Western New England University is excited to officially introduce a dynamic group of 16 new faculty members for the 2024-25 academic year. This exceptional cohort includes leading experts in pharmacy and health sciences, engineering, computer science, and psychology, each bringing a wealth of knowledge and novel research to our campus.
Maria Toyoda, WNE’s Executive Vice President and Provost, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “We are fortunate to welcome these distinguished professionals to our university. Their expertise and innovative contributions to their respective fields will significantly enhance our academic programs and research endeavors, reinforcing our commitment to offering top-tier education in these critical fields and driving impactful advancements for our campus community and beyond.”
Susie Agostine Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy
Professor Agostine focuses on how children with complex needs who use non-symbolic communication make meaning and build relationships. She also explores how occupational therapists (OTs) can support these children and their families. Agostine worked on multiple grant-funded projects at UNC-Chapel Hill before joining Western New England University (WNE) and is set to complete her PhD in May while teaching. Professor Agostine joined us in January from Project Open, a Center for Literacy and Disability, where she was a research assistant.
Publications include:
From Embodiment to Emplacement: Toward Understanding Occupation as Body-Mind-Environment. Co-authored with Antoine Bailliard, Stephanie Bristol, and Ya-Cing Syu. Published online: February 8, 2022.
Sensory Experiences and Children with Severe Disabilities: Impacts on Learning. Co-authored with Karen Erickson and Charna D'Ardenne. 2022.
Shuhua Bai Professor of Pharmaceutics
Professor Bai's research is centered on innovative patient-centric technologies and the enhancement of precision medicines to improve therapeutic effectiveness and patient compliance. He leverages computational models, AI, machine learning, and smart Design of Experiments (DoEs) to advance drug delivery and manufacturing. His work includes developing combination devices, nanomedicines, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing systems, and exosome-based nanovesicles for treating various diseases, particularly neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s.
Professor Bai has contributed significantly to both teaching and research. His development of biocompatible, bioengineered exosome-based nanosystems for neurodegenerative diseases aligns with WNE’s focus on cutting-edge therapeutic research. In industrial pharmacy, he has led projects that enhance drug formulation design and GMP manufacturing processes using advanced computational technologies to optimize production efficiency and quality.
Throughout his career, Bai has been recognized with several awards, including the Distinguished Researcher at University, the Maine IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Summer Fellowship, and multiple grants from NIH, USDA, and other foundations. His work on exosome-based drug delivery systems earned him the Meritorious Pharmaceutical Research Manuscript Award. Additionally, he was named a University Global Scholar for his contributions to global health and pharmaceutical education.
Professor Bai takes great pride in his students' success, many of whom have excelled in their professional careers, and he was honored with the Teaching Excellence Award from the School of Pharmacy, reflecting his commitment to high-quality education and a supportive learning environment.
Publications include:
Pan-Cancer Analysis of C2ORF40 Expression: FASEB Journal, 2024.
CRISPR/Cas9 Targeting Liposomes: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2023.
Exosome-Delivered Anticancer Drugs for Brain Cancer Therapy: Pharmaceutical Research, 2015.
Cheng Her Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Professor Her is a visiting assistant professor of chemistry with expertise in protein characterization and drug product risk assessment. He received his PhD in biochemistry from the University of New Hampshire, followed by two postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus and the United States Food and Drug Administration. His research area is mostly rooted in the pharmaceutical sciences with a focus on protein characterization and immunology.
Deb James Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy
Professor James is an experienced professional in the field of occupational therapy (OT) with nearly 30 years of experience. One of her areas of focus is how OT is used with mental health patients. She has worked in multiple settings, including acute care, subacute care, skilled nursing facilities, ventilator rehabilitation, home health care, outpatient services, and inpatient psychiatric care.
Professor James has presented on topics such as loneliness and OT and has piloted a peer mentoring program within an OT curriculum. James earned both an MBA from WNE and an OTD from Bay Path University while working full-time and has presented at both state and national conferences.
