Reconstructing the Past
Summer Research Scholars are spending their summer helping to bring one of the world's oldest cities to life through modern technology.
Physics and Engineering Archive (136 Stories)
W&L Engineering Professor Publishes Paper in Science Advances
Mengying Liu collaborated with researchers from Texas A&M University on the peer-reviewed article.
Flying High
Misha Lin ’25 is taking her dance education to the next level this summer with intensive aerial dance training, finishing with a two-week international festival in August.
W&L’s Hamza Zia ’26 Receives Davis Projects for Peace Grant
Zia plans to continue his work with the PINK Center Project in his home country of Pakistan.
W&L’s Demetri Patrinos ’25 Awarded Goldwater Scholarship
Patrinos is one of three W&L students selected for the scholarship this spring.
Total Eclipsing on the Colonnade
Hundreds of W&L students, faculty and staff came together to witness the astronomical event.
W&L Student Performs at Havana Jazz Festival
A meeting with a Broadway legend allowed engineering major Zaria Daniels ’26 to take her vocal talents to Cuba.
W&L Hosts 17th National Symposium of Theater in Academe
“Myth, Magic, and Madness” will feature a dynamic lineup of creative workshops, dramatic readings and staged productions March 21-22.
W&L’s Jon Erickson Part of Coalition that Receives Major Medical Research Grant
The engineering professor will perform research related to gastrointestinal motility over the next three years in New Zealand.
Six W&L Students Awarded Gilman Scholarships to Study Abroad
The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students who are Pell Grant recipients.
W&L’s McClain Presents Nobel Prize Symposium Talk
Tom McClain, assistant professor of physics, will discuss this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
Digging Deep
W&L’s Summer Research Scholars program gives students hands-on experience in collaborative research with faculty mentors.
W&L Professor Receives Grant from the American Association of University Women
Mengying Liu will use the funds to research high-throughput crystallographic mapping in the United Kingdom.
W&L Engineering Professor Publishes Articles in Two Renowned Journals
Jon Erickson’s papers are part of an ongoing research project studying non-invasive gastric mapping techniques.
Ehsan ’13 to Give Public Lecture on the Algorithmic Imprint
Washington and Lee’s Philosophy Department will host a talk by Upol Ehsan ’13 on Monday, March 13 from 6-7:30 p.m. in Northen Auditorium, Leyburn Library.
CBL’s Faculty Collaborative Creates Connection Across Campus
CBL’s new initiative is an opportunity for faculty development, student collaboration and deepening partnerships with the surrounding community.
W&L Professor Publishes Journal Article in Physics of Fluids
Professor Joel Kuehner’s article focuses on film flow inside corrugated pipes.
Irina Mazilu to Deliver Endowed Professorship Lecture
Mazilu’s talk “A Physics Journey from Complex Systems to Simple Models” will be held in Northen Auditorium on Jan. 25.
Community-Based Learning’s Fall Term Collaborations
Community-Based Learning’s collaborations this fall offered students an opportunity to deepen community connections.
Bill Benson ’92: Rocketman
Bill Benson ’92 worked on NASA’s Space Launch System which will enable astronauts to begin their journey into deep space.
From Screen to Square Film Screening: Hidden Figures
The upcoming screening is the second installment in the DeLaney Center's ongoing film series.
Electric Mondays
Students in Jon Erickson's Electrical Circuits course are learning through teaching local elementary school students.
Marcais Presents Nobel Prize Symposium Talk
Tom Marcais, senior technology integration specialist, will present this year's Nobel Prize for Physics on Wednesday, Oct. 26.
Washington and Lee Names Seven Faculty Members to Endowed Professorships
These faculty have been recognized for their outstanding teaching, scholarship and service to the university.
Meet Hobson Bryan ’09
Bryan credits W&L for teaching him how to approach the complex problems he has tackled throughout his multi-faceted career.
Stepping Stones in STEM
Bonner Kirkland '23 conducted biomedical research this summer in the Children’s National Hospital’s Department of Genetic Medicine.
