SPRING 2026

When the world’s largest live-fire cyber defense exercise began simulating attacks on power grids, communications systems and national infrastructure, West Virginia University students Alana Chen, Tristan Girardi, Luke Lehman, Connor Cahill, Kenneth Steuart, Elizabeth McCaskey, and Koh Onishi were already at their keyboards, not as observers, but as part of the international team defending a nation in crisis.

The HERD Survey, a data report by the National Science Foundation on research and development expenditures across higher education institutions nationwide, outlines federal, state and local support for research activities including electrical engineering, contributing $9.2 million to the college’s expenditures.

Among the four researchers recognized, associate professor Kevin Bandura was named one of the Outstanding Researchers at the senior level.

What begins as curiosity can evolve into meaningful impact. For Jacob Thrasher, a third-year Ph.D. student in computer science, an initial interest in robotics competitions ultimately led to research focused on improving how Alzheimer’s disease is understood and an opportunity to present at the MICCAI Society Conference in Morocco.

On Sunday May 17, at the WVU Hope Coliseum, the newest cohort of Statler alumni joined an elite group of innovators and leaders around the globe. The Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources awarded 419 undergrad and 67 graduate degrees to a new generation of engineers and computer scientists, celebrating their transition from the classroom to creating positive change in the world.

Meet the Grads:

• Leonardo Peele: Rockville, MD native, rocking the coding world
• Zach Taylor: DEEPLY CURIOUS Green light? Red light? For a WVU senior, all signals say go
• From Ghana to grid innovation: How Statler senior Ama Agyare-Addo is powering the future of sustainable energy

RoboRacer autonomous racing is an international competition between self-driving vehicles. Students at WVU and other colleges and universities around the world develop self-guided systems for scale-model race cars, then come together to compete in an annual global throwdown.

At the WVU Statler College, the hum of computers and the tap of keyboards signal more than just routine lab work. Here in our department, students transform curiosity into action, tackling real-world problems through research and hands-on experimentation.

Four faculty members including teaching associate professor Brian Powell and assistant professor Prashnna Gyawali, have been selected as the 2026 Cloud Analytics Faculty Fellows, a program housed in the Office of the Provost and supported by the West Virginia High Technology Foundation. 

Professor Donald Adjeroh is honored as the 2025-26 Benedum Distinguished Scholar in Physical Sciences and Technology for his impact on the development of artificial intelligence and its use in health care.

A distinguished cohort of four WVU graduates including Nitin Kumbhani was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni in recognition of their groundbreaking achievements in business, communications and education.

Dear friends and colleagues,

The May commencement reaffirmed why we do this work. Watching 419 Statler College undergraduates and 67 graduate students cross the stage at WVU Hope Coliseum reminded me that the real measure of a department is the trajectory of the people who leave it. Spring 2026 has been a season of recognition. From our Outstanding Senior honorees to the students named to the President's and Dean's Lists, the academic culture in our department has been distinctive.

Research momentum has matched it. Statler College reported $54.5 million in research expenditures in the latest NSF HERD survey, keeping our electrical engineering and computer science as an anchor to that performance. Our online information technology graduate programs placed in the U.S. News and World Report top 30. The launch of our new online M.S. AI this spring and MS cybersecurity in Fall 2026, positions LCSEE at the center of a workforce and security challenge that is only growing.

Faculty and student recognition this spring tracked the breadth of what we do including the Benedum Distinguished Scholar, WVU Foundation Outstanding Teacher award and an outstanding researcher in the college. Our students competed with one exceptional student recognized at Lock Shields, the world's largest cyber defense exercise. Across digital health, energy systems, AI, cybersecurity, robotics, and biometrics, the work is moving from concept to deployment.

Our alumni, Nitin Kumbhani was inducted into Academy of Distinguished Alumni, and Ola Adekunle and Travis Rosiek were inducted into Lane Academy this year. Thank you for the continued support that makes this possible. I encourage you to read about our remarkable individuals and accomplishments. These are the people and projects that will define the next chapter of our department.

MAILING ADDRESS:
Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources | West Virginia University
1220 Evansdale Drive | P.O. Box 6109 | Morgantown, WV 26506-6109
PHONE: 304.293.5263 | EMAIL: Statler-LCSEE@mail.wvu.edu

Copyright © 2026 Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources all rights reserved
Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe