Engineering Kudos
DSAEC alum, advisory board member Curtis chosen to "Ten Outstanding Young Omahans"
Jan. 17, 2023 - Ryan Curtis, senior associate at LEO A DALY and 2005 architectural engineering graduate, was chosen by the Omaha Jaycees as on of their 2023 Ten Oustanding Young Omahans. Curtis is a member of the Durham School's Architectural Engineering Industry Advisory Committee. He also serves on the University of Nebraska Omaha Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Nebraska engineers' discovery could improve future optoelectronics studies
Dec. 20, 2022 - Kai Peng and Wei Bao, researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering, are lead authors on a paper discussing their breakthrough that could warm up future studies of optoelectronics.
The paper – “Room-temperature polariton quantum fluids in halide perovskites” – was published in the Nov. 30, 2022 edition of Nature Communications, one of the most prestigious multidisciplinary research journals.
Typically, quantum mechanical effects can only be studied at the macroscopic level in laboratory chambers cooled to very low temperatures. The team’s research and theoretical predictions, however, show it is possible to demonstrate the effect at room temperature using halide perovskites, a novel material group that over the last two decades has proved promising in the development of photovoltaic and light-emitting devices.
By putting a thin layer of halide perovskites between two reflective mirrors, Peng and Bao created a new polariton, a light-matter hybrid state which has properties of both light and perovskite materials. This hybridization grants the device the capability of demonstrating the macroscopic quantum fluids behavior, where quantum phase transitions from superfluidity frictionless flow to supersonic flow can be – for the first time – observed under ambient conditions and room temperature.
“The fact these polaritons allow observations under ambient conditions can trigger a lot of interesting future works, which are not limited only to those that study fundamental quantum liquids phenomena,” Bao said. “They also can be important in the conception and design of optoelectronics devices that can have superfluid-like behavior in transporting an electron or photon.”
Peng and Bao, both from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, are among the nine authors, including researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, Ecole Polytechnic in Montreal, Quebec, and Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.
Jena Asgarpoor recognized as CTT Teaching Ambassador
Nov. 11, 2022 - Jena Asgarpoor, professor of practice and director for the Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program, was recognized as a CTT Teaching Ambassador during the annual Teaching and Learning Symposium organized by the Center for Transformative Teaching. In 2021-22, she participated in and completed all requirements for the CTT’s inaugural Reflective Practitioner Program (RPP). As a Gold-level participant in RPP she organized and facilitated a Learning Community, served as a Mentor to Silver and Bronze level participants, and prepared a teaching portfolio (among other activities). Teaching Ambassadors are part of the Teaching Support Network and share their expertise with other educators across the university.
Daher, Peteranetz elected to inaugural UNL staff senate
Dec. 9, 2022 - Tareq Daher, director of the Engineering and Computing Education Core (ECEC), and Markeya Peteranetz, learning assessment coordinator in the ECEC, are among the 57 University of Nebraska-Lincoln staff who were elected to the university's inaugural Staff Senate.
Daher and Peteranetz are among the 10 senators representing District 3: Executive Vice Chancellor - Academic Colleges.
Formed through a call for nominations announced in September and as part of an N2025 strategic plan goal, the Staff Senate is tasked with providing input and guidance on relevant issues to university leaders. Elections were held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 22, with 57 members selected — 53 who can vote, representing specific areas of the campus community, and four ex-officio, non-voting members from the NU system.
Kidambi chosen to cohort of panel fellows for NSF CGCA for Advancing Research Innovation
Dec. 6, 2022 - Srivatsan Kidambi, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, has been chosen to join the 2023 National Science Foundation (NSF) CGCA Panel Fellow Cohort for CMMI's Game Changer Academies for Advancing Research Innovation Program. The program aims to improve group dynamics during panel discussions, increase awareness of bias and identity, and enhance understanding of high-risk, high-reward ideas. Once trained, panel fellows will bring enhanced skills and awareness when they participate in panel discussions during NSF merit review.
Goertzen chosen to attend prestigious Future Leaders in Chemical Engineering symposium
Nov. 18, 2022 - Andrea Goertzen, a senior chemical engineering major, was one of 24 students from across the United States chosen to attend the Future Leaders in Chemical Engineering symposium, held in October 22-23 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Future Leaders in Chemical Engineering is a national award symposium for undergraduate researchers and is organized by the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University.
A small group of undergraduate students was chosen to present their work and be recognized for their achievements. Goertzen presented her research – titled, "Systems-level Modeling Illustrates Metabolic Landscape of Diseases" – that she has been working on in the lab of Rajib Saha, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering.
Goertzen, who has been doing research since her freshman year, is also one of 43 College of Engineering students chosen by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to receive 2022-23 UCARE stipends, which support undergraduate research opportunities.
Six Nebraska Engineering faculty chosen to UNL's Research Development Fellows Program 2022-23 cohort
Oct. 20, 2022 - Six College of Engineering faculty are among the 11 University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty members selected to participate in the 15th cohort of the Office of Research and Economic Development's Research Development Fellows Program (RDFP).
RDFP is an eight-month program designed to provide full-time Nebraska faculty at the assistant-level rank the information and resources necessary to position themselves for success in securing external funding for their research, scholarship and creative activity. Fellows graduate from the program with an intentional plan for pursuing external funding and strategies that prepare them to write winning proposals.
The fellows, selected through a competitive application process, represent eight departments spanning three colleges and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The College of Engineering faculty chosen for the 2022-23 cohort are:
- Jessica Deters, mechanical and materials engineering
- Mohammad Hasan, electrical and computer engineering
- Xiaoqi Liu, Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction
- Logan Perry, civil and environmental engineering
- Milad Roohi, Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction
- Jamilla Teixeira, civil and environmental engineering
Three Nebraska Engineering faculty named to FLAIR leadership program
Nov. 6, 2022 - Nebraska Engineering faculty Stuart Bernstein, Libby Jones and Xu Li are among the 19 University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty chosen by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor to the latest cohort of the Faculty Leadership in Academia: From Inspiration to Reality (FLAIR) program.
Lemos Watson chosen to receive ASC Regional Teaching Award
Nov. 4, 2022 - Emmeline Lemos Watson, assistant professor of practice in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, has been chosen to receive the 2022 American Schools of Construction (ASC) Regional Teaching Award for Region 4. The award will be presented in April 2023 at the International ASC Conference in Liverpool, England. Recipients of the Regional Teaching Award are eligible to be considered for the ASC International Excellence in Teaching Award.
Balasubramaniam chosen as editor-in-chief of IEEE journal
Nov. 4, 2022 - Sasitharan Balasubramaniam, associate professor in the School of Computing, has been named editor-in-chief of IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications. IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications is a quarterly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IEEE Communications Society and established in 2015. The journal is devoted to the principles, design, and analysis of communication systems that use physics beyond classical electromagnetism, including molecular, quantum, and other physical, chemical and biological techniques. Balasubramaniam will serve as editor in chief for a term of two years and views the role as an opportunity to support IEEE's interdisciplinary efforts.