1. Materials Science & Sustainability

• Authors: Nabanita Das, Islam Hafez, Jinwu Wang, Colleen Walker, Douglas Bousfield, Mehdi Tajvidi
• Department & Affiliations: Chemical Engineering, School of Forest Resources, Process Development Center, Advanced Structures and Composite Center, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
• Publication / Status: Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications (Science Direct) — In Press, Journal Pre-proof (Published September 23, 2026)
• Links: |

• Authors: Małgorzata Szafraniec, Linfei Li, Eric N. Landis
• Department: Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Publication / Status: Preprint via Research Square (Published September 16, 2026)
• Links: |

• Authors: Gloria Agyapong, Regan Ceaser, C. Luke Williams, M. Clayton Wheeler, Sampath Gunukula
• Department & Affiliations: Chemical Engineering, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Forest Bioproducts Research Institute
• Publication / Status: ACS Omega (ACS Publications) (Published September 7, 2026)
• Links: |

2. Advanced Computing & Systems Engineering

• Authors: Masoud Ataei, Vikas Dhiman, Mohammad Javad Khojaste
• Department: Electrical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Publication / Status: IEEE Open Journal of Control Systems — Preprint (Published September 24, 2026)
• Links: |

3. Ocean Energy & Mechanics

• Authors: Saravanan Bhaskaran, Max Kruse, Andrew Goupee, Amrit Verma
• Department: Mechanical Engineering
• Publication / Status: Refereed Book Chapter (Chapter 11) (Published September 23, 2026)
• Links: |

• Authors: Zhi-He Jin, Michael L. Peterson
• Department: Mechanical Engineering
• Publication / Status: ASME Digital Collection — Refereed Journal Article (Published September 16, 2026)
• Links: |

4. Nanotechnology & Applied Physics

• Authors: Senthil S. Vel
• Department: Mechanical Engineering
• Publication / Status: Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures (Volume 185, Article 116660 — Forthcoming: January 1, 2027; Published Online September 19, 2026)
• Links: |

Abdel-Magid, B. M., Hart, R. J., Roy, J. R., Lopez-Anido, R. A., Berube, K. A., Erb, D. F., Jr., Dwyer, B. N., Dagher, H., Laffely, A. E., Kunich, K. M., & Pham, D. H. (2026). Influence of environmental conditioning on mechanical characterization of continuous fiber-reinforced PPS, PP, and PET thermoplastic composites. Journal of Composites, 10(8), 404.

Artal, O., Pizarro, O., Sepúlveda, H. H., Ross, L., Pinilla, E., & Castillo, M. I. (2026). Spring–neap variability of water column mixing and internal hydraulic control in a Chilean Patagonian channel. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 341, 110142.

Kennard, R., Tilbury, K. B., & Weeks, L. (2026, June 22–25). WIP: Improving biomedical engineering retention through experiential learning in biocompatibility [Paper presentation]. 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC, United States.

Kirkman, M. (2026, June 22–25). Bringing conversations about racial equity to construction engineering faculty meetings [Paper presentation]. 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC, United States.

Pan, S., LaChance, C., Tao, Z., & Ghanavati, S. (2026). SoK: From generation to consumption of privacy documents in software systems (arXiv Preprint No. arXiv:2608.12511). arXiv.

Rahaman, H., Xu, Q., Haider, Z., Chakraborty, P., Bhunia, S., & Suya, F. (2026). (A)iSpy: Parasitic Trojans for machine learning infrastructure (arXiv Preprint No. arXiv:2607.17550). arXiv.

Vel, S. S. (2026). Hyperelastic modeling of hexagonal two-dimensional materials: A complementary-energy formulation with higher-order compliances. Mechanics of Materials. Advance online publication.

Vel, S. S., Johnson, S. E., & Song, W. J. (2026). Thermal conductivity anisotropy of EBSD-resolved rock fabrics: Multiscale homogenization of texture and microstructure. Geophysical Journal International, ggag309. Advance online publication.

