The Grainger College of Engineering is proud to introduce our newest spring and fall 2024 faculty members.
These accomplished individuals are at the forefront of their fields, driving academic excellence and pushing the boundaries of engineering and computer science research. Their innovative approaches to complex challenges will play a crucial role in developing the next generation of problem-solvers.
We are excited to see how their contributions will enhance our community, inspire our students and address pressing global issues. Join us in welcoming these brilliant minds to The Grainger College of Engineering's distinguished ranks.
Aerospace Engineering
David Ehrhardt
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2015, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research interests: Experimental nonlinear structural dynamics; fluid-thermal-structural interactions; nonlinear structural reduced-order modeling
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2015, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research interests: Experimental nonlinear structural dynamics; fluid-thermal-structural interactions; nonlinear structural reduced-order modeling
Fabien Evrard
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, Imperial College London
Research interests: Computational fluid dynamics; multiphase flow modeling
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, Imperial College London
Research interests: Computational fluid dynamics; multiphase flow modeling
Matt Hausman
Assistant Professor of Practice
M.S. 2003, University of Colorado Boulder; M.A. 2009, Loyola Marymount University
Research interests: Space systems; astrodynamics; program/project management; launch vehicles
Assistant Professor of Practice
M.S. 2003, University of Colorado Boulder; M.A. 2009, Loyola Marymount University
Research interests: Space systems; astrodynamics; program/project management; launch vehicles
Jordan Smart
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, Stanford University
Research interests: Aerospace systems design and simulation; applied aerodynamics; computational fluid dynamics; space systems; uninhabited aerial vehicles
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, Stanford University
Research interests: Aerospace systems design and simulation; applied aerodynamics; computational fluid dynamics; space systems; uninhabited aerial vehicles
Hiroyasu Tsukamoto
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Research interests: Controls, dynamical systems and evaluation; space systems
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Research interests: Controls, dynamical systems and evaluation; space systems
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Zach Huffman
Assistant Professor of Practice in Construction Management
M.UP 2007, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Assistant Professor of Practice in Construction Management
M.UP 2007, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Bioengineering
Min Jee Jang
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2015, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Previous appointment: Research Professor, Korea University
Research interests: Neural engineering; molecular imaging; viral vector engineering; gene therapy
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2015, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Previous appointment: Research Professor, Korea University
Research interests: Neural engineering; molecular imaging; viral vector engineering; gene therapy
Yudu Li
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2022, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Magnetic resonance imaging; machine learning; signal processing
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2022, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Magnetic resonance imaging; machine learning; signal processing
Yang Liu
Professor
Ph.D. 2006, Northwestern University
Previous appointment: Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Research interests: Multiscale and multimodal optical microscopy techniques; label-free quantitative phase imaging; large-scale image informatics; precision cancer prevention and therapeutics
Professor
Ph.D. 2006, Northwestern University
Previous appointment: Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Research interests: Multiscale and multimodal optical microscopy techniques; label-free quantitative phase imaging; large-scale image informatics; precision cancer prevention and therapeutics
Hongqiang Ma
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2014, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Research interests: Super-resolution imaging; mesoscopic imaging; quantitative phase imaging
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2014, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Research interests: Super-resolution imaging; mesoscopic imaging; quantitative phase imaging
Seonyeong Park
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2017, Virginia Commonwealth University
Research interests: Photoacoustic computed tomography; computational modeling of biological tissues; learning-based image reconstruction
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2017, Virginia Commonwealth University
Research interests: Photoacoustic computed tomography; computational modeling of biological tissues; learning-based image reconstruction
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Hongbo Ma
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2014, Tsinghua University
Previous appointment: Associate Professor, Tsinghua University
Research interests: Environmental engineering and sciences
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2014, Tsinghua University
Previous appointment: Associate Professor, Tsinghua University
Research interests: Environmental engineering and sciences