‘One Step Closer’
Sarah Burd ’24 is spending her summer working for a medical technology company in Vienna, Austria, that specializes in prosthetic limbs.
W&L Outcomes: Riwaj Shrestha ’22
Shrestha worked with the Office of Career and Professional Development at W&L to "engineer" the perfect career after graduation.
Matt Tinsley ’22 Awarded U.S. Teaching Assistantship to Austria
After his USTA program orientation in September, Tinsley will teach in a secondary school in Austria through May 2023.
W&L Outcomes: Coby Kirkland ’22
At W&L, Kirkland discovered that his two passions, sports and engineering, could be combined into one fulfilling pursuit. He's going to intern at a sports equipment company before heading to grad school at Purdue.
Science Advisory Board Funds New Student Opportunities Endowment
The STEM-focused endowment will support internships, research opportunities, academic conference costs and other student experiences.
W&L to Match 100% of Electricity Use with Solar Energy
A new deal will establish an offsite solar farm from which W&L will purchase energy equivalent to 100% of campus electricity use, allowing the university to lower greenhouse gas emissions, save money and close in on its goal of carbon neutrality.
Four W&L Students Awarded Gilman Scholarships to Study Abroad
The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students who are Pell Grant recipients.
Meet the Professor: Todd Rutkowski
Todd Rutkowski joined the Physics Department in the summer of 2020.
Meet the Professor: Robert Elder
Visiting Assistant Professor Robert Elder joined Washington and Lee University's Physics and Engineering Department in fall 2020.
Meet the Professor: Mengying Liu
Mengying Liu is an assistant professor of engineering at W&L.
Immerse Yourself in Spring Term!
It's the most wonderful term of the year, so keep an eye on @wlunews social media and this post for a daily dose of W&L's deeply engaging four-week term.
In Memoriam: Kenneth E. Van Ness
The Robert Lee Telford Professor of Physics and Engineering Emeritus died Nov. 24.
Community Projects a Win-Win for Lexington and W&L
Washington and Lee University's Office of Community-Based Learning has partnered with Lexington on projects that provide real-world learning experiences for students while also advancing the city's goals.
W&L to Host Reception Honoring Rhodes Scholar Rossella Gabriele
The Rhodes Scholarship, which averages $70,000 per year and up to as much as $250,000, fully funds two to four years of study at the University of Oxford in England.
Teed Up for Success
Laurie Jones '21 is grateful for the opportunities she's had at W&L, especially her place on the golf team and the chance to study through the Peace and Conflict Program in Ireland and Jordan.
W&L’s Rossella Gabriele Among 2020 Class of Rhodes Scholars
Gabriele, a 2019 graduate, is the university’s 17th Rhodes Scholar.
Conductors of Knowledge
Students in Washington and Lee University's Electrical Circuits class sparked interest in local elementary students through a Community-Based Learning project that partnered with the Rockbridge Area YMCA after-school program.
Washington and Lee’s Laura Bruce ’20 Awarded Goldwater Scholarship
Each scholar is awarded $7,500 to support undergraduate research in their junior or senior year.
W&L’s Nick St. Pierre ’21 Earns Prestigious SMART Scholarship
The scholarship will cover his remaining undergraduate tuition, a stipend, summer internships and then a job upon graduation.
The Class of 2041: Why I Give
Reid Calhoun ‘17 shares how his vision for the future inspires his annual giving.
Postcards From Washington Break
Washington Break at W&L is about exploration, whether that discovery involves Texas mountaintops, Japanese culture or career opportunities in New York.
Rewriting the Code: Women and Technology Initiative at W&L Hosts Two-Day Public Forum
Barabas’s talk, which is free and open to the public, is titled “Dodging Silver Bullets: Understanding the Role of Technology in Social Change.”
Quick Hit: The Egg-Drop Scoop
Students in General Physics Lab I send eggs bungee jumping in the Science Center. The goal? Calculate correctly lest your project be a bust.
Tom Williams, Edwin A. Morris Professor of Physics Emeritus, dies at 77
He taught at W&L from 1974 to 2011.
W&L to Host Second DataCon Event
The event will focus on how data is shaping sports, entertainment, and healthcare.
