UMass Dartmouth COE-Summer Newsletter 2023

Local impact, global challenges

Dean’s Message Local impact, global challenges

Our College of Engineering students are athletes, advocates, veterans, scholars, discoverers, and change-makers. They are diverse, generous, curious, bold, and creative. They are scientists and engineers, and so much more.

Students in the College of Engineering achieve academic and career success while enjoying a full, multifaceted college experience. They emerge prepared to take on challenges at a local and global level. In this newsle er, I am pleased to share with you stories of how our students and faculty contribute to the improvement of our community and our world.

As I have shared with many of our supporters and employers, the UMass Dartmouth College of Engineering is vital to the economy of New England. While delivering an excellent education is our top priority, it is equally important to develop future citizens who have excellent science and engineering skills and understand the importance of community engagement. For example, our recent graduate Alexa Van Voorhis completed research that contributed to advancing renewable energy resources for our region. Her leadership brought diverse groups of students together to build a stronger engineering community, and her athletic skills earned her Li le East Conference Runner of the Year. Read on to learn more about Alexa.

I continue to be inspired by our faculty and their commitment to student success and professional development. This year, faculty in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science received a $3.5M award from the National Science Foundation to fund student scholarships in the area of cybersecurity and support service to the country. This adds to our growing list of national and state awards that fund internships and scholarships for UMass Dartmouth students.

Our alumni spotlight in this newsle er is Craig Santos, a mechanical engineering graduate who achieved leadership as Senior Director of Training Services at MathWorks. He a ributes his professional success to mentoring by our faculty and his engagement in enrichment activities outside the classroom. Craig is an excellent example of what future engineers can accomplish with a UMass Dartmouth education.

Many thanks to those who have contributed their time and resources to UMass Dartmouth to support our important mission of developing science and engineering citizens.

Jean VanderGheynst

Dean Jean VanderGheynst

Cover image: Robotics Club members

Erika Caushi ‘23, ‘24 and Cameron McAlpine ‘23

Best Undergraduate Engineering Program

U.S. News & World Report, 2022-2023 College Rankings

99%

of 2022 graduates from the College of Engineering are either employed or a ending graduate school

>$74,000

average entry-level salary for 2022 graduates with a bachelor’s degree in engineering

160

internships completed by 2021 engineering seniors at companies such as Titleist, Bose Corporation, eBay, Hewle -Packard, National Grid, and Pra & Whitney

Top 1%

in engineering of institutions nationwide awarding doctoral degrees to women – ASEE (2021)

84%

of full-time undergraduates who apply for financial aid receive it

$106M

UMass Dartmouth students receive approximately $106 million total in scholarships, grants, part-time employment, and loans

15

Ranked in the top 15 schools nationwide for master’s degrees in physics among institutions granting the MS – American Physical Society

180+

student organizations, including numerous engineering-specific clubs that connect students with science and engineering professionals

#1

for social mobility

among universities in New England with a nationally ranked college of engineering - 2023 U.S. News & World Report

Meet the UMass Dartmouth Engineering Ambassadors

students give back to their community and inspire the next generation.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the U.S. will add 774,100 new jobs in the computer science and engineering fields by 2031. UMass Dartmouth is actively engaged in ensuring there are graduates to meet the future needs of the science and engineering workforce. A new group on campus is inspiring the next generation of computer scientists and engineers. Established in fall 2022 by a group of first-year students, the Engineering Ambassadors develop leadership and professional skills among their members while working with students at all grade levels to spark excitement about careers in STEM.

The Engineering Ambassadors Network is a national organization comprised of universities around the U.S. Engineering Ambassadors engage with K-12 students in the surrounding community to teach them about what engineers do, and to inspire students from historically underrepresented groups to envision themselves as future engineers. They do this through visits to local schools, community centers and a er school programs, and by hosting student visits here on the UMassD campus.

Members of the UMass Dartmouth Engineering Ambassadors.

Engineering

Engineering Ambassadors

Ambassadors

The group’s faculty advisor, Jonathan Mellor, explains the important role the Ambassadors have on campus: “This is not just a club – these students are representing the university in the community.”

Although the Engineering Ambassadors are a new group at UMassD, they have already made an impact in the community; this year, they met with students at the Fall River Boys and Girls Club and the Fairhaven High School college fair, met with families and prospective students at Admi ed Students Day, and led 14 university tours. The Engineering Ambassadors also raised more money than any non-athletic organization at the university during UMass Dartmouth’s annual fundraising event, the Corsair Challenge.

