CEMS is thrilled to have played a pivotal role in advancing innovative interdisciplinary research, and we look forward to the many new opportunities that lie ahead with this momentous achievement. I am incredibly proud of our dedicated faculty, students, and staff, whose extraordinary contributions are reflected in this prestigious honor.
I hope our spring newsletter provides a welcome glimpse into our busy semester here at CEMS, sharing a sampling of the exciting research, academic achievement, and passion found in our classrooms, laboratories, and shared spaces.
Warmest regards,
Mandar Dewoolkar, Acting Dean
College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
In the News
Linda S. Schadler Elected to National Academy of Engineering
University of Vermont Acting Provost, Senior Vice President and Professor of Mechanical Engineering Linda S. Schadler has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional honors accorded to an engineer, for her "contributions to the fundamental understanding, property control, and commercial application of polymer nanocomposites." She will follow in the footsteps of her late father, Dr. Harvey W. Schadler, a leading metallurgist at General Electric who was elected to the NAE in 1991.
CEMS Hosts FIRST Robotics Competition District Event
Over 30 teams from high schools throughout New England filled UVM’s Patrick Gymnasium for a full weekend of the FIRST Robotics Competition district event. Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology, FIRST is the premier robotics program for young minds across the globe. CEMS is proud to have hosted this exceptional event that builds essential skills in teamwork and interdisciplinary hands-on learning for the next generation of scientists and engineers.
GlobalFoundries Supports CEMS Students with New Scholarship Program
CEMS Students will soon benefit from a new scholarship program established by GlobalFoundries (GF). As part of GF’s ongoing commitment to developing workforce talent in semiconductor design and manufacturing in the region, the GlobalFoundries Scholarship will support students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs in physics, or electrical, mechanical, biomedical, or environmental engineering. The program will initially support three undergraduate students with scholarships of $10,000 each, and the scholarships are combined with a paid summer internship opportunity at GF.
Over 150 middle and high school students from across the state descended upon UVM’s STEM complex this spring for a full day of hands-on learning and exploration of the engineering disciplines. Organized by CEMS and UVM Extension 4-H, the event included interactive exhibits from local engineering businesses in the morning, followed by hands-on workshops in the afternoon.
New Certificates in Semiconductor Engineering and Physics
CEMS is proud to play an essential role in both research and workforce development to support the local and national semiconductor industry. This academic year, the college has introduced undergraduate and graduate certificates in Semiconductor Engineering and Physics to help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers with more hands-on learning opportunities in our labs.
2025 UVM Hackathon Celebrates Collaboration and Ingenuity
Fourteen teams, comprised of computer science and business students, took up residence in Kalkin Hall this spring for an 8-hour coding marathon to compete for the top prize in one of three coding challenges in this year’s UVM Hackathon. Organized by SWiCS (the Society of Women in Computer Science ), CS Crew, the UVM Department of Computer Science, and the Grossman School of Business, the event featured over 100 students of all skill levels working together to develop unique solutions in response to prompts inspired by real-world scenarios.
New Program Bridges the Education Gap in Microelectronics
With UVM expanding its capabilities to support the local semiconductor industry, a team of CEMS faculty members are working to inspire the State’s next generation of engineers to join the rapidly expanding field of microelectronics. Professors Dryver Huston, Tian Xia, and research assistant professor Jackson Anderson are developing a program with funding support from the National Science Foundation to enhance the science curriculum in Vermont high schools by incorporating an introduction to microelectronics and its many disciplines.
Senior Lecturer of Mathematics Krisan Geary organized the 42nd Annual Vermont MathCounts Competition this spring, with the help of volunteers from inside and outside the Mathematics and Statistics department. MathCounts is a national competition open to middle school students. The team from F.H. Tuttle Middle School in South Burlington (pictured above) took the top honors this year.
CEMS Introduces Engineering and Design Summer Camps
CEMS is excited to partner with Vermont 4-H to launch Engineering and Design Summer Camps to introduce middle-school-aged students to engineering professions with hands-on learning opportunities to help them discover their own STEM identity. This July, we feature two week-long camps: “Makers: Design and Rapid Prototyping Camp,” where students learn 3D computer-aided design and rapid prototyping, and “Water Warriors: Environmental Engineering Camp,” where students will explore water and wastewater treatment processes and the science behind it.
Innovation and Teamwork on Display at the 2025 Engineering Design Night
A large crowd of students, faculty, and visitors navigated through a maze of tables that filled the top floor of the Davis Center during the college’s annual Engineering Design Night. The event featured a diverse and impressive display of functioning prototypes and informative presentations that guided the viewer through the creative solutions each team had developed for the unique engineering challenge assigned to them.
The National Science Foundation's CAREER Award is among the most prestigious awards in support of faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department and college. This year, Assistant Professor of Physics, Haicen Yue, and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Nic Fiorentino received CAREER Awards to advance their ground-breaking research.
Haicen Yue's Research Explores Living Tissue as Adaptive Materials.
Assistant Professor of Physics Haicen Yue received her CAREER award to fund her research on cellular adaptability as a key differentiator between living and non-living materials. Incorporating newly developed computational models, Yue's research seeks to uncover living tissues' unique properties and behaviors as adaptive materials benefiting from their unique cellular properties.
Nic Fiorentino Looks to Advance the Field of Cartilage Biomechanics
Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Nic Fiorentino received his CAREER Award to fund his research on the relationship between cartilage microstructure and the risk of a joint developing future musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis. Fiorentino's proposal also includes a series of educational and mentorship objectives to be realized concurrently with his research.
Matt Dawber joined the UVM Physics Department as Richard A. Dennis Professor and Chair in January 2025. Dawber's research is focused on the growth, characterization, and understanding of ferroelectric materials and other oxides. A native of Sydney, Australia, Dawber was previously on the faculty at Stony Brook University from 2008 to 2024.
Nick Donofrio featured at CEMS Seminar Talk
Donofrio, the former Executive Vice President of Innovation and Technology at IBM provided students, faculty, and guests with a powerful testimony of our ability as human beings to drive transformation, not just within the realm of technology but across disciplines and generations. Donofrio provided free signed copies of his book to students attending the presentation.
Bongard to Speak at UN "AI for Good" Summit
Computer Science Professor Josh Bongard has been invited to present at the United Nations’ “AI for Good” Global Summit this summer. A leader in evolutionary robotics, evolutionary computation, and physical simulation research, Bongard's lab focuses on the role that morphology and evolution play in cognition. AI for Good is the UN's leading international platform to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence to solve Global Challenges.
Cheney Receives Provost's Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring
Computer Science Associate Professor Nicholas (Nick) Cheney, received the 2025 Provost's Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring. Dr. Cheney, who leads UVM's Neurobotics Lab, was recognized for his ongoing commitment to outstanding mentorship of PhD students and enhancing the overall quality of graduate education.
Our 2025 CEMS Graduating Student Spotlights continue through this week. Visit our News page to learn more about these exceptional students, their background, experiences, and future plans. Featured this year are Jordan Bourdeau (Computer Science), Anna Shoudt (Biomedical Engineering), Sarah Phillips (Physics), Jack McTasney (Electrical Engineering), Paige Koterba (Mechanical Engineering), Jacob McCoy (Environmental Engineering), Erin Silver (Mathematics and Statistics), and Ruth Petzoldt (Civil Engineering)
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