Faculty Mentors
Choosing a faculty mentor for your summer undergraduate research proposal can be both a challenging assignment and a fun project. Approach a faculty member whose class you enjoyed the most or one whose lab intrigues you each time you walk by the lab. They are just as eager to work with you as you are excited to work with them.
Given below is a list of faculty members who have recently given their names to be included in the list of faculty mentors. Please check this list periodically.
The fact that the name of the faculty member who you wish to work with does not show in the list below should not by any means discourage you from speaking with that faculty member. Please contact me at saigal@njit.edu if I can be of any assistance in introducing you to a faculty mentor
Biological Sciences
Professor Andrew Hill
Office: 314 Boyden Hall, 195 University Ave. on the Rutgers Campus.
Tel.: 973-353-1344.
Interests: My lab studies the neuronal network located in the mammalian brainstem that is responsible for generating the rhythm that underlies respiratory activity. We are currently studying how developmental factors such as prenatal exposure to nicotine or the absence of a particular class of neurons in genetic knockout mice affects rhythm generation and the ability of the respiratory neural network to respond to stressors such as hypoxia.
Daniel E. Bunker
thedbunker@gmail.com
http://web.njit.edu/~dbunker
Interests: We study the impacts of environmental change on ecological communities, and employ observational, experimental, modeling, and data mining approaches. We work in a variety of ecological systems, for instance investigating the impacts of climate change and habitat change on plant-pollinator (bee) interactions, quantifying the impacts of deer on forest regeneration, and conservation of various bird species. We also work to bring 'big data' approaches to ecological research by developing ontologies and semantic approaches to the curation and discovery ecological data.
Biomedical Engineering
Professor Raquel Perez-Castillejos
Email: raquelpc@njit.edu
Office: 613 Fenster
Skype: (raquelpxc)
Interests: The focus of my research is the development of new approaches to cell and tissue biology based on the use of micro- and nanotechnologies. Our goals include building tissue models that mimic the complexity of the in-vivo cellular microenvironment and fabricating subcellular, cellular, and multi-cellular probes to interrogate cells. Such biomedical devices and techniques can provide alternatives to experimentation with animals for finding cures to human diseases as well as they can offer new routes to low-cost point-of-care diagnostic devices and high-throughput cell-based assays. In my lab we use technologies, methods, and tools that are at the interface between microelectronics, microfluidics, nanotechnology, and biomedicine
Chemical, Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering
Professor Boris Khusid
Tel.: 973-596-3316
E-mail: khusid@adm.njit.edu
Interests: The suggested research topics are based on our externally supported ongoing projects: (i) Magnetic field effects on water desalination by reverse osmosis; (ii) Micromechanical properties of polymeric membranes; (iii) Electro-hydrodynamic printing of personalized medicines; (iv)Formation of pharmaceutical films loaded with nanosized drug; and (v) Electro-hydrodynamic technology for gas-liquid phase separation in microgravity
Professor Xianqin Wang
Email: Xianqin.wang@njit.edu
Interests: My research efforts have been focused on two major categories: developing advanced functional nanomaterials for sustainable energy production and environmental protection, and investigating the structure and reactivity of catalytic systems under operation conditions including high pressure and temperature. My current projects involve hydrogen production from biomass over transition metal oxides; green gasoline production from biomass; novel non-metal catalytic materials for fuel cell and solar water splitting; waste water dechlorination using MOF stabilized nanoparticles, etc
Edward L. Dreizin
Research in area of reactive materials and energetic formulations: preparation and characterization of mechanically alloyed and nanocomposite powders, experimental studies of their ignition and combustion mechanisms. Strong background in physics and chemistry is desired for this work.
Departments of Chemical Engineering and Department of Chemistry
Dr. Roumiana Petrova
Tel. (973) 642-4076
e-mail: petrova@njit.edu
Research Interests: Investigate structure, properties, and performance of Biomaterials; In-vitro and In-vivo testing of biomaterials; Cytotoxicity testing by MTT assay. In Lab equipment training.
Prof Joseph Bozzelli
Research Projects
- Thermochemical parameters on hydrocarbons, oxygenated hydrocarbons and nitrogen hydrocarbons related to chemistry of the atmosphere and combustion systems
- Reaction kinetic studies of small atmospheric chemistry and combustion systems and thermal systems.
- Computer code development for development of kinetic and thermochemical parameters.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Professor Jay Meegoda
Email: meegoda@adm.njit.edu
Interests: Engineering Properties of Contaminated Soils; Centrifugal Modeling of Contaminant Movement in Soils; Micro-mechanics; Reuse of Contaminated Soils; Ultrasound; A Comprehensive Model for Bio-reactor Landfill performance; Sustainable Waste Management and Construction use of waste ; Performance of pipes and development of next generation of pipes; Management of underground infrastructure; Pavement texture and snow/ice management to limit accidents.