Assistant Teaching Professor and co-chairperson of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Jonathan Mellor serves as faculty advisor to the Engineering Ambassadors.

This is not just a club – these students are representing the university in the community.”

Jonathan Mellor Assistant Teaching Professor

Alexa Van Voorhis ‘22,‘23:

The epitome of a multifaceted engineer

Alexa took advantage of UMass Dartmouth’s accelerated BS/MS program in bioengineering to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree in just five years. During her outstanding undergraduate career, she rose to both academic and athletic excellence. She won the NASA & MIT Space Grant Fellowship, the National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM Scholarship, and the NSF Accomplish Scholarship, among others. As a Cross Country athlete, Alexa became the first Li le East Conference Runner of the Year in program history, and in 2023 was named UMass Dartmouth’s Female Athlete of the Year. Alexa also became a leader and an advocate for diversity in her field, serving as President of the Society for Women in Engineering (SWE) and Co-Founder and Vice President of Out in STEM. During her year as a master’s student, Alexa delved further into ambitious and exciting research, motivated by the food insecurity crisis brought on by climate change, an issue deeply felt in our region.

The port of New Bedford is a critical economic asset to the economy of the MA SouthCoast. Climate change is projected to have impacts not only on fisheries but also on coastal infrastructure needed to support the marine economy. Bioengineering faculty and students like Alexa work to develop solutions to climate change while supporting the marine economy.

“My current research focuses on repurposing the loads of seashell waste Massachuse s generates annually as a carbon source for biofuel production,” Alexa explains.

Her passion and knowledge earned Alexa a seat at the table during Governor Maura Healey’s sustainability roundtable event at UMass Dartmouth, the governor’s first trip outside the State House since being sworn into office

“Over the past year, I’ve grown increasingly passionate about utilizing my academic interests for research to combat the unprecedented effects of the climate crisis. My newfound curiosity and collaborative spirit ultimately pushed me to apply to PhD programs this past fall. In this process, I’ve realized there is a huge community out there in addition to my own at UMass Dartmouth who care about the same things I do, i.e., investigating the production of sustainable chemicals and fuels through metabolic engineering. I can proudly say I’ve grown into a more confident, passionate, and intellectually inclined student, athlete, friend, and family member the past year here. As a master’s student, I’ve seen myself grow my critical thinking, communication skills, and natural aptitude for research, which I believe has prepared me well for my PhD program.

“I am incredibly excited to start my PhD program at Northeastern University in Chemical Engineering this fall.”

Alexa Van Voorhis is a bioengineer researching new biofuels to combat climate change. She is also a star athlete and an advocate for women and LGBTQIA+ people in STEM.

Alexa Van Voorhis brought her interest in biofuels and food insecurity to the sustainability roundtable with Governor Maura Healey.

I can proudly say I’ve grown into a more confident, passionate, and intellectually inclined student, athlete, friend, and family member the past year here.

Alexa Van Voorhis earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years through the bioengineering accelerated BS/MS program. Her research focused on conversion of seafood byproducts to biofuels.

Alexa Van Voorhis ‘22, ‘23 Bioengineering

MELODY VELDORALe ‘22,‘23:

Landing a dream job before graduation

For Melody, it’s not just a job, but an opportunity of a lifetime: They will begin work as a General Engineer at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, a research and technology company sponsored by the United States federal government and located in Cambridge’s Kendall Square, o en referred to as, “the most innovative square mile on the planet.” In their new position, Melody will travel internationally and use geographic information systems (GIS) mapping to help preserve and protect the environment.

“I’m a nontraditional student; I have been through multiple career changes before I finally found the right fit,” Melody says. “I finally decided to go back to school for environmental engineering, and I chose UMass Dartmouth for the reputation of its engineering programs. That’s when I truly found my place.”

Melody Valdorale ‘22, ‘23 and La Var M. Williams, Director of Human Resources Operations and Chief Human Resources Officer at the U.S. DOT Volpe Center.

Civil and environmental engineering student Melody Veldorale ‘22, ‘23 is among the UMass Dartmouth graduates who walked across the commencement stage with a job offer already secured.

Melody Valdorale ‘22, ‘23 chose UMass Dartmouth for the reputation of its engineering programs.

The CyberCorps Scholarship for Service

The global demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals is at an all-time high, with 3.5 million vacant positions worldwide and more than 700,000 in the U.S. alone.

UMass Dartmouth received a $3.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a new CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service program that will provide up to three years of support for students pursuing cybersecurity education. The program aims to address the national demand for a diverse cybersecurity workforce and prepare master’s-level professionals for government cybersecurity positions.

