The University of Texas at Austin will host the symposium with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) in Austin, Texas, on September 21 – 24. A cross-disciplinary cohort of early-career engineers recognized for their exceptional research will explore four overarching themes:

• Innovation in Bioengineered Materials
• Compute Challenges for Artificial Intelligence
• Agriculture as a System-of-Systems: From Molecules to Markets
• Hypersonics 

“I am honored to be selected for the 2026 symposium,” said Bedewy, who also serves as Graduate Program Coordinator of Materials Science and Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the Swanson School of Engineering and leads the NanoProduct Lab. “What excites me most is the interdisciplinary nature of this unique event. As engineering challenges become increasingly complex and disciplinary boundaries become less rigid, forums like this one are essential. Many of the most important advances in materials science and manufacturing engineering will depend on our ability to think across fields and build connections between different research communities.”

Bedewy’s research focuses on the advanced manufacturing and process science of functional nanomaterials, with particular emphasis on laser-induced graphene, carbon nanomaterials, and polymer-derived materials for flexible electronic and bioelectronic devices. By integrating materials science, manufacturing engineering, nanotechnology, and biointerfaces, his group develops new processes and material platforms for applications including biosensing, neural interfaces, medical technologies, energy systems, and implantable or wearable devices.

His recent research into using laser-induced graphene to develop flexible microelectrodes and neurochemical biosensors was selected as a cover feature in Issue 7 of Advanced Materials Technologies. Bedewy’s work blending laser-induced graphene with kirigami to develop transparent barriers that block harmful electromagnetic interference was also a cover feature in ACS Applied Engineering Materials. In May 2025, Bedewy received a $549,947 NSF grant to research new ways to use machine learning to model, characterize, simulate, and predict growth of iron nanoparticles.

Bedewy has also received many prestigious awards including an NSF CAREER Award in 2023, the Frontiers of Materials Award from the Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society (TMS) in 2022, and the Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers’ Manufacturing and Design (IISE M&D) Division in 2020.

Bedewy joins a group of Swanson School faculty who have previously participated in the symposium, including Di Gao, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering and W. K. Whiteford Faculty Fellow; Steven Little, distinguished professor and department chair of chemical and petroleum engineering; Patrick Loughlin, professor of bioengineering and associate dean for faculty affairs; and Warren Ruder, associate professor of bioengineering.

“Mostafa, who has secondary appointments in bioengineering, chemical and petroleum engineering, and industrial engineering, embodies the cross-disciplinary spirit of the Frontiers of Engineering symposium,” said Heng Ban, Richard K. Mellon Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and interim associate dean for research and facilities. “He will be an excellent representative of Pitt and the Swanson School, and I’m excited to see what he brings back from this important event.”

Three Swanson School of Engineering are among 16 Pitt faculty members who have earned the 2026 Chancellor’s Distinguished Awards for exemplifying excellence in public service, research and teaching.

Each honoree will receive a $2,000 cash prize and a $3,000 grant to support their work and will be recognized at the Faculty Honors Convocation on March 31 in Alumni Hall.

Brandon Grainger
Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for Teaching
Recognized for his “commitment to surveying the top electric‑power engineering programs globally” to improve the Department of Electrical and Computing Engineering’s curriculum and service as director of the Electric Power Technologies Laboratory, associate director of the Energy GRID Institute and co‑director of the Advanced Magnetics for Power and Energy Development Consortium.

Robert Kerestes
Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for Teaching
Recognized for co-leading a modernization of the Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Program and advancing “generative artificial intelligence literacy and pedagogy across the Swanson School.”

Sylvanus Wosu
Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for Public Service
Recognized for founding PITT STRIVE, a National Science Foundation-funded program supporting underrepresented engineering students, and co‑founding Kanmas Educational Support Center Inc., which has led to an average of 65% improvement in state proficiency in math and reading among more than 1,000 students.

The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) has named Robert L. Kormos, emeritus professor of cardiothoracic surgery and bioengineering, as the recipient of its 2026 Amanda W. Rowe Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes sustained and outstanding contributions to the Society.

Dr. Kormos is a global leader in mechanical circulatory support (MCS) and cardiothoracic transplantation. His record of service has touched nearly every facet of the Society’s work. As the 15^th ISHLT President and a long-standing volunteer, Dr. Kormos has helped develop ISHLT’s scientific programs, guidelines, and registry efforts. He currently serves as an at-large member on the Membership & Outreach Oversight Committee.

Dr. Kormos is currently the Division Vice President Global Medical Affairs Heart Failure at Abbott Laboratories in Austin, Texas. He was formerly a deputy director at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the past director of UPMC’s Artificial Heart Program. His work has pioneered durable ventricular assist device (VAD) therapies and advanced both surgical techniques and patient outcomes.

“I joined the family that is ISHLT in 1985,” said Dr. Kormos, “and I have immense gratitude for all of the pioneering and contemporary educators and mentors that helped foster my growth in heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support.”

The 2026 Amanda W. Rowe Distinguished Service Award address by Dr. Kormos during the ISHLT’s 46^th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions will be recorded and available online after the Annual Meeting in April. 

“The most important thing for me is to relate the content to real life, so my students can make connections—so that they want to learn,” said Baled, associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.

For his ability to reach his students and to make challenging concepts click, Baled has received the 2025 James Pommersheim Award for Excellence in Teaching Chemical Engineering. James M. Pommersheim, who received his BA, MS, and PhD in chemical engineering from Pitt, founded the award with the Department of Chemical Engineering to celebrate faculty whose teaching, research, and mentorship change the lives of students and elevate the program.

Baled’s path to Pitt classrooms has covered many miles. He grew up in Libya and after high school earned a scholarship to study chemical engineering at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. In 2012, at the Swanson School of Engineering, he earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering and received the Coull Award for Outstanding Chemical Engineering PhD Student.

After working as a postdoctoral researcher at Pitt, he took a position as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Associate at the National Energy Technology Laboratory.

In 2017, the opportunity to return to his alma mater and the classroom led Baled back to Benedum Hall, where he has been inspiring the next generation of chemical and petroleum engineers since. As he said, “I had great teachers at Pitt, and the environment and the community around teaching here is very supportive.”

“Hseen has been a tremendous asset to our department and to the Swanson School,” said Steven Little, Distinguished Professor and Department Chair of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. “Beyond his versatility, his scholarship, and his work developing our program—including the new GRO program—is his commitment to our students. He is an exceptional teacher who inspires his students and always makes time for them. He is most deserving of this recognition.”

“I am honored to receive this award,” said Baled. “One of the greatest joys is getting to work with students who are struggling to understand something, and teaching it in different ways to make it more understandable—and then seeing when it clicks. This is an amazing feeling.”

Founded in 2009, Pitt’s INFORMS Student Chapter is comprised of approximately 20 industrial engineering graduate students who foster connections and help students develop academically and professionally in areas such as operations research, data science, and analytics.

“When I was a first-year PhD student, new to America, Pittsburgh, and the PhD program, I wanted to be more involved, and I heard about INFORMS,” said Soroush Akbarijokar, the chapter’s president last year. “They were hosting events both academic and social.”

Since getting involved, Akbarijokar has helped expand the chapter’s work. “Last year, with new members who wanted to contribute more, we reenvisioned how we conducted the organization,” he said. “Previously, we hosted events once a month, but we began doing it weekly.”  

These events include:

• Informal social gatherings.
• Coffee with faculty members.
• Guest speakers.
• Mock qualifying exams or research presentations.
• Workshops to teach undergraduate students skills like Python coding.

“Qualifying exams can be extremely stressful,” said Akbarijokar. “The opportunity to practice them or practice delivering an academic paper is so useful, especially for non-native English speakers.”  

The chapter also reaches out to undergraduates in industrial engineering and related fields like math and economics to discuss operations research and what a graduate pathway might look like.

For Rie Huntington, the effects of this outreach altered his trajectory. “As an undergraduate here at Pitt, I wasn’t sure about pursuing a PhD,” he said. “I didn’t know much about it.”

That changed this past February, when members of the INFORMS Student Chapter shared their experiences in graduate school to prospective undergraduates.  

“They showed us around their offices and took us to dinner,” Huntington said. “They made an unfamiliar environment feel more familiar and less insurmountable.”

Today, Huntington is the chapter’s treasurer as he pursues his PhD.

Beyond the Swanson School and Pitt, last year members of the chapter visited Pittsburgh Woolslair PreK – 5 STEAM magnet school. “We taught fifth grade students math using examples of operations research and optimization,” said Jared Lawrence, the chapter’s current president. 

The visit was a success. “We simplified the math and chose accessible problems,” said Prem Shenoy, a second-year PhD student who served as the events coordinator last year and is now the chapter’s secretary. “Events like these are important because there are always students who realize that this kind of work interests them, that it’s something they could pursue.”

“Our INFORMS student chapter has been invaluable to Pitt’s industrial engineering community,” said Lisa Maillart, Professor and Chair of Industrial Engineering. “Their work promoting the field and creating a welcoming culture fuels success across our department.”

“Doctoral programs can be isolating,” said Huntington. “You're doing research that few others understand, working all day at a computer, which can be tough.

“Community makes challenging situations more bearable, and creating community is something that our department does well.”

Serving on the organizing committee as Finance and Local Arrangement Co-Chair, Abdelhakim, an associate professor in the Swanson School of Engineering’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, played an essential role in organizing these co-located conferences and their seven associated workshops:

• 7^th IEEE International Conference on Trust, Privacy and Security in Intelligent Systems, and Applications (IEEE TPS 2025)
• 7^th IEEE International Conference on Cognitive Machine Intelligence (IEEE CogMI 2025)
• 11^th IEEE International Conference on Collaboration and Internet Computing (IEEE CIC)

“I'm honored to have had this opportunity to help organize such a large event and to receive this award. I am deeply grateful to the conference’s steering committee for this recognition and to the organizing committee for their collaboration and support; together, they made the conferences such a success,” said Abdelhakim. “It’s been inspiring to connect and collaborate with so many peers and to help build a transdisciplinary community.”

Abdelhakim, who is also a Space, High-Performance & Resilient Computing (SHREC) faculty member and whose research intersects with cybersecurity, networking, and critical infrastructure in space and on Earth, founded the IEEE Workshop on Security and Resiliency of Critical Infrastructure and Space Technologies (IEEE SR-CIST) last year and co-chaired the workshop again this year. IEEE SR-CIST is one of the seven workshops co-located with the three conferences.

At the IEEE SR-CIST workshop, participants explored new challenges, evolving technology, and innovative approaches necessary to secure infrastructure on Earth, such as energy and transportation systems, and in space. The program featured a keynote delivered by Greg Shannon, fellow and chief cybersecurity scientist at the Idaho National Laboratory, and an invited talk by Sekar Kulandaivel, a research engineer at Bosch. It also included a dedicated panel on operational technology (OT) security, highlighting the unique risks and protections required for OT environments.

“The workshop brought together a diverse group of leaders from industry, academia, and national laboratories to share new research and explore ways to design resiliency into critical systems,” said Abdelhakim.

She added, “Across the conferences, there were important discussions from many perspectives about AI and large language models, exploring how these technologies can be used to enhance security as well as the risks they introduce.”

“Mai’s efforts showcase her leadership in the community and her commitment to advancing security initiatives,” said Alan George, Department Chair, R&H Mickle Endowed Chair, NSF SHREC Space Center Director, and professor of electrical and computer engineering who is helping to lead the Pitt Space Initiative. “She is advancing important progress in space security research, contributing to a field that remains in critical need of innovation and growth.”

The Pitt team of Emily Bosworth, Nathaniel O'Stafy, Dechen Xie, Tianyi Hu, and Juliana Capozzi developed and presented three solutions. Their proposal, with design elements that Alstom has begun to implement, recently won third place in the prestigious MHI College-Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE) Capstone Design Competition.

Alstom is a leading manufacturer of trains, automated people movers (APM), monorails, and more. In West Mifflin, the company builds APMs for airports, but it has encountered issues with expensive, heavy axles, which too often arrive damaged and thereby slow production and increase costs.

The company was looking for new ideas the supplier could implement that would increase protection while reducing waste through reuse.

“We toured the facility and saw how Alstom manufactures their trams,” said Bosworth. “We got to see half-built trams and ride in one on their test track.”

After meeting with the Alstom team, the students set to work brainstorming and using computer-aided design (CAD) to assess the current packaging and develop new models. Throughout the process, they communicated with Alstom engineers and developed three solutions, which addressed the company’s need while providing flexibility.

The result was their presentation “Boxed In: The Axle Crisis & Refining the Handling Process.” 

Based on the strength of this project, Bopaya Bidanda, the Ernest E. Roth Professor of Industrial Engineering, encouraged the team to enter MHI’s CICMHE competition. MHI is the largest materials handling, logistics, and supply chain association in the US.

“These students did a fantastic project,” Bidanda said. “They worked cohesively and creatively to develop three designs, which impressed Alstom.”

It also impressed the judges, who cited the data-driven methodology and the practical engineering solution it provided as some of the defining strengths of the project.

By placing third, the team received a cash prize and a new accolade. More importantly, they gained valuable, hands-on experience that continues to guide them as they are pursuing graduate degrees or beginning their careers in industry.

“The project challenged me,” said Bosworth. “Though I’d done internships, I’d never had this level of engagement with a company to help develop a solution. Having the opportunity to communicate with engineers and floor workers has been so useful now in my current role at U. S. Steel.”

Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31) Recipients

Ian Eder

Eder is a 5th-year PhD student in the Cell Migration Lab advised by Partha Roy, professor of bioengineering. His research focuses on the relationship between the actin cytoskeleton and various diseases, including breast cancer and ALS. As an F31 recipient, Eder will look at the relationship between the actin cytoskeleton and the immune response in breast cancer. Specifically, Eder is investigating how dysregulation of the actin cytoskeleton affects the paracrine signaling of cancer cells, specifically their ability to either promote or inhibit immune cell migration into tumors. 

“This question is particularly important because one of the key hurdles of immunotherapy in solid cancers is enabling immune cells to infiltrate the tumor microenvironment.” Eder said. “By exploring how changes in the actin cytoskeleton can be leveraged or targeted to promote immune infiltration, this research could help address a critical barrier in developing more effective cancer immunotherapies.” 

Adam Forrest

Forrest is a 4th-year PhD student co-advised by Professors of Bioengineering Takashi Kozai and Jonathan Vande Geest. Forrest’s research focus is on the impact of altering biomechanical properties of tissues in disease states, as well as the role of glial cells in disease progression. His project for this fellowship will specifically focus on therapeutic ultrasound, which uses mechanical vibrations to modulate the brain’s neuroinflammatory response — boosting inflammation when it aids healing, but dampening it in cases of chronic inflammation. For Forrest, this topic combines his experience with both neuroscience and mechanobiology into one cohesive project. 

“Ultrasound therapies seem very promising, so I’m excited about this because I love developing and testing new tools, being on the forefront of research, and possibly pushing these tools into being used clinically.” Forrest said. “This fellowship is a really important step for me to start my independent dissertation project and bring all my mentors together in one direction.” 

Forrest also mentors high school students through the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Summer Academy, guiding them on individual research projects and contributing to his site’s Education Team to design weekly programming that prepares students for college and introduces them to diverse science and research careers.

Katarina Martinet

Martinet is a 5th-year PhD student in the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM) track in the Soft Tissue Biomechanics Laboratory, advised by Jonathan Vande Geest, professor of bioengineering. Martinet’s research focuses on improving remodeling outcomes for small-diameter Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts (TEVGs) with the goal of developing an off-the-shelf alternative to autologous vessel grafts for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. 

Martinet specifically studies how vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) — the cell type critical in graft remodeling — respond to different physiological conditions in small animal models. Her fellowship project specifically focuses on estrogen loss and its impact on VSMC behavior, since post-menopausal patients face the highest risk of complications following CABG procedures. By comparing male, female, and post-menopausal VSMC behavior, she hopes to uncover mechanisms that can guide more effective TEVG design. Martinet is also a T32 trainee in the Cardiovascular Bioengineering Training Program (CBTP), a volunteer with Biobots, and on the Ingenium Graduate Student Review Board. 

“I think receiving this fellowship will make the transition into academia smoother.” Martinet said. “It has given me insight into what the NHLBI looks for in an applicant and the freedom to pursue a side project I’m passionate about while also strengthening my prospects for future NIH funding.”

Sharada Narayanan 

Narayanan is a 4th-year PhD student in the Neural Tissue Electrode Interface (NTE) Lab advised by Xinyan Tracy Cui, professor of bioengineering. Her research focuses on investigating the immune response to neural implants on a cellular and biochemical scale and designing electrochemical sensors to probe the chemical mechanisms of neural diseases and injury. Through her F31 fellowship, co-sponsored by Dr. Fatima Syed-Picard, assistant professor in the School of Dental Medicine, Narayanan is developing multi-modal electrochemical sensors to characterize nerve innervation and immune functions of a novel self-assembling tooth root organoid. She has also served as the Graduate BMES outreach chair, reviews submissions for Pitt’s undergraduate research journal Ingenium, currently serves as Outreach Chair for Graduate Women in Engineering (GWEN), and is a member of the Journal of Neuroscience Early Career Researcher (ECR) Advisory Board. 

“I worked with my advisor and co-sponsor to craft a project that combined my experience and interest in designing sensors with my desire to explore organoid development. This collaboration would not be possible without F31 funding to support it.” Narayanan said. “I have always had a strong interest in organoid characterization using novel tools, so this project will provide hands-on experience that will support and inform my future career choices.” 

This year, four students from the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering were selected from a competitive pool of applicants to participate in the prestigious conference, which will focus on the theme “Artificial Intelligence: Unlocking the Algorithms and Their Impact.”

The event will be held November 2 – 4, 2025, in Annapolis, Maryland, with approximately 45 students from across the country and the world invited to join. Students are nominated by the dean or president of their institutions.

The four Pitt students chosen to attend are:

• Zach Hale (engineering science), who is pursuing the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program.
• Soumik Chakraborty (mechanical engineering), who is active in Pittsburgh Electric Propulsion and the American Society of Naval Engineers.
• Ari Kalinsky (industrial engineering), whose AI-focused undergraduate research aligns directly with this year’s conference theme.
• Addison Cope (mechanical engineering), who is studying nuclear engineering and recently made a strong academic transition from the University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown. 

These students will hear distinguished guest speakers and attend panels, breakout group discussions, and poster sessions. They will have numerous opportunities to network and share ideas with future leaders in the Navy and Marine Corps.  

“I am so proud of these students. They represent the inquisitive, thoughtful, motivated nature that is cultivated here at the University of Pittsburgh,” said Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor of Industrial Engineering and senior associate dean for academic affairs. “This conference is an incredible opportunity, and I’m excited to see how it inspires these students as they pursue their engineering degrees and their career goals.”

In 2018, as a postdoc at Pitt, she taught her first class and remembers thinking, “Yeah, I definitely like this.”

Her love of inspiring students to take ownership of their education has only grown since then. Now an assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at her alma mater, Bocan has been recognized as the Institute of Electrical and Electric Engineers (IEEE) Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) 2025 C. Holmes MacDonald Outstanding Teacher.

“I can’t put into words what this award means to me,” Bocan said. “Knowing that students have got something out of my courses or that I’ve helped them in some way is what I love about teaching. It’s so rewarding." 

Each year, IEEE – HKN student chapters can nominate one professor, and Bocan was an easy selection. As Abby Magistro, a former student and teacher’s assistant, said, “Dr. Bocan is a favorite professor of many students in our department. She provides many resources like lecture videos and other materials for curious students to investigate.”

Added John Klamut, a Pitt graduate student, “Dr. Bocan always ensures that students have access to whatever support they need, whether in the form of office hours or supplemental materials.

“She structures her courses so as to create a strong conceptual foundation while encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving."

Bocan teaches courses in C++ programming as well as in software architecture and software simulation. Drawing on research in self-determination theory, she builds lessons that motivate students “to do something hard, to learn difficult things.”

“I’m interested in how students learn, especially in the age of ChatGPT,” Bocan said. “How do you structure a course and develop activities that will encourage students to intrinsically realize the value in what they’re learning?”

Questions like this one guide Bocan’s work to develop adaptive classes that uplift students who are struggling while challenging those who have excelled. She creates and provides materials and adjusts projects to reach students across levels and interests.

She also encourages collaboration, building a vital skill students will need when they enter the workforce. She teaches an upper-level course where students will code in teams, practicing on Github, a coding platform, and collaborating on the repository.

“Working in teams can be difficult,” said Bocan. “I’m careful to structure the team interaction to ensure students get the most out of working together and stay motivated.”

Bocan researched wireless electronic medical devices as a PhD student and simulation and modeling as a postdoc. Today, she researches engineering education and values the opportunity to learn from and work with her colleagues through her involvement with the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET and through the Engineering Education Research Center (EERC).

“Kara has been a tremendous addition to Electrical and Computer Engineering and to the Swanson School and larger Pitt community,” said Alan George, Department Chair, R&H Mickle Endowed Chair, NSF SHREC Space Center Director, and professor of electrical and computer engineering. “Her commitment to innovative learning and to fostering in her students an intrinsic interest in the material ripples far beyond her classrooms. Kara embodies the spirit of this prestigious award.” 

IEEE – HKN launched the award in 1972 in honor of its namesake, C. Holmes MacDonald, a Bell Telephone engineer who would go on to teach at Drexel University. Given to one professor from around the world each year, the award highlights “the central and crucial role of college professors in training and motivating future… engineers.”

IEEE – HKN will recognize Bocan at the 2025 IEEE EAB Award Presentation Ceremony on Friday, November 21, in New York City.

Since joining Pitt in 2010, Khanna has served as the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies for CEE, led multiple faculty search committees, served on several Swanson School committees, and held leadership positions in subdivisions of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Since 2017, he has been an Editor for Resources, Conservation and Recycling, a leading journal in the field of sustainable engineering.

His research expertise focuses on sustainability and modeling and assessing the impacts of emerging environmental and chemical technologies, and he is actively engaged with the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation and the Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory. He earned his PhD in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University, where he was also a National Academy of Sciences Graduate Fellow. Vikas has been featured in media outlets including NSF Research News, NPR, and Inside Climate News.

When Matthew Barry took a vacation to Iceland in 2023, he had no intention of developing coursework for his students. But “there’s no such thing as turning off being an engineer,” said the Swanson School of Engineering associate professor. 

“Everything I saw on this island was an example of engineering applications,” Barry said. 

He was inspired to create a new worksheet for his Introduction to Thermodynamics course based on a visit to a geothermal power plant, and he developed new material for his Statics and Mechanics of Materials course based on Iceland’s innovative building techniques.  

Barry took his love of the country even further and became the first Pitt faculty member to lead a student global experience to Iceland in the spring of 2025. Their weeklong excursion was the culmination of his course Sustainable Engineering in Iceland: Culture, History and Innovation. Students gained meaningful insights into Iceland’s ingenuity and the extent to which Icelanders care for the Earth in all aspects of their lives. 

Exploring possibilities 

This openness to possibilities has defined Barry’s career at Pitt. 

 Since 2017, Barry’s research group has collaborated with the Radioisotope Power Systems group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on supporting the development of radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). These devices have provided reliable power on NASA missions for decades, including the Mars rovers and Voyagers 1 and 2. RTGs are extremely versatile power sources and their mission environments can vary wildly from the coldness of deep space to the blazing heat of Mars. 

His lab develops physics-based models to predict how RTGs perform under these varying conditions, which will enable scientists and engineers to create designs that can satisfy all future mission objectives, regardless of operating conditions 

Holistic learning 

As successful as he is now, viewing Barry’s undergraduate transcript wouldn’t lead you to think he was on a path to becoming an award-winning mechanical engineering and materials science professor and contributor to NASA. 

“Students sometimes enter college thinking they need a 4.0 GPA to achieve their life goals, but I teach them that struggle and failure are a part of life that they can overcome with composure and grace. You have to make mistakes to learn.”  

Admitting to his students that he didn’t earn straight A’s in undergrad humanizes him, Barry said. 

His academic experience also informs his second research path: engineering education, through which he tries to uncover education strategies that meaningfully bolster student learning. 

“I understood the mechanisms as to why I was a poor student and tried to change the classes I teach to provide those necessary modalities and resources, so that students in my situation have what they need to succeed,” he said. 

Sam Wismer, a Swanson School graduate, said Barry brings passion and real-world experience to the classroom. 

“He instills foundational knowledge and teaches students to think like engineers,” she said. 

Wismer, who served as Barry’s teaching assistant and undergraduate research assistant, co-wrote with him an online statics and mechanics textbook based on Barry’s undergraduate experiences. 

“Students learn through a variety of methods, and I try to provide them educational and structural opportunities that resonate with their mode of learning,” Barry said. 

Wismer described the textbook, “Statics and Mechanics of Materials: An Example-Based Approach” as interactive.  

“Our textbook provides real-time feedback on questions. Lessons are strategically tiered in a way that is optimal for progressive learning,” she said. 

Barry was one of this year’s recipients of the 2025 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award based on his deep understanding of students’ struggles and his unwavering dedication to supporting students’ careers in engineering. 

His teaching success is a result of his creativity and commitment, said Brian Gleeson, department chair of the Swanson Schools’ mechanical and materials science program. 

“Students see the time and effort he puts into teaching. He has their respect,” he said. 

Lincoln Baker and Jake Clark, third-year students in mechanical engineering, will study in Germany. Stacy Bediako, a fifth-year chemical engineering student, will intern in the Netherlands. These students, along with 13 others from Pitt, will receive up to $5,000 to support their time overseas. 

For Baker, the scholarship enables him to earn a Certificate in Aviation at the Munich University of Applied Sciences. Baker, who is double majoring in physics, intends to pursue a career in aviation engineering, and his interest in Germany stems in part from visiting a friend living in Heidelberg. He was fascinated with everything from the castles to the automotive and aviation museums to the public transportation.

Baker leaves in September and will complete his certificate in July. “Along with the unique educational opportunity I will receive, I look forward to being a tourist and seeing the surrounding area—and having the opportunity to learn German,” he said.

Added Baker, who after high school went straight into the workforce until his late 20s, when he could afford to attend college, “I don’t think I could have followed through on the application without the help from the Gilman Scholarship. I can’t overstate how much this will help me.”

For Stacy Bediako, the scholarship has helped make her dream of gaining research experience in a foreign country a reality. Bediako learned about internship opportunities in Europe through her advisor in Global Experiences and Engagement.

After securing a research position at Nouryon, a company that develops specialty chemicals, she applied for the Gilman Scholarship to cover expenses while living abroad. Bediako leaves for Deventer, in the Netherlands, at the end of May and will spend the summer learning firsthand about product chemistry research and development.

“I’m excited to live on my own abroad and experience the Dutch culture—everything from working in a different setting to riding bicycles all over,” said Bediako. “The Gilman Scholarship has helped make this opportunity possible and will make it so much more rewarding.”

“I am honored to be among the 2025 – 2026 ELATES fellows and to have this opportunity to meet and learn from other amazing educators. I’m excited to share the work we’ve done here at the Swanson School and to gain the skills that will help me promote innovative learning models across the university.”  

Throughout the year-long fellowship program, faculty and administrators from across the U.S. and Canada receive training and grow professional networks both virtually and during in-residence sessions. In addition to building their leadership skills, ELATES fellows will develop an institution-wide project that seeks to advance STEM education.   

“Susan is an ideal addition to the 2025 – 2026 ELATES cohort,” said Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor of Industrial Engineering and senior associate dean for academic affairs. “In her teaching, research, mentorship, and work to innovate engineering education, she is leader who has made such a difference in the Swanson School and across the broader Pitt community. Susan joins a group of remarkable engineering professors who have also been ELATES fellows.”

Fullerton, who is also the Bicentennial Board of Visitors Faculty Fellow and her department’s Vice Chair of Education, joins other Swanson School professors who participated in ELATES including Lisa Maillart (industrial), Melissa Bilec (civil & environmental), Anne Robertson (mechanical & materials science), and Judy Yang (chemical & petroleum).

“Too often at universities, there are amazing, innovative programs and initiatives—but they’re siloed in different departments or schools,” said Fullerton. “Through my experience as an ELATES fellow, I hope to develop skills that will help me institutionalize a model of personalized education across Pitt and to other universities.”

Fullerton experienced the tangible effects of the ELATES program as she was becoming a tenured professor. During 2013 – 2014, Pitt’s Anne Robertson, Distinguished Service Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Associate Dean for Faculty Development, was an ELATES fellow, and she developed the School’s Center for Faculty Excellence to ensure that early-career faculty can access the support needed to achieve tenure.

Fullerton came to Pitt in 2015 and earned tenure in 2020, and she credits the mentoring she received through the Center as vital. “Anne’s initiative has been transformative across the Swanson School of Engineering,” Fullerton said. “It’s been so valuable to have tenured faculty providing consistent mentorship to junior faculty.” 

In 2023, Fullerton received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to develop a personalized approach to graduate education. With co-principal investigators Besterfield-Sacre (who is also the director of the Engineering Education Research Center [EERC]), April Dukes (faculty and future Faculty Program Director, EERC ), and Götz Veser (Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering), she has created a model that helps students identify their unique pathways and access the resources they need to thrive.

Engineering graduate students can pursue tracks specific to their goals, whether entrepreneurial (led by Chris Wilmer, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering and Wellington C. Carl Faculty Fellow); industrial (led by Veser); or academic (led by James McKone, associate professor of chemical engineering and graduate director). Students then receive important mentorship that will better prepare them for their careers after graduation.

Students can also take stackable, one-credit modules that retain the rigor and foundational knowledge of graduate-level engineering studies while allowing them, earlier in the program, to pursue their passion.   

“When I came to the Swanson School,” Fullerton said, “faculty were already working on this effort to make engineering education more uniquely focused on the individual student. The NSF grant pushed these efforts forward, and today the model, as we validate the results, is poised for wider dissemination.”

However, in 2019, Clark did walk into a classroom—and not just to observe it. On April 28, 2025, she was recognized as the Swanson School’s Educator of the Year for her commitment to teaching and her ability to make a difference in the lives of her students. 

Math always came easy

“Growing up, math always came easy for me,” Clark said. “My father taught middle school math, and he’d make me do worksheets over the summer. I helped him grade papers.”

In 1983, her father encouraged her to take a programming course in her first year of high school, and she learned how to program on a Commodore 64 computer. He also encouraged her to pursue engineering, but, as she said, “I knew math, and that felt safer.”

As an undergraduate, she studied applied math and computer science, and after graduating from Pitt with her bachelor’s degree, she started working for Mellon Bank as a programmer. 

The move to engineering

Math may have at first felt safer, but it’s not what she studied in graduate school. While working at Mellon Bank, she decided to pursue a master’s degree in industrial engineering at Pitt.

With her master’s degree, she moved on to manufacturing and a job in Ohio as a quality engineer and programmer for General Motors and later its spin-off company, Delphi Automotive Systems. She met her husband there and began working toward her PhD in industrial engineering part time at Pitt.

After graduation, when the U.S. auto industry was bottoming out in the 2000s, Clark accepted an engineering postdoctoral position at Pitt. Although she would teach a graduate statistics course, she felt that teaching wasn’t her forte, no matter the wealth of her real-world and educational insight. When the postdoc ended, Clark left academia, taking an analyst job at Walgreens. 

But in 2012, Mary Besterfield-Sacre—director of the Engineering Education Research Center, Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor of Industrial Engineering, and senior associate dean for academic affairs—offered her the opportunity to return to her alma mater as a data analyst, noting that teaching was not a requirement for the position

“Maybe I can do that too” 

For the first seven years, Clark observed classes, collected data, published on engineering education, and promoted active learning. In addition to Pitt’s Oakland campus, she visited classrooms at the Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute, a joint engineering institute, in Chengdu, China. 

Though she never taught, she witnessed amazing teaching and learning. “Seeing my friends and colleagues, I drew inspiration,” she said. “I thought, maybe I can do that too.” 

Fortuitously, in 2018, Clark stepped in to serve as a Plus 3 program assistant for Professor Karen Bursic, whom she says has been an invaluable mentor and support. Soon after this confidence-boosting study abroad experience, Renee started advising industrial engineering undergraduate students with Bursic’s support. 

Then, in 2019, an opportunity to teach statistics opened, and as Clark recounts, “I said, ‘I think I want to do this.’” A few months later, she found herself at the front of a classroom.

But not exactly the front

Clark made it through the semester and, as she said, “As each year went by, I have become more and more comfortable.”

It has helped that her approach to teaching is so student focused. Through her work with Besterfield-Sacre and the Engineering Education Research Center, Clark has promoted a model where students play a more active role in their learning—where, in the classroom, they collaborate, solve problems, and present their work, and where they are expected to participate and interact. 

“I want my students to understand what they’re doing,” Clark said. “It would be easy to just ‘plug and chug’ with statistics—to just enter the numbers and calculate—but then their ability to extend and apply their learning in the future diminishes.”

Beyond statistics, as an advisor Renee helps students identify their interests and pursue their education intentionally. She models reflection, and helps students take ownership of their education. “I can also recognize when students are struggling,” she said, “and I can help them put things into perspective and focus on what’s important.” 

Extending her impact beyond her classroom

In 2024, Clark took another risk. She began taking students abroad, to Cyprus, as part of the Pitt Plus 3 Program to learn firsthand about supply-chain management and Cypriot culture and history.

She has also collaborated with colleagues to transform learning throughout the Swanson School. Through a National Science Foundation grant, she and colleague Ahmed Dallal, an associate professor in electrical and computer engineering, are collaborating with a researcher from the University of South Florida to make STEM education more adaptive and personalized.

She has also received grant funding with Samuel Dickerson, an associate professor and vice chair for education in the computer engineering program, to define and teach engineering judgement, to study the impact of reflection on learning, and to promote active learning in engineering classrooms.

“Renee is a leader in advancing how engineering is taught at Pitt,” said Besterfield-Sacre. “Through her extensive experience in the industry and at the university, and through her ability to connect with students and engage them in active learning, she has made such a difference in so many lives.”  

Two awards, and a first pitch 

The same week that the Swanson School recognized Clark as Educator of the Year, one of her students, who plays outfield for the Pitt Panthers women’s softball team, nominated her for Most Valuable Professor. At a recent game against Louisville, Clark threw out a ceremonial first pitch to her student.

The dual recognition, from her colleagues and administrators and from an individual student, means so much to Clark. While initially hesitant about teaching, she knows she has found the place she’s meant to be, surrounded by the right people.

“If you have people around you who let you grow at your pace and let things develop organically, and who believe in and truly support you,” Clark said, “great things can happen.”

“Growing up, I spent as much time as I could outdoors,” said Phoebe. “And I’ve always been worried about the environment and have wanted to work to preserve it.”

At Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, she has combined her long-standing fascination with building things and understanding how they work with her concern for the planet. She has focused on agricultural technology, served in Pitt Hydroponics, and built a hydroponic growing system for professor Joaquin Rodriguez. This summer after graduating, she will participate in an MCSI summer research program, continuing to work with Rodriguez.

Last year, when she heard of the opportunity to participate in the rural solar project, she joined and has been active ever since. The project is led by Shanti Gamper-Rabindran, professor in the School of Public and International Affairs, and Tony Kerzmann, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science. To better inform public policy, the project seeks to identify how people in rural communities around Pennsylvania view and use solar power.

As research manager, Phoebe has led a team of students collecting data from farmers and others living in rural areas. The team has created an online survey, and they have conducted phone and Zoom interviews as well. They have attended fall festivals to identify participants and learn about their views on solar. They have also investigated existing solar projects in rural communities to determine the efficacy and people’s perceptions.

“I’m proud of the work that the members of this team and I have done to collect data and to find ways to reach people in rural communities. It’s been great to work with so many students,” said Phoebe. “And I’m so honored that Dr. Kerzmann and Dr. Gamper-Rabindran nominated me.”

“Phoebe is a phenomenal student and researcher,” said Kerzmann. “She led our research team, including eight undergraduate and graduate students for the past year, and she has always been organized, thoughtful, and hard working. We truly appreciate all that she has brought to our research team.” 

Phoebe, along with other undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff awardees, will be recognized at a banquet on Friday, April 18.

“I’m so proud to be among our committed university staff, faculty, and administrators who devote their careers to mentoring, advising, and teaching our students,” said Persaud.

As Director of Retention, she and her team of ten student peer mentors, who themselves have been in the ACE program, conduct group meetings where they teach study skills, grit, growth mindset, intrinsic motivation, and taking ownership of successes and failures. They encourage self-care for managing stress and burnout, and they present the science behind procrastination. “I help our students learn how to learn difficult material effectively,” Persaud said.

The ACE program supports students who face setbacks such as academic probation, academic warning, or reinstatement from suspension or dismissal. These students struggle with issues like learning challenges, imposter phenomenon, time management, mental health, study skills, and goal setting. Many of her students return each semester because they value the accountability and can see tangible results like making honor roll or the Dean's List.

Persaud’s passion to support students stems in part from her upbringing. Growing up in Queens, New York City, and attending Queen’s College as an undergraduate, she saw firsthand the profound impact a college degree can have on first-generation, low-income students.

She has also had teachers who believed in her and helped her reach her potential—individuals like Steven Newman, her seventh-grade science teacher. Persaud struggled with math, and Newman would tutor her during his lunch periods. “He always believed in me and encouraged me, and I credit him with the high math score I earned on the state math exam in eighth grade.”

Later in graduate school, she encountered challenges that nearly derailed her pursuit of a Doctor of Education degree in Counselor Education at Penn State University. With the support of “amazing” professors and advisors, she persisted and earned her DEd.

Since graduating, Persaud has worked in many roles at Penn State, Carnegie Mellon University, and Pitt, all with a common goal: helping students reach their potential and graduate college. She aspires to be the kind of mentor who played such an important role in her life.

For Persaud, that means researching developments into ways to help students succeed, be that managing anxiety or overcoming screen addiction. She ensures her ACE students explore relevant topics and learn practical strategies.

Persaud also proactively engages students and keeps lines of communication open. She meets with cohorts during evening hours, so they can access support after classes have finished. She reaches out to students whose grades have dipped, even if they are still in good academic standing, so they know about ACE. She regularly texts her students to check in and provide reminders. “I make them know that I remember what they’re working on, and I remind them that they’re important and that they can do this.”

“Anita has been an exceptional leader in the success of our students. She is the model of a passionate advisor eager to help engineering students,” said Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor in Industrial Engineering. “Of the students who start and complete her program, 95% are in good standing, 100% are retained in engineering, and 100% are retained at Pitt.”

One such student, an environmental engineering graduate, said, “I started ACE on academic probation, with a semester GPA of a 1.8… I spent three years in the ACE program. I ended my college career graduating with honors. I completed two valuable internships, signed a job offer, and passed my Fundamentals of Engineering exam! None of this would have been possible without the guidance, support, and advising from Anita.”   

Of her role at the Swanson School, Persaud said, “I found my niche working with engineering students. I like to think about the future. Years from now, long after I’ve retired, these students will be developing solutions to make the world a better place, and knowing that the work of the staff, faculty, and administrators here at Pitt will live on through these students’ accomplishments—that’s remarkable.”

“I was exposed to world-class biomedical research under Dr. Savio Woo’s mentorship at the MSRC that truly opened my eyes to the field of biomedical engineering, which laid the foundation for the job I am doing today.” Wu said. “To all current Pitt Bioengineering students, you are truly fortunate to be part of a top-notch program, and the education you are receiving today will equip you for your future life journey.”

Wu is currently a Senior Biomedical Research and Biomedical Product Assessment Service Expert in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Wu will be formally inducted to the academy during the NAE Annual Meeting on October 5, 2025.

