Faculty

In a first-of-its-kind project to study one of the planet’s last unexplored environments, Roger Tipton, UNC Charlotte research associate professor of mechanical engineering and engineering science, is leading a team of researchers from multiple universities that will investigate contaminants in the Arctic’s pristine waters.

UNC Charlotte’s William States Lee College of Engineering enters the 2025-2026 academic year with record-breaking enrollment, an expanded leadership team, nearly 30 new faculty and staff and new academic opportunities including an aerospace concentration.

Minhaj Nur Alam, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Quantitative Imaging and AI Laboratory, is leading groundbreaking work in AI-assisted diagnostics for retinal diseases.

Dipankar Maity, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the William States Lee College of Engineering, earned the prestigious NSF CAREER Award in June of this year to support his investigations in how teams of smart machines, like connected robots, work together more reliably.

Xiang Chen, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, wins NSF CAREER award to explore the complexities of energy supportive materials. She is working to unravel these complex relationships and unlock the full potential of these ionic-conducting superlattices, pushing the boundaries of what’s currently possible in various technological fields.

William States Lee College of Engineering faculty have been recognized for their exceptional contributions to research, innovation, teaching and service. These achievements reflect the College’s ongoing commitment to engineering excellence and societal impact.

Faculty researchers from W.S. Lee College of Engineering were joined by fellow faculty from across UNC Charlotte as they were honored for leading research projects with $1 million or more in active, external funding in 2024.

James Amburgey, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Olya Keen, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, have been honored by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) for innovation, naming them “Senior Members.” The announcement, made on February 20, 2025, honors distinguished academic inventors whose achievements in patents, licensing and commercialization have led to and have the potential to create meaningful differences in our world.

The William States Lee College of Engineering congratulates Courtney Smith-Orr on her appointment as assistant dean for student experiences and director of the Office of Student Development and Success, or OSDS. Smith-Orr replaces Cathy Blat, who will retire in February 2025.

UNC Charlotte’s William States Lee College of Engineering welcomes new faculty to help support growing research activity and academic enrollment (Fall 2024 was Charlotte’s largest enrollment ever for first-year engineering students).

These new faculty bring expertise in the expanding fields of advanced manufacturing, connected vehicles, computer architecture, applied optics, materials science, quantum mechanical modeling, construction engineering, environmental engineering focusing on natural hazards and more.