Following graduation, scholarship recipients are required to work in cybersecurity for a federal, state, local, or tribal government organization for the same duration as their scholarship support.

UMass Dartmouth has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research through the academic year 2025 by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.

UMass Dartmouth faculty members Liudong Xing, PhD, and Gokhan Kul, PhD receive CyberCorps Scholarship for Service certification from government officials Dr. James L. Moore III , Assistant Director for STEM Education, National Science Foundation (NSF), Mr. Nitin Natarajan, Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Mr. Rob Shriver, Deputy Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and Dr. Suzanne Nielsen, Deputy Assistant National Cyber Director for Workforce, Education, and Training , Office of the National Cyber Director, Executive Office of the President

Read the full story:

The study of cybersecurity is complex; it intersects with the fields of psychology, human behavioral science, political science, and more. To meet cybersecurity challenges nationally and globally, this kind of investment is needed – more is needed.”

Lance Fiondella

Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the UMassD Cybersecurity Center

Gaspard Baye ‘25 :

I have the opportunity to work closely with faculty who are experts in their field. UMassD has connected me with the right people, and helped me develop leadership, management, and technical skills.

Cybersecurity researcher, international PhD student, community leader

Gaspard Baye ‘25

Cybersecurity researcher, international PhD student, community leader

PhD student and campus community leader Gaspard Baye ‘25 came to UMass Dartmouth from Cameroon to pursue an advanced degree in cybersecurity studies. With a focus on machine learning and artifi cial intelligence, Gaspard is working to make the world a safer place, while also serving as a leader and advocate for his fellow students.

Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and Deep Learning

“Cybersecurity is always evolving and changing every day. There are always new threats on the horizon that jeopardize our privacy and safety. It requires creative thinking to come up with novel ways to defend and protect computer systems, people, data, and technology. I want to join the fight to protect people and defend against those who would use this technology to cause harm. My research is focused on leveraging deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up vulnerability detection and mitigation.”

National Society of Black Engineers, President 2022-2023

“The purpose of NSBE is to increase the number of Black engineers, promote members’ academic success, and upli others who will follow in our footsteps. Members of NSBE also have access to personal and professional development activities and opportunities to connect with top companies in our fields. We partner with organizations and companies who know the value of NSBE and seek out NSBE students specifically for jobs and internships. NSBE is important because our members are o en underrepresented in their field or are first generation college students. It’s important for students to see people like themselves succeeding.

“As president, I learned how to effectively advocate for our students, like making sure they have the opportunities they need, or raising funds for our travel. I am o en in the position of making the case for why these activities are important. But it is also extremely rewarding to help students get their dream job or internship.”

How has UMass Dartmouth prepared you for your future?

“At UMass Dartmouth, I have the opportunity to work closely with faculty who are experts in their field. UMassD has connected me with the right people, and helped me develop leadership, management, and technical skills. This school has prepared me academically but also prepared me for life.

“The community aspect of campus makes this a special place. People here are kind to each other, and always willing to help, even if they don’t know you. Faculty are open to new ideas. There is a strong sense of belonging. I feel at home even though I am far from home.”

Learn more about student organizations in the College of Engineering

Capstone Spotlights: Students Take

on Real-World Engineering Projects

Undergraduate curriculum in the College of Engineering culminates in a capstone design project that applies information students learn in their four years of study. Working in teams, students apply their engineering knowledge to deliver real-world solutions to their corporate or academic “client.”

Claredon Hill Reconstruction Project - Civil and Environmental Engineering

Team: Moises Lopez, John Lucas Guimaraes, Ma hew Tempone, Evan Vasconcellos (lead) and Nana Kwame Korankye.

Sponsor and Client: Tetra Tech

The problem: A traffic circle in Somerville, MA was causing safety problems and confusion, presenting a hazard for drivers, pedestrians, and nearby residents.

The solution: The team developed three possible alternatives to the current road design and chose a T-intersection solution. The intersection redesign will reduce speeding and increase efficiency of traffic flow, while considering drainage issues, environmental impact, and other concerns.

In pitching their design to the town board and city of Somerville, the team appealed to the public interest, providing data on how their reconstruction would decrease traffic, make streets safer for pedestrians, and provide more green space for community residents.

Le to right: John Lucas Guimaraes, Moises Lopez, Evan Vasconcellos, Nana Kwame Korankye.