Nature’s npj series is a group of discipline-specific journals led by experts in the field. The npj Metamaterials editorial board includes Sir John Pendry from Imperial College London and Federico Capasso from Harvard, both regarded as pioneers in the discipline. It also features leading scholars such as Katia Bertoldi from Harvard University, Julia Greer from the California Institute of Technology and Nikolay Zheludev from the University of Southampton, along with many other distinguished experts.

“We are privileged to have some of the most exceptional talents in the field of metamaterials on our editorial team. I believe this journal has significant potential for growth and will become an excellent platform for high-quality research in this area,” Alavi said.

In his lab, Alavi’s primary focus is on exploring novel engineered material systems. He and his team are dedicated to gaining a comprehensive understanding of the mechanics and electronics of these material systems across multiple scales. His vision is to take metamaterials to the next level through the deep integration of multifunctionality, sensing, electrical actuation, communication and information processing as well as leveraging data-driven designs.

In 2023, he led a perspective paper, published in the journal Nature Communications, with colleagues from University of California, Berkeley; University of Pennsylvania; Johns Hopkins University and Zhejiang University. In Mechanical Metamaterials and Beyond, the group provided a road map for the design and discovery of next-generation active and responsive mechanical metamaterials.

He has since been working on developing such materials; in January of this year, Alavi published a paper in Materials Today that outlined a paradigm for creating intelligent metamaterial implants that can wirelessly transmit self-generated electrical signals without relying on integrated electronics or external power sources. This concept has the potential to reshape the field of intelligent implants by eliminating bulky wireless interrogation circuits while offering unparalleled mechanical tunability through the properties of metamaterials.

Alavi’s research and innovation have led to multiple accolades. He is the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including an NSF CAREER Award, NIH Trailblazer Award and ASME Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering Award.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Joaquin Rodriguez has received a $10,000 David C. Frederick Honor’s College (FHC) Martinson Applied Projects Faculty Lead Application Award to promote collaborative research and problem solving across disciplines. Through a project titled Pitt’s Hydroponic Experimental Research Station (PHERS), undergraduate students will study hydroponic systems and sustainability from multiple perspectives.

“This project started last fall to get students from different fields of study to explore sustainability and develop research skills,” said Rodriguez, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering in Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. “Only one student joined—a data science student interested in hydroponics—but that student and some volunteers set in motion what it is today.”

The student and Rodriguez researched and, with help from Pitt Hydroponics, a student club on campus, built the first iteration of a hydroponic system.

This year, four students from different disciplines—mechanical engineering, economics, pharmacy, and data science—are currently involved in the project. They recently constructed a new hydroponic system, with new technology and with two growing stations.

Each student will explore a specific area of interest. The economist, for instance, will develop a database to assess the economic performance of hydroponic vegetables whereas the pharmacy student will explore nutritional values of hydroponic vegetables compared to those grown in more traditional conditions.

For Phoebe Esser Katz, a senior in mechanical engineering, the project has afforded her an opportunity to research and build the new system as well as to plant and thin the lettuce they are growing. Currently, she is building a station to photograph the plants and collect imaging data.

“Because I want to go into agricultural technology,” Esser Katz said, “I’m excited to learn how to create models and collect data by doing it. I learn best by doing, so getting this chance to understand more intuitively everything we’re exploring is really great.”

Esser Katz enjoys the challenge of thinking across subjects. “I’m used to working with other engineers, and talking with them is easier,” Esser Katz said. “It’s been interesting to collaborate with a data scientist who’s approaching the data so differently. Sometimes I have to say, ‘hold up, let’s start about ten steps back.’”

“They’re bringing their different perspectives to this project,” said Rodriguez. “Sustainability doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s not a specialty. To create innovation and lasting change around sustainability, there needs to be different voices. It can wake up your brain.”

Through his own work with sustainability, Rodriguez knew of hydroponics, but the project has ignited his curiosity. With an app on his phone, he now checks the status of the lettuce in the two stations, and he can adjust the lighting and humidity. He has thrown himself into articles and books and has begun sponsoring Pitt Hydroponics. “My wife,” Rodriguez said, “is getting worried that I’m bringing home too many plants.”

Rodriguez, who earned his MS and PhD in chemical engineering from Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, sees in this project a spirit embodied across the University. “Pitt has long been a place that embraces collaboration and many perspectives. I feel comfortable working with these students with such different interests and backgrounds.”

“Joaquin’s commitment to his students and to promoting hands-on, inquiry-based research across disciplines is such an asset to the University,” said Steve R. Little, Distinguished Professor and Department Chair of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at Pitt. “He models an inquisitive spirit that will continue to inspire his students long after they’ve graduated.”

“It is a great honor to be selected again by Minority Engineer Magazine,” said Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor in Industrial Engineering. “This recognition validates efforts such as Pitt EXCEL, which understand that the Swanson School of Engineering and the broader field is stronger when students of all backgrounds and experiences can access the resources and the support they need to thrive.”  

The Pitt EXCEL program seeks to recruit, retain, and graduate exceptional engineers, with a focus on those historically underrepresented in the field. Students in the program can access resources such as summer academies and research internships as well as tutoring and academic advising.

The program helps to ensure participating students can pursue their desired field in engineering while forming meaningful connections with peers, professors, staff, alumni, and industry relations that can last far beyond graduation. 

“This honor acknowledges the outstanding and diligent effort at the Swanson School,” said Clyde Wilson Pickett (EDUC ’17G), Pitt’s vice chancellor for equity, diversity, and inclusion. “It’s the result of collective investment and hard work by everyone on the faculty and staff, especially the EXCEL program, to uplift students, including groups that have traditionally been underrepresented in STEM fields, and give them the tools they need to succeed and thrive at the top of a very demanding program.”

Above from left: Felipe Correa, Spencer Aramburu-Perkins, Jordan During, and Camren Corbett, leaders from the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and National Society of Black Engineers. 

Minority Engineer Magazine’s Top 20 list, in alphabetical order:

Alabama A&M University 
Delaware State University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Florida Agricultural University
Howard University
Marymount University
Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE)
New Mexico State University (NMSU)
North Carolina AT&T State University (NC A&T)
Northeastern University
Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU)
Spelman College
Temple University
Texas A&M International University
University of Michigan
University of Pittsburgh
University of Louisville (U of L)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
University of Wyoming (UW)
Yale University

A team of interns from the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) has been selected to represent the United States next year at an international high performance computing (HPC) competition for students. PSC’s Benchmark Beasts will be one of 10 teams across the world, and the only one from the states, chosen to compete in Hamburg, Germany, at the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC25) in June 2025. The team will also be among 24 selected to compete in a virtual HPC competition starting in April.

The interns, supported by PSC, were funded by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. Tom Eckrich, a computer engineering senior at Pitt, will serve as team captain. 

“Competitions like these are excellent opportunities for students to supplement their academic studies through additional learning opportunities and hands-on experience in a professional environment,” said Valerie Rossi, PSC’s Manager of Education and Student Programming, who coached the Benchmark Beasts. “Plus, they are just fun!”

The Student Cluster Competition is held at ISC25, a global gathering of supercomputing professionals, as part of its mission to expose young people to HPC and careers in the field. The competition, hosted by the ISC High Performance and the HPC-AI Advisory Councils, introduces student teams to the HPC community, including the systems and the applications that are being used by scientists and researchers. For the competition, the student teams will use two supercomputers, the DKRZ Levante system at the German Climate Computing Center, and Bridges-2, PSC’s National Science Foundation-funded flagship system.

The Benchmark Beasts originally formed to compete at the IndySCC competition at SC24, the U.S. annual supercomputing conference. During a summer session from May to August 2024, the students learned a number of HPC skills including networking, the Linux operating system, parallel programming, and a general introduction to the field. In the fall of 2024, the students learned about the supercomputing applications NAMD and ICON as well as studying benchmarking tools such as MLPerf. At the final, 48-hour competition at SC24 in Atlanta, the Beasts competed with eight other teams from across the world in a contest focused on reproducibility, the ability of a computing solution to provide consistent, accurate results with different inputs.

The Benchmark Beasts consist of:

• Tom Eckrich, a computer engineering senior at Pitt. He is the team captain and from Rockville Centre, N.Y., on Long Island.
• Daniela Bellido Rodriquiez, a mathematics sophomore at CMU with plans to double-major in computer science. She is from Barcelona, Spain.
• Yun Dong, a senior at Pitt majoring in computer engineering. He is from New Castle, Pa., north of Pittsburgh.
• Caden Empey, a sophomore studying computer engineering at Pitt. He is from Mars, Pa., a northern Pittsburgh suburb.
• Jeff Kim, a senior at CMU, majoring in computer and electrical engineering. He is from South Korea. Jeff will not be participating in ISC25 in Germany.
• Aaron Park, a sophomore studying computer and electrical engineering at CMU. He is from Cerritos, Calif., a southern suburb of Los Angeles.
• Tanvi Verma, a senior at Pitt, majoring in computer engineering. She is from India.
• Julia Zhang, a double-major statistics and machine learning senior at CMU. She is from China.

“For me, as one of the sophomores in the team, going to SC24 and competing in IndySCC was eye-opening and valuable,” Park said. “I’ve learned a lot this past summer and fall, not only about supercomputing and HPC, but also what it’s like to be a professional in these spaces.”

The ISC25 student competition will begin with a virtual opening ceremony on April 1, 2025, and will complete by May 9. The in-person opening ceremony in Hamburg will be on June 10, with the 48-hour competition ending in an award ceremony on June 12.

###

Peyton Leyendecker and Leon Min, both PhD candidates at the Swanson School of Engineering Department of Bioengineering, are recipients of the George M. Bevier Fellowship in Engineering. This fellowship supports programs in bioengineering, sustainability, and energy resources and provides full stipend support and scholarship for both students in academic year 2024-2025. 

Peyton Leyendecker

Leyendecker is a first-year PhD student working under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen Badylak, professor of surgery, and Dr. George Hussey, assistant professor of pathology. Focusing on extracellular matrix-based tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, Leyendecker investigates matrix production and matrix-bound nanovesicle (MBV) deposition across various cell and tissue types, including bacteria and keratinous tissues. By examining how MBVs influence matrix signaling and mechanical properties, they aim to contribute to the development of more sophisticated and functional biomaterials and therapies.

“Since I am just beginning my PhD journey, I am incredibly honored to have been selected for this fellowship.” Leyendecker said. “Thanks to the financial support this fellowship provides, I can dedicate myself fully to my research and studies without worrying too much about finances. In time, with the help of this fellowship, I can start establishing myself within the field of bioengineering and complete meaningful tissue engineering and regenerative medicine research.”

Leon Min

Min is a first-year PhD student in the Medical Scientist Training Program under the mentorship of Professor of Bioengineering Jonathan Vande Geest. With the aim of enhancing therapeutic outcomes for cardiovascular disease, Min develops innovative tissue engineered vascular grafts which address problems associated with current grafts such as intimal hyperplasia and thrombosis.

“I’m honored to have been selected for the Bevier fellowship— it has given me the freedom to explore the vast research resources and supportive mentorship opportunities available at the University of Pittsburgh.” Min said. “This scholarly exploration promotes my professional growth and encourages my continued progress in the field I’m passionate about.”

About George M. Bevier 

George Bevier, a petroleum geologist who received the Bachelor of Science degree in engineering in 1913 from Pitt's School of Engineering, is credited as the inventor of a seismograph used to locate the presence of oil and gas fields. In addition to inventing a seismograph, Bevier was one of the first geologists in the nation to combine geology and geophysics in the exploration of oil and gas, techniques which contributed to his discovery of the main production area of the Conroe oil fields in Montgomery County, Texas, one of the leading fields of oil and gas production in the state and nation. His lengthy and successful career with private corporations, the U.S. government, and as an independent geologist brought him many honors, including an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1937 and a School of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1964, both from Pitt.

A PhD student at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering was recently awarded for his excellence in materials science research. 

Jun Young Hong, a fourth-year student in the department of mechanical engineering and materials science, was honored with a Graduate Excellence in Materials Science (GEMS) Sapphire Award from the American Ceramic Society for his presentation at the Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) annual meeting this fall. 

Hong’s research focuses on magnetic field sensing materials and their devices. Under the mentorship of Paul Ohodnicki, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, and Dolendra Karki, visiting research assistant professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, Hong is investigating magnetic field sensing materials, including Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG) single crystal fibers, and integrating NV center nanodiamond-polymer into a fiber-optic platform for quantum sensing applications.

“I am fascinated by photonics, optics, and magnetics-related phenomena that can be adapted to real-world applications because of the growing demand for advanced sensing technologies in areas like biomedical imaging, communication, and environmental monitoring.” Hong said. “The potential of these technologies to revolutionize precision measurement and sensing in various industries makes this research particularly exciting to me.”

The Basic Science Division of the American Ceramic Society organizes the annual GEMS awards to recognize the outstanding achievements of graduate students in Materials Science and Engineering. The award is open to all graduate students who are making an oral presentation in any symposium or session at the MS&T meeting.

“I am honored to receive this award, as it is a significant recognition of the hard work and dedication I have put into my research, and it will undoubtedly boost my confidence and motivation to continue pushing the boundaries of my work and striving for excellence.” Hong said. “I deeply appreciate my advisor, Professor Paul Ohodnicki, and Dr. Dolendra Karki for their invaluable guidance, mentorship, and support throughout my research journey—their insightful feedback and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping the direction of my work and helping me overcome challenges along the way.”

