Faculty Experts

Hong Zhao, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear EngineeringVCU College of Engineering

Specializing in solid-liquid interactions, self-assembly of colloidal nano particles, and development of various printing processes

Additive Manufacturing/3d PrintingPrinted functional devicesTransport and self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticlesSurface science and surface engineering

Erdem Topsakal, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringVCU College of Engineering

Erdem Topsakal received multiple degrees in electronics and communication engineering from Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul

Microwave Early Cancer Detection and MonitoringMicrowave Hyperthermia and AblationWireless Medical Telemetry (Implantable and Body-centric) and E-HealthMedical Applications of Microfluidics (Microfluidic Antennas and Sensors)Novel Microwave Antennas and Arrays

Gustavo Cardona, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear EngineeringVCU College of Engineering

Dr. Cardona researches specification-driven autonomy for safe, reliable human–robot interaction and multi-robot coordination.

Humanoid RobotsGround robotsQuadrotorsRobot coordinationSafe human-robot interaction

Maryna Veksler, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Computer ScienceVCU College of Engineering

Teaching, research, service, and mentoring students.

AI SecurityCyber-physical Systems SecurityAdversarial AICybersecurityTrustworthy AI

Gary C. Tepper, Ph.D.

Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty AffairsVCU College of Engineering

Professor Tepper's research focuses on advanced functional materials

Perovskite Solar CellsAerosols and air filtrationNanoscale materialsElectrospinningSupercritical Fluids

Reza Mohammadi, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear EngineeringVCU College of Engineering

Dr. Mohammadi studies advanced functional materials, including superhard, superhydrophobic, nuclear, energy, sensing, and metallic systems.

Ultra-incompressible superhard materialsSuperhydrophobic materialsThin film deposition and characterizationTearing energy of sheet metalsMetal forming and shaping