Distinguished Faculty Honored at Spring Faculty Awards
June 5, 2026 - UC Irvine Samueli School of Engineering Interim Dean Faryar Jabbari bestowed awards to outstanding faculty at the school’s annual awards for the 2025-2026 academic year. The following faculty were honored for their distinguished research, teaching and service to the school.
Excellence in Research
Early Career: Rahim Esfandyar-Pour, assistant professor, EECS
UCI assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science Rahim Esfandyar-Pour has developed distinctive work around integrated nano-bioelectronic systems for health, sensing, and human–machine interaction. His group has introduced a wide range of innovations including wireless and battery-free wearable pressure sensors, self-powered bio signal monitors, reusable molecular stress sensors, flexible electronic skins, and bioelectronic three-dimensional tissue platforms.
He has authored 80 peer-reviewed publications, 2 book chapters and 12 U.S. patent applications. His papers appear in leading publications and have received nearly 2,000 citations. He has secured more than $3.2 million in external funding. His honors include the 2023 DARPA Young Faculty Investigator Award, the 2022 Early Career Investigator Award from the International Society for Biofabrication, the 2025 SPIE Best Paper Award, the 2025 Outstanding IEEE Young Professional Award, and his elevation to IEEE Senior Member. His innovative and outstanding research was honored with this excellence in research award from the Samueli School of Engineering.
Mid-Career: MJ Qomi, associate professor, CEE
Associate professor of civil and environmental engineering MJ Qomi’s expertise lies in developing simulation techniques to study porous media across scales and leveraging the obtained fundamental knowledge to experimentally design engineered materials and processes that have far-reaching implications for sustainability. Since joining UCI, he has published more than 40 peer-reviewed journal papers, exclusively in Q1 journals demonstrating the impact of his research.
He has received the DOE Early Career Award from the Basic Energy Science (BES) program, the NSF Early Career Award and two other National Science Foundation awards. He also won the Le Chatelier award, and led a team from 5 UCs and two national labs to win the $6 million UC Office of the President’s AI Science at Scale Award. He has been awarded more than $11 million in extramural research funding as a PI, demonstrating his ability to translate scientific research to solve problems of interest to many industries. His outstanding research and impact make him highly deserving of this excellence in research award.
Senior: Plamen Atanassov, Chancellor’s Professor, CBE
Chancellor's Professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering Plamen Atanassov has built one of the most productive and globally-recognized research programs in electrocatalysis in America since he came to UC Irvine in 2018. He is a pioneer in the design of platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) electrocatalysts. His contributions to the science of energy conversion - spanning fundamental discovery, scalable synthesis, patent innovation, and real-world application - exemplify the highest ideals of engineering research. His invention of the sacrificial support method for synthesizing atomically dispersed catalysts on carbon supports represents a landmark contribution to the field.
In his career, he has published some 500 journal papers with over 47,000 citations and an h-index of 111. These metrics place him among the most impactful researchers in his discipline globally. He also holds over 65 issued U.S. patents, more than 30 of which have been licensed to industry. Plamen's research has been sustained by over $3.5 million in externally allocated funding during his time at UCI. He is also a founding member of the executive team of the nation’s largest planned clean hydrogen ecosystem ARCHES — California's $13 billion DOE-awarded Hydrogen Hub. His innovative and impactful research and contribution to the global scientific community was honored with this Samuel School of Engineering excellence in research award.
Innovation in Teaching
Early Career Award: Ty Christoff-Tempesta, assistant professor, MSE
Assistant professor of materials science and engineering Ty Christoff-Tempesta has shown innovation in teaching by creating the materials sciences and engineering department’s first-ever General Education course Edible Materials – Food to Table. He also redesigned the upper-division Polymeric Materials course and taught a General Chemistry course for Engineers, with outstanding student feedback across the board.
A hallmark of his teaching is a commitment to continuous, real-time improvement through structured student feedback. He has implemented bi-weekly reflection surveys that invited students to share what surprised them, concepts needing clarification, and candid assessments of instruction. He also led a ‘Town Hall’ simulation where students role-played stakeholders negotiating the environmental impacts of plastics. He introduced the Poll Everywhere clicker system to facilitate real-time assessment and peer collaboration. His excellence in teaching was also recognized by the Engineering Student Council, with the 2026 Professor of the Year Award for the MSE department. His innovative approaches to teaching and enthusiastic feedback from students make him a highly deserving recipient of this year’s award for innovative teaching.
Mid-Career: David Copp, associate professor, MAE
Associate professor of teaching in mechanical and aerospace engineering David Copp has shown outstanding commitment to innovative teaching, external partnerships, and student mentoring. In the past year, he led a partnership with the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum (FLAM) that allows nearly 100 undergraduate students a unique opportunity to build a full-scale replica of a WWI biplane that will be the centerpiece of the museum. Another example of his innovative teaching is his integration of Generative AI into his courses which helped students improve the quality of their work.
