Mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Andrea Shen is teaching automotive engineering, a course designed to equip students for careers in the automotive industry and a variety of other fields.

Students in MAE 457 will learn about how internal combustion engines work, along with the significance of biofuels, vehicle dynamics and how different factors impact engine performance. They will also have hands-on learning experiences with engines, observing the functions of diesel engines and gasoline engines located in Link Hall. Each student will also complete a project where they conduct research on a vehicle of their choice.

The course will also feature guest speakers from companies such as Space X, Ford, Harley Davidson, Sierra Space, Roush Yates, Cummins and Caterpillar, with students receiving an opportunity to interact with these industry professionals.

“I’m hoping students will gain an appreciation for cars,” says Shen. “They will gain an understanding of all the things that go on in the car and how they interact with each other. I also want to bring awareness on biofuels and the importance of research on combustion engines and automotives in the face of electric vehicles.”

Shen earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Engine Research Center. She will incorporate her research focuses on gasoline engines, biofuels, and engine performance as well as creating representative models of different base fuels into the course.

From left: Professors Bing Dong, Jackie Anderson, Ian Shapiro and Jensen Zhang (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

The University has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to create new Building Training and Assessment Center (BTAC) to train undergraduate and graduate engineering students and build a clean energy workforce. The SU-BTAC, aligned with the vision of the DOE BTAC program, will educate and provide hands-on training for engineering students to perform assessments focused on reducing the energy burden for commercial and institutional buildings with a focus on disadvantaged communities.

The SU-BTAC will be housed at the (SyracuseCoE), New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental Energy Systems which engages more than 200 private companies, organizations and academic institutions to create new products and services in indoor environmental quality, clean and renewable energy, and water resource management.

With SyracuseCoE, the SU-BTAC will create relationships and company screening opportunities to connect commercial and institutional buildings with existing programs in the region relating to unions, apprenticeships, trade organizations, community programs and others.

“I see the SU-BTAC as an expansion of the Syracuse University Industrial Assessment Center (SU-IAC), now SU-ITAC, and as a great experiential learning opportunity for our students. Not only are we able to help commercial and institutional buildings with reducing their energy burden, but we are also able to teach and mentor the next generation of energy engineers,” says , director of IAC and associate teaching professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering.

SU-BTAC will be led by faculty from Syracuse University and supported by faculty from the City University of New York. The center will be co-directed by Professor , with involvement from professors and .

Elizabeth Carter (left), assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering, received a water resource grant from the United States Geological Survey to develop a sensor network that measures flooding.

After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the southern coastline of the United States in 2005, found herself on the Gulf Coast following the tropical storm’s aftermath. Witnessing the devastating impact of the hurricane on infrastructure and communities, she decided to place her undergraduate education on hold and join the efforts to rebuild—an experience that would be the catalyst for her future research.

“It was pivotal a time in U.S. history. It exposed a lot of the ways that structurally our publicly funded infrastructure is shunting risk down socioeconomic gradients,” Carter says. “As a young person figuring out what I wanted to do in the world, I didn’t think I could walk away from something like that and retain my humanity.”

Ignited with a passion for the environment, Carter returned to school and received her bachelor’s degree in soil science, a master’s in environmental information science and a Ph.D. in environmental engineering with a concentration in water resources. Now working as an assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering in the  with a joint appointment as an assistant professor in Earth and environmental sciences in the , Carter is a computational hydrologist who studies the movement of water from space. Using data from satellites, these observations of water movement allow her to develop ways to respond to natural disasters and manage water resources.

She and her research team at Syracuse University have received a water resource grant from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to develop a sensor network that measures flooding. This sensor network will help predict different types of flooding caused by natural disasters, particularly flooding in areas where people live, which is referred to as urban flooding. This project is known as the Urban Flood Observing Network.

Elizabeth Carter (far left) is working on a sensor network that will help predict different types of flooding caused by natural disasters, particularly flooding in areas where people live, referred to as urban flooding.

“We’re hoping to build a sensor network for better urban flood response and labels for satellite images so they can map urban flooding everywhere,” says Carter.

Fatemeh Rezaei G‘25 (environmental engineering), Huantao Ren G’21, Ph.D. ‘27 (computer science), Manu Shergill ‘24 (computer science) Nhy’ere Scanes, Ike Unobhaga, Kaitlyn Gilmore and Sharif Jafari are students from Syracuse University and Onondaga Community College (OCC) who have helped with the development of the Urban Flood Observing Network. Collaborators on the project include electrical engineering and computer science professor and , associate professor in the .

“It’s been a great way to engage a lot of different students from different backgrounds and stages in their careers in hardware design, 3d printing, algorithm design, and photogrammetry,” Carter says.

Shergill is the primary developer leading the project and has been working on the sensor network since 2021. During a summer internship in his freshman year at OCC, he assembled the initial version of the water sensor camera. He’s also been working on adding higher-quality sensors, wireless communications, machine vision, and other features to the water sensor camera. He hopes to install it on the roof of Syracuse’s Center of Excellence for testing.

“The next thing I’m tackling is a remote start function, so we can trigger continuous data collection when a storm is moving into the area the sensor is monitoring,” Shergill says.

Carter has hopes the USGS will install these sensor networks in different locations where quick responses to flood events are needed which can help manage future flood events.

“It’s been great to collaborate with different students on this project and make an impact on tackling natural disasters that are a result of climate change,” Carter says.

Davis Hood ’26, Carter Thompson ’26, Jennifer Mason ’26, and Matthew Pinto ’27 with Jim DaRin and professor and Invent@SU director, Alex Deyhim. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Former Syracuse University student Jim DaRin is one of many wheelchair users who rely on adapted vehicles to drive. These vehicles are equipped with a docking system designed to secure the wheelchairs in place while users focus on the road. However, even when the wheelchair is locked in, it’s not completely secure, causing DaRin to move back and forth while driving.

“The docking system moves and I’m rocking back and forth. I’m paralyzed from my waist down and have my hands on the steering wheel and throttle. It’s not secure or safe,” says DaRin. “The wheelchair’s pin also has a tendency to get caught on certain surfaces and the bolt drags on the pavement.”

DaRin is far from the first to complain about docking systems for adapted vehicles, but very few attempts have been made to fix these issues. That’s when he reached out to engineering students Davis Hood ’26 (electrical engineering), Jennifer Mason ’26 (mechanical engineering), Matthew Pinto ’27 (biomedical engineering) and Carter Thompson ’26 (aerospace engineering) to explore ways to improve his docking mechanism.

“I showed them the challenge I was having and the problems with my current docking system,” DaRin says.

Jennifer Mason ’26 and Carter Thompson ’26 measuring Jim DaRin’s docking system. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

As part of , a six-week summer program where student teams prototype, design and pitch original devices to judges, Hood, Mason, Pinto and Thompson created MagniClaw, a device that securely locks wheelchairs in moving vehicles. Their device has a lightweight bar attachment on the back of the wheelchair and a docking mechanism that holds a clamping and electromagnet.

“We’ve gone through multiple different design iterations, and we are always trying to keep in mind Department of Transportation standards,” says Hood. “Our device is easy to use, has a universal design, and can go on a majority of manual wheelchairs.”