Janet Kennedy Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Education
Professor Kennedy earned her MD from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She completed a residency in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and further enhanced her expertise with a fellowship in the Bipolar Clinical Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has been teaching as an adjunct since the fall of 2023.
Daniel Kwak Assistant Professor of Psychology
Professor Kwak's work focuses on three main areas: training practitioners to implement behavior analytic treatments and adopt emerging practices; enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency, and social validity of treatments for challenging behaviors in individuals with developmental disabilities; and improving the generalization of behavioral treatments within complex but relevant environments.
Professor Kwak has been recognized for his scholarly contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), winning the Scholarly Contributions to DEI Paper Competition from the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). He also received the Rotary Research Scholarship from the University of South Florida and serves on the DEI Board for ABAI. His projects include the development of the Values-Centered Assessment Tool (VCAT) for culturally responsive behavioral services, a comparison study on caregivers' and children's preferences for mand topography during functional communication training, and use of an intervention package with percentile schedules to increase on-task behavior.
Kyeongsuk Lee Assistant Professor of Construction Management
Professor Lee's research centers on understanding construction workers' hazard identification processes using wearable technologies. His projects have received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), and various construction companies.
Professor Lee is currently working on publications and patents related to his research and is completing the NSF I-Corps program, which focuses on entrepreneurship. His key publications include studies on construction workers' risk perception and cognitive anticipatory processes in dynamic environments.
Publications include:
Understanding of Construction Worker’s Risk Perception Using Neurophysiological Responses, published in the Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering. 2024.
Understanding Cognitive Anticipatory Process in Dynamic Hazard Anticipation Using Multi-modal Psychophysiological Responses, published in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 2024.
Assessing Hazard Anticipation in Dynamic Construction Environments Using Multimodal 360-Degree Panoramas Videos, published in the Journal of Management in Engineering. 2022.
Bart Lipkens Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Professor Bart Lipkens’ returned to WNE in January as a full-time faculty member in our Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences. Dr. Lipkens comes to us from MilliporeSigma, where he served as Head of Acoustics R&D. His main areas of focus and research are in acoustics, ultrasound, bioprocessing, separation science, and filtration methods. His research projects include developing acoustic filtration, cell selection techniques for cell therapy, and cell clarification and retention devices for bioprocessing. With over 50 patents, he has earned multiple awards and grants for his work and is the founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of FloDesign Sonics.
Formerly of the College of Engineering, Dr. Lipkens will be supporting the new Master’s in Pharmaceutical Engineering degree, for which WNE recently secured a $500,000 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
Publications include:
Orthokinetic Collision and Acoustic Wake Effects. Co-authored with Shaozeng Dong and Timothy Cameron. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 117, 2534. 2005.
Energy Losses in an Acoustical Resonator. Co-authored with Yurii A. Ilinskii and Evgenia A. Zabolotskaya. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 109, 1859–1870. 2001.
Particle Manipulation Using Macroscale Angled Ultrasonic Standing Waves. Co-authored with Kedar C. Chitale, Walter Presz, Jr., Benjamin P. Ross-Johnsrud, Miles Hyman, and Marc Lamontagne.
Brendan Mascarenhas Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Professor Mascarenhas is a mechanical engineer with more than 15 years of industry and academic experience. He specializes in hypersonic flows, jet engines, computational mechanics, and wind energy. He has worked on hypersonic ballistics for the Department of Defense and jet engine programs for both military and commercial applications. Mascarenhas was a co-winner of a $5M award proposal for developing guided hypersonic projectiles.
Publications include:
Application of the p-Multigrid Algorithm to Discontinuous Galerkin formulations of the Compressible Euler Equations. Co-authored with Brian Helenbrook and Harold Atkins. Aerospace Resaerch Central, 2012.
Coupling p-multigrid with geometric multigrid for convection–diffusion equations. Co-authored with Brian Helenbrook and Harold Atkins. Journal of Computational Physics. Volume 229, Issue 10, 20 May 2010, Pages 3664-3674.
