College of Engineering and Polymer Science welcomes newest members for 2024-25

The College of Engineering and Polymer Science is pleased to welcome its newest faculty and staff members for the 2024-25 academic year.

Juan Bosch Giner, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Bosch joined The University of Akron in 2019 as a master’s student in Corrosion Engineering. In 2021, he transitioned to the Akron Engineering Tribology Laboratory (AETL) as a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering. Before Akron, he earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Dr. Bosch’s research expertise includes tribology, corrosion, and materials science, with a particular focus on space tribology, and water-based lubricants for electric vehicles. He has managed several industry-funded projects and has authored numerous peer-reviewed papers and conference presentations.

Joshua Carpenter

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering

Joshua Carpenter, a native of northeast Ohio and a University of Akron alumnus, earned his bachelor's degree from UA in 2013. He then spent five years working for a civil engineering and surveying firm in Elyria before pursuing graduate studies at Purdue University. Joshua’s research focuses on advancing forest management and conservation using remote sensing and 3D scanning technologies. His work covers a broad range of topics, including 3D modeling of root and tree structures and biodiversity monitoring in the Amazon rainforest. Recently appointed to the Department of Civil Engineering's Surveying and Mapping program, Joshua is dedicated to promoting the surveying profession and fostering collaborative research where surveying expertise enhances the natural sciences through high-fidelity mapping.

Anindya Bijoy Das, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Anindya Bijoy Das is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of Akron. Prior to joining the university, Dr. Das worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University. He earned his Ph.D. from Iowa State University, where his research addressed various challenges in distributed computations, including numerical stability, sparsity, computation delay, and partial stragglers. In 2022, Dr. Das was honored with the Karas Award at Iowa State University for his outstanding dissertation in the mathematical and physical sciences and engineering. His research interests focus on federated learning, distributed computation, machine learning, and signal processing.

Ali Elrayyah, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Ali Elrayyah received his Ph.D. degree from The University of Akron in 2013. He worked as a scientist at The Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar, and at ENOWA-NEOM, Saudi Arabia to develop smart grid and microgrid systems and solutions required by evolving power grids worldwide. His research interests include distributed energy resources, smart power systems, and systems modeling and control.

Laura Fisher

College Program Specialist, CEPS Research Office

Laura Fisher has joined the College of Engineering and Polymer Science team as a College Program Specialist. Previously, she worked at UA as an Administrative Assistant in the Psychology Department. A graduate of Ashland University, Laura is currently pursuing her M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at UA. Last spring, she and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Branson, moved to Akron. Laura is excited to collaborate with everyone in the department and apply her experience from the medical, business, event planning, and automotive industries to her new role working with the CEPS Centers.

Dana Haiduc

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Department of Mathematics

Dana Haiduc is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Mathematics at the College of Engineering and Polymer Science. She joined the department full-time this fall after serving as adjunct faculty for eight years. Dana's passion for teaching mathematics began in her native Romania, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Pure Mathematics from Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca and taught middle and high school students. After moving to the U.S., she earned a Master's degree in Applied Mathematics from Kent State University and taught various mathematics courses at Kent State University-Stark and Stark State College. She is excited to be part of The University of Akron faculty and looks forward to sharing her love of mathematics with students.

Hyeonu Heo, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Hyeonu Heo joined the Mechanical Engineering Department in 2024. Before this appointment, he was a postdoctoral scholar in the Graduate Program in Acoustics at Penn State University from 2022 to 2024 and a postdoctoral fellow in Physics at the University of North Texas from 2017 to 2022. His work has resulted in over 30 papers, including peer-reviewed articles and conference abstracts/proceedings. Dr. Heo has received several awards and honors, including the Early Career Travel Award from the Acoustical Society of America (2022), the Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (2021), the Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship from the Korea-American Scientists and Engineers Association, the Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship from the ASME North Texas Chapter (2016), and a Scholarship from the Society of Plastics Engineers (2015).

Justin Jenkinson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Department of Mathematics

Dr. Jenkinson (Dr. Justin to his students) has been teaching mathematics at the college level for over 11 years since receiving his Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University. He has a passion for mathematics that is evident in his engaging teaching style. Justin has a unique skill in relating to students and prides himself on being especially approachable. Justin conveys the beauty of mathematics through his instruction and is a true inspiration to his students. Justin has taught a wide range of courses but specializes in 100 level courses such as algebra, trigonometry, precalculus, and calculus. Justin finds great reward in educating and believes he is changing their worldview by instilling new mathematical insight at this fundamental level. Outside of the classroom Justin enjoys family, cooking, music, dogs, sometimes cats, and math memes. His research interests include: convex geometry, quantum information theory, and geometric aspects of functional analysis.

Angie Malchesky

Visiting Assistant Professor of Instruction, Department of Mathematics

Angie Malchesky is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Mathematics. A certified educator, she has extensive experience teaching college-level courses, evaluating student comprehension, developing courses, adhering to curriculum guidelines, preparing students for ACT math, and delivering online instruction. Angie is passionate about making mathematics both understandable and enjoyable for her students. She is also committed to sharing her instructional knowledge with colleagues to help them become better educators, while continuously improving her own teaching skills.

Dana Nickle-Rodriguez

Administrative Assistant, Department of Mathematics and Department of Computer Science

Dana Nickle-Rodriguez joined The University of Akron in September 2023 as an administrative assistant for the Departments of Mathematics and Computer Science. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kent State University in 1994. Dana has lived in Akron for the past 25 years with her husband and two sons. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening, hiking and watching lacrosse.

Deborah Parker

Administrative and Student Support Specialist, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Deborah Parker is the Administrative and Student Support Specialist in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. With nearly a decade of experience, she brings expertise in providing administrative, secretarial, and technical support to managers, project teams, and clients. Deborah thrives in fast-paced work environments, ensuring efficient and smooth operations within the department.

Christine Smith

Administrative Secretary, School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering

Christine joined The University of Akron in March 2008 as an Administrative Secretary in the Parking and Transportation Services Department. In August 2023, she transitioned to the School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, where she supports Dr. Dhinojwala and Dr. Soucek. Christine has lived in the Mogadore area for the past 35 years with her husband. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening and decorating.

Bowen Xie, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics

Dr. Bowen Xie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics within the College of Engineering and Polymer Science at The University of Akron. Prior to joining UA, he spent two years as a Postdoctoral Lecturer in the Department of Statistics and Data Science at Washington University in St. Louis. His research primarily focused on market making problems, particularly the dynamics of the Limit Order Book (LOB) and the application of reinforcement learning. Dr. Xie earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Iowa State University in 2022, under the guidance of Dr. Ananda Weerasinghe, specializing in queueing theory and stochastic control with practical applications in operations research. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Iowa State University.