MagniClaw’s lightweight attachment can easily be connected to wheelchairs using two small clamps. Once attached, the user can connect to the docking frame. The attachment has a steel plate in the center that interacts with the electromagnet to securely hold the wheelchair in place.

“Our device has a clamping mechanism. With this, wheelchair users can back into clamps without any extra input from the control center and the clamp’s shape provides enough security for the electromagnet to turn on,” says Pinto.

The electromagnet, which holds the wheelchair in place, can pull up to 600 lbs. and is activated by a remote. The remote has a Bluetooth feature that can communicate whether the electromagnet is on or off.

Matthew Pinto ’27, Jennifer Mason ’26, David Hood ’26, and Carter Thompson ’26 examining Jim DaRin’s adapted vehicle and docking system. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

“All wheelchair users have to do is back up, and the system gets locked in, holding them in place until they press a button that activates the electromagnet. They’re held for the car ride, and when they’re done, they press a button to release the electromagnet, and they can roll away freely,” says Mason.

MagniClaw’s hitch-less design and customizability not only sets it apart from competitors but also provides more freedom and mobility for wheelchairs with a more accessible docking system. They showcased their original device at Invent@SU’s final presentations to a panel of 14 expert judges and guests, including faculty, staff, Dean Cole Smith, Syracuse University Life Trustee Bill Allyn and program supporter Mike Lazar. The team tied for second place, winning a cash prize of $1,200.

“It was nice to have a broad spectrum of engineers in our group. It also feels great to help Jim out,” says Thompson.

“My previous docking system was not good. Their system is a hundred times better,” says DaRin. “It’s much more safe and secure. The potential for MagniClaw is huge.”

“Mr. Jim Darin, a former student of Syracuse University, approached me with a problem that he hoped an Invent@SU team could solve,” says Kenneth and Mary Ann Shaw Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurial Leadership Alex Deyhim. “It was amazing to watch the students work directly with Mr. Darin to design and prototype MagniClaw, a magnetic wheelchair docking system that could be helpful to the millions of Americans who use wheelchairs full-time. This project is a wonderful example of what our students can accomplish when they work across engineering disciplines.”

Carter Thompson ’26 examining Jim DaRin’s docking system. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Pardha Sourya Nayani

Pardha Sourya Nayani G’28, a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering and computer science (EECS), has received the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) Fellowship Award. The award is for his research on “Unleashing Bandwidth: Passive Highly Dispersive Matching Network Enabling Broadband Absorbers with Record-High Bandwidth-to-Thickness Ratio.”

The AP-S Fellowship Program aims to support graduate students and postdoctoral fellows worldwide interested in antenna analysis, design, development and other research areas related to AP-S.

Nayani joined EECS Professor Younes Radi’s research group in the Radiation Laboratory in the summer of 2023. “I am deeply honored to receive this award and look forward to making significant contributions in the field of electromagnetics and microwave engineering,” Nayani says.

“As a faculty member at Syracuse University and the prior institutions I have been involved with, I have had the opportunity to see and work with many talented students and researchers,” says Radi. “Rarely have I had the opportunity to work with a student as passionate, talente, and hardworking as Pardha. I am happy and proud that IEEE awarded him this prestigious fellowship.”

“The biggest issues we see right now are public safety, the environmental impact of infrastructure and a long-term shortage of skilled laborers,” says Liu. “My vision for this institute is to build a platform to facilitate different people from different sections to work together.”

Professor Min Liu speaks at a reception for the Infrastructure Institute

Liu earned her Ph.D. in engineering project management from the University of California, Berkeley in 2007. She then worked as an assistant and later associate professor at North Carolina State University until 2022. During her tenure, she conducted research on construction engineering and management, collected large amounts of empirical data and used modeling programming to analyze the data and improve productivity.

Additionally, Liu worked with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Construction Industry Institute. She was chair of the ASCE Construction Research Council from 2020-21. She joined Syracuse University in 2022, bringing years of experience to her respective roles.

The Infrastructure Institute is developing academic programs, research opportunities and internships for students and educational programs for public officials and professionals. The institute also collaborates with a wide range of professionals, including information technology experts, data analysts, architects, environmental design professionals, journalists and business professionals.

Liu’s goal is to create a platform that consists of three main pillars: the public, private, and student and faculty sectors. “Public authorities provide the direction and funding for infrastructure. Universities and faculty provide education to students. Students will then become the fresh blood for the public authorities and construction industry. These three sectors are crucial and it’s important they work together,” Liu says.

Liu has organized various events to integrate the different disciplines within the institute, including a reception attended by nine different departments and centers at the University. During the event, lightning talks were hosted, and attendees discussed their vision for the future and ongoing research. This event also provided an opportunity for people to socialize and get to know each other.

“With the support of the Office of Research and collaborating with the School of Architecture, the institute developed a request for proposal to encourage and facilitate collaboration across the SU campus to improve infrastructure policy and delivery based on the I-81 project,” says Liu.

Liu taught a capstone course that included various students across the college with the goal of helping them prepare for their roles in infrastructure project management and delivery.

Qinru Qiu

Electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) Professor has been named a distinguished professor by the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS).

Qiu previously received the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) SIGDA Distinguished Service Award and the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award. She has also been a since 2022 and was recognized as a in 2023. Qiu also serves as the EECS graduate program director.

Her current research focuses on improving the energy efficiency of computing, from runtime power and thermal management of computer systems, and energy harvesting real-time embedded systems, to her recent works in brain-inspired hardware and software for neuromorphic computing.

“I am delighted to learn that Professor Qinru Qiu is being elevated to the rank of distinguished professor,” says EECS Distinguished Professor Pramod Varshney. “Qinru is widely known for her seminal work on energy-efficient computing as well as neuromorphic computing. Her contributions to scholarship, education, and service at Syracuse University are exemplary. She truly deserves this timely recognition.”

“I am very excited and truly honored to receive this special award,” says Qiu. “I want to thank my colleagues for their support and trust. This is a new start for me, and I will continue performing my best.”

Hoque has received the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award to research context-sensitive fuzzing for networked systems. This grant supports early career faculty with their professional development and will build upon Hoque’s research on computer networks and systems security, program analysis and software engineering.

“Many big tech companies like Google and Microsoft have been investing in fuzzing techniques and have seen the importance of finding bugs in existing software,” Hoque says. “The National Institute of Standards in Technology also endorses fuzzing as an automated technique for security testing. This project will push boundaries within the field and have an impact on cybersecurity.”

Endadul Hoque (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Hoque’s project has three research goals. The first goal is to create a language that can encode complex structures of inputs that change depending on the context and develop algorithms that can quickly generate correct inputs based on this language. The second goal will create techniques that can mutate these inputs without losing their context sensitivity, which is essential for the process of fuzzing. The final goal is to create mechanisms that ensure the internal state of a protocol is accurately maintained. This will allow each fuzz input to be tested in a suitable state for the protocol being tested.

“In this area of research, people tend to focus on strengthening the system by finding flaws in the existing system that we use in our day-to-day life,” says Hoque. “How can we find loopholes in real-world security-critical systems? This research award falls under that category to advance the limitations of existing methodologies.”