‘My Time in Nicoya’
Daniel Rhoades '19 spent the summer immersed in the language and culture of Costa Rica.
Walking in Sunshine
Blue Ridge Autism and Achievement Center’s Lexington branch recently held a grand opening celebration for a nature trail built by Washington and Lee University engineering students through a community partnership.
W. Barlow Newbolt, Professor of Physics Emeritus, Dies at 83
Newbolt taught at W&L from 1962 to 2000.
Practical Tools for the Future
Yoko Koyama '19 put her W&L learning to work this summer at National Instruments Japan.
Turning Data into Knowledge
Moataz Khalifa discusses his new job as Leyburn Library's director of data education.
A ‘Dream Act’
Tolu Olubunmi ’02 speaks up for immigrants and refugees.
Straughan Addresses Alumni Opening Assembly, ODK Holds Spring Initiation
ODK inducted four honorary and seven student initiates
Mission to Monterrey
Daniel Rhoades '19 joined a group that traveled to Monterrey, Mexico over Washington Break to continue a STEM program for elementary school students.
W&L’s Beck Receives an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
Beck is the 22nd General to receive the distinction over the last 15 years.
W&L Women Mentor the Next Generation
Women in Technology and Science gives girls from local middle and elementary schools an opportunity to perform science experiments in all disciplines during the academic year.
Sculpting a Business
Sloan Evans ’99 and Rhett McCraw ’07 credit their liberal arts education with helping them build a strong foundation for their careers.
The Path to Learning
A team of Washington and Lee engineering majors is designing and building a walking trail for children served by Blue Ridge Autism and Achievement Center’s Lexington location.
Language and Life Lessons in Chile
Alex Meilech '18 spent the summer in Santiago, Chile, learning the language, exploring the culture, and caring for the people of the country.
Energized by Research
A grant from the Endeavor Foundation allowed engineering students Alfred Rwagaju '18 and Kennedy Gibson-Wynn '18 to spend the summer studying hydroelectric power in Rwanda.
Open for Business
A grant from the Endeavor Foundation allowed Yoko Koyama '19 and Maren Lundgren '18 to open a store in Cameroon that will fund transportation for local children to go to middle school in a neighboring town.
Down By the River
Over the summer, students worked with Professor Robert Humston to examine the potential effects of smallmouth bass on native brook trout populations in the Virginia watershed.
Interest STEMs from Fun
With a Davis Projects for Peace grant, Angel Vela de la Garza Evia ’18 created an educational summer program for children in his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. [With time-lapse VIDEO]
Engineering Solutions for Amputees
Matt Lubas '18 spent the summer in Zacapa, Guatamala, working at a prosthetic clinic for the Range of Motion Project.
Adding Up the Research
Anukriti Shrestha '19 has found an intersection of mathematics, computer science and research — all in the heart of Lexington.
Advanced Research Cohort Program Marks Second Successful Year
Twelve Class of 2021 students visited W&L for a five-week Advanced Research Cohort program that allowed them to dabble in STEM projects and establish quality relationships.
Going With the Flow
Will Schirmer ’20 investigates the fluid dynamics of periodic water surges.
Heat, Water, Lasers, Patience
Angel Vela de la Garza Evia ‘18 learned that research is two parts patience, two parts fun with lasers
Design, Build, Fly: Alexander Rurka ’17
Alexander Rurka '17 knows the ups-and-downs (and loop-de-loops) of flying and competing in an international plane building competition
The Great Robot Race
Physics and engineering students at Washington and Lee put their creations to the test in the final week of Winter Term.
Eleni Timas ‘17: Swept up in Science
Meet Eleni Timas ‘17, a chemical engineering major who has been swept up studying tornadoes.
From Volunteering to Mountaineering
Whether they were doing service work in Birmingham, touring firms in NYC, or climbing an ice-encrusted mountain in New Hampshire, Washington and Lee students made the most of Washington Break.
W&L Junior Awarded Davis Projects for Peace Grant
W&L junior Angel Vela de la Garza Evia has won a $10,000 Davis Projects for Peace grant.