Ran Mei
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2020, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Environmental engineering and sciences
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2020, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Environmental engineering and sciences
Siebel School of Computing and Data Science
Tal August
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, University of Washington, Seattle
Research interests: Human-computer interaction; natural language processing; interactive computing
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, University of Washington, Seattle
Research interests: Human-computer interaction; natural language processing; interactive computing
Reza Farivar
Clinical Associate Professor
Ph.D. 2012, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Systems and networking; cloud computing; computer-intensive data analytics; big data
Clinical Associate Professor
Ph.D. 2012, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Systems and networking; cloud computing; computer-intensive data analytics; big data
Max Fowler
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Isomorphic programming; large-language modeling; “Explain in Plain English” (EiPE) work
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Isomorphic programming; large-language modeling; “Explain in Plain English” (EiPE) work
Fernando Granha Jeronimo
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2021, University of Chicago
Research interests: Coding theory; expanders and high-dimensional expanders; quantum computing
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2021, University of Chicago
Research interests: Coding theory; expanders and high-dimensional expanders; quantum computing
Minje Kim
Associate Professor
Ph.D. 2016, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: AI for audio; model compression; personalized AI; signal separation; speech enhancement; neural speech; audio coding
Associate Professor
Ph.D. 2016, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: AI for audio; model compression; personalized AI; signal separation; speech enhancement; neural speech; audio coding
Fan Lai
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, University of Michigan
Research interests: AI; systems and networking; machine learning systems; cloud computing
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, University of Michigan
Research interests: AI; systems and networking; machine learning systems; cloud computing
Ge Liu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2020, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Research interests: Bioinformatics and computational biology; AI
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2020, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Research interests: Bioinformatics and computational biology; AI
Billy Moses
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Research interests: Compilers; parallelism; machine learning; automatic differentiation; scientific computing; high-performance computing
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Research interests: Compilers; parallelism; machine learning; automatic differentiation; scientific computing; high-performance computing
Dilek Hakkani Tur
Professor
Ph.D. 2000, Bilkent University, Ankara, Türkiye
Research interests: Machine learning; conversational AI; speech and language processing; large language models; dialogue systems
Professor
Ph.D. 2000, Bilkent University, Ankara, Türkiye
Research interests: Machine learning; conversational AI; speech and language processing; large language models; dialogue systems
Gokhan Tur
Research Professor
Ph.D. 2000, Bilkent University, Ankara, Türkiye
Research interests: Large language models; spoken dialogue systems; language understanding; conversational AI
Research Professor
Ph.D. 2000, Bilkent University, Ankara, Türkiye
Research interests: Large language models; spoken dialogue systems; language understanding; conversational AI
Jiaxuan You
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2021, Stanford University
Research interests: Machine learning for graphs and databases; foundation models; large language models; AI
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2021, Stanford University
Research interests: Machine learning for graphs and databases; foundation models; large language models; AI
Tong Zhang
Professor
Ph.D. 1999, Stanford University
Previous appointment: Chair Professor, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Research interests: Machine learning algorithms and theory; statistical methods for big data
Professor
Ph.D. 1999, Stanford University
Previous appointment: Chair Professor, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Research interests: Machine learning algorithms and theory; statistical methods for big data
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ivan Thomas Abraham
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: System theory; dynamics and data analytics; neuroscience and controls
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: System theory; dynamics and data analytics; neuroscience and controls
Saksham Agarwal
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, Cornell University
Research interests: Networking, systems and hardware
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, Cornell University
Research interests: Networking, systems and hardware
Hyunseok Kim
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Research interests: Electronics; optoelectronics; heterogeneous integration; III-V/III-N/2D materials
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Research interests: Electronics; optoelectronics; heterogeneous integration; III-V/III-N/2D materials
Ning Luo
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, Yale University
