BIOE Seminar Series - Fall 2025
2025-10-03 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-08 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | 168 SN, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
The Bioengineering Fall Seminar Series features internal and external faculty seminar speakers on a weekly basis. Faculty seminars will predominately be on Wednesdays, with the occasional Friday occurrence. Other Friday slots will host Bioengineering PhD Student seminars. See below for the working faculty seminar schedule, all are welcome.
Wednesdays, 12-1pm in 168 Snell Engineering or Fridays, 12-1pm in 010 Behrakis

SEPTEMBER

9/3: Mona Minkara, PhD, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, Northeastern University
Friday, 9/5: Abbas Yaseen, PhD, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, Northeastern University
9/10: Qianqian Fang, PhD, Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Northeastern University
Friday, 9/12: Ambika Bajpayee, PhD, Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Northeastern University
9/17: Silvi Rouskin, PhD, Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Harvard University
9/24: Nisha Iyer, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University
Friday, 9/26: George Engelmayr, PhD, Industry: Founder and CEO, Cultivated Biomaterials & Vasavance

OCTOBER

10/1: Joe Larkin, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology and Physics, Boston University
10/8: None, WIP
10/15: None
10/22: None
10/29: Sufeng Zhang, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook

NOVEMBER

11/5: Larry Bonassar, PhD, Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University
11/12: None
11/19: Marjan Rafat, PhD, Collab with ChemE: Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University
11/26: Thanksgiving

DECEMBER

12/3: Hadi Nia, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University
12/10: Erel Levine, PhD, Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Northeastern University

Chemical Engineering Fall Seminar Series: Chaochao Dun
2025-10-03 13:30 - 14:30
Seminar Title: Fast-Track Materials Discovery Beyond Equilibrium for Energy and Sustainability
Location: Egan Center 306
Abstract: The development of stable multicomponent materials remains a central challenge in inorganic chemistry and chemical engineering. In systems containing multiple elements, positive mixing enthalpy, size and valence mismatch, and structural incompatibility tend to drive phase separation, especially under equilibrium conditions. Traditional doping strategies for tuning electronic structure and defect chemistry have had some success but are fundamentally constrained by narrow solid-solution windows. To address these limitations, we developed a non-equilibrium flame synthesis technique capable of producing multicomponent solid solutions across alloys, ceramics, and metal-organic frameworks. This method enables rapid evaporation, nucleation, and growth within milliseconds, establishing a well-defined thermodynamic and kinetic pathway for kinetically trapping metastable phases. When combined with entropy-driven stabilization, this approach yields two types of material outcomes, depending on the configurational entropy of the system: high-entropy systems with five or more elements tend to form stable single-phase solid solutions, while systems with two to four components undergo controlled in situ exsolution in response to mild enthalpic stimuli. This unified strategy is broadly applicable to thermocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and critical mineral recovery, and offers a robust framework for materials design beyond the limits of equilibrium-based methods.

Dr. Chaochao Dun joined Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in June 2019 and currently serves as a project staff scientist at the Molecular Foundry. He earned his Ph.D. from the Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials in the Physics Department at Wake Forest University in 2017. At Berkeley Lab, Chaochao is leading three main research thrusts: (I) synthesizing multicomponent materials via non-equilibrium flame-aerosol method for energy conversion and storage; (II) designing sorbents and redox-active clusters for recovering critical minerals; and (III) mechanism-oriented studies that link defect chemistry and kinetics/thermodynamics to performance, supported by multi-scale characterization.

Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Overview
2025-10-06 08:00 - 09:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
Monday October 6 at 8:00 AM

Bioengineering Department Overview
2025-10-06 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our Bioengineering Department
Monday October 6th, 2025 at 9:00AM ET

MS in Internet of Things and MS in Wireless and Network Engineering Program Overview
2025-10-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our MS in Internet of Things and MS in Wireless and Network Engineering programs
Monday October 6th at 10:00AM ET

Can Offshore Wind Thrive Amid Changing Storm Patterns? Risks, Opportunities, and the Role of AI/ML
2025-10-06 12:00 - 13:00 | 168 SN, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
We are pleased to announce our third CIVE7400 Distinguished Seminar of the semester. We will be welcoming Dr. Weichiang Pang of Clemson University, who will deliver a talk titled “Can Offshore Wind Thrive Amid Changing Storm Patterns? Risks, Opportunities, and the Role of AI/ML” Monday October 6, at 12pm in SN168. We hope to see you there!

University of Rochester Law and Graduate School Fair
2025-10-06 16:00 - 18:00
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the 2025 University of Rochester Law and Graduate School Fair in Rochester, New York! Ask your questions about our graduate engineering programs across the U.S. and Canada during the fair on October 6th from 4pm-6pm. We look forward to meeting you there!

Disciplinary Engineering Programs Co-op Overview
2025-10-07 08:00 - 09:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our Disciplinary Engineering Programs Co-op Overview
Tuesday October 7th, 2025 at 8:00AM ET

Chemical Engineering Program Overview
2025-10-07 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our Chemical Engineering Department
Tuesday October 7th, 2025 at 9:00 AM ET

Graduate Student Writing: CommLab Drop-In Writing Hours
2025-10-07 09:00 - 11:00 | https://northeastern.zoom.us/j/95748947707?pwd=[REDACTED]
Graduate students, are you looking for a time for focused research writing? Join the CommLab drop-in writing hours on any Tuesday between 9 -11 am ET. Drop in on any Tuesday and stay for a short time or two hours. A CommLab Fellow will be available to provide feedback on your writing. We will be meeting virtually on Zoom.

MS in Product Development Program Overview
2025-10-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our MS Product Development
Tuesday October 7th at 10:00 AM ET

LinkedIn, CV, Resume: CommLab Drop-In Hours
2025-10-07 11:00 - 12:00 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/linkedin-cv-resume-commlab-drop-in-hours-2/2025-10-07/
Graduate students, do you need to increase your on-line presence or update your CV or Resume? Join the CommLab’s LinkedIn, CV, and Resume drop-in workshops any Tuesday from 11 pm to 12 pm ET. This collaborative space offers valuable advice and peer feedback to enhance your online profile and professional presence. Join this drop-in workshop through Zoom.

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department Overview
2025-10-07 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department Overview
Tuesday October 7th, 2025 at 11:00 AM ET

University of Albany Graduate and Professional School Fair
2025-10-07 11:00 - 14:00
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the 2025 University of Albany Graduate and Professional School Fair in Albany, New York! Ask your questions about our graduate engineering programs across the U.S. and Canada during the fair on October 7th from 11am-2pm. We look forward to meeting you there!

5 Misconceptions I Had About Control Engineering
2025-10-07 12:00 - 13:00
Join Brian Douglas, Controls Engineer at MathWorks as he discusses overcoming common student misconceptions about controls in industry.
Brian Douglas is a controls engineer with over two decades of experience designing guidance, navigation, and control systems for spacecraft and aircraft at Boeing and Planetary Resources. Currently, he works at MathWorks as part of the technical product marketing group, where he focuses on making controls engineering accessible and exciting for a global audience. Brian is widely recognized for his educational contributions, including the creation of the Map of Control Theory, hundreds of YouTube videos on controls (such as the MATLAB Tech Talk series), and the popular comic *Negative Feedback*.
Northeastern University
Pizza and drinks will be provided.
Location: EXP 610

University of Syracuse Graduate and Law School Information Fair
2025-10-07 15:00 - 18:00
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the 2025 University of Syracuse Graduate and Law School Information Fair in Syracuse, New York! Ask your questions about our graduate engineering programs across the U.S. and Canada during the fair on October 7th from 3pm-6pm. We look forward to meeting you there!

