Washkewicz Magazine Winter/Spring 2024/2025

THE NEXT

dean Message from the

GREETINGS!

As the glint and gleam of the shiny, wintry new year continues to dazzle, so does the Washkewicz College of Engineering as we embrace our strides into the next 100 years with the launch of new programs and initiatives to prepare students for inevitable advances in the engineering work force.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t pay homage to Fenn College of Engineering for laying the foundation and implementing the ideals that made this institution an international success.

To begin with the Department of Civil Engineering, our new Construction Management program was made possible through a partnership with the Construction Employers Association (CEA). This four-year degree program offers a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management (BSCM), and mandatory co-op opportunities in vertical construction, specialty contractors and heavy/highway construction. Fundraising to launch the Construction Management program greatly exceeded expectations.

This new program is under the direction of Dr. Salwa Beheiry, a former professor at the American University of Sharjah. Beheiry will also serve as the Director of the Project Delivery Institute @CSU and Nexus professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department.

This issue also contains stories on the components that make the College of Engineering run like a well-oiled machine: the faculty, staff, students, alumni and seven members of our early career faculty — one of whose research ambitions have made major advances with drones and machine learning; and gotten another noticed all the way to the White House. See story on page 20.

Turn to page 34 for an introduction to our newer faculty members: Assistant Professor Dr. Becky Odom-Bartel, on loan from the School of Education and Counseling, teaching in our Computer Science department and Dr. Salwa Beheiry, mentioned above.

On page 8, learn about Computer Systems Specialist Lou Dregely, who’s now in his 25 th year with the University. In addition to managing several of the college’s computer labs, Dregely is assisting with the creation of an eSports gaming

area, located near the FH128 Lab. Dregely, an avid runner and triathlete, recently competed — and medaled — in the 2024 Pan-American Masters Games held here in downtown Cleveland. Congratulations, Lou!

And there’s also Grace Quaintance ’22. This past fall she joined the University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering department (ECE) after receiving the National Science Foundation’s Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Graduate Fellowship (CSGrad4US) award for her doctorate studies. CISE Graduate Fellowships increase the number of diverse, domestic graduate students pursuing research and innovation careers in the CISE fields, namely computer engineering, computer science and information science. You can read more about her on page 14.

Our alumni continue to shine brightly in their individual endeavors.

Turn to page 18 for an interview with our latest Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Marianne Corrao ’88, who was honored at an Open House reception in late November during Homecoming Week. Corrao is executive vice president and co-founder of Nexus Engineering Group, Inc. Co-founded with business partner Jeff Herzog, Nexus is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Headquartered in Cleveland with offices in Toledo, Chicago, and Midland, Michigan, Nexus provides a full range of engineering and design services.

We also feature alumna Ramona Lowery-Ferrell, who was recently hired by the city of Shaker Heights as its new public works director. Lowery-Ferrell graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering.

As the new year causes one to look at new beginnings, we, as a university, are embracing our past to excel in the future and continually grow our new programming in the years to come.

RICHARD T. SCHOEPHOERSTER, PH.D. Dean and Professor

MAGAZINE 2024–2025 ISSUE

LAURA BLOOMBERG, PH.D.

President Cleveland State University

RICHARD T. SCHOEPHOERSTER, PH.D.

Dean Washkewicz College of Engineering

AUDREY M. WIGGINS

Editor-in-Chief/Contributing Writer

Washkewicz College of Engineering

KRISTIN BROKA, M.S.

Managing Editor

University Marketing

JIM LIGHTCAP

Art Director

University Marketing

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS

Emma Cook

Jackie Flanik

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Damien Campbell

Brian Hart

Robert Muller

NATE PAIGE

Freelance Writer

CONTRIBUTING

PHOTOGRAPHER

Audrey M. Wiggins

Cleveland State University

Washkewicz Hall, Room 305 2300 Chester Ave. Cleveland, OH 44115-2214

216-687-2555

engineering.csuohio.edu

@csuwashkewicz

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@washkewicz-collegeof-engineering

@WashkewiczCollege ofEngineering

@WashkewiczCollege

Commits $1M+ to support Programs at

Cleveland State University

Funds intended to advance education and innovation at CSU through student scholarships and state-of-the-art manufacturing Center

Cleveland State University (CSU) proudly announces a transformative gift commitment from TransDigm Group Inc. of more than $1 million to support CSU and further strengthen its dedication to advancing education and innovation.

This gift includes the Doug Peacock Scholarship Fund, which is named after the founding CEO and chairman of the TransDigm board. The scholarship supports undergraduate students within the Washkewicz College of Engineering and the Monte Ahuja College of Business, helping them achieve their academic and career goals while fostering a diverse student body.

Additionally, a pivotal aspect of this gift is the establishment of the CSU-TransDigm Advanced Manufacturing Center. TransDigm will create a stateof-the-art center with a focus on aerospace-related manufacturing, providing Cleveland State students with even more hands-on learning experiences and exposure to cutting-edge technologies. The center will be a key resource for students and industry professionals alike, fostering innovation and practical skills in manufacturing. It will also underscore the collaboration between CSU and industry leaders, driving forward innovation and excellence in engineering.

Kevin Stein in the CSU-TransDigm Advanced Manufacturing Center

"Supporting Cleveland State University is an investment in the future of our region, and we are deeply grateful to TransDigm for their ongoing dedication to CSU," said Dr. Laura Bloomberg, president of Cleveland State.

“Cleveland State and TransDigm share a strong commitment to developing and supporting a talented, diverse workforce for the future,” said Kevin Stein, TransDigm Group’s president and chief executive officer. “As the global economy becomes more interconnected, the value of a diverse workforce is more important than ever. We are excited to enhance our support for Cleveland State students with the creation of the CSU-TransDigm Advanced Manufacturing Center. Our goal is for the center to equip and inspire students for successful careers in engineering and business.”

About TransDigm Group Inc.

TransDigm Group Inc. is a leading global designer, producer and supplier of highly engineered aircraft components for use on nearly all commercial and military aircraft in service today.

“By expanding scholarships and establishing the CSUTransDigm Advanced Manufacturing Center, they are amplifying the exceptional opportunities we provide our engineering and business students — many of whom will go on to directly contribute to the growth of Northeast Ohio by choosing to live and work here after graduation.

— President Laura Bloomberg

Kevin Stein in the CSU-TransDigm Advanced Manufacturing Center with a student

Computer Science Assistant Professor Dr. Jingru Zhang Receives NSF Career Award

Dr. Jingru Zhang, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, has received a five-year, $495,537 Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The CAREER program offers NSF's most prestigious awards in support of earlycareer faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. The research thrust of her award is the optimization of facility locations to determine the best locations of facilities to serve demands under specific optimization criteria. When asked about her honor, Zhang said, “I felt lucky and happy when I received the award notice.” She attributes the award “to my continuing efforts in the computation field.”

“I felt lucky and happy when I received the award notice”. She attributes the award “to my continuing efforts in computation field.

— Dr. Jingru

Zhang

Her future aspirations as a computer scientist are to “develop more efficient computation approaches for solving problems in discrete geometry”.

Specifically, Zhang will study a set of facility location optimization problems in the face of uncertain demand data. The goal is to explore new ideas and techniques to develop efficient algorithms to solve these optimization problems when provided with uncertain data. The research will incorporate a variety of methodologies from diverse areas such as discrete math, graph theory, combinatorial optimization, probability theory, operations research, computational geometry and data structures.

Through the CAREER award, she will engage undergraduate and master’s students in the

development and implementation of algorithms to increase the throughput of those who pursue careers in theoretical computer science research, including continuing to Ph.D. programs.

Zhang joined CSU from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), where she was a tenure-track assistant professor. She also taught at Marshall University and received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Utah State University under the guidance of Dr. Haitao Wang. Her future aspirations as a computer scientist are to, “develop more efficient computation approaches for solving problems in discrete geometry.”

Computer Systems Specialist

Awarded Two Bronze Medals in Pan Am Masters Games Lou Dregely

We all know the saying about all work and no play.

Well, Washkewicz College of Engineering’s Computer Systems Specialist Lou Dregely has managed to create a perfect balance between the two — and be recognized for his recreational endeavors!

Now in his 25th year with the University, Dregely is an avid runner and triathlete who recently competed in the 2024 Pan American Masters Games (PAMG) held here in downtown Cleveland, the first time they’ve been held in the United States.

Dregely medaled in two competitions for his age group 60–64: the Sprint Triathlon and the 10K Road Race, placing third in both events and awarded bronze medals. The primary qualification for the Games is that participants must be 30 years of age or older.

“With the games being held in Cleveland, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” said Dregely. “I wanted to do it because it's an international competition. For the triathlon there were competitors from eight different countries, and for the 10K there were a lot more people from other countries, too!”

Dregely labels himself a competitor, and he’s always eager to see how his athletic abilities stack up against others from across the country in his age group. To date, he has also participated in the National Senior Games and the USA National Triathlon Championships.

With the games being held in Cleveland, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity ” “

— Lou Dregely

Top: Pan-American swim course at Edgewater Beach; Right: Louis Dregely, Computer Systems Specialist

“I'm always inspired, even by older people who are still competing. In the Pan Am Games here, there was a runner who was 98 years old. I think he was this year’s oldest competitor.”

A triathlon consists of three events: swimming, biking and running, and participants must be well-versed in all three. Is Dregely more passionate about one sport than the others?

“That's a good question. I wouldn't use the word ‘passion’ because I don't want to hold a passion for one specific sport, because to do a triathlon you have to love it all. But if I had to put it in order, I’d say running is first, then biking and then swimming — because with at least 18 years of running, that’s my strongest. I entered my first triathlon in 2004, and I got caught up, thinking ‘this is just too much fun!’”

As a computer systems specialist, Dregely provides IT support for the College of Engineering. He oversees multiple instructional computer labs and provides technical assistance to instructors and staff.

