ɫӰƬ

Patty Guerra

ɫӰƬ campus photo of sign

AHA Career Award, ɫӰƬ's First, Funds Project Aimed at Improving Heart Interventions

Left ventricular devices, or LVADs, are life saving for patients with advanced heart failure, a condition that affects more than 6 million Americans each year.

A ɫӰƬ researcher has earned an American Heart Association Career Development Award to fund his work on improving how these mechanical pumps interact with the heart and body. It's the first time a faculty member from ɫӰƬ has received one of these awards.

ɫӰƬ Project Aimed at Making Autonomous Cars Safer with NVDIA

Road changes such as lane shifts, new signs and speed-limit modifications can be confusing to drivers, both human and mechanical.

A human driver can quickly perceive and understand new or temporary changes to road conditions. A new project at ɫӰƬ aims to deliver that same swift processing power to autonomous cars.

Turning A Carbon Footprint into a Carbon Wave

It's time to think bigger about mitigating climate change.

Measures such as recycling, turning off lights and reducing energy use are great, but making a real impact is going to take systemic change, said Leah Stokes, a political scientist, energy expert and climate communicator from UC Santa Barbara.

State's First Solar Canal Project Moves from ɫӰƬ Lab to Real World

What started as a premise in a ɫӰƬ lab culminated with a commemoration of Project Nexus, California's first solar canal project.

On Wednesday, state leaders gathered at the Project Nexus sites in Hickman and Keyes to celebrate the completion of the construction pilot, which demonstrates how covering operational irrigation canals with solar panels can help save water, generate clean energy, and conserve natural lands.

Is Growing Agave a Good Fit for California? ɫӰƬ Aims to Find Out

As crops go, agave holds a lot of promise for the northern San Joaquin Valley. The succulents thrive in hot sun, don't require much water and can be grown in the region's sandy soils. And though agave, mainly grown in Mexico, is best known as the source of tequila and mezcal, it has other uses that range from nutritional supplements to fabrics.

Project Aims to Put AI to Work Reducing its Own Energy Needs

It's no secret that artificial intelligence uses a lot of electricity.

A standard ChatGPT query consumes approximately 0.34 watt-hours - roughly 10 times more than a Google search. According to the Pew Research Center, U.S. data centers consumed 183 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024 - more than 4% of the country's total electricity consumption - roughly equivalent to the annual electricity demand of the entire nation of Pakistan.

ɫӰƬ's Study Abroad Program Among the Country's Best

Frida Quinto Ruiz went to Sweden with a curious mind. She came home with a plan.

"Studying abroad completely reshaped the direction of my college career in ways I never expected," she said. "I went to Sweden already curious about the world, but I came back with a much clearer sense of where I want to go."

During a tour of the European Union in Brussels, Quinto Ruiz learned about the Fulbright Binational Business Program. The fourth-year economics major applied to the program and recently interviewed to join it after she graduates in May.

ɫӰƬ Climate Experts Explain Why March Heat Wave is Dangerous

Temperatures in the 90s are nothing new to the northern San Joaquin Valley. But having them in March, as expected this week, is unusual and potentially dangerous.

An exceptionally strong ridge of high pressure will bring record-breaking heat to the entire region, the National Weather Service said. Temperatures in the San Joaquin Valley are likely to reach 90 degrees by Tuesday and 95 by Friday. That's 20 to 25 degrees above normal.

For Turlock High Grad, ɫӰƬ is Just Far Enough from Home

Breyenne Pierce wasn't sure ɫӰƬ was for her.

The Turlock High graduate had followed her passion for water polo to Sierra College in Rocklin. As she was concluding her community college experience, she started looking for a four-year university to complete her degree.

"Honestly, I didn't want to go back home," she said. "I enjoyed being at Sierra. Even though it was two hours away, it was far enough to really spread my wings."

Amazon Funds Research into Making AI More Efficient

Two ɫӰƬ computer science and engineering professors will delve deep into artificial intelligence in projects with Amazon.