Staff
Dr. Kristen Donnell
Interim Director, Woodard Associate Professor of Excellence
573-341-6229 | kmdgfd@mst.edu
216 Emerson Electric Company Hall
Research Interests
Embedded Sensors
Modulated antennas/scatterers
Microwave/millimeter wave engineering
Microwave material characterization
Terahertz methodologies
Electronics design
Members
Dr. Magdy Abdelrahman
Assoc. Chair for Graduate Studies and Research and Missouri Asphalt Pavement Association Professor
573-341-6124 | m.abdelrahman@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Recycling of asphalt pavement
Modified asphalt binders
Quality control/quality assurance in pavement construction
Road materials and construction
Design and characterization of asphalt binders and mixtures
Pavement design and analysis
Advanced materials characterization and modeling
Pavement rehabilitation and management
Environmental aspects of road material recycling
Dr. Shradha Agarwal
Associate Professor
573-341-470 | sabr@mst.edu
Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science; Computer Engineering
Research Interests
Ion/neutron irradiation effects on advanced nuclear ceramics
AI-based solutions in Large Language Models
Electron microscopy
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) using textbook data
Prompt injection detection mechanisms
Dr. Kwame Awuah-Offei
Union Pacific Foundation/Rocky Mountain Energy Co. Professor in Mining Engineering; Chair, Mining and Explosives Engineering
573-341-6438 | kwamea@mst.edu
Mining & Explosives Engineering
Research Interests
Life cycle assessment
Sustainability assessment of new construction materials
Agent-based modeling for sustainability
Community engagement for sustainable construction
Dr. Nilanjan Chakraborty
Assistant Professor
573-341-4641 | chakrabortyn@mst.edu
Mathematics and Statistics
Research Interests
Resampling methods
Inference for High Dimensional Data
Time Series
Statistical Analysis of Real-Life Networks
Neuroimaging
Survey Methodology
Dr. K. Chandrashekhara
Curators’ Professor; Director, Composite Manufacturing Laboratory
573-341-4587 | chandra@mst.edu
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests
Fiber reinforced polymer composites
Modeling and simulation
Additive manufacturing
Transparent composites
Bio-composites
Multifunctional composites
Dr. Steven Corns
Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Graduate Studies
573-341-6367 | cornss@mst.edu
Engineering Management and Systems Engineering
Research Interests
Computational Intelligence
Complex Systems
Bioinformatics
Dr. Islam H. El-adaway
Associate Dean for Academic Partnerships, Hurst-McCarthy Endowed Professor, Founding Director of the Missouri Consortium for Construction Innovation, and Director of the Civil Infrastructure System
573-341-4030 | eladaway@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Modeling and simulation (multi agent systems
System dynamics and social network analysis
Sustainable infrastructure management
Resilient hazard management
Energy management
Contractual and dispute management
Planning management
Safety management
Decision and risk management
Engineering education
Engineering ethics
Dr. Hany El-Azab
Assistant Professor
573-341-4416 | hany.elazab@mst.edu
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Research Interests
Nanomaterials
Magnetic Nanoparticles
Reaction Kinetics
Nanotechnology
Graphene
Heterogeneous catalysis
Microwave-assisted Synthesis
Micro Reactor Technology
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Chemical Kinetics
Flow Chemistry
Metal Oxides
Cross-coupling Reactions
Dr. Mohamed ElGawady
Interim Chair, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering; Professor and Alard and Sheri Kaplan Faculty Scholar
573-341-6947 | elgawadym@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Seismic behavior of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures
Application of Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) in strengthening and repair of masonry/reinforced concrete structures
Seismic behavior of reinforced concrete bridges
Damage-free bridge columns
Segmental construction
Rocking mechanics and the use of sustainable materials in seismic prone regions
Dr. Arezoo Emdadi
Assistant Professor
573-341-4796 | emdadia@mst.edu
Materials Science and Engineering
Research Interests
Computational Mechanics and Material Science
Applied Mathematics
Phase-Field Modeling (Crack Propagation, Solidification, Oxydation)
Phase-Field Crystal Modeling
Finite Element Method
Fracture Mechanics
Dr. Mina Esmaeelpour
Assistant Professor; Director, Precision Fiber Optic Devices Laboratory
573-341-4503 | mina.esmaeelpour@mst.edu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Interests
Fiber optic sensors
Distributed sensors and sensor networks
