School of Engineering

Aug. 26, 2024

Dr. Keigo Hirakawa is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and undergraduate program director for the department. He is also the director of the Intelligent Signal Systems Laboratory. His research areas include statistical signal and image processing, computational imaging and computer vision. He collaborates across disciplines and industry partners to design and develop novel image sensors, or to extend the capabilities of existing sensors beyond what they were designed to do by joint hardware-software optimization.

As the Bernhard Schmidt Chair, Hirakawa's goal is to seek new opportunities in curricular development by taking advantage of multidisciplinary research collaborations that are already occurring among faculty at UD. His vision for curriculum innovation is to help students see beyond the traditional boundaries of their respective engineering and science disciplines to define their own career paths.

The Bernhard Schmidt Chair in Engineering Leadership was established in 2003 in honor of Dr. Bernhard Schmidt. Dr. Schmidt's tenure at the University of Dayton spanned 52 years. He served as a professor and Chair in the School of Engineering and was a dedicated teacher, mentor and colleague who epitomized the best in an educator — a willingness to share knowledge and encourage excellence.

Oct. 24, 2019

Dr. Kristen Krupa '02 earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University and then served as a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow with the U. S. Air Force Research Laboratory. She came to the University of Dayton in 2013 and is currently an associate professor, the chair of the chemical and materials engineering department, and director of bioengineering.

Since coming to UD, she has mentored more than 40 students, published 24 journal articles and been awarded more than $2 million in external research funding, including the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award. Her research merges her expertise in chemical and biological engineering, with a focus on the generation and utilization of enhanced in vitro models.

As Wilke Chair, Dr. Krupa plans to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration to develop a diverse bioengineering-based research program while increasing experiential learning opportunities.

The Wilke Distinguished Professor and Chair in Chemical and Materials Engineering was established in 2003 through the generosity of Charles R. Wilke, Ph.D. '40 and his wife, Bernice. Wilke graduated with a chemical engineering degree from the University of Dayton; he went on to serve as the first chair and co-founder of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Bernice Wilke was an elementary school teacher. As such, both Charles and Bernice Wilke were committed to education. This chair position was created to strengthen the core engineering areas and provide flexibility to focus on emerging technologies such as bioengineering, environmental engineering, nanomaterials and fuel cell technology.

Aug. 16, 2018

Professor Rebecca Blust, associate professor with the Department of Engineering Management, Systems, and Technology, and director of the Innovation Center, has been appointed as the Frank M. Tait Endowed Chair. This position was established in 1970 with a bequest from Mr. Tait, long-time friend and benefactor of the University and founder of Dayton Power & Light Company and Tait Manufacturing. This position was created to help advance research and innovation in the School of Engineering.

Prof. Blust has a wealth of both industrial and academic experience in innovation. The Innovation Center is one of the School of Engineering's flagship experiential learning opportunities and a key industry and community partner. In 2017, the Innovation Center facilitated approximately 150 projects and served approximately 75 percent of graduating seniors. She currently serves as inaugural faculty fellow at the Institute for Applied Creativity (IACT) and is deeply involved with the GEMnasium, a collaborative hands-on "test lab" and innovative transdisciplinary teaching space.

Prof. Blust also works with University and community partners to determine an impactful, innovative purpose for the Dayton Arcade complex downtown. She will leverage the endowed chair position to help distinguish UD from other universities by creating an environment that will enhance student capabilities to integrate and apply creative thoughts and ideas to both engineering and societal problems.

Aug. 26, 2024

Dr. Sidaard Gunasekaran is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and director of the Low-Speed Wind Tunnel, Water Tunnel and the Merlin Flight Simulator. His research centers on developing design guidelines for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles by exploring complex steady and unsteady aerodynamic and propulsor interactions through both traditional and novel flow diagnostic techniques.

As the Hans von Ohain Chair, he hopes to enhance student success in full alignment with the School of Engineering and UD's strategic plans through amplifying his research and innovative classroom activities. He is determined to elevate his research contributions to improving the aerodynamic efficiency of modern air vehicles and development of novel flow diagnostic technologies through cross-disciplinary collaborations. He is committed to integrating advanced air mobility and UAV design into the curriculum, providing students with hands-on learning experiences that align with industry needs.

Additionally, Dr. Gunasekaran is dedicated to promoting diversity within aerospace engineering by creating opportunities for underrepresented students.