Megan Pantos ’19/PharmD’21 Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Professor Pantos’ expertise is in acute care pharmacy practice and scholarship of teaching and learning. During her academic career at WNE, Pantos presented seven research posters at various regional and national pharmacy organization conferences, authored a research paper on pathophysiology published in the November 2020 issue of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, and served in leadership roles as president of the WNE chapter of the Academic Pharmacists Society and as alumni liaison for the WNE chapter of the Phi Delta Chi Professional Pharmacy Fraternity. In 2017, Pantos was awarded the Skookum Award of Excellence by WNE, the highest honor bestowed to undergraduate students at the University.
Publications include:
FDA Approves Finerenone (Kerendia) for the Treatment of Heart Failure in Adult Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Associated with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Co-authored with KW Chamberlin. Drug Topics. November 2021.
Remimazolam: A Novel Option for Procedural Sedation in High-Risk Patients. Co-authored with DR Kennedy and EC Nemec. Journal of Pharmacy Practice. June 2021.
Examining Course Credits, Placement, and Integration of Pathophysiology and Anatomy and Physiology within PharmD Curriculum. Co-authored with ML Dias, KJ Armstrong, JJ Spooner, and DR Kennedy. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2020, In Press.
Buvaneshwaran T Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Information Technology
Professor T has extensive experience both in industry and higher education. As a software engineer and scientist, he has worked for companies such as AWS, Google, and Oracle. He has also taught courses at Westfield State, Fitchburg State, and Stonehill College. He has a strong interest in Artificial Intelligence and will be teaching various courses around this topic in the upcoming fall semester. He completed his graduate studies in Computer Science and AI at University of Texas-Austin and his undergraduate studies in Computer Science and Math at Westfield State University.
Robert Walz Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Information Technology
Robert E. Walz is an accomplished IT professional and educator with over 40 years of experience across various roles in information technology, project management, and academia. His extensive industry experience includes leadership positions at Hamilton Sundstrand, a division of UTC Corporation, where he managed IT projects and served as a Business Relationship Manager, overseeing IT strategies and implementations across multiple international sites.
Robert also served as a software consultant for Epicor Enterprise Resource Planning. He holds degrees in Management Information Systems from Clarkson College of Technology, a Master’s of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Master’s of Science in Electronic Commerce from Carnegie Mellon University underscoring his technical and managerial expertise. Robert’s blend of practical industry experience and academic knowledge makes him a valuable asset in both educational and professional environments.
Chen Xia Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering
Professor Xia is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environment Engineering. Her overall research objectives lie in utilizing urban data analytics and large-scale energy modeling to promote sustainable and resilient urban systems. Her PhD dissertation focused on the spatial-temporal analysis of community energy vulnerability during extreme weather events.
Publications include:
Profiling Residential Energy Vulnerability: Bayesian-Based Spatial Mapping of Occupancy and Building Characteristics. Sustainable Cities and Society. 2024.
Community Time-Activity Trajectory Modeling Based on Markov Chain Simulation and Dirichlet Regression. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems. 2023.
Assessing Dynamics of Human Vulnerability at Community Level–Using Mobility Data. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 2023.
Tianzhi Yang Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Professor Yang's research focuses on sterile compounding practices, emphasizing the alignment of procedures with the latest USP Chapter 797 standards. Her work extends to various compounding preparations, including women’s health, pediatrics, ophthalmic care, topical pain management, natural products, and veterinary compounding, with a particular focus on determining accurate beyond-use dates (BUDs). Additionally, she characterizes novel drug delivery systems, tackling challenges in delivering therapeutic agents to target cells and organs. Her recent research includes developing formulations to cross the blood-brain barrier using ligand-linked liposomes and bioengineered exosome nanocarriers.
Professor Yang has also developed an online calculation practice module to support distance-learning pharmacy students, which has been crucial in enhancing their pharmaceutical calculations skills. During the pandemic, she successfully adapted her courses to online and hybrid formats, including a compounding lab that combined online didactic components with hands-on lab sessions. This hybrid approach has been well-received.
