CEE News June 2021
Dear CEE Community and Friends,
 
This month’s newsletter marks the end of the academic year as we say goodbye to our extraordinary graduates and recognize recipients of our 2021 CEE Awards. New research from Josephine Carstensen’s lab examines topology optimization for designing rigid interlocking assemblies, Admir Masic’s lab demonstrates an imaging technique that could enable new pathways for reducing concrete’s hefty carbon footprint, as well as for 3-D printing of concrete. Markus Buehler composes a protein antibody sequel, and PhD candidate Meshkat Botshekan is one of the developers of Carbin, an app that allows users to crowdsource road-quality data with their smartphones.
We also share an insightful op-ed in The Hill co-written by Prof. Franz-Josef Ulm about the need to build resilient and sustainable infrastructure. Prof. Charles Harvey discusses his group's research into the above ground necromass in the tropical island of Borneo, and last but not least, we profile a third-year chemical oceanographer student in our MIT-WHOI Joint Program who creates music from the ocean’s chemistry.

Sincerely,

Ali Jadbabaie
JR East Professor of Engineering
Department Head, MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering
Core Faculty, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
NEWS
2021 CEE Awards and Honors
Students, staff, postdocs and faculty were recognized and honored in a virtual awards ceremony on June 3 for their outstanding work, achievement, and commitment to the mission and values of the department.
Climate resilience is the new sustainability
Prof. Franz-Josef Ulm and Randolph Kirchain co-write for The Hill about the need to build wisely and more importantly to understand that sustainability and resilient construction are compatible.
RESEARCH
Topology optimization for design of rigid interlocking assemblies
A new study from Josephine Carstensen’s top-ad lab examines the use of a topology optimization framework to fabricate rigid interlocking components used in carpentry that are traditionally shaped by wood cutting tools to lock components into place without use of adhesives or fasteners such as mortar, glue, bolts, nails or screws. Read more
Visualizing cement hydration on a molecular level
New research out of the Masic lab demonstrates an imaging technique that could enable new pathways for reducing concrete’s hefty carbon footprint, as well as for 3-D printing of concrete. The study is a “Brothers Lumière moment for concrete science,” says co-author Franz-Josef Ulm. Read more
Crowdsourcing data on road quality and excess fuel consumption
MIT researchers are using smartphones to gather roadway information previously inaccessible to many departments of transportation. The Carbin app allows users to estimate how road quality affects a user’s fuel consumption.  Read more
There’s a symphony in the antibody protein the body makes to neutralize the coronavirus
Last spring, Professor Buehler used artificial intelligence to translate the coronavirus spike protein into music and now with the rollout of vaccines has a sequel “Protein Antibody in E Minor.” Read more
CEE PROFILES
A new ocean soundscape
Noah Germolus, a third-year chemical oceanographer student in our MIT-WHOI Joint Program converts chemical data he’s gathered in the ocean into musical notes he plays on his tenor sax. Read more
SEMINAR TALKS
Learn more about CEE research. Listen to the recorded talks by faculty members from our Faculty Seminar Series hosted by Prof. Josephine Carstensen at your own leisure. 
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Professor Charles Harvey: The Necromass of Borneo