton School is preparing future city and regional planners. Views: 223

Dean Ayanna Howard, an artificial intelligence expert in her own right, discusses AI with the leaders of two NSF AI Institutes, Ohio State Engineering Professors DK Panda and Ness Shroff. They share their definitions of AI, outline the problems each AI Institute aims to solve, and explain what “democratizing” AI means. (Note: Dean Howard and Professors Panda and Shroff were wearing masks during the recording) Views: 342

Materials Science and Engineering Professor Perena Gouma joins Dean Ayanna Howard. She leads a team of Ohio State researchers developing a device capable of detecting viruses – including SARS-CoV-2 – with just a single exhaled breath. If you’ve had the distinct displeasure of a nasal swab test, you’re surely looking forward to a faster, easier, more comfortable test. Dr. Gouma’s research activities involve the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for bio and chemical sensors, as well as the development of artificial olfaction systems. She has established novel and highly successful programs on nanomedicine, with emphasis on the development of non-invasive breath and skin-based diagnostic tools. Her work has been featured in media outlets including NPR, The New York Times and WIRED, among many others. In this episode, you’ll learn how she began applying nanotechnology to biomarker detection and how a February 2020 call from the White House spurred her team to focus on the looming pandemic. Views: 248

College of Engineering Dean Ayanna Howard chats with Asimina Kiourti, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at The Ohio State University and an expert in bioelectromagnetics. She’s one of the researchers pushing boundaries in the emerging field of smart clothes and fabrics. Some smart clothes feature advanced textiles with interwoven circuitry, and others implement sensors and additional hardware to give it high-tech functionality. While integration with your iphone or Android could be considered a frivolous function, researchers and startups are developing smart clothes with important applications in healthcare, the military, and high-performance athletics. Listen and learn about Kiourti’s transformational research in wearable and implantable sensor technology that will undoubtedly lead to improvements in health outcomes and the lives of others. And hear her joyfully describe a fun program she recently launched to engage girls in STEM activities. Views: 222

Lower back pain is the second most common reason people visit their physicians. It’s also the world’s leading cause of disability. Millions of people suffer from back pain. Many of them lose time at work. Many will be prescribed opioid painkillers, and some will become dependent on them. In the U.S. alone, back pain accounts for more than 100 million annual lost workdays and $100 billion in treatment costs. That is as much as we spend fighting cancer. From diagnosis to treatment, back pain remains a vexing problem for physicians. In this episode Dean Ayanna Howard speaks with Bill Marras, the executive director and scientific director of the Spine Research Institute (SRI) in Ohio State’s College of Engineering. He shares how at SRI researchers and practitioners from divergent fields apply their collective knowledge to solve what seems like an unsolvable problem. He tells Dean Howard how a systems engineer found himself researching back pain, why companies are interested in SRI’s expertise to prevent workplace injuries, and how his team is helping tackle the opioid addiction epidemic that impacts so many families. Interesting solutions happen at the intersection of disciplines. The work being done at the Spine Research Institute is an excellent example of this. Views: 264

In the Knowlton Hall rooftop garden, College of Engineering Dean Ayanna Howard chats with computer science and engineering major Anita Nti and recent PhD graduate Danny Freudiger, co-founders of Electrion, an energy-storage-as-a-service startup. Startups and small businesses are vital for a thriving U.S. economy. And engineers possess the skills to launch companies and create jobs, so engineering students should be encouraged and nurtured to have an entrepreneurial mindset. The development of the Innovation District on Ohio State’s West Campus and a recently announced partnership with the State of Ohio will help Ohio State prepare more engineers to be entrepreneurs… or, “engipreneurs”. And sometimes students need role models and to see other students that are flexing their entrepreneurial muscles. In this episode, we highlight one group that is definitely flexing in the energy space. Last year, four Buckeye student engineers launched Electrion. They’re attracting media coverage and they recently received an initial venture capital investment. Learn how the Electrion team met, what “sparked” their startup idea, what it’s like being an entrepreneur while being an engineering student, how Ohio State football tailgates are involved, and more. Views: 236