As part of his project, Hoque plans to improve cybersecurity courses and hold K-12 workshops to promote cybersecurity awareness, integrating his research findings into these initiatives. The project will also encourage undergraduate and graduate students from historically marginalized communities to get involved with educational and research activities.

Additionally, Hoque will form a team for cybersecurity competitions such as capture-the-flag competitions, where participants search for hidden text strings in vulnerable websites or programs. These gamified competitions are also an effective way to improve cybersecurity education.

“This project has the potential to significantly enhance the robustness of protocol implementations and cybersecurity education, benefiting society. I’m happy to have received this prestigious award,” says Hoque.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Kasey Laurant (left) and student Cody Van Nostrand ’24 running an experiment in the water channel lab.

Boasting an impressive wingspan of over seven feet, the golden eagle is one of the largest birds of prey in North America. In addition to being cunning, skilled hunters and their ability to soar effortlessly for hours, golden eagles might also utilize strong gusts of wind to assist their flight – an ability that piqued the interest of , an aerospace and mechanical engineering professor in the .

During her Ph.D. studies at Cornell University, Laurent conducted research on golden eagles by recording their acceleration as they flew, and the study formed the foundation for her dissertation on bird and drone flight. She also participated in Cornell’s Raptor Program, which provides a home for injured or non-releasable birds for research, training and rehabilitation. This experience gave her valuable insights into bird flight and behavior.

“Slowly throughout my Ph.D., I became more of a bird person. That’s what motivates my research here at Syracuse University,” Lauren says.

Laurent’s research aims to enhance flight and aerodynamics by measuring wind speeds and unsteadiness within air flows. Her work’s interdisciplinary nature also enables collaboration with biologists to explore ideas for improving aerodynamics by learning from nature.

“If you step outside on a windy day, you’ll feel the wind coming from various directions and at varying strengths at random intervals,” says Laurent. “If we measure the wind at a single point in time, that value will be random, but if we measure the wind over a long period of time and evaluate the statistics of how the wind changes over time, we’ll find patterns. My research looks at how these patterns, or signatures, may be deduced by looking at the locomotion of animals in turbulent environments. Will a bird fly a certain way in the turbulent atmosphere?”

Kasey Laurant (left) and Cody Van Nostrand ’24 conducting an experiment in the lab.

As Laurent puts together a proposal for gust soaring seen with golden eagles, she’s also interested in gathering data from crows, goshawks, and turkey vultures, large birds that also use strong wind gusts to aid their flight.

“Goshawks fly through the forest and can maneuver very fast in different environments.  When flying close to treetops, turkey vultures’ wings have an angle to them, allowing them to restabilize. It would be difficult to replicate this in man-made vehicles since they’re not flexible and don’t have joints like birds, but there’s still much we can learn.”

Studying how birds utilize wind and atmosphere to aid their flight would assist in improving the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs.) Smaller aircraft often face issues when encountering wind gusts, causing them to lose control and potentially crash. Understanding how to maneuver around gusts could open up new possibilities for aircraft to fly in without sustaining damage from wind gusts and even utilize gusts to their advantage, similar to birds.

This research can be useful in creating smaller and lighter UAVs for various applications, including search and rescue missions. The main challenge with drones is that they have a limited range, which requires them to return to a base to change batteries and repeat the process. If the drones have a longer lifespan, they can continue with their search without the need to land or replace the battery.

“If we find a way to let the gusts move aircraft around, power won’t be an issue. We’ll just need to know how to maintain stability in that gust,” Laurent says. “Most research looking at flight in turbulence aims to develop methods to reject gusts, but it seems, according to the eagles, that may not be the best approach. We can learn a lot from nature to improve aerodynamics and locomotion.”

By wiggling its flexible foot underwater, an apple snail can create a flow that brings floating food particles to itself, a process known as “pedal foot collection,” by biologists. Fascinated by the snail’s unique ability, this would inspire the latest research conducted by , a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor in the . Pandey’s findings were published in the high-impact science journal .

Anupam Pandey

“One of my research interests is understanding how soft, highly deformable, solid materials interact with adjacent liquid flow,” Pandey says. “Organisms that live underwater exploit this interaction for locomotion and feeding. Apple snails have evolved to leverage their proximity to the water-air interface to transport or pump liquids.”

To understand the process behind pedal foot collection, Pandey designed a robot the size of a centimeter that oscillates rhythmically and mimicked the apple snail’s motion. He then placed the robot underwater in a tank and sprinkled Styrofoam particles on the surface to see if it could collect it, discovering that the robot functioned similarly to a pump.

“We found that our bio-inspired robot was able to drag particles from distances that are five times its size. But more interestingly, we found an optimal speed at which pumping maximizes,” explains Pandey. “This optimal speed seemed to depend on robot geometry as well as the properties of the liquid it’s submerged in. Combining experiments and modeling, we predicted the optimal conditions under which the robot pumps the most liquid.”

In addition to understanding the role speed and liquid play in how the robot collects small objects and pumps liquid, Pandey also tracked the pattern of Styrofoam particle movement through long exposure photography, which he color-coded to make it easier to see how the particles moved.

While the small, oscillating robots have the potential for numerous applications, one notable benefit is as a collection device. Pandey believes that they could help address issues involving the collection of microplastics in oceans, which tend to remain at the water’s surface due to their small size.

Most plastic collection devices create strong disturbances at the water surface and cause microparticles to mix in the water. These microplastics travel to other water bodies, causing more plastic pollution which harms plants and animals and inevitably ends up in our food chain. However, devices like the undulating robot operate near the water’s surface with minimal interference and could potentially provide a solution to this problem.

“What’s great about this research is how interdisciplinary it is. Biologists may be interested in this, and it has several potential applications in engineering liquid flows at small scales, sensing and actuation of floating objects or even microplastics in water bodies,” Pandey says. “It will not only advance understanding of liquid transport near surfaces but lay the groundwork for future research as well.”

Roger Chen

For nearly 37 years, professor C.Y. Roger Chen has been an invaluable guide for many students on their academic and professional journeys. Teaching electrical engineering and computer science courses in the (ECS) at Syracuse University since 1988, Chen has continued to mentor several doctoral students who have gone on to enjoy successful careers in big technology.

Naresh Sehgal G’88, Ph.D.’94 is one of many former students whose career was shaped by Chen’s mentorship. As one of Chen’s first master’s students, the two developed a close bond that lasted beyond Sehgal’s time at Syracuse University. Now, after retiring from a 32-year career at Intel Corporation, Sehgal and other alumni are seeking to give back.

“After leaving Syracuse in 1988, Chen agreed to continue being my Ph.D. advisor remotely before the advent of the internet, Skype, Zoom or any online meetings. He’s extremely humble and flexible,” says Sehgal. “Along with my former Intel colleagues [Bill and Bharat, who also studied under Chen], we wanted to give something back to him and Syracuse University.”

