UMass Dartmouth College of Engineering
winter 2021 News
Dean’s message Adaptation and Persistence I was inspired to see that the COVID-19 vaccine was the breakthrough of the year for the prestigious journal Science. As I have shared with many of our donors, alumni and faculty, the scientists and engineers who have been integral to (1) advancing a new vaccine technology at an unprecedented rate, (2) developing and deploying methods for large scale manufacturing and formulation, and (3) delivering a safe vaccine to the general population were once students at an institution like UMass Dartmouth. This team effort and breakthrough confirm that our mission to educate aspiring engineers and scientists has never been more important.
Contents Facts & Figures
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Cybersecurity 2 New Faculty Members
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Student Spotlight
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Alumni Spotlight
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Women in Engineering
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$8.8 Million Grant
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PHOTOS COURTESY
Despite the challenges we all faced teaching and learning online and supporting our families and communities during the pandemic, our community of students, faculty and staff in the College of Engineering not only adapted and persisted, but also added to the achievements for the college. As you will learn in this newsletter, the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security designated University of Massachusetts Dartmouth as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research. The college welcomed new faculty who are advancing research and discoveries for our region’s Blue Economy and ensuring our students have access to an excellent education. We also partnered with the Women in Defense organization to host a workshop on Women and Negotiation. The event raised funds for a scholarship and will support our Women in Engineering program. I am proud to share that our students embraced our culture of safety so faculty, staff and fellow students could participate in face-to-face learning on campus in Fall of 2020. I am thankful for our students’ resilience throughout the pandemic and for their continued trust in us in their education. My best wishes for a healthy and safe 2021.
Mary Avery Kindra Clineff Karl Dominey Jean VanderGheynst
WRITERs Adrienne Wartts Ryan Merrill
Designer Martha Abdella
Facts & Figures
#3
in the nation for the percentage of female tenured tenure track faculty in colleges of engineering with a nationally ranked graduate program – 2020 US News & World Report, ASEE (2020)
Top 4%
in engineering of institutions nationwide awarding doctoral degrees to women – ASEE (2020)
84%
of full-time undergraduates who apply for financial aid receive it
97%
of 2019 graduates from the College of Engineering are either employed or attending graduate school
>$67,000 average entry-level salary for 2019 graduates with a bachelor’s degree in engineering
183 #1
internships completed by 2020 graduating engineers at companies such as Titleist/ Footjoy, Bose Corporation, eBay, Hewlett-Packard, National Grid, and Pratt & Whitney
for social mobility among universities in New England with a nationally ranked college of engineering – 2020 U.S. News & World Report
$106M
UMass Dartmouth students receive approximately $106 million total in scholarships, grants, part-time employment, and loans
15 Ranked in the top 15 schools nationwide for master’s degrees in physics among institutions granting the MS – American Physical Society
#4
as a best value Massachusetts college for in-state students – Payscale
170+
student organizations, including numerous engineering-specific clubs that connect students with science and engineering professionals umassd.edu/engineering
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UMass Dartmouth named a
national Center of academic excellence in cybersecurity The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security designate UMass Dartmouth as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity—Cyber Research (CAE-R) through academic year 2025. UMass Dartmouth received this prestigious classification through demonstrated success and commitment to prepare students to address national challenges related to cybersecurity and advanced faculty research in the field. UMass Dartmouth has poised itself to be a leader in cybersecurity education and research. In 2019, UMass Dartmouth signed an agreement with the 102nd Intelligence Wing of the Air National Guard stationed at Joint Base Cape Cod to develop education and workforce training in cybersecurity for personnel at the base and university students. The partnership has allowed 102nd Intelligence Wing staff and UMass Dartmouth faculty to collaborate on the development of cybersecurity undergraduate and graduate programs, certificates, and concentrations. Base staff engaged in cybersecurity efforts serve as mentors for university students and create awareness of cybersecurity career opportunities with the Air National Guard. Identifying the growing federal, state, and local needs, the University established a Cybersecurity Center for cybersecurity education, training, and research. Under the leadership of Electrical and Computer Engineering Associate Professor Lance Fiondella, the Center’s mission is to support the needs of industry and government stakeholders by establishing long-term partnerships and collaboration among industry, academe, and government. The Center is composed of faculty who conduct research in a variety of areas alongside graduate and undergraduate students. The College of Engineering offers an undergraduate concentration, two minors, and a graduate certificate in cybersecurity.