I'm always inspired, even by older people who are still competing. In the Pan Am Games here, there was a runner who’s 98 years old. I think he was this year’s oldest competitor. “ ” — Lou Dregely

“I manage the Microsoft Windows side of computers,” says Dregely. “I have computers and servers. The Linux computers are handled by someone else. We use the term instructional computer labs because teachers from any of the engineering departments — Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, etc. — will come in and conduct class, and I make sure the necessary programs are installed beforehand.”

In addition, Dregely assisted with the creation of an eSports gaming area located adjacent to the FH128 instructional lab. “Yes, we’re bringing eSports into engineering, and I helped with the floor plan and design of the space.”

Dregely enjoys his job greatly and says his mission is to, “provide an environment for the students, faculty and staff to enhance their educational experience.”

Lou Dregely, warming up for swim portion of Pan American Masters Games.

10K award podium, Lou Dregely on right

Shereen Elfadil Named Washkewicz College Fall

2023

Valedictorian

Shereen Elfadil, Electrical Engineering major with a minor in Mathematics was named the Fall 2023 Washkewicz College of Engineering Valedictorian. Shereen maintained a 4.0 each semester since she enrolled in Fall 2019. In addition to this honor, her student-led Senior Design team won first place with their Autonomous Nursery Cart this past spring semester. Shereen started working at Lincoln Electric as a research and development engineer after graduation.

Shereen was born in Egypt. Her parents accepted jobs in and moved to Saudi Arabia, where she enrolled in an American school with a more challenging curriculum.

“I never really knew who nomads were as a child. I was a 9-year-old girl living in a small city in Egypt only thinking of tomorrow as another day to engage in what I thought was my favorite routine: going to school, coming back, having lunch with my family, studying for a while and then enjoying a good sleep. I remember finding my life to be very pleasant and relaxing — no crazy challenges, insurmountable hurdles or risks that can heighten my adrenaline. I found the routine to be very peaceful. At that time, little did I know what was set for me in life — that I was not meant to be an ordinary citizen of typical qualities, but rather a curious opportunity-seeking nomad.

“Nomads are known to travel frequently, finding and exploring new opportunities. And that is how my story went, traveling through cultures and societies to discover my personal, academic and social identity. I moved from Egypt to Saudi Arabia at age 9. While I primarily found this change of environment to be uncomfortable and unnecessary, it eventually turned into a life-changing experience for me that slowly but surely dug the roots of my true character.

Shereen Elfadil Fall 2023 valedictorian

Nomads are known to travel frequently, finding and exploring new opportunities. And that is how my story went, traveling through cultures and societies to discover my personal, academic and social identity. ” “

Shereen Elfadil

“I applied to multiple universities abroad. My mother suggested I apply to Cleveland State University’s Mandel Honors College, and I did apply only to satisfy her. However, one of the most inspiring and surprising incidents of my life occurred. The selection panel saw my potential and curiosity to learn, help and make a difference. They saw my character, which is always hungry for knowledge and debate, as unique. I was viewed as highly intellectual rather than stubborn, as open to valid arguments rather than quarrelsome, and as innovative rather than complicator. After getting my acceptance letter, I was off again to my most influential nomadic experience.

"I enjoyed every bit of the lectures because I was given the opportunity to ask questions and express my opinions. I soon decided to pursue Electrical Engineering because of my love for math, problem-solving and intricate work, interests I discovered at CSU. Encouraged by everyone, my true character was lit up, and I discovered the multitude of different things I can do and my love for multitasking and business. Later in my sophomore year, my family came and I was given permanent residency in the United States, to be able to officially call this place home.

"With the presence of my family, I had greater opportunity to travel throughout the U.S. and discover the new culture I live in.

“One of the most challenging things I faced was changing my own mindset to try to be less of a perfectionist and more of a good performer and flexible person. That's important and it's a good change from high school to college. I started paying more attention to the quality of work than the quantity of work. My instructors encouraged me, too. I remember one of my professors emailed me and said, ‘You're a good student not just because of your grades, it's because of your mindset.’ That's something that really stood out.

When asked about her experience of being in the first place Senior Design team, Shereen said, "I felt like the whole senior design project was a life transforming experience. The team I was working with, to be honest, were great people and were very helpful. We each had something special to bring to the team. I was more focused on the electronic part. Because of my job duties, I designed our converters.”

“Looking back at my senior year, taking 17 credit hours, working on Senior Design, TA-ing for power electronics and leading the calculus peer tutoring group would not have been possible if it weren’t for the strength and confidence that CSU built in me over the years.

Shereen has advice for those students coming behind her. “I would recommend that they look at the holistic experience of college rather than just test by test, course by course, day by day."

Shereen Elfadil, Major Electrical Engineering, Minor Mathematics

2024 Spring Valedictorian

From Hilton head to Cleveland:

Kierstin Clark’s Path to Valedictorian

Balancing Soccer, Research and Leadership

We are proud to share that Kierstin Clark was named Washkewicz College of Engineering Spring 2024 Valedictorian. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics and was a Mandel Honors College member graduating with a 3.98 GPA. “I have had the privilege of working closely with esteemed faculty members who have guided and supported me on my academic journey. Their mentorship, coupled with my unwavering determination, has enabled me to achieve academic success and has led to my securing acceptances into several leading Ph.D. programs at multiple prestigious institutions across the nation,” shared Kierstin.

Kierstin Clark, Valedictorian

Clark came to appreciate the opportunities which the city provides and the

Excellent job the Washkewicz College Fenn Co-op program does at connecting students to the industries of Cleveland

Throughout her years in Cleveland, Clark came to appreciate the opportunities which the city provides and the “excellent job the Washkewicz College Fenn Co-op program does at connecting students to the industries of Cleveland. These connections including those provided through the Mandel Honors College have allowed me to access unparalleled research opportunities at the Cleveland Clinic. In addition, through my industry-sponsored Process Design project, I worked with Sherwin-Williams to assist in optimizing their scale up process. Growing up in the small town of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina it would be unfathomable to be simultaneously working at two corporations that are such household names. This immersion in the opportunities that a large metropolitan city provides is one of the major factors that led me to choose CSU, despite the distance from home.

“Moreover, my involvement in diverse research environments, including positions at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland State University and The University of South Carolina as well as industry placements such as Kraton Corporation and Sherwin-Williams, has equipped me with invaluable skills and insights. These experiences have not only deepened my understanding of scientific inquiry but have also instilled in me a profound appreciation for the impact of research in addressing real-world challenges,” said Clark.

Clark was also an athlete on the Cleveland State University's Women's Soccer team. This experience “taught me the importance of time management, perseverance and collaborative skills that have directly led to my success at CSU.”

One of the mantras she lives by is, “Be brave, not perfect.” She further shared, “I constantly remind myself to never shy away from asking questions, and I believe that it is more important to prioritize learning over the fear of making mistakes. Through this strategy of being deliberately intellectually curious, I have not only deepened my understanding of the material but also acquired invaluable skills for future endeavors."

Kierstin Clark, 2023 Women's Soccer Team, CSU

— Kierstin Clark

Grace Quaintance:

Engineering Excellence, NSF Fellowship and a Journey Through Diverse Careers

It’s a multitasking world we now live in, and Grace Quaintance is the epitome of the term.

Graduating Cum Laude from the Washkewicz College of Engineering at Cleveland State University in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Quaintance, a wife and mother of two, was recruited as a facilities engineer for Cleveland Clinic's Buildings + Design team after attending the Spring ‘21 Connections Fair.

While at the Cleveland Clinic, she dealt with buildings and how to improve their infrastructure. “Hospitals are buildings that need to be operational 24/7,” said Quaintance.

This past fall she joined the University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering department (ECE) after receiving the National Science Foundation’s Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Graduate Fellowship (CSGrad4US) award for her doctoral studies. CISE Graduate Fellowships increase the number of diverse,

domestic graduate students pursuing research and innovation careers in the CISE fields, namely computer engineering, computer science and information science.

Quaintance has one of her favorite professors, Dr. Mehdi Rahmati, to thank for suggesting she apply for the award. Rahmati is an assistant professor and director of the Intelligent Communications and Autonomous Systems Laboratory for ECE.

“The NSF CSGrad4US program offers a valuable opportunity and generous fellowship for students under the NSF Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) to encourage them to return to graduate school,” shared Dr. Rahmati. Although highly competitive, it is particularly beneficial for underrepresented groups.

Grace Quaintance (Photo Credit: Audrey M. Wiggins)

When he saw the announcement, “I immediately thought of Grace. I informed her and offered my full support for her application. I knew her from her undergraduate days at CSU. She was an excellent student in my courses, completed a year-long senior design project with me and worked as a research assistant in my lab for another semester.”

But there’s so much more to her story. Many education and career paths are more roundabout than clearly defined. Quaintance’s early post-secondary education was evidence of this. While starting out in computer engineering at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University — although her initial desire was computer animation — she switched her major to architecture and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in 2008.

“Ironically, I graduated with my degree the same year of the housing market collapse, so there were no architecture jobs to be found.”

“

Her determination and motivation make her an excellent role model for other students, particularly women in engineering. I am so proud of her and thrilled that she is back to CSU to start her Ph.D. journey, and I look forward to continuing our research together.

— Dr. Mehdi Rahmati

Instead, she found a job in public safety, serving as a 911 dispatcher for the Tallahassee Police Department in Florida. In 2012, she landed a job dispatching for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and she relocated to Ohio to be with her husband. Eventually, she returned to the world of 911 dispatch, working for the City of Parma Regional Dispatch Center from 2015 to 2022.

“I just happened to fall into the initial dispatching job, and I found it very interesting; each day was completely different,” said Quaintance. “Due to my schedule with Parma (working nights), I was able to return to school.”

With such a demanding schedule, does Quaintance have time for hobbies?