Sehgal, Bill Halpin ’88, G’95, Ph.D.’05, Bharat Krishna G’94, Ph.D.’05, Nagbhushan Veerapaneni G’87 and Uminder Singh G’91, Ph.D.’94 established the Dr. Roger Chen Scholarship to honor their professor and advisor for his unwavering guidance and support.  For five years, the scholarship will provide financial assistance of up to $10,000 per year to undergraduate students in ECS and will support students studying computer engineering, electrical engineering or computer science.

“Syracuse played a huge role in my success and that of my friends. Many of us were able to afford college through assistantships and scholarships,” says Halpin. “The investment by Professor Chen and Syracuse has led us to have fantastic careers and blessed lives. Recognizing him was something that we talked about for a long time.”

The alumni hope this scholarship sets a precedent of appreciation for the college and its faculty who have played a vital role in shaping the careers of many students. They hope to inspire students to pursue their dreams by supporting them, just as Chen and the University once did for them.

“During my master’s studies, Syracuse generously supported me through a teaching assistantship which was a big help,” says Sehgal. “We are glad to have attended this university and studied under Professor Chen. We’re forever grateful for his patience and encouragement.”

“It was natural for us to want to help make college affordable for the next generation of students,” says Halpin. “We hope that this scholarship creates a virtuous cycle where more Alums donate today thereby creating the next generation of Alums who feel the same desire to donate.”

If you would like to make a gift in honor of Dr. Roger Chen, please visit the Thank you! 

Pankaj K. Jha, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is leading a quantum technology laboratory, with members Aswini Pattanayak, Jagi Rout G’28, Amir Targholizadeh G’28, Theodore Todorov ’26 and Grisha Nikulin ’27, to understand emerging 2D materials and use their findings to develop transformative devices for applications in quantum information science.

Assistant Professor Pankaj Jha working on a home-built confocal microscope to investigate the optical properties of 2D materials and heterostructures (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Jha is developing single-photon detectors using iron-based superconductors that could work at higher temperatures. Currently, superconducting photodetectors require low temperatures to operate. Pattanayak, a post-doctoral scholar, is leading this project to understand photodetection in iron-chalcogenide-based superconductors and investigating the interaction between these superconductors with other 2D van der Waals (vdWs) materials, exploring unique quantum phenomena at their interfaces.

“High-temperature single photon detectors will have both scientific and fundamental impact. Any application that requires sensitive photon detectors will benefit from these devices,” Jha says.

Jha with members of his research group, from left to right, Theodore Todorov ’26, post-doctoral researcher Aswini Pattanayak, Amir Targholizadeh G’28 and Jagi Rout G’28 (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Pattanayak is also mentoring Todorov, an undergraduate student, in light interferometry. Interferometers combine light to create an interference pattern that can be measured and analyzed. “Interferometry is the basis of optics because it allows you to analyze the classical and quantum optical properties of light,” Todorov says. “The resulting interference can allow one to understand properties of the laser such as path length, wavelength and refractive index of the medium it has passed through.”

“In this era of quantum exploration, the investigation of superconductors serves as the cornerstone for unlocking unparalleled frontiers in quantum technologies and devices,” says Pattanayak.

Rout, a graduate student, is exploring heterostructures using nanofabrication techniques. Her research focuses on studying high-temperature superconductivity. In addition to working on single-photon detectors, Rout is developing Josephson junctions, devices made by placing thin, non-superconducting materials between two superconductors, and she’ll be using iron-chalcogenide-based superconductors.

Jagi Rout G’28 working on creating heterostructures with 2D materials with a fully motorized transferred setup. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

“The interplay among topology, magnetism, and superconductivity makes our material an intriguing platform to investigate the strange yet promising interactions in the subatomic realm,” says Rout.

Rout is also mentoring Todorov and Nikulin in the exfoliation of 2D materials. Nikulin’s interest is Superconducting Qubit Architecture and Quantum Algorithms. “Superconducting-based photon detection also has significant applications towards reducing quantum decoherence in quantum computation systems,” says Nikulin.

Targholizadeh, a graduate student, is developing flat photonic devices based on metasurfaces capable of functioning at extremely low temperatures. He aims to address and solve some of the outstanding challenges that single photon detectors face, such as polarization sensitivity and near-normal incidence requirements, among other issues.

“Metasurfaces are recently introduced as a new paradigm for nanophotonic devices, and in our laboratory, we are working on conceiving, designing, fabricating and testing these metasurface-based devices,” Targholizadeh says.

In addition to research, Jha has started a at the University with support from an internal . With speakers from academia, industry and national labs, seminars are open to all and cover experimental and theoretical topics in QISE and adjacent research.

“The response to the QISE Seminar Series has been outstanding, with 60-70% student audience participation,” Jha says. “I see a bright future for quantum science at the University.”

The IEEE is a global organization devoted to advancing technology for humanity’s benefit. Senior membership is awarded to members who have made a significant impact within their fields. Only 10% of the IEEE’s more than 400,000 members hold this grade, which requires extensive experience, professional maturity and documented achievements of significance.

Ra’di’s research focuses on the physics of fields and waves, with emphasis on tailoring electromagnetic wave-matter interaction. He has made significant scientific contributions on a broad range of topics in theoretical and applied electromagnetics, optics, and photonics, including artificial electronic and photonic materials, RF/microwave circuits, antennas and propagation. His papers have been published in several high-impact journals, including Nature Physics, Nature Communications, National Science Foundation and IEEE family journals.

Professor Younes Radi and his research group. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

In addition to his senior membership and becoming an associate editor at IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Ra’di has also been chosen by the University as one of the two faculty to compete in the . These recent achievements reflect Ra’di’s focused efforts to re-establish Syracuse University as a renowned center of electromagnetics and microwave engineering research.

“Syracuse University has a rich history in applied electromagnetics and microwave engineering and was one of the leading universities in the world in this field,” says Ra’di. “I’ve been to many places in Europe and the U.S. and have never seen a city like Syracuse where you can find so many high-end companies in applied electromagnetics and microwave engineering. This creates a great platform to bridge the research in my team with the local industry.

“I am extremely grateful to the department, college and also the office of the vice president for research for their amazing support in establishing a state-of-the-art RF and mm-Wave laboratory, which we have named ‘RadLab.’ This facility will pave the way for new collaborations with local industry and position Syracuse as a highly active hub for advanced research in applied electromagnetics and microwave engineering.”

Alexis Peña ’16 (Photo courtesy of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine)

Despite the dominance of cheap, quick clothing production among modern retailers, Syracuse University biomedical engineering alumna Alexis Peña ’16, and her colleague, Lauren Blake, are determined to revolutionize the textile industry with their start-up, Good Fibes.

“Since summer 2022, Lauren and I have embarked on understanding the fashion industry ecosystem to provide innovative solutions for the current challenges,” says Peña. “At Good Fibes, we’re developing methods for biomanufacturing natural textile fibers using biological building blocks. Our mission is to enable a circular textile economy through material innovation.”

The biotech startup aims to produce lab-grown fibers through cellular agriculture and use engineered molecules to create renewable, biodegradable and non-toxic fibers. They hope this will offer alternatives to synthetic fibers such as polyester, which currently make up over 50% of clothing material. Synthetic fibers can also take hundreds of years to degrade and shed microplastics and chemical pollutants into the environment.

