Faculty – �� College of Engineering and Computing

David Sturm Named Summer 2026 AAPT Fellow

christopher.karlen — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:56:26 +0000

David Sturm, instructional laboratory and lecture demonstration specialist in the University of �� Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been named a Summer 2026 Fellow of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). The prestigious honor recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to physics education and the AAPT community. Sturm was recognized for decades of leadership, mentorship, and service at both the regional and national levels, helping advance physics teaching and outreach across the country.

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

Francis Crowe Society Honors Excellence at 26th Annual Induction Ceremony

christopher.karlen — Mon, 18 May 2026 17:42:49 +0000

The 26th annual Francis Crowe Society Induction Ceremony highlighted a broad range of alumni, faculty, students and leaders whose achievements reflect excellence across engineering, computing, education and industry. The event brought together the �� College of Engineering and Computing community to recognize professional impact at every stage of the field.

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 �� 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 �� 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 U�� 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 �� students, alumni and faculty to society.

MCEC Honors Excellence Across Teaching, Research, and Service at 46th Annual Bryand Awards

christopher.karlen — Mon, 18 May 2026 17:37:21 +0000

The �� College of Engineering & Computing recognized outstanding alumni, faculty, staff, and students at the 46th Annual Edward T. Bryand Awards Ceremony, held April 17, 2026, at Buchanan Alumni House. The event brought together faculty, staff, industry partners, students, and families to celebrate individuals whose work and commitment continue to advance the College’s mission.

Dr. David Neivandt – Ashley S. Campbell Award
Dr. David Neivandt is a professor of chemical and biomedical engineering at the University of �� 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 �� 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 ��. 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 �� 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 �� 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 �� 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 �� 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 ��. 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.

MCEC February Faculty Publications

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:00:26 +0000

Giovanna Guidoboni��

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 �� College of Engineering and Computing, University of ��, ��, 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 ��
- Authors: Aaron Gallant; Sebastian Montoya-Vargas; William Davids
- Sponsored By: Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

- Principal Investigator: Aaron Gallant Civil and Environmental Engineering University of ��
- 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 �� and �� Sea Grant, alisha.shrestha1@maine.edu
- Tora Johnson Sunrise County Economic Council, tjohnson@sunrisecounty.org
- Shaleen Jain University of ��, shaleen.jain@maine.edu Jessica Jansujwicz �� 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 ��, Orono, ME, 04669, USA��
- 3 Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of ��, 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 ��, 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 ��, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,�� United States of America
- b University of ��, School of Earth & Climate Sciences, United States of America
- c University of ��, Center for Sustainability Solutions, United States of America
- d University of ��, 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 ��, 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 ��, Orono, ME 04469, USA
- 2 School of Physical Therapy, Husson University, Bangor, ME 04401, USA
- * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

MCEC January Faculty Publications

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:38:31 +0000

Babak Hejrati��

- Ali Faeghinejad,Liam Hawthorne and Babak Hejrati *Biorobotics & Biomechanics Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of ��, 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 ��, 5737 Jenness Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA, 2 School of Forest Resources, University of ��, 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 ��, 2 ��Health Institute for Research

Yifeng Zhu

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

Guidoboni appointed Interim Vice President For Research, will continue as MCEC Dean��

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 13:54:50 +0000

Guidoboni appointed Interim Vice President For Research, will continue as MCEC Dean

The University of �� has appointed Giovanna Guidoboni as interim vice president for research while she continues to serve as the inaugural dean of the �� College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC). In this dual leadership role, Guidoboni will help foster��education, research, and innovation at the University of �� while strengthening collaboration across the University of �� 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 ��. 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 U��’s research enterprise, support faculty and student scholarship, and build new opportunities for collaboration with industry, government and community partners. Her appointment reflects U��’s continued commitment to advancing discovery and innovation that serve �� 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 U��. 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 U�� 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

When engineering, medicine and artificial intelligence see as one, vision takes place

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:01:15 +0000

Oct. 17 marked the inaugural meeting of the Society for Artificial Intelligence in Vision and Ophthalmology (SAIVO), a new global organization bringing together leaders in artificial intelligence, vision science and clinical care. During the meeting, the journal entitled Artificial Intelligence in Vision and Ophthalmology (AIVO) — cofounded and edited by �� College of Engineering and Computing Dean Giovanna Guidoboni — was officially announced as the society’s journal of record, marking an important step in advancing the safe, ethical and effective use of AI in eye and vision research.

AIVO is the first international journal exclusively dedicated to the convergence of AI and vision science. It provides a first-of-its-kind platform for interdisciplinary research spanning ophthalmology, optometry, computer science, physics, clinical science, mathematics, engineering and physiology to improve understanding and treatment of the visual system.