She says her “hobby is collecting hobbies. From painting to crafting to sewing and quilting, I’ve done most of it. But I think I enjoyed quilting the most. Over the years, I’ve completed three quilts, but I have a multitude of quilts that are ‘in progress.’ Quilts are what my grandma used to make. She would take my grandpa's old shirts and make these cute little quilts, and I got into that. It's just that finishing a quilt is a lot of work. Other than quilts, I just haven’t found another hobby that’s stuck.”

”

Championing Infrastructure and Empowering Communities:

The Leadership of Alumna

Ramona Lowery-Ferrell

Ramona Lowery-Ferrell, MBA/MPA, stands as a testament to excellence in public service, with a career spanning over 28 years in engineering, municipal leadership and community advocacy. Lowery-Ferrell graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University, then Fenn College of Engineering.

Her remarkable journey began in 1996 as the first Black and first female engineer at Cleveland’s Water Pollution Control (WPC) division, where she oversaw a complex sewer infrastructure serving over 380,000 Cleveland residents. Her leadership drove a workforce of 180 employees and managed an annual budget exceeding $38 million. Through strategic innovations and a focus on efficiency, she implemented impactful changes, including closing a three-year backlog of work orders in her first year and saving over $100,000 annually by procuring equipment that was previously rented.

A champion of sustainable practices, Lowery-Ferrell secured $35 million in bond funding for critical capital projects and developed performance metrics that exceeded mayoral goals by 25%. Her contributions not only enhanced operational efficiency but also significantly improved Cleveland's resilience to flooding and environmental challenges.

Pioneering Leadership Across Organizations

Before returning to WPC in 2015, Lowery-Ferrell held pivotal roles at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and the city of Shaker Heights. At NEORSD, she managed over 50 contracts, achieving cost reductions through innovative restructuring. Notably, she saved $229,460 annually by adopting district-owned trailers for sludge hauling and decreased electricity costs by 50% through competitive bidding strategies.

In a previous position with Shaker Heights, her leadership earned the Sewer Crew consecutive Citizen Customer Service Awards. She secured $3.2 million in state funds for infrastructure projects and implemented in-house maintenance programs that significantly increased productivity and reduced overtime costs.

Looking Back

Lowery-Ferrell attributes her success in her early days as a college student at Cleveland State University to being a part of the LINK program and NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers). “As part of LINK, I got a job at Polytech. They matched me up with a mentor, a female engineer, and it all was so helpful. It was wonderful that I wanted to graduate because I was a first-generation college student. And so, because of LINK I was introduced to NSBE. Being a member of NSBE was very instrumental because it was a total support system.” She now pays it forward as a mentor in NSBE helping students navigate their academic and personal lives.

Bridging Engineering Expertise with Community Impact

Lowery-Ferrell’s engineering acumen is complemented by her passion for mentoring youth and advancing diversity in STEM fields. She serves as an advisor for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE JR.) and has mentored students through the Cleveland State University LINK program and other youth enrichment initiatives. Her dedication earned her the 2024 NAACP Unsung Hero Award and the 2017 Cleveland Hometown Heroes award.

A steadfast advocate for equitable opportunities, LoweryFerrell also contributes to numerous boards, including the United Black Fund and Doan Brook Watershed Partnership. Her leadership extends to the architectural, construction and engineering sectors, where she mentors future professionals and fosters community collaboration.

Accolades and Achievements

Recognized for her transformative contributions, Lowery- Ferrell has been featured in Who’s Who in Black Cleveland and Phenomenal Woman Magazine. She has received awards such as the Nsoroma (Shining Star) Award and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Cleveland State University.

Her certifications in wastewater and water distribution underscore her technical expertise, while her educational background and dual master’s degrees in business and public administration, equips her with a robust foundation for leadership.

A Visionary for Tomorrow

Lowery-Ferrell's philosophy of leaving organizations better than she found them is evident in her legacy of innovation, fiscal responsibility and community empowerment. As she continues to bridge the gap between public service and engineering excellence, her work inspires professionals and community leaders alike to pursue transformative change.

Her story serves as a beacon of resilience, determination and the power of teamwork to achieve meaningful impact.

Ramona Lowery-Ferrell

Marianne Corrao

Honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award Marianne Corrao‘88

The Washkewicz College of Engineering (WCE) is pleased to announce this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award: Marianne Corrao.

“We are very excited to be honoring Marianne as a distinguished alumna this year,” said Dr. Richard Schoephoerster, dean of the college. “She is very deserving of this honor, and the timing is related to her wrapping up a very impactful career building the Nexus Engineering Group to a highly successful engineering firm with phenomenal growth in recent years, and her longterm engagement with the WCE Chemical and Biomedical Engineering department, all culminating now with helping us establish the Project Delivery Institute @CSU.”

Corrao is executive vice president and co-founder of Nexus Engineering Group, Inc., headquartered in Cleveland, with offices in Toledo, Chicago and Midland, Michigan. She co-founded the company with business

partner Jeff Herzog in 2005. Now, in its 20 th year, Nexus has grown to nearly 250 professional employees, providing a full range of engineering and design services, along with project and construction management expertise in the oil, chemical and utility industries.

Early in her career, Corrao worked for the Standard Oil Company Lima Refinery (before Standard Oil was purchased by BP), and later, a local engineering company.

In 2002, she relocated to Houston, Texas for a position at industrial gas supplier Praxair. In 2004, BP contacted Corrao and Herzog, who also worked at Praxair, with a business proposition. “They needed people with our skill sets to help them with extensive refinery upgrades they wanted to pursue. That gave us the opportunity to create Nexus Engineering Group.”

Corrao is indebted to the University’s co-op program for providing her with the tools to succeed in an engineering career.

“What stood out to me and made a lasting impact was the University’s Cooperative Education program. That's where I really got to see the practical handson application of the things I was learning in theory in engineering school. It was the co-op program that helped confirm my career choice.”

With the ever-changing advancements in technology, regardless of the field of study, the challenges of solving problems Corrao encountered during her college years may greatly differ from those facing students today. To that, she offers the following advice:

“For students currently pursuing an engineering degree, stick with it and work hard. It's a tough curriculum, but it's so rewarding. And stay curious. That's what engineers do. We're always asking questions. We ask ourselves ‘why,’ and we also ask ourselves ‘why not?’ If you always have those two things in mind, you'll have a lot of success when you try to answer those questions.”

While running a company with more than 200 employees offers little leisure time, Corrao manages to make time for hobbies and other relaxing activities.

For students currently pursuing an engineering degree, stick with it and work hard. It's a tough curriculum, but it's so rewarding. And stay curious. That's what engineers do. “ ”

— Marianne Corrao

“I enjoy gardening, it's one of my passions. I have a nice-sized vegetable garden in my yard, and I also have a rain garden with native flowers,” said Corrao. “I'm also a boater. I have a 21-foot ranger tugboat. I keep it in the Maumee River right outside of Perrysburg, Ohio, and I currently serve as the vice commodore of the Perrysburg Boat Club.”

During her time at Cleveland State University, Corrao played tennis for one year. “It was a little tough to do — between co-oping and my engineering curriculum — to remain a student athlete. Unfortunately, I didn't continue playing tennis, but is still one of my favorite sports.”

Corrao is both honored and humbled to be the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award.

“My hope is to continue to represent the University well and stay engaged.”

Marianne Corrao and Dr. Laura Bloomburg

Innovative Minds: Innovative Minds: Innovative Minds:

Washkewicz College of Engineering

Early-Career Faculty at Making an Impact

Advances in the world of engineering are happening every day, and Cleveland State University (CSU) Washkewicz College of Engineering faculty are playing their part in this progress. Let’s look at seven earlycareer members of the Washkewicz College of Engineering who are contributing to these major strides.

Dr. Emmanuel Kidando

Dr. Emmanuel Kidando is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cleveland State University, where he also serves as the associate director of the USDOT Rural Equitable and Accessible Transportation (REAT) Center. A distinguished researcher, he has secured and managed multiple high-impact research grants, including a $300,000 annual funding commitment for five years from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the REAT center focusing on accessibility and safety in transportation. Additionally, he has received $50,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to develop a tool for evaluating snow and ice removal performance, as well as $75,000 from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety to evaluate equity in traffic safety. Recently. Dr. Kidando completed a $200,636 project funded by ODOT to evaluate the effectiveness of commercial vehicle safety alert systems. His work demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing transportation safety, equity, and performance through innovative research, and practical data-driven solutions.

A registered professional engineer, Dr. Kidando has specialized expertise in intelligent transportation systems, connected vehicle systems, freeway operations, highway safety, and data science. He joined the CSU staff in 2020 from Mercer University, where he was also an assistant professor.

Dr. Emmanuel Kidando, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Dr. Becky Odom-Bartel

An assistant professor in the School of Education and Counseling, Dr. Becky Odom-Bartel has collaborated with Dr. Chansu Yu of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering to lead CSU’s engagement in a collaborative grant to expand the talent pipeline for computer science employment opportunities. Over the next four years, CSU will receive $643,191 from the National Science Foundation as part of a consortium of rural and urban institutions in Ohio, Alabama, Michigan and Mississippi. The project, titled “Collaborative Research: SEI: Creating a Lasting LEGACY — Scaling a Peer-learning Community Model to Provide AP Computer Science Preparation and Career Awareness for Young Black Women” is funded by the NSF’s Innovative Technology Experiences for Teachers (ITEST) program, and was developed at the University of Alabama to engage young, Black, female high school students throughout the state of Alabama in a year-long peer-learning community to prepare them for the College Board’s Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles course.

Dr. Becky Odom-Bartel, Assistant Professor, School of Education and Counseling, Courtesy AppointmentComputer Science

Prior to arriving at CSU, Odom-Bartel taught computer science at the University of Alabama.