Though fibers like cotton, silk or wool are natural fibers, their production processes don’t align with sustainability goals or meet the industry’s needs. Cotton processing demands extensive amounts of water and silk production requires a considerable amount of energy. Wool products may also contain harsh chemicals and dyes that make them less biodegradable.

Alexis Peña ’16 and Lauren Blake present a pitch for Chain Reaction Innovations (Photo courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory)

Natural materials can also be unpredictable in supply due to weather, humidity, animal diet or plant soil, which can cause variations in harvest seasons and batch-to-batch quality. Additionally, the industry faces challenges related to performance criteria and variability in quality, which ultimately leads to a reliance on synthetic fibers.

Good Fibes’ bioengineered fibers solve these issues by providing environmentally conscious production and better-quality materials compared to current synthetic textiles.

“The lack of reliable alternatives to synthetic fibers is a major pain point in the textile industry. Our bioengineered fibers not only provide an alternative to petroleum-based fibers, but also address limitations of cotton, silk and wool by having year-round production and tunable properties such as elasticity, tensile strength and dye affinity” says Peña.

Peña and Blake recently completed their Ph.D.s in May 2023 at Johns Hopkins University. The co-founders also taught a course called “Future Fashion Innovation” to material scientists and engineering undergraduates at Johns Hopkins during intersession and adapted the course into a webinar for Johns Hopkins School of Medicine alumni during Earth Week in 2023.

Additionally, Good Fibes has been selected as a participant in a lab-embedded entrepreneurship program (LEEP), Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) program at Argonne National Laboratory. The CRI program is designed to support entrepreneurs and their innovative research with a focus on clean energy.

“Fashion should allow people to feel good about their clothing, but also feel good about what happens to their clothing after they wear it,” says Peña. “We believe this can truly innovate the textile industry and bring a much-needed change to fashion’s monolithic infrastructure.”

Jae C. Oh and Michelle Blum (Photos by Alex Dunbar)

The College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) has named Jae C. Oh as senior associate dean for faculty affairs and academic initiatives and Michelle Blum as associate dean for student affairs.

Oh is the David G. Edelstein Professor for Broadening Participation in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and served as the chair of EECS for the last six years. He’s also been recognized with the Distinguished Scholar Award from the International Society of Applied Intelligence. He’s dedicated his efforts toward helping organize ECS resources to achieve the goals that pertain to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, and seeks to broaden participation throughout the college, especially in the Ph.D. program.

“I feel deeply honored to serve the faculty, staff and students at ECS in my new role. I want to thank all the EECS faculty and staff for their support during my six-year tenure as the EECS chair. I am grateful to have the same supportive ECS community in my new role, which will require me to work closely with Dean Smith and the entire faculty and staff of ECS,” says Oh.

Blum serves as an associate teaching professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and has been a leader of ECS through her service as undergraduate program director for mechanical engineering, and Dean’s Faculty Fellow for Assessment. She recently won the 2023 ASEE St. Lawrence Section Outstanding Teaching Award and works to help transform the educational and student support mission of the college. Supporting career initiatives and success programs, she seeks to find innovative ways to continue optimizing the student experience at ECS.

“As I step into the role of associate dean for student affairs in ECS, I am dedicated to being a service leader. I will make it my priority to foster a positive and inclusive college culture and ensure that all students have access to the resources they need to succeed,” says Blum.

John Trimmer (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

From the drylands of Kenya to the rainforests of Suriname, civil and environmental engineering professor John Trimmer in the has dedicated his career to making a difference. After a service-learning trip to Nicaragua, where he helped with construction projects, Trimmer was inspired to pursue humanitarian engineering and improve the well-being of others. With a core research focus on water systems, sanitation and resource recovery, he strives to promote sustainable living.

As an undergraduate at Bucknell University, Trimmer was able to work with a few non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In addition to his trip to Nicaragua, he collaborated with a Peace Corps volunteer in Suriname, South America, stationed in a remote village and working on a rainwater collection system. After graduation, Trimmer continued working with the Peace Corps and spent three years in Uganda working with an NGO that specialized in constructing water tanks, latrines, classrooms and other structures.

After completing a Ph.D., which included working in Uganda on innovative approaches to sanitation systems, Trimmer joined the Aquaya Institute on their mission to improve global health through safe water and sanitation access. His work at the Aquaya Institute largely focused on research and he found himself based in Nairobi, Kenya, interacting with pastoral communities in dry regions of the country.

Trimmer and Aquaya Institute colleagues at Nairobi National Park in Kenya. (Photo courtesy of Aquaya Institute)

“Though the communities were nomadic, it seemed like they were also looking to settle, and they were open to permanent infrastructure,” Trimmer says. “It was very qualitative. We focused primarily on asking questions regarding their current water systems and what they do for sanitation. We also did interviews and discussion groups to understand what these communities wanted and needed.”

While working with the Aquaya Institute, Trimmer also researched the effectiveness of a program that aimed to provide more durable infrastructure to vulnerable households in northern Ghana. Since unstable soil is an issue that impacts certain areas, they wanted to ensure the structures they built would last.

“If you dig a traditional pit latrine, it may collapse because the soil is unstable. Since the locals in the area didn’t have the means for a more durable structure, we were looking at different ways those systems could be supported financially,” says Trimmer. “UNICEF funded the project so durable structures could be installed.”

A completed rainwater tank in Uganda. (Photo courtesy of Aquaya Institute)

As Trimmer has traveled to different countries, he’s loved working with young researchers and found it rewarding to help them develop their skills and witness their growth. This passion for mentoring younger researchers would translate to his position as a Syracuse University professor, giving him a chance to continue guiding and supporting students.

While teaching courses at the University, Trimmer plans to collaborate with NGOs he’s previously worked with on upcoming projects. He hopes to collaborate with colleagues to develop a platform that models sanitation systems to implement them as a teaching and research tool in the classroom. This will enable him to share the knowledge he’s gained from his humanitarian work and educate future researchers to do the same.

“People ask me, ‘What do you do?’” Davis says. “I tell them ‘break barriers and build bridges.’”

Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Davis loved the close, tight-knit community her neighborhood fostered, but wanted to see what was beyond her home borough. Her parents were rooted in their jobs and had no intentions of moving from the Bronx. “You did what you did, and you stayed where you were. That’s what my parents did. But I wanted to see what else was out there.”

Karen Davis ’83, G’90

This desire to see the world led her to attend Syracuse University for her undergraduate years. While she attended the University, she also worked full-time to support herself. Davis later realized that this experience was how she would connect with other students with similar backgrounds in her future role.

“There are students who come from where I come from. They are the first and only members of their family to pursue higher education. My experience allowed me to understand their mentality and when you get a sense of connection, these students can trust you,” she says.

When Davis completed her undergraduate degree and MBA at Syracuse University, she received a job at UTC Carrier Corporation. With a background in computer science and programming languages, she started in IT but eventually transitioned into human resources, where she oversaw diversity, equity, inclusion and recruiting. This paved the way for her future career at Syracuse University.

After working at UTC for 15 years, Davis accepted the position as director of career services at ECS and utilized her expertise from her previous work experience to build the program. She introduced the VMock resume platform to the University, expanded the career team by recruiting new staff, organized the first ECS career fair, and leveraged her network to provide students with job opportunities at companies like General Electric.

