Engineering the Future
Emerging fields like robotics, aerospace, neuroscience, and product engineering are shaping Illinois’ future, driving innovation in healthcare, manufacturing, and space exploration. IMSA prepares students for these high-impact careers by fostering curiosity, hands-on research, and interdisciplinary learning, ensuring the next generation of engineers is ready to lead.
Building a Predictive Model to Improve Chicago Beach Safety
Lucy Ferron ‘26 and Joven Chinna ‘27 worked with a mentor at the Discovery Partners Institute on an environmental engineering project aimed at strengthening public water safety along Chicago’s beaches. Using predictive modeling, they integrated real-time weather, wave conditions, and beach usage with historical bacterial data to build a forecasting tool that can anticipate elevated E. coli levels before they become a health risk.
Their model was rigorously tested and validated for accuracy and reliability, offering a proactive way to issue beach advisories, streamline monitoring efforts, and help state and local agencies deploy resources more efficiently. This project showcases how engineering and data science can work together to safeguard public health, improve environmental infrastructure, and advance smarter decision-making across Illinois.
Developing Magnetic Nanotech to Clean Illinois Waterways
Mbayie Tendong ‘27 applied chemical engineering principles to environmental cleanup in a study conducted during her summer experiential learning program. With mentors at Chicago State University, she developed magnetic nanocomposites designed to tackle water pollution by combining compounds such as Iron, Chloride, Iron Sulfate, activated carbon, and cellulose to create highly absorbent magnetic nanoparticles. Through iterative testing, Mbayie optimized formulas that demonstrated exceptional contaminant removal when tested against common dyes like methylene blue, alizarin yellow, and malachite green.
Her work highlights a promising, scalable approach to restoring polluted waterways. By advancing low-cost, efficient tools for removing hazardous dyes, Mbayie’s research contributes to protecting Illinois’ lakes, rivers, and aquatic ecosystems from industrial and agricultural contaminants.
IMSA Team Chosen to Represent Illinois in NASA’s TechRise Space Challenge
Juniors Krithik Senthilkumar, Aidan Chang, Ian Wang, Vidhan Jain, Atharv Kanchi, and Sonit Sahoo have been selected to represent Illinois in NASA’s prestigious TechRise Student Challenge, a highly competitive national STEM program that empowers young innovators to design, build, and launch experiments aboard suborbital spacecraft.
This spring, the team will engineer, prototype, and test a fully functional experiment that will collect data in microgravity, an opportunity rarely available to high school students.
Guided by IMSA faculty and NASA engineers, the students will engage deeply with aerospace engineering, systems design, and real-world problem-solving. This hands-on experience not only builds advanced technical skills but also prepares students to contribute to the next generation of scientific discovery and engineering innovation.
Alumni Impact
Jasmine Kwasa ‘09
Dr. Kwasa, a Carnegie Mellon researcher, worked in Nairobi, Kenya, as a US Fulbright Research Scholar at Aga Khan University’s Brain and Mind Institute. She is revolutionizing brain-sensing technology, combining engineering and neuroscience to develop unbiased, accessible brain health solutions.
Aaron Parness ‘00
Aaron is advancing robotics engineering by leading global teams in e-commerce automation, enhancing efficiency through AI, force control, and specialized hardware. Previously at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, he pioneered climbing robots and grippers, shaping the future of robotics.
Caitlin McCann ‘09
Caitlin drives success in hybrid race cars, contributing to wins at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, Le Mans, and more. Her expertise in lap time simulation, vehicle setup, and MATLAB development showcases engineering excellence in sports car endurance motorsports.