Dr. Prabaha Sikder

Dr. Prabaha Sikder is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a faculty member at the Center for Human-Machine Systems. His research focuses on developing transformative regenerative technologies that drive functional bone and muscle regeneration in musculoskeletal defects. By integrating advanced biomaterials with cutting-edge additive manufacturing, he develops patient-specific implants designed to accelerate healing and advance personalized medicine. His work is at the forefront of bioengineering, addressing critical challenges in orthopedics and craniomaxillofacial reconstruction.

Dr. Sikder’s transformative research has earned prestigious recognition from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is the recipient of a highly competitive $3.3 million NIH R01 grant to develop next-generation bioactive and antibacterial dental implants aimed at preventing peri-implantitis. Additionally, his work in musculoskeletal regeneration has been recognized with an NIH R03 grant to develop an innovative extracellular vesicle-based therapy for treating volumetric muscle loss. His contributions are shaping the future of regenerative medicine, offering transformative solutions for complex orthopedic and musculoskeletal challenges.

Before joining CSU, Dr. Prabaha Sikder was a post-doc fellow in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His early career was marked by a series of prestigious achievements, reflecting his dedication to advancing translational orthopedic medicine. His post-doc work was supported by NIH with a technology development grant. During his graduate studies at the University of Toledo (UT), he became the first in his cohort to receive the NSF Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students grant. In 2018, he was the first recipient of the UT College of Engineering to earn the university’s highest academic honor — Outstanding Scholarly Achievements — for his transformative orthopedic research, inventions, and publications. That same year, he was also awarded the Translational Research Award for his contributions to translating antibacterial coatings for orthopedic implants.

Innovative Minds Innovative Minds Innovative Minds

Dr. Prabaha Sikder, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Maryam Younessi Sinaki

Dr. Maryam Younessi Sinaki is an assistant professor of practice in CSU’s Mechanical Engineering department who was recently selected as a 2024 recipient of the Faculty Explorer Award in the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) EnergyTech University Prize Faculty Track. This award is presented to a deserving faculty competitor with $4,000 “for showing promising interest, ideas, and/or materials promoting energy entrepreneurship at their collegiate institutions.” Sinaki was awarded one of 10 prizes in the initial Explore Phase and emerged as the first-place winner in the final Implementation Phase, leading to her invitation to the White House Roundtable on Commercializing Climate and Clean Energy Technologies. There she presented her groundbreaking ideas on the commercialization of energy technologies.

An early fascination with mathematics and mechanics put Sinaki on a path to mechanical engineering. She earned her bachelor's and master’s degrees in the field at the University of Waterloo and committed several years to working in the industry. Her Ph.D. research focused on the production of hydrogen using methane. After receiving her doctorate, Sinaki worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Akron before landing a position with CSU’s Washkewicz College of Engineering in 2017.

In addition, she earned the Most Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Faculty Member Award in 2018 and 2023.

Dr. Metin Uz

Dr. Metin Uz joined CSU in 2021 as a tenure track assistant professor in the Chemical and Biomedical Engineering department, focusing his research on biomaterials, flexible/piezo-electronics, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, drug/gene delivery and membrane separation applications. The main goal of his research program is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying material structure-property relationships, material-cell and cell-cell interactions to mimic tissue architectures, control cellular behavior and enable therapeutic treatments. In 2023, he was awarded a prestigious multi-year $2.3M National Institute of Health (NIH) R01-Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant that focuses on wireless mechanoelectrical stimulation of the pudendal nerve to address stress urinary incontinence in women — a condition affecting over half of pregnant women, many of whom continue to experience this condition throughout their life. In the same year, Uz was also awarded two consecutive National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, receiving a total of $700K additional external funding.

Uz received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Izmir Institute of Technology in Turkey in 2014. While earning his Ph.D., he received the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey International Research Fellowship, and jointly with Iowa State University, completed his Ph.D. studies focusing on the development of small interfering RNA delivery systems for ovarian cancer treatment. As his research continued, he focused on developing functional scaffold and stem cell-based therapies for large peripheral nerve injury treatment during his postdoctoral training at Iowa State University. His research efforts, publications and patents gained attention throughout the engineering world, were featured in several top-tier journals and recognized by different awards, such as Postdoctoral Scholar Research Excellence Award, Society for Biomaterials STAR Award, and Baxter Young Investigator Award.

Dr. Maryam Younessi Sinaki, Assistant Professor of Practice, Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Metin Uz, Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Innovative Minds Innovative Minds Innovative Minds

Dr. Hongkai Yu

While Dr. Hongkai Yu is the leading director of the Cleveland Vision and AI Lab, he is also a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Yu joined the CSU faculty in 2020. Before that, he was an assistant professor at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of South Carolina and also has degrees in Traffic Information Engineering and Control and Automation from Chang’an University.

Yu’s research efforts have garnered him several accolades: a book chapter, three patents and approximately 60 papers in conference proceedings and journals such as the Council on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), the International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV) and the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI).

Dr. Jingru Zhang

Dr. Zhang is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and has received a five-year, $495,537 Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The CAREER Program operates throughout the NSF, offering the Foundation’s most prestigious awards to support early-career faculty who can serve as academic role models in career and education.

With this award, Zhang’s research will focus on optimal locations of facilities to serve real-world demands while also being fault-tolerant and capable of safeguarding against failures. Discrete math, graph theory, combinational optimization, probability theory, operations research, computational geometry and data structures are just some of the research methodologies to be used.

“My research fills the research gap of CSU in theoretical computer science,” says Zhang.

Zhang comes to CSU from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she was a tenure-track assistant professor. She also taught at Marshall University and received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Utah State University. Dr.

Jingru Zhang, Assistant Professor, Computer Science

Dr. Hongkai Yu, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Industry.

CSU Launches New Construction Management program

As the job market continues to evolve, so must the training needed to secure those jobs. In that vein, Cleveland State University (CSU) is taking the necessary steps to prepare its engineering students for what’s to come.

The CSU Washkewicz College of Engineering’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department recently launched the new Construction Management program to prepare students for inevitable advances in the engineering work force.

Made possible through a partnership with the Construction Employers Association (CEA), this four-year degree program offers a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management (BSCM) and a mandatory co-op with industry. The BSCM is a 126-semester hour degree and will be offered in-person on the University’s campus.

“This collaboration aims to equip students with cuttingedge skills and knowledge, preparing them for successful careers in the construction industry. Together, we’re building a brighter future for the next generation of construction professionals”

— Tim Linville, CEO, Construction Employers Association

This new program, aimed at creating leaders for the construction industry, is under the direction of Dr. Salwa Beheiry, former professor of Civil Engineering at the American University of Sharjah, and currently Nexus Professor, director of the Project Delivery Institute @CSU and director of the Construction Management program.

“We are empowering the next generation of construction leaders. Our new program, built with industry collaboration and insight, equips professionals with the analytical skills and digital automation tools essential for driving innovation and solving real-world challenges,” said Beheiry.

The Construction Management program can be partnered with two-year associate degree programs at Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College and Lorain County Community College. We are also working on a multidisciplinary master’s degree in Program and Project Management at the college level, in collaboration with CSU’s Monte Ahuja College of Business, Levin College of Public Affairs and Education, College of Law, and the College of Arts and Sciences. We will reach out to professionals in NEO with accessible, stackable, credit and non-credit certificates and microcredentials, easily combined into an MS degree.

With a digital BIM lab established this spring, the BSCM curriculum will cover traditional construction management techniques in addition to essential exposure to sustainable development concepts, digital construction, modular construction techniques, and BIM technology.

“It’s exciting to have a construction management program at CSU,” said Tari Rivera, president of Regency Construction. “Salwa brings extensive experience to new programs in this field, and we look forward to her leading this program that can serve our industry with much needed co-ops and ultimately full-time employees.”

Jeffrey Herzog, president and co-founding partner of Nexus Engineering, and the initial donor to the Project Delivery Institute, further celebrates this major win for the Washkewicz College of Engineering.

“Congratulations on achieving the approval for the Construction Management program at CSU. This, along with the Project Delivery Institute, will mark CSU as a national leader in research, training and thinking in the construction management and project delivery professions.”

Top photo: Marianne Corrao, vice president and Jeff Herzog, president, co-founders Nexus Engineering Group, Inc.; Bottom left: Dr. Salwa Beheiry, Nexus professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Bottom right: Tari Rivera, president, Regency Construction

The city of Cleveland issued more than $3 billion in construction permits for 2024. City Hall reported recently that the construction activity last year was nearly twice the amount seen in 2023, and three times more that in 2019. CSU, a major contributor to NEO’s workforce development efforts, is preparing to fill the current and projected increase in need for construction leaders.

The initial $200,000 capital fundraising goal needed to launch the program was greatly exceeded — to the tune of $487,400.

Tony DiGeronimo, president of Precision Environmental, who spearheaded the fundraising campaign said, “I believe the Construction Management program is going to exponentially benefit our community as the constructors in the Cleveland area team with the academic offerings at CSU. We have the greatest varied group of contractors from scope of services to size that are all coming together to influence our future.”

There’s probably no one more pleased about the launch of this new program than Dean Richard Schoephoerster.

“We are very excited about this opportunity to partner with and have a significant impact on the construction and capital projects industry in Cleveland and the surrounding metro area. The Construction Employer’s Association came to us with a need for construction managers, and we responded by developing a bachelor’s degree program in collaboration with industry. During that process, we were overwhelmed by the interest and amount of support we received from our new industry partners. As we continued to discuss their needs, it became very apparent that more was needed to support the industry’s move into digitalization, sustainability, and improved project efficiency and effectiveness in delivery. From this input the idea for the establishment of the Project Delivery Institute @CSU was born. We look forward to continuing to partner with and support this industry and help to make Northeast Ohio a model for delivery of best-in-class capital projects.”

Top: Tony DiGeronimo, president, Precision Environmental; Bottom: Richard T. Schoephoerster Ph.D., dean of Washkewicz College of Engineering, Cleveland State University

Graduates with a BSCM degree will demonstrate leadership and communication skills, digital proficiency, and a thorough understanding of the management and control techniques necessary for different types of construction projects including buildings, heavy construction, and industrial construction.

