Competition teams bring Mountaineer spirit to the global stage
Read the Feature StoryWe're excited to present the Fall issue of the EngineeringWV magazine, highlighting our international competition teams and the dedicated students who design, innovate, and spend long hours to prepare and compete on behalf of the university and the state.
Inside, you will have the opportunity to learn directly from our top teams and emerging stars who have recently competed as far as Brazil. Real-world learning and hands-on experience are at the heart of what we do — and for us, that means providing students with practical skills that reach across the globe.
I encourage you to learn more about the Statler College community through our extraordinary stories about our faculty, staff, students and alumni — gamechangers who turn the impossible into reality.
The next generation of engineers takes shape at WVU Engineering Challenge Camps
Many West Virginia University halls of learning fell silent when students left for the summer of 2025, but the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources wasn’t one of them. In fact, some corners of the building echoed with the mighty ruckus of dozens of first, second and third graders.
Read More : From chaos to creativityWhile most people struggled with the tedium of dial-up online connections in the 1980s, an electrical engineering alumnus of West Virginia University envisioned a radically different future.
Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard asked a groundbreaking question: “Why not use the same cable that delivered television programming to also carry data and voice? And, in doing so, to transform the online experience entirely?”
Read More : The man who rewired the worldAn art kid’s path from WVU to NASA to the Air Force.
When Emily Certain left Long Island for college, she planned to design theater sets —not spacecraft. A single rocket launch changed everything. And, then, after submitting 1,000 internship applications, NASA IV&V at West Virginia University gave her a chance.
Read More : From Stage to StarlightAn advanced manufacturing process for aerospace industries, developed in part by WVU researchers, received global recognition for its versatile capabilities in transforming the energy industry.
Read more : WVU engineers received “the Oscar of innovation,” an R&D 100 Award for developing advanced manufacturing processStudent's PRT replication to shape future learning
Few capstone projects spark the creation of an entirely new lab space. But that’s what happened when computer and electrical engineering alum Michael Barchett turned his final capstone project into something much bigger at the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University.
Read More : From capstone project to real-world resourceThe living legacy of the WVU PRT
It’s easy to take this ride for granted. For 50 years, the WVU Personal Rapid Transit system — the PRT — has been carrying students, professors, and townspeople above the clogged city streets, shuttling them between downtown Morgantown, the Evansdale area of campus, and the sprawling Health Sciences complex.
Read More : Rails in the Air
New online MS degree in Artificial Intelligence, recently launched in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. The program offers students a robust curriculum in AI, machine learning, computer science and data science topics.
Read More : Announcing new WVU program offerings in artificial intelligence, smart systems
Two new minors in sales engineering and technology entrepreneurship are paving the way for exciting interdisciplinary opportunities at WVU.
Read More : WVU Statler, Chambers Colleges collaborate to offer sales engineering, technology entrepreneurship minors
As tech transforms industries in unique ways, researchers at WVU continue to lead the charge. Fei Dai, a professor in the Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has been awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation grant through its Building Capacity in STEM Education Research program.
Read More : Reshaping the future of civil engineering education with virtual reality
The launch of the new Career and Professional Development Center at the Statler College will open the door to greater professional, personal, and educational opportunities for Statler students and alumni.
Read More : Statler College creates new Career and Professional Development Center, appoints Stewart as directorPolypropylene is a superhero that can do and be anything – or almost anything. It’s a plastic resin that keeps us healthy, transforming into medical sutures, prostheses, and surgical masks. It keeps us safe, contributing to the manufacture of impact-resistant car bumpers and hard hats. It keeps us entertained and energized. It’s a popular material for children’s toys, sports equipment like rackets and moisture-wicking performance apparel. And it keeps us comfortable. It’s in the rugs that cushion our footsteps – even in the insoles that support our aching arches.
To build a modern-day electrical grid with the flexibility and resilience to handle ebbing and flowing energy sources like solar and wind power, WVU engineers have designed and successfully tested a fuel cell that can switch between storing or making electricity and also generate hydrogen from water.
Deepanjali Roy is an experimentalist. “I don’t do simulations or modeling,” she said. “I work with my hands. Being in the lab is my favorite part of the day.”
A collaborative research team in the Statler College is taking on one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges: PFAS contamination in drinking water.
Four promising WVU doctoral students are continuing their academic journeys with support from the Ruby Scholars Graduate Fellows program.
Read More : 2025 class of Ruby Fellows
Two WVU researchers have joined an elite group after being awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, a program that supports graduate education in STEM-based fields.
Read More : Pair of WVU researchers selected as NSF Graduate Research Fellows
Eight remarkable members of the WVU Class of 2025 who have distinguished themselves through academic excellence and by making significant contributions on campus, across the Mountain State and beyond have been honored with the Order of Augusta, the most prestigious University student award.
Read More : Top WVU seniors named, 8 honored with 2025 Order of Augusta
Five exceptional incoming students at WVU who share a passion for learning and for making a positive impact on their communities will engage in research and contribute to their chosen fields of study as the 2025-26 WVU Foundation Scholars, the highest academic scholarship the University awards.
