University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science | 2025 Dean's Report - Flipbook - Page 15
ON A MISSION TO PROTECT
OUR DRINKING WATER
Katie Weitzel, environmental engineering
doctoral student, was interested in water
treatment studies as a byproduct of growing
up in Michigan and witnessing 昀椀rsthand
the impact of a water crisis. The reputation
of UC’s College of Engineering and Applied
Science, as well as the university’s proximity
to the Environmental Protection Agency
VAMSHI KIRAN GOGI
played a role in Weitzel’s decision to study
at UC. However, it was the groundbreaking
work of her late mentor, Professor Dionysios
BUILDING SOLUTIONS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
OF SEMICONDUCTORS
Dionysiou, that led her to further her studies
Vamshi Kiran Gogi, a UC doctoral student in
arti昀椀cial intelligence and machine learning.
in Cincinnati. Dionysiou was a valued faculty
electrical engineering, is advancing semicon-
By developing novel material deposition
member for more than 20 years and a true
ductor research to support next-generation
techniques and device architectures, Gogi
leader in his 昀椀eld. He reached out to Weitzel
computing under the guidance of Rashmi
aims to advance the 昀椀eld of microelectronics.
about working with him on a project on the
Jha, professor of electrical and computer
His research, supported by Intel and the NSF,
sustainable reuse of agricultural wastewater.
engineering. His work focuses on creating
underscores the transformative potential of
ef昀椀cient in-memory computing systems for
semiconductor innovation.
KATIE WEITZEL
In her research, Weitzel is working on
methods to address harmful algal blooms,
caused by cyanobacteria that release toxins
ADVANCING THE SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY OF EVS
AND SELF-DRIVING CARS
into water sources. She is developing a
he shifted his passion from piloting planes to
treatment using chitosan, a biopolymer
improving safety in transportation. Adekoya’s
derived from shell昀椀sh shells, to remove
research focuses on designing ef昀椀cient Plug-
cyanobacteria from lakes and reservoirs
in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) powertrains
before water reaches treatment plants.
to bene昀椀t consumers, industries, and
This solution, sourced from a waste product,
manufacturers while reducing emissions
offers promise for tackling algal bloom issues
and combating climate change. Additionally,
in Ohio and beyond, especially as climate
change exacerbates the problem globally.
he is collaborating with his advisor Michael
OLUWASEUN ADEKOYA
Alexander-Ramos, associate professor of
Oluwaseun Adekoya, a doctoral student in
mechanical engineering, to improve self-
mechanical engineering, dreamed of becoming
driving car designs, emphasizing performance
a pilot when he was young. After a series of
in dynamic and uncertain conditions. This
plane crashes in his home country of Nigeria,
work prioritizes accessibility for individuals
with disabilities and underprivileged
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI | CEAS
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