After 40 years of problem-solving, Misra retires

two men and equipment

A lesson learned while he was pursuing a doctoral degree in electrical engineering at Michigan State has turned out to be a mantra for Devendra Misra’s long academic career and also one that he passes on to faculty just beginning their careers: Be prepared to pivot and apply your knowledge across disciplines. 

Misra, a professor of electrical and biomedical engineering, has spent 40 years at the college, providing service to the administration, teaching hundreds of students and contributing to several different lines of scientific inquiry. He retires today.  

Devendra Misra
Dev Misra

“I was in the electromagnetics field, however my PhD professor pushed me to learn other things too,” he said. “So, I took many other courses, including graduate-level courses in physics and mathematics besides in other areas of electrical engineering. Now, I feel that was very good advice. Things don’t work in isolation. Everything is interconnected.”  

It certainly primed him for the many different demands of academia.  

Misra’s first task as a new UWM professor in 1985 was quite different from his doctoral work at Michigan State, he remembers. “The chair asked me whether I could teach a required course in electromagnetics to EE majors with almost no mathematical background. My answer was ‘yes.’”  

It was a course the college had to begin offering for all students or risk losing its accreditation. In addition, he revised the first electronics course for EE majors, adding a lab component even though electronics was outside his area of expertise.

Early research 

As a young researcher, he was involved in federally funded research with a collaborator at the University of Pennsylvania and others to build a life-detection device that would find military wounded personnel on the battlefield from a distance of at least 200 feet. 

Misra’s contribution was to show how it could be done with microwaves. Leveraging both state and funding industry, Misra’s work evolved into an ultrasonic sensing device he developed that uses sonar to detect structural defects in pipes.  

An article in the UWM Graduate Profiles magazine (now defunct) from fall of 1990 highlighted this work. 

After that, the department recognized that electromagnetics could bring in research money and the college then recruited a couple of new faculty members in electromagnetics. Misra, meanwhile, had obtained an engineering education grant from the National Science Foundation to set up a lab with a sequence of courses on telecommunications.  

Misra working in the biomedical engineering lab

A team player and more 

Colleagues, including Chiu Law, associate professor, electrical engineering and computer science, say they were impressed by Misra’s willingness to help junior faculty members. “Since Dr. Misra has a long history and experience in teaching courses in the electromagnetics area, he gave me suggestions and advice when I first started teaching the undergraduate electromagnetics course. Our discussions have continued for teaching other courses in this area throughout my tenure at UWM.” 

K. Vairavan, professor emeritus, computer science, got to know Misra well during a time when Vairavan chaired computer science and Misra headed up the electrical engineering half. “Together, the two disciplines comprised the college’s largest department, so I had a great opportunity to work with him and I also served with him on many search committees including those for deans,” Vairavan said. 

“He has been a dedicated faculty member and has served the university and the college well in a number of ways,” Vairavan said. “Most recently his contributions have been in the development of the biomedical engineering program. He took much initiative in establishing the program. I know that he organized groups of faculty members to develop the ideas for it.” 

Delaying retirement to fill a need 

During the 2014-15 school year, Misra said he felt ready to retire. But the college needed someone to help establish the biomedical engineering program that would serve as a department, offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Misra had the background to lead the effort and so he agreed to stay on.  

The program began accepting students in the spring of 2016. Immediately afterward, Misra began working on the accreditation process which was completed in 2021. 

Looking back, he said, he joined the UWM faculty because he was attracted to the climate in the department and the very strong faculty governance at the time. Had he ever considered leaving?  

“I thought that, if I moved, I may make more money,” he said. “But if I stayed here, I felt the [quality of] life would be much better.” 

January is a prime time to use the college’s Machine Shop

group of three men looking at the camera

Are you working on research between semesters? The semester break in January affords faculty and students the opportunity to use the college’s Machine Shop during a less hectic time. Shop manager Mike Brown gives the low-down in this Q&A.

What is a particularly unique piece of equipment you have that has many applications? 

We have two Proto Trak mills that have the ability to thread-mill male and female parts. Additionally, these mills can perform three-dimensional movements from our CAD software. We also have a Sharp mill, complete with multiple tools along with flood coolant if required. This mill has a 10,000 RPM spindle with a spindle chiller for long-running programs. 

What else do you commonly provide?

We can provide manual and CNC machining. Also, we have the ability to mill three-dimensional projects with use of our EZcam software.

What are some of the pieces of equipment that you teach people how to use (as opposed to doing the job for them)? At present we teach milling and engine lathe and CNC milling machines. Next semester will be laser machine and CNC plasma and CNC routers.

Give us an idea of how many people you typically serve.

Students in classes and working with researchers number around 150, mostly in the spring semester. There were about 25 faculty at the end of the semester.