U.Va. Professor Deborah Johnson to Lecture on Ethics in Engineering
Deborah G. Johnson, the Olsson Professor of Applied Ethics and Emeritus, Science, Technology and Society Program at U.Va., will discuss the question, “Does Engineering Need a Code of Ethics?”
Matt Lubas: Engineering Community Development
Meet Matt Lubas '18, an engineer who spends his spare time building communities.
Meet the Johnsons: Ryder Babik ’19
Meet Ryder Babik '19, a student who enjoys college as much as he enjoys helping others apply to college.
Catching Waves
Jamie Hayes ’17 spent two summer months in New Zealand, where he conducted research that could eventually help to improve the diagnosis of gastrointestinal ailments.
Faculty Focus: Dan and Irina Mazilu
W&L physics professors Irina and Dan Mazilu join forces to mentor students and build a nanoscience program.
Design/Build/Fly
Using the university's IQ Center to fabricate some of the parts, students designed an airplane for an engineering competition.
Dan and Irina Mazilu
Physics professors Dan and Irina Mazilu discuss their path to the U.S., taking students abroad and exploring their adopted country one state at a time.
In Depth: Washington and Lee Launches Advanced Research Cohort (ARC) Pilot
12 exceptional students experience a unique summer program aimed at increasing retention in STEM majors.
Virginia Tech Professor John Casali to Lecture on How to Protect Against Hearing Damage in Military and Civilian Environments
John G. Casali, John Grado Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering and director of the Auditory Systems Laboratory at Virginia Tech, will give a lecture at W&L Oct. 12 at 4 p.m.
A Day in the Life: Prakhar Naithani ’17
Johnson Opportunity Grant Winner Prakhar Naithani '17 conducts research at North Carolina State University's Forestry Biomaterials Department.
Interns at Work: Walker Brand ’18
Engineering major Walker Brand '18 gets a taste of the defense industry at Hardwire Armor Systems.
Author Talk Series Continues on Oct. 20 with Emeritus Professor Tom Williams
The Anne and Edgar Basse Jr. Author Talk Series, presented by the Leyburn University Library at Washington and Lee University, continues at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, with a talk by H. Thomas Williams, emeritus professor of physics at W&L.
Interns at Work: Aswasan Joshi ’17
Physics-engineering and computer science major Aswasan Joshi '17 interns in product development at Jobscience in San Francisco.
Around the World: Eric Schwen ’15
Eric Schwen '15 in Paris, Madrid and London.
Student Leaders: Richard Snyder ’16 and Gabby Collado ’16
Lenfest Center House Directors work behind the scenes to keep performances running smoothly.
A Taste of Spring: PHYS 102: The Physics and Perception of Music
Students learn how two seemingly different disciplines are intertwined together in harmony.
In Depth: Water Work
A group of Washington and Lee students spent February break constructing a bio-sand water filter for a school in Belmopan, Belize.
Design/Build/Fly: High Flyers
The General Flyers club draws on engineering skills and IQ Center resources to design and fabricate an unmanned, electric-powered, radio-controlled aircraft.
My W&L: Marc Wonders ’15
"Washington and Lee has been the happy intersection of the qualities I desired in a large and small school."
Interns at Work: Xiaoxiang Yang ’16
Senior Xiaoxiang Yang gets a taste of the consulting world with The Brattle Group.
Summer Research Spotlight: Measuring Gastrointestinal Slow Waves
Jamie Hayes '17, Alfred Rwagaju '18 and Rajwol Joshi '18 are applying electrical engineering to create a medical solution for affordable diagnoses.
Interns at Work: Thomas Pritchard ’16
Senior Thomas Pritchard tests the service life of parachutes at the Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center.
Intro to Nanoscience
A Spring Term course helps students with little or no science background understand the scientific principles that govern our world.
2016 W&L Graduate Patrick Wright Awarded Fellowship
Patrick Wright, from Tampa, Florida, a 2016 graduate from Washington and Lee University, has been awarded a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX) fellowship for study and internship experience in Germany.