Read More : 2025 Foundation Scholars
Three WVU students have been awarded the coveted Goldwater Scholarship, the nation’s premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, engineering and natural sciences which supports students with strong commitments to research careers.
Read More : Trio of WVU students named Goldwater Scholars
When Mazin Omer first stepped onto Evansdale campus, he brought with him a passion for aerospace and mechanical engineering and an incredible drive to serve his community. Now, Omer’s devotion has earned him recognition from National Society of Black Engineers as the Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year 2024-2025.
Read More : Omer Named Distinguished Member of the Year by NSBE National Chapter
Some of the Mountain State’s most accomplished and talented students are set to begin their college careers at WVU as the new cohort of Bucklew Scholars.
Read More : 2025 WVU Bucklew ScholarsStatler College is dedicated to introducing K-12 students and teachers to the variety of possibilities and opportunities of science, technology, engineering and math.
Each academic year, the Honors College welcomes a new cohort of faculty fellows to help its students to seek out new knowledge and connections, explore diverse ideas and apply what they learn to real-world problems.
Read More : Honors College announces 2025-26 faculty fellows
Xingbo Liu, associate dean for research and Statler Endowed Chair of Engineering in the Statler College, has been named a 2025 fellow of The Electrochemical Society — a prestigious recognition that highlights scientific contribution, innovation and lasting impact in the field of electrochemistry and its service to society.
Read More : Liu named 2025 fellow by Electrochemical Society
The IISE recognized Ashish Nimbarte, Industrial and Management Systems department chair and director of online programs, as a 2025 fellow for his contributions to education, research and innovation.
Read More : Nimbarte named 2025 fellow by Institute of Industrial and Systems EngineeringTrilogy Innovations, Inc., a nationally recognized SBA Certified 8(a) small and minority-owned systems and software engineering company, will donate funds for the creation of a cybersecurity laboratory at the Statler College.
Students in the Statler College will have access to even greater learning opportunities thanks to the opening of the state-of-the-art IDEMIA National Security Solutions Biometrics Lab, a hub for research, teaching and innovation within the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.
WVU students pursuing careers in geoscience and energy engineering will have access to industry-leading professional software thanks to a $26.8 million gift from Rock Flow Dynamics.
An alumna is expanding opportunities for future students to gain hands-on research experience with gifts to her alma mater totaling $2.15 million.
A brotherly bond and desire to give back will provide scholarship opportunities for students at the Statler College.
Read More : 3 brothers, all WVU alumni, create scholarship for Statler engineering students
WVU students pursuing degrees in education, engineering, nursing and oral health care will benefit from a generous alumni couple’s planned gifts totaling $2 million.
Read More : $2M in planned gifts to establish scholarships for students in 4 WVU colleges and schools
A dedicated alum and his wife are expanding support for engineering education and athletics with gifts totaling $175,000.
Read More : WVU alum and wife give $175K to boost engineering education, athletics
Innovation was in the air as we wrapped up the 2025 WVU Research Week!
From cutting-edge posters to inspiring presentations, the Statler College Poster Symposium spotlighted the incredible research happening across our Engineering Disciplines.
Congratulations to the 2025 Poster Symposium Winners!
Graduate Research Division 🥇 First Place – Sepehr Karimi , Doctoral Student in Electrical Engineering (Top photo) 🥈 Second Place – Madhav Rijal, Graduate Researcher in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Bottom left)
Undergraduate Research Division 🏆 Best Overall Presentation – Supriya Rathinam, First-Year Student in Biomedical Engineering (Bottom right)
A special highlight: Dr. Dong Ding of Idaho National Laboratory delivered this year’s distinguished seminar on the future of nuclear energy. Read more: https://ow.ly/lojC50VA3fI
We were excited to welcome President Benson to campus! 💙💛
We had the opportunity to show him around the Statler College — from robotics labs to senior design projects, we loved sharing how our students are driving innovation and making an impact.
Thanks for stopping by, President Benson! We’re proud to show you what it means to be a Mountaineer engineer.
#WVU #WVUEngineering
We couldn’t be prouder of Raphael and all he represents as a Mountaineer! 💙
His drive to advance early breast cancer detection through engineering innovation—and his commitment to mentoring the next generation of engineers—embody the heart of what we strive for at the Statler College.
Raphael’s journey is a testament to the power of purpose, perseverance, and paying it forward. We can’t wait to see the impact he’ll continue to make in the world!
#WVUEngineering #EngineeringWithPurpose
We officially celebrate our next generation of engineering and computer science leaders. Now it’s time to go change the world. 🎓 Congratulations Statler College graduates! #WVUGrad 💛💙
Congratulations to our newest inductees into the Order of the Engineer and Computing Professionals! 💍 Today’s ceremony celebrated the commitment to ethics, excellence, and responsibility in the fields of engineering and computer science. We're incredibly proud to see these Statler Mountaineers join a legacy of integrity and service ⚙️
Last week, WVU's Moontaineers got an incredible experience competing in NASA's Micro-g Neutral Buoyancy Experiment Design Teams at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston!
This year's challenges focused on lunar extravehicular activity (EVA) operations, EVA operations for missions to the International Space Station and Orion crew safety.