• Riina, N., Harris, A., Whitley, D., Siesky, B. A., Lahoti, Y. S., Potash, S., Verticchio Vercellin, A., Cohen, G., Shalem, K. W., Schanzer, N., Arciero, J., Fry, B. C., Eckert, G. J., Vinod, K., Januleviciene, I., & Guidoboni, G. (2026, June). Generative continuous-time recurrent neural networks for using irregularly sampled blood pressure dynamics to predict structural glaucoma progression. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 67(7), Article MA. Presented at the ARVO Annual Meeting.

Journal Articles

• Gunukula, S., Wheeler, M. C., Luke, C., Thompson, D., Molina, E. R., Patil, R., Ossai, S., Van Walsum, P., & Chen, X. (2026). Effects of chemical preconditioning on organic acid production from woody biomass. Frontiers in Chemistry.
• Khoda, B., Islam, M. A., & Ishraq, F. (2026). Separating cross-contaminated microparticles using an entrapment process. Powder Technology, Article 122931.

Preprints & Online Repositories

• Firouzabadi, M. D., Bousfield, D., & Tajvidi, M. (2026). Evaluation of the properties of gel, film and paper coated with nanocellulose and nanochitin. Scientific Reports (Preprint).
• Taylor, E., Cronk, E. R., Perera, K., Emanetoglu, N. W., & Bingham, N. S. (2026). Growth of (111)-textured SrTiO3 thin films on Pt(111)/Al2O3(1-102) substrates by rf magnetron sputter deposition. Zenodo.

Read the to learn more about Sturm’s accomplishments and the AAPT Fellowship.

This year’s Distinguished Engineers and Dean’s Distinguished Members represent leadership across academia, research, and industry. Emily A. Haddad was recognized for her extensive leadership in higher education, overseeing academic programs, faculty, and student success initiatives that support thousands of students and a broad general education curriculum across the university. She has also played a crucial role in supporting UMS TRANSFORMS and the early development and momentum of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC), helping shape system-level academic innovation and cross-campus collaboration.

Ahmed Aboelezz was honored for his research and teaching in UAV systems, aerodynamics, and bio-inspired flight, supported by extensive externally funded research and a strong commitment to student mentorship. In addition, Aboelezz has demonstrated his commitment to making his research accessible through extensive K–12 outreach and engagement, including student rocket launch activities designed to spark interest in engineering and inspire the next generation of students.

Distinguished engineering alumni and leaders honored this year included Ross Bryant ’98, president and CEO of Fluid Imaging Technologies, recognized for leadership in analytical instrumentation and life sciences innovation; Christopher Gordon ’85, president of Wynn Development for Wynn Resorts, honored for global leadership in large-scale real estate and infrastructure development; Ben Townsend ’08, co-president and owner of Colby Company Engineering, recognized for multidisciplinary engineering consulting leadership; and Robert Monahan ’86, CEO and co-founder of UPPAbaby, honored for engineering-driven innovation in consumer product design and global brand development.

Student recognition highlighted outstanding academic achievement, research and leadership across the college.

Top graduating and outstanding students included Ella Boxall, outstanding graduating student in civil engineering, recognized for work in water resources engineering, sustainability and environmental resilience; Isabelle Irani, University of Maine co-salutatorian in biomedical engineering, recognized for excellence in academics, Division I athletics and research in sustainable biomaterials in the Neivandt Lab; and Karun Varghese, outstanding graduating international student in electrical engineering, recognized for work in robotics, autonomous systems and research across multiple 91���� laboratories, as well as leadership and global engagement.

Additional MCEC outstanding students by unit were also recognized, including Wyatt Fessler (biomedical engineering), Kenzie Karpinski (chemical engineering), Ella Boxall (civil and environmental engineering), Chris Persinger (electrical engineering), Karun Varghese (computer engineering), Brianna Gannett (computer science), Benjamin Schmidt (engineering physics), Kat Gross (mechanical engineering) and Katie Fletcher (new media).

The Francis J. Hovey Award recipients were also honored for academic excellence and distinction, including Wyatt Fessler (biomedical engineering), Jacob Levesque (chemical engineering), Joe Thorpe (civil and environmental engineering), Brianna Gannett (computer science), Samuel Bach (electrical and computer engineering) and Benjamin Schmidt (engineering physics).