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Winter 2021 news
The university has made significant investments to become a leader in education and scholarship in cybersecurity. Since 2018, the College of Engineering has hired six new faculty to become part of a team of approximately one dozen faculty overall who are working collaboratively to address challenges in the security engineering of complex systems. This designation recognizes our commitment to research and education in cybersecurity.� Jean VanderGheynst College of Engineering Dean
umassd.edu/engineering
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College of Engineering welcomes
new faculty members Leaders of 21st century challenges
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The UMass Dartmouth College of
Bioengineering
Engineering has welcomed 16 new
1. L aura Hanzly Full-Time Lecturer PhD, Virginia Tech
faculty since fall of 2018. They are building new programs in cybersecurity, expanding our region’s blue economy and transforming engineering education to ensure we provide all students with access to an excellent education and foster diversity, equity and inclusion in science and engineering. The appointments are evidence of the university’s ongoing investment in its teaching, research, and engagement. The growth of faculty also demonstrates the College of Engineering’s commitment toward distinguishing UMass Dartmouth as a top-tier research university as well as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research as recently designated by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
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Winter 2021 news
9. J onathan Mellor Full-Time Lecturer PhD, University of Virginia Electrical & Computer Engineering
2. S teven Zanganeh Assistant Professor PhD, University of Connecticut
10. Ruolin Zhou Assistant Professor PhD, Wright State University
Computer & Information Science
Mechanical Engineering
3. Yuchou Chang Assistant Professor PhD, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
11. Hangjian Ling Assistant Professor PhD, Johns Hopkins University
4. Gokhan Kul Assistant Professor PhD, University at Buffalo, SUNY 5. Y i Liu Associate Professor PhD, University of Mississippi 6. Amir Akhavan Masoumi Full-Time Lecturer PhD, University of Science Malaysia 7. J iawei Yuan Assistant Professor PhD, University of Arkansas Little Rock Civil & Environmental Engineering 8. Ryan D. Beemer Assistant Professor PhD, Texas A&M University
12. Kihan Park Assistant Professor PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology 13. H amed Samandari Full-Time Lecturer PhD, Middle East Technical University 14. Banafsheh Seyed-Agahazadeh Assistant Professor PhD, University of Massachusetts Amherst 15. C aiwei Shen Assistant Professor PhD, University of California Berkeley Physics 16. R enuka Rajapakse Full-Time Lecturer PhD, University of Connecticut
Learn more at umassd.edu/news/2020/ new-engineering-faculty
Owen Tower ’20
student spotlight Ambitious physics scholar
Owen, who earned his bachelor’s degree in physics at UMassD, attributes faculty mentorship and internships with helping him segue into a PhD program at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Owen Tower ’20 gravitated toward physics while in high school. “The problem-solving nature of physics really captivated me, and I knew that pursuing it in college would open up many doors further down the road,” says Owen who immediately matriculated in the physics PhD program at the University of Colorado Boulder after graduating last year. He believes many of the issues in the world today could be solved or improved by the application of physics. “For example, advances in nanotechnology could lead to improved energy storage and more precise measurements. And this could lead to fewer carbon emissions and thus could improve our efforts in the battle against climate change.” As a physics major at UMass Dartmouth, Owen gained a deeper understanding of how computer science and physics shape our world. Faculty-guided research projects exposed him to applied and computational mathematics and theoretical physics. He was also introduced to parallel computing, the various branches of mathematics, and theoretical atomic physics. “I learned to solve research problems independently and pose relevant questions while conducting research,” he said. Overall, Owen attributes collegiality and working directly with faculty advisors to his success as a student. “I developed professional relationships with my advisors and they respected me as a colleague.” He also says his experiences at UMassD led to his decision to enroll in the University of Colorado Boulder. What are his plans after he earns his doctorate? “My desired career is either a research scientist or engineer, where I can use the skills and knowledge I’ve accumulated to help make a positive impact,” Owen says.
I developed professional relationships with my advisors and they respected me as a colleague.”
Owen Tower ‘20
umassd.edu/engineering
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Diane (Belcher) Phillips ’84
ALUMNI spotlight The power of networking
Diane, the newest member of the Dean of Engineering Advisory Board, talks about establishing scholarships for Women in Defense at UMassD. Diane (Belcher) Phillips, Vice President of Boston Operations for Joint Research and Development (JRAD), has devoted her entire career to the development of protective clothing and equipment for National Security programs and managing organizations that include this mission. She earned her BS degree in Textile Technology with a minor in Mechanical Engineering Technology at UMass Dartmouth and her Masters of Textile Science from North Carolina State University. Diane currently serves as events chair for the UMassD Alumni Association, is the VP of STEM for the Women in Defense-Greater Boston Chapter (WID-GBC), and is the newest member of the Dean of Engineering Advisory Board where she works closely with Dr. Jean VanderGheynst, dean of the College of Engineering. Diane and Jean along with Charlene Mello, chief scientist at the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command – Soldier Center (CCDC-SC) in Natick and scholarship committee chair of WID-GBC, created a scholarship for women in engineering at UMass Dartmouth. “Jean told me she wanted to put on a student event during fall 2019,” Diane said. “I am a member of the board of WID-GBC, which readily develops meaningful events. So we started working together to create the first UMass Dartmouth/WID-GBC event. We were so pleased with the results. We had a great panel of women working in the defense industry, and a speed networking session.” The National Director of Women in Defense, Rachel McCaffrey keynoted. “She subsequently invited me to
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Winter 2021 news
At the end of the first event, we had a $1,000 profit and this enabled the establishment of the WID-GBC UMassD Scholarship.” Diane (Belcher) Phillips ‘84
the National Defense Industrial Association and WID Conference in DC to present the event as a model for other chapters to emulate. At the end of the first event, we had a $1,000 profit and this enabled the establishment of the WID-GBC UMassD Scholarship.” The goal is to raise $5,000 over each of the next five years to create an endowed scholarship.