Engineering Technology
Professor Michael Khader
Email: khader@njit.edu
Interests: Wireless sensory networks and real time fuzzy control.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Prof. MengChu Zhou,
zhou@njit.edu<mailto:zhou@njit.edu>
Interests: Modeling, performance, optimization, and control of renewable energy systems and smart grids; Sensor networks and their applications in buildings, environmental monitoring and radiomap; and Cell phone data mining.
Industrial Design
Brooks Atwood, Assistant Professor of Industrial Design,
(917) 428-1874
Pushing industrial design and architecture through material investigation and experimentation.
Brooks's research program investigates how materials can impact and influence form and manufacturing processes to reduce costs and waste while creating unique, limited edition (and mass produced) products. Advances in technology both analog and digital allow us to manipulate materials in new ways creating vast differences in design variations. How can technology and material performance impact product design and lead to changes in manufacturing?
Information Systems
Professor Mike Chumer
Email: mchumer@gmail.com
Interests: Research and develop tools, technologies, systems and concepts of operation (CONOPS) underlying Homeland Security, Homeland Defense, and private sector emergency management. Our web based technology dashboard that is being enhanced contains rss feeds, twitter widgets, crowd sourced mapping and GIS, and mapping representations sourced to State, FEMA, and DHS alert and notification systems. We are in the planning phase for National Level Exercise 2012 based upon a major cyber event. Our research is "applied" not basic, teaching those who work with us how to integrate disparate systems and technologies in support of emergency management
Mathematical Sciences
Professor Shahriar Afkhami
E-mail: shahriar@njit.edu
Web: http://web.njit.edu/~shahriar/
Interests: I am interested in computational and mathematical modeling of complex systems including viscoelastic liquids, electro/magnetohydrodynamics,interfacial flows in porous media,dynamic contact lines, and microfluidics. Studies of existence of solutions, flow stability,asymptotic behavior, and singularities of such problems pose a great challenge. I use numerical modeling for addressing some of these mathematical open questions and for better understanding the underlying physical mechanisms of these phenomena.
Denis Blackmore
Professor of Mathematical Sciences
Tel: 973-596-3495
Fax: 973-596-5591
E-mail: denis.l.blackmore@njit.edu
Interests: Professor Blackmore's main area of expertise is the theory and applications of dynamical systems. He is working on several projects involving applications of nonlinear dynamics to such areas as granular flows, fluid mechanics and biological science. For example, one of the projects involves the development and analysis of dynamical models for the spread of cancer.
Amitabha Bose
http://web.njit.edu/~bose/
bose@njit.edu;
973-596-3370
Interests: My research interests focus on how to use mathematics to understand the function of neuronal networks and their relation to behavior. Through a combination of mathematical modeling using differential equations and numerical simulations, I study questions that lead to a greater understanding of the electrical activity of the brain. Recent projects include a study on the mechanisms underlying sleep, wake and REM sleep transitions and a study on how multi-stability of memory patterns can arise due to synaptic depression. Doesn't sound like math, but it is!
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
B. S. Mani
University Lecturer, MIE
x3339
Office at MEC 326
Mechanism and linkages design using Pro/E: The idea is to develop several mechanical devices classified as “mechanisms and linkages,” using Pro/E solid modeling software. The end product will be mechanical assemblies of the various devices in the form of 3D solid models. Simulations of devices thus developed will be created and saved in the form of movie files. Corresponding commentary describing the design will be composed as a separate text file. Such sets of movie and commentary files will be archived in a search-enabled, web-based, relational database management system.
Each Undergraduate Research student will be required to develop 30 or more such unique simulations during the summer research activity (10 weeks). As a mentor I will be available to provide specific devices and their construction details, pro/E modelling and help with simulations generation, help with writing the commentary on each such device.
Physics
Professor N.M. Ravindra (Ravi)
Office: Tiernan Bldg. # 468
Tel.: 973.596.5742
Email: ravindra@njit.edu; nmravindra@gmail.com
Interests: Education, Energy, Materials Science & Engineering, Physics of Sports
Participatory Learning Approach
Prof. Bieber
bieber@njit.edu
http://web.njit.edu/~bieber/pubs.html#p
Participatory Learning revolutionizes learning through student control of the entire lifecycle of homework problems, labs, exams, etc. (where students learn through creating problems, answering, grading, disputing grades and lurking). The summer project, and possible future research, focuses on what kind of online user interface should support this approach. The project entails researching user interface design, creating mockups, and interviewing faculty and students to confirm and improve the design.