AI in the Physical World: Helping Robotic Arms Solve Problems Using Tools

News / June 4, 2026

Penn researchers developed an AI framework that enables robotic arms to invent and use tools on their own, allowing robots to adapt to unfamiliar tasks and environments by combining physical reasoning, tool design, and problem-solving in the real world.

Celebrating Student Excellence 2026

News / June 2, 2026

Twenty undergraduate and graduate students are recognized for outstanding achievements in scholarship, research, leadership, teaching, and service, showcasing the talent and impact of Penn Engineering’s next generation of innovators.

Shawn Koohy Receives Fall 2025 Outstanding TA Award

News / May 11, 2026

Recognized for exceptional teaching in a graduate course on machine learning and scientific computing, Ph.D. candidate Shawn Koohy earned the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for developing learning resources, providing extensive student support, and helping make complex technical concepts more accessible.

Yifei Ren Receives 2026 John A. Goff Prize

News / March 16, 2026

Ph.D. candidate, Yifei Ren, is advancing research at the intersection of mechanics, materials science and biology while demonstrating exceptional scholarship, leadership and commitment to teaching.

Spencer Folk Defends Dissertation

News / January 29, 2026

Folk defended his doctoral dissertation, “Real Time Local Wind Inference for Robust Autonomous Navigation,” completed under the guidance of Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean and Professor, and Mark Yim, Asa Whitney Professor of Mechanical Engineering.

Powering AI from Space, at Scale

News / January 29, 2026

Penn Engineers have proposed a scalable, solar-powered orbital data center design that passively maintains orientation using tethers and sunlight, offering a feasible path to meet growing AI computing demands while reducing the environmental impact of terrestrial data centers.