Environmental monitoring
Microwave photonic sensors
Fiber optic devices
Remote sensing and mutli-spectral Lidar
Raman and Photoacoustic sensors
Dr. Dimitri Feys
Associate Professor
573-341-7193 | feysd@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Behavior of highly workable concrete in the fresh state
Rheology of complex materials and suspensions
Suspension flow and sedimentation
Fluid mechanics and flow modeling
Concrete made with recycled materials and advanced sustainability
Dr. Abhijit Gosavi
Associate Professor
573-341-4624 | gosavia@mst.edu
Engineering Management and Systems Engineering
Research Interests
Markov Decision Processes
Simulation-Based Optimization
Reinforcement Learning
Disaster Management
Risk Analytics
Airline Revenue Management
Total Productive Maintenance
Remanufacturing
Dr. Seongho Han
Assistant Research Professor
573-341-4497 | shhan@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Rheology-Based Investigation of Concrete Performance
Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) for Construction Materials
Addictive Manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing of concrete)
Dr. Emad M. Hassan
Assistant Professor
573-341-4461 | emad.hassan@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Infrastructure performance under extreme loadings
Natural hazard risk assessment and mitigation
Community resilience
Smart cities and data analytics
Dr. Xiaoming He
Faculty Fellow to Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
573-341-6208 | hex@mst.edu
Mathematics & Statistics
Research Interests
Finite element methods
Domain decomposition methods
Interface problems
Computational fluid dynamics
Data assimilation
Feedback control
Stochastic PDEs
Dr. Jie Huang
Roy A. Wilkens Endowed Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
573-341-4836 | jieh@mst.edu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Interests
Sensors and instrumentation for applications in harsh environments
Photonic/microwave micro/nano materials, structures, devices and sensors
Structural health monitoring
Distributed sensor networks
Intelligent infrastructures
Environmental monitoring
Biomedical sensing and imaging
Distributed sensor networks
Dr. Kamal H. Khayat
Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation; Vernon and Maralee Jones Professor of Civil Engineering
573-341-6211 | khayatk@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Design and performance of advanced structural materials, including high-performance concrete with adapted rheology, self-consolidating concrete and specialty grouts
Repair and rehabilitation of civil engineering infrastructure
Rheology and workability of cement grout, mortar, and concrete
Physico-chemical interaction of chemical admixtures and modern hydraulic binders
Microstructure and properties of cement-based materials
Mechanical properties, visco-elastic properties, and structural performance of specialty concrete
Durability and deterioration of cement-based materials in aggressive environments
Use of chemical admixtures, supplementary cementitous materials and fibers in concrete
Dr. Aditya Kumar
Associate Professor; Interim Director of the Materials Research Center
573-341-6994 | kumarad@mst.edu
Materials Science and Engineering
Research Interests
Composition-structure-property relationships in silicate materials
Experimental characterization and numerical simulation of reaction processes (thermodynamics and kinetics) and evolution of microstructure
Development of sustainable binders for construction infrastructure
Simulation of fluid/ion transport in porous media
Dr. Bo Mi Lee
Assistant Professor; Director, Intelligent Multifunctional Materials and Systems Laboratory
573-341-4459 | bomilee@mst.edu
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests
Multifunctional materials
Nanocomposites
Multiscale/multiphysics modeling
Advanced manufacturing
Wearable technology
Data-driven approaches
Dr. Wenyu Liao
Assistant Research Professor; Coordinator, Laboratory of Future Cements and Carbon-negative Initiatives
573-612-4246 | wliao@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Thermal energy storage
Solid waste upcycling
Carbon mineralization
Novel cements
Dr. Nicolas Libre
Associate Teaching Professor; Director, Materials Testing Lab
573-341-7069 | libren@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Development and characterization of cement based construction materials with emphasize on self-consolidating concrete (SCC), fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) and high performance concrete (HPC)
Design and performance of cement based materials for additive manufacturing
Numerical modelling in engineering mechanics
Development and implementation of educational tools in engineering education.
