The William States Lee College of Engineering is committed to applied, interdisciplinary research. Alliances of students, faculty and community partners combine their research efforts to create knowledge, develop technology and improve the world around us.
Research Areas by Departments
Research Areas by Centers
Research Areas by Departments
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
Dr. Jim Bowen – jdbowen@uncc.edu, Interim Chairman
Department Website – cee.uncc.edu
Environmental Engineering – Dr. Jim Bowen – jdbowen@uncc.edu
- contaminant source control engineering
- environmental characterization and monitoring systems
- sustainable energy infrastructure
Geotechnical Engineering – Dr. Miguel Pando – mpando@uncc.edu
- determination of soil properties, site characterization, testing of materials
- earthquake engineering/soil liquefaction
- geosynthetics in reinforced structures
Structural Engineering – Dr. Janos Gergley – jgergely@uncc.edu
- composites characterization, design, and strengthening
- investigation of power infrastructure systems
- response of structures to extreme loads (blast, impact, wind, wave)
Transportation Studies – Dr. Martin Kane – mrkane@uncc.edu
- disaster management
- intelligent transportation systems
- transportation operations and management
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Dr. Asis Naipuri, Chairman – anasipur@uncc.edu
Communication, Control and Signal Processing – Dr. Asis Nasipuri – anasipur@uncc.edu
- digital signal processing
- image processing and pattern recognition
- wireless communications and networking
Devices, Circuits and Systems –
- analog and mixed signal VLSI design
- device processing
- display technology
Energy and Sustainability – Dr. Sukumar Kamalasadan – skamalas@uncc.edu
- active and passive photonic devices
- smart Grids
- wide bandgap semiconductors
High-Performance Embedded Computing – Dr. James Conrad – jmconrad@uncc.edu
- biotelemetry instrumentation
- embedded systems
- VLSI applications in digital and optical signal processing
Power Systems – Dr. Robert Cox – rcox3@uncc.edu
- electromechanical systems and drives
- electromechanics
- microelectromechanical systems
Engineering Technology and Construction Management Department
Dr. Anthony Brizendine, Chairman – albrizen@uncc.edu
Fire Safety – Dr. Jozef Urbas – jurbas@uncc.edu
- effectiveness of pre-applied wetting agents
- fire and materials
- ignition in the intermediate scale calorimeter
Systems Engineering and Engineering Management
Dr. Simon Hsiang, Director – shsiang1@uncc.edu
Program Website
Lean Logistics & Systems – Dr. Gary Teng – sgteng@uncc.edu
- lean systems process design
- production systems modeling and design
- supply chain and logistics management
- systems efficiency and effectiveness enhancement
Decision & Risk Analysis – Dr. Ertunga Ozelkan – ecozelka@uncc.edu
- multi-criteria decision making
- decision making under uncertainty
- risk simulation analysis
Production Planning & Inventory Control – Dr. Ertunga Ozelkan – ecozelka@uncc.edu
- aggregate planning
- joint pricing and inventory replenishment decisions
Systems Analysis and Engineering Management – Dr. A. Yesim Sireli – ysireli@uncc.edu
- systems analysis, policy development, strategic planning
- global product innovation, customer-oriented product development
- business forecasting
- energy systems analysis
System Optimization – Dr. Churlzu Lim – clim2@uncc.edu & Dr. Ertunga Ozelkan – ecozelka@uncc.edu
- mathematical optimization
- network analysis and optimization
- nonlinear systems optimization
- heuristics development
Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science Department
Dr. Scott Smith, Chairman – kssmith@uncc.edu
Bioengineering – Dr. Gloria Elliott - gdelliot@uncc.edu
- liver preservation, resuscitation, and tissue replacement devices
- orthopedic biomaterials and biomechanics
- biomechanics of Sports Injuries and Rehabilitation
- biopreservation in the cryoand dehydrated states
- biotherapeutic stabilization
- orthopedic and Liver tissue engineering
- design and testing of novel biomedical devices and instrumentation
- drug delivery and Biotransport analysis in biological systems
Computational Modeling – Dr. Harish Cherukuri – hcheruku@uncc.edu
- computational fluid mechanics
- computational mechanics
- computer aided manufacturing
Computer Aided Manufacturing – Dr.Edward Morse – emorse@uncc.edu
- computational metrology
- assembly modeling and analysis
- geometric tolerancing and standards
Motorsports Engineering – Dr. Mesbah Uddin – muddin@uncc.edu
- advanced power trains
- multicar aerodynamics
- motorsports safety
Precision Metrology – Dr. Chris Evans – cevans52@uncc.edu
- instrumentation for nanoscale metrology
- precision optical-electrical-mechanical systems