Research interests: Formal methods; automated reasoning; programming languages; cryptography
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, Yale University
Research interests: Formal methods; automated reasoning; programming languages; cryptography
Craig Shultz
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2017, Northwestern University
Research interests: Haptic interaction - surface computing; VR/AR/XR; wearables; mid-air haptics; IoT
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2017, Northwestern University
Research interests: Haptic interaction - surface computing; VR/AR/XR; wearables; mid-air haptics; IoT
Corey Ethan Snyder
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Digital signal processing; machine learning and pattern recognition
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Digital signal processing; machine learning and pattern recognition
Yu-Lin Wei
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Acoustic signal processing; IoT; wireless/visible light communication; indoor positioning
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Acoustic signal processing; IoT; wireless/visible light communication; indoor positioning
Cunjiang Yu
Professor
Ph.D. 2010, Arizona State University
Previous appointment: Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University
Research interests: Rubbery electronics; devices and technologies and understanding fundamental mechanisms
Professor
Ph.D. 2010, Arizona State University
Previous appointment: Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University
Research interests: Rubbery electronics; devices and technologies and understanding fundamental mechanisms
Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering
Inki Kim
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2015, Pennsylvania State University
Previous appointment: Assistant Professor, University of Virginia
Research interests: Human-systems integration; cognitive engineering and neuroergonomics; cyber-physical-human systems engineering for healthcare
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2015, Pennsylvania State University
Previous appointment: Assistant Professor, University of Virginia
Research interests: Human-systems integration; cognitive engineering and neuroergonomics; cyber-physical-human systems engineering for healthcare
Bob Norris
Research Professor
Ph.D. 2001, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Field robotics; autonomy; mechatronics
Research Professor
Ph.D. 2001, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Field robotics; autonomy; mechatronics
Yunzong Xu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Research interests: Machine learning; decision theory; data science
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Research interests: Machine learning; decision theory; data science
Materials Science and Engineering
Yuecheng Peter Zhou
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2019, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Optical bioelectronics; biomaterials and biointerfaces; neuroengineering
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2019, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Optical bioelectronics; biomaterials and biointerfaces; neuroengineering
Mechanical Science and Engineering
Craig Bradshaw
Associate Professor
Ph.D. 2012, Purdue University
Previous appointment: Associate Professor, Oklahoma State University
Research interests: Building and energy thermal systems; compressor and expander technologies; waste-heat recovery; heat pumping
Associate Professor
Ph.D. 2012, Purdue University
Previous appointment: Associate Professor, Oklahoma State University
Research interests: Building and energy thermal systems; compressor and expander technologies; waste-heat recovery; heat pumping
Mickey Clemon
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2017, University of California, Berkeley
Research interests: Engineering pedagogy; advanced manufacturing and the interplay of materials and design
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2017, University of California, Berkeley
Research interests: Engineering pedagogy; advanced manufacturing and the interplay of materials and design
C. Ricardo Constante-Amores
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2020, Imperial College London
Research interests: Simulation of multiphase/complex flows; fluid-structure interaction; data-driven techniques for turbulence
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2020, Imperial College London
Research interests: Simulation of multiphase/complex flows; fluid-structure interaction; data-driven techniques for turbulence
Nazanin Farjam
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, University of Michigan
Research interests: Modeling frameworks and intelligent decision-making strategies to enhance the flexibility, robustness, and efficiency of complex manufacturing processes
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, University of Michigan
Research interests: Modeling frameworks and intelligent decision-making strategies to enhance the flexibility, robustness, and efficiency of complex manufacturing processes
Tom Golecki
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Random vibrations in structural dynamics; structural and topology optimization considering moving loads
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2023, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Random vibrations in structural dynamics; structural and topology optimization considering moving loads
Varda Hagh
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, Arizona State University
Research interests: Control in mechanical metamaterials; training soft and biological matter; reconfigurable mechanisms and structures; memory formation in matter
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, Arizona State University