All eligible students in attendance were formally inducted into the Francis Crowe Society, joining a professional community of engineering and computing graduates committed to lifelong learning, service and impact in their fields.

Together, the ceremony reflects the mission of the Francis Crowe Society: to recognize excellence across all stages of the engineering and computing profession and to celebrate the lasting contributions of University of Maine students, alumni and faculty to society.

Dr. David Neivandt – Ashley S. Campbell Award
Dr. David Neivandt is a professor of chemical and biomedical engineering at the University of Maine whose research spans interfacial chemistry, biomaterials, and sustainable composites. His work includes innovations in engineered implants, cellulose-based materials, and environmentally friendly composites derived from biological waste. He has contributed to multiple patents and interdisciplinary advances in materials science and biomedical engineering.

Arieana Mangra – Leila C. Lowell Award for Exemplary Staff Support
Arieana Mangra, Director of Student Success and Advising Center, has led a transformation in student support at the Maine College of Engineering and Computing. Under her leadership, the college achieved its highest first- and second-year retention rates in 15 years. She is credited with building an advising program, including a new center, from the ground up and strengthening a proactive, student-centered advising model across the college.

Isaac Sewell – Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
Isaac Sewell serves as the sole graduate teaching assistant for the Mechanical Engineering capstone sequence at the University of Maine. He manages grading, course logistics, and materials distribution for more than 80 students, consistently delivering highly organized systems and detailed feedback. His work has significantly improved course efficiency, grade accuracy, and the overall student experience.

Sandro Zier – Graduate Research Assistant Award
Sandro Zier is a Ph.D. candidate in Chemical Engineering at the University of Maine whose research focuses on sustainable materials and scalable manufacturing processes. He has developed roll-to-roll coating systems for cellulose nanofiber applications and pioneered innovative bio-based barrier technologies using fungal mycelium. His work bridges laboratory research and industrial-scale implementation in sustainable packaging.

Dr. Laura Gurney – Early Career Teaching Award
Dr. Laura Gurney is a lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Maine recognized for her commitment to student success and curriculum development. She teaches foundational programming and advanced computing courses while actively supporting student mentorship initiatives and accreditation efforts. Her leadership has contributed to improved student retention and strengthened academic pathways in computing.

Dr. Philip King – Early Career Teaching Award
Dr. Philip King is an early-career mechanical engineering faculty member at the University of Maine specializing in manufacturing engineering education. He has redesigned key courses to incorporate hands-on learning with modern manufacturing technologies and CAD systems. His teaching is consistently highly rated by students and supported by strong engagement in research and graduate mentorship.

Dr. Prabuddha Chakraborty – Early Career Research Award
Dr. Prabuddha Chakraborty is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maine focused on hardware security and trustworthy AI systems. He leads multiple federally funded research projects and has built a nationally recognized research program in secure microelectronics and intelligent systems. His work includes widely published research, patents, and leadership roles in major engineering conferences and journals.

Dr. Amrit Verma – Early Career Research Award
Dr. Amrit Verma is a research leader in offshore wind energy and marine operations at the University of Maine. He founded the Wind Energy and Marine Operations Lab and has secured significant funding for research on wind turbine performance, installation, and digital twin modeling. His work has advanced both experimental testing systems and large-scale offshore wind deployment strategies.

Ashley S. Campbell Award
Recognizes a faculty member for outstanding excellence in teaching, research, and service that has brought distinction to engineering education.

Leila C. Lowell Award for Exemplary Staff Support
Honors staff members who provide exceptional service and support that significantly enhances student success and strengthens the College community.

Edward T. Bryand Distinguished Engineering Award
The College’s highest external honor, recognizing individuals whose engineering achievements, leadership, and impact bring distinction to the profession.

Early Career Research Award
Recognizes early-career faculty for exceptional research achievement, innovation, and growing national or international impact.

Early Career Teaching Award
Honors early-career faculty for outstanding and innovative teaching, strong student engagement, and contributions to curriculum and learning.

Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
Recognizes graduate students who demonstrate exceptional effectiveness in teaching, mentoring, and supporting undergraduate learning.

Graduate Research Assistant Award
Honors graduate students for outstanding research contributions, creativity, technical excellence, and scholarly impact.

• Computational Vascular Development Model Explaining Incidence of Notch in Retinopathy of Prematurity with Ultra-Widefield Optical Coherence Tomography
  • 1; 1; 1; 3; 4; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 5; 1; 4; 1
  • 1 Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States 
  • 2 Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, Illinois, United States
  • 3 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 
  • 4 Maine College of Engineering and Computing, University of Maine, 91����, United States
  • 5 National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
• Correspondence: Benjamin K. Young, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, 515 SW Campus Drive, Portland, OR 97239, USA; youngbe@ohsu.edu. 

Aaron Gallant 

• • Principal Investigator: Aaron Gallant Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Maine 
  • Authors: Aaron Gallant; Sebastian Montoya-Vargas; William Davids 
  • Sponsored By: Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

• • Principal Investigator: Aaron Gallant Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Maine 
  • Authors: Aaron Gallant; Sk Belal Hossen; Warda Ashraf; Luis Zambrano-Cruzatty; Temitope Omokinde; Andres Espinosa 
  • Sponsored By: Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

Shaleen Jain 

• • Alisha Shrestha, Tora Johnson, Shaleen Jain, and Jessica Jansujwicz
  • Alisha Shrestha University of Maine and Maine Sea Grant, alisha.shrestha1@maine.edu 
  • Tora Johnson Sunrise County Economic Council, tjohnson@sunrisecounty.org 
  • Shaleen Jain University of Maine, shaleen.jain@maine.edu Jessica Jansujwicz Maine Sea Grant, jessica.jansujwicz@maine.edu 

Caitlin Howell 

• Liquid-infused Silicone Catheters Reduce Fungal Burden and Inflammation in Candidozyma auris Bladder Infections
  • Alyssa Ann La Bella1, Hope Akegbe1, Caitlin Howell2,3, Felipe H. Santiago-Tirado1*, Ana L. Flores-Mireles1*
  • 1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA 
  • 2 Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04669, USA 
  • 3 Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04669, USA  
  • *Co-corresponding author: afloresm@nd.edu

Donald Hummels

• PALLAVI GHIMIRE1 , SAMIP POUDEL1 , MARIKO SHIRAZI2 , DONALD HUMMELS1 , AND REINALDO TONKOSKI1,3 1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA 2Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA 3Chair of Electrical Power Transmission and Distribution, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany Corresponding author: Pallavi Ghimire (e-mail: pallavi.ghimire@ieee.org).

Lauren Ross 

• • Taylor Bailey a, Lauren Ross a, Sean M.C. Smith a b c d, Sohaib Alahmed e
  • a University of Maine, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,  United States of America
  • b University of Maine, School of Earth & Climate Sciences, United States of America
  • c University of Maine, Center for Sustainability Solutions, United States of America
  • d University of Maine, Darling Marine Center, United States of America
  • e Anchor QEA, United States of America
• • Patricio A. Díaz a b, Gonzalo Álvarez c d e f, Iván Pérez-Santos a g, Michael Araya d, Lauren Ross h, Ángela M. Baldrich a, Osvaldo Artal g i, Daniel Varela a, Sergio A. Rosales j, Camila Schwerter a, Camilo Rodríguez-Villegas a, Valentina Iturra k, Manuel Díaz l, Bárbara Cantarero a j, Rosa I. Figueroa m
  • a Centro i∼mar, Universidad de Los Lagos, Casilla 557, Puerto Montt, Chile
  • b Centro Interdisciplinario para la Investigación Acuícola — Investigación Aplicada (INCAR2), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
  • C Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
  • D Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Algas (CIDTA), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Larrondo 1281, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
  • e Center for Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands (ESMOI), Departamento de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
  • f Centro de Innovación Acuícola AquaPacífico, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
  • g Center for Oceanographic Research COPAS COASTAL, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
  • h Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
  • i Geodel Laboratory, Departamento de Ingeniería en Obras Civiles, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
  • j Programa de Doctorado en Biología y Ecología Aplicada, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
  • k Departamento de Geofísica, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
  • l Programa de Investigación Pesquera, Universidad Austral de Chile, Puerto Montt, Chile
  • m Centro Oceanografico de Vigo, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Subida a Radio Faro 50, 36390, Vigo, Spain

