In the News

The Boston Business Journal spoke with Jagan Jayachandran, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering, and Adam Powell, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering about their research to develop a net-zero aviation fuel made with magnesium.

WPI mechanical engineering professor Adam Powell appeared in a 3-minute segment on Boston 25 News discussing approaches to reducing corrosion in cars. Powell, who was awarded a three-year, $1.5 million grant from the Department of Energy, noted that WPI “…will be creating advanced lightweight components that can last as long as the rest of conventional cars.” (References to WPI start at 1:56.)

WCVB highlighted research by Adam Powell, associate professor of mechanical engineering, who is testing a new type of welding that may make the joint between light metal alloys more resistant to corrosion, including salt spray, leading to future designs of durable, next-generation metal car joints used in ultra-light car doors and other vehicle body applications. “Typically, if you reduce the weight by 10 percent, you get five percent better gas mileage,” (1:40) Powell told WCVB.  

WBUR radio aired a segment about Adam Powell, associate professor of mechanical engineering, who is testing a new type of welding that may make car joints more resistant to corrosion, leading to lighter and more fuel efficient cars. Powell said the welding process is ideal for car doors, which are “especially beneficial for a car with reduced weight in some other parts that need just another 20 or 40 pounds of additional weight reduction to get to that smaller engine.”

WBZ Radio reported on Adam Powell, associate professor of mechanical engineering, testing a new type of welding that may make the joint between light metal alloys more resistant to corrosion, including salt spray, leading to future designs of durable, next-generation metal car joints used in ultra-light car doors and other vehicle body applications. This “could cut the weight in half of a lot of major parts of a vehicle,” Powell told WBZ.

MassLive reported on WPI's research to help cars survive New England's salt-covered winter roads. ​Adam Powell, associate professor of mechanical engineering, was awarded a three-year, $1.5 million grant from the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office for the research.