“Prevention is better than the cure,” says Dr. David Lary, a professor of Physics at the Hanson Center for Space Science at The University of Texas at Dallas and the Founding Director of MINTS (Multi-Scale Integrated Intelligent Interactive Sensing). With over three decades of experience tackling societal challenges through science, Dr. Lary is now addressing the pressing issue of methane detection in urban areas. In Dallas-Fort Worth, where incidents of gas explosions have risen significantly since 2004, his work on the OWL (Optical Wireless Link) project could prove life-saving. By developing advanced “Software Defined Sensors,” Dr. Lary and his team aim to bridge the gap between costly, high-precision sensors and their low-cost, less accurate counterparts, ensuring that dangerous gas leaks can be detected quickly and effectively to protect public safety. Visit the Office of Research and Innovation to read original article.