Graduate Student Stories

March 31, 2025

Manish Raj Aryal, a PhD student in mechanical engineering at the University of Cincinnati, is working on revolutionizing manufacturing systems through generative AI, leveraging AI systems to develop manufacturing assistant chatbots. He came to UC for his master's degree and continued researching as a PhD student. He was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS).

April 16, 2025

Prior to coming to the University of Cincinnati, Adonai Vera Gonzalez worked in industry for six years, holding a variety of positions related to artificial intelligence. He connected with UC Professor of Aerospace Engineering Donghoon Kim and began a Master of Engineering program at the College of Engineering and Applied Science. He won first place in the AI ATL hackathon for a generative AI project.

April 21, 2025

As a top graduating student in his undergraduate class, Logan Reichling came to the University of Cincinnati to further his education through the direct-PhD program in computer science. His initial connection to UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science was through his current advisor, Boyang Wang, in an undergraduate research program. Since arriving at CEAS, Reichling has been honored with several awards, including being named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month.

February 28, 2025

After earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering, working for several years in industry, and ultimately being laid off due to the pandemic, Kara Stall made the decision to return to academia to pursue her doctoral degree. Her journey to the University of Cincinnati was facilitated by her former undergraduate advisor connecting her with her current PhD advisor. Upon her arrival, she wasted no time getting involved in the UC community, serving as a TA for five courses in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, serving on the executive board of the Civil Engineering Graduate Student Association, and was recently named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

January 30, 2025

Katherine Schlaak came to University of Cincinnati as a student for her bachelor’s degree in physics, and stayed for her master’s degree and doctoral degree in materials science and engineering. Her PhD research in the Energy Conversion Materials lab is related to renewable energy.

December 12, 2024

Oluwaseun Adekoya dreamed of becoming a pilot when he was young. After a series of plane crashes in his home country of Nigeria, his passion shifted from piloting planes to improving the safety of transportation. Adekoya opted to continue his educational journey at the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati through the PhD program in mechanical engineering. Recently, he was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month for his hard work and dedication.

September 18, 2024

University of Cincinnati PhD student Maulee Sheth has been named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science. A biomedical engineering student, she works in the Esfandiari lab on cancer tumor microenvironment research to better understand the disease. Through her time here, she has collaborated with researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the UC College of Medicine.

September 9, 2024

During her time as a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati, Devika Chauhan, PhD played a vital role in elevating UC's cutting-edge research on carbon nanotube synthesis and its state-of-the-art applications. Now employed by Intel, she applies the knowledge from her graduate experience at UC to develop future artificial intelligence (AI) chips.

August 20, 2024

At the University of Cincinnati, innovation is a pillar of education, something that drew doctoral candidate Yuxin Wang to continue her studies here. Under the guidance of Professor Donglu Shi, Wang is researching how nanomaterials can be used in medical drug delivery and diagnostics to improve health care outcomes. She was recently named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

May 20, 2024

After earning her bachelor's degree in civil engineering at a premier university in Nigeria, Tolulope Odunola became fascinated by the world of hydrology and water systems and set off to continue her education in environmental engineering. She came to the University of Cincinnati for her master's degree, and the experience left such an impact she stayed for her PhD, working under the guidance of Patrick Ray, associate professor of environmental engineering. Odunola was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

July 12, 2024

Inspired by the desire to improve and advance the world of artificial intelligence, Nkechi Jennifer Akinwale has taken advantage of every available opportunity at the University of Cincinnati. Along with a dedication to her field, Akinwale has a deep-rooted dedication to the mentorship of young girls in STEM. She has mentored numerous undergraduate and K-12 students in various programs to share her knowledge and experience as a PhD student. Recently, she was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

April 24, 2024

After earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in Nepal, Sameer Pokhrel came to the United States to further his education. From an early age, he had a lifelong fascination with aviation. As an adult, he transformed this fascination into a career, pursuing a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati's historic program. Here, he has succeeded in research, instruction, and was recently named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

April 15, 2024

Ground transportation has a substantial impact on the daily lives of humans. Sai Bonthu, a doctoral candidate of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Cincinnati, is working to develop a product that has the potential to accurately reduce traffic accidents. Currently, he is working on a grant with the Ohio Department of Transportation and was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

February 28, 2024

Vamshi Kiran Gogi always wanted to be an engineer. During the first semester of his master's program at the University of Cincinnati, he developed a passion for semiconductor research, leading him to transition into a PhD program. Throughout his years as a Bearcat, Gogi has served as the president of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Graduate Student Association, trained students in cleanroom processes, acted as a graduate assistant in the Office of College Computing and more. He was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science.

February 2, 2024

After spending five years as a Bearcat earning an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering technology, Will Mnich decided to continue at the University of Cincinnati to earn not one, but two additional degrees in the aerospace engineering field. Mnich is a student in the Aero-Systems Operations (AESOP) dual degree program.

January 4, 2024

University of Cincinnati aerospace engineering doctoral student Saugat Ghimire was fascinated by planes his entire life. At UC, he has been involved in teaching and research, on-campus activities such as serving as the president of the Nepalese Student Association and the vice president of the Aerospace Engineering Graduate Student Government. He was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

December 18, 2023

Ten years ago, Eleanor Scott came to the University of Cincinnati to pursue a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and gain real-world engineering experience through UC's cooperative education program. In the beginning of her master's program, she began working with Dr. Sarah Watzman, who was in the process of setting up a new lab. After working in the lab for several months, Scott decided to remain at UC for her doctoral degree in materials science. Her PhD research focuses on magneto-thermoelectric characterization of Weyl semimetals. She was recently accepted into the Department of Energy's Science Graduate Student Research Program and was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

November 15, 2023

Elmira Ghahramani, a biomedical engineering PhD student at the University of Cincinnati, first found an interest in medical imaging during her undergraduate studies in Tehran, Iran. Her research aims to address limitations and enhance the efficacy of ultrasound imaging, specifically as it applies to liver tumor thermal ablation. She collaborates with professionals from Cincinnati Children's Hospital and was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month from the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

November 9, 2023

Speech is one of the most complex tasks many people perform in their daily lives. University of Cincinnati graduate student, Sarah Li, is applying principles of biomedical engineering to the study of speech. She has received several awards for this research and was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month from UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science.

October 2, 2023

The path to higher education looks different for every student. For doctoral student Andrew Barth, the inspiration to pursue a Ph.D. came after fifteen years in the aerospace engineering industry. While at the University of Cincinnati, Barth has been involved in several professional conferences, high school and undergraduate outreach programs, and was recently named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

June 12, 2023

Syed Qasim Zaheer is a doctoral candidate at the University of Cincinnati studying aerospace engineering, with a specialized interest in fluid dynamics and flow turbulence. His doctoral work has primarily focused on the analysis of air wakes from large ships during sea-based operations, and how to work towards preventing air wakes from causing turbulence to helicopters that land and take off from the ships. Zaheer is a recipient of the Professor R.T. Davis Memorial Scholarship, and was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science.

March 29, 2023

Dominique Tanner, a biomedical engineering doctoral candidate at the University of Cincinnati, finds motivation from her sister. Diagnosed with epilepsy at just a few months old, her sister has experienced seizures all her life. Tanner became determined to learn about the condition and dedicated herself to a career in helping her sister and others like her. She is the second black woman to receive a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at UC and was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.