“When I was in career services, I used to call myself a matchmaker,” Davis says. “I would find the talent and the opportunity to make a match.”

Davis also assisted Senior Talent Acquisition Manager Sharon Cole on the CNY Works Program, which aimed to provide inner-city youth with development skills to build future careers. During the summer, they had about 90 teens working in offices across campus. They led this program for about 10 years.

“I wanted them to gain real experience and skills which could lead to new opportunities,” Davis says. “That’s what being involved with the community is. We are an extension of the community.”

Serving as the college’s director of career services for 14 years, Davis then became assistant dean of inclusive excellence, where she also made a significant impact. Infusing diversity, equity and inclusion into every aspect of the college, including education, research and staffing, the Office of Inclusive Excellence also led student retention programs as well as training and education for faculty, staff and students. Davis also encouraged others to recognize that promoting inclusion is everyone’s responsibility.

“It’s our collective responsibility to foster an inclusive culture. From admissions to marketing, we must ensure it’s everyone’s mission to consider the needs of all students,” she says.

One of Davis’s favorite aspects of her job has been the students, as she has been able to inspire and empower them to make a difference in their own lives and communities.

“Karen played an instrumental role during my development at SU,” says Asia Terry ’12. “She encouraged me to step forward, to come out of my comfort zone and to reach higher than I thought I could. I’m so grateful to have met Karen and for her presence in my formative years.”

“Karen was an important figure in my DEI journey since I was a freshman at Syracuse University,” says Shazif Shaikh ’19. “She’s synonymous with warmth, compassion, kindness and support in my world. She cares about the well-being and success of the people around her with actions taken to uplift them. I have been uplifted by Karen and have sought to do for others what she has done for me.”

As Davis makes her exit from the University, she believes Career Services and the Office of Inclusive Excellence will continue what she started and foster an environment where students, faculty and staff feel welcome and heard.

“It’s always been about impact. Students are the reason we’re here,” she says. “If you get the right message and it reaches the right people, it will grow. When you see it grow, that’s how you know that you’ve had a deep impact.”

The extra work is worth it. At SHPE, Herrera has been able to balance academic and organizational work and found a supporting community where she can be herself. “I didn’t realize how much work it would actually be, but it keeps me busy,” says Herrera, a senior studying computer science. “I love what I do and everyone I’ve met.”

Members of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at Syracuse University. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Founded in 1987 to empower Latinos and Hispanics in the STEM field, SHPE at Syracuse University strives to create a diverse environment on the University campus and help students reach their fullest potential. It’s open to all students and comprises both engineering and non-engineering students. Herrera was in a STEM program for underrepresented groups in high school so when she came to the University, she was eager to be a part of SHPE’s mission. Initially, she was a general member but her passion for the cause led her to take on the role of events coordinator.

As the events coordinator, she helped organize the very first Brillanté Banquet, a grand event SHPE hosts to highlight Hispanic excellence within their community. And it was quite the spectacle. Taking place towards the end of the spring semester, the event entailed a catered dinner, an award ceremony, performances from individuals and organizations across campus, as well as a keynote speaker.

“The planning takes pretty much all semester. We have to reserve the venue and submit catering requests as well as find performers and our keynote speaker. We also submit budget requests to be able to pay for everything,” Herrera says. “It was one of my favorite events last year and I’m looking forward to it this year too.”

The Brillanté Banquet also gave Herrera insight into organizing large-scale events and communication efforts within the college. This instilled in her a desire to take up a leadership role within the organization and she would eventually become the co-president of SHPE at Syracuse with Julia Ruiz ‘24.

“Our last vice president, Julia, wasn’t ready to let go of SHPE just yet. She loved the work and community too much,” Herrera says. “That’s why we’re doing a co-presidency, and this is the first time it’s been done. We communicate occasionally, and she’s a very resourceful person.”

Karen Herrera, co-president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at Syracuse University. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

As co-president, Herrera oversees all of SHPE’s organizational activities. The organization is actively collaborating with several companies to get its name recognized, and it has also received invitations from other local companies to collaborate. Herrera spends time reading and responding to emails and assisting with event coordination and monthly meetings.

“Our monthly meetings are where we discuss upcoming events, networking, volunteer opportunities or just catch up. We usually meet between 7-8 p.m. depending on people’s availability” Herrera says. “During a recent meeting, we took a break from our usual discussions and made slime to de-stress.”

As the end of the year approaches, the organization also hosts a “Cocoa and Cram” event, which is a study session for finals where hot cocoa is served for attendees – something Herrera always looks forward to. “Most of the time, it’s not that much studying. It’s just nice to hear how everyone’s semester went. It’s very chill,” she says.

Another event Herrera is looking forward to is the SHPE National Convention in early November, which is held in a different city each year and brings in thousands of Hispanic students in STEM. With networking, workshops, and awards, it’s an opportunity that many students don’t want to miss.  “This is my first convention and I’m excited for the workshops and career fair. It’s going to be big,” Herrera says.

As she continues to work towards her goal of breaking into STEM, Herrera has loved the close relationships she’s formed with the group’s members and the club has been the perfect place for like-minded, ambitious individuals with a passion for STEM to connect.

“I love how the club has become a little family. Our meetings are so long because we get sidetracked and talk about other things,” Herrera says. “The connections and friends I’ve made here are great and I’m grateful to be part of this organization.”

Looking to join or partner with SHPE? Click to get connected!

Asif Salekin (left) and Brian Testa (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Whether you’re looking to try a new recipe, dimming the lights in your living room, or curious about the species of bacteria living inside your mouth, Amazon Alexa has got you covered. With a simple voice command, Alexa’s ability to perform various tasks or answer questions has made it widely popular, with over 40 million users in the United States alone. Despite the convenience smart speakers like Alexa offer, these devices have also raised some privacy concerns.

Amazon has been known to collect data on users, which includes their shopping habits, preferences and even their location for personalized marketing. But that’s not all. When using waking words such as “Hey Alexa” to activate smart speakers, the audio of your voice command is also recorded and stored, becoming Amazon’s property. This means that Amazon owns your voice audio and can do whatever they want with it. “Big tech companies are using our personal information. We’re less like customers and more like their product,” says graduate student Brian Testa ’24. “I’ve always been sensitive to that. I don’t use a lot of technology at home for that reason.”

Using voice data, companies like Amazon and Google have now developed technology that poses even more threats to privacy: AI and machine learning that can determine people’s emotional state or mood from their voice. This patented technology can even pick up on feelings from emotionally neutral phrases like “What’s the weather?” Since there are no laws in place to prevent this, there’s no protection against it. “In the U.S. for the last five to 10 years, lots of researchers have been working on how they can use voice to infer emotions, mood or even mental health,” says assistant professor in electrical engineering and computer science, Asif Salekin. “In my own lab, we have previous works on tech that can infer mental disorders like depression, social anxiety, manic disorder and even suicidal tendencies from one’s voice.”

