Engineering faculty presented top University awards for innovation

W.S. Lee College repeatedly recognized for leadership in research that holds high application promise

2026 award ceremony honorees Kosta Falaggis, Dean Rob Keynton and Soumitra R. Joy

Article by Meenakshi Nair ’27

William States Lee College of Engineering was in the spotlight during UNC Charlotte’s 2026 Invention of the Year Awards, an evening that showcased the university’s growing role as a national engine of innovation, commercialization and technological impact. Engineering innovators took home the grand prize, called the “Excellence Award,” as well as the Physical and Material Sciences category award.

The award ceremony brought together leaders from government, academia, industry and the defense community to recognize inventions with the highest promise for real-world impact.

Honoring Breakthrough Inventions

Soumitra R. Joy, Excellence Award winner, is pictured second from right, with University administration.

The Excellence Award was presented to Soumitra R. Joy for a breakthrough in signal transmission using engineered metallic island structures — technology with applications in wearable electronics, resilient communications and next-generation defense systems operating in extreme environments.

Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Soumitra R. Joy joined the University in 2024. He earned his doctorate from University of Michigan in 2020, where he also worked as a graduate student research assistant. Joy began his academic studies at Bangladesh University in 2012 where he completed his undergraduate and graduate studies.

This is the second year a faculty member from the engineering college has been presented this award. In 2025, the Excellence Award recipient was Dr. Tiefu Zhao, Ph.D., who is an Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Kosta Falaggis, physical and materials science category winner, is pictured second from right, with University administration.

The 2026 category awards recognized engineering research and innovation in the category of physical and materials science.

Physical and Material Sciences:
Engineering researchers Kosta Falaggis and Sevda Mamaghani created a portable optical inspection system for detecting microscopic defects, supporting high-reliability manufacturing in sectors such as aerospace and semiconductors. Invention: Portable Optical Inspection Device Capable Of Detecting Microscopic Surface Defects

Other categories and winners include:

Clean Energy and Power Systems: Redox self-healing polymers that repair themselves at room temperature, enabling more resilient electronics and energy systems. Invention: Self-healing Polymers – Christopher Bejger, Sushil Bhatta, Fuead Hasan, and Jonathan Gillen
Information and Data Science: An AI-powered drone platform that supports real-time disaster response and operational decision-making, with applications in emergency management and defense. Invention: AI-powered disaster response system – Elizabeth Johnson and Kaleb Wainright
Life Sciences and Health: A bi-specific antibody therapy that enhances the immune system’s ability to target cancer cells, advancing precision medicine. Invention: Bi-specific Antibody Therapy – Pinku Mukherjee and Timothy Erick

National Academy of Innovators

Vice Chancellor of Research Deb Thomas with Dean Rob Keynton

Further, the ceremony recognized Robert Keynton, dean of the W.S. Lee College of Engineering, as the founding UNC Charlotte Chapter President of the National Academy of Inventors. The U.S.-based non-profit organization supports and mentors academic inventors whose creations are for the betterment of society. Keyton was elected as a Fellow of NAI in 2017, which is the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors. Engineering inventor Stuart Smith of the mechanical engineering and engineering science department was also recognized during the event as an NAI Fellow, elected in 2025.

Celebrating the Moment When Ideas Become Impact

The Invention of the Year Awards were also created to highlight a pivotal — but often unseen — stage in the innovation process: when research evolves into a protected invention with real-world potential.

UNC Charlotte has rapidly increased patent activity and startup formation in recent years, ranking among national leaders in innovation productivity per research dollar. Its discoveries, led by the W.S. Lee College of Engineering, are advancing fields ranging from energy resilience to defense technologies, dual-use systems and advanced manufacturing capabilities essential to supply chain security.

Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber noted that the university’s research enterprise is increasingly translating into real-world impact.

“The ideas and technologies emerging from UNC Charlotte are not just advancing science. They are strengthening our economy, supporting national security and improving lives,” she said.

The Third Cohort of Charlotte’s Million Dollar Research Circle

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte also recently honored the 2026 cohort of Charlotte’s Million Dollar Research Circle. The recognition celebrates faculty members whose research initiatives secured more than $1 million in active external funding during the 2025 fiscal year.

Engineering recipients at the 2026 awards ceremony:

Aidan Browne – Engineering Technology and Construction Management
Youxing Chen – Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science
Badrul Chowdhury – Electrical & Computer Engineering
Robert Cox – Energy Production and Infrastructure Center
Amirhossein Ghasemi – Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science
Sukumar Kamalasadan – Electrical and Computer Engineering
Edward Morse – Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Science
Brigid Mullany – Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Science
Hamed Tabkhivayghan – Electrical & Computer Engineering
Brett Tempest – Civil and Environmental Engineering
Terry Xu – Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Science
In Hong Yang – Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science
Qiang Zhu – Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science

These recognitions connect Charlotte researchers with the broader innovation community and inspire the next generation of inventors. UNC Charlotte is helping shape a future defined not just by ideas but by the ability to turn those ideas into meaningful change.

At UNC Charlotte, that future is already taking shape — one invention at a time.

Learn more about Charlotte’s Million Dollar Awards and the Invention of the Year Awards.