Dr. Jenny Liu
James A. Heidman Professor
573-341-6443 | liujuan@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Engineering characterization and modeling of materials
Materials’ recycling, reuse, and renewal
Sustainable materials and resilient infrastructure adapting to climate change and extreme events
Pavement design, testing, and evaluation
Pavement preservation, repair and rehabilitation
Non-destructive testing
Pavement management
Environmental sustainability in life cycle of transportation infrastructure
Dr. Hongyan Ma
Kummer Impact Professor, Francisco Benavides Scholar, and Associate Professor of Civil/Materials Engineering
573-341-6250 | mahon@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Nano- and biological technologies in construction
Phase change materials in concrete
Magnesia-phosphate cement (MPC) and MPC-based functional materials
Acoustics and optics based NDTs and sensing
Hydration kinetics of (blended) cementitious materials
Microstructure characterization and modeling of cement paste, interfacial transition zone and mortar/concrete
Measuring and multi-scale modeling of transport properties of concrete, Mechanisms and properties of novel construction/rehabilitation materials
Deterioration mechanisms of concrete structures
Molecular simulation of C-S-H
Dr. Sanjay Madria
Curators’ Distinguished Professor of Computer Science
573-341-4856 | madrias@mst.edu
Computer Science
Research Interests
Cloud Computing
Security
Wireless Computing and Mobile Data Management
Cyber Security (Smart Systems)
Dr. Phillip Mulligan
Assistant Professor
573-341-4515 | pmulligan@mst.edu
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests
Explosives Engineering
Force protection
Virtual reality
Weapon design
Dr. John J. Myers
Professor, Structural Engineering and Director, Missouri Center for Transportation Innovation
573-341-6618 | jmyers@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Structures/high performance concrete (HPC) behavior and durability performance
Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) in structural repair and strengthening applications with an emphasis related to concrete and masonry structures, and their durability performance,
Development of environmentally sensitive construction materials
Hybrid materials and enhanced systems for blast resistant structures
Dr. Monday Okoronkwo
Associate Professor; Interim Director S&T Core Facility for Advanced Materials Characterization
573-341-4349 | okoronkwom@mst.edu
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Research Interests
Advanced polymers for sustainable infrastructure
Nanocomposites and functional materials
Hydration, microstructure development, and durability of cement-based materials
Cement – chemical admixture interactions
Rheology of cement-based materials and complex fluids
Waste immobilization in cementitious matrices
CO2 conversion and utilization
Mechanism and control of deteriorative reactions in concrete
Inorganic electrides and microporous materials
Dr. Guney Olgun
Assistant Professor
573-341-4461 | olgun@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Thermo-active foundation systems
Seismic performance of improved ground
Cyclic vulnerability of fine grained soils; dynamic soil-structure-foundation interaction; and advanced numerical modeling.
Dr. Jonghyun Park
Professor; Director, Advanced Energy Materials and Systems
573-341-4699 | parkjonghy@mst.edu
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests
Advanced li-ion battery
Beyond li-ion battery
Energy storage systems
Renewable energy systems
Grid energy storage systems
Nano-/macro-mechanics of materials
Self-assembly of nanoparticles, nanostructures, multiphysics/multiscale experiment and simulations
Dr. Chaoying Pei
Assistant Professor
573-341-4699 | parkjonghy@mst.edu
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests
Non-convex optimization
Quadratically Constrained Quadratic Programs (QCQPs)
Optimal control
Space exploration technology
Machine learning
Distributed computing
Dr. Amber Pete
573-341-7518 | apete@mst.edu
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Research Interests
Bioremediation
Oil spills
Microplastics
Biosurfactants
Environmental engineering
Bioremediation
Nanomaterials
Biofilm formation
Colloids and interface science
Dr. Gabriel Nicolosi
Assistant Professor
573-341-4461 | olgun@mst.edu
Engineering Management and Systems Engineering
Research Interests
Operations Research
Applied Optimization and Optimal Control
Differential Games
Machine Learning
Dr. Thomas Schuman
Professor; Co-Director, JIP Preformed Particle Gel (PPG) for Conformance Control Consortium; Research Investigator, Materials Research Center
573-341-6236 | tschuman@mst.edu
Chemistry
Research Interests
Aggregate-interface effects in cementitious composite
Corrosion resistance
Asphalt recycling
Polymer-modified asphalts
Renewable resource materials
Strong polymer gels (PPGs) utilized for enhancing oil recovery