“Over the last decade, AI has moved from a computational curiosity to a clinical necessity, and this journal stands on the front lines leading that transition,” Guidoboni said.

The journal dates back to 2014, when the Journal for Modeling in Ophthalmology (JMO) was founded by Guidoboni; Alon Harris, professor of ophthalmology, professor of artificial intelligence and human health, Co-Director of the Barry Family Center for Ophthalmic Artificial Intelligence & Human Health at Mount Sinai Hospital; and Simon Bakker, managing director of Kugler Publications, to promote mathematical and computational modeling in ophthalmology. Based on the growing relevance and rapidly expanding role of AI in vision science, JMO evolved into Modeling and Artificial Intelligence in Ophthalmology in 2021, then transitioned to its current title, AIVO.

At the time, most mathematical and computational approaches to vision did not neatly fit into existing research or publishing categories. Recognizing that along with the need for a new vision and new mathematics to understand biological and clinical systems, a new venue for these ideas to converge needed to be created. The journal was founded to be a place where research at the crossroads of disciplines could be shared.

“The transformation from JMO to AIVO represents more than a name change. It mirrors the evolution and interdisciplinary nature of our field,” said Guidoboni, who also serves as editor-in-chief.

The formation of SAIVO adds to the momentum. Established independently by researchers and clinicians worldwide, SAIVO encourages collaboration and transparency in AI applications for ocular care. Its partnership with AIVO creates a natural alignment between technology, the people advancing science, research and the platform sharing it, thereby creating a unique environment to move innovation forward.

“This journal and SAIVO were born from the same need to bring together the people researching and the platform needed to share research,” said Harris. “With SAIVO and AIVO now formally aligned, the field has both a home for collaboration and a voice for discovery.”

Published by Kugler Publications under the leadership of Managing Director Simon Bakker, AIVO features an international and interdisciplinary editorial board of leaders in ophthalmology, AI, and computational modeling.

“Our shared goal has always been to elevate the field through quality, but always focusing on accessibility,” said Bakker. “AIVO’s partnership with SAIVO creates a powerful bridge between cutting-edge research and the global community working to apply it. Especially in an inherently interdisciplinary field that didn’t have a natural publishing fit.”

For Guidoboni and Harris, the journal’s interdisciplinary mission reflects their own research philosophy and work using engineering, physics, mathematics and AI to model complex biological systems from the eye to the cardiovascular and urinary systems. Each holds a faculty appointment at the other’s university, reflecting their ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration Their research group was the first to quantify retinal venous susceptibility to collapse due to blood and intraocular pressure, later validated in a population study of nearly 20,000 eyes in Singapore, and to develop digital twins of both the eye and the lower urinary tract.

“The human body is one of the greatest engineers of all,” said Guidoboni. “My passion for research and for inspiring the next generation of scientists comes from seeing how technology, physics, and biology converge to help people. This journal is the ultimate embodiment of this collaborative, cross-disciplinary vision.”

Through her leadership at U��, Guidoboni continues to expand access to research opportunities for �� students at all levels, emphasizing the human side of AI and the power of interdisciplinary collaboration including bringing high school students to international conferences — meeting with Harris and other industry leaders. The partnership between AIVO and SAIVO represents a defining moment for the global vision science community—one that unites people, purpose, and innovation to shape the future of artificial intelligence in vision and ophthalmology.

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

U��-led project takes high school research from Bangor classroom to global research stage

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:46:48 +0000

It’s not every day that high school students present their research on a global scale and see their names in an international research journal. But thanks to a first-of-its-kind partnership with the University of ��, students at John Bapst Memorial High School are now published co-authors in the Proceedings of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

The paper, ,” describes how 21 high school students joined researchers from U��, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and North Carolina State University to explore how blood pressure and intraocular pressure interact in the eye. Working in U��’s labs alongside faculty, students built a hydraulics-based model to simulate glaucoma progression, presented their findings at a global vision science conference, which ultimately was published in an international peer-reviewed journal.

“This effort shows how connecting science, technology and people can spark interest in real-world problem solving while building the skills needed for the workforce of tomorrow,” said Giovanna Guidoboni, dean of the �� College of Engineering and Computing and principal investigator.

The project brought together high schoolers, U�� students, and faculty from engineering, mathematics and ophthalmology, along with collaborators nationwide. It also acknowledged UMS TRANSFORMS, the Harold Alfond Foundation’s historic investment in the University of �� System, underscoring the role of statewide initiatives in elevating ��’s research and education mission.

For students, the experience was transformative. They spoke of discovering the real-world power of math, forging mentorships with faculty and graduate students, and accessing resources far beyond the high school classroom. Several chose to continue their research at U�� providing this type of research creates a direct pipeline from high school to higher education.