While this technology can be useful in certain circumstances, most users, if not all, have not consented to having their emotions detected by smart speakers. These privacy concerns led Testa, Professor Salekin, graduate students Harshit Sharma ’26 and Yi Xiao ’26, and undergraduate student Avery Gump ’24 to begin researching ways to protect users’ privacy from smart speakers. “Consent is key,” Salekin says. “We’d still like to use smart speakers since they’re quite useful–I have them in my own home. This project was about finding a way to use these devices without giving companies the power to exploit us.”

Led by Testa, the group conducted extensive research and developed a device that can be attached to a smart speaker or downloaded as software onto a laptop. This device emits a mild noise that only the smart speaker can hear and masks the emotional tone in your voice, providing a new level of privacy protection for concerned users. “Through the use of a speech emotion recognition (SER) classifier, a smart speaker can analyze how people are feeling based on how they sound. We created a microphone device that listens for the wake word ‘Hey Alexa,’” Testa says. “When the smart speaker activates, our device activates too and begins to emit a noise that disrupts the smart speaker from detecting your emotions. However, only the smart speaker hears this noise.”

Currently, their device masks your emotional state by presenting it as a completely different emotion. When you speak, the smart speaker may detect from your voice that you’re sad, angry or frustrated when you’re not feeling any of these emotions. This unpredictability makes it difficult for smart speakers to accurately determine your true emotions or mood and also prevents machine learning from picking up on any patterns and mood correlations. The group hopes to improve the device’s functionality by making it mask your emotions as neutral rather than presenting them as a different emotion. “To create the mild noise our device emits, we utilized genetic programming to identify a combination of specific frequencies that disrupt the smart speaker from determining a person’s mood,” Salekin says. “Only the speaker hears this noise, but it can hear your speech commands clearly, so the utility of the smart speaker remains intact.”

Though the sound is only detected by the smart speaker, the group wanted to see how loud it would be when the device is used. Testa played the sound in the lab when Professor Salekin was having a meeting and Salekin didn’t even realize it was playing, which showed that the noise wasn’t disruptive. Additionally, they also conducted a survey with others to see if the noise was loud enough to be disruptive.

Testa, Salekin, Sharma, Xiao and Gump are currently working on patent submissions, form factors and speaking with companies about commercializing their device. What sets their patent apart from similar concepts is that while past technology focused on determining people’s moods or emotions, their technology is all about protecting them. This unique approach makes their device the first of its kind. “It was a fun project,” Testa says. “This paper was published by me and as the first listed author, I’m excited about it. I’ve been working towards my Ph.D., and this is another step towards that goal.”

“Working with the students in real-world applications and research with real results was exciting,” Salekin says. “This research has many components and the collaboration between us was great. We’re excited to see what the future for this tech holds.”

Dong along with members of his research group. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) has been awarded as an World Fellow for his research contributions, mentoring and outreach within the field.

The IBPSA Fellow is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of building performance simulation or have demonstrated their expertise through teaching, research, simulation code development or applying building simulation on large-scale projects. To be eligible, recipients must have also been actively involved in the field for at least ten years.

“This award is very prestigious. IBPSA only gives fellow awards every two years and it’s nominated by six world experts in this area,” says Dong. “I’m looking forward to further contributing my knowledge and advancing the community of energy efficiency buildings to achieve net-zero energy and carbon buildings and cities. This achievement means a lot to me.”

Dong has distinguished himself through impactful contributions such as his pioneering research in occupant behavior modeling, development of novel simulation and control models to solve buildings-to-grid integration control problems, and education of junior researchers and students among other notable breakthroughs within building performance simulation.

“This is indeed a great recognition for many years of continuing excellence Professor Dong has demonstrated in the area of building performance simulation,” says MAE Department Chair and professor in manufacturing enterprises, Young Moon. “The association awards IBPSA fellows biennially and this year, 12 fellows were awarded worldwide with only two being in the USA. I am very glad that Dr. Dong’s leadership and contributions in this critical field now have been recognized worldwide.”

“There’s an enormous amount of energy out there at a time when the world needs it most,” Hosein says. “We’re taking energy from the sea, which everyone has access to, and providing a simple technology to be able to harness that energy.”

Ian Hosein, associate professor of biomedical and chemical engineering

As an associate professor in biomedical and chemical engineering and a leader of a that develops sustainable technologies, Hosein is dedicated to clean energy efforts. Sparked by a student’s curiosity to investigate alternative energy sources, he began the journey to his patent by exploring the effectiveness of current filtration systems.

“We worked a lot with polymers and plastics, which were great for filtration down to the atomic scale. They’re also impermeable to salts and let certain things in and out,” Hosein says. “Since most filtrations are using plastics, former student Fuhao Chen G’19 discovered that if you have saltwater on one side of the plastic film, and no salt on the other, you’ve essentially created a battery. Saltwater has a lot of energy, so when you place it next to non-salty water, there’s diffusion.”

Taking this a step further, they discovered the potential of using other materials to regulate the high and low energy difference between salty and non-salty water and harness it as energy.

“If you put a barrier between salt water and non-salty water, you have all this stored energy on one side and low energy on the other. It’s like hydroelectricity in a dam and you can control the current or amount of electricity produced.”

The ability to control the amount of electricity produced is what distinguishes Hosein’s patent from other patents. While many filtration systems rely on a plastic film similar to Hosein’s device, they’re passive, meaning they can’t control the amount of electricity produced. Hosein’s patented technology is active, which means it can apply additional voltage on both sides to amplify its efficiency. Other filtration systems may have inconsistent voltage depending on how much salt is in the water.

“Our planet is 96% saltwater, and saltwater also doesn’t discriminate,” he says. “It’s accessible to everyone, and anyone can gain access to clean energy with this. This could change the world.”

While similar concepts had been explored, they were complex and relied on materials like molecular tubes. Hosein set out to find a simpler approach, which led him and Chen to develop this innovative way to purify water.

With help from the University’s Office of Technology Transfer, they obtained a patent for the device, which Hosein intends to utilize to power small residentials and sealines. If his patented technology is scaled up, it may even be able to power sea transportation, which currently relies heavily on carbon-based fuels. With this renewable technology, Hosein also hopes to level the playing field of sustainability.

“Sustainable energy is very empowering,” he says. “With this tech, people can empower themselves to generate their own energy and have access to clean energy. They may not have access to oil and coal, but they do have seawater. With this device, we’re closer to a world where everyone has access to clean water and more renewable energy.”

Bruce Molino, director of space management and strategic initiatives in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), believes these renovations will transform Link Hall into a welcoming space that fosters collaboration.

“Link Hall was built at a different time and served a different purpose,” Molino says. “Fifty years on, it’s time for something new.”

Bill Allyn talks with Dean Cole Smith and members of the ECS leadership team in the new west lobby of Link Hall.

The University has been experiencing new growth, hiring more researchers and elevating its research profile, but research facilities haven’t kept pace with the college’s expansion. To attract new faculty and students, the college aims to provide adequate spaces for researchers to work. The college also seeks to create new spaces for student engagement and upgrade the building’s accessibility.

One of the biggest changes students, faculty and staff can expect to see is the first floor of the building, the Allyn Innovation Center, which will serve as a meeting and gathering space. This newly renovated hub will include lecture halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, spaces for teaching assistants, STEM labs, student success suites and a new entryway. Molino expresses excitement about how these spaces will shape interactions between everyone in the college.