Crafting Posters with Visual Impact and Designing Poster Narratives: CommLab Drop-In Hours
2025-10-08 10:00 - 11:00 | 206 Egan, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Working on a poster? Stop by the CommLab Drop-In hours to brainstorm ideas, get feedback and fine tune the visual and oral presentation of your research or project. Join any Wednesday from 10-11am in person in room 206 Egan or join virtually on Zoom.

Multidisciplinary (IT areas) Engineering Programs Overview
2025-10-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our Multidisciplinary (IT areas) Engineering Programs Overview

Programs discussed in this webinar include Cyber-Physical Systems, Data Architecture and Management, Information Systems, Information Systems—Bridge, Software Engineering Systems, and Telecommunications Networks.

Wednesday October 8, 2025 at 10:00 AM

Electrical and Computer Engineering Programs Overview
2025-10-08 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our Electrical and Computer Engineering Programs Overview
Wednesday October 8th, 2025 at 11AM ET

Chemical Engineering Fall Seminar Series: Vincent G. Harris
2025-10-08 12:00 - 13:00
Seminar Title: Academic Scholarship vs. Entrepreneurship: Research choices in pursuing a career in academia at Northeastern
Location: 108 Snell Engineering Center
Abstract: Success as a faculty member at a Tier 1 research university—fair or unfair—still depends heavily on securing research funding and producing independent, high-quality scholarship with those resources. Yet, over the past two decades, there has been a profound shift in how faculty contributions are evaluated, with increasing recognition of entrepreneurship as an important dimension of academic impact.
This raises an important question: can one pursue academic research that satisfies both the rigorous standards of scholarship and the entrepreneurial expectations of a tenure and promotion (T&P) committee?
In this talk, I reflect on choices made over my three-decade career, including two decades at Northeastern, where my research evolved from pure scholarship to one deeply focused on market transition—ultimately leading to a successful spin-out company founded 17 years ago. I will discuss the challenges of bootstrapping a start-up versus pursuing venture capital funding, and the unique satisfaction that comes from building a company from the ground up.
Much of this work was—and continues to be—performed at Northeastern, with many of the start-up’s employees being former students. The science and engineering behind it sit at the intersection of physics, chemistry, materials science, and RF engineering.
I will attempt to satisfy the audience’s appetite in S&T by reviewing some of the meaningful contributions made by my students that have been commercialized and impacted society.

Vince Harris has built a distinguished career spanning more than 35 years at the intersection of science, technology, leadership, and national security. He has served in diverse roles, including engineer and physicist; innovator and inventor; mentor and educator; entrepreneur and CEO; Department of Defense branch chief; Department of State policy expert; and global defense teaming lead.
His expertise lies in advanced multifunctional materials and RF electronics, with pioneering contributions to magnetism, magnetoceramics, RF device physics, and novel RF systems. His work has shaped technologies ranging from handheld communication devices to advanced radar platforms, as well as permanent magnet materials critical to defense and national security.
In 2025, Harris was recognized as the world’s leading researcher in the modern history of ferrites, ranked first among more than 28,500 scientists worldwide. His scholarly impact has earned him Fellow status in numerous professional societies, including AAAS, APS, IEEE, NAI, the UK Institute of Physics, and AIIA, and he has been honored as both a Fulbright Fellow and a Jefferson Science Fellow. His contributions have further been recognized with some of the field’s most prestigious awards, including the W. David Kingery Award and Edward C. Henry Award from the American Ceramics Society, the Distinguished Scientist Award from The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, the Lee Hsun Scholar Award and Lectureship from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and designation as an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer in RF Applications of Magnetoceramics.

