Scientific Oral Communication : CommLab Drop-In Workshops
2025-11-12 13:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/scientific-oral-communication-commlab-drop-in-workshops-2/2025-11-12/
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.

To Startup or Not? - Galante Program Seminar
2025-11-13 17:30 - 20:00 | 440 Egan, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Join the Galante Engineering Business Program for a seminar, To Startup or Not?, on Thursday, November 13, with Dr. George Zavaliagkos — a Northeastern alum and seasoned technology leader who has navigated both startup and corporate worlds!
Dr. Zavaliagkos has built a career spanning entrepreneurship and leadership in global tech companies. With experience founding three startups and holding senior roles at Amazon Alexa, Nuance Communications, and Sense Labs, Dr. Zavaliagkos has spent his career turning cutting-edge research into real-world innovation. He’ll share insights from building teams, scaling technology, and navigating the highs and lows of both entrepreneurship and industry leadership.
Gain practical insight into the realities of life at startups versus large companies—how they differ in innovation, impact, risk, and career growth—and walk away with tools to help you decide which path best fits your goals and working style.
📅 Thursday, November 13 | 5:30–8:00 PM | Egan 440 | Business Formal Attire
🔗 Register Here

Fusion Book Club
2025-11-17 16:35 - 17:40
Fusion Book Club: where STEM meets story and belonging takes root.
Whether you’re passionate about engineering, curious about untold stories in science, or simply seeking a community that celebrates belonging in STEM, there’s a place for you in the Fusion book club. Join us monthly in engaging discussions of fiction and non-fiction books that highlight diverse voices in STEM. We aim to provide a supportive environment where all are welcome.
Co-organized by Women in Engineering (WIE) Program and Northeastern University Library.
Where: Snell Library Research and Teaching Hub (SL-215) and online (Teams meeting link)
When: Third Monday of the month, 4:35-5:40pm  ET (Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, 2025)
What are we reading? For this month’s book, visit the Fusion Book Club webpage. You can also vote for future book selections and suggest titles you’d like to read!

Graduate Student Writing: CommLab Drop-In Writing Hours
2025-11-18 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-11-25 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-12-02 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-12-09 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-12-16 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.

Start Smart: Foundations of Evidence Synthesis
2025-11-18 11:00 - 12:00
This Fall, the Library will be running a virtual workshop series on conducting evidence syntheses. The workshop series will focus on planning for and embarking on an evidence synthesis project. The intended audience includes faculty, staff researchers, postdocs, and graduate students. The workshop series will comprise of 5 one-hour-length virtual sessions on the following dates, all at 11 AM Eastern time:

September 16: Session 1: Overview of evidence syntheses types, tips for managing a project
September 23: Session 2: Methods & automation
September 30: Session 3: Protocols & planning
October 28: Session 4: Searching
November 18: Session 5: Covidence & tips for the next stages

Learn more and register for the workshop series here.

LinkedIn, CV, Resume: CommLab Drop-In Hours
2025-11-18 11:00 - 12:00 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/linkedin-cv-resume-commlab-drop-in-hours-2/2025-11-18/
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.

PlusOne Program Information Session
2025-11-18 11:00 - 13:00 | Raytheon Amphitheater (240 Egan), 360 Huntington Ave, 240 Egan, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Considering or already enrolled in an engineering graduate program?
Come explore how PlusOne pathways, Co-op, scholarships, and other graduate opportunities connect to help you thrive.

Meet with the Graduate School of Engineering and department representatives
Learn about PlusOne pathways and how to qualify
Discover scholarship opportunities
Explore study opportunities at our six network campuses across the US
Connect with experts about PlusOne, certificate programs, PhD opportunities, Co-op, and more

Whether you’re planning ahead or already enrolled, come make the most of your Northeastern journey; your future self will thank you!
QUESTIONS?
Contact us at coe-gradadvising@northeastern.edu
This event is for you if you’re:

An undergrad exploring graduate programs in engineering
Interested in completing your MS in just one year through PlusOne
A current grad student looking to enhance your experience

Crafting Posters with Visual Impact and Designing Poster Narratives: CommLab Drop-In Hours
2025-11-19 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-12-03 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-12-10 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-12-17 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.