Biomedical materials
Dr. Sahra Sedigh Sarvestani
Distance Coordinator for ECE, S&T Faculty Ombuds
573-341-7505 | sedighs@mst.edu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Interests
Critical infrastructure protection
Cyber-physical systems
Quantitative modeling; pervasive systems
Development, modeling, and assessment of dependable networks and embedded systems
System and information assurance, Engineering education
Dr. Taghi Sherizadeh
Associate Professor
573-341-6194 | sherizadeh@mst.edu
Mining Engineering
Research Interests
Numerical, statistical, and probabilistic modeling in geo-engineering
Rock slope stability and stability of underground excavations
Application of numerical modeling in underground and surface mining
Reservoir geomechanics (Wellbore stability)
Hydraulic fracturing, Sand production
Pore pressure and in-situ stress analysis
Dr. Jeffrey Smith
Professor
573-341-4447 | jsmith@mst.edu
Materials Science and Engineering
Research Interests
Thermochemistry and high temperature phase equilibria of condensed and non-condensed ceramic systems
Chemical, mineralogical and microstructural analysis of refractory materials, in particular magnesia-graphite, alumina-silicon carbide-graphite, cordierite and mullite
Dr. Jianmin Wang
Professor, Environmental Engineering
573-341-7503 | wangjia@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Sustainable wastewater treatment and reuse
Fate and transport of heavy metals in environment
Nanoparticle ecotoxicity
Synergistic toxic effect of nanoparticles and heavy metals
Dr. Donald C. Wunsch II
Mary Finley Missouri Distinguished Professor; Director, Kummer Institute Center for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems; Director, Applied Computational Intelligence Laboratory
573-341-9800 | dwunsch@mst.edu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Interests
Clustering
Neural networks
Reinforcement learning
Approximate dynamic programming
Adaptive dynamic programming
Dr. Guang Xu
Robert H. Quenon Associate Professor
573-341-6079 | guang.xu@mst.edu
Mining Engineering
Research Interests
Mine Ventilation
Particulate Matter (PM) Monitor and Control
Fire Safety
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Dr. Grace Yan
Professor; Faculty Fellow for Research in College of Engineering and Computing; Director, Center of Hazard Mitigation and Community Resilience
(573) 341-6280 | yang@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Resilient infrastructural systems in multi-hazard environments
Structural health monitoring
Structural damage detection
Wireless sensor networks
Advanced signal processing
Nonlinear system identification and damage detection
Model updating of structural FEMs, Structural vibration control
Smart materials and structures
Dr. Xiong Zhang
James A. Heidman Professor in Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
573-341-6268 | zhangxi@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Advanced testing techniques for geo-material characterization
Modeling of coupled hydro-chemo-thermo-mechanical behavior of geo-materials
Numerical methods and modeling
Geothermal and ground source heat pump systems
Soil structure interaction
Foundation on expansive and collapsible soils
Slope stability and retaining walls
Soil stabilization and ground improvement
Geotechnical applications in pavement engineering
Frozen ground engineering
Remote sensing for geo-engineering applications
Affiliate Members
Dr. Ruben Paul Borg
Full Professor, University of Malta; Missouri S&T Fullbright Scholar
356-2340-2872 | ruben.p.borg@um.edu.mt
Construction and Property Management; Faculty for the Built Environment, University of Malta
Research Interests
Cement based materials
Low carbon concrete
Degradation and repair of concrete structures
Climate resilience
Sustainable construction
Dr. Suzanna Long
Dean of Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Idaho; Professor Emerita, Missouri S&T
208-885-7030 | long@uidaho.edu
College of Engineering, University of Idaho
Research Interests
Critical infrastructure systems
Engineering workforce development
Engineering education
Post Doctoral Fellows
Dr. Yucun Gu
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
573-341-4572 | gywvy@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Development of sustainable hydraulic binders
High-performance cement-based materials for structural application and additive manufacturing
Multi-scale characterization of concrete properties
Dr. HaoDao Li
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
573-341-4461 | hlbb4@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Rheology of cement-based materials
High-performance concrete
Digital fabrication with concrete
Dr. Jingjie Wei
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
573-202-1948 | jwxhc@mst.edu
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Low-carbon concrete & Alkali-activated concrete
High-performance concrete (FR-SWC, FR-SCC)