CAPS - Creation of Accurate and Precise Surveys – Computer Science

Team: Sarah Santiago (lead), Elisa Normand, Elijah Karpf, Liam Ray, Douglas Bell

Sponsor and Client: Naval Undersea Warfare Center

The problem: Surveys can yield important insights from respondents, but only if they ask the right questions. Bad survey questions can produce biased answers. Biased answers are, ultimately, unhelpful in collecting accurate information from a survey or questionnaire. Survey creators need a mechanism to ensure that the questions asked in their surveys will support their efforts to collect accurate information. The mechanism must also be highly user-friendly for non-experts.

The solution: The CAPS team developed a so ware program that would help users eliminate bias from their surveys and ask be er questions. The program does this by flagging problematic questions and providing feedback as to why the question might yield a biased answer. Users can type a question into the program and the so ware will analyze its content to identify potentially loaded or leading questions. CAPS can also check for double-negative questions (which can be misleading) and double-barreled questions (also known as compound questions, which ask more than one question while only allowing for one answer).

Le to right: Sarah Santiago, Elise Normand, and Professor Iren Valova

Capstone Spotlights:

Ba ery Status Indicator – Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science

Team: ECE students: Brandon Keefe - (lead), Christopher Dentremont, Joshua Goncalves, Deven Jhennae, Alexis de Pina

MNE student: Cameron N McNulty

CIS student: Oluseyi A Famobiwo

Sponsor and Client: HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries)

The problem: Existing diagnostic technology for underwater vehicles is sufficient, but cumbersome.

The solution: Design a ba ery status indicator device that is smaller, less expensive, and more user-friendly. Requirements for the device include ingress protection – how well the device is protected against moisture and dirt – reproducibility, and portability.

Le to right: Deven Jhennae, Alexis de Pina, Cameron McNulty, Christopher Dentremont, Brandon Keefe, Joshua Goncalves.

Ba ery Status Indicator

Team member Alexis De Pina describes the ba ery status indicator as similar to an onboard diagnostic scanner mechanics use to identify problems with a car, but for use on unmanned underwater vehicles. The device can capture data from the vehicle and produce a readout with information about the health of the vehicle’s ba ery.

Multidisciplinary Team

“Engineers can sometimes become siloed in their respective areas of expertise, and it can be hard to bridge that gap. This project provided a learning opportunity to get multiple perspectives on a single problem. It was productive to get out of our comfort zones and take on some new skills.”

Working with a corporate “client”

The Ba ery Status Indicator group described their experience working with HII as very supportive.

“We had a high level of communication about the project, but at the same time they gave us a lot of control over the design. Because they are an engineering firm, we had an easier time translating the customer requirements into engineering requirements. Overall, we felt fortunate that our sponsor was supportive throughout the design process and saw the value in process over product.”

Industry Experience

This project represented a transition from the academic se ing to the real world.

“For so long, as a student the focus has been on homework and exams. The capstone design project was a great introduction to the working world, and the emphasis is less about grades and more about the outcome we’re able to achieve as a team.”

Does your company have a problem our students can help you solve?

Inquire about becoming a College of Engineering Capstone sponsor.

Brandon Keefe, Christopher Dentremont, and the ba ery status indicator

Three Minute Thesis 2023

Contestants in the College of Engineering shared their intellectual passion projects while competing for cash prizes.

Thursday April, 6, marked the fi nale of the 2023 Three Minute Thesis competition at UMass Dartmouth, presented by the Offi ce of Undergraduate Research. The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition was developed by The University of Queensland, Australia, as an academic communication competition that challenges students at the undergraduate and graduate levels to effectively explain their research to a non-expert audience in just three minutes. Competitors are allowed a single, static PowerPoint slide as a visual aid; no other electronic media or props are permitted. Presentations exceeding three minutes are automatically disqualifi ed.

and graduate levels to effectively explain their research to a non-expert audience in just

Contestants are judged on comprehension and content as well as their ability to effectively engage their audience. This year’s 3MT offered cash prizes of up to $1,000 for the winners in the undergraduate and graduate categories.

On le , Mckenzie Ferrari ‘23; on right, Ramina Behzad ‘22, ‘25

2023 3MT winners: Undergraduate

People’s Choice, Undergraduate: Jillian Wilson, Bioengineering. Advisor: Professor Quingo Fan. “Gelatin Microsponges for Drug Delivery Applications.”

First Place

, Undergraduate: Mckenzie Ferrari, Physics. Advisor: Professor Robert Fisher. “Burning Up: Developing a New Thermometer for Stars.”