I think it’s amazing that U�� has put such an emphasis on giving students at all levels access to this type of experience,” said Kevin Real, lead author on the paper. ”We really are working as a part of a team alongside world-renowned researchers…it’s pretty special.”

At a time when STEM competency among U.S. high school students is in steady decline, this project offers a bold model: one that gives young learners a seat at the research table, connects science and people in meaningful ways, and shows that �� students can compete and publish on the global stage. This project also reflects how initiatives like UMS TRANSFORMS, the Harold Alfond Foundation’s historic investment in the University of �� System, are strengthening the state’s competitiveness nationally and internationally.

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

MCEC September 2025 Faculty Publications

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 13:51:55 +0000

Caitlin Howell:

��

Mauricio Pereira Da Cunha:

Mehdi Tajvidi:

��

Kimberly Huguenard:

Lauren Ross:

Evan Wujcik:

��

Donald Hummels:

Onur Apul:

Babak Hejrati:

Senthil Vel:

Amrit Verma:

Eric Landis:

Exploring Transportation Careers in ��

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 15:25:21 +0000

Friday, September 26th, Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rebecca Bian, hosted Transportation+, an event for University of �� System (UMS) students exploring ��’s transportation systems and career opportunities.

The morning session included a field trip to the �� Department of Transportation headquarters in Augusta, where students met with staff from multiple departments, including Research & Innovation, Regional Programs, Environmental, Highway, Bridge, Traffic, Multimodal, and Mobility Engineering and Analysis. Students also visited the ��DOT Transportation Management Center for a brief overview of operations. The tour offered insight into the day-to-day work of engineers and planners, as well as career paths, internships, and co-op opportunities.

The lunch session included networking opportunities with MCEC Dean Giovanna Guidoboni in attendance, followed by 10-minute presentations from transportation professionals about their roles in the industry. Topics included applying new techniques for using weather data in engineering projects, ��’s signal and roadway systems, and advances in resilient and sustainable design. The majority of presenters were U�� alumni, and the session gave students practical insights into careers in transportation and infrastructure from both regional and national perspectives.

“This event connects students with transportation professionals in �� to learn more about their company, institution or agency, ongoing projects, their work and emerging technologies,” Bian said. “I am hoping the deep-dive learning experience can help students meaningfully link what they are learning in a classroom setting with future career opportunities, which motivates them to achieve academic excellence for their own career goals. It is also exciting to find out that student attendees are sharing the same feeling and want to see more events like this in the future.”

MCEC students and faculty gather outside for a group photo at �� DOT Headquarters
Students engage in a workshop session with working professionals, learning about career opportunities in engineering and computing.
MCEC faculty Rebecca Bian greets members of the MCEC community.
Dean Guidoboni talks with students, offering guidance and advice.
Students meet with industry representatives at the Transportation+ event.
Students explore opportunities with local firms at MCEC.
Dean Guidoboni addresses attendees, highlighting MCEC’s student programs and resources.
MCEC faculty, Rebecca Bian looks on at a successful event.
Students engage in a presentation, learning about career opportunities in engineering and computing
Signage highlights the MCEC event, welcoming students and faculty to the session.
Dean Guidoboni talks with students, offering guidance and advice.
Students converse with peers and faculty.

The trip was funded by UMS TRANSFORMS, including seed grants aimed at exposing students to career and research opportunities in ��’s transportation sector. Bian acknowledged support from her new colleague, Hao Liu, Assistant Professor of Transportation Engineering, who helped lead the morning portion of the event, and thanked ��DOT for hosting and sharing their expertise.

U�� also thanks its partners — Acorn Engineering, Inc. ; ASCE NOAA Task Force ; Go�� ; HNTB Corporation ; Kleinfelder ; Sargent ; Sebago Technics, Inc. ; Thornton Tomasetti ; and VHB — for sharing their expertise, and to Dr. Bian and UMS TRANSFORMS for supporting the experience.

Faculty – �������� College of Engineering and Computing

David Sturm Named Summer 2026 AAPT Fellow

Francis Crowe Society Honors Excellence at 26th Annual Induction Ceremony

MCEC Honors Excellence Across Teaching, Research, and Service at 46th Annual Bryand Awards

MCEC February Faculty Publications

MCEC January Faculty Publications

Guidoboni appointed Interim Vice President For Research, will continue as MCEC Dean��

When engineering, medicine and artificial intelligence see as one, vision takes place

U��������-led project takes high school research from Bangor classroom to global research stage

MCEC September 2025 Faculty Publications

Exploring Transportation Careers in ��������

Faculty – �� College of Engineering and Computing

U��-led project takes high school research from Bangor classroom to global research stage

Exploring Transportation Careers in ��