Technology

NASA Awards Support STEM Research at Minority Serving Institutions

Published

2 years ago

July 1, 2024

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — NASA has selected 23 minority-serving institutions to receive $1.2 million to grow their research and technology capabilities, collaborate on research projects, and contribute to the agency’s missions for the benefit of humanity.

Through NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Partnership Learning Annual Notification (MPLAN) award, selected institutions will receive up to $50,000 each for a six-month period to work directly on STEM projects with subject matter experts in NASA’s mission directorates.

“As NASA looks to inspire the next generation, the Artemis Generation, we are intentional in increasing access for all,” said Shahra Lambert, NASA senior advisor for engagement and equity. “It’s a daring task to return to the Moon then venture to Mars, but NASA is known to make the impossible possible. By funding partnerships such as MPLAN, and tapping into all pools of STEM resources, including MSIs, we are ensuring the future of our missions are in good hands.”

The awards will contribute to research opportunities in preparation for larger funding programs such as NASA’s annual Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer solicitation, the Space Technology Research Grant Program within the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, the University Leadership Initiative within the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, and the Human Research Program within NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate.

“These awards will help unlock the full potential of students traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research and careers,” said Torry Johnson, deputy associate administrator of STEM Engagement Projects at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Through this award, universities receive support, resources, and guidance directly from NASA experts, which can be a game changer for the work they do to develop technological innovations that contribute to NASA missions and benefit all of humanity.”

The awardees are as follows:

Arizona State University
Drones for Contact-inclusive Planetary Exploration California State University-Dominguez Hills
Bioinspired Surface Design for Thermal Extremes California State University-Fresno
Human-Centric Digital Twins in NASA Space Missions California State University-Northridge
Repurposing Lander Parts into Geodesic Assemblies California State University, Monterey Bay
Crafting Biofuels via Molecular Insights CUNY New York City College of Technology
Polyethylene Glycol Diacrylate for Seed Growth: Microgreens in Space Delgado Community College, New Orleans, Louisiana
Freshmen Access to CubeSat Education Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, North Carolina
New Tech for Storm Tracking with Machine Learning Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia
Sustained Approach for Energetic Lunar Operation New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Information-Theoretic Multi-Robot Exploration Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
Robot Leg Design for Lunar Exploration Regents of New Mexico State University
Extreme Aerodynamics Over Small Air Vehicles San Diego State University
Enhanced Aero-Composites: Reinforcement Innovation San Francisco State University
Early Non-invasive Diagnosis of Heart Diseases San Jose State University
Designing Resilient Battery System for Space Southern University and A & M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
X-Ray 3D Printing of Nanocomposites for AME
Plant Antimicrobial in Space Exploration using AISpelman College, Atlanta, Georgia
Non-contact Optical Sensor for Biomedicine The Research Foundation of CUNY on behalf of City College, New York
Soft Tendril-inspired Robot for Space Exploration The University of Texas at San Antonio
Hydrodynamic Stability of Jets via Neural Networks
Low-SWaP Water Electrolyzer for Lunar/Martian In-Situ Resource Utilization The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Tuneable NanoEnergetic Microthruster Cartridges University of California, Irvine
Flexible Modular Robots for Extreme Access University of Hawaii at Manoa
Ultrasound methods for monitoring carcinogenesis University of New Mexico
All-climate and Ultrafast Aluminum Ion Batteries

The awarded institutions and their partners are invited to meet with NASA researchers and MUREP representatives throughout the remainder of 2024. The meetings serve as training sessions to pursue future NASA opportunities. These trainings focus primarily on fostering collaboration, enhancing technical skills, and providing insights into NASA’s research priorities to better prepare participants for future opportunities.

To learn more about MPLAN, visit:

https://go.nasa.gov/49gsZ9X

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SOURCE NASA

Technology

Infineon wins patent infringement case against Innoscience

Published

60 minutes ago

June 18, 2026

MUNICH, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The District Court Munich, Germany (Landgericht München I) today ruled in favor of Infineon Technologies in two further of the patent infringement cases – specifically one based on a patent one based on a utility model – concerning gallium nitride (GaN) technology between Infineon and Innoscience.

The cases concern the unauthorized use of GaN technologies patented by Infineon by the Chinese company Innoscience. With today’s rulings, the court prohibits Innoscience from manufacturing, selling, and marketing additional patent-infringing products in Germany. Furthermore, the court has ordered Innoscience to pay damages to Infineon.

This marks Innoscience’s third and fourth legal defeat in a series of court cases, each of which found that Innoscience’s products infringe Infineon’s patents. Courts and authorities in both Germany and the United States have repeatedly concluded that Innoscience’s products infringe Infineon’s intellectual property rights. Prior rulings include the decision against Innoscience from August 1, 2025, in an initial German proceeding. Furthermore, on May 7, the Full Commission of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) found that Innoscience had infringed an Infineon patent in the field of gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Additional proceedings regarding the infringement of other Infineon patents are pending in the U.S. and Germany.

GaN plays a pivotal role in enabling high-performance and energy-efficient power systems in a broad range of applications, including renewable energy systems, data centers, industrial automation, and electric vehicles (EVs).

“Today’s ruling demonstrates the value of our GaN portfolio and underscores our commitment to vigorously defending our intellectual property and promoting fair competition,” said Johannes Schoiswohl, Senior Vice President and Head of Infineon’s GaN Systems Business Line.