The Hans von Ohain Endowed Faculty in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering was established in 1999. Dr. Hans von Ohain designed and developed the engine in the world's first turbojet flight (1939). Dr. von Ohain and Sir Frank Whittle are credited as independent co-inventors of the jet engine. In 1979, Dr. von Ohain joined the University of Dayton Research Institute as a senior research engineer in the Aerospace Mechanics Division and a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Aug. 26, 2024

Dr. Jun-Ki Choi is a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the renewable and clean energy engineering graduate program. He serves as a director of the UD Industrial Assessment Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. His research focuses on sustainable design and manufacturing, energy and resource efficiency, life cycle management, circular economy and macroeconomic modeling for energy/environmental policies.

As an endowed chair, he hopes to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating cutting-edge technologies and emphasizing sustainability to cultivate a new generation of engineers and business leaders. He will play an integral role in mentoring students to grow their engineering interests into entrepreneurial innovations.

The O. Jack and Opal Anderson Faculty Fellowship in Engineering Innovation was established in 2010 with a donation from Mr. O. Jack and Mrs. Opal Anderson to support the partnership between the School of Engineering and the School of Business Administration to prepare students to design products better. The gift funds a faculty position for a person with backgrounds in both engineering and business. In 2003, the Andersons contributed $60,000 to the Design and Manufacturing Clinic, now known as the Innovation Center.

Feb. 19, 2010

Dr. Vijayan K. Asari was inducted as the Ohio Research Scholars Chair in Wide-Area Surveillance. His focus, through the School's Vision Lab, is on the development of new algorithms and architectures for real-time applications in areas of signal processing, image processing, computer vision, pattern recognition, artificial neural networks and bio-mimetic object-vision recognition.

Dr. Asari's projects include: visibility improvement of images and videos captured in low lighting and bad weather conditions; multi-sensor image fusion; video stabilization; automatic face detection, tracking, and recognition; iris recognition; automatic vessel detection and identification; brain wave processing for intention analysis; and robotic navigation and visual data analysis for situational awareness. In order to build real-time systems for defense and homeland security applications, Dr. Asari combines the aspects of mathematical modeling of human visual perception, the extraction of representational features from visual data and the statistical and logical methodologies for decision-making.

As the chair, Dr. Asari will help to strengthen Ohio and its citizens and prepare them for global competition in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as the medical fields and STEM education.

Through the vision of the Ohio Research Scholars Program, this multi-university, statewide position was formed to develop and support an increase in highly-qualified research talent and focus on long-term regional economic development.

July 1, 2017

Dr. Christopher Muratore was named the Ohio Research Scholars Endowed Chair Professor. Dr. Muratore received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 2002.

He was an American Society for Engineering Education Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Plasma Physics Division at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where he developed novel plasma processing techniques to manipulate properties of diverse engineering surfaces. He joined the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in 2004 to develop smart thin film nanocomposite materials demonstrating temperature-adaptive mechanical properties and integrated health monitoring. He also led numerous studies on heat transfer at nanoscale surfaces and interfaces.

He joined the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Dayton in December 2012 and is now the Ohio Research Scholars Endowed Chair Professor. He is currently engaged in the development of novel approaches for large-scale synthesis of ultra-thin layered atomic structures for flexible electronic devices and molecular sensors.

Sept. 30, 2011

Dr. Khalid Lafdi, with 20 years of carbon science and technology experience, was inducted as the Wright Brothers Institute Endowed Chair in Nano Materials in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.

In 2001, as Carbon Group Leader for the University of Dayton Research Institute, Dr. Lafdi helped advance the University of Dayton’s research vision in nanotechnology. Dr. Lafdi was responsible for establishing the Nanoscale Engineering Science and Technology Laboratory (NEST) and the Carbon Research Laboratory. Ten years ago, he built a state-of-the-art thermal management laboratory and a carbon manufacturing transition facility in order to facilitate scale-up processes and technology transfers of carbon materials and devices.

Dr. Lafdi has published more than 140 articles and chapters in refereed journals and edited four books about nanocomposites and thermal management. Furthermore, he holds four patents and has licensed three major technologies in nanomanufacturing to Ohio companies.

Recognized for his expertise, the American Carbon Society selected Dr. Lafdi as their 2014 George D. Graffin Lecturer and their carbon "ambassador." As ambassador, Dr. Lafdi will travel the U.S. and highlight 40 years of carbon science and technology not only for academia but also for industry.

As the School’s endowed chair, Dr. Lafdi will lead and mentor collaborative research; expand the University’s nanomaterials program; and create new partnerships with industry, the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and the University of Dayton Research Institute.