Areas of Impact

Energy

Energy research is organized around four interlocking sub-themes that will advance the energy systems of the future.

• Capture and conversion focuses on subsurface engineering, novel catalysts and scalable processes to transform traditional an emerging feedstocks into the fuels and chemicals that we need for everyday life.
• Energy storage and resiliency spans next-generation batteries, fuel cells and flow batteries, coupled with tools and infrastructure practices that help communities maintain critical services and recover faster after disruptions.
• Energy efficiency accelerates cleaner and more efficient production and smarter demand including integrating energy with water, food, climate and health to translate efficiency gains from labs to real-world systems.
• Energy security marries energy and cyber expertise to strengthen the protection of infrastructure that modern energy systems depend on.

Security

Security spans cyber, spectrum and sensing — protecting systems from the chip, to the cloud, to the physical world. KU faculty leads research in computer/communication/radar systems with dedicated centers for high-assurance and secure systems and cyber-social dynamics, advancing trustworthy computing and resilient networks. KU is nationally recognized in cybersecurity and holds federal Centers of Academic Excellence designations in Cyber Defense and Cyber Research, reflecting sustained leadership in cyber education and science. Paired with KU strengths in radar and remote sensing, this work helps safeguard critical infrastructure, protect sensitive data and ensure security in contested, data-rich environments.

Efficiency & Resiliency

KU researchers design infrastructure and technologies that operate reliably under stress and recover quickly from disruption. They also advance chemical and energy efficiency in high-impact areas like refrigeration and cooling — a major load in buildings and industry. In addition, KU faculty advance structural engineering through analysis, design and full-scale testing enabling research in reinforced and prestressed concrete, structural steel, seismic performance, composites and fracture mechanics that translates directly into safer, longer-lasting structures. KU research teams also deliver resilient transportation, water systems and high-performance buildings, and improve the resilience of essential infrastructures like water, energy and transportation. This results in fewer outages and losses, higher efficiency and faster recoveries in critical systems.

Health

From biomaterials to bioimaging, KU Engineering develops technologies that reduce suffering and improve care. Researchers integrate motion analysis, biofunctional materials, “lab-on-a-chip” platforms and product development to enhance human performance and medical device design. Across these efforts, KU innovations enable earlier diagnosis, better therapies and more accessible health solutions for patients and providers.

Cross-Cutting: AI-Enabled Engineering

Artificial intelligence is embedded across KU Engineering — augmenting design, discovery and decision-making in security, aerospace, infrastructure, energy and health. Researchers advance trustworthy AI, formal methods and intelligent systems at scale, from cyber-resilient architectures to data-driven sensing and communications. In addition, KU faculty apply machine learning and AI to guidance, navigation, control and human-machine teaming, accelerating autonomous flight and intelligent sensing. By pairing domain expertise with modern AI, KU delivers safer, faster and more efficient engineering solutions that adapt in real time to complex, uncertain environments.

Cross-Cutting: Molecular & Materials Engineering

KU Engineering faculty discover and engineer molecules and materials that power industry, smarter devices and better medicine. In catalysis, KU researchers push new structure-property relationships and nanotechnologies for energy and device applications. In addition, KU Engineering tailors biomaterials and interfaces for tissue repair and bio-integrated devices. Structural engineering teams translate these advances into safer, longer-lasting bridges and buildings through research in reinforced and prestressed concrete, structural steel and seismic performance. The result is a pipeline from molecular discovery to real-world impact.