“I think the Allyn Innovation Center will be a big deal,” he says. “It will completely change the energy of the building and how people meet and interact. I’m most excited to see that get developed.”

Molino is also looking forward to the development of new chemical engineering labs on the second and third floors of Link Hall. They’ll be designed as shared research spaces rather than individual faculty areas, promoting a collaborative culture within the college.

Link Hall isn’t the only building undergoing renovations. The first floor of the Center of Science and Technology (CST) has been renovated to include new wet labs that will be used for chemical or gas-based research. The fourth floor of the building is being renovated to include dry labs, which don’t involve chemical or gas-based research. The CST basement will include a combination of both wet and dry labs.

Though construction has been smooth, there have been some challenges. Limited space has required all renovations to take place while the building is occupied, leading Molino to rearrange certain spaces until the completion of renovations.

The ongoing construction has caused interruptions and noise which have become increasingly common for faculty, staff and students working during the past two summers. And Molino warns that as the construction nears completion, these disruptions may become more frequent.

“It’s going to get busy here for the next couple of years for construction,” Molino says. “It’s been a challenge to do this type of project with no swing space to work with. It’s also been difficult on research faculty, who must move their equipment and deactivate the lab, impacting ongoing research.”

However, Molino believes the effort will be worthwhile, noting that facilities have a strong impression on recruiting potential students and faculty. These changes will have a significant impact on the future of the college, he says.

“This building will feel very different in a few years,” he says. “It’s exciting and we can’t wait for everyone to see how it looks.”

“My family camped a lot when I was younger,” he says. “I grew up living on the edges of town with fields and ditches to explore. Even as I’ve gotten older, I’ll take any excuse to be outside.”

Moler’s strong connection to the outdoors also made him aware of the current climate crisis that’s affecting Montana. Soaring temperatures, blazing wildfires and winters that rival Syracuse’s chilly seasons have wreaked havoc on his home state.

“It’s not hard to notice highly irregular snowfall, extreme forest fires and smoke when I’m living through them. Right now, Montana is experiencing a serious heat wave,” he says. “Winter is also unpredictable. Sometimes we barely get snow, but other times we get more than expected.”

Moler works on soil analysis

These experiences ultimately shaped Moler’s decision to pursue environmental engineering at Syracuse University. He has just started his sophomore year. “There really was never a question about it,” he says. “I knew I wanted to be an engineer and when I saw environmental was an option. It was an immediate choice.”

Through an internship with Chris Johnson, professor of civil and environmental engineering, Moler gained experience in environmental lab and field work while considering possible career paths. Alongside fellow interns in Johnson’s biogeochemistry laboratory, he spent his summer in New Hampshire and in Link Hall analyzing phosphorus in soil samples.

Phosphate, a naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus, plays a crucial role in plant growth and development, providing the essential nutrients required for root growth, seed formation and winter survival. When there’s a sufficient amount of phosphate in the soil, plants can grow to be healthier and stronger. But when there isn’t enough phosphorus, plant growth can be slow.

The soil samples were collected from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. For decades, scientists have conducted research in the area to better understand the environment and forest ecosystems.

Moler with a soil sample

“For the purposes of my group, Hubbard Brook has the perfect climate to slow the decomposition of organic matter in the soil to a matter of years rather than months, which allows us to study how phosphorus and many other important nutrients cycle through the soil,” Moler says.

Moler’s trip to Hubbard Brook was an amazing opportunity for fieldwork. He and the team stayed in a cabin and journeyed through the wilderness on days it wasn’t raining.

In certain locations, markers on the ground and on the map indicated the areas to collect soil samples from. The soil was dug from the ground, placed into individual bags, and the size and volume of the sample was recorded. On a typical day, each group would collect samples at between eight and 15 sites.

Moler and his group returned the samples to the lab for analysis. He and another intern took turns preparing the samples to extract various forms of soil phosphorus. The process involved weighing soil samples, mixing acids and bases, shaking them to promote the extraction and centrifugation to separate the solids from the liquid. The extract solutions were then analyzed for phosphate and total phosphorus.

“I really enjoy my research,” Moler says. “My coworkers and the lab space are great, and I think this experience will be invaluable in the coming years. This is the most involved work I’ve ever been a part of.”

While interning at the biogeochemistry laboratory, Moler was introduced to a field he never knew existed and soon discovered the vastness of environmental research. Something as seemingly simple as soil had extensive research and analysis. Even nutrients found within the soil like nitrogen also had entire papers and in-depth studies, which he found fascinating.

“All the chemistry I’m learning is new. I didn’t even know biogeochemistry crossed over,” Moler said. “That entire area was unknown to me, and I was shocked about how deep every component of it was, including all the elements in the soil. You can read so much about it and all the experiments people have conducted. It was interesting to discover.”

When Moler isn’t working on analysis, he’s somewhere in the wilderness or participating in physical activities. He’s expressed interest in joining the University’s Outing Club.

However, his adventurous spirit goes beyond internships and extracurricular activities. He intends to study abroad in Santiago, Chile, which will allow him to immerse himself in a new culture, explore unfamiliar places and practice his Spanish.

“Chile was an easy choice for me. In my fourth year of Spanish, I reported on the culture, history, environment and current affairs of Chile, so I’m already fairly invested in the country,” he says. “I think it’ll be a cool place to study and explore. I’ve also been studying Spanish for four years, so I would love to make the leap to complete fluency.”

Moler considers these experiences to be vital and encourages Syracuse students to seize every opportunity to enhance their college experience through internships, extracurricular activities and study abroad programs. Such experiences have helped him gain clarity about his future goals and career aspirations.

“For jobs and internships, just get moving,” he says. “I struggled for my first semester to find any opportunities, but it just takes some time and continuous applied effort. Talk to your professors, send emails, ask questions, check on different options, apply regardless of the requirements and things will happen, especially here in Syracuse.”

“On the other hand, never take yourself too seriously,” he adds. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in these big leaps and bounds that college allows us to make. But always remember to take time to have fun and play like a kid.”

Yuzhe Tang

Yuzhe Tang, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and his research team have been awarded a grant by the Ethereum Foundation for research to advance the Ethereum blockchain ecosystem. This grant will support Tang and his Ph.D. students in designing, developing and evaluating the security hardening code to protect the Ethereum network stack.

Ethereum is a network made up of several communities and toolsets that allow users to communicate or make transactions with digital money. Since the network is decentralized, users are in complete control of their data and what’s being shared, so they don’t need to give up any personal information—all users need to access Ethereum is an internet connection.

Denial of service security is critically important to the Ethereum blockchain ecosystem, and the research will explore ways to protect the Ethereum network from cyberattacks, involving systematic vulnerability discovery using applied formal methods. As cyber criminals attack networks like Ethereum and security concerns grow, Tang believes this research could have a lasting impact on the current landscape of cybersecurity and blockchain platforms.

“With this grant, we can help solve some of the most critical problems in the real world. We expect to continue developing code merged into Ethereum codebase,” Tang says. “I am most excited about making real-world impacts out of the research works from my group.”