Slavens explains her current research project on podcast

a woman sitting with a girl in a wheelchair

Professor Brooke Slavens, mechanical engineering, was featured in March on CTSI Discovery Radio, a podcast that airs on 91.7 WMSE-FM in Milwaukee. In episode 142 called, “Shouldering the Load,” Slavens describes a study from her lab aimed at preserving arm health of children who use manual wheelchairs.

CTSI discovery radio is produced by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin, a consortium of scientists from eight institutions in the region including UWM. CTSI works collaboratively to advance health through research. The podcast is available on SoundCloud or from WMSE-FM.

“Having healthy arms is really the key to quality of life for patients who use a wheelchair,” Slavens said. “”Because these millions of people are using manual wheelchairs in a way that’s unnatural to our arms, about 90% of them will develop shoulder pain and pathology. Our specialty is really in assessing and preventing shoulder and wrist injuries.”

Liao and Titi awarded nearly $300,000 from WisDOT to study bridge ‘scour’

Three stand front to back looking at the camera and standing next to a large tank of moving water. The man in front is wearing a navy sweatshirt; the one in the middle wears a navy sweater and has glasses; and the one in the back is wearing a light tan polo shirt.

Most bridge failures in the U.S. are related to water. In a process called “scour,” rushing rivers during storm events wash away the soil around bridge piers and abutments, weakening the structures from below.

Engineers use national formulas to estimate how much erosion might occur during strong river flows. But those formulas often predict deeper erosion than actually happens.

“Field measurements have shown that the formulas often overestimate scour depths, potentially leading to overdesign and unnecessary costs,” said Qian Liao, professor, civil & environmental engineering.

With a $299,993 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Liao and Hani Titi, professor, civil & environmental engineering, aim to make bridges across the state safer – and potentially less expensive to maintain.

Recent historic flooding in Milwaukee

The researchers will study about 30 bridges to measure how scour behaves in Wisconsin’s rivers, many of which have sandy, shifting riverbeds.

They will also focus on devising a method to predict which bridges are most vulnerable, Liao said.

“Scour is a ‘big event’ problem, usually occurring only during extreme flooding,” he said.
“We focus our research on bridges that have faced at least 70% of a 100-year flood level.”

After the record-breaking storm in Milwaukee last August, the team is currently investigating two bridge sites within Milwaukee County to capture that critical data. 

Studying evidence of past events

It is challenging and dangerous to collect data during a storm event. Instead, Liao said, he and Titi will look for evidence of past scour events. These past events can be identified by measuring scour depths, collecting soil and sediment samples on the riverbed, and understanding the geometry of the bridge foundations.

Using tools such as sonar, ground-penetrating radar, and a sub-bottom profiler, researchers will look for buried evidence of past erosion and track how riverbeds change over time.

They can then compare what they observe to current national risk formulas and, with the help of machine learning, create improved prediction charts tailored specifically to Wisconsin conditions.

“Current formulas rely on a mix of physics and lab experiments that often fail to capture the complex reality of a shifting riverbed,” Liao said. “Using machine learning, we can connect measurable factors into a smart model that more accurately maps these potential erosion risks.”

The result could help engineers improve the design of bridge foundations, making the most of limited public funding without sacrificing safety.

Students and faculty hit ‘pause’ for a week of fun during CEAS E-Week

A bearded man with white cap and apron on right serves up soup for a student in a light gray hoodie and dark baseball cap.

From Feb. 23–26, Engineers Week (E-Week) brought students, faculty and staff together for a welcome mid-semester break packed with food, games and Panther pride.

ATC color logo 750x500

Hundreds of engineering and computer science students stopped by at least one event, and plenty of faculty joined the fun, swapping lectures for ladles and spreadsheets for ping-pong paddles.

Thanks to this year’s sponsor, ATC, the week kicked off with one of the coziest traditions: the CEAS Soup & Chili Cookoff in the EMS lobby. Many faculty members served up their best recipes (along with some from Real Chili) while students cast the deciding votes. Top honors went to Iftekharuddin Khan, industrial & manufacturing engineering. Associate Professor Ben Church, and Assistant Professor Bill Musinski, both materials science & engineering, took second and third place, respectively.  