Her research on drug delivery has been funded by prestigious grants, including those from the NIH and the Cancer Foundation. Dr. Yang has received several awards, including the "Husson University Excellence Researcher" award and the "Pharmaceutical Research Meritorious Manuscript" award from the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS). With over fifteen years of academic experience, she takes pride in her impact on students' educational journeys, as well as her recognized dedication to excellence in teaching.
Publications include:
Targeted Anti-Cancer Therapy. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2024.
CRISPR/Cas9 Targeting Liposomes. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 2023.
Stability of Paracetamol in Extemporaneously Compounded Suppositories. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research. 2019.
Qin Yin Assistant Professor of Construction Management
Professor Yin’s expertise is in construction safety, team dynamics, construction technology, and engineering education. He has taught Cornerstone Engineering Design at Penn State for the past two years, where he successfully mentored his students to win awards at the PSU Design Showcase for four consecutive semesters.
Bujingda Zheng Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Professor Zheng is a robotics and hybrid 3D printing researcher whose main area of focus is the multi-disciplinary field of mechatronics engineering. Mechatronics refers to the skill sets needed in the contemporary, advanced automated manufacturing industry. Mechatronics sits at the intersection of mechanics, electronics, and computing with the goal of creating simpler, smarter systems. The mechatronics discipline is an essential foundation for expected growth in automation and manufacturing.
Professor Zheng’s work with Freeform Multimaterial Assembly Processes (FMAP) was recently featured in Nature Communications, showcasing the potential for FMAP to “redefine 3D printing and freeform laser induction for programmed multimaterial assembly.” Zheng received his PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Publications include:
Programmed multimaterial assembly by synergized 3D printing and freeform laser induction. Lead author with Xie, Y., Xu, S. et al. Nature Communications, Volume 15, Article 4541. 2024.
Direct Freeform Laser Fabrication of 3D Conformable Electronics. Co-authored with Ganggang Zhao, Zheng Yan, Yunchao Xie, and Jian Lin. Advanced Functional Materials, Volume 33, Issue 1, Article 2210084. 2023.
Maria Toyoda, WNE’s Executive Vice President and Provost, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “We are fortunate to welcome these distinguished professionals to our university. Their expertise and innovative contributions to their respective fields will significantly enhance our academic programs and research endeavors, reinforcing our commitment to offering top-tier education in these critical fields and driving impactful advancements for our campus community and beyond.”
Susie Agostine Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy
Professor Agostine focuses on how children with complex needs who use non-symbolic communication make meaning and build relationships. She also explores how occupational therapists (OTs) can support these children and their families. Agostine worked on multiple grant-funded projects at UNC-Chapel Hill before joining Western New England University (WNE) and is set to complete her PhD in May while teaching. Professor Agostine joined us in January from Project Open, a Center for Literacy and Disability, where she was a research assistant.
Publications include:
From Embodiment to Emplacement: Toward Understanding Occupation as Body-Mind-Environment. Co-authored with Antoine Bailliard, Stephanie Bristol, and Ya-Cing Syu. Published online: February 8, 2022.
Sensory Experiences and Children with Severe Disabilities: Impacts on Learning. Co-authored with Karen Erickson and Charna D'Ardenne. 2022.
Shuhua Bai Professor of Pharmaceutics
Professor Bai's research is centered on innovative patient-centric technologies and the enhancement of precision medicines to improve therapeutic effectiveness and patient compliance. He leverages computational models, AI, machine learning, and smart Design of Experiments (DoEs) to advance drug delivery and manufacturing. His work includes developing combination devices, nanomedicines, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing systems, and exosome-based nanovesicles for treating various diseases, particularly neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s.
Professor Bai has contributed significantly to both teaching and research. His development of biocompatible, bioengineered exosome-based nanosystems for neurodegenerative diseases aligns with WNE’s focus on cutting-edge therapeutic research. In industrial pharmacy, he has led projects that enhance drug formulation design and GMP manufacturing processes using advanced computational technologies to optimize production efficiency and quality.