He also leads workshops for other instructors at UCI on how to leverage the active learning tool PollEverywhere to improve classroom engagement. In addition to his instruction of 6 regular courses per year, he works with Mark Walter to coordinate all student projects in the MAE department. This includes more than 20 interdisciplinary student project teams and more than 50 mechanical engineering capstone design projects involving more than 700 students each year. He also serves as the mentor and course instructor for UAV Forge, ASME Human Powered Vehicle, FUSION Engineering Projects, and the FLAM project. He was awarded this year’s innovation in teaching award for his outstanding dedication to educational partnerships, student mentorship, and pedagogical innovation.
Senior Faculty – Anna Grosberg, professor, BME
Professor of biomedical engineering Anna Grosberg has been boldly imagining innovative ways of teaching key courses. In 2023, she changed her classroom structure by implementing a “flipped” learning model. This innovative approach allowed for more dynamic, hands-on learning experiences during contact hours, fostering greater engagement and learning for her students. Since 2015, she has been at the helm of the cornerstone course BME 150 and implemented a groundbreaking approach that has the potential to revolutionize the BME department’s teaching methodology.
This novel scheme involves two instructors teaching separate sections of the same course. This has created a learning environment that combines the personalized attention of smaller classes with the comprehensive support of a larger cohort. The success of this initial trial run speaks volumes about her careful planning and execution and its potential for long-term impact on how courses are delivered. Professor Grosberg has also spearheaded the department’s application to the DTEI program this summer. Her commitment to educational excellence, innovative approach to teaching, and positive impact on students and faculty make her an ideal recipient for this teaching award. Her commitment to educational excellence, innovative approach to teaching, and positive impact on students and faculty make her an ideal recipient for this teaching award.
Innovator of the Year: David Reinkensmeyer, professor, MAE
The winner of the Innovator of the Year is professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering David Reinkensmeyer. His work in rehabilitation robotics and wearable sensors has resulted in multiple highly successful and influential innovations. His lab invented ArmeoSpring — an arm exoskeleton and computer gaming system for rehabilitation that was licensed by the Swiss Company Hocoma. Over 1,500 ArmeoSprings have been sold to rehabilitation hospitals worldwide for over $100 million, demonstrating the effectiveness and impact of his invention.
His lab also created MusicGlove, a low-cost wearable device to aid in retraining hand function after stroke and spinal cord injuries. Users wear a sensorized glove to play a musical computer game to achieve high-repetition finger movement training. MusicGlove is now used by over 10,000 home users and 450 hospitals across more than 40 countries for hand rehabilitation.
His lab has also developed the first app – Propio – to retrain upper limb proprioception and the first AI-driven chatbot for stroke survivors. His work exemplifies the highest ideals of innovation: translating scientific insights into technologies that are not only commercially successful but also improve the lives of patients worldwide. Professor Reinkensmeyer has helped define the field of neurorehabilitation robotics.
Outstanding Faculty Service Award: Joel Lanning, associate professor, CEE
Associate professor of teaching in civil and environmental engineering Joel Lanning currently serves as Chair of the Faculty and Chair of the Executive Committee, the school of engineering’s highest faculty governance role. He leads shared governance, presides over faculty meetings, and serves as the critical bridge between faculty and the Dean's Office. His leadership has proven especially vital during a period of significant institutional transition. Since 2017, Professor Lanning has also led his department's ABET accreditation efforts helping the Civil Engineering program earn spotless reviews in both cycles, and the Environmental Engineering program receive outstanding reviews in 2025.
As Co-Director of the CEE Master of Engineering program, he not only manages a thriving professional degree at the school of engineering but also chaired the committee that launched it. He also directly mentors students, advising multiple student design teams and serving as faculty advisor to the ASCE student chapter. The breadth and quality of his contributions, spanning governance, accreditation, program development, curriculum leadership, and student mentorship, are extraordinary for any single individual.
Outstanding Faculty Mentor: Wendy Liu, professor, BME
Professor of biomedical engineering Wendy Liu has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to mentoring at every level of the academic pipeline. She has mentored 5 postdoctoral scholars, more than 15 doctoral students, more than 10 Master's students, and a remarkable roster of over 50 undergraduate researchers, many who have gone onto outstanding careers in science and academia. Professor Liu’s mentorship in research has inspired and positioned her trainees for competitive fellowships and awards from the NIH, NSF and many national agencies.
She has shown a consistent commitment to supporting underrepresented and marginalized groups in STEM. She has served as a BME DECADE (Diverse Educational Community and Doctoral Experience) Mentor from 2017 to 2022 and was a member of the BME Department's Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She also mentored students from high school and community outreach programs, extending her influence far beyond the walls of UCI. Professor Liu is an outstanding mentor who has shaped careers and lives with extraordinary care, dedication, and expertise.
