Iman Abavisani, Civil and Environmental Engineering
"Uncovering How Corrosion-Free Reinforcement Bonds with Concrete—and Why It Matters"
Advisor: Christian Carloni
Iman Abavisani is a PhD candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research investigates bond behavior between concrete and glass fiber reinforced polymer bars, and how to reduce long-term deflection of concrete elements containing these bars. After he graduates, he plans to work in industry or a research-driven organization, where he can apply his expertise in experiment, data analysis, coding, and computational modeling.
Olatunde Akanbi, Materials Science and Engineering
“Turning $40 Billion Agricultural Waste into Resources”
Advisor: Roger French
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7719-2619
Olatunde D. Akanbi is a PhD candidate in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. His research develops machine learning and distributed computing systems that transform agricultural and municipal waste into valuable resources, analyzing 30 years of data across thousands of counties to identify circular economy opportunities worth billions. After graduating in 2026, he seeks data science or machine learning engineering roles in industry, where he is excited to build production systems that create measurable environmental and economic impact at scale.
Ridaa Ali, Electrical Engineering
"Integrated Medical Robotics–MRI System"
Advisor: M. Cenk Çavuşoğlu
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6975-5311
Ridaa Z. Ali is a PhD candidate in the Department of Electrical Engineering. Her research focuses on medical robotics, including bridging medical robotics and interventional MRI. After graduation, she is excited to pursue a career in industry research and development, working and collaborating at the intersection of multiple fields to innovate novel solutions to challenging problems.
Aneesha Avasthi, Physics
"Physics Meets Medicine: Advancing Radiation Detection for Tomorrow’s Imaging."
Advisor: Benjamin Monreal
Aneesha Avasthi is a PhD candidate in the Department of Physics Her research bridges physics and technology, aiming to make detection systems more precise and reliable. After graduation, she plans to apply her skills in simulation, instrumentation, and analysis to advance imaging and sensing technologies in industries such as medical imaging, healthcare, and radiation monitoring.
Cassandra Barone, Physiology and Biophysics
"Running on Empty: The ALS Energy Crisis."
Advisor: Xin Qi
Cassandra Barone is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. Her research focuses on uncovering the metabolic mechanisms that contribute to neuronal vulnerability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Throughout her graduate school career, she has focused on mastering techniques necessary to perform cutting edge scientific research while also developing her soft skills necessary to foster collaboration in the biomedical sciences. She has contributed to the development of scientists of all ages through devoted mentorship as well as actively engaging in scientific dialogue through public presentations of her research, providing technical lectures, as well as participating on professional development panels for aspiring biomedical scientists. After she graduates this spring, her goal is to combine technical expertise and passion for collaboration in order to build a career in medical communications. She seeks to build relationships with key opinion leaders, healthcare professionals, and with the surrounding community in order to promote scientific engagement and advancement.
Abhishek Daundkar, Materials Science and Engineering
"Interpretable AI for X-ray Diffraction Data"
Advisor: Alp Sehirlioglu
Abhishek Daundkar is a PhD candidate in the department of Materials Science and Engineering. After graduating in December 2025, Abhishek plans to join an applied research team as a Materials Data Scientist or Applied Scientist, where he aims to translate his thesis pipeline for XRD peak recovery, structure classification, and unit cell regression into production tools that shorten the path from data to decisions.
Christopher Delianides, Electrical Engineering
"Portable Diagnostic Platforms for Point-of-Need Assessment of Blood
Coagulation Disorders"
Advisor: Pedram Mohseni
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5823-860X
Christopher Delianides is a PhD candidate in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering. His work has focused on the development of portable electrical impedance-based diagnostic devices for blood-based disorders such as sickle-cell disease and coagulopathy. After graduating next spring, he hopes to apply his skills in ground-up development and systems-level design to help bring forth exciting new technologies.
TC Eley, Design and Innovation
"Implementing Industrial Internet of Things"
Advisor: Kalle Lyytinen
My name is TC Eley, a PhD Candidate in the Department of Design & Innovation at the Weatherhead School of Management, specializing in Information Systems. My research focuses on how organizations adopt emerging technologies, with a particular emphasis on implementing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions in manufacturing. With an interdisciplinary background in social science and design, I'm passionate about leading the strategic design and deployment of transformative technologies. I'm currently exploring industry opportunities where I can apply my expertise to drive innovation and meaningful change.
Jude Franklin, Biomedical Engineering
"PBM: Engineering Light to Strengthen Cell Therapy"
Advisor: David Wald
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4276-487X
Jude Franklin is a PhD candidate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University. His research explores a novel approach that uses light to strengthen and accelerate the manufacturing of immune cells that fight cancer, aiming to make these therapies faster, more potent, and more widely available. He also develops medical device strategies and contributes to patent efforts that bridge photomedicine and immunotherapy. After graduating in 2026, he plans to pursue a career in biotechnology research and development, where he hopes to translate innovative, patent-driven discoveries into practical tools that improve patient outcomes.
Amin Jamei-Oskouei, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
"Recycling of Non-Recyclable Plastics"
Advisor: Ica Manas-Zloczower
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1653-1530
Amin Jamei-Oskouei is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering at Case Western Reserve University. His research focuses on recycling crosslinked polymers such as EVA foams, used in running shoes, through a novel process called vitrimerization, which makes permanently set plastics reformable and reusable. He and his team are currently working to commercialize this technology as a startup aimed at advancing circular materials. After graduation, Amin plans to continue developing sustainable polymer solutions, either by growing his venture or applying his expertise as a polymer technologist in industry.