Research interests: Control in mechanical metamaterials; training soft and biological matter; reconfigurable mechanisms and structures; memory formation in matter
Kellie Halloran
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Engineering pedagogy; handcycling biomechanics
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Engineering pedagogy; handcycling biomechanics
Bumsoo Han
Professor
Ph.D. 2001, University of Minnesota
Previous appointment: Professor, Purdue University
Research interests: Applied physics; health and biology; manufacturing; solid mechanics and materials; thermodynamics; heat and mass transfer
Professor
Ph.D. 2001, University of Minnesota
Previous appointment: Professor, Purdue University
Research interests: Applied physics; health and biology; manufacturing; solid mechanics and materials; thermodynamics; heat and mass transfer
Kevin E. Wandke
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Engineering pedagogy; mechanical metamaterials; machine learning to accelerate multiphysics modeling
Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Engineering pedagogy; mechanical metamaterials; machine learning to accelerate multiphysics modeling
Janelle Wharry
Professor
Ph.D. 2012, University of Michigan
Previous appointment: Associate Professor, Purdue University
Research interests: Structure-property-functionality relationships for materials in extreme mechanical, irradiation, electrochemical and corrosive environments
Professor
Ph.D. 2012, University of Michigan
Previous appointment: Associate Professor, Purdue University
Research interests: Structure-property-functionality relationships for materials in extreme mechanical, irradiation, electrochemical and corrosive environments
Siyi Xu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2022, Harvard University
Research interests: Soft robotic platforms equipped with compliant, lightweight, and compact sensing; transducing systems to advance wearable and implantable technologies
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2022, Harvard University
Research interests: Soft robotic platforms equipped with compliant, lightweight, and compact sensing; transducing systems to advance wearable and implantable technologies
Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering
Dren Qerimi
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2021, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Extreme ultraviolet photo-resist development; extreme ultraviolet sources; 3D graphene production research; plasma sources; semiconductor processing; deposition and etching
Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2021, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research interests: Extreme ultraviolet photo-resist development; extreme ultraviolet sources; 3D graphene production research; plasma sources; semiconductor processing; deposition and etching
Jianqi Xi
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2017, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Research interests: Nuclear materials; chemical degradation of claddings in corrosive environments; multiscale modeling of microstructure evolutions of materials under irradiation; data-driven/ML material design
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2017, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Research interests: Nuclear materials; chemical degradation of claddings in corrosive environments; multiscale modeling of microstructure evolutions of materials under irradiation; data-driven/ML material design
Physics
Rafael Fernandes
Professor
Ph.D. 2008, Universidade Estadual de Campinas
Previous appointment: Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, University of Minnesota
Research interests: Condensed matter theory; iron-based superconductors; twisted moiré systems; Kagome superconductors; strontium titanate and quantum paraelectrics; transition metal dichalcogenides; quantum Monte Carlo
Professor
Ph.D. 2008, Universidade Estadual de Campinas
Previous appointment: Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, University of Minnesota
Research interests: Condensed matter theory; iron-based superconductors; twisted moiré systems; Kagome superconductors; strontium titanate and quantum paraelectrics; transition metal dichalcogenides; quantum Monte Carlo
Jong Yeon Lee
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2020, Harvard University
Research interests: Condensed matter theory; numerical simulations; topological phases and critical phenomena; coherent control of quantum simulator platforms; quantum information and nonequilibrium dynamics
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2020, Harvard University
Research interests: Condensed matter theory; numerical simulations; topological phases and critical phenomena; coherent control of quantum simulator platforms; quantum information and nonequilibrium dynamics
Morten Lundsgaard
Teaching Associate Professor
Ph.D. 1995, Kansas State University
Research interests: Atomic physics; physics education research; online learning environments; professional development for college physics instructors and in-service school teachers
Teaching Associate Professor
Ph.D. 1995, Kansas State University
Research interests: Atomic physics; physics education research; online learning environments; professional development for college physics instructors and in-service school teachers
Pengjie Wang
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, Peking University
Research interests: Condensed matter experiment; quantum phase transition; topological quantum physics; strongly correlated quantum physics
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. 2018, Peking University
Research interests: Condensed matter experiment; quantum phase transition; topological quantum physics; strongly correlated quantum physics
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