- national and international standards development
Precision Manufacturing – Dr. Scott Smith – kssmith@uncc.edu
- computer-aided tolerancing and factory control
- high-speed machining
- polishing
Research Areas by Centers
Center for Biomedical Engineering Science
Dr. Charles Lee, Director – cyclee@uncc.edu
Medical Therapies and Technologies Focus Area – Dr. Mark Clemens
- biopreservation in the dehydrated, refrigerated, and cryostates
- organ preservation, resuscitation, and replacement technologies
- design of novel biomedical devices and instrumentation
- tissue engineering therapies
- novel cancel treatments
- development of optical probes
Molecular Engineering and Design Focus Area – Dr. Don Jacobs
- molecular recognition and design
- drug delivery
- biosensors and biocatalysts
- molecular machines and self assembly
Biomechanics and Mobility Research Focus Area – Dr. Nigel Zheng
- design and manufacturing of orthopedic materials
- medical imaging and medical informatics
- orthopedic implants
- orthopedic tissue engineering
Center for Lean Logistics and Engineered Systems
Dr. Gary Teng, Director – sgteng@uncc.edu
Dr. Ertunga Ozelkan, Associate Director – ecozelka@uncc.edu
Lean Logistics & Systems – Dr. Ertunga Ozelkan & Dr. Gary Teng
- lean systems process design
- production systems modeling and design
- supply chain and logistics management
- systems efficiency & effectiveness enhancement
Systems Optimization – Dr. Churlzu Lim – clim2@uncc.edu
- mathematical optimization
- network analysis and optimization
- decision making under uncertainty
Systems Analysis and Engineering Management – Dr. A. Yesim Sireli – ysireli@uncc.edu
- systems analysis, policy development, strategic planning
- global product innovation, customer-oriented product development
- business forecasting
- energy systems analysis
Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communications
Dr. Eric Johnson, Director – egjohnso@uncc.edu
- Biomedical Optics Laboratory – Dr. Nathaniel Fried – nmfried@uncc.edu
- Guided Wave Photonic Lab; Light-Matter Interaction Lab – Dr. Tsing-Hua Her – ther@uncc.edu
- Mesophotonics Lab – Dr. Vasily Astratov – astratov@uncc.edu
- Micro/Nano-Optics Laboratory – Dr. Thomas Sulesk – i tsuleski@uncc.edu
- Micro-Photonics Lab – Dr. Eric Johnson – egjohnso@uncc.edu
- Optoelectronic and Nanophotonics Devices – Dr. Yasin Raja – raja@uncc.edu
- Single molecule microscopy and spectroscopy – Dr. Pat Moyer –
Center for Transportation Policy Studies
Dr. Edd Houser, Director – ehauser@uncc.edu
- bridge management systems
- pre-disaster mitigation
- intelligent transportation systems
Infrastructure Design Environment and Sustainability Center
Dr. Srinivas Pulugurtha, Director – sspulugu@uncc.edu
- biofuels
- contaminant source control engineering
- environmental characterization and monitoring systems
- environmental / energy policy research
- sustainable building
- waste water
Center for Precision Metrology
Dr. Chris Evans – cevans52@uncc.edu
Environmental Controls – Dr. Kevin Lawton – kmlawton@uncc.edu
- temperature control
- humidity control
- vibration control
Large-Scale Manufacturing – Dr. John Ziegert – jziegert@uncc.edu
- large power generation parts
- large aircraft parts
Polishing – Dr. Brigid A Mullany – bamullan@uncc.edu
- high-speed polishing
- ceramic polishing
- diamond turning
Precision Manufacturing – Dr. Scott Smith – kssmith@uncc.edu
- computer-aided tolerancing and factory control
- high-speed machining
- polishing
Precision Metrology – Dr. Chris Evans – cevans52@uncc.edu
- instrumentation for nanoscale metrology
- precision optical-electrical-mechanical systems
- national and international standards development
Energy Production and Infrastructure Center
Vacant, Director –
Energy and Sustainability –
- active and passive photonic devices
- smart grids
- wide bandgap semiconductors
Power Systems – Dr. Robert Cox – rcox3@uncc.edu
- electromechanical systems and drives
- electromechanics
- microelectromechanical systems
Large-Scale Manufacturing – Dr. John Ziegert – jziegert@uncc.edu
- large power generation parts
North Carolina Motorsports and Automotive Research Center
Dr. Mesbah Uddin, Director – muddin@uncc.edu
- advanced coordinate metrology
- advanced powertrain
- alternative fuels
- advanced fluid mechanics
- advanced surface metrology
- bearing design and lubrication
- computational fluid dynamics
- computational methods in engineering
- deformation and fracture of materials
- engineering metrology
- experimental stress analysis
- finite element analysis and applications
- heat transfer and fluid flow
- mechanical behavior of materials
- mechanical design
- mechanism analysis
- mechanism synthesis
- theory of elasticity
- tribology
- vibrations of continuous systems