A man with glasses holds a test tube filled with beans.
Associate Professor Ben Church came in second place in the Soup & Chili Cookoff.
A group shot of six people, including two women. All are wearing dark tops, except for the man on the far left who is wearing a light blue shirt.
Representatives from ATC, which sponsored the activities, also came to play. They included (from left) Javier Martinez-Santos, Devin Renner, Amy Wilke, Corey Young, Stephanie Pierce, and Ken Mero.
A black woman serves chili to a student in a dark jacket.
Associate Professor Wilkistar Otieno, left, serves a student warm chili at during E-Week’s Soup & Chili Cookoff.
Two men play chess. The one on the left has glasses and a black T-shirt on, while the other is wearing a gray long-sleeved shirt.
Engineers are thinkers. These two were in a friendly rivalry during Thursday afternoon’s games.
A woman in a light blue shirt pulls a piece out from the Giant Jenga tower.
Allie Navin with ATC coordinated the involvement of engineers from the company who showed up for Thursday’s games.
Two men are playing ping-pong. The one of the left is seen from the back. A bearded opponent is serving.
Dean Brett Peters tries his luck at ping-pong with a willing opponent during Thursday’s game activities.
Two young black women are playing a game of Giant Connect Four. The one on the left is wearing a pink coat and hat. The other has on a cream-colored coat.
These students challenged each other to a game of Giant Connect Six.
Man and a woman pose with a Panther mascot. The man on the left is wearing wire glasses and is waving at the camera. The woman on the right is wearing a cream-colored jacket and clutching a handbag.
Associate Professor Jaejin Jang, industrial & manufacturing engineering, and his guest show their Panther spirit at Wednesday’s basketball game.
A group shot of six people, from left are two men, then a woman and two young men. A woman in a yellow top is on the right. They are standing in front of a large inflatable mascot.
Those representing the college during on-court honors at Wednesday’s basketball game at Panther Arena were (from left): Associate Dean Andy Graettinger; Dean Brett Peters; undergraduates Brianna Marion Grilley, Christian Ferragut ,and Muhammad Bilal Suleman, biomedical engineering; and Assistant Professor Priya Premnath, biomedical engineering.

Tuesday’s student organization fair made it easy for students to find their people. Wednesday focused on the future, with two job fairs hosted by UWM’s Student Experience and Talent office. The college hosted a prep for the fair plus student breakfast earlier that day. That evening, the celebration moved downtown, where students, staff, alumni and industry partners came together to cheer on the Panthers men’s basketball team against Youngstown at Panther Arena.

By Thursday, the competitive spirit was in full swing as students engaged in games with each other and ATC staff. Chess matches grew intense, giant Jenga towers wobbled dramatically, ping-pong rallies sparked cheers – and pizza disappeared. Rounding out the week, CEAS students were among the many of UWM volunteers on Saturday at the STEM Expo, an event for K-12 students designed to inspire the next generation of engineers and computer scientists.

A big thank-you goes to ATC for their generous sponsorship and also to this year’s E-Week organizers – Steven Anderson, Michelle Boehm, Sean Lybeck-Smoak and Lisa McGovern – with guidance from Associate Dean Prasenjit Guptasarma.

Dean Peters advocates for the college with Wisconsin legislators in Washington, D.C.

Three men in dark suit jackets and one women in a purple jacket talk among themselves.

A delegation consisting of Dean Brett Peters, UWM’s Chief Government Relations Officer Keri Duce, UW-Madison Engineering Dean Devesh Ranjan and UW-Platteville Engineering Dean Philip Parker met with Wisconsin Congressional members in February.

The group promoted the universities’ educational programs, discussed the critical role of federal support, and highlighted other opportunities for investment.

Four men stand in a row looking at the camera. All have on dark suits but different colored ties. One has a beard.
Parker (from left), Peters, Rep. Tony Wied, and Ranjan

The reception from politicians was open and varied on many issues, such as public funding. While they universally acknowledged the growing demand for more engineers, Peters said, perspectives varied on how best to support universities and students.

“The Congressional delegation remains quite divided on many issues, but there is a general recognition of the importance of engineering in both research and education for the nation’s well-being and security,” Peters said.

Our college’s degree programs are highly regarded by legislators, and enthusiasm is building around expanded collaborations with technical colleges through the new Bachelor of Science in Engineering program.

There was also strong appreciation for our engagement with local industry and our research, he said.

“Connections to industry, enhancement of economic growth, and engagement of undergraduate students will all remain as competitive advantages for us,” Peters said. “It’s clear that the College of Engineering & Applied Science remains well-positioned to capitalize on research opportunities going forward, although we will need to be more precise at targeting the priorities and clearly conveying the impact of the research.”

He reported broad optimism about sustained research funding in our core strengths, including advanced manufacturing, energy, and transportation. The Wisconsin Manufacturing Summit in Green Bay planned for June was one topic discussed.

