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Judith Su creates technology to detect and distinguish single molecules of substances, including biomarkers for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and even the coronavirus
RThe UA Office of the Provost selected three engineering faculty members for 2020 university-wide awards, which recognize excellence in research, teaching and outreach.
Vicky Karanikola
Early Career Scholar
An assistant professor in chemical and environmental engineering, Karanikola researches water purification, particularly in the context of indigenous nations. She also collaborates with IndigeFEWSS, a program that addresses challenges faced by indigenous communities, and Engineers Without Borders, an organization that partners with disadvantaged communities to help residents meet their basic human needs.
Jonathan Sprinkle
Distinguished Scholar
Sprinkle, the Litton Industries John M. Leonis Distinguished Associate Professor of electrical and computer engineering, is currently T researching autonomous vehicles at the traffic system – rather than the individual car – level. He also co-founded the CAT Vehicle Research Experience for Undergraduates, which provides students across the country a chance to work with the Cognitive and Autonomous Test vehicle.
Ricardo Valerdi
Distinguished Outreach Faculty
Valerdi is a professor of systems and industrial engineering and faculty athletics representative for the PAC-12 and NCAA. He also founded the Science of Sport program, which has engaged more than 300,000 children in STEM activities through athletics. Valerdi has developed programs for 12 major league baseball teams, three NBA teams and four major league soccer teams.
Mikah Inkawhich, a graduate student in environmental engineering and civil and architectural engineering and mechanics, and Kerri Hickenbottom, assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering, are among researchers working on the desalination system,
Hickenbottom’s work also includes exploring the water-energy nexus in data centers.
Team Harnesses the Sun to Purify Concentrated Waste Streams
RREVERSE OSMOSIS IS one of the most common methods for purifying saline water, but the process produces limited results. About 20% to 50% of the water that enters the system remains as a concentrated waste stream.
There are several methods for handling concentrate streams, but most are expensive, time consuming and energy intensive.
A team of UA engineers and scientists is developing a solar-powered desalination system to more efficiently recover water from concentrated waste streams. The work is funded by $500,000 from the Department of Energy’s
Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification
Deployment manufacturing institute.
The system combines several types of technologies, including concentrated solar power, photovoltaics and membrane distillation. The process uses less energy at a lower cost than existing methods. It could provide more water for resource-scarce inland regions, like in Arizona, and can stand alone in off-grid areas, such as on tribal lands.
“We can double the energy efficiency compared to existing thermal desalination systems,” said Kerri Hickenbottom, assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering and principal investigator for the project. Andrea Achilli, also an assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering, and Robert Norwood, a professor in the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, are involved with the research. The project reflects the UA’s 2020 designation in the Academic Ranking of World Universities as No. 1 in the United States and No. 2 globally in the category of water resources.
KERRI HICKENBOTTOM assistant professor, chemical & environmental engineering
2010s
Rodney
Syntia Bebongchu, BS/ECE 2019 Zinyemba, and MS/ECE 2020, BS/ChE 2017, accepted a position as now works a design engineer at in the wine, Intel Corporation after spirits and finishing her second beer industry, engineering degree at the currently as a University of Arizona. As quality control a student, she completed technician with two internships with G3 Enterprises. Syntia Bebongchu the company. He enjoys it so much that he started a master’s Vinodh Subramanian, MS/EngMgt program in brewing and distillation at 2019, was named Student Inventor of Heriott-Watt University in fall 2020. the Year at the Tech Launch Brianna Grembowski, BS/AE 2015 and Arizona I-Squared MS/SE 2019, now works as a guidance, Awards for his navigation and control engineer at system to reduce Northrop Grumman, where she recently patient no-shows sat on console for the launch of the in the health care NROL-L129 mission. “Watching as the industry. His vehicle I worked on for years hurtled startup, Hipokratiz toward space was simply an indescribable LLC, aims to feeling. Seeing the telemetry that showed ensure patients our orbital requirements were met was receive proper care, while saving the icing on the cake.” industry billions in annual losses.
Vinodh Subramanian Rodney Zinyemba
2000s
Carlos Chang, PhD/ BME 2008, is bringing his background in designing and developing biomanufacturing systems to Avery Therapeutics, Inc., a company led by fellow University of Arizona alumni. He serves as senior product Carlos Chang
development engineer at the company, which is advancing tissue-engineered therapeutics to treat conditions such as heart failure. In his more than 13 years with the City of Tempe Transportation Division, Julian Dresang, BS/CE 2003, has worked on many bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury bike crashes. He was selected as the city’s 2020 Bike Hero for his efforts.
1990s
Freda (Klumpp) Rauch, BS/ChE 1997, spent much of 2019 traveling the country with her husband, Brody. They recently completed their second book project, an e-book titled “Not by Bread Alone: Devotionals, Resources, and Gluten-free Recipes.” She says she never dreamed that the problemsolving skills she learned at the UA would help her “re-engineer” recipes to help her husband improve his health.
Remigio H. Galárraga-Sánchez earned his PhD in 1995, majoring in hydrology and minoring in civil engineering. He has worked in many positions since then, including as a department chair at National Polytechnic School in Ecuador, a visiting professor at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, and a private consultant in the areas of water resources and climate change.
Cemal Basaran, PhD/CE 1994, is now a professor of engineering mechanics at the University at Buffalo. He recently published a new book, “Introduction to Unified Mechanics Theory with Applications.” The text includes both mathematical formulations and proofs and information about real-world applications, such as how to design a system to perform its intended function safely over its lifespan.
1980s
Noel Sobelman, BS/ME 1987, joined Change Logic, a strategy and growth consultancy founded in 2007, as a principal in 2020. He’ll be using his more than 25 years of experience to lead the company’s innovation practice. Previously, he served as a partner and managing director at Kalypso LP.