International Endeavors: Mayol and Sheppard
Spending a summer in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Juan Cruz Mayol and Sam Sheppard worked with two engineers on product development and testing efforts for an eco-friendly snowboard.
W&L Alumni Win National Science Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowships
Four Washington and Lee University alumni have received pre-doctoral graduate research fellowships from the National Science Foundation. In addition, four alumni and one student received honorable mentions.
Engineering Opportunity
Angel Vela de la Garza Evia '18 and Walker Brand '18 built assistive technology to help the employees at Rockbridge Area Occupational Center do the jobs they love.
W&L's Williams Examines Gravitational Waves Discovery in Roanoke Times
The following oped by H. Thomas Williams, Edwin A. Morris Professor of Physics Emeritus at Washington and Lee, was published in the Sunday, March 13, 2016, edition of the Roanoke Times and is reprinted here by permission. A Perfect Pass by H. Thomas Williams Whenever I see an NFL quarterback throw a pass to a receiver running […]
International Perspectives: Alfred Rwagaju
Alfred Rwagaju is a Physics-Engineering major from Rwanda.
My W&L: Katie Strickland ’15
"W&L has prepared me to bridge the gap between policy makers and engineers and help lead our nation in a technology-driven world."
A Body in Motion
Taylor Gilfillan '13, a 2013 Teach For America (TFA) corps member, teaches underprivileged students at a school plagued by a high teacher turnover rate.
Professor Emeritus Settle Explains Marshall’s Role in Atomic Bomb
Frank Settle, professor emeritus of chemistry and author of a forthcoming book, “General George C. Marshall and the Atomic Bomb,” published a guest column in the Roanoke Times on the 70th anniversary of Hiroshima.
Eric Schwen ’15 is Apker Award Finalist
Eric Schwen ’15, a Washington and Lee University valedictorian and physics major from Cottage Grove, Minnesota, has been chosen as a finalist for the American Physical Society’s LeRoy Apker Award, recognizing outstanding achievements in physics by an undergraduate.
W&L's David Sukow to Lecture on Coping with Chaos in his Inaugural Telford Professorship Lecture
David W. Sukow, professor of physics and engineering at Washington and Lee University, will give his inaugural lecture marking his appointment as the Robert Lee Telford Professor of Physics and Engineering on March 31, at 4:30 p.m. in Northen Auditorium, Leyburn Library.
Water Filtration Systems Built for Two Elementary Schools in Guatemala by W&L’s Chapter of Engineers Without Borders
Members of W&L's chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) recently traveled to Guatemala to build much needed water filters for elementary schools.
Annelise Madison and Alvin Thomas Awarded Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallion
Annelise Madison of Roca, Neb., and Alvin Thomas of Skokie, Ill., seniors at Washington and Lee University, have been awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallion, the university's highest student honor.
W&L Announces Final Winners of 2014 Johnson Opportunity Grants
Washington and Lee University has announced the final round of students who will receive 2014 Johnson Opportunity Grants. The grants cover living, travel and other costs associated with the students' proposed activities, which are designed to help them with their future careers and fields of study.
W&L Announces Winners of 2014 Johnson Opportunity Grants
Washington and Lee University has announced the first round of students selected to receive 2014 Johnson Opportunity Grants, and the second round of selections is underway.
W&L’s Vincent Kim Wins Scholarship to Cambridge University
Vincent Kim of Grand Blanc, Mich., a senior at Washington and Lee University, has been awarded a Gates Cambridge Scholarship for a Ph.D. program in physics at Cambridge University in England. The three-year scholarship provides tuition and a stipend.
Sky is the Limit in W&L's IQ Center
New science facility features the latest technology for science and non-science majors at Washington and Lee.
W&L Alum Named Jefferson Fellow
Robert Foster '07 will attend Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.
Taylor Gilfillan Named 2012-2013 General of the Year
Taylor Gilfillan, a Washington and Lee senior from Raleigh, N.C., has been named the John W. Elrod General of the Year for 2012-2013.
