Professor Matthew Stuber, PhD and Dr. Matthew Wilhelm's most recent publication presents new and improved methods for generating convex and concave relaxations of composite bilinear forms. They establish the theoretical framework to generate tighter McCormick-based relaxations in reduced space when intermediate bilinear terms have known convex or concave relaxations. These developments translate into significant speedups when solving deterministic global optimization problems involving these ubiquitous mathematical terms. To read the full publication, click here.

A new center composed of interdisciplinary researchers, including CBE faculty members Yu Lei and Matthew Stuber, has been established to address the industry's need for reliable soil sensors. The center will focus on developing innovative solutions for measuring soil properties using hydrogels, and it is sponsored by the National Science Foundation's Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) Program. This research will support the development of precision agriculture, an approach that focuses on applying fertilizers or pesticides only in the areas needed, decreasing the accumulation of dangerous chemicals, promoting plant health, and helping farmers save money. To read more about the center, click here.

Honoring the work of our Emeritus Professor, Dr. Montgomery Shaw, the SPE Applied Rheology Division recently hosted the full-day Shaw Symposium for Polymer Processing, Rheology, and Characterization. The event brought together renowned colleagues who presented their work in rheology and polymer processing at a special symposium, celebrating Dr. Shaw's many contributions to the field. As a pioneer in rheology, Dr. Shaw is an influential researcher whose work helped shape the field of polymer processing. Read more here in the latest issue of Plastics Engineering magazine.

The CBE Department would like to congratulate Dr. Leslie Shor on her promotion to Professor! For a full list of UConn's 2023 promotion and tenure awards, please click here.