Emerging fields such as quantum science and quantum computing also generated interest, particularly as potential partnership opportunities. And artificial intelligence sparked lively conversation and a wide range of opinions, he said.

The group was in Washington, D.C. for the annual American Society for Engineering Education Public Policy Colloquium.

Among those the deans spoke with were:

  • Sen. Tammy Baldwin
  • Sen. Ron Johnson
  • Rep. Gwen Moore
  • Rep. Tony Wied

The dean’s group also attended a Wisconsin group breakfast with Rep. Mark Pocan and had lunch with staff members of Rep. Glenn Grothman, Rep. Bryan Steil, Pocan, and Wied.

Kissinger honored for service by UWM Alumni Association

Two men, one with glasses, and one woman wearing a gold dress, display an award plaque while looking at the camera.

Congratulations to John Kissinger (’79 BS Civil Engineering), who was honored with the Exemplary Alumni Service Award by the UWM Alumni Association. The award was presented at an event Feb. 27.

Kissinger joined the engineering firm Graef-USA Inc., in 1984 and has been Chief Executive Officer of the company since 2012.

During his career, he has been involved in hundreds of building and infrastructure projects, including the Milwaukee Art Museum addition, the Wisconsin (Baird) Center and the Lambeau Field renovation.

His extensive community service includes serving on the Employ Milwaukee board, as well as the boards of the UW-Milwaukee Foundation and the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County.

Last year he was named to the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Power Players list.

Shi recognized as a ‘rising star’ by the ITE Wisconsin section

A man with glasses and a navy sportscoat and tie looks at the camera. He is standing on a bridge over traffic.

Xiaowei (Tom) Shi, assistant professor, civil & environmental engineering, was recognized with the Ken Voigt Rising Star Award by the Institute of Transportation Engineers Wisconsin Section.

The award will be presented at the next section meeting on March 5 at the UWM Student Union.

The Ken Voigt Rising Star Award recognizes the achievements of a transportation professional 35 years or younger as of Jan. 1 of the award year. Applicants are evaluated based on project experience, leadership, passion for the profession, and testimonials from their peers. 

This award honors Ken Voigt (’74 MS Engineering), a former ITE Wisconsin and ITE International president with more than 50 years of experience in the field.  

Award recipients will automatically be considered for the ITE Great Lakes District for the District’s Rising Star Award and will receive a travel stipend to attend the ITE Annual Meeting in Detroit.

ITE student organization makes a campus impact

Congratulations to the Institute of Transportation Engineers, UWM student organization, which was one of the three campus groups honored with the “Emerging Student Organization Award” at the 2025 UWM Student Excellence Awards.

Accepting the award on behalf of the organization were president Ogunniyi (Emmanuel) Olanrewaju and vice president Joely Overstreet. Assistant Professor Tom Shi is the advisor.

The winning organizations were chosen from a total of 17 nominations.

Awards are given in 13 categories. The “Emerging Student Organization Award” honors recently established organizations that has made a notable impact in its first four semesters.

The Student Excellence Awards is an annual celebration of outstanding contributions to the campus community. This event honors the dedication, leadership, and impact of individuals and groups who inspire positive change, foster inclusion, and enhance the student experience. The other winners in this category were the UWM Data Science Club and Mycological Society of UWM.

UWM students land scholarships at AFS Wisconsin Regional Conference

Five men standing in a line looking at the camera. Three are wearing dark sports coats, one a navy sweater and the fifth a light-colored jacket.

UWM engineering students were well-represented at the Annual AFS Wisconsin Chapter Regional Foundry Conference & Expo, held Feb. 4 at the Brookfield Conference Center. Three graduate students were awarded named scholarships and nine other students received Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) scholarships from the UWM FEF allocation.

Frederick Acquah and Swaroop Behera were each awarded the George J. Barker Memorial Scholarship, a competitive graduate scholarship supporting education and research that benefits the cast metals industry. Mehran Zare received the AFS Wisconsin Hank Adams Chapter Scholarship.

Behera and Zare are PhD students in materials science and engineering, and Acquah is a PhD student in mechanical engineering. 

The multi-day event brought together foundries, suppliers and educators for technical sessions, and an evening banquet recognizing student achievements.

Yi receives more than $530,000 industry sponsorship to advance computer chips that move data in a new way

Man wearing a black jacket and bow tie stands next to a banner advertising his book and looking at the camera.

