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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 revolutionary 3D printing process for use in future space missions is in development by West Virginia University engineers to provide dexterous assistance to astronauts and for various space station servicing activities.

West Virginia, birth place of Chuck Yeager, the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound, will now be at the center of developing the next innovation in barrier-breaking transportation.

Despite longwall mining being an efficient way of extracting coal, it produces dangerous methane gas that has the potential to lead to explosions in underground mines. Researchers from West Virginia University are combatting this issue by developing an improved methane monitoring network to increase the safety of longwall mines.

Kristyn Johnson, a graduate student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, took first place in the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)Ignite Off Competition for her research on reducing fuel consumption and emissions in gas turbine power plants.

While personal vehicles that use electricity, propane or natural gas have gained popularity thanks to availability and affordability, heavy-duty vehicles like 18-wheelers and buses have been slow to change gears because of maintenance costs. But those vehicles, while only 5 percent of the traffic on the road, are responsible for 20 percent of transportation emissions.

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.

Three students pursuing doctoral degrees atWest Virginia Universityare receiving funding through the Ruby Scholars Graduate Fellows Program. Jared Beard, Evan Cramer and Kinsey Reed are this year’s Ruby Fellows.