Second Place, Undergraduate: Mariana Hebert, Bioengineering. Advisor: Professor Tracie Ferreira. “The Effect of Microplastics on Zebrafish and Possible Risks for Human Development.”

, Undergraduate: Jillian Wilson, Bioengineering. Advisor: Professor Quingo Fan. “Gelatin Microsponges for Drug Delivery Applications.”

People’s Choice, Graduate: Ramina Behzad, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology. Advisor: Professor Lamya Karim. “Association of Physical Activity, Bone Fracture and Diabetes.”

Third Place and Diabetes.”

First Place Lamya and Diabetes.”

, Graduate: Ramina Behzad, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology. Advisor: Professor Lamya Karim. “Association of Physical Activity, Bone Fracture and Diabetes.”

Second Place, Graduate: Dipshika Das, Engineering and Applied Science. Advisor: Professor Sukalyan Sengupta. “Going Gentle on Spent Li-Ion Ba ery Recycling.”

Third Place, Graduate: Sarah Dulac, Mechanical Engineering. Advisor: Professor Banafsheh Seyed-Aghazadeh. “Navy Seals and Harbor Seals: One and the Same, Guards of the Water.”

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Craig Santos ‘95

Craig Santos ‘95 is the Senior Director of Training Services at MathWorks, makers of MATLAB and Simulink. A career that has taken him around the world began at UMass Dartmouth in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Santos is a New Bedford native and a veteran of the United States Armed Forces; a er graduating from New Bedford High School, he joined the U.S. Army in order to pay for college. He served in the Army for two years, then joined the National Guard where he served for four years while enrolled at UMass Dartmouth.

Today, Santos leads the training services division of one of the world’s leading mathematical computing so ware companies.

Tell us about your experience at UMass Dartmouth. How did that experience prepare you for your career and shape your future?

“My time at UMass Dartmouth made me an engineer and a leader. I got to work with and receive mentorship from the great faculty at UMass Dartmouth. Ray Laoulache, Alex Fowler, Sherif El Wakil, and Tesfay Meressi were some of the strongest influences on me.

“Outside of academics, I was involved in the student senate, and was the President of the Black Student Union. These activities helped me learn how to

Remember that no one achieves anything alone. Ge ing involved on campus is a great way to develop those skills in communicating and collaborating with different groups of people.”

Craig Santos ‘95

Senior Director of Training Services at MathWorks

motivate people, and how to recognize and capitalize on people’s different skills and strengths.”

Do you have a favorite memory of your time on campus?

“The senior design project was a great experience. Alex Fowler was my project mentor during his first year at UMassD. The senior design project really brought together everything I had learned and been most interested in as a student (coding, programming, thermodynamics) and turned it into a final product.”

Tell us about your job at MathWorks.

“As Senior Director of Training Services I oversee approximately 170 people worldwide. We provide our clients with training on our mathematical computing so ware products in order to enable their success and help them do their best work. I provide leadership and coaching for all aspects of the business, including product development, business strategy development, operational management, service delivery, and success accountability.

“MathWorks has clients in different industries all over the globe. My job has given me the opportunity to travel the world; I’ve been to the UK, Germany, Japan, Australia –22 countries in total. In addition to international travel, my favorite part of the job is the opportunity to collaborate across disciplines and create something new by working together. There’s an incredible amount of technical diversity here. We work with people in higher education, medicine, neuroscience, energy production, industrial automation, aerospace, and more. There are always new and exciting problems to solve.”

Were there any unexpected turns in your career path?

“Originally, I thought I wanted to work in the automotive industry. But, when I joined MathWorks, I found I could work with automotive engineers as customers, developing automated driving and advanced driver assistance systems, or building virtual vehicle simulations. So, even though it wasn’t in the way I expected, I still got to be part of that world. And, rather than being limited to one industry, I get to work with customers in many different disciplines. It never gets boring.”

Any advice for current students?

“I would tell students to be balanced. Of course, you need to give time to academics to become a credible engineer, but it’s also important to learn how to be an effective leader and team member. Remember that no one achieves anything alone. Ge ing involved on campus is a great way to develop those skills in communicating and collaborating with different groups of people.”

Santos has one more special connection to UMass Dartmouth: his wife is also a UMassD Class of 1995 alumna. They live in Framingham, MA and are the proud parents of two sons. Santos currently serves on the College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council and the Board of Trustees for the Foundation for MetroWest. He has also served as a mentor for the REBLS Network, a multiinstitutional network commi ed to diversifying the STEM workforce.