Throughout his career, Bai has been recognized with several awards, including the Distinguished Researcher at University, the Maine IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Summer Fellowship, and multiple grants from NIH, USDA, and other foundations. His work on exosome-based drug delivery systems earned him the Meritorious Pharmaceutical Research Manuscript Award. Additionally, he was named a University Global Scholar for his contributions to global health and pharmaceutical education.
Professor Bai takes great pride in his students' success, many of whom have excelled in their professional careers, and he was honored with the Teaching Excellence Award from the School of Pharmacy, reflecting his commitment to high-quality education and a supportive learning environment.
Publications include:
Pan-Cancer Analysis of C2ORF40 Expression: FASEB Journal, 2024.
CRISPR/Cas9 Targeting Liposomes: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2023.
Exosome-Delivered Anticancer Drugs for Brain Cancer Therapy: Pharmaceutical Research, 2015.
Cheng Her Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Professor Her is a visiting assistant professor of chemistry with expertise in protein characterization and drug product risk assessment. He received his PhD in biochemistry from the University of New Hampshire, followed by two postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus and the United States Food and Drug Administration. His research area is mostly rooted in the pharmaceutical sciences with a focus on protein characterization and immunology.
Deb James Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy
Professor James is an experienced professional in the field of occupational therapy (OT) with nearly 30 years of experience. One of her areas of focus is how OT is used with mental health patients. She has worked in multiple settings, including acute care, subacute care, skilled nursing facilities, ventilator rehabilitation, home health care, outpatient services, and inpatient psychiatric care.
Professor James has presented on topics such as loneliness and OT and has piloted a peer mentoring program within an OT curriculum. James earned both an MBA from WNE and an OTD from Bay Path University while working full-time and has presented at both state and national conferences.
Janet Kennedy Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Education
Professor Kennedy earned her MD from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She completed a residency in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and further enhanced her expertise with a fellowship in the Bipolar Clinical Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has been teaching as an adjunct since the fall of 2023.
Daniel Kwak Assistant Professor of Psychology
Professor Kwak's work focuses on three main areas: training practitioners to implement behavior analytic treatments and adopt emerging practices; enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency, and social validity of treatments for challenging behaviors in individuals with developmental disabilities; and improving the generalization of behavioral treatments within complex but relevant environments.
Professor Kwak has been recognized for his scholarly contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), winning the Scholarly Contributions to DEI Paper Competition from the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). He also received the Rotary Research Scholarship from the University of South Florida and serves on the DEI Board for ABAI. His projects include the development of the Values-Centered Assessment Tool (VCAT) for culturally responsive behavioral services, a comparison study on caregivers' and children's preferences for mand topography during functional communication training, and use of an intervention package with percentile schedules to increase on-task behavior.
Kyeongsuk Lee Assistant Professor of Construction Management
Professor Lee's research centers on understanding construction workers' hazard identification processes using wearable technologies. His projects have received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), and various construction companies.
Professor Lee is currently working on publications and patents related to his research and is completing the NSF I-Corps program, which focuses on entrepreneurship. His key publications include studies on construction workers' risk perception and cognitive anticipatory processes in dynamic environments.
Publications include:
Understanding of Construction Worker’s Risk Perception Using Neurophysiological Responses, published in the Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering. 2024.
Understanding Cognitive Anticipatory Process in Dynamic Hazard Anticipation Using Multi-modal Psychophysiological Responses, published in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 2024.
Assessing Hazard Anticipation in Dynamic Construction Environments Using Multimodal 360-Degree Panoramas Videos, published in the Journal of Management in Engineering. 2022.
Bart Lipkens Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Professor Bart Lipkens’ returned to WNE in January as a full-time faculty member in our Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences. Dr. Lipkens comes to us from MilliporeSigma, where he served as Head of Acoustics R&D. His main areas of focus and research are in acoustics, ultrasound, bioprocessing, separation science, and filtration methods. His research projects include developing acoustic filtration, cell selection techniques for cell therapy, and cell clarification and retention devices for bioprocessing. With over 50 patents, he has earned multiple awards and grants for his work and is the founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of FloDesign Sonics.