What do students say about their experience in the Machine Shop? They enjoy it and want more time on the machines.

What is the cost to the faculty member or CEAS client?

The charge for labor is $45 per hour. The material is an additional cost. In most cases, we are able to acquire the material to decrease the cost of shipping.

What is the process for someone wanting help on a project? For example, do they contact you to discuss before setting up a time?

Email a request (contact information below) and then come to the machine shop with a drawing. This helps in supplying an accurate quote. If the request is simple, then the individual can email or stop in at the machine shop.

Can a task be done same day?  

The projects can be done in one day, depending on the job requirement and jobs in the queue. 

Is there paperwork for the faculty member to fill out?

We have a lab charge sheet that requires a grant number and name of the requestor for a quote.

Details

Recent grad featured as one of the students who had job offers before graduation

a woman surveying

Kudos to Sydney Block, who just finished her BS in civil & environmental engineering, was among the multitude of UWM students who had job offers before graduation. She also was one of 190 degrees conferred by the college this semester.

While earning her undergraduate degree, Block served as president of the UWM chapter of the Society of Women Engineers and also as a design lead with UWM chapter of Engineers Without Borders.

In the summer of 2024, she began an internship with Stantec’s Community Development Group and is now continuing as a full-time employee.

See the slideshow in the UWM REPORT.

Members of the college named by students as international student advocates

6 seperate head shots.

Among the 37 faculty and staff receiving 2024 International Advocate Awards from the UWM Center for International Education are six from the College of Engineering & Applied Science. All were nominated by students. Congratulations to:

  • Sarah Blackowski
  • Tina Current
  • Roshan D’Souza
  • Deyang Qu
  • Habib Rahman
  • Mohamed Yahiaoui

See the full story here.

College leads the university in research awards so far this fiscal year

man staning in front of equipment

Research awards are surging at the College of Engineering & Applied Science from levels during the COVID pandemic and have also increased greatly from this time a year ago. In fact, the college is leading all other UWM colleges’ research funding at the mid-point of the 2025 fiscal year.

The college’s research awards total just over $10.5 million ($9.5 from federal sources) with six months to go in the cycle. While the amount of external funding is elevated nearly campuswide, compared to this time last year, the amount in engineering and computer science research represents a peak over the last decade.

External awards to the college by year, with 2025 at halfway.

Leveraging the college’s expertise in energy auditing

One of the largest grants in recent years was awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy in June. The $5.7 million grant is designated to set up Industrial Training Assessment Centers (ITACs) around the Midwest to help small- and medium-sized companies remain competitive in the face of climate change.

“We were selected because of our longstanding DOE-supported program that trains UWM engineering students to conduct energy audits through our Industrial Assessment Center, the only one in Wisconsin,” said Ryo Amano, professor, mechanical engineering, who is directing the new initiative. “So now we are ‘training the trainers’ at ITACs at nine communities in four states.”

Douglas Hamm is vice president of teaching and learning at Moraine Park Technical College, with has campuses in Fond du Lac, Beaver Dam and West Bend.

“An attractive aspect of this grant opportunity, in addition to collaborating with UW-Milwaukee who certainly is a recognized leader in the space, is our ability to add energy auditing and conservation into the programs we offer where they can provide the most benefit,” Hamm said. “For our students, this added skill set could distinguish them from other job seekers who don’t have it.”

Other notable research funding this year

  • An Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation was one of five awarded in Wisconsin this year, in NSF Directorate “Computer and Information Science and Engineering.” The CAREER grant is the NSF’s most prestigious award for early-career researchers. (Mahsa Dabagh, biomedical engineering)
  • The NSF also funded a third Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) at the college. The Concrete Advancement Network, with industry members across the industry, is devoted to making concrete more durable and sustainable. (Konstantin Sobolev, civil & environmental engineering)
  • Research in energy storage technologies, and also in cost-effective uninterruptible power supply solutions. The work includes microgrids and all-electric ships. (Robert Cuzner, electrical engineering)
  • Funding in biomedical engineering spanned several topics, from nuclear imaging to use of quantum dots as detectors of pathogens. (Qingsu Cheng, biomedical engineering)
  • Multiple awards supported the refinement of rehabilitation robotics, specifically for a robotic assistive arm for use with physical therapy patients. (Habib Rahman, mechanical engineering)
  • Continued work on traffic and pedestrian safety solutions. (Xiao Qin, civil & environmental engineering)
  • Continued work in battery technology (Deyang Qu)

Spectrum News features the foundry’s research on self-lubricating metal materials

man with mustashe

Spectrum News visited the foundry to observe students in materials science & engineering produce blended metal alloys with superpowers, such as high-temperature tolerance, strength and self-lubrication.

