Jul 12, 2025  
2025 - 2026 Graduate Catalog 
    
2025 - 2026 Graduate Catalog

Graduate Faculty


Architectural Engineering 

Catherine Armwood Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, Director of Development, Associate Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering
B.S., 2007, Tennessee State University; Ph.D., 2014, University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

Youngjae Choi, Assistant Professor 
B. S, 2007, Dong-Eui University; M.S. 2009, Pusan National University; Ph.D, 2018, University of Texas at Arlington 

Lijian Ma, Assistant Professor 
B.S, 2012 Polytechnic University of Turin,; M.S. 2015, Polytechnic University of Turin; Ph.D, 2022, Illinois Institute of Technology 

Zufen Wang, Assistant Professor 
B.S. 2016, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; M.S. 2018, Harbin Institute of Technology: Ph.D., 2022 University of Miami 

Civil Engineering 

Deo Chimba, Professor and Interim Department Chair; 
B.Sc., 2002, University of Dares; M.S. 2004 Florida State University; Ph.D. 2008, University of Miami 

Andrea Gardiner, Assistant Professor
B.S., 2000, California Polytechnic State University; M.S., 2001, Colorado School of Mines; Ph.D., 2020, Vanderbilt University 

Amber Spear, Research Assistant Professor 
B.S, 2008 University of Michigan,; M.S. 2014, University of Texas at Austin; Ph.D, 2024, Jackson State University 

Lin Li, Professor and Dean
B.S., 1991, Zhongshan University; M.S., 1994, Zhongshan University; Ph.D., 2004, University of Wisconsin-Madison 

Ranganathan Parthasarathy, Associate Professor
B.S., 2005, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras; M.S., 2007, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Ph.D., 2013, University of Kansas 

Shihui Liu, Assistant Professor 
B.S., 2012, Hebei University of Architecture; M.S., 2016, Inner Mongolia University of Technology; Ph.D., 2020, Jackson State University 

Roger Painter, Professor
B.S., 1986, University of Tennessee; M.S., 1989, University of Tennessee Space Institute; Ph.D., 1992, Tennessee Technological University 

Computer Science 

Erdem Erdemir, Associate Professor
B.S., Bogazici University (Turkey); M.S., Bogazici University (Turkey); Ph.D., 2012, Vanderbilt University 

Chenchutta Jackson, Assistant Professor 
B.S., 2000, Mississippi Valley State University; M.S., 2004, University of Mississippi; Ph.D., 2012 University of Mississippi 

Kamal Al Nasr, Associate Professor
B.S., 2003, Yarmouk University (Jordan); M.S., 2009, New Mexico University; Ph.D., 2012, Old Dominion University 

Tamara Rogers, Associate Professor and Interim Chair,
B.S., 1993, Vanderbilt University, M.S., 1995, Vanderbilt University, Ph.D., 2003, Vanderbilt University 

Manar Samad, Associate Professor
B.S., Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology; M.S., University of Calgary; Ph.D., 2016, Old Dominion University. 

Ali Sekmen, Professor
B.S., 1995, M.S., 1997, Bilkent University (Turkey); Ph.D., 2000, Vanderbilt University, Ph.D., 2012, Vanderbilt University. 

Caleb Vatral, Assistant Professor 
B.S., 2019, Eastern Nazarene College; Ph.D., 2024, Vanderbilt University 

Fenghui Yao, Professor
B.A., 1984, Dalian Maritime University (China); M.E., 1988, Ph.D., 1992, Kyushu Institute of Technology (Japan). 

Electrical Engineering 

Charles D. McCurry, Associate Professor
B.S., 1995, M.E., 2005, Ph.D. 2011, Tennessee State University 

Kamrul Hasan, Assistant Professor
B.Sc., 2006, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, M.S., 2016, Tennessee State University, Ph.D., 2020, Old Dominion University 

Liang Hong, Professor
B.S., 1994, M.S., 1997 Southeast University, Ph.D., 2002, University of Missouri-Columbia 

Mohamed Saleh Zein-Sabatto, Professor and Department Chair
B.S., 1979, University of Aleppo; M.S., 1986, Ph.D., 1991, Vanderbilt University 

Mohammad Bodruzzaman, Professor and Biomedical Engineering Concentration-Program Coordinator
B.S., 1977, M.S., 1979, Jahangrinager University; M.S., 1984, Ph.D., 1990, Vanderbilt University 

Shazzad Rassel, Assistant Professor 
B.S. 2008, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh; M.S., 2013, University of Oklahoma; Ph.D., 2018, University of Oklahoma 

Sagnika Ghosh, Associate Professor
B.Sc. 2010, West Bengal University of Technology, India, M.S., 2014, University of Memphis, Ph.D., 2018, University of Memphis 

Mechanical Engineering 

Muhammad Akbar, Professor and Interim Chair,
B.Sc., 1995, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology; M.Sc., 2001, University of Alabama; Ph.D., 2004, Georgia Institute of Technology 

Abiodun Fasoro, Assistant Professor
B.S., 1992, Obafemi Awolowo University-Nigeria, M.S., 1996, University of Lagos-Nigeria, M. Phil, 1999, University of Birmingham-England, Ph.D., 2008, University of Texas, Arlington 

Mohammad Habibi, Assistant Professor
B.S., 1989, Aligarh Muslim University, India, M.S., 2003, Ph.D., 2014, Tennessee State University 

Hamid R. Hamidzadeh, Professor
B.Sc., 1974, Arya Meher University of Tehran; M.Sc., D.I.C.,1975, Ph.D., 1978, University of London Imperial College of Science and Technology 

Aung Myat, Assistant Professor
B.S., 2004, Yangon Technological University, (Myanmar), M.S., 2006, National University of Singapore (Singapore), Ph.D., 2012, National University of Singapore (Singapore) 

Landon C. Onyebueke, Professor and Interim Chair
B.S. 1982, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, M.S. 1986, Ph.D. 1989, Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (France) 

Amir Shirkhodaie, Professor
B.S., 1983, M.S., 1985, Oklahoma State University; Ph.D., 1989, University of Cincinnati