“At Cleveland State, we are working hard to address the knowledge gaps that negatively impact industries in our region,” said University President Dr. Laura Bloomberg. “Successful construction management requires well-prepared leaders and skilled craftspeople who can address the many needs of this detailed work and guide teams to complete complex projects on time and on budget. Through our partnership with the Construction Employers Association, we are proud that Cleveland State University will be educating Northeast Ohio’s next generation of construction management professionals.”

For additional information on the Construction Management program, go to: engineering.csuohio.edu/civil/construction-management

Top: Laura Bloomberg, Ph.D., president of Cleveland State University; Bottom: Dr. Nigamanth Sridhar, provost of Cleveland State University

Senior Design 2024

We're excited to present this year’s Engineering Senior Design Symposium winners. While awards are always limited to a few, everyone who presented and exhibited is a winner in our eyes. Congratulations to all the student teams and entrepreneurs who participated. Thank you to the faculty, advisors, and industry mentors and sponsors. We could not have done it without your generosity, dedication, expertise and time commitment to our Washkewicz College of Engineering students.

First Place

Project Title: Farmbot to the MAX

Team Members: Justin Balmert, Devin White, Christianna Brewer, Faith Mancuso, Dillion Foster, Brodee Bocek, Saud Alazemi

Advisor: Katie Blodorn

Instructor: Sanchita Mal-Sarkar

Department: Computer Science

Industry Sponsor: CSU University

Recreation and Wellbeing

Second Place Third Place

Project Title: Autonomous Food Delivery Robot

Team Members: Carissa Templeton, Luke Palos, Ramandeep Arora, Connor Robertson, Alexis Marrero

Advisor: Shawn Payne

Instructor: Ihab Wattar

Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Industry Sponsor: McDonald’s — Tri-Arch, Inc.

Project Title: 2024 AICHE Project — Methanation Process Overview

Team Member: Seth Ayotte

Instructor: Chelsea Monty-Bromer

Department: Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

left to right: Dr. Chelsea Monty-Bromer and Dean Richard Schoephoerster

Pictured left to right: Saud Alazemi, Brodee Bocek, Christianna Brewer, Dillion Foster, Dr. Sanchita Mal-Sarkar and Dean Richard Schoephoerster

Pictured left to right: Luke Palos, Connor Robertson, Alexis Marrero, Carissa Templeton, Ramandeep Arora, and Dean Richard Schoephoerster

Pictured

2024 Honorable Mentions

Student Led

Project Title: 24 Hours of Lemons

Team Members: Markus Simičak, Brian Elliott, Joshua Langin

Instructor: Michael Gallagher

Department: Mechanical Engineering

Industry/Faculty Led Competition

Project Title: Automated Hydroponic System

Team Members: Karan Patel, Trinity Robinson, Cody Dannels, Nick Hopper, Christopher Zollos, Ziad Alharbi

Advisor: Marzell Brown

Instructor: Toufik Aidja

Department: Engineering Technology

Industry Sponsor: Rockwell Automation

Project Title: ASCE Student Steel Bridge Design Competition

Team Members: Michael Roach, Dalton Evans, Elijah Haller, Bradley Koblin

Instructor: Kelly Marton

Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering

SPONSORS

2Swift Boards

ABEDA Group

Arizona State University and Nasa Psyche

CSU EMDiS

COMPETITIONS

AIChE ChemE Car Competition

ASCE Eastern Great Lakes Symposium

ASCE Timber-Strong Design Build Competition

SAE BAJA

CSU University Recreation and Wellbeing

CTI Corporation

FirstEnergy

Great Lakes Science Center

ChemE Car

FIERF Forging Competition

Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge

Ohio Contractors Association

Solar District Cup 2024

Holistic Engineering Inc.

Integrated Mill Systems

M2DCON

McDonald’s — Tri-Arch, Inc.

NASA Glenn Research Center

National Safety Apparel

Parker Hannifin Corp

Rockwell Automation

Safran

The Sherwin-Williams Company

CIVIL ENGINEERING SPONSORS

City of Wooster

RE Warner

Great Lakes Construction

Barber & Hoffman

CT Consultants

TTR Engineers

Bike Cleveland

Jones & Henry

Avon Lake Regional Water

Fabrizi Trucking & Paving Co.

Pictured left to right: Michael Gallagher, Brian Elliot, Markus Simicak, Joshua Langin and Dean Richard Schoephoerster

Pictured left to right: Christopher Zollos, Toufik Aidja, Karan Patel, Cody Dannels and Dean Richard Schoephoerster

Pictured left to right: Kelly Marton, Bradley Koblin, Michael Roach, Dalton Evans, Elijah Haller and Dean Richard Schoephoerster

Insights from the Cleveland Innovation District

Cleveland State University STEM/CS Graduates: 94% find professional employment or pursue graduate education

Cleveland State University has endeavored to determine the employment status of all the graduates from the STEM/CS programs specified in the Cleveland Innovation District project within six months of their graduation. The methods include surveys of students immediately prior to their graduation, locating graduates on LinkedIn, Optional Practical Training (OPT) applications for international students, and text, phone calls and emails to individual students.

A total of 286 students graduated in December 2023 from the JobsOhio-targeted STEM/CS programs, at the bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. levels, an 18% increase from December 2022. We were able to gather information from 88% of these students. Of the students who responded, 91% found professional employment related to their field of study, indicating that the demand for graduates with these STEM/CS degrees remains strong. Only 3% of the respondents are continuing their education, and the final 6% consists of graduates who are still seeking employment in their field. These results are like those of the previous year. About 78%

of domestic students stay in Ohio for post-graduation employment, a number that is consistent with previous years and across all the programs at CSU. While only 11% of international students stay in Ohio after graduation, this still results in a gain of 20 graduates, mostly from computer science and information systems to the Ohio technical workforce.

The number of graduates in December is especially dominated by graduates from the master’s programs in Information Systems and Computer Science. Traditionally, this group has a very low rate of pursuit of additional higher education (0.5%). In contrast, 22% of life science graduates are pursuing higher education.

A total of 177 different organizations hired our graduates. The top five destinations after Ohio (44 companies) are Texas (30 companies), New Jersey (13 companies), North Carolina (13 companies), California (11 companies) and Illinois (8 companies).

Fenn Co-op program

Fenn Co-op Program and Career Fairs Continue to Show Success

The Fenn Co-op program at Cleveland State University has reported the placement of 135 students across 115 companies during the summer 2023, fall 2023 and spring 2024 terms. In summer 2023, 93 students were placed in 78 different companies, making it the most active in terms of placements. The fall 2023 term saw 17 students secure positions in 16 companies, while spring 2024 had 25 students placed in 21 companies.

In addition to these placements, the program also facilitated two significant Engineering and Computer Science Connections Fairs. The fall 2023 fair, held on Sept. 29, 2023, attracted 180 companies and had a strong turnout of 1,068 students. The spring 2024 fair on Feb. 22, 2024 drew 138 companies and 1,055 students.

These fairs provide valuable networking opportunities for students, connecting them with potential employers and helping them secure co-op and internship positions. The consistent participation of both companies and students in these events highlights the program’s effectiveness in fostering industry connections and preparing students for professional success in engineering and computer science fields. The Fenn Co-op program continues to play a critical role in enhancing the employability of its students, reflected in the robust placement numbers and strong engagement at career fairs.

ESS Scholars

Engineering Diversity Programs

The Engineering Student Success (ESS) Scholars program of the Washkewicz College of Engineering is designed to support underrepresented students pursuing engineering, computer science and technology degrees. In the 2023−2024 academic year, the sixth cohort was welcomed for a total of 67 students participating this year.

The scholars engaged in workshops focused on job negotiations, dining etiquette, micro internships, applying for government jobs, the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam and job search strategies. Additionally, the Scholars had the privilege of meeting Dr. Julian Earls, retired director at NASA Glenn Research Center and former executive-inresidence at Cleveland State University, and visited Parker Hannifin for an industry visit during our Spring Reunion. The Lunch and Learn sessions have been very successful! We invited six companies to speak to our students about co-op and internship opportunities at their respective companies. Also, the Diversity in Engineering Networking Event was a success with 22 companies registered and over 90 students in attendance.

This past August, the program welcomed 22 new students in our seventh cohort. This year, scholars will engage in workshops that will discuss elevator pitches, networking and business etiquette, to name a few. To date, the Engineering Student Success has 36 students who have graduated and are gainfully employed or pursing master’s degrees.

The Women’s Network — Focus of the Cleveland Foundation Grant

The Women’s Network (TWN) is a support group for all women engineering, computer science and engineering technology students in the Washkewicz College of Engineering. This group was formed with members of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Women In Engineering (IEEE/WIE), Phi Sigma Rho (Engineering Sorority), the Women of SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), and the Women of NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers).

TWN was formed to promote an equitable and productive academic environment that allows women to reach their full potential. The goals of TWN are as follows:

• Recruit women into the Washkewicz College of Engineering

• Retain and graduate female undergraduate and graduate students

• Form strategic partnerships and mentoring opportunities between TWN, the women in the student organizations, alumnae and industry

• Promote leadership and career development

• Develop and empower highly qualified and professionally responsible women engineers

As part of the recruitment effort for the college, TWN was involved in summer camps including Math Corps, Quantum Computing Camp, Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers Program Camp, ASPIRE Program, and WEB Corps. We introduced middle and high school students to the Washkewicz College of Engineering, all the disciplines of engineering and other STEM fields.

Sherwin-Williams/ESS Scholars Learning Community

The Sherwin-Williams Learning Community will build a sense of group identity, cohesiveness and uniqueness; it will encourage continuity and the integration of diverse curricular and co-curricular experiences; and will counteract the isolation that some students experience.