A lab member pours the molten material – called a metal matrix composite – into a vessel to cool in the foundry.

The report featured Professor Pradeep Rohatgi, director of the Centers for Composite and Advanced Materials Manufacturing; his private industry research partner David Weiss, CEO of Visions Materials LLC; and graduate student Kaustubh Rane.

Making these advanced materials could help the state’s foundries thrive, said Rohatgi, and that is the reason why he and Weiss have labored to reach out to local industries.

Rane is trying to create an aluminum alloy that is self-lubricating and also can withstand higher temperatures. That would mean less friction between parts of an engine, boosting the engine’s efficiency and saving gas.

Watch the segment.

Alums from Milwaukee Tool, Rockwell, and GE HealthCare hosted events for current students

a group shot of people looking at camera

Engineering and computer science students found out what it’s like to work at three of Milwaukee’s largest companies with events hosted by people who had been in their shoes – the college’s alumni. Milwaukee Tool, Rockwell Automation and GE HealthCare all hosted events this fall, giving students the chance to meet in a relaxed, one-on-one atmosphere.

Current students got an up-close look at some of the newest products made by Milwaukee Tool at Milwaukee Tool Demo Day held Sept. 18 on the EMS Plaza.

Both UWM engineering and business students attended the tour at Rockwell Automation in September. Megan Waterworth led the planning effort, Punita Miller, Andrew Hastert and Amanda Martin helped with logistics, and Patrick Hollenbach presented on the company’s early career Integrated Supply Chain group opportunities.

More than 60 students checked in for the event in advance of the career fair hosted by the UWM Center for Student Experience & Talent (SET).

UWM alums hosted similar events this fall with Rockwell Automation, inviting both engineering, computer science and business students to meet and tour the company’s headquarters on Sept. 20. GE HealthCare employees came to campus for a day on Sept. 10.

The chance to visit Rockwell Automation, recognized globally for its innovation and sustainability efforts, was invaluable, said Tristan Jarvey, Innovation intern at the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center.

CEAS alums Kailee Ottman (from left) and Klarissa Boisvert visited the college with other GE HealthCare representatives Daisy Cueto and Cecilia Cortez.

“During the Rockwell tour and lunch event, I engaged with professionals in my field, gained insights into the application and interview process, and observed various ongoing projects at Rockwell,” said Jarvey, a computer science undergraduate. “It played a crucial role in my career journey, as I was recently offered an internship at Rockwell for summer 2025.”

“SET doesn’t just host campus career fairs, said Juli Pickering, SET director of employer relations, partnerships, & events. “We also bring together students with industry in more casual settings, such as site visits with alumni that give our students a taste of the real world of engineering and computer science work.”

If you’d like to host a demonstration on campus or welcome students to your workplace, please contact Pickering at jlpicker@uwm.edu.

How a tabletop robot may revolutionize physical therapy delivery

a man and a woman in a robotics lab

A longstanding problem with stroke patients left with restricted functioning of their hands is that many miss their physical therapy appointments, slowing their already incremental recovery pace.

Habib Rahman, Richard and Joanne Grigg Professor and mechanical engineering chair, is working on a platform that dramatically reimagines how physical therapy is delivered, improving convenience and results for patients.

Rahman, whose lab has been developing a portable, assistive robotic arm, the iTbot, is now taking the research to the next level by putting the assistive arm at the center of a system that therapists can use to assess and treat patients when they are not in the same location.

With the platform that Rahman is building, patients’ physical abilities are evaluated on their home-based robotic arm, providing all the information that clinic-based equipment can offer.

Their performance data is streamed in real-time and appears on the physical therapist’s computer screen. But it’s more than just a dashboard.

“We are essentially creating a digital twin of the patient’s evaluation – a virtual model of the physical robotic arm as the patient uses it appears on the therapist’s screen,” Rahman said. “All the data the robotic arm collects in the real environment you can see on the digital twin.”

The concept of the smart robotic arm developed at UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science is visible here. The user grips the arm and moves it to follow the lines of the shape on the screen at left. Sensors on his upper arm and shoulder provide the muscle activation data that is fed into the digital twin so that the therapist has all the physical information needed to deliver treatment. (Video courtesy of Professor Habib Rahman’s lab.)
 

Games make it work

Patients play computer- or tablet-based games designed with input from therapists. These games will push the home user to build muscle strength and a greater range of motion by moving the arm’s handle with their impaired hand.

In one game, for example, the patient sees an array of closely spaced balls and uses the robotic arm to touch each one in succession. Once they can do that, the balls appearing on the screen are spaced out wider, so the reach is further.

