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2026 News

May 07,2026
SIU student shattering glass ceiling for female engineers- Brooke Keltner

Halley Frailey, from Marshall, Illinois, will earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering on May 9. The four-year academic honors student embodies SIU’s tradition of seizing opportunity after completing three internships and serving as an officer on five student organizations.

May 06, 2026
SIU Carbondale to offer bachelor’s degree in AI+ - Brooke Keltner

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Beginning with the fall 2026 semester, Southern Illinois University Carbondale will become the first public university in Illinois to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Artificial Intelligence Plus (AI+).
“Artificial intelligence technology is advancing rapidly,” said Xiaoqing “Frank” Liu, dean of the College of Engineering, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics. “Many students are expressing that they want to learn this technology in a systematic way. This program will fill an educational need in Illinois, particularly Southern Illinois.”
SIU Carbondale will join a short list of fewer than a dozen universities nationwide to offer a bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence+ — giving SIU a competitive edge in attracting students while offering affordable tuition, Liu said.
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April 22, 2026
SIU engineering students recreate ancient Roman odometer to measure distance - Brooke Keltner

This year’s project is the latest in a series of ancient practices program designs that students have been involved with for several years. Anderson believes these projects give students insight into how past engineers solved problems without the ability to rely on modern technology.

January 07, 2026
SIU grad engineers solutions to protect communities from water-related disasters - Tim Obermiller

Water problems often involve massive datasets — decades of rainfall records, soil moisture, land-use change and river discharge measured at fine time scales. “Traditional methods alone struggle to capture the complexity,” he said; machine learning can help identify patterns “that would otherwise be difficult to detect.”

2025 News

November 18, 2025
Saegessers endow SIU scholarship with $100,000, add $500,000 planned gift - Britni Bateman

The William and Shirley Saegesser Engineering Excellence Scholarship will prioritize first-generation students pursuing degrees in engineering fields. The couple hopes the fund will ease financial burdens and serve as a reminder that others believe in their potential.

October 29, 2025
WiCyS Hosts Fundraiser Guest Speaker Isaac Brown

According to Belle Woodward, Associate Professor of Information Technology, the chapter organized a fundraiser, hosted a cybersecurity guest speaker, and prepared hands-on workshops for this year’s Expanding Your Horizons program.

October 09, 2025
SIU researcher aims to make 3D-printed metal parts more robust — and strengthen trust in the tech - Tim Obermiller

The potential payoff is big. The global AM market is projected to grow to $100 billion by the early 2030s, but that growth depends on proving consistent, certifiable performance at scale. If designs can tolerate real-world variability, manufacturers can move more parts from pilot runs to true serial production — and do it with confidence.

October 07, 2025
Alumna Reflects on Engineering Journey at SIU During Foundation Event

"Because no one accomplishes great things alone, this return trip was an opportunity to reflect back on my time spent in between traversing our beautiful campus on my rickety bicycle while carrying a stack of engineering tomes on my back"

July 09, 2025
SIU and Piper Aircraft have formed a strong partnership that is creating incredible opportunities -
SIU Foundation

Leading this collaboration is alumnus John Calcagno, ’92, president and CEO of Piper Aircraft, whose journey from SIU student to industry leader is a powerful example of the impact of a solid education and dedication.

June 09, 2025
A Journey of Fate and Gratitude: Man Nguyen’s Saluki Story - Britni Bateman

“Retention is so important,” Nguyen said. “I want students to finish their SIU degrees. I’m thankful for that tuition waiver that kept me at SIU, and I want my scholarship to do the same for someone else.”

May 22, 2025
Saluki Pride: Tsuchin ‘Philip’ Chu earns Scholar Excellence Award - Tim Crosby

Tsuchin “Philip” Chu, professor in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Materials Engineering, is the 2025 winner of the Scholar Excellence Award at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

May 13, 2025
SIU student engineering team heads for finals after top place finish in regional contest - Tim Crosby

A student civil engineering team from Southern Illinois University Carbondale won first place at a recent competition. The team next will participate in ASCE finals June 27-29 at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

March 18, 2025
SIU researcher gets $175K grant to make AI ecosystems more efficient - Tim Crosby

A researcher at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is looking at ways to leverage the existing computing environment to keep up with demands for training AI models.

March 3, 2025
SIU researcher secures $200K grant to improve brain-inspired computing technology - Tim Crosby

A Southern Illinois University Carbondale researcher is exploring innovative ways to accelerate neuromorphic computing, drawing inspiration from the human brain's structure and function.

January 23, 2025
SIU engineering students create robot for crop inspection - Tim Crosby

The days of a farmer wandering a field and inspecting the crops may be coming to an end, as two engineering students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale have designed a robot to monitor soybean plants as they are growing.