Shwetak Patel wants to help you conserve energy in your home. A professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington, Patel is also a 2011 recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship (also known as the “Genius Grant“) for his work developing sophisticated, user-friendly energy sensors for homes and offices.

Patel’s unique technology uses advanced algorithms to determine how much energy each household device is consuming by picking up their individual activity patterns.

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Tags: Computer, Electrical, Green Technology, Trailblazers

Every once in a while, an engineer comes along whose work combines different disciplines in a way that is both fascinating and inspiring. Natalie Jeremijenko is one such engineer. A modern-day Renaissance woman, Jeremijenko challenges traditional approaches to problem solving with such initiatives as zip-lines to speed kids to school or The Environmental Health Clinic, where “im-patients” come in with environmental health concerns and leave with creative prescriptions to help solve these issues:

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Tags: Art, Biomedical, Environmental, Mechanical, Trailblazers

Ask anyone to name a famous robot, and it is likely they will mention characters like C-3PO, R2-D2, Wall-E, and Optimus Prime. What all of these friendly androids from film have in common is something that the majority of modern robots lack: the ability to converse with humans.

Cynthia Breazeal, an electrical and computer engineer, has dedicated her career to making robots more sociable. She is currently the director of the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab, where she researches and develops machines that can teach, learn, talk, and mimic human emotions.

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Tags: Computer, Electrical, Robotics, Trailblazers

Anna-Maria McGowan assures a flight-phobic comedian that air travel is the safest mode of transportation

Anna-Maria R. McGowan works on designing cutting-edge technology for air vehicles of the future as project manager for NASA’s Morphing Project.

Instead of building actual airplanes, McGowan is working on futuristic technologies such as active materials for aircraft structures or wings that can change shape on command.

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Tags: Aerospace, NASA, Trailblazers, Transportation

Many kids dream about flying into space one day, and countless others picture themselves being drafted onto a professional sports team. Amazingly, Leland Melvin has accomplished both.

Before earning a master’s degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Virginia, Melvin was chosen as an 11th round draft pick for the Detroit Lions. Unfortunately injuries prevented him from pursuing an NFL career, but this did not deter him from chasing even more ambitious goals.

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Tags: Aerospace, Materials, Trailblazers