Scientific Oral Communication : CommLab Drop-In Workshops
2025-10-08 13:30 - 14:30 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/scientific-oral-communication-commlab-drop-in-workshops-2/2025-10-08/
The NU CommLab is hosting a weekly hybrid Scientific Oral Communication Drop-in practice for graduate students. Drop-in virtually or in-person any week to practice for your upcoming oral exams, proposals, thesis, dissertation or talks. Receive and implement feedback on your verbal and non-verbal public speaking skills. Drop-in any Wednesday from 1:30-2:30 pm in 306 Egan or on Zoom. Note on September 10 and October 8 the workshop will be in 334 Curry Student Center.

Ithaca College Graduate and Professional School Fair
2025-10-08 14:00 - 17:00
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the 2025 Ithaca College Graduate and Professional School Fair in Ithaca, New York! Ask your questions about our graduate engineering programs across the U.S. and Canada during the fair on October 8th from 2pm-5pm. We look forward to meeting you there!

Fall Semester Donuts with the COE Dean
2025-10-08 14:30 - 16:00 | Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, United States
College of Engineering students!
Join Dean Gregory Abowd to celebrate the fall semester Donuts with the Dean on Wednesday, October 8th from 2:30-4:00pm in the Curry Student Center Mezzanine.
The Mezzanine is located on the 1st floor of the CSC across from the indoor quad. From the food court, take the stairs up a flight ( or elevator to floor 1) and the mezzanine will be at the top of the stairs.
We will have apple cider donuts and apple cider available! Swing by for food, fun, and a chance to talk to the Dean.
We hope to see you there!
This is a 100% compostable event. Please place all waste into the marked composting bins for their disposal.

The Gordon Institute: Virtual Information Session
2025-10-08 17:30 - 18:30 | Virtual
Learn how you can earn a Graduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership through The Gordon Institute as a stand-alone certificate or in combination with one of 20 Master of Science degrees offered through Northeastern University College of Engineering, Northeastern University College of Science, or Khoury College of Computer Sciences.
You will have the opportunity to hear from alumni about how The Gordon Institute propelled their engineering careers, speak with program professors about the curriculum, and ask the director of admissions your application questions for fall 2026.
Upcoming Information Session Dates:

October 8, 2025 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
November 5, 2025 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
January 14, 2026 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

The Gordon Institute also offers one-on-one info calls with admissions representatives. If you are interested in scheduling a call, please contact Amy Manley at a.manley@northeastern.edu.

MS in Cyber Physical Systems and MS in Telecommunication Networks Program Overview
2025-10-09 08:00 - 09:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our MS in Cyber Physical Systems and MS in Telecommunication Networks Program Overview
Thursday October 9, 2025 at 8:00 AM

Multidisciplinary (IT areas) Engineering Programs Co-op Overview
2025-10-09 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our Multidisciplinary (IT areas) Engineering Programs Co-op Overview

Programs discussed in this webinar include Cyber-Physical Systems, Data Architecture and Management, Information Systems, Information Systems—Bridge, Software Engineering Systems, and Telecommunications Networks.

Thursday October 9, 2025 at 9:00 AM

MS in Robotics Program Overview
2025-10-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
During Wonder Week, you’ll have the chance to learn how the top-ranked Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University combines rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research. Register for a variety of program-specific webinars throughout the week tailored to your career aspirations and get direct insights from faculty members and current students. Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session, allowing you to directly connect with panelists and presenters.
This session will highlight our MS Robotics program
Thursday October 9, 2025 at 10:00 AM

Binghamton University Graduate and Professional Schools Fair
2025-10-09 11:00 - 14:00
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the 2025 Binghamton University Graduate and Professional Schools Fair in Binghamton, New York! Ask your questions about our graduate engineering programs across the U.S. and Canada during the fair on October 9th from 11am-2pm. We look forward to meeting you there!

Penn State University Graduate Fair Day
2025-10-09 11:00 - 2025-10-11 16:00
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the 2025 Penn State University Graduate Fair Day in University Park, Pennsylvania! Ask your questions about our graduate engineering programs across the U.S. and Canada during the fair on October 9th from 11am-4pm. We look forward to meeting you there!