National Institutes of Health (NIH) F31 Fellowship

Meagan Makarczyk

F31 Fellowships from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) allow graduate students in the health sciences to develop their research. Makarczyk is a fifth-year Bioengineering PhD student working with Hang Lin, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery. Also a recipient of the ICMRS Webster Jee Young Investigator Award, her research focuses on developing microphysiological systems to model musculoskeletal diseases like osteoarthritis, as well as studying the mechanisms of musculoskeletal pain. 

"I am very excited to be selected as an F31 recipient, as this award will fund my thesis work. It will also help me be a competitive applicant for postdoctoral positions as I pursue a career in academia.” Makarczyk said. “I’m grateful for the support from the CATER and CBTP T32 fellowship programs and the departments of Bioengineering, Neurobiology, and Orthopaedic Surgery."

American Heart Association (AHA) Predoctoral Fellowship

American Heart Association (AHA) predoctoral fellowships support the next generation of heart health researchers through funding and mentorship for doctoral students who are committed to advancing the fight against heart disease and stroke. This predoctoral fellowship program funds up to three years of graduate studies, along with providing mentorship opportunities for students to work with some of the leading scientists and clinicians in the field of cardiovascular research.

Pete Gueldner

Gueldner is a 5th-year PhD bioengineering student, working in the Vascular Bioengineering Laboratory (VBL) with John A. Swanson Professor of Bioengineering David Vorp. Gueldner’s research focuses on the biomechanical analysis of aortic aneurysms, and he is developing a device to assess vascular tissue under physiologically relevant conditions to improve the prediction of aneurysm ruptures. 

"I am interested in modeling aortic aneurysms in the most physiologically relevant way and demonstrating that local material density is a predictor of failure," Gueldner said. “This innovative approach could lead to better non-invasive methods to assess aneurysm risk in clinical settings, and this fellowship gives me the freedom to work with my mentors to design a personalized training plan that prepares me for a career as an independent researcher.”

Department of Defense (DoD) NDSEG Fellowship

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship program was established by Congress in 1989 as an approach to increasing the number of United States citizens receiving doctoral degrees in science and engineering disciplines to Department of Defense (DoD) Relevance. The highly competitive fellowship program has awarded nearly 4,700 fellowships from over 70,000 applications since its inception.

Taylor Hobbs

Hobbs is a fourth-year PhD student researching upper limb sensory restoration for bi-directional brain-computer interfaces with Robert Gaunt, associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine. Her research uses intracortical microstimulation in the human somatosensory cortex to create artificial sensations in participants' hands.

"Receiving this fellowship is an incredible opportunity, and it’s a validation of the hard work and passion I’ve put into my research,” Hobbs said. “Not only does it provide full funding for the remainder of my PhD, but it also offers the flexibility to explore new, innovative projects in my field. This kind of support allows me to focus fully on my research and push the boundaries of sensory restoration for brain computer interfaces.”

K. Leroy Irvis Fellowships

The University of Pittsburgh established the K. Leroy Irvis Fellowships in 1994 to enhance the academic excellence and diversity of the University of Pittsburgh's graduate student body, attract the most outstanding and diverse graduate students to Pitt’s doctoral programs, and prepare students for academic and research careers. 

Each year, schools select distinguished doctoral applicants who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement to participate in this prestigious program, which offers academic guidance and cohort-based mentoring alongside financial support. First-year PhD students Hanna Armstrong, Jackie Avila, Alison Buck, and Edgar Canario are the Department of Bioengineering’s 2024 K. Leroy Irvis Fellowship recipients. 

Hanna Armstrong

Armstrong works in the Cardiovascular Health Tech Laboratory with Professor of Bioengineering Ramakrishna Mukkamala to develop non-invasive methods and tools that observe cardiovascular health. She hopes that this fellowship will help develop pathways to making STEM education more accessible for herself and future students. 

“Despite the initiatives taken in the last 10 to 20 years, STEM still seems to be an unattainable field to engage with for many communities,” Armstrong said. ”I hope with this fellowship, I will learn how to develop structures to support students looking to enter STEM and attain higher education.

Jackie Avila

Avila works in the Soft Tissue Biomechanics Laboratory (STBL) under the guidance of Jonathan Vande Geest, professor of bioengineering. Avila is interested in investigating and applying computational and experimental approaches to understand and solve cardiovascular and vascular health problems. In the STBL, she is working on the computational optimization of a compliance matched tissue engineered vascular graft (TEVG). For Avila, the Irvis fellowship has provided support and opportunities to interact and connect with other diverse fellows in various departments at the University.  

“As a first-generation Latina PhD student, having this support system at Pitt has made the transition from undergraduate studies to graduate studies smoother for me,” Avila said. “I am extremely honored to have received the K. Leroy Irvis Fellowship, and I look forward to trying, failing, and succeeding as a PhD student.”

Alison Buck

Working with Assistant Professor of Pathology David Gau, her research interests include cancer biology, tissue engineering, microbiology, regenerative medicine, and nephrology.

“As a first-gen college student, I’ve faced obstacles throughout my academic career,” Buck said. “The academic guidance and mentoring I will gain through this fellowship will offer support and direction through my graduate degree and in life.”

Edgar Canario

Canario works with Jennifer L. Collinger, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Pitt’s School of Medicine, on the development of brain-computer interfaces, aiming to improve robotic upper-limb control and to study neural motor activity during brain-computer interface use. Canario is an alumnus of the MS to PhD BRIDGE program, and is looking forward to the academic guidance and mentoring throughout his graduate career provided by this fellowship.

Wesley C. Pickard Fellowship

Keerthana Manikandan

As the 2024 Wesley C. Pickard Fellow, Manikandan will receive research funding and meet Mr. Pickard, a Pitt alumnus and former CFO of Synergy Inc. Manikandan is advised by Assistant Professor of Neurobiology Omar Gharbawie and is interested in understanding the neurobiological principles of spontaneous activity or resting state in the brain. Her research aims to uncover underlying architecture and neurophysiological properties of the brain using optical imaging and in-vivo electrophysiology in non-human primates. 

Leonard H. Berenfield Graduate Fellowship in Cardiovascular Bioengineering

Recipients of the Leonard H. Berenfield Graduate Fellowship in Cardiovascular Bioengineering receive one year of funding for cardiovascular research performed at the Swanson School and retain the title of Berenfield Fellow throughout their PhD studies.

Rugveda Thanneeru 

Thanneeru is a third-year PhD student advised by Distinguished Professor of Bioengineering Harvey Borovetz and James Ataki, adjunct professor in the department of bioengineering. He’s  interested in developing medical devices such as Artificial Hearts/ Ventricular assist devices (VADs) which can save thousands of lives of small children and adults suffering from advanced heart failure. His research focuses on the VAD cannula, which connects the human heart with the device. 

“Dr. Borovetz and Dr. Antaki have made significant contributions to the development of the HeartMate 2 VAD, which has been implanted in over 27,000 patients.” Thanneeru said. “Now, they are developing a much smaller VAD that can be implanted in small children born with heart defects, potentially saving their lives, and this fellowship gives me the opportunity to be part of this noble cause and learn from their wisdom.”

About Leonard H. Berenfield (1943-2021)

Leonard H. Berenfield received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1964. In 1965, after one year at Westinghouse, he moved to Warren, Pa. to use his engineering knowledge to help grow Berenfield Steel Drum Co. – the family steel drum manufacturing business. The firm’s continued growth led to reorganization as Berenfield Containers, Inc. in 1985 with Mr. Berenfield assuming the role of President. Further expansions of existing plants over the years and the acquisition of plants in Harrisburg, N.C. and Pine Bluff, Ark. as well as new factories to diversify the product line into fiber drums established the company’s legacy. Mauser USA purchased Berenfield Containers in 2016. Mr. Berenfield was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area and was an active volunteer. He held posts in several nonprofit and industry boards including the American Heart Association, the United Way, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, Hebrew Union College, the Steel Shipping Container Institute, the International Fibre Drum Institute, and the Industrial Steel Drum Institute. In 2018, he was named Distinguished Alumnus of the Swanson School’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.

Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the Swanson School of Engineering's Department of Bioengineering Savio L-Y Woo is an inaugural fellow. Woo will also present a keynote lecture at the AAASE Summit and Fellow Induction Ceremony. 

The awards ceremony will be held from November 15^th to17^th at the National Academy of Sciences Beckman Center, Irvine, California.

The inaugural class of AAASE Fellows (www.aaase.org/aaase-fellow) includes:

• Zhenan Bao : K.K. Lee Professor of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University, with courtesy appointments in Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering. She is an NAS, NAE, NAI, and AAAS member.
• Yuan Chang : Distinguished Professor of Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh. She co-discovered the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, a major breakthrough in cancer research. Her work has earned her membership in NAS.
• Lili Cheng : aCorporate Vice President at Microsoft, leading the AI and Research division. She has made significant contributions to human-computer interaction and AI development. Lili is known for her innovative approaches to software engineering and is a member of NAE.
• Shu Chien : Renowned professor at UCSD and member of NAS, NAE, and NAM. He is a pioneer in bioengineering, especially known for his work on cardiovascular physiology and mechanobiology.
• Stephen Chou : Joseph C. Elgin Professor of Engineering at Princeton University. An NAE member, Stephen is recognized for his groundbreaking work in nanotechnology, particularly in nanoimprint lithography.
• Steven Chu : Nobel Laureate in Physics and an NAS member and Professor at Stanford University. His pioneering research in atomic physics and laser cooling has profoundly impacted the field. He also served as the U.S. Secretary of Energy from 2009 to 2013.
• Sankar Ghosh : Chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Columbia University. His research on NF-kB signaling pathways has significantly advanced our understanding of immune response and inflammation. Sankar is a member of the NAS and NAM.
• David Ho : Clyde '56 and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine at Columbia University. A key figure in HIV/AIDS research, his work on antiretroviral therapies has saved millions of lives. David is a member of NAM.
• Evelyn Hu : Tarr-Coyne Professor of Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering at Harvard University. She is known for pioneering nanoscale device work and has made significant contributions to nanotechnology. Evelyn is a member of NAS and NAE.
• Xuedong Huang : Chief Technology Officer at Zoom Video Communications. He is a pioneer in speech recognition technology and has significantly advanced the field of artificial intelligence. Xuedong is a member of NAE and AAAS.
• Alice Huang : Senior Faculty Associate in Biology at Caltech and former president of AAAS. Her research in virology, particularly on virus-host interactions, has been groundbreaking. Alice is a respected leader in the scientific community.
• Rakesh Jain : Director of the E.L. Steele Laboratory for Tumor Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital. His pioneering work on the tumor microenvironment and angiogenesis has earned him membership in all three National Academies. Rakesh's research has transformed cancer therapy.
• Kam Leong : Samuel Y. Sheng Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. As a drug delivery and gene therapy leader, Kam's innovative research has significantly impacted biomedical engineering. He is a member of NAE and NAM.
• Kai Li : Professor of Computer Science at Princeton University. His contributions to computer systems and data storage technologies are widely recognized. Kai is a member of NAE and has had a lasting impact on the field of computer science.
• Andrea Liu : Hepburn Professor of Physics at the University of Pennsylvania. Known for her theoretical work in soft condensed matter physics, Andrea's research has provided deep insights into the behavior of complex materials. She is a member of NAS.
• Arun Majumdar : Jay Precourt Professor at Stanford University and Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Arun, an energy technology and policy leader, has been instrumental in advancing sustainable energy solutions. He is a member of both NAS and NAE.
• Shuji Nakamura : Nobel Laureate in Physics and Professor at UC Santa Barbara. Known for inventing the blue LED, Shuji's work has revolutionized lighting technology and earned him international acclaim.
• Choon Fong Shi : President Emeritus of the National University of Singapore and NAE member. His contributions to fracture mechanics and materials science have been highly influential. Choon Fong's leadership has also had a significant impact on higher education.
• Zhigang Suo : Allen E. and Marilyn M. Puckett Professor of Mechanics and Materials at Harvard University. He is known for his pioneering work in solid mechanics and soft materials. Zhigang is an NAS and NAE member.
• Subra Suresh : President Emeritus of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and former Director of the NSF. A member of all three National Academies, Subra has significantly contributed to materials science and engineering. His leadership has been transformative in both academia and industry.
• Savio Woo : Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh. A pioneer in bioengineering and orthopedic research, Savio's work has significantly advanced the understanding of musculoskeletal biomechanics. He is a member of NAE and NAM.
• Joseph Wu : Director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute. Known for his research in cardiovascular medicine and regenerative medicine, Joseph's work has led to significant advancements in the field. He is a member of NAM.
• Jie Xue : Vice President of Technology and Quality at Cisco Systems. Her contributions to electronic packaging and reliability engineering have been pivotal. Jie is an NAE member and has played a vital role in advancing technology at Cisco.

For more information about the AAASE and the inaugural Fellows, please visit our website or contact us at www.aaase.org.

CONTACT: X. Edward Guo, president@aaase.org

U.S. News recognized Pitt in its Best Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects ranking for the first time, rating our scholars’ work at No. 32.

"It is both important and affirming that Pitt has been recognized for the first time in this ranking,” said Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Joe McCarthy. “The exceptional and ever-increasing opportunities Pitt offers for our undergraduate students as they stretch their growing knowledge and abilities in both research and creative spaces are key to our educational mission."

Pitt engineering and innovation received accolades, too: Undergraduate biomedical engineering and industrial/manufacturing engineering were ranked for the first time, at Nos. 28 and 17, respectively, while Pitt landed at No. 63 on the Most Innovative Schools list.