Chemical Engineering Fall Seminar Series: Marjan Rafat
2025-11-19 12:00 - 13:00
Seminar Title: The Role of Mammary Tissue Damage in Breast Cancer Recurrence and Metastasis
Location: 108 Snell Engineering Center
Abstract: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) recurrence rates remain high despite aggressive therapeutic intervention, including surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. Recent studies suggest that circulating tumor cell recruitment rather than persistent tumor cells in the irradiated surgical bed may enable recurrence. However, the mechanisms that govern how the breast tissue microenvironment facilitates recurrence and metastasis are not well understood. In this seminar, our recent efforts in studying the role of irradiated mammary tissue in influencing tumor cell behavior will be presented. Our novel decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogels derived from mammary glands as well as the contribution of stromal cells to tumor cell recruitment will be discussed. Our work reveals that radiation damage of breast tissue promotes a pro-tumor and immunosuppressive microenvironment through alterations in the structure and composition of the extracellular matrix. We also establish that radiation causes metabolic reprogramming in fibroblasts that supports tumor growth. Our studies represent an important step toward elucidating the impact of stromal cells in driving worse outcomes following therapy in patients with TNBC. Future research will utilize these results to engineer improved biomimetic in vitro tumor and tissue microenvironment models to probe the complex physical, chemical, and biological cues that regulate TNBC recurrence and metastasis.

Dr. Marjan Rafat is an Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Vanderbilt University. She has courtesy appointments in the departments of Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Oncology and is a member of the Program in Cancer Biology at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and the Breast Cancer Research Program at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Among other recognitions, she has received the NIH Pathway to Independence award, the Young Innovator in Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering award, Breast Cancer Alliance Young Investigator award, Concern Foundation Conquer Cancer Now award, METAvivor Early Career Investigator award, and the American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant. She received a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT, a PhD in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University, and was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University in the Department of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Rafat currently applies chemical and biomedical engineering concepts toward understanding the mechanisms driving breast cancer recurrence and metastasis. Her interdisciplinary laboratory at Vanderbilt examines and models the tumor and tissue microenvironment. She has contributed over 50 peer-reviewed publications, 7 book chapters, and over 85 conference presentations and proceedings.

Scientific Oral Communication : CommLab Drop-In Workshops
2025-11-19 13:30 - 14:30 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/scientific-oral-communication-commlab-drop-in-workshops-2/2025-11-19/

ChE PhD Dissertation Defense: Su Sun
2025-11-24 10:00 - 13:30
Name:
Su Sun
Title:
Toward Automated Reaction Mechanism Generation for Electrocatalytic CO2 Conversion, Boron Nitride CVD, and Beyond
Date:
11/24/2025
Time:
10:00:00 AM
Committee Members:
Prof. Richard West (Advisor)
Prof. Francisco Hung
Prof. Qing Zhao
Prof. Peter Schindler
Dr. Harsha K. Chelliah
Location:
157 Ryder Hall
Abstract:
The advancement of sustainable energy and advanced material deposition technologies relies on a deep mechanistic understanding of chemical reactions governing electrochemical and heterogeneous catalysis processes. Computational modeling offers a powerful means to accelerate the design and optimization of these systems. However, constructing detailed reaction mechanisms by manually enumerating all possible pathways is laborious and error-prone, as comprehensive models can involve hundreds of chemical species and thousands of elementary reactions. In this dissertation, I present advances toward automated reaction mechanism generation and simulation for complex chemical systems, focusing on (i) electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction (CO2RR), (ii) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of boron nitride (BN), and (iii) the development of a modern MATLAB interface for Cantera that links automated mechanism generation with process-level modeling tools.
Building upon the Reaction Mechanism Generator (RMG) framework and prior methodological developments for electrochemical kinetics, I developed and modernized a prototype RMGElectrocat implementation that can automatically generate detailed mechanisms for CO2RR. I implemented a transport-coupled reactor interface, in collaboration with colleagues, to connect surface and solution-phase chemistry with mass transport at the electrode–electrolyte interface. I integrated ab initio thermochemical and kinetic parameters provided by collaborators into the RMG database, and I introduced the first bimetallic catalyst surface, Cu3Sn, into RMG. Using these capabilities, I constructed a comprehensive “Grand Model” for CO2RR on Ag, Cu, and Cu3Sn surfaces, which includes 296 unique species and 1,322 reactions, among them 79 protoncoupled electron-transfer (PCET) steps. I performed Faradaic efficiency (FE) analyses to evaluate model predictions against experimental data and to identify key mechanistic pathways leading to C1–C4 products. Through this work, I established a practical, extensible workflow for automated generation and quantitative evaluation of electrochemical reaction mechanisms.
To extend automated mechanism generation toward materials synthesis, I carried out preparatory work for BN CVD using RMG. I expanded the RMG database to include boron and Group III atom types and the associated functionalities required to describe B–N–H–Cl chemistry. I performed targeted ab initio calculations on key precursors and intermediates to benchmark quantumchemical methods for boron-containing species, and conducted a preliminary group-additivity-value (GAV) fitting into the RMG database. I then generated a prototype gas-phase BN mechanism with 29 species and 101 reactions and conducted a proof-of-concept CVD reactor simulation to demonstrate its viability. These efforts established a foundation for future automated construction of detailed BN CVD mechanisms and illustrated the adaptability of RMG to emerging thin-film materials systems.
Finally, I developed a modern MATLAB interface for Cantera, enabling robust and user-friendly access to advanced chemical-kinetics, thermodynamics, and transport models directly withinMATLAB. I built the interface usingMATLAB’s clibgen infrastructure to provide an objectoriented, memory-safe API that maps directly onto Cantera’s application binary interface (ABI). I implemented automated build workflows and created a comprehensive suite of MATLAB Live Script tutorials to support educational and research use. This interface connects mechanisms generated by RMG with detailed reactor and process modeling in Cantera, bridging automated mechanism generation with engineering analysis and simulation.