Students in the Sherwin-Williams Learning Community will share classes, co-curricular activities and experiences that allow them to explore and prepare for careers in the corporate world. For example, Sherwin-Williams could host a career day that introduces students to the engineering, computer science and data science roles at the company’s downtown headquarters or research facility. There are 65 scholars participating in the Sherwin-Williams/ESS Scholars Living Learning Community in the 2024−2025 academic year.

ESS Scholars at the October 2024 Diversity In Engineering Networking event.

Fenn Academy

Innovative Programs and Daily Engagement

Propel Fenn Academy's 15.2% Increase in New Undergraduate Engineering Enrollment

Fall 2024 New Undergraduate Student Enrollment Increase

Fall 2024 new freshmen enrollment is up 15.2% vs. fall 2023. Fall 2024 new transfer admits are up 5.2% vs. fall 2023.

High School Visits

To enhance engineering outreach, the Fenn Academy visited advanced physics and advanced chemistry and engineering classes at 40 high schools and community colleges in the 2023−24 academic year with an engaging presentation designed to raise awareness of engineering and computer science majors and careers. These presentations to many thousands of highachieving, qualified students also builds strong relationships with math and science teachers in our region and are the primary driver of campus visits and applicants.

Daily College Visits

The backbone of Fenn Academy student recruitment, Fenn Academy staff offer daily lab tours and College of Engineering overviews at 11:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. at the conclusion of the admissions campus tours. Over 400 families formally visited the college during our weekday individual appointments in this past academic year. Additionally, Fenn Academy staff support all admissions campus visit events including but not limited to Summer, Fall and Spring Campus Visit Days, Transfer Visit Days and New Student Orientations, which brought hundreds of prospective students through our laboratory facilities to be recruited to our college. Daily visits are the primary driver for the large enrollment increase of new undergraduate engineering students.

Hosting high school and community groups to the College of Engineering and CSU campus

Thirteen high school and community groups visited the college during in the 2023−24 academic year to spend a half day within the college to see first-hand demonstrations of engineering and computer science majors. Most groups also took a CSU campus tour and had lunch on campus in the Viking Marketplace. Nine summer camp groups visited the college’s labs as part of their camp experience.

BEST Medicine

Northeast Ohio’s premier engineering fair devoted exclusively to students interested in exploring biomedical engineering, brings together the most talented and innovative students to interact with each other and with leaders in medical device research and development. This event took place in April 2024. BEST Medicine can be accessed at: engineering.csuohio.edu/bestmedicine

Hyland STEM Institute

Hyland STEM Institute is a partnership between Hyland Software and the Fenn Academy that utilizes problembased learning units to highlight mathematics across five different engineering fields over five days. This program focused on engaging students’ interest using real-world applications in math and engineering while providing high-quality math instruction. The Hyland STEM Institute is focused on increasing interest, persistence and success in high school math among first-generation, low-income, female and underrepresented students. Fifteen students participated in the institute in June 2024.

Those interested in enrolling in the next Hyland camp should register at: csuengineering.formstack.com/forms/ hyland_stem_institute

Engineer for a Day

In partnership with the Cleveland Engineering Society and the Fenn Co-op program, the Fenn Academy coordinated an Engineer for a Day job shadowing program for 10−12 grades on February 21, 2024. This event enabled students to meet local engineers from over 20 host companies and experience various engineering fields first-hand. All program participants toured the Washkewicz College of Engineering prior to the shadow experience.

Biomechanics Day and Data Science Day

In March 2024, the Fenn Academy hosted the first Data Science Day at CSU, and in April it hosted Biomechanics Day, inviting motivated students to learn more about biomechanics. Speakers included a 2021 Olympian, the Cleveland Browns’ head trainer and strength coach, CSU doctoral students and faculty, and CSU industry partners.

11 new Integrated degree programs

to Equip Students to Lead in an Evolving Workforce

Cleveland State University (CSU) is proud to be the first institution of higher education in Northeast Ohio to offer 11 new integrated degrees designed to empower undergraduate students with the skills, versatility and adaptability they need to work at the intersection of multiple disciplines or fields. Six of the integrated programs include engineering majors.

These degree programs, which have been approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, are neither dual degrees nor double majors. Rather, they are true integrated degrees that will equip students with the multidisciplinary skills required to lead and excel in an ever-evolving workforce. They include:

Bachelor of Arts Integrated Degrees:

• Design + Psychology

• English + Computer Science

• Journalism + Criminology

• Journalism + Sociology

• Mathematics/Statistics + Economics

Bachelor of Science Integrated Degrees:

• Computer Science + Design

• Computer Science + Music

• Electrical Engineering + Computer Science

• Mechanical Engineering + Electrical Engineering

• Physics + Computer Science

• Psychology + Criminology

In addition to these integrated degrees, the University is introducing a new Inquiry Core Curriculum so that students entering CSU will learn how to explore probing questions, examine their own big ideas and dig into specific interests from day one of their college career.

The Inquiry Core will replace Cleveland State's current general education curriculum.

“We are CSU, and we are excited to be at the forefront of developing academic programs that both address the evolving needs of the workforce and redefine the future of education for our students,” said CSU Provost and Senior Vice President Nigamanth Sridhar, Ph.D. “No other institution in the region offers this pathway to success. Our integrated degree programs embody our commitment to ensuring our graduates are not just prepared for the changing nature of work, but also empowered to lead and innovate in their careers.’”

For more information on Cleveland State’s new integrated degree programs, visit csuohio.edu/integrated-degrees .

Building the Future:

Dr. Salwa Beheiry Leads New Construction Management program and Project Delivery Institute @CSU

At Washkewicz College of Engineering, we are excited to introduce Dr. Salwa Beheiry, who joins our Civil and Environmental Engineering department as the Nexus professor and director of our newly formed Construction Management program and Project Delivery Institute @CSU. With a career in industry and education spanning three decades and a deep commitment to sustainable development, Beheiry brings unparalleled expertise in sustainable construction and construction economics, program and portfolio management, and educational innovation. Her arrival marks a significant milestone in our efforts to build forward-thinking construction and project leadership programs that prepare students to meet the demands of our industry.

Beheiry holds a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction and Management from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, a Master of Science

in Project Management from the George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering — Construction Engineering and Project Management from the University of Texas at Austin.

She served as both professor of Civil Engineering and Sustainable Construction Project Management Ph.D. track lead in the Engineering Systems Management program at the American University of Sharjah (AUS). Beheiry also served as associate dean for undergraduate affairs at AUS' College of Engineering. Prior to joining AUS, she worked with two prominent U.S. organizations — in oil and petrochemical consulting as a project analyst/consultant with Independent Project Analysis Inc. (IPA) in Ashburn, Virginia, and as a doctoral fellow with the Benchmarking and Metrics group at the Construction Industry Institute (CII), in Austin, Texas.

Beheiry’s exceptional record in sustainable construction started with pioneering research at UT Austin in the early 2000s that explores the impact of organizational commitment to sustainable development maxims on project and program execution and the ultimate bottom-line economic performance. Her dissertation introduced the holistic systems approach, emphasizing the synergies between the business, social and environmental parameters in the green formulae, and this work laid the foundation for her career. She has since become a recognized leader in her field.

Beheiry is known for her ability to create and innovate academic programs. Prior to joining Washkewicz, she led and co-led the creation and accreditation of several academic curricula, tracks and programs. Most notably, she spearheaded the development of the Sustainable Construction Project Management

Ph.D. track and co-led the creation of a master’s program in Construction Management and a Bachelor of Science in Digital Construction Engineering and Management.

Engineering Society), and the Women in STEAM Student Association (WISSA) for graduate and undergraduate mentorship programs. Through her guidance, she has empowered countless graduate and undergraduate students, particularly women, to excel in traditionally male-dominated fields.

As director of the Construction Management program at Washkewicz, Beheiry will continue her mission to integrate sustainable development and leadership skills in engineering and management curricula. Under her leadership, the program will blend the latest digital tools with sustainable practices to ensure students are well-equipped for the evolving demands of the industry. Her expertise will also be central to the development of the new Project Delivery Institute @CSU, which aims to provide a platform for frontline and avant-garde multidisciplinary research, training and collaboration opportunities for students and industry professionals alike.

Her contributions to academia are not limited to program development. Beheiry has a proven administrative record of leading initiatives in an associate dean capacity and engaging students through innovative programs. At AUS, she led the establishment of the first international and UAE chapters of prestigious engineering honors societies like Tau Beta Pi (TBP), other discipline-based honor societies, the establishment of the Association of Women Engineers (SWE, and the IEEE Women in

Beheiry’s arrival at Washkewicz College of Engineering comes at a pivotal time. Her vision aligns perfectly with the mission of the college, and we are excited to see the impact she will have on our students, the college and the broader engineering community. With Beheiry’s expertise and leadership, Washkewicz College of Engineering is poised to become a leader in sustainable construction and project and program management education. Her forward-thinking approach to engineering, combined with a passion for sustainability, will shape the future of the Construction Management program and the Project Delivery Institute @CSU. We look forward to the innovative solutions, groundbreaking research and impactful leadership she will bring to our college.

Dr. Beheiry’s legacy of excellence is just beginning at Washkewicz, and we are honored to have her as part of our community.

Dr. Rebecca Odom-Bartel

Joins Computer Science Faculty

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Rebecca Odom-Bartel via a courtesy appointment to the Department of Computer Science (CS),” said Dr. George Chatzimavroudis, interim chair of CS and associate dean of the college. Odom-Bartel is an assistant professor in the Levin College of Public Affairs and Education (CPAE), School of Education and Counseling. She was the founding director for the Center for Computing Education and Instruction upon its inception within CPAE and now is the research and content lead upon the Center’s move to the vice provost’s Office of Instructional Excellence.