The games approach makes it more appealing for patients to complete their therapy. Patients often have trouble sticking with their exercises if they don’t feel like they’re progressing.

“They are improving in clinical visits, but they may not perceive it,” Rahman said. “When they see their game scores go up however, that gives them more satisfying proof. They can see that progress when they get to the next game level.”

Benefits for the therapist too

Therapists, meanwhile, have complete control of the robotic arms, remotely calibrating or adjusting it in response to the patient’s abilities, said Inga Wang, UWM professor, occupational therapy, science & technology, who partnered with Rahman to test the platform with patients.

With VR/AR goggles and an internet connection, a remote therapist can even see actual interaction between the patient and their robotic arm in the patient’s environment.

In traditional clinic setting, the robotic arm benefits the therapist as much as the patient by reducing their physical strain and automating repetitive exercises so that patients’ time is spent more efficiently.

“This kind of technological innovation is needed,” Wang said, “because one-third of physical and occupational therapists themselves experience musculoskeletal injuries due to the physical demands of conventional therapy.”

A graduate student uses the robotic arm for therapy treatment (right) while the data the arm is collecting in real time shows up on the digital twin on the therapist’s screen (at left). Although the photo shows them in the room together, the same setup works when the patient and the arm are in one location and the therapist and a computer are in a different location. (Video courtesy of Professor Habib Rahman’s lab.)

A closer look at what is happening

When a person experiences a stroke, the nerve damage that occurs prevents the patient’s muscles from receiving appropriate signals from the brain. The extent of debilitation varies. The purpose of rehabilitation therapy is to help the brain re-learn motor functions, Wang said.

The iTbot assistive robotic arm offers three distinct therapy modules.

  • With passive therapy, the device gently moves the participant’s limb without their own effort. This stretches muscles without pain and reinforces correct movement patterns.
  • Active-assisted therapy enables people to complete prescribed exercises with just enough support to gain full therapeutic benefits.
  • Resistive exercise therapy involves the same tasks as active-assisted therapy but adds varying resistance levels to challenge the user further and build endurance.

Competitive grant funding

To fund this work, Rahman was awarded a one-year Switzer Research Distinguished Fellowship Grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, part of the National Institutes of Health.

The fellowship’s goal is to support development of technology that can improve rehabilitation or foster independent living for people with disabilities.

Rahman wanted to answer these critical questions in the research project:

  • Can the system offer passive, active-assisted and resistive therapy, as effectively as in-office-delivered therapy?
  • Can the system cost the same or less than traditional therapy?

While those questions require further research, Rahman and his lab have observed potential for the system to achieve both aims. They are solving all the technical hurdles encountered by patients who are testing the system and making improvements based on their feedback.

While the project is specifically focused on hand functioning, the lab is validating the system’s proof of concept.

“Because the robotic arm is portable, we’ve created a framework that could be adapted to deliver other kinds of therapy too,” he said. “For example, if someone with a leg fracture is immobile in the hospital, that person could receive therapy by bringing in the arm – even if the therapist is somewhere else.”

Donor Spotlight: Alan D. Kulwicki Donor Advised Fund backs engineering research and students

Alan Kulwicki with race car

For the third year in a row, the Alan D. Kulwicki  Donor Advised Fund (DAF) provided $45,000 to fund two faculty fellowships, one awarded to  Ryo Amano, professor, mechanical engineering, and another yet to be announced. These one-year fellowships support the growth of some of the college’s key research areas.

The alumni group also provided $12,000 in support of student stipends needed to operate the college’s popular Makerspace.

“Alan Kulwicki was known for his contributions to the automotive field and motorsports,” said Jan Beatty-Hendley, chair of the fund’s advisory committee. “Supporting engineering and applied sciences aligns with his legacy and commitment to innovation and education in these areas.

“The Makerspace stipend specifically helps alleviate financial burdens and allows students to focus on learning, skill development, creativity, and experimental projects. Continued support from the fund signifies a dedication to these values and the importance of engineering.”

If you are interested in financially supporting the college, please go online. If you’d like to discuss a major gift or an estate gift, contact Jean Opitz at opitz@uwm.edu.

Professional organizations recognize Rohatgi’s achievements

Pradeep Rohatgi has been chosen as co-recipient of the TMS/AIME Honorary Membership Award for 2025, presented to members who have outstanding service or made distinguished scientific or engineering achievement in the fields embracing the activities of AIME and its member societies.

TMS is a professional organization for scientists and engineers in the minerals, metals, and materials fields. The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) is the parent organization of TMS, and funds many of TMS’s programs.

Honorary Membership Award is considered a “pinnacle award,” said TMS Executive Director James J. Robinson.

Rohatgi will receive the award March 26, in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the TMS 2025 Annual Meeting & Exhibition.