Formerly of the College of Engineering, Dr. Lipkens will be supporting the new Master’s in Pharmaceutical Engineering degree, for which WNE recently secured a $500,000 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
Publications include:
Orthokinetic Collision and Acoustic Wake Effects. Co-authored with Shaozeng Dong and Timothy Cameron. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 117, 2534. 2005.
Energy Losses in an Acoustical Resonator. Co-authored with Yurii A. Ilinskii and Evgenia A. Zabolotskaya. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 109, 1859–1870. 2001.
Particle Manipulation Using Macroscale Angled Ultrasonic Standing Waves. Co-authored with Kedar C. Chitale, Walter Presz, Jr., Benjamin P. Ross-Johnsrud, Miles Hyman, and Marc Lamontagne.
Brendan Mascarenhas Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Professor Mascarenhas is a mechanical engineer with more than 15 years of industry and academic experience. He specializes in hypersonic flows, jet engines, computational mechanics, and wind energy. He has worked on hypersonic ballistics for the Department of Defense and jet engine programs for both military and commercial applications. Mascarenhas was a co-winner of a $5M award proposal for developing guided hypersonic projectiles.
Publications include:
Application of the p-Multigrid Algorithm to Discontinuous Galerkin formulations of the Compressible Euler Equations. Co-authored with Brian Helenbrook and Harold Atkins. Aerospace Resaerch Central, 2012.
Coupling p-multigrid with geometric multigrid for convection–diffusion equations. Co-authored with Brian Helenbrook and Harold Atkins. Journal of Computational Physics. Volume 229, Issue 10, 20 May 2010, Pages 3664-3674.
Megan Pantos ’19/PharmD’21 Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Professor Pantos’ expertise is in acute care pharmacy practice and scholarship of teaching and learning. During her academic career at WNE, Pantos presented seven research posters at various regional and national pharmacy organization conferences, authored a research paper on pathophysiology published in the November 2020 issue of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, and served in leadership roles as president of the WNE chapter of the Academic Pharmacists Society and as alumni liaison for the WNE chapter of the Phi Delta Chi Professional Pharmacy Fraternity. In 2017, Pantos was awarded the Skookum Award of Excellence by WNE, the highest honor bestowed to undergraduate students at the University.
Publications include:
FDA Approves Finerenone (Kerendia) for the Treatment of Heart Failure in Adult Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Associated with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Co-authored with KW Chamberlin. Drug Topics. November 2021.
Remimazolam: A Novel Option for Procedural Sedation in High-Risk Patients. Co-authored with DR Kennedy and EC Nemec. Journal of Pharmacy Practice. June 2021.
Examining Course Credits, Placement, and Integration of Pathophysiology and Anatomy and Physiology within PharmD Curriculum. Co-authored with ML Dias, KJ Armstrong, JJ Spooner, and DR Kennedy. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2020, In Press.
Buvaneshwaran T Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Information Technology
Professor T has extensive experience both in industry and higher education. As a software engineer and scientist, he has worked for companies such as AWS, Google, and Oracle. He has also taught courses at Westfield State, Fitchburg State, and Stonehill College. He has a strong interest in Artificial Intelligence and will be teaching various courses around this topic in the upcoming fall semester. He completed his graduate studies in Computer Science and AI at University of Texas-Austin and his undergraduate studies in Computer Science and Math at Westfield State University.
Robert Walz Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Information Technology
Robert E. Walz is an accomplished IT professional and educator with over 40 years of experience across various roles in information technology, project management, and academia. His extensive industry experience includes leadership positions at Hamilton Sundstrand, a division of UTC Corporation, where he managed IT projects and served as a Business Relationship Manager, overseeing IT strategies and implementations across multiple international sites.