Nisha Kamath, Pathology
"Uncovering the Functional Impact of Protein Variants at Scale"
Advisor: Kenneth Matreyek
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8969-0631
Nisha D. Kamath is a PhD candidate in the Department of Pathology. She uses high-throughput approaches to investigate how protein variants contribute to human disease. Following graduation this spring, she aims to apply her research expertise, critical thinking skills and previous industry experience to help develop impactful patient-centered solutions.
Luxin Ke, Genetics
"Improving the Development of Insulin-Producing Cells for Type 1 Diabetes Therapies"
Advisor: Yan Li
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9559-7513
Luxin Ke is a PhD candidate in the Department of Genomics and Genome Sciences. Her research investigates key factors that guide the development of human pancreatic islet β cells, aiming to improve their maturation. After graduating in Spring 2026, she plans to start a career in the biomedical field, with flexibility regarding location. She hopes to apply her scientific expertise and collaborative spirit to make meaningful contributions.
Zoey Lockwood, Chemistry
"Advancing Cancer Treatment Through Next-Generation Imaging and Targeted Phototherapy"
Advisor: Clemens Burda
ORCID ID: 0009-0003-3655-9308
Zoey Lockwood is a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University. Her research focuses on developing enzyme-targeted gold nanomaterials and studying small-molecule imaging agents that enhance cancer detection and treatment. By integrating materials science, photochemistry, organic chemistry, and molecular imaging, her work advances technologies for fluorescence-guided surgery, photothermal therapy, and radiotherapy enhancement.
Hui Luo, Designing Sustainable Systems
"Why Some Businesses Survive Crises: Entrepreneurial Resilience and SME Survival during COVID-19"
Advisor: Kalle Lyytinen
Hui Luo is a PhD candidate in the Weatherhead School of Management. Her research examines how entrepreneurial resilience—shaped by entrepreneurs’ perceptions of their environment and embedded within their cultural values—enables small and medium enterprises to survive under extreme adversity such as the COVID-19 pandemic. After she graduates next spring, she seeks to begin a career in research in entrepreneurship and resilience.
Suneeti Madhavan, Biology
"Healing Scars with Fat"
Advisor: Radhika Atit
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9220-585X
Suneeti Madhavan is a PhD candidate in the Department of Biology. Her research investigates the molecular mechanisms of fat loss during chronic scarring for potential anti-fibrotic therapy. After she graduates in spring 2026, she wants to pursue a career of research in the biomedical industry to innovate, create and introduce therapies to the people by applying her scientific communication and creative thinking skills.
Miguel Muñoz, Electrical Engineering
"Quantum-Driven Electrolytes for Next-Generation Energy Storage"
Advisor: Burcu Gurkan
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8630-1047
Miguel Muñoz is a Ph.D. candidate in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Case Western Reserve University. His research focuses on understanding and developing hydrogen-bonded liquid electrolytes that enable efficient proton and charge transport in next-generation electrochemical systems. He expects to graduate in July 2026 and plans to pursue a career in industry research and development focused on materials and electrochemical technologies.
Rasoul (Ross) Rahimzadeh, Polymer Engineering
"Design Strategies to Improve Thermo-mechanical Performance of Thermoplastic Polyurethanes"
Advisor: Ica Manas-Zloczower
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4848-1822
Rasoul (Ross) Rahimzadeh is a PhD candidate in the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering. His research focuses on designing strategies to enhance the thermo-mechanical performance of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) through nanofiller incorporation, annealing (thermal treatment), and chemical modifications. His work bridges polymer chemistry, processing, and characterization to enable scalable, high-performance, and sustainable elastomeric materials for industries such as aerospace, automotive, and medical devices.
Before joining CWRU, Rasoul earned an MS in Chemical Engineering from Texas Tech University and a BS in Polymer Engineering from the University of Tehran. His long-term goal is to translate advanced polymer research into practical materials that advance sustainability and performance in industrial applications.
Shane Riddle, Mechanical Engineering
"Overcoming Mechanical Uncertainty in Soft Robot Control"
Advisor: Roger Quinn
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4003-0314
Shane Riddle is a PhD candidate in the Mechanical Engineering Department. His research primarily involves dynamic modeling and controller development for complex systems with a focus on bioinspired soft robots. Following graduation this winter/early spring, he will be pursuing a career in research and development. He aims to apply his skills to developing robotic solutions that operate alongside workers in medicine and industry, improving user experience and making procedures and tasks safer and more effective.
Zoe Sekyonda, Biomedical Engineering
"The Power of Simple: Turning Complex Blood Science into One-button Decision"
Advisor: Umut Gurkan
Zoe Sekyonda is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering whose work bridges lab innovation to real-world impact. She has designed microfluidic systems and assays that simplify the diagnosis and monitoring of complex blood disorders at the point of care, resulting in multiple patents and industry partnerships. After graduating, she seeks to pursue a career in translational R&D and entrepreneurship, developing simple, affordable diagnostic solutions for patients, especially in resource-limited settings.