Lead by example
Learn more about some of the Fulton Schools faculty mentors for Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative (FURI) and Master’s Opportunity for Research in Engineering (MORE) students.
Fall 2024
Paul Grogan, featured FURI mentor
Paul Grogan, an associate professor of industrial engineering in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, is completing his first year as a FURI faculty mentor after joining ASU in 2023. His research focuses on engineering decentralized and distributed systems for Earth-observing space missions, resource-intensive terrestrial infrastructure and logistics for space exploration. Grogan is particularly interested in using cross-disciplinary tools to meet his research team’s goals in the Collective Design Lab. Read more
Wenlong Zhang, featured MORE mentor
Wenlong Zhang, an associate professor of manufacturing engineering in the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks, has been a mentor for FURI and MORE student researchers since he joined ASU in 2015. His research is focused on the design, modeling and control of robotics and autonomous systems for applications in health care, mobility and manufacturing. Zhang leads the Robotics and Intelligent Systems Laboratory, or RISE Lab. Read more
Vincent Pizziconi, featured GCSP research stipend mentor
A longtime presence in the biomedical engineering program in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Associate Professor Vin Pizziconi has been mentoring students since well before the inception of FURI, MORE and the Grand Challenges Scholars programs at ASU. He sees the research programs in the Fulton Schools as opportunities to interact with and impact highly motivated students one-on-one. Pizziconi leads the Laboratory of BioInspired Complex Adaptive Systems and is an expert in bioresponsive and biomimetic materials. Read more
Summer 2024
Kuei-Chun "Mark" Wang, featured FURI mentor
Mark Wang is an assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering. In his Nanotherapeutics & Molecular Engineering Laboratory, Wang uses molecular and cellular bioengineering techniques and biomaterials to develop nano-sized therapeutic and imaging agents that can enhance the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. After spending the past four years as a faculty mentor in the FURI and MORE programs, he is eager to encourage more students to participate in these valuable research experiences. Read more
Spring 2024
Andrea Richa, featured FURI mentor
Andréa Richa is an ASU President’s Professor in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence. Her research focuses on distributed and network algorithms and many other facets of computing, including self-organizing particle systems and bio-inspired computing. During her time at ASU, Richa has worked with more than 20 undergraduate students, many of whom have been supported by the Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative and other research grants. Read more
Wanxin Jin, featured MORE mentor
Wanxin Jin is an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy. He has been mentoring graduate students since he started his faculty position in the Fulton Schools in fall 2023 and recently began mentoring students in the Master’s Opportunity for Research in Engineering program. His research interests include robotics, control systems and machine learning with a particular focus on autonomous robots interacting with humans and the environment. Read more
Fall 2023
Nakul Gopalan, featured MORE mentor
Nakul Gopalan is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering. His research interests lie in the intersection of language and robot learning, particularly how to train robots through natural language to improve their usability in homes and offices. Gopalan became a MORE faculty mentor in the fall of 2023. Read more
Spring 2023
Nick Rolston, featured FURI mentor
Nicholas Rolston is an assistant professor of electrical engineering who joined the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering in the spring of 2022 and first began mentoring FURI student research projects in 2023. His research group focuses on understanding the materials and mechanisms needed to manufacture the next generation of renewable energy technology.
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Xiangfan Chen, featured MORE mentor
Xiangfan Chen is an assistant professor of manufacturing engineering who has been mentoring FURI and MORE student researchers since the spring of 2020. In addition to manufacturing engineering, he also teaches aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering. His research interests include additive manufacturing technologies and 3D printing for a variety of applications, including photonics (a branch of optics that deals with light), energy and biomedical engineering. Read more
Fall 2022
Rebecca Muenich, featured FURI mentor
Rebecca Muenich is an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering who has been mentoring FURI and MORE students for three years. She is inspired to address human-induced environmental issues and encourages her students to explore these topics in ways that interest them. As an ASU senior global futures scientist and Earth System Science for the Anthropocene faculty member in the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, Muenich is an excellent resource for students to get their start in making an impact in sustainability solutions. Read more
Konrad Rykaczewski, featured MORE mentor
Konrad Rykaczewski is an associate professor of mechanical engineering who serves as a faculty mentor in the FURI and MORE programs. His research focuses on developing soft thermal materials and systems in addition to studying human thermal exposure in extreme heat. He has been involved in FURI for more than eight years and the MORE program for the past several years. He encourages students interested in research to talk to many faculty members early on in their academic careers to learn about opportunities and get involved in this valuable experience. Read more
Spring 2022
Kerry Hamilton, featured MORE mentor
Assistant Professor Kerry Hamilton guides student researchers in the Master’s Opportunity for Research in Engineering, or MORE, and Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative, or FURI, programs in interdisciplinary research projects at the intersection of environmental engineering and human health. She has been mentoring in some capacity since graduate school, and enjoys seeing students in MORE and FURI achieve success in research and other opportunities. Read more
Thomas Sugar, featured FURI mentor
President’s Professor Tom Sugar enjoys introducing undergraduate students to robotics research as a mentor in the Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative, known as FURI. Sugar conducts research in wearable robotics, exoskeletons, prosthetics and orthotics, and he is making impacts in the community with his student researchers. He says FURI can lead to exciting opportunities during and after students’ undergraduate studies, and contribute fresh ideas to faculty members’ labs. Read more
Fall 2021
Christopher Plaisier, featured FURI mentor
Christopher Plaisier, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering, has been mentoring FURI and MORE students for three years. His work focuses on genetic research for discovering diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and new drug targets. In his lab, Plaisier trains his students to be cross-disciplinary researchers. Read more
Spring 2021
Troy McDaniel, featured MORE mentor
Assistant Professor Troy McDaniel has been a mentor in the FURI and MORE programs for almost 10 years, and he looks forward to mentoring for many more. He sees these programs as valuable opportunities for students and mentors alike to conduct impactful research and believes they set students up for success in their future careers. Read more