UC Davis discoveries
in engineering

Our engineers have built the future. We helped to pioneer the plug-in hybrid car and invent broadband communications.

A woodcut illustration of a compass and several other engineering and drafting tools

Reducing reliance
on fossil fuels

Widely known as the “father of the plug-in hybrid,” Professor Andrew Frank has championed this approach to fuel-efficient vehicles that combines gasoline engines with electric motors running on rechargeable batteries.

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A yellow electric car charges via an electric chargin station

Laying the groundwork
for the internet

In 1997, when broadband communications and the “World Wide Web” were both in their infancy, two UC Davis professors and a graduate student came up with a better way to route data in fiber optic networks.

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A fiber optic cable cut open to show all of the nested cables within

Giving People
Their Voice

UC Davis researchers are developing technology that helps people with severe disabilities communicate. One breakthrough allowed a patient with ALS to speak again using a computer-generated version of his own voice.

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Graphic of computer monitor displaying 'hello!' beside a human brain on a blue splash
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More from UC Davis

Science & Climate

UC Davis is applying its collective strengths in science, engineering, art and design to the problem of climate change and a warming planet.

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Feeding a Growing Population

Connecting our research and expertise to the effort to feed a growing population under a changing climate.

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Advancing Health Worldwide

Advancing the study of medicine as a worldwide leader in human health and veterinary sciences.

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Driven by Curiosity

Answering foundational questions about our world, showcasing research that transcends science, technology, arts and humanities, and social sciences.

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