Wilbur F. Dobson ’53
Fort Worth, Texas
Wilbur was elected to the Buckeye Local Schools Hall of Fame (Medina County, Ohio) for his achievements in aerospace. He wrote the software to enable preflight settings for the Scout four-stage solid rocket with a single computer pass, replacing methods that required nearly a month to perform. In addition, he was chosen to help Neil Armstrong develop and implement a backup for radar altitude during his Moon landing in 1969.
Jonathan Reichert ’53
Buffalo, New York
John is the president of TeachSpin, which designs and builds equipment for teaching physics. He celebrated his 90th birthday in August with a party at the company’s offices in Buffalo. John was a member of the Physics Department at Case from 1965 to 1970. Through the J.F. Reichert Foundation, he supports experimental physics education.
Robert M. Archer ’57
Ashland, Ohio
Bob and his wife Jan made a $10 million gift to Ashland University to support scholarships and capital projects. In gratitude, the university intends to name the campus library after the couple. Bob earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Case Institute of Technology and worked for the Hoover Co. in Stark County and the Kent Sporting Goods Co. in Ashland before he joined a partnership that purchased the company in 1981. Today he is chairman of the board of Kent Watersports and an Ashland University trustee.
Oliver Poppenberg Sr. ’59
Pittsburgh, PA
Ollie, a lifelong supporter of Case and the Case Alumni Association, experienced a special thrill this spring when his granddaughter graduated from his alma mater. Sophia Poppenberg ’21, earned her bachelor’s in chemicals engineering and joined her grandfather as a member of a Legacy Family – one with two or more graduates of the university. Before enjoying a career as an industrial engineer, Ollie swam for the Rough Riders and was an officer of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. A former president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Case Alumni Association, he received the CAA’s Meritorious Service Award.
Karl Zender ’59, PhD
Davis, California
Karl has published a scholarly book comparing his two favorite authors, Shakespeare and Faulkner: Selves and Others, through Louisiana State University Press (2021). A Professor Emeritus of English at the University of California, Davis, Karl began his unlikely career with a bachelor’s degree in physics from Case Institute of Technology. He went on to earn a master’s in English from Western Reserve College and his doctorate in English from the University of Iowa. Karl has published three other scholarly books, two on the fiction of William Faulkner and the other on the plays of
William Shakespeare.
Tom Prioreschi ’60, MBA ’64
Columbia, South Carolina
Tom in June was honored with a “Key to the City” of Columbia, South Carolina, by Mayor Steve Benjamin, a tribute to his work as a builder and real estate developer. As owner of the development firm Capital Places, Tom has helped to repurpose and restore many of Columbia’s downtown properties, sparking the revitalization of the Main Street District. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Case Institute of Technology, where he was a brother of Phi Kappa Theta.
James Wyant ’65, PhD
Tucson, Arizona
Jim received an honorary doctorate of science degree from the University of Rochester at its May commencement ceremonies. A leader in the field of optical metrology, Jim is founder of two companies that produce optical measuring equipment–the WYKO Corporation and 4D Technology Corp—and a member of the National Academy of Inventors. He’s also professor emeritus and founding dean of the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. Jim earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from Case Institute of Technology before attaining master’s and doctoral degrees in optics from Rochester.
Robert Herbold, MS ’66, PhD ’68
Phoenix, Arizona
Bob in July was appointed to the Arizona Board of Regents, which establishes policy for the state’s public institutions of higher education. He is the managing director of The Herbold Group, an operations and strategy consulting business, and president of The Herbold Foundation, which provides scholarships to graduate students in engineering and computer science. Bob earned his master’s in mathematics and doctorate in computer engineering at Case Institute of Technology and became COO of Microsoft.
Stephen Carr, MS ’67, PhD ’70
Evanston, Illinois
Stephen has been named professor emeritus of materials science and engineering and chemical and biological engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University. He was a teacher, researcher and administrator at Northwestern for 23 years. Stephen retired in January.
Shair Ahmad, PhD ’68
San Antonio, Texas
Shair was honored in a special issue of the international math journal Nonlinear Analysis in December 2020 to commemorate his retirement and 85th birthday. He served as managing editor and later editor-in-chief of the journal while teaching mathematics at universities, including the University of Texas at San Antonio. Shair earned his doctorate in
mathematics from Case Institute of Technology.
Ted R. Miller ’68
Silver Springs, Maryland
Ted reports achieving several of his academic bucket-list goals, including attaining more than 111,111 citations, with more than 306 documents cited at least 10 times. In recent years, he’s been honored by the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine with its Vision Award and by the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services Section of the American Public Health Association with its Distinguished Career Award. Ted is Principal Research Scientist at Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which focuses on individual and social problems associated with alcohol and drug use. He earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering at Case Institute of Technology.
Earl Overstreet '69, MBA '74
Bellevue, Washington
Earl has been named president of Global Market Innovators, one of the largest women and minority-owned information technology solutions companies in the United States. GMI was launched in 2020 when nVision Networking and Extreme Integration merged with General Microsystems Inc., the IT company Earl founded in 1983. Earl earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Case Institute of Technology and his Master of Business Administration from CWRU. A star wide receiver and a high jumper for the Rough Riders, he was inducted into the Spartan Club Hall of Fame for football, track and field.
John Bertko ’71
Pacific Grove, California
John is a winner of the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Arts and Sciences at CWRU. As chief actuary for Covered California, he led the mathematical modeling that helped the state’s health insurance marketplace respond to the pandemic. Previously, he
helped implement the Affordable Care Act before retiring from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. John earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Case Institute of Technology.
Lance Liotta, MD, PhD ’74
Bethesda, Maryland
Lance, a pathologist and bioengineer, has attracted national attention with his research into new methods to analyze COVID-19 antibodies to track responses to the virus and the vaccine. He’s co-director of the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine at the College of Science at George Mason University. Lance earned his doctorate in biomedical engineering at Case Institute of Technology.
Jennie Hwang, PhD ’76