Pathways & Pourovers Power Networking Event
2025-11-24 17:00 - 20:00 | CSC Ballroom, 360 Huntington Ave, 2nd fl CSC, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Pathways & Pourovers (P&P) — an action-oriented evening where small, domain-matched tables of PhD students practice real early-career steps with Industry Specialists to move from interest to action.
📅 Date: Monday, November 24, 2025
🕔 Time: 5:00–8:00 PM (Students) | 6:00–8:00 PM (Industry Specialists)
📍 Location: Curry Student Center Ballroom
🍽️ Dinner will be provided for participants.
PhD Student Registration
Industry Specialists Registration

LinkedIn, CV, Resume: CommLab Drop-In Hours
2025-11-25 11:00 - 12:00 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/linkedin-cv-resume-commlab-drop-in-hours-2/2025-11-25/

LinkedIn, CV, Resume: CommLab Drop-In Hours
2025-12-02 11:00 - 12:00 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/linkedin-cv-resume-commlab-drop-in-hours-2/2025-12-02/

Scientific Oral Communication : CommLab Drop-In Workshops
2025-12-03 13:30 - 14:30 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/scientific-oral-communication-commlab-drop-in-workshops-2/2025-12-03/

Chemical Engineering Research Showcase
2025-12-04 14:30 - 18:00 | Raytheon Amphitheater (240 Egan), 360 Huntington Ave, 240 Egan, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Join us for our Annual Chemical Engineering Research Showcase in the Raytheon Ampitheater! Every year, our Chemical Engineering PhD students and select faculty members present their work through Oral Presentations, Poster Sessions, and 5-minute Presentations. This year, the Capstone and Professional Development classes will also be presenting their posters as part of the event. All are welcome to attend.

LinkedIn, CV, Resume: CommLab Drop-In Hours
2025-12-09 11:00 - 12:00 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/linkedin-cv-resume-commlab-drop-in-hours-2/2025-12-09/

ChE PhD Dissertation Defense: Barrett Smith
2025-12-10 09:00 - 13:00
Name:
Barrett Smith
Title:
in situ polymer gelation in confined flow
Date:
12/10/2025
Time:
9:00:00 AM
Committee Members:
Prof. Sara M. Hashmi (Advisor)
Prof. Steve Lustig
Prof. Xiaoyu Tang
Prof. Matt Kipper
Location:
425 Shillman Hall
Abstract:
Polymer flows through pores, nozzles and other small channels govern engineered and naturally occurring dynamics in many processes, from 3D printing to oil recovery in the earth’s subsurface to a wide variety of biological flows. Cross-linking within these polymer flows can change their material properties dramatically. Bulk characterization of these changes is insufficient to describe how these materials behave in microfluidic flow. Shear stresses produced by confinement cause changes in gel properties. Additionally, small inhomogeneities which arise during cross-linking become more important at microfluidic length scales. As a result of these complexities, the behavior of polymer solutions which are actively undergoing cross-linking is understudied and few principles have been established which help determine a priori whether emergent behaviors such as clogging will occur.
In this dissertation, we investigate a simple model system of polymer cross-linking in microfluidic flow. Alginate, a common biopolymer, is crosslinked by calcium ions while being driven through a microfluidic channel at constant flow rate. We map the boundaries defining clogging and flow as a function of flow rate, polymer concentration, and crosslinker concentration. Between the dynamic regimes of complete clogging and unrestricted flow, we observe a remarkable phenomenon in which the crosslinked polymer intermittently clogs the channel. This pattern of deposition and removal of the crosslinked gel is simultaneously highly reproducible, long-lasting, and controllable by system parameters. We provide an analytical framework to quantitatively explain and describe the intermittent behavior as resulting from diffusively driven deposition in a high Peclet number flow where convection dominates over diffusion. Fitting the experimental data shows that higher component concentrations lead to more efficient deposition and more swollen gels, while increasing the flow rate increases the deposition rate but produces much less swollen gels. By correlating the analytical analysis with bulk rheology measurements, we find that deposition efficiency increases with the stiffness of the gel formed in flow. Softer gels withstand higher shear stresses before ablation. Upon detaching from the channel, the gel retains its shape, resulting in alginate microrods. To investigate the properties of these alginate rods, we
develop and validate a novel method which uses common laboratory equipment to measure viscoelastic mechanical properties of small, soft rods and fibers. Finally, we discuss future directions for this model system and related experimental setups.