W&L Senior Mohamad Shawki Amine Assists in Earthquake Research
Washington and Lee University senior Mohamad Shawki Amine was a member of a team from Virginia Tech's College of Engineering that presented the results of its earthquake research at Posters on the Hill in Washington last month.
W&L Juniors Alvin Thomas, Erica Schwotzer Recognized as Generals of the Month for May
Washington and Lee University students Alvin Thomas and Erica Schwotzer will be recognized at the Generals of the Month presentation for May on Thursday, May 2, at 12:20 p.m. in the Marketplace in Elrod Commons.
Two W&L Juniors Win Goldwater Scholarships
Two Washington and Lee University juniors — Kathryn E. Driest, of Davidson, N.C., and Andrew Seredinski, of Flourtown, Pa. — have received the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship.
W&L Senior Max Chapnick Awarded Fulbright Grant
Washington and Lee University senior Max Chapnick of White Plains, N.Y., has received a Creative Writing/Arts Fulbright grant to New Zealand and to the International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, following his graduation in May.
W&L Professor, Students Co-edit New Zealand Poetry for “Shenandoah”
Washington and Lee English professor Lesley Wheeler and two W&L seniors served as guest editors of a special edition of "Shenandoah."
W&L Seniors Ali Hamed, Jennifer Ritter Named Generals of the Month
Washington and Lee University seniors Jennifer Ritter and Ali Hamed will be recognized at the Generals of the Month presentation for October on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 11:45 a.m. in the Marketplace in Elrod Commons.
Generals of the Month for September Named
Washington and Lee University students Rachel Pityk, Joni Deutsch and Taylor Gilfillan will be recognized as Generals of the Month for September.
New IQ Center Will Enhance Science at W&L
The first phase of the new Integrative and Quantitative (IQ) Center at Washington and Lee University is underway, with a projected opening date of June 2013.
W&L's Kuehner Receives NSF Grant to Research Combustion at Supersonic Speeds
Joel Kuehner, associate professor of physics and engineering at Washington and Lee University, has received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue his research into combustion at supersonic speeds.
Washington and Lee Receives $1 Million in Second Hughes Grant
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has selected Washington and Lee University as one of 47 small colleges and universities in the country to share in grants totaling more than $50 million.
Art in Science on Display at W&L's Kamen Gallery
Images highlighting the work of Washington and Lee University alumni who are scientists form an unusual art exhibit in the University’s Kamen Gallery, opening April 30 and continuing through May 17.
Antique Scientific Instruments Show How W&L Students Used to Learn
An exhibit of 19th-century scientific instruments on the main floor of the Leyburn Library at Washington and Lee University shows how students used to study physics, chemistry, mathematics, surveying and other scientific disciplines. Yolanda Merrill, humanities librarian and associate professor, originated the idea for the exhibit after noticing similar instruments on display in the library’s […]
Fresh Water for Bolivia
Students and professors from Washington and Lee and VMI spent two weeks this summer in the village of Pampoyo, Bolivia, to oversee the construction of a multi-phase water delivery system that will bring fresh water to the villagers. The clean water will be used for crop irrigation, and those working on the project hope the […]
Second Annual Nobel Symposium at W&L
The Second Annual Nobel Prize Symposium at Washington and Lee University, coordinated this year by Wayne Dymacek, professor of mathematics, will feature presentations by W&L faculty who will give background on the individuals who have won this year's Nobel Prizes and the activities that earned those honors. All sessions are open to the W&L community […]
New Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope at W&L for Regional Use
A new confocal laser scanning microscope at Washington and Lee University aims to increase research and training across the sciences, not only at W&L but also at two nearby institutions, Virginia Military Institute and Mary Baldwin College. The microscope will be acquired through a $366,000 Major Research Instrumentation grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). […]
Jennifer Strawbridge '01 Named Distinguished Young Alumna
Washington and Lee University's Alumni Association has bestowed its 2011 Distinguished Young Alumna Award on the Rev. Jennifer R. Strawbridge, of the Class of 2001. Announcement of the award was made on Friday (Sept. 30) during the annual Young Alumni Reunion on campus. Rev. Strawbridge is chaplain of Oxford University's Keble College in England, where […]