Overall, Pitt ranked 70th among all universities. See the Pitt rankings here.

With 45 years of experience in the nuclear industry, designing the materials for his classes was the easiest part of being a new professor.

"On my first day, I got my computer out and just started typing like hell," Congedo joked. "This was stuff that I knew."

Congedo joined Pitt after serving as Director of Technology Development at Westinghouse Research and Technology, where he led the Central R&T laboratories and managed a team of renowned experimenters, analytical developers, and state-of-the-art facilities. He taught classes at Carnegie Mellon University, but he always knew his career was destined to come full circle at Pitt—where it began.

"I can recall my very first day as a graduate student at the University in 1972," Congedo said. "I knew I'd always come back as a teacher."

Working with the program’s director, Professor Heng Ban, Congedo "keeps the trains running" in addition to teaching the popular Introduction to Nuclear Engineering and graduate Nuclear Operations and Safety courses. Every year, Congedo ensures classes for both the nuclear engineering program's undergraduate and graduate certificates and master's degree align with students’ graduation timelines. 

“Tom manages the program's class offerings and works with industry experts to help teach some of them,” Ban said. “With Tom’s guidance, we’ve revamped our curriculum to align with nationally leading nuclear programs at other universities.”

Congedo takes pride in keeping the curriculum current, which is why as he nears retirement, he helped select his successors, Assistant Professor Tatsuya Sakurahara and Adjunct Assistant Professor Sola Talabi, who have demonstrated histories of pushing the field forward through cutting-edge technology and building industry relationships on an international scale.

Sakurahara received his PhD in nuclear, plasma, and radiological engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research interests include probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and uncertainty quantification, which not only expands Pitt’s research portfolio but also brings new courses to the program’s nuclear curriculum, enhancing the learning experience for our students.

Talabi has 24 years of experience in the field, including work at Westinghouse Electric Company where he managed risks on the first Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear plants in both China and the United States, and later at Pittsburgh Technical. His expertise lies in reactor engineering, safety and risk management. 

"One of the best things about Pitt’s nuclear engineering program is our faculty," Congedo said. "Not only are they brilliant, but their hearts are in the right place. They desire nothing more than doing the same thing that I want to do: Educate the people to the point where the nuclear industry can do the best things for this world. I mean, it's as simple as that."

Congedo wants his students to feel the same way — even after he’s long retired from Pitt.

"I'm going to be happy when I see our students help places that were once almost unlivable, now prosper because of the nuclear power  they helped generate."

Cindy Pezze, a longtime colleague and friend of Congedo as well as a Pitt alumna, said Congedo led with a passion for the industry. 

“Tom worked tirelessly to enhance the program and the students' experience,” Pezze said. “This program would not be where it is today without Tom’s passion, hard work and collaboration with other key persons from within MEMS, the Swanson School and the industry. His legacy will continue with this program which is providing future engineers to the nuclear industry.”

Brian Gleeson, Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, described Congedo as a “vigorous advocate” for nuclear power and the program. 

“But beyond his advocacy is his impressive dedication to education,” Gleeson said. “He honestly cares for the students, ensuring they get the best education in nuclear engineering. His impact can’t be overstated.” 

With his retirement on the horizon, Congedo is looking forward to enjoying more home-cooked meals shared with his wife, Carol, as well as traveling to Okinawa Island after studying martial arts for nearly 60 years. A longtime musician, he’ll spend even more time strumming his guitar.

However, he will always be available to Pitt students.

Just like the past ten years, he’s only a phone call away.

"As a teacher, touching souls is what we do," Congedo said. "That won’t end when I leave Pitt."

REEs are a group of seventeen chemical elements on the periodic table, including the fifteen lanthanides along with scandium and yttrium. Due to their unique chemical and physical properties, these materials are utilized in a variety of technologies, including computers and hybrid car batteries. Additionally, only small quantities are required for their effective use.  

There’s just one problem. 

“REE material supply chains are largely dominated by other countries and regions, which places the ability to source domestically at risk during economic or political crises,” said Brandon Grainger, associate professor and Eaton Faculty Fellow of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. “As we make the shift toward electrified transportation, which rely on magnets made from REEs, we need to find native alternatives that reduce supply chain risks which can be important both economically and in terms of national defense.” 

Through Pitt’s Advanced Magnetics for Power and Energy Developed (AMPED) Consortium and funding through an SBIR grant from the Department of Energy, Grainger and Paul Ohodnicki,  associate professor of mechanical engineering and material sciences and R.K. Mellon faculty fellow at Pitt, are studying the performance of manganese bismuth to replace REEs. By using ANSYS MotorCAD and Optislang, a simulation software helping to aid the optimization of these machines, Grainger and Ohodnicki can optimize electric motors and show the capabilities of these  new magnets. 

“We’re getting promising results,” Ohodnicki said. “We still have obstacles, including the manufacturing of these magnets and scaling them to deliver the required power output of these motors. We’re working with small businesses to make production a reality.” 

Their work in replacing REEs was recently discussed in an article from IEEE Spectrum called, “How to Build EV Motors Without Rare Earth Elements.” 

Throughout the year, Opalinski logs thousands of miles across the U.S. to recruit prospective students to the Swanson School’s more than 25 graduate programs. In many ways, she’s typically the very first face of the school students meet. 

Opalinski, who has worked in graduate recruitment for Pitt for more than eight  years, was recently appointed the treasurer for PAGAP, a state-chapter organization of the overarching NAGAP, the Association of Graduate Enrollment Management. Opalinski has been part of NAGAP since her start at Pitt in 2016. 

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the leadership team at PAGAP,” Opalinski said. “In this position, I hope to continue the organization’s mission of promoting excellence and collaboration among graduate recruitment professionals. Some may assume we are in competition with each other as graduate recruitment professionals for different universities but it really is about not only supporting each other but also about helping students find the right graduate program for them.” 

Colleagues noted Opalinski’s “can-do attitude” since her start as the Swanson School’s first  graduate recruiter. Initially hired for online graduate projects, she was quickly promoted to oversee recruitment for PhD, MS and online programs. As part of her position at Pitt, Opalinski serves on the Liaison International Advisory Board for EngCAS, the graduate application system used by the Swanson School. She was also on the founding committee for the inaugural Swanson School-wide graduate orientation, which now happens every August. 

"I am really excited to see Stephanie’s years of focused graduate recruiting for the Swanson School of Engineering opening doors to her on the state and national scale,” said Bob Parker, Robert v.d. Luft professor of chemical and petroleum engineering and associate dean for graduate education at Pitt. “Her upbeat nature and ability to execute will be leadership assets to PAGAP."

As the engineering representative on the Vice Provost’s Graduate Professional Admissions and Recruiting Committee, Opalinski plays a crucial role in shaping university-level graduate marketing and recruiting strategies, particularly through her involvement in the growth and development of Pitt2Pitt, a scholarship program for Pitt undergraduates who continue on for the MS in one of the 80-plus participating programs.  

Her involvement with Pitt often travels outside the University. Opalinski personally developed relationships with student organizations like the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) to provide in-person presentations and workshops on graduate school opportunities across the country. 

Her term as treasurer is two-years.

“I’m very humbled and honored to receive this scholarship,” Jain said. “I’m grateful for the dedicated and supportive Pitt Department of Industrial Engineering, especially the professors who advised me through the scholarship application process. None of this would be possible without the various Swanson School programs that allow me to grow and explore my interests in industrial engineering.”

In addition to the $4,000 award for the 2024-2025 school year, the scholarship covered registration and travel expenses for the 2024 IISE Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada. Due to the beginning of her co-op rotation conflicting with conference dates, Jain could not attend. However, she said that planning and attending the IISE 2024 Northeast Regional Conference held at Pitt on January 26-27, 2024, was a rewarding experience. She hopes to attend an IISE annual conference in the future.

“As someone who has formerly been on the selection committee for IISE scholarships, this is one of the most prestigious scholarships IISE offers,” said Karen Bursic, professor and undergraduate program director in Pitt’s Department of Industrial Engineering. “They look for students like Maya who have a strong potential to contribute to the industrial engineering profession.”

The UPS Scholarship for Minority Students is open to undergraduate minority students who reside within the United States and territories, Canada or Mexico. 

Named for Chancellor Emeritus Mark A. Nordenberg, the Nordenberg Leadership Scholars Program covers full tuition for four years of study and one international learning experience, assistance securing internship positions, and networking opportunities with organizations and corporations in the Pittsburgh region.

Over 800 high school seniors in Pennsylvania applied for this year’s program.

2024 Nordenberg Leadership Scholars:

• Nicolas Bove, South Park High School, South Park
  • Major: Mechanical Engineering
• Sulwe Kauffman-Okoko, Winchester Thurston School, Pittsburgh
  • Major: Undeclared
• Emily O’Brien, Boiling Springs High School, Carlisle
  • Major: Secondary Education
• Gianna Reed, North Hills High School, Pittsburgh
  • Major: Studio Arts
• Charles Voss, Devon Preparatory School, Narberth
  • Major: Political Science

“For ten years now we have watch our students - many of whom are seniors - not simply complete an assignment but invest themselves in solutions that could benefit humanity. What's more, some of our former students are now experienced judges,” noted Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor of Industrial Engineering. “The thrill in the room is palpable as teams try to impress upon the judges and attendees why their innovation is a game-changer.”

Some teams sponsored by faculty from other University of Pittsburgh schools as well as UPMC hospitals, government agencies, nonprofits, and industry. Several projects were presented by seniors in the School’s Capstone Design or Product Realization courses, and all were judged by Pitt alumni, faculty, and industry volunteers. 

Winners below; view the program for a full list of participants. Visit Flickr for the Expo Photo Album.

Best Overall Project 
RocketWatch: GEO Satellite Threat  Assessment System
Industrial Mentor: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 
Nathan Carney, Lauren Hoge, Jessica Kneller, Alison Linares Mendoza

People’s Choice Award 
Regional Adjustable Pressure Prosthetic Socket 
Kristin Bindas, Katherine LeClaire, Camilo Rodriguez Rozas, Azariah Torain, Madeline Viteri, 
Savannah Waymer 

DEPARTMENT AWARDS 

Bioengineering 
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mark Gartner 

1st Place Regional Adjustable Pressure Prosthetic Socket 
Kristin Bindas, Katherine LeClaire, Azariah Torain, Camilo Rodriguez Rozas, Madeline Viteri, Savannah Waymer 

2nd Place Trans-Tibial Self-Adjustable Prosthetic Socket
Rachel da Cruz, Abigail Geary, Samantha Mnich, Maggie Walker, Alyssa Zito 

3rd Place Nasogastric Tube Securement
Keegan Blain, Rachel Eskander, Madison Keczmer, Samuel Lord, Tarryn O’Rourke, Shannon Roman 

Civil and Environmental Engineering 
Faculty Advisor: Professor John Sebastian 

1st Place Railroad Track to Pedestrian Trail
Faculty Mentors: John Yadlosky, HDR; Bill Crawford – TW Engineering; Dr. Kent Harries 
Industry Mentors: Jason Zang, Keith Cornelius, Leigh Anne Crouse, Keith Dougall – PennDOT
John Demarco, Mason Kent, Alexandra Lopez, Bryce Rhodes, Jonna Rinehart, Melissa Sedlock 

2nd Place (Tie)

West End Neighborhood Connector 
Faculty Mentors: Dr. John Oyler, Dr. Mark Magalotti, Dr. Kent Harries, Prof John Sebastian, Dr. Ogul Doygun, Dr. Sebastian Lobo-Guerrero, Dr. Alex Stevanovic 
Industry Mentor: Gavin White & Maria Riley – Riverlife, Benjamin Williams – Seneca Resources 
Jared Broscious, Alexa Hartman, Madde Huebner, Garrett Koch, Cain Pfoutz, Allyson Trexler 

Wharton Township Antidegradation Study 
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Leonard Casson, Dr. Carla Ng, Dr. David Malehorn 
Industry Mentor: Terry McMillen – McMillen Engineering 
Tess Harper, Julie Huck, George Kay Amanda Lee, Ryan Musto, George Strish

3rd Place (Tie)

Landslide Mitigation 
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Sebastian Lobo-Guerrero, Dr. Ogul Doygun 
Industry Mentor: Matt Geary, Duquesne Light 
Spencer Matan, Ryan McColgan, Matthew Niznik, Darius O’Neal, Kevin Vricella-Stokes, Linxia Wang

Food Waste Diversion 
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Vikas Khanna, Dr. Sarah Haig 
Industry Mentors: Emily Potoczny and Aurora Sharrard – Pitt Office of Sustainability 
Sophie Catanzaro, Jessica Chamberlain, Kyle Durrwachter, Samuel Mahsoob, Caymus Ruffner

Electrical and Computer Engineering 
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Mohamed Bayoumy, Dr. Guangyong Li, Dr. Mai Abdelhakim

1st Place Pressure Pulse: Monitoring System for Portable EMS Oxygen Tanks 
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Samuel Dickerson
Industry Mentor: Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania 
Adam Brower, Mark Hofmeister, JJ Oswald, Bronco York 

2nd Place Passive Cell Balancing Battery Management System 
Industry Mentors: Mr. Sean Dowhy and Mr. Ray Kovacs – Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI) 
Veronica Bella, Nicholas Genco, Edward Loveday, Caiti Minahan, Lucas Troy 

3rd Place Automated Connect 4 - Group B 
Andrew Davidson, John Klamut, Owen Knight, Aidan Myer

