Engineering Research Day Welcomes New Faculty, Sparks Research Collaboration

The College of Engineering hosted Engineering Research Day on Wednesday at the Alumni House, bringing together new and current faculty for an evening focused on showcasing research opportunities and shared academic interests. 

The event highlighted the college's new research working groups and provided attendees with opportunities to engage directly with faculty whose work spans biomedical engineering, data science, sustainability, advanced manufacturing, materials science, water systems, energy and systems integration. 

Attendees were welcomed to the college with remarks from Dean Kim Needy and Kartik Balachandran, associate dean for research at the College of Engineering, who emphasized the importance of the university's land-grant mission and the college's strategic plan, Vision 2035. 

"The strength of our research strategy lies in our connectivity. Events like Engineering Research Day help us break down departmental walls and see the college as a single, powerful ecosystem. When a biomedical engineer talks to a systems modeler or a mechanical engineer, that's where exciting and collaborative work begins," said Balachandran. 

"We are focused on building a culture where faculty, especially our newest members, feel empowered to reach out to their colleagues and solve problems that no single discipline can tackle alone." 

Social Synergy  

Engineering Research Day was designed to foster conversation and collaboration across disciplines. The event opened with informal networking among new and current faculty, allowing attendees to explore shared research interests and emerging opportunities. 

New faculty members from across the college presented posters and table displays highlighting their current research initiatives and potential applications. Attendees were encouraged to move freely throughout the space, creating a relaxed, conversational environment centered on discovery and connection. 

"There's a unique energy in the room when you mix the curiosity of a science fair with the strategic goals of a research institution. As a newcomer, Engineering Research Day was the perfect 'on-ramp' to the university. It gave me a clear sense of the momentum here at Arkansas, and I got to meet some fantastic people, many of whom I hope to collaborate with on projects one day," said Kendrick Hardaway, a new assistant professor in biological and agricultural engineering. 

"It's events like this one that can lead to novel engineering questions, solutions and breakthroughs. I'm thankful that I got to be a part of it."  

Hardaway leads the Emerging Risks in Adaptation and Sustainability Group at the University of Arkansas, where his research tackles the challenges of maintaining global infrastructure amid ecological and economic pressures. Housed within the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, the lab uses advanced computational tools, including machine learning and agent-based modeling, to simulate how food, water and energy systems respond to emerging technological and environmental pressures. 

New Engineering Faculty  

Biological & Agricultural Engineering 

• Kendrick Hardaway, Assistant Professor 

• Eric McLamore, Professor 

• Beatriz Moreno Garcia, Research Assistant Professor 

• Diana Vanegas, Associate Professor 

• Yiting Xiao, Assistant Professor 

Chemical Engineering 

• Hyunjin Moon, Assistant Professor 

• Megan Rexius, Assistant Professor 

• Xiaoyu Wang, Assistant Professor 

Civil Engineering 

• Morgan Broberg, Assistant Professor 

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 

• Abhi Rajagopala, Assistant Professor 

• Tuan Dang, Assistant Professor 

• Junliang Dong, Assistant Professor 

• Alejandro Martin Gomez, Assistant Professor 

• Trent Rogers, Assistant Professor 

Mechanical Engineering 

• Anthony Gunderman, Assistant Professor 

Accelerating Breakthroughs 

The event also served as a showcase for the college's six newly established Research Working Groups. These are interdisciplinary hubs designed to accelerate breakthroughs in emerging fields such as smart agriculture, cybersecurity and biotechnology.  

These groups function as year-round "innovation incubators," breaking down traditional departmental silos to help faculty, particularly those new to the university, plug into a ready-made community of practice.  

By pooling expertise across engineering disciplines, the groups aim to build the critical mass needed to secure large-scale federal grants and further solidify the University of Arkansas as a leader in high-impact, multidisciplinary research. 

"Engineering Research Day is a great new event encouraging new collaborations and connections among faculty in different departments and areas of study. It's a great opportunity to meet our newest faculty and learn about their work and to find research working groups where you can collaborate on shared research interests with folks from different departments and colleges," said Jenn Campbell, who co-leads the Engineering Education Research Working Group. 

"Overall, it provides a friendly venue to support ongoing research efforts and develop new ones at the intersection of our diverse and growing strengths." 

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the state's largest engineering school, offering graduate and undergraduate degrees, online studies and interdisciplinary programs. It enrolls more than 4,700 students and employs more than 150 faculty and researchers along with nearly 200 staff members. Its research enterprise generated $47 million in new research awards in Fiscal Year 2025. The college's strategic plan, Vision 2035, seeks to build the premier STEM workforce in accordance with three key objectives: Initiating lifelong student success, generating transformational and relevant knowledge, and becoming the destination of choice among educators, students, staff, industry, alumni and the community. As part of this, the college is increasing graduates and research productivity to expand its footprint as an entrepreneurial engineering platform serving Arkansas and the world. The college embraces its pivotal role in driving economic growth, fueling innovation and educating the next generation of engineers, computer scientists and data scientists to address current and future societal challenges.