Barrett Smith is a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University. Mr. Smith obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Engineering from Cornell University in 2014. Upon graduating, he worked for five years in the research department of the pharmaceutical company Insmed Inc, where he developed nebulized and intravenous nanoparticle formulations for novel antibiotics. He joined the Hashmi Complex Fluids lab in 2021and is defending his dissertation in December 2025. In his graduate work, Mr. Smith investigates the behavior of polymer hydrogels in microfluidic systems. Outside of school, Mr. Smith enjoys spending time with his wife and two children reading, completing puzzles, and riding bikes.

Scientific Oral Communication : CommLab Drop-In Workshops
2025-12-10 13:30 - 14:30 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/scientific-oral-communication-commlab-drop-in-workshops-2/2025-12-10/

LinkedIn, CV, Resume: CommLab Drop-In Hours
2025-12-16 11:00 - 12:00 | https://coe.northeastern.edu/event/linkedin-cv-resume-commlab-drop-in-hours-2/2025-12-16/

Ohio State University Graduate School Fair
2026-01-06 13:00 - 17:00
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the 2026 Ohio State University Graduate School Fair in Columbus, Ohio! Ask your questions about our graduate engineering programs across the U.S. and Canada during the fair on January 20th from 1pm-5pm. We look forward to meeting you there!

Bioengineering Spring Seminar Series
2026-01-07 12:00 - 13:00
BIOE 7390 – Spring 2026
Bioengineering Seminar Series Schedule
Internal and external faculty seminar speakers, weekly 12-1pm on Wednesdays in Richards Hall 300
JANUARY
1/7 – Jonathan Weissman, PhD
Professor of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Whitehead Institute
1/14 – Joey Davis, PhD
Associate Professor Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1/21 – David Cronin, MBA
*Industry Seminar, Industrial Advisory Board Member
Chief Executive Officer, Cognition Corporation
1/28 – Amir Vahabikashi, PhD
Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, Northeastern University
FEBRUARY
2/4 – Wilson Wong, PhD
*Collab with CHME
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University
2/11 – Christopher Evans, PhD
Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic
2/18 – None
2/25 – None
MARCH
3/4 – None, spring break
3/11 – Vijay Vedula, PhD
Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University
3/18 – Ibraheem Badejo, PhD
*Industry Seminar, Industrial Advisory Board Member
Senior Director, External Innovation, Johnson & Johnson Innovation
3/25 – Tao Sun, PhD
Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, Northeastern University
APRIL
4/1 – Marsha Rolle, PhD
*Collab with CHME
Director, Advancement, Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives
4/8 – Era Jain, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University
4/15 – Meghan Rebuli, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

COE Global Co-op Info Session
2026-01-12 17:30 - 18:30
This is an in-person information session hosted by the College of Engineering Global Co-op Team. Location: 909 Renaissance Park
We will focus on searching for co-ops abroad for the Fall 2026 semester or later.

Have you ever thought about doing co-op in another country?
Would you like to learn more about available co-op opportunities, or creating your own opportunities abroad?
Are you curious about the logistics associated with a global co-op?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, we hope you’ll attend so that we can introduce you to the search process and provide you with some important resources.
These info sessions are a great opportunity to connect with the COE Global Co-op Team and students who have participated in global co-op in past semesters. If you have questions or would like more information, please find our contact information below.
Please register on the NUworks Calendar.
Sally Conant, s.conant@northeastern.edu
Kristina Hubbard, k.hubbard@northeastern.edu
We look forward to meeting you!