Jon Ippolito

• • ������������

Babak Hejrati 

• • by Ines Khiyara 1,*,Ben Sidaway 2 andBabak Hejrati 1
  • 1 Biorobotics and Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
  • 2 School of Physical Therapy, Husson University, Bangor, ME 04401, USA
  • * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

• • Ali Faeghinejad,Liam Hawthorne and Babak Hejrati *Biorobotics & Biomechanics Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Maine, 75 Long Road, Orono, ME 04469, USA
    *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Masoud Rais Rohani

• • Troy Zangle, Brett Ellis and Masoud Rais-Rohani

David Neivandt 

• • by Mahbuba Daizy 1,Yu Zhang 2,Douglas W. Bousfield 1,Ling Li 2,Jinwu Wang 3 andDavid J. Neivandt 1,*
    1 Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine, 5737 Jenness Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA, 2 School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 5755 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA, Forest Products Laboratory, U.S. Forest Service, 1 Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53726, USA
    * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Evan Wukcik 

• • Sara Maslaczynska-Salome, Arya Ajeev, Theodore Warfle, Behrokh Shams, Colton Duprey, Evan K. Wujcik

Karissa Tilbury 

• (PREPRINT!!)
  • Jordan N. Miner1, Christopher L. Emmerling1, Joshua D. Hamilton1, Joseph Raite1, Zoe Vittum1, Peter C. Brooks2, Andre Khalil1, Karissa Tilbury1
    1 University of Maine, 2 MaineHealth Institute for Research

Yifeng Zhu

• • Qiang Zou, Yuhui Deng, Yifeng Zhu, Yi Zhou, Jianghe Cai, Shuibing He, and Lina Ge 

91���� has appointed Giovanna Guidoboni as interim vice president for research while she continues to serve as the inaugural dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC). In this dual leadership role, Guidoboni will help foster education, research, and innovation at the University of Maine while strengthening collaboration across the University of Maine System and state.

As dean of MCEC, Guidoboni leads one of the university’s largest academic units, home to more than 2,600 students and a key driver of the UMS TRANSFORMS initiative, a systemwide effort to expand engineering and computing education, research and workforce development in Maine. Under her leadership, the college has bridged disciplines, strengthened research and innovation,  fostered statewide partnerships, modernized labs and built new buildings to prepare the next generation of innovators and problem solvers. 

In her interim vice-presidential role, Guidoboni will oversee 91����’s research enterprise, support faculty and student scholarship, and build new opportunities for collaboration with industry, government and community partners. Her appointment reflects 91����’s continued commitment to advancing discovery and innovation that serve Maine and the world.

A world-renowned expert in ocular biomechanics and mathematical modeling, Guidoboni directs the Laboratory for Computational and Mathematical Modeling in Medicine, Engineering and Technology (CoMET Lab) at 91����. Her research combines mathematics, physics and engineering to understand ocular diseases such as glaucoma, using computational tools to explore the connections between fluid dynamics, vision loss and intraocular pressure. Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and European Commission.

“My passion has always been connecting people and ideas across fields to make something greater than any one discipline alone,” Guidoboni said. “I believe everyone should have access to research whether they are students just beginning their journey or faculty leading major projects. Together we can continue to grow a culture of innovation as a learner-centered R1 institution that reaches every corner of the University and beyond.”

Guidoboni joined 91���� in 2023 after serving as associate dean for research and professor of mathematics, electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Missouri. She holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and a master’s in engineering of materials from the University of Ferrara in Italy. Guidoboni is an Elected Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and holds a joint faculty position at the Department of Ophthalmology of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NY).

Contact: Taylor Ward, taylor.ward@maine.edu