WID Women in Negotiation Workshop On December 2, 2020 the UMass Dartmouth College of Engineering and Alumni Relations partnered with the greater Boston Chapter of Women in Defense to offer a workshop Women and Negotiation. Nearly 70 students and working professionals attended to learn and practice negotiation skills. The event raised $5,000 for a scholarship for a participant in the UMass Dartmouth Women in Engineering program. Future events will connect students with working professional mentors to build career planning and job negotiation skills.
2020 Women in Engineering Scholarship recipient LeYi Chen ’24 LeYi Chen ’24 is the inaugural recipient of the 2020 Women in Defense Greater Boston Chapter/UMassD Scholarship for Women in Engineering. LeYi, whose hometown is Guangdong of China, says her interest in fixing things and solving puzzles led her to pursue mechanical engineering as her major. “I figured mechanical engineering would be something that fits my interest,” she says. “I also took an engineering class in high school, which increased my passion for engineering.” The $1,000 scholarship will be used to help pay for her college tuition. “I am very excited to be a recipient of the Women in Engineering Scholarship,” LeYi says. “It was unexpected.” She says her academic goals are to continue exploring more of engineering and to hopefully obtain a part-time job on campus while attending college. “I also hope to be more involved in college by joining some clubs and having fun in school while also learning.”
Learn more about the program at umassd.edu/engineering/women-engineers
As a first-generation student, I feel extremely grateful for this scholarship. I am looking forward to learning and joining other women in the career field revolved around engineering.” LeYi Chen ‘24
umassd.edu/engineering
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On October 28, 2020, UMass Dartmouth announced a $4.2 million grant from the Office of Naval Research to fund new research projects through the Marine and UnderSea Technology (MUST) Research Program in partnership with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport. This latest award follows a $4.6M grant from the Office of Naval Research in February 2020— the largest research award in the university’s history.
UMass Dartmouth announces
$8.8M from Office of Naval Research Advancing new marine technology research projects
This second award from the United States Navy will create new opportunities for regional collaborations across academia, industry, and the military. New projects look to address problems of naval relevance in the areas of batteries, acoustics, modeling of ocean dynamics, biofouling, composite materials, autonomy, machine learning, and marine robotics. The grant will be administered by the Marine and UnderSea Technology (MUST) Research Program, which was formed to address the needs of the Navy and the defense industry by developing innovative faculty research and a pipeline of highly trained workers. To respond to the needs of the Navy, MUST has focused on areas that can both address short-term concerns and long-term goals. These areas of study include autonomous underwater vehicles and increasing their battery life, biofouling, composite materials, machine learning with marine robotics, modeling of ocean dynamics, and the use of undersea acoustics for communications and sensing technologies. “This grant is a testament to the students and faculty at UMass Dartmouth and their essential research in marine technology,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “The Navy’s investment in the Marine and UnderSea Technology research program will help UMass Dartmouth and the South Coast continue to lead, innovate, and advance the Commonwealth’s Blue Economy.” College of Engineering faculty are leading many of the MUST research efforts. Funding for projects is enabling undergraduate and graduate students to contribute to innovative research for the Blue Economy.
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Winter 2021 news
Southeastern Massachusetts is well-positioned to be the national leader on blue economy projects, and this $4.25 million grant from the Office of Naval Research reaffirms what we already know: that UMass Dartmouth is uniquely positioned to lead the region forward as a blue economy hub.” Congressman Bill Keating
College of Engineering MUST Awards Acoustic Radiation and Directional Patterns (ARDP) of Sensors and Sources Anti-biofouling Property and Lifetime of Super-Hydrophobic Surfaces in Marine Environment Marine Sensing Technology for Acoustic Detection and Damage Monitoring through Embedded Composite Conductors Incremental Learning with Human-in-the-Loop for Underwater Anomaly Detection Bi-functional Polymer Matrix Composites for Structural Energy Storage in Marine Systems
This robust and consistent federal investment in UMass Dartmouth’s MUST Research Program is a testament to the strong partner-
Deep Learning-Enabled Detection and Classification of Acoustic Signals in Underwater Channels
ships and future collaborations
Tethered Integrated RF/Photonic Transmit/Receive for Underwater Unmanned Communications
Navy and the UMass Dartmouth
A Multi-Modal Sensing Enabled Soft Robotic End-Effector for Highly Dexterous Object Manipulation in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Missions
being developed between the community.” Senator Edward Markey
Development of a Biomimetic Sensor with Augmented Sensitivity for Ocean Sensing Applications Enhanced Source Localization Using Optimally Designed Metamaterials and Advanced Machine Learning for Underwater Applications A Unifying Framework for AM Process-Informed Design of High-Contrast Multi-Material Systems for EigenvalueDriven Physics Second Generation Autonomy for Underwater Vehicles Advanced Computational Investigation of Nose Curvature and Surface Hydrophobicity Effects in Water Entry of Solid Objects Acoustic Rainfall Measurement on Global Drifters
Learn more about the program at must.umassd.edu/
umassd.edu/engineering
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