Her research interests include computer science education, pre-service education, research practitioner partnerships, mixed-methods research, and computer science in secondary education. “Computer science is more than learning lines of code. It's about understanding computer complexity and efficiency, relating that to the current world and how it can be used to improve and spur creativity. My job is to get students interested in these concepts and to see themselves situated in this environment. To do that I have to meet the learners where they are and understand how to bridge the knowledge gap.”

Odom-Bartel earned her Ph.D. in Instructional Leadership from the University of Alabama and has spent the last 10 years working to advance computer science education in K–12 and college-level settings. Her experience is both in college and secondary education classrooms teaching programming, web design, CS methods, robotics, computer science, instructional technology, research methods and teacher education.

Odom-Bartel's research is tied closely to her passion for CS education and she has worked on multiple NSF (National Science Foundation) CS4ALL, iTEST, and DOE (Department of Energy) EIR grants focusing on building pathways for preservice and in-service teachers to become confident and strong CS teachers. Additionally, she works closely with several organizations and educational institutions to assist in the development of equitable and inclusive methods of teaching and sharing CS curriculum to high school and college students.

She has been active in several research grants including:

NSF CSforAll

Title: The Cleveland Tech Talent Pipeline (CLE TTP) Amount: $1,999,998 Period: 11/1/2020–10/31/25

NSF CSforAll

Title: Expanding a Statewide Pathway for CS Teacher Certification: A Curriculum Model for Secondary Education Teacher Candidates

NSF iTest

Title: Expanding the Legacy: Preparing Black Young Women for AP Computer Science Principles Amount: $3,499,99; CSU Award: $640,504

U.S. Department of Education

Title: Pathways for Alabama Computer Science (PACS) Amount: $3,969,916 Period: 10/1/20–9/31/24

Role: PI (Former PI Debbie Jackson) (with Brian Harper and Chansu Yu)

Amount: $978,930

Period: 10/1/21–9/30/24

Role: Co-PI (with Jeremy Zelkowski and Jeff Gray)

Period: 5/15/24–4/15/28

Role: PI for CSU (with Chansu Yu); Co-PI for Overall (with Jeff Gray, Mohammed Quazi, Raveej Swami, Shelli Hollis, and Jacqueline Jackson)

Role: Leadership Team at UA (with Jeremy Zelkowski and Jeff Gray; Alabama State Department of Education as prime)

Her current professional affiliations include the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACN), the Association for Computing Machinery and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA).

Prestigious NIH R01 Awards

2 2 new or renewed with Cleveland Clinic and Akron Childrens Hospital RESEARCH AGREEMENTS

focusing on 3D-printed dental implants and nerve stimulations for addressing urinary incontinence

2 2

6

issued to Civil and Environmental Engineering *Ohio Department of Transportation ODOT * Awards

MONTE AHUJA GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS received annually

26.5% research expenditure increase in mechanical engineering over the past year 45% 200 200 $100K+ $ 100K+

graduate student contracts in engineering annually

3 33 Engineering Departments

participating in multimillion dollar initiatives on “Developing Modeling and Simulation-Based Multidisciplinary Learning Environment for Urban Universities” research expenditure increase overall since 2021

Recently funded external research grants to the Washkewicz College of Engineering

Tushar Borkar Wins Multiple Large Grants for Additive Manufacturing

Dr. Tushar Borkar, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded two grants totaling more than $2.5 million for research and development of additive manufacturing (AM) methods via America Makes through its Improvements in Manufacturing Productivity via Additive Capabilities and Techno-Economic Analysis (IMPACT) program.

New NIH R01 Grant to Improve Dental Implant Technology

Dr. Prabaha Sikder, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Title: Multi-functional 3D Printed Dental Implants for Preventing Peri-implantitis

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health Award Period: 08/01/2024−05/31/2029

Total Anticipated Award: $3,225,149

The IMPACT program is focused on promoting and accelerating the development and deployment of innovative, cost-effective, energy-efficient additive manufacturing technologies to meet defense and/or commercial needs. Borkar’s grants will focus on the application of Directed Energy Deposition (a method for 3D printing of metals) to tooling used by the forging industry and will engage postdoc, graduate and undergraduate students.

The first grant, “Evaluation of Forging Preforms Fabricated via Additive Manufacturing Processes” with federal funding of $1,835,781, will involve assessing technology and manufacturing readiness levels of metal AM processes for forging preform manufacturing and preform selection and design. In addition, the research team will perform AM fabrication of forging preforms and characterization of the preforms' microstructure, mechanical properties and performance.

For the second grant, “DED Additive Manufacturing for Forging Die Repair,” Borkar will work with industry partners Canton Drop Forge, Absolute Welding and Machining, FasTech LLC and the Forging Industry Association (FIA) to assess the use of directed energy deposition (DED) methods of additive manufacturing of metals to repair forging dies, which are extremely expensive to manufacture. This grant is funded $750,000 over two years.

Dr. Prabaha Sikder has received $3.2 million in funding over five years from the National Institutes of Health via the R01 mechanism. The research focuses on developing a unique multi-functional 3D printed dental implant that will effectively minimize peri-implantitis, i.e., dental implantrelated infection incidences for patients needing artificial teeth. This unique infection-resistant and bioactive dental implant can also be tailored according to patient defects and will relieve patients from the aftermaths of infections, such as surgical pain, repeated clinic visits for treatment, prolonged recovery time, reliability on antibiotics and added therapy costs. With much of Sikder’s research, the new technology is targeted for translation out of the lab and into practice. This work will be performed in collaboration with world-class engineers and renowned scientists Dr. Marco C. Bottino at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and Dr. Lukasz Witek at New York University School of Dentistry.

In addition, Dr. Sikder was awarded a second grant for his proposal “Bioengineering of Customized Exosomes as a Cell-free Therapy for Volumetric Muscle Loss Injuries,” also sponsored by the National Institutes of Health via a R03 mechanism, in the amount $148,500 for the period 08/01/2024–07/31/2026. This project focuses on developing an innovative extracellular vesicle-based therapy for treating traumatic muscle injuries such as volumetric muscle loss.

Department of Energy Supports Centrifugal Reverse Osmosis Research

Dr. Mustafa Usta, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Title: Off-grid Tidal Turbine-driven Centrifugal Reverse Osmosis System

Prime Sponsor: Department of Energy

Award Period: 03/01/2024−02/28/2026

Total Anticipated Award: $234,527

This award is to develop a water desalination system powered by tides. Usta joins a team led by the State University of New York at Binghamton that also includes Lehigh University researchers on the project. The team will design, fabricate and test lab-scale components of the proposed Centrifugal Reverse Osmosis (CRO) system.

Sherwin-Williams Supports CSU Students Learning Community

Dr. Susan Carver, Assistant Dean

Title: Sherwin-Williams Learning Communities: Partnering to Build Future Talent

Sponsor: JobsOhio

Award Period: 07/01/2024−06/30/2025

Total Anticipated Award: $117,000

The Sherwin-Williams Learning Communities initiative, funded through JobsOhio on behalf of Sherwin-Williams, aims to develop a pipeline of talent in Northeast Ohio by equipping business, engineering and chemistry students with essential 21 st century skills. Phase II, launched in 2024, expanded the program to include Engineering Student Success Scholars (ESS) and establish CSU’s first learning community for chemistry students. The ESS program focuses on supporting underrepresented minorities in engineering and computer science through scholarships, academic enrichment and professional development, ensuring student success from entry to graduation. Similarly, the chemistry learning community will target and recruit underrepresented students into the field. The budget will fund staff, student scholarships, laptops and program resources for two academic years, fostering workforce readiness and enhancing the region's talent pool for Sherwin-Williams and other employers.

U.S. Department of Transportation Grant Supports Study to Enhance Infrastructure in Rural Communities

Dr. Emmanuel Kidando, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Title: Rural Equitable and Accessible Transportation (REAT)

Prime Sponsor: U.S. Department of Transportation

Co-PIs: Josiah Sam Owusu-Danquah; Lutful I Khan Award Period: 06/01/2023−12/31/2025

Total Anticipated Award: $594,597

The REAT Center focuses on addressing the unique needs of vulnerable populations within rural communities, including the elderly, individuals with disabilities, economically disadvantaged persons and minorities. These groups often face significant barriers in accessing safe, efficient and equitable transportation systems. The Center aims to enhance their mobility and safety through innovative solutions tailored to the specific challenges of rural multimodal transportation. By improving infrastructure design, planning and funding practices, the Center seeks to ensure that these populations are not left behind in the push for modernization and connectivity.

Earn and Learn Grant Will Develop a New Model of Education at CSU

Dr. Richard T. Schoephoerster, Dean and Professor

Title: Building an Earn and Learn Model at CSU

Sponsor: Fenn Educational Fund

Award Period: 08/01/2024−07/31/2026

Total Anticipated Award: $250,000

Cleveland State University (CSU) proposes creating Ohio’s first earn-and-learn model at a four-year university, enhancing work-integrated learning to benefit students and local employers. This interdisciplinary program will integrate the arts, sciences and engineering, expanding upon similar models at community colleges like Lorain County Community College. With the requested funding, CSU plans to hire two staff members to lead employer engagement and student recruitment during the 2024−2026 period. Students will be recruited at the end of their freshman year, with work opportunities beginning the summer after sophomore year. The program aims to align CSU’s curriculum with workforce needs, fostering partnerships with local businesses. It will also include career development support, such as business etiquette workshops and professional headshots, ensuring students succeed in professional settings. This initiative builds on CSU’s long-standing commitment to work-integrated learning, supporting Cleveland’s economic growth and workforce development priorities.

