Several new faculty members have joined or will be joining the West Virginia University College of Engineering and Mineral Resources this fall.

They are:

• Kwang-Jea Kim, research assistant professor, Department of Chemical Engineering. Kim earned bachelors and masters degrees in chemical engineering from Inha University in South Korea and a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Akron. Kim’s research interests include reactive compounding, recycling, rheology, processing, morphology, interfacial science, structure-property relationship, chemical additives and characterization of small particle-filled polymer compounds.

• Feng Yang, assistant professor, Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. Yang earned her masters and doctoral degrees in industrial engineering and management sciences from Northwestern University and a bachelors degree in electrical engineering from Tsinghua University in China. Her research interests include design and analysis of computer simulation experiments on manufacturing systems models; computer simulation in manufacturing, transportation, and supply chain management; design of experiment methodology and application; and applied statistical methods.

• Kevin Rider, assistant professor, Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. Rider earned his doctorate from the University of Michigan and his masters and bachelors degrees from the University of Tennessee. His research interests include biomechanics, ergonomics and human movement science.

• Xian-An Cao, assistant professor, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Cao earned his doctorate in materials science and engineering from the University of Florida, his masters degree in condensed matter physics from Fudan University in China and his bachelors degree in physics, also from Fudan. His research interests include semiconductor characterization and processing; micro- and nano-structures; III -nitride optoelectronics; and chemical and biological sensors.

• David Graham, assistant professor, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Graham earned his masters and doctoral degrees in electrical and computer engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and bachelors degrees in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech and in natural science from Covenant College. His research interests include low-power electronics; analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits; analog-digital signal processing; embedded sensors; and neuromorphic engineering.

• Scott Wayne, assistant professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Wayne has been on the faculty of the department since 1997 and became a tenure-track faculty member this year. He earned his bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from WVU . His research interests include the measurement and reduction of emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. He is director of the Transportable Heavy-Duty Vehicle Emissions Testing Laboratory at WVU .

• Chuanyu Feng, research assistant professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Feng earned a doctorate in mechanical engineering from WVU , a masters degree in solid mechanics from the University of Science and Technology of China and a bachelors degree in theoretical and applied mechanics from the University of Science and Technology. Feng’s research interests include experimental mechanics; indentation mechanics and nano/micro-indentation; material characterization and analysis; pptical NDE ; advanced optical methods; and engineering image processing and analysis.

• Mohan Krishnamurthy, research assistant professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Krishnamurthy earned his masters and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from WVU and his bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from Regional Engg College in India. His research interests include I.C. engine emissions, air toxics, emissions inventory, and health effects of diesel exhaust.

• Andrew Nix, research assistant professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Nix earned his masters and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and his bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland. His research interests include gas turbine engine heat transfer and film cooling; the effects of unsteady flows on turbine engine heat transfer and aerodynamics; high-frequency heat transfer and velocity measurements; alternative fuels, engines and emissions; and propulsion and power.

• Christopher J. Bise, Charles T. Holland Professor and new chair, Mining Engineering Department. Bise earned his bachelors degree in mining engineering from Virginia Tech, his masters degree and doctorate in mining engineering from Penn State, and his MHS in environmental health engineering from Johns Hopkins University. His research interests include coal mine design, hearing conservation and noise control; underground mining methods; computer-based training; subsidence prediction and control; mine equipment and maintenance; and mine safety.

• Yi Luo, tenure-track associate professor, Mining Engineering Department. Luo earned his doctorate from WVU , his masters degree from the University of Idaho and his bachelors degree from the Xian Mining Institute in China. His research interests include mine ventilation; coalbed and coal mine methane recovery; mining subsidence; roof geology mapping; applications of geophysical methods in mining; dust control in underground mines; engineering controls of machine noises in underground mines; and computer applications in mining.