Eight faculty join College of Engineering

The College of Engineering has added eight faculty for the 2023-24 academic year, increasing total faculty hires to 75 over the past seven years.

Among the new faculty are two in the School of Computing and one each in biological systems engineering, civil and environmental engineering, the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, electrical and computer engineering, engineering management and the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management.

The new faculty include:

Nirupam Aich, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering

Aich, who started at Nebraska in January 2023, was assistant professor at the University of Buffalo, SUNY. His research interests include design of multifunctional nanomaterials for treatment of pollutants, water treatment including additive manufacturing or 3D printing and design of nanocomposite membranes, and global health inequity due to air, soil and water pollution from electronic and plastic waste recycling. 

Jeffrey Falkinburg, assistant professor of practice in the School of Computing

Previously a lecturer in the School of Computing, Falkinburg is also a former assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the United States Air Force Academy and assistant professor of aerospace studies for the Air Force ROTC at UNL. Falkinburg’s areas of expertise include VLSI systems, computer architecture, embedded systems and advanced digital design.

Bhuvaneswari Gopal, assistant professor of practice in the School of Computing

Formerly a lecturer in the School of Computing and assistant director of the design studio in the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management, Gopal was also senior software engineer at PEN-LNK, Inc. Gopal’s areas of expertise include software engineering education, computer science education, software engineering, and HCI.

Abia Katimbo, assistant professor and irrigation management specialist in biological systems engineering

Katimbo has a Ph.D. in agricultural engineering from UNL and is a former graduate research assistant. Katimbo’s research includes sensor-based management, smart irrigation scheduling using wireless sensor networks, developing irrigation decision support tools, and modeling soil water and crop water dynamics.

Neal Lewis, professor of practice in engineering management

Previously an assistant professor of practice in the college’s Master of Engineering Management program, Lewis has also been associate professor at both the University of Bridgeport and Marshall University, a plant engineer at Bayer Corporation, and section head at The Procter & Gamble Company. Lewis’ areas of expertise include engineering management, engineering economics, operations management, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Andre Messner, assistant professor of practice in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction

Messner was senior project manager at Hausmann Construction Inc., and project manager for Kiewit Building Group and Chief Building Official for the City of St. Joseph, Mo. Messner’s areas of expertise include personnel development, budgeting, negotiations, communications, strategic planning, and project scheduling.

Seth Polsley, assistant professor of practice in the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management

Polsley is a former graduate intern at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory and a software development intern at Lexmark International. Polsley’s areas of expertise include intelligent systems design, human-computer interaction to support novel educational and universal computing experiences, intelligent tutoring systems, brain-computer interfaces and natural language processors for medical and legal texts.

Craig Zuhlke, associate professor in electrical and computer engineering

Zuhlke served as a research assistant professor in the college and is co-director of the Center for Electro-Optics and Functionalized Surfaces. Zuhlke’s research interests include femtosecond laser/materials interactions, applications of metallic surfaces with a femtosecond laser, and potential improved qualities of laser-processed surfaces - enhanced heat transfer, reduced drag, and anti-icing and anti-bacterial properties.