Industrial Engineering 
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Scott Streiner 

1st Place RocketWatch: GEO Satellite Threat Assessment System 
Industry Mentor: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 
Nathan Carney, Lauren Hoge, Jessica Kneller, Alison Linares Mendoza

2nd Place Electrical/Mechanical Subassembly Improvement 
Industry Mentor: Alstom 
Austin Ferraioli, Yunhao Liang, Anthony Robol, Pedro Schmitt, Haoran Zhang

3rd Place Model of Care for Centralized Discharge Process 
Industry Mentor: UPMC 
Kyle Halstater, Nikki Konley, Allena Riggio, Kayla Trahey, Ruhan Wei

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science 
Faculty Advisor: Dr. David Schmidt 

1st Place Development of an Internal Tracking Device for Bicycles 
Industry Mentor: Mr. Jumoke Davis – Cyclebox 
Zhe Feng, Hassan Jafarah, Victoria Pereira Araujo, Jacob Randall, Francis Talty, Zixin Ye 

2nd Place SimuClip: A Mechanical Solution to Endoscopic Vein Autografting Surgery
Academic Mentor: Dr. Chung 
John Buttles, Tyler Hutsko, Eric Schwanke, Ziyu Xia

3rd Place Mechanical Testing of Eye-Inspired Fiber Constructs 
Academic Mentor: Dr. Ian Sigal (Laboratory of Ocular Biomechanics) 
Chris Beatty, Evan Garbaccio, Ann Marie Howald, Yiding Li, Addison Mueller, Hannah O’Connell, Lucas Zwastetzky, Wei Zhang 

Art of Making: Hands-On System Design and Engineering 
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Joe Samosky 

1st Place HandSwell: Expanding the Grabbing and Releasing Abilities of Children with Limited Motor Skills 
Community Partner: Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children 
Josie Belkin, Mia Falbo, Sarah Ginck, Andrue Herold, Reilly Koitzsch

2nd Place Grabbing Attention: Improving Engagement at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children as Students Learn to Grab 
Community Partner: Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children 
Jake Chinchar, David Hand, Reuel John, Varun Patel, Nicholas Town

3rd Place Water Walker: A Modular Floatation Device to Enhance Disabled Children’s Relationships with Swimming 
Community Partners: Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children and Shaler Adaptive Aquatics for Health 
Lorenzo Basa, Luke Byun, Soumik Chakraborty, Tyler Fritz, Timmy Green, Brandon Haines

Product Realization 
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Eric Winter  

1st Place MyDose Demo Unit 
Bryce Aniszewski, Alina Dziamko-Chuhaj, Angelina Pampena, Dylan Tobey, Niccolo Valerio

2nd Place Macy at the Door (Final) 
Roshen Abdullah, Maya Green, Andrea Moore, Chirag Rajesh, Ethan Unik

3rd Place Protecting Product Inventory 
Madison Keczmer, Logan McHugh, Luke McLinden, Myles Naylor, Felicity Thatcher

And they’re not even thirty years old. 

Because of their accomplishments early in their careers, Grice and Romano were selected to be in the Pittsburgh Business Times 30 Under 30 list. Young professionals included in the list are chosen by exhibiting strong leadership and making a difference in their communities. 

Grice and Romano will be honored in a special edition of the Pittsburgh Business Times on April 19, 2024. 

“Recognition feels uncomfortable, but it's been a nice moment of pause to think about how this could be impactful to my career," said Grice, an alumna of Pitt’s Department of Bioengineering. “It will help me position myself to solve bigger problems in healthcare which is really what motivates me.”

Bioengineering students are excelling both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Zachary Miller, a third-year undergraduate bioengineering student, is one of these students. Miller is this year’s recipient of the Emmaus Future Voices Award, which honors a young person who has shown exceptional dedication to giving back to their community, especially in ways that have a positive impact for people living with disabilities. 

Miller founded the Spreading Neurodiversity Acceptance Project (SNAP), a student organization that organizes community events with the goal of fostering equal opportunities and inclusivity between the neurodivergent and neurotypical communities. Miller is also engaged in undergraduate research to develop new communication methods to strengthen language between neurodivergent and neurotypical people. Outside of Pitt, Miller serves as a team lead with the PALS Programs, where he helps create immersive experiences for young adults with Down syndrome.

Through acts of kindness, leadership, and service, Future Voices awardees demonstrate a passion for helping others as well as a commitment to using their voices to make a difference in the future. The award celebrates both the past contributions of the individual and their vision for a better world. Miller will receive the Emmaus Future Voices Award at the 2024 Emmaus Roarin’ Twenties Gala at The Priory Hotel on April 13, 2024.

About Emmaus

The Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh is dedicated to providing inclusive, community-based homes and in-home services for people with intellectual disabilities and promoting public awareness of their needs. Emmaus is an ecumenical, non-profit organization built upon a vision of people with and without disabilities sharing their lives. 

Code-a-Chip Grant Award 

Ryan Caginalp, an undergraduate in Pitt’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received the Code-a-Chip Travel Grant for creating a capacitance-to-digital converter generator using an open-source tool flow, which would create a manufacturable design based off of high-level user input.

“The ISSCC conference is a major symposium in the field of circuit design, with leading researchers in the field attending from all around the world,” Caginalp said. “This award allowed me to present my work, learn about ongoing research in my field, and meet with world-renowned researchers. These interactions were helpful as I plan to start a PhD in the fall.”

The IEEE SSCS Code-a-Chip Travel Grant Award was created to promote responsible chip design using open-source tools and notebook-driven design flows. 

IEEE SSCS Student Travel Grant Award Program  

Ehab Hamed, a PhD student in Pitt’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received the IEEE SSCE Student Travel Grant Award for his latest research work.

“My focus of study is centered around low-power analog integrated circuit design,” Hamed said. “This award helped immerse me in the latest advancements within my field, network, and gain invaluable insights that contribute to research endeavors while at the conference.”

The IEEE SSCS Student Travel Grant Award program recognizes and promotes early career accomplishments in all fields of solid-state circuits by supporting student travel to the next ISSCC conference. 

“Ehab is highly motivated by the opportunity where he engaged with top engineers, professors, and students in the semiconductor chip design field,” said Dr. In Hee Lee, assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. “I believe this motivation will lead to his presentation of his research paper at the conference next year.”

About IEEE SSCS and ISSCC

Established in 1997, the IEEE Solid State Circuits Society has over ten thousand members around the world that focus on fabricated integrated circuit designs, rather than simulated circuits and analyzed models, for all applications using relevant materials and interconnections. SSCS is a patron member of six IEEE Councils to leverage interdisciplinary technologies.

The International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) is the top international conference in the field of integrated circuit design. The conference draws significant attention from the U.S. government as well as partners from the industry and academia through the CHIPS Act of 2022, which aims to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing, design and research, fortify the economy and national security, and reinforce America’s chip supply chains. This initiative is supported by major information technology companies such as AMD, Google, Intel, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and META through the CHIPS Alliance.

“Receiving this award is a huge honor for us. It is a testament to the hard work, leadership, and care that our officers over the years have invested in cultivating our chapter, and to the involvement and support of our members, faculty advisors, and department,” said Sabrina Helbig, president and long-time officer of the HKN Beta Delta Chapter and PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “I am proud of the growth that our chapter has accomplished, and I am excited and optimistic to see how it continues to evolve now and in the future."

According to IEEE-HKN, chapters are selected based on their activities, community service and outreach, and the impact they have had on the Department, the University, and the community. Of vital concern to the Outstanding Chapter Awards evaluation committee are activities that advance professional development; raise instructional and institutional standards; encourage scholarship and creativity; provide a public service; and generally further the established goals of IEEE-HKN. In 2023, HKN Chapters performed close to 80,000 hours of activities of which 46,000 were dedicated to service/education and outreach.

During the 2022-23 academic year, Pitt's Beta Delta Chapter:

• Hosted its first event on the Professional Engineering (PE) license to expose students to this credential and provide information on how and why they may pursue one
• Held its first induction ceremony for graduate students
• Organized with the Sigma Chapter at Carnegie Mellon University and the Epsilon Chapter at Pennsylvania State University to bring students together for an interchapter day of events in Pittsburgh, featuring a Radio Frequency (RF) foxhunt (scavenger hunt), sponsored by Keysight Technologies and TestEquity, and a social outing to Dave & Buster’s
• Volunteered in the community at a local farmer’s market and in support of middle school and high school STEM at the Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair (PRSEF)
• Collaborated with the IEEE and IEEE PES-PELS Clubs at the University of Pittsburgh to present broader social and mentorship opportunities to students in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

A ceremony to present award plaques will be held on Sunday, March 17, as part of the 2024 Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Head Association Annual Conference being held 15-18 March 2024 in Tucson, Arizona.

The 2022-2023 outstanding chapter award recipients are: 

###

AIMBE Fellows represent the top two percent of medical and biological engineers, including the most accomplished in academia, industry, education, clinical practice, and government. Ibrahim is currently director of the 7 Tesla (7T) Bioengineering Research Program (7TBRP) and co-director of the Bioengineering in Psychiatry (BiP) T32 Training Program, and he works predominantly on ultrahigh field human MRI developments and applications.. 

Ibrahim was nominated for these breakthrough innovations with ultrahigh field human MRI and for his transformational impact across neuroimaging research and interdisciplinary training. Once inducted, he will join Interim Chair of Bioengineering Mark Redfern and over thirty current and former Pitt faculty members with this prestigious accolade.

ABOUT AIMBE 

Established in 1991, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., representing the most accomplished individuals in the fields of medical and biological engineering. No other organization can bring together academia, industry, government, and scientific societies to form a highly influential community advancing medical and biological engineering. AIMBE’s mission is to provide leadership and advocacy in medical and biological engineering for the benefit of society.

The undergraduate engineering program at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering was selected by readers and editors of Minority Engineer Magazine for inclusion in its annual Top 20 Universities List. Published by Equal Opportunity Publications Inc., the list is determined via survey of randomly selected readers to name the top universities who they believe provide a diversified undergraduate curriculum, student base and faculty, as well as foster a diverse and inclusive learning environment. The results are tabulated by Minority Engineer editors for publication.

“For more than 50 years, Pitt and the Swanson School have helped underrepresented minority (URM) students adapt to university life and the rigors of an engineering education,” noted Sanjeev Shroff, Interim U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering. “Alumni of the programs also find themselves wanting to give back and help the next generation of students succeed, which has engendered a wonderful community of support and scholarship. We are very proud to receive this recognition from Minority Engineer.”

The history of Pitt’s investment in URM success began in 1969 with the creation of the IMPACT Program by the late Karl Lewis, emeritus professor of civil engineering, through funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to University archives, as early as 1975, IMPACT had been recognized by agencies such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science as one of the outstanding science-engineering projects of its type. 

IMPACT’s legacy would continue in Pitt EXCEL, a comprehensive undergraduate diversity program committed to the recruitment, retention, and graduation of academically excellent engineering undergraduates, particularly individuals from groups historically underrepresented in the field.

“Dr. Lewis and his undergraduate scholars were part of a movement when it came to academic programs for success in engineering at Pitt and across the country at that period in history. Dr. Lewis saw his scholars as engineers who needed a strong academic and environmental foundation to achieve success,” explained Yvette Moore, Pitt EXCEL director. “Not all high school students have access to required courses like calculus and physics, but this doesn’t mean they can’t be successful engineers. As EXCEL has grown and evolved, we still see the need for programs like academic counseling and peer to peer connection because environment is key to retention.”

Ultimately, Moore believes that developing an environment of culture and community within the Swanson School has helped students help each other to not only graduate to pursue advanced degrees or find careers in industry, government, or as future teachers.

“If I can get the environment right the retention will come,” Moore said. “This recognition from  Minority Engineer Magazine represents an understanding that there is a history, a place, and a legacy that is alive in the Swanson School of Engineering.”

Venkatesh earned his master’s and PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, and MBA from Pitt’s Katz Graduate School of Business. He also earned a diploma in strategic alliances, mergers, and acquisitions from The Wharton School.

Ken Washington, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Medtronic, said, “Raman will be responsible for leading the development and execution of Medtronic’s environmental sustainability strategy. I am excited to see Raman and his team drive Medtronic forward on our sustainability journey. I am confident that together we will shape and unlock new innovative solutions that serve our patients and our planet.”

Venkatesh, who has been serving on the Swanson School’s Board of Visitors since August 2020, brings nearly 30 years of sustainability expertise and leadership experience in industry, startups, consulting, and advising to this role, noted Sanjeev G. Shroff, Interim U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering at Pitt.  Earlier in his career, he received the Hero of Chemistry award from American Chemical Society, for developing and commercializing a pioneering drinking water technology implemented across the country.  

“The U.S. health technology industry is experiencing a sea-change in adopting sustainable practices and innovations, and Raman is an ideal candidate for this new position at Medtronic,” Shroff said. “His experience at SAE International as well as his own Pinnacle Executive Advisors and Tau Ventures immersed him in sustainability-driven technology development and deployment – an area of great importance to the Swanson School. I am excited about this next stage of Raman’s career and the experience he will bring to our Board of Visitors.”

According to Medtronic spokesperson Erika Winkels, Venkatesh’s team will be tasked with driving Medtronic’s “corporate sustainability commitments – including reporting, managing internal and external partnerships, and leading investments in initiatives.”