Infineon continuously strengthens its position as a leading integrated device manufacturer (IDM) in the GaN market with the industry’s broadest IP portfolio, comprising approximately 450 GaN patent families. The company remains dedicated to fostering innovation and advancing semiconductor technology to address the world’s most pressing challenges, from decarbonization to digital transformation.

About Infineon
Infineon Technologies AG is a global semiconductor leader in power systems and IoT. Infineon drives decarbonization and digitalization with its products and solutions. The Company had around 57,000 employees worldwide (end of September 2025) and generated revenue of about €14.7 billion in the 2025 fiscal year (ending 30 September). Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the OTCQX International over-the-counter market (ticker symbol: IFNNY).

Further information is available at www.infineon.com
This press release is available online at www.infineon.com/press
Follow us: Facebook – LinkedIn

Contact:
Andre Tauber,
andre .tauber@infineon.com,
Tel. +49 89 343 6705

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/infineon-wins-patent-infringement-case-against-innoscience-302804725.html

Technology

The Inner Circle acknowledges Alan R. Mann as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence

Published

60 minutes ago

June 18, 2026

MOORESVILLE, N.C., June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Alan R. Mann is recognized as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for his contributions to Data Analytics and Decision Support.

Alan R. Mann has built a distinguished career in data analytics defined by precision, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to data integrity. With 36 years of experience spanning government, private sector, and health care environments, he is widely respected for transforming complex data into actionable insight that supports informed decision making and improved outcomes.

Since 2023, Mr. Mann has served as a data analyst and senior decision support analyst at Highmark Health, where he manages reporting package responsibilities for the Encompass team. In this role, he develops advanced programming that enables sales teams to deliver data driven client presentations, compare client profiles across multiple health care benefit metrics, and measure outcomes for up to nine chronic conditions.

Mr. Mann’s responsibilities also include evaluating additional coverage measurements and product performance metrics, conducting data discovery to integrate internal database sources, and reducing manual transcription through streamlined data workflows. He finalizes data integration efforts that improve reporting efficiency and supports enhancements to pharmacy focused reporting products, ensuring accuracy and consistency across all deliverables.

A critical component of his work involves designing comprehensive test plans to validate the accuracy and reliability of program outputs. When discrepancies or uncertainties arise, Mr. Mann rigorously retests and validates results, reinforcing his commitment to quality, precision, and trustworthy analytics. His expertise across government, health care, data science, and business analytics continues to add measurable value to the organizations he supports.

Mr. Mann earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware and a Master of Science degree from Capella University. He further expanded his technical skill set through certification in artificial intelligence from the Texas McCombs School of Business. His professional affiliations include SAS, SASUG, Scouting America, and AEPhi, reflecting both his technical engagement and community involvement.

Outside of his professional work, Mr. Mann enjoys traveling, collecting model and toy trains, and playing guitar. He credits much of his success to the guidance of his mentor, Barry Morstan, and expresses deep gratitude to his wife, Louis, and his parents, Gilbert and Muriel, for their continued love and support.

Looking ahead, Mr. Mann plans to continue contributing to his organization while gradually preparing for the next phase of his professional journey, confident in the lasting impact of his work in data analytics and decision support.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, editorialteam@continentalwhoswho.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-inner-circle-acknowledges-alan-r-mann-as-a-pinnacle-professional-member-inner-circle-of-excellence-302804593.html

SOURCE The Inner Circle

Technology

Aquarius.io Launches Press AI & PR Spotlight: Your New AI Team

Published

60 minutes ago

June 18, 2026

They Call it “The Unfair Advantage”.

LOS ANGELES, Jun 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ —

Talent is not enough without a team.

Most people do not lose because they lack talent. They lose because they do not have a team behind them. Aquarius is out to change that. Two new tools, Press AI and PR Spotlight, put a full news team and a full marketing department in one person’s hands. It is the kind of firepower everyone needs go scale. See it all at Aquarius.io.

Press AI: a full news team for one person

Press AI is a full news team for one person. Give it a story and it researches live sources, checks the facts, turns your interviews into clean, quotable transcripts, and hands back a finished piece with sources attached, ready to file. It does the work of an entire team, so one reporter can chase more leads, break more stories, and beat every deadline.

“Talent is everywhere. The team behind it is not,” said Chaela Harrell, a co-founder of Aquarius. “Aquarius gives one person the power of a whole company. We are your unfair advantage.”

PR Spotlight: your own marketing department

PR Spotlight is a full marketing department in a single tool. Answer a few questions and it researches your brand, then builds investor grade pitch decks and complete media kits, designs your logo, and even handles your contracts, letting you upload, send, sign, and receive them through DocuSign. Together, Press AI and PR Spotlight do the work of an entire team, putting serious media and marketing power in anyone’s hands. Press AI and PR Spotlight are available now at Aquarius.io. Take a look, test it and see what the hype is about.

The rest of the Aquarius family

Press AI and PR Spotlight join a whole family of Aquarius tools: Muse Lab for image and video, Chronicles for cinematic storytelling, Viral AI for social content, and Aria, a voice driven executive assistant. The platform is self serve, so you only pay for what you make. Every tool is built on one idea: give one person the team they never had. That is your unfair advantage.

Press AI and PR Spotlight are the next step in what Aquarius set out to do: put professional grade tools in the hands of the people who were never handed a team.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aquariusio-launches-press-ai–pr-spotlight-your-new-ai-team-302804726.html

SOURCE Aquarius.io