Robert also served as a software consultant for Epicor Enterprise Resource Planning. He holds degrees in Management Information Systems from Clarkson College of Technology, a Master’s of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Master’s of Science in Electronic Commerce from Carnegie Mellon University underscoring his technical and managerial expertise. Robert’s blend of practical industry experience and academic knowledge makes him a valuable asset in both educational and professional environments.
Chen Xia Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering
Professor Xia is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environment Engineering. Her overall research objectives lie in utilizing urban data analytics and large-scale energy modeling to promote sustainable and resilient urban systems. Her PhD dissertation focused on the spatial-temporal analysis of community energy vulnerability during extreme weather events.
Publications include:
Profiling Residential Energy Vulnerability: Bayesian-Based Spatial Mapping of Occupancy and Building Characteristics. Sustainable Cities and Society. 2024.
Community Time-Activity Trajectory Modeling Based on Markov Chain Simulation and Dirichlet Regression. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems. 2023.
Assessing Dynamics of Human Vulnerability at Community Level–Using Mobility Data. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 2023.
Tianzhi Yang Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Professor Yang's research focuses on sterile compounding practices, emphasizing the alignment of procedures with the latest USP Chapter 797 standards. Her work extends to various compounding preparations, including women’s health, pediatrics, ophthalmic care, topical pain management, natural products, and veterinary compounding, with a particular focus on determining accurate beyond-use dates (BUDs). Additionally, she characterizes novel drug delivery systems, tackling challenges in delivering therapeutic agents to target cells and organs. Her recent research includes developing formulations to cross the blood-brain barrier using ligand-linked liposomes and bioengineered exosome nanocarriers.
Professor Yang has also developed an online calculation practice module to support distance-learning pharmacy students, which has been crucial in enhancing their pharmaceutical calculations skills. During the pandemic, she successfully adapted her courses to online and hybrid formats, including a compounding lab that combined online didactic components with hands-on lab sessions. This hybrid approach has been well-received.
Her research on drug delivery has been funded by prestigious grants, including those from the NIH and the Cancer Foundation. Dr. Yang has received several awards, including the "Husson University Excellence Researcher" award and the "Pharmaceutical Research Meritorious Manuscript" award from the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS). With over fifteen years of academic experience, she takes pride in her impact on students' educational journeys, as well as her recognized dedication to excellence in teaching.
Publications include:
Targeted Anti-Cancer Therapy. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2024.
CRISPR/Cas9 Targeting Liposomes. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 2023.
Stability of Paracetamol in Extemporaneously Compounded Suppositories. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research. 2019.
Qin Yin Assistant Professor of Construction Management
Professor Yin’s expertise is in construction safety, team dynamics, construction technology, and engineering education. He has taught Cornerstone Engineering Design at Penn State for the past two years, where he successfully mentored his students to win awards at the PSU Design Showcase for four consecutive semesters.
Bujingda Zheng Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Professor Zheng is a robotics and hybrid 3D printing researcher whose main area of focus is the multi-disciplinary field of mechatronics engineering. Mechatronics refers to the skill sets needed in the contemporary, advanced automated manufacturing industry. Mechatronics sits at the intersection of mechanics, electronics, and computing with the goal of creating simpler, smarter systems. The mechatronics discipline is an essential foundation for expected growth in automation and manufacturing.
Professor Zheng’s work with Freeform Multimaterial Assembly Processes (FMAP) was recently featured in Nature Communications, showcasing the potential for FMAP to “redefine 3D printing and freeform laser induction for programmed multimaterial assembly.” Zheng received his PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Publications include:
Programmed multimaterial assembly by synergized 3D printing and freeform laser induction. Lead author with Xie, Y., Xu, S. et al. Nature Communications, Volume 15, Article 4541. 2024.
Direct Freeform Laser Fabrication of 3D Conformable Electronics. Co-authored with Ganggang Zhao, Zheng Yan, Yunchao Xie, and Jian Lin. Advanced Functional Materials, Volume 33, Issue 1, Article 2210084. 2023.