Alex Yasha Yi, professor of electrical engineering and director for research at the Connected Systems Institute, has received sponsorship from Invictus Innovation EV Technology to conduct research that could advance a new kind of computer microchip that moves information with light, rather than electricity.

The technology could offer the speed that the digital age is demanding as traditional microchips reach their performance limits. Next-gen microchip technologies and manufacturing processes could improve everything from handling the intensifying demands of AI data centers to quantum communication systems, self-driving car sensors, and aerospace communications – anything that uses a computer chip.

The two-year, $531,697 industry-supported research grant also includes a workforce development component.

Invictus Innovation EV Technology is a Michigan-based company that focuses on semiconductor chip manufacturing and advanced technology for electric vehicles (EVs). The funding supports both the research and outreach to high school and college students.

From transistors to light

Traditional microchips contain billions of microscopic on/off switches called transistors to control the flow of electrical signals, created by electricity moving through copper wires.

But that strategy won’t be enough to handle the exploding demand of the AI age. Inside massive data centers, chips must exchange staggering amounts of information in real time. The faster they can communicate, the faster AI can run. The traditional mode of information processing is creating traffic jams.

Yi is researching an alternative: Replacing metal wires with tiny on-chip photonic waveguide highways.

Next-gen chips will use tiny beams of light to shuttle data between chips, dramatically increasing speed while reducing heat and energy use.

“For 70 years, we made computer processing faster by shrinking transistors. The next leap won’t come from smaller chips – it will come from helping chips talk to each other at the speed of light.”

Changes to manufacturing too

Another part of the research involves how microchips are manufactured. For a long time, chips were laid out mostly flat, in two dimensions.

Yi’s work proposes 3D chip designs, where components are stacked on top of each other. This approach allows more computing power to fit into a smaller space, while also improving speed and reducing energy use.

For further advances, however, electrical engineering, materials science, physics, chemistry, and mechanical engineering must all work together, as Yi has discussed in his book, “From 2D to 3D Photonic Integrated Circuits,” published this year by SpringerNature.

Yi, who joined the UWM faculty from the University of Michigan last year, has worked with Invictus before. The company has research partnerships focused on building a new information technology service provider for the electric vehicles industry.

A double shortage

The U.S. relies heavily on semiconductor chips produced in other countries. Not only is there a shortage of chips in the U.S., Yi said, there also is a shortage of engineers who are skilled with this technology. In order to attract and retain companies to Wisconsin and the Midwest, the state needs to educate more engineering students.

“The goal is to bridge the skills gap in the semiconductor industry,” he said. “This program is essential for providing the practical hands-on experiences that can replicate the real-world semiconductor manufacturing environment.”

That effort should begin before college. That’s why the project includes outreach partner Spark Photonics, a Massachusetts-based startup that gives K12 students lessons in photonics. Yi said talks to gauge interest are beginning with some Milwaukee area and north Chicago high schools.

At UWM, Yi is leveraging CSI’s capabilities, including the Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab, and teaching a special topics course next semester giving students an introduction to photonics using one of Sparks’ software packages.

Premnath honored by STEM Forward on Feb. 11

A man in a blue jacket and glasses presents a plaque to a woman with long dark hair and a white sweater. Both are looking at the camera.

Congratulations to Priya Premnath, assistant professor, biomedical engineering, who was named STEM Forward’s “Young Engineer of the Year” at a celebration on Feb. 11 at The Wisconsin Club in downtown Milwaukee.

STEM Forward is a Milwaukee-based non-profit organization that inspires youth to pursue STEM careers. Premnath was chosen for her contributions to the profession and her service as a role model for the next generation of engineers.

Premnath’s research focuses on interdisciplinary research combines engineering and cell biology to address bone health challenges through biomaterials, genetic engineering, and pharmaceutical approaches.

Beyond research, Premnath is a dedicated educator and mentor with a strong commitment to community engagement. She collaborates with local high schools and elementary schools, including summer programs that introduce high school girls to engineering.

She also mentors undergraduate researchers in her laboratory, many of whom have presented their work at regional and national conferences and have gone on to secure employment in Milwaukee’s engineering and biomedical industries.

Attending the banquet to honor Premnath were Andy Graettinger, the college’s associate dean for research; Professor Deyang Qu, department chair, biomedical engineering; biomedical department faculty members Qingsu Cheng and Mahsa Dabagh; Habib Rahman, chair of the mechanical engineering department; Sandeep Gopalakrishnan, UWM associate professor, biomedical sciences; Chris Beimborn, STEM Outreach for the college; and Lisa McGovern, marketing director for the college.