Removing Barriers for the Bachelor of Computer Science Program Focus of Curriculum Review

Dr. George Chatzimavroudis, Associate Dean, Interim Chair, Computer Science

Title: Modification of the Curriculum of the BSCS Program

Sponsor: Northeastern University Center for Inclusive Computing

Prime Sponsor: Pivotal Ventures

Co-PI: Richard Schoephoerster

Award Period: 07/01/2024−06/30/2026

Amount Awarded: $350,469

The purpose of this project is to identify reasons that contribute to the increasing complexity of the curriculum of the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program, and develop and implement a plan to reduce this complexity. The aim is to improve the inclusivity of the program and increase the number of female students and students from underrepresented groups. Revising the prerequisite courses, reducing the number of the mandatory core computer science courses, better aligning the first three core courses of the program, and even developing a new Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science degree program are actions that will be examined to achieve the objective. This initiative aims at further improving the student recruitment and retention rate in the computer science program.

Recently funded external research grants to the Washkewicz College of Engineering

ODOT

Awards CSU

Grant

for Developing IoT-Enabled Drones for Air Quality Monitoring

Dr. Mehdi Rahmati, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Title: Intelligent 3D Air Quality Monitoring

Using Swarm UAVs

Sponsor: Ohio Department of Transportation

Co-PIs: Emmanuel Kidando; Josiah Sam Owusu-Danquah

Award Period: 04/02/2024−04/02/2025

Total Anticipated Award: $100,000

This research aims to develop and test a novel data acquisition system using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of capturing pollutants in three dimensions during highway construction and maintenance. The system will be designed such that 3D real-time data is collected and artificial intelligence solutions are applied to the UAVs, ensuring the meaningfulness of their trajectory and, consequently, the accuracy and reliability of the data obtained. The research will incorporate cutting-edge communication and connectivity technologies to facilitate seamless and efficient real-time data transmission from the sensors on UAVs to the designated data repository. The project will create a user-friendly and comprehensive dashboard that will not only receive and store the emissions data but also provide a detailed and accessible representation of the collected information. This dashboard will enable stakeholders, including ODOT, to monitor and analyze greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and key pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) on construction sites.

Dr. Maryam Younessi Sinaki Wins Department of Energy Grant

Dr. Maryam Younessi Sinaki, Associate Professor of Practice, Mechanical Engineering

Title: Kinetic Modeling of the Thermocatalytic Decomposition of Methane in a Plasma-Heated Fluidized Bed Reactor

Sponsor: Department of Energy

Award Period: 09/01/2024–08/31/2026

Total Anticipated Award: $149,999

The objective of this project is to develop a numerical model for thermocatalytic methane decomposition in a plasma heated reactor. The proposed work will be carried out in collaboration with the Princeton Collaborative Research Facility at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The decomposition process is an attractive method for hydrogen production with the potential to produce carbon nanotubes. However, this way of producing hydrogen has not been commercialized due to various problems (such as catalyst deactivation and reactor clogging). The proposed model will attempt to find solutions to these problems. The model should be able to predict not only hydrogen production as the main product, but also the formation and growth of carbon particles. The proposed multi-physics numerical model is a cost-effective method to achieve this goal, accounting for the flow in the fluid bed, plasma heating effects, the effects of the catalyst and its surface, etc. The model will be validated against experimental data for carbon production, the blockage of surfaces, etc. The proposed model should provide an inexpensive way to investigate different solutions for the technology while investigating the performance of the plasma heated reactor for hydrogen production.

NSF Awards Grant to Increase the Number of Computer Science Integrated Degree Programs at CSU

Dr. George Chatzimavroudis, Associate Dean, Interim Chair, Computer Science

Title: CUE-T: A Study of the Creation of Interdisciplinary Computing Majors — Their Implementation Impact on Broadening Participation in Computing at 10 Public Universities

Sponsor: National Science Foundation (through Northeastern University)

Co-PI: Sathish Kumar

Award Period: 12/01/2024−11/30/2027

Amount Awarded: $149,998 (CSU’s portion)

This project will lead to the development of integrated degree programs between Computer Science (CS) and other disciplines in the University (called CS+X degree programs). Each of these CS+X programs will be a combined major, not a dual major. This means that the student will pursue a bachelor’s degree in the new CS+X major which combines courses in CS, courses in the existing X discipline and courses in other areas, which will enhance the student’s educational experience. This initiative will allow students who might otherwise not be interested in a pure bachelor’s in CS or in a pure bachelor’s in X to identify new areas of study and become greatly in demand in a changing world. Faculty from the Department of Computer Science will work with faculty from other CSU departments to develop such degree programs. This project aims at improving student recruitment and retention rates, as well as the inclusivity of CSU’s programs of study.

Thank You

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the 337 donors, who contributed $2,339,961.75 in gifts and pledges during Fiscal Year 2024 (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024). This reflects a remarkable 19% increase in the number of donors and a 106% increase in the total amount of gifts and pledges.

$500,000+

Nexus Engineering Group LLC

$100,000–$499,999

Edward R. Addicott*

JobsOhio

Parker Hannifin Foundation

The Sherwin-Williams Company Inc.

Michael and Amy L. Sturdevant

$50,000–$99,999

Construction Employers Association-AGC of Ohio, Cleveland Division

Donley’s Inc.

Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio

Fenn Educational Fund at The Cleveland Foundation

Hyland Software, Inc.

Kuttler Machine Inc.

Robert W. Lyczkowski

$25,000–$49,999

Independence Construction Independence Excavating Lubrizol Corporation

Charles J. and Patricia J. Mintz

Neil and Linda Rothman

$10,000–$24,999

Ben and Anne Ali

Chia Fan Foundation

Corcoran Tile & Marble, Inc.

Ms. Marianne Carmella Corrao

Mr. Trevor and Ms. Morgen Cost

Mr. James D. Heckelman

Mr. Gary E. Kader

Mrs. Lois E. McFarland

George and Linda Palko

Mr. Ronald C. Pasadyn

Royal Landscape Gardening, Inc.

Shook Construction Co.

The Albert M. Higley Co.

Turner Construction Company

$5,000–$9,999

Mr. Jack S. Aten

Cleveland Building Trades Foundation

Mr. Anthony M. DiGeronimo

Glazing Contractors Assoc. of Northeast Ohio

Guardians of Honor LLC

Hatzel & Buehler, Inc.

Mason Contractors Association of America

Mr. Joseph Masters

National Safety Apparel

Precision Environmental Company

Precision Fund

R. E. Warner & Associates

Regency Construction Services, Inc.

Mr. John W. Robertson, Jr.

Steel & Iron Contractors

Tri-Arch 8, Inc.

Warren Roofing & Insulating Co.

Welser Profile

$2,500–$4,999

Mr. Gary Acosta

Mary Jo Chionchio

Barber & Hoffman, Inc.

Ms. Marianne Carmella Corrao

Ms. Amarah M. Davis

The Honorable Patricia A. Hemann* and Dr. John H. Hemann

Mr. Ward L. Kinney

Mr. Daniel John Lee

Marous Brothers Construction

Robert Y. and Anna B. Simek Endowment

Rockwell Automation, Inc.

The Bolton Pratt Company

$1,000–$2,499

Arizona State University

Cleveland Building Restoration

FirstEnergy Corporation

Forest City Erectors, Inc.

Integrated Mill Systems

International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE)

Mr. Daniel John Lee

Marous Brothers Construction

Mr. James Mirgliotta

Municipal Engineers Assoc. Northeast Ohio

North Coast Concrete, Inc.

Safran Electrical & Power

SMACNA Cleveland

Mr. John William Struble, III and Ms. Amy Struble

T. H. Martin Inc.

The NRP Group

Mr. John and Marta Zamiska

Mr. Griffin M. Allen and Ms. Nancy L. Hancock Griffith

American Online Giving Foundation, Inc.

American Society of Civil Engineers

Mr. Kenneth J. Barina

Mr. John W. Beadle

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald A. Bender, PE

Mr. Terrence Carroll

Mr. Ronald C. Cull

Mr. James Brandon Davis

Mr. Robert J. Demchak

Euthenics, Inc.

Mr. Michael S. Galgoczy

Great Lakes Construction Company Inc.

Mr. George C. Hadden

Mr. Richard J. Jeschelnig

Lakeland Electric, Inc.

Mr. Joseph LaMantia

Mr. Robert J. Maas

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC

Timothy and Bridget O'Callahan

P & P Valley View Holdings Inc.

Mr. Robert Parker

Mr. Christopher J. Pestak

Mr. Alan Piatak

PPG Industries Foundation

Mr. Richard J. Saccany

Samuel Wolpert Fund

Dr. Richard T. Schoephoerster

Mr. Vivek Shivananda

Mr. Joseph G. Spagnuolo

Mark Edward Stahl, Ph.D.

Mr. Mark K. Stevens

The Krill Co Inc

Total Roofing Services, LLC

Mr. and Mrs. John E. Trendell

Ullman Electric

Mr. Robert J. Vagi

Mr. Christopher J. Westbrook

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon P. Wetzel

Mr. Ray F. Zucker, Jr. and Ms. Diane E. Zucker

Mr. Terrence V. Zuk

$500-$999

Adrian Maldonado & Associates, Inc.

American Institute of Steel Construction

Mr. Robert A. Bauer

Dr. Joanne M. Belovich

Black & Decker Corporation

Mr. Jeffrey Deeney

Mr. Howard P. Frain

Mr. Gregory Allen Freeh

Mr. Thomas Clement Fuerst Google, Inc.

Ms. Victoria L. Hoover

Mr. Frederick K. Hussein

Mr. Herman Leo Jachnick

Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Jankowski

Ms. Linda Juhasz

Mr. Michael L. Kocevar

Mr. and Mrs. John N. Lightfoot

Mr. Bengt Luotonen

Dave Lupyan

MediTouch USA

Ms. Stephanie Melnyk

Padua Franciscan High School

Mr. Shahrokh Parhizgar

Mr. James F. Reagan

Richard J. Schindler, P.E.*

Mrs. Marilyn P. Schroeder

Mr. Anthony Siracusa

Dr. Yongxin Tao

Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Weinberg

Dr. Weidong Xiong