MedTechDive reported that “Medtronic previously discussed its sustainability work in a 2023 report. The company has set up a sustainability steering committee, led by its chief financial officer, to “embed sustainability” throughout its operations. The committee has overseen a 35% reduction in “operational greenhouse gas emissions intensity” since its fiscal year 2020. The goal is to achieve a 50% reduction by the company’s fiscal year 2025.”

###

Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education and recognizes "the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering and developing or implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."

A celebrated inventor and the world’s most cited rehabilitation engineer, Cooper’s work in advancing wheelchairs has increased mobility for people with disabilities. Among his other recent honors are a Distinguished Eagle Scout award from the Boy Scouts of America and the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal. In October, President Joe Biden presented Cooper with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

Cooper will be formally inducted during the NAE's annual meeting on Sept. 29.

Cooper joins Distinguished Professors Anna Balazs and Savio L-Y. Woo as Swanson School of Engineering honorees. NAE members are among the nation’s most knowledgeable engineering experts and have distinguished themselves in business and academic management, in technical positions, as university faculty, and as leaders in government and private engineering organizations. 

Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Bioengineering Savio L-Y. Woo has been reappointed for three years as a standing member of the National Health Research Institute (NHRI) Scientific Council in Taiwan, ROC.

Established in 1995, the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the enhancement of medical research and the improvement of healthcare in Taiwan. This election reflects Woo’s pioneering research in the field of bioengineering and more than 50 years of translational research in the healing and repair of tissues. 

His nearly five decades of experience with the U.S. National Institutes of Health have prepared Woo for this appointment. He served on the NHRI Medical Engineering and Biotechnology Study Section from 1992-1998, was chairman of the Scientific Review Committee IV - Medical Engineering from 1998-2020, and has served on the Scientific Council since 2020. 

F30 Fellows 

Anna Bailes  
Bailes is a student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)/ PhD program in the Bioengineering department. She studies the ways in which pain-related psychological factors impact movement in people with chronic low back pain, and long-term is  interested in developing novel movement therapy interventions for individuals with chronic pain conditions. According to Bailes, the fellowship will provide financial support to help her achieve her research and career goals. In addition, writing the grant helped her to hone her research interests, focus on her goals, and work with her advisors Gwendolyn Sowa and Rakié Cham. 

Michelle Riffitts  
Riffitts is also a F30 fellow and a student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)/ PhD program. She works under Kevin Bell in the Human Movement and Balance Laboratory (HMBL).  Riffitts’ research interests include telehealth in physical therapy and medical device design and usability.

F31 Fellow

Ande Marini 
Marini is a PhD student working in the Vascular Bioengineering Lab under PI Justin Weinbaum. Marini received a F31 fellowship from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for her project “Extracellular Vesicle Delivery System for Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.” Marini, who is also an AHA fellow, offered some advice for other students who may be interested in applying.

“Even if you don’t feel like you’re completely ready to apply for a fellowship, you always receive helpful feedback about how to improve it for the next time,” Marini said. “If you don't get it the first time or even the second, that's fine- just make use of the reviewer comments.”

Shane McKeon 
McKeon is a 5th year PhD student in the Bioengineering Signals and Imaging track. Her F31 fellowship was activated this spring for her project “Brain Mechanisms Underlying Changes in Neural Oscillations through Adolescent Cognitive Maturation” with PI Beatriz Luna in the Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development.  Her work aims to integrate multimodal neuroimaging and neural recording data to assess neural function to characterize neurocognitive development through adolescence.  

After her PhD,  she would like to focus on clinical realms of research, including using neuroimaging for mental health diagnosis and/or using AI in combination with neuroimaging to match patients with the appropriate medication. 

Grainger, in addition to his responsibilities at the Swanson School, will serve as an associate editor for AIP Advances, an open-access, multidisciplinary journal covering all areas of physical sciences. 

“One of the key roles of an associate editor is managing the reviews of the journal articles that are coming in to AIP advances,” Grainger said. “I will receive the articles and attempt to find reviewers that are qualified to read and assess the articles. Once a satisfactory number of reviews are done, I’ll act as a liaison between the reviewers and editor-in-chief to make a decision on the article in its current state.” 

Grainger has edited and written for publications and organizations like the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the past; however, they were centered mostly on electrical engineering. Leadership at AIP Advances, a physics-based publication, saw Grainger fit for the role because the journal has been receiving a large amount of articles tied to electric power engineering and needed someone familiar with the domain to handle them. 

“For example, a team might be studying solar photovoltaic systems, and often, researchers can be challenged with finding the right journal to submit to,” Grainger explained. “It can be physics or electrical engineering depending on what is being explored in the article. The AIP Advances journal is creating an opportunity to fill this niche within energy engineering.” 

Grainger will be starting the position this fall.

Marissa Behun, fourth-year bioengineering PhD student, was named the 2023 Wesley C. Pickard Fellow by the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Bioengineering. This fellowship provides funding and gives Behun the opportunity to meet Mr. Pickard, a Pitt alumnus and former CFO of Synergy Inc. 

Working toward her PhD, Behun’s research focuses on nerve reinnervation. Typical nerve treatments require pre-existing nerve structures to function. Behun, however, focuses on healing drastic nerve injuries such as volumetric muscle loss where the body lacks these nerve structures. 

Behun was inspired to pursue research after her own experience with an autoimmune disorder, and she hopes to specialize in military medicine. 

“I have an autoimmune disorder, and when I was younger it bounced me around from doctor to doctor— that's what really pushed me into research,” Behun said. “And I've always wanted to work with military veterans and military medicine.” 

Behun conducts her research in the Brown Lab, which is led by Bryan Brown, a member of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine and associate professor of bioengineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. 

Behun was born and raised in Pittsburgh and attended Duquesne University for degrees in biomedical engineering and mathematics. During her pre-doctoral career at Pitt, Behun was a two-year CTSI TL1 fellow and was also recently appointed as the national TL1 predoctoral representative.

About Wesley C. Pickard: 

Mr. Pickard is an alumnus of the Swanson School of Engineering and earned his bachelor's degree in mining engineering at Pitt in 1961. He retired from Synergy Inc, a DC-based consulting firm, as the CFO. Over a period of 33 years, Pickard helped the company grow from five staff members to more than 200 with revenues of approximately $25 million when it was sold in 2005. He is a dedicated supporter of the University and was inducted into the Cathedral of Learning Society at Pitt—a giving society that honors some of our most generous alumni. 

In 2010 Mr. Pickard was named the University of Pittsburgh Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Distinguished Alumnus. He also received the Pitt Volunteer of Excellence Award in 2012 and was named a “Significant Sig” in 2017 by Sigma Chi Fraternity. In 2018 he was selected as the overall honoree representing the entire Swanson School at the 54th annual Distinguished Alumni Banquet.

Wei Xiong, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, was recently appointed Associate Editor of the Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion (JPED).

According to the journal, JPED “focuses on the crystallographic, chemical, diffusion, and other kinetic properties of phases. It features critical phase diagram evaluations on scientifically and industrially important alloy systems, authored by international experts, as well as critically reviewed basic and applied research results, and a survey of current literature.”

Xiong is William Kepler Whiteford faculty fellow and directs the Physical Metallurgy and Materials Design Laboratory at Pitt. He joined the Swanson School in September 2016 as an assistant professor and since he has established himself as an expert in materials design and process optimization using CALPHAD-based ICME techniques. Xiong's research centers on phase equilibria and microstructure engineering, primarily focusing on materials design and advanced manufacturing techniques. He has published more than 100 papers related to materials design and physical metallurgy, including seven invited book chapters, making him a widely recognized expert in his field.

About Wei Xiong

Wei Xiong received his PhD from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, where he studied computational thermodynamics and physical metallurgy. He also holds a Doctor of Engineering degree from Central South University in China, where his research focused on powder metallurgy. After completing his PhD, Xiong spent a year at the University of Wisconsin–Madison before moving to Northwestern University, where he worked on alloy design research for three years until joining Pitt’s faculty in 2016. Xiong serves on various committees, such as the ASM Alloy Phase Diagram Committee, TMS Alloy Phases Committee, TMS ICME committee, and TMS High-Temperature Alloys Committee. He has received several academic awards, including the Best Paper Award of the CALPHAD journal in 2012 and 2013, the TMS FMD Young Leader Professional Development Award in 2015, the CALPHAD Young Leader Award in 2020, the TMS Early Career Faculty Fellow Award in 2021, and the APDIC Best Paper Award from Alloy Phase Diagram International Commission in 2021. He currently serves as an associate editor of the journal: Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, and sits on the Editorial Advisory Board for the journal: Materials Characterization.

Students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Pittsburgh participated in the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) and Conference (GRC) on High Temperature Corrosion in New London, N.H.  The GRS is limited to young investigators in the field and is held on the weekend prior to the start of the GRC, which was held July 16-21, 2023. The students were all members of Professor and Department Chair Brian Gleeson’s research group.

At the GRS, one student gave an invited presentation, and two students were awarded 1st and 2nd in the poster competition. According to Gleeson, the strong showing by his students is a credit to the high quality of their research coupled with hard work and unbridled enthusiasm. Grace Vanessa de León Nope, a PhD student, also gave a presentation entitled “Influence of Manufacturing Process on the Fatigue Performance of High-Temperature Oxidized Alloy 625.” This work was supported by the National Science Foundation. There were 39 attendees at the GRS, and Grace was one of 11 speakers.

Preston Nguyen and Rafael Rodriguez, both PhD students, received 1st and 2nd place respectively in the GRS poster competition. A total of 36 posters were presented. Preston’s poster was titled, “Effect of NaCl Addition to Na2SO4 on Deposit-Induced Corrosion at 900°C” and Rafael’s poster was titled “Assessment of the Role of Minor Refractory Alloying Additions in Affecting Alumina-Scale Formation During High-Temperature Oxidation.” Preston’s research is supported by the Office of Naval Research and through an RK Mellon Graduate Fellowship from Pitt’s Center for Energy. The project is also in collaboration with the aerospace company Pratt and Whitney. Rafael’s project is in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

At the end of the GRS, Grace was elected to co-chair for the next GRS in 2025. This represents impressive recognition by her peers. But this was not the end of Grace’s successes, as she was selected the winner of the Best Student Poster Award at the GRC out of a field of 36 student posters. Her poster was titled, “Influence of Manufacturing Process on the Fatigue Performance of High-Temperature Oxidized Alloy 625.” The co-authors on this poster were Professors Guofeng Wang (MEMS Dept.) and Brian Gleeson.

At the same GRC, Professor Gleeson was the Discussion Leader for the “Deposit-Induced Corrosion” session. Gleeson is a previous (2005) elected Chair of the GRC on High Temperature Corrosion. Also attending the GRS and GRC from Gleeson’s group was Isabela Dainezi, a visiting CAPES-PrInt Scholar from the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil, where she is a PhD student. Isabela was a Discussion Lead for the GRS session titled, “Coupled Mechanical and Oxidative Performance in Extreme Environments” and she also presented a poster at the GRS and GRC titled, “Sulfidation/Sulfidation-Oxidation Behavior of Equimolar NbTiCr Alloy at 800°C.”

There are over 300 GRCs and associated GRSs, providing an international forum for the presentation and discussion of frontier research in a given topic area of the biological, chemical, physical and engineering sciences.

Entering its 50th year, the CALPHAD (Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry) Conference returns—this time, co-chaired by MEMS Professor, William Kepler Whiteford Fellow, Dr. Wei Xiong. This year, the international conference is being hosted in Cambridge, Massachusetts at MIT, June 25th through June 30th.    

Dr. Xiong first started learning the CALPHAD method as a junior. His studies allowed him to explore the world of thermodynamics through the help of his supervisor’s support. During his time as a PhD student at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden (where the CALPHAD method was developed), he received two consecutive Best Paper Awards from the CALPHAD Journal. His papers focused on “fundamental research of physical metallurgy and model improvement for the CALPHAD method.” Additionally, Dr. Xiong earned the CALPHAD Young Leader Award for his contributions to the community. His research at Pitt focuses “on designing new compositions and processing for advanced alloys, with a particular emphasis on advanced manufacturing, such as 3D printing. We are constantly exploring opportunities to integrate different physical models with machine learning for manufacturing processes and materials design,” he explains.  

The first conference was hosted in Cambridge, MA, in 1973. Fifty years later, CALPHAD is still going strong. It first started as a small gathering of participants, but now is an international gathering of scientists from laboratories all over the world. This year, they celebrate the Homecoming of CALPHAD for their 50th anniversary, holding the conference where it first began, Cambridge, MA, in honor of founder Larry Kaufman. The next time the conference will make an appearance in the United States will be in 2031.  

The University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering is devoted to advancing research related to CALPHAD. The Physical Metallurgy and Materials Design (PMMD) Laboratory currently pursues a variety of exciting topics that are related to CALPHAD-based modeling and materials development for advanced manufacturing. “As a faculty member, I find it highly rewarding to nurture and guide the next generation of materials scientists and engineers in this research field”, he adds. Dr. Xiong’s passion and drive for learning and teaching in CALPHAD-adjacent topics shows no end. He explains that “It is crucial to continue advancing this method for designing a broader range of materials, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this effort. I firmly believe that it is the responsibility of my generation to carry on this important work and build upon the progress made by those who came before us.”     

To learn more about Dr. Xiong’s research, check out his lab research site here: Dr. Wei Xiong's research website

Or visit his Faculty Profile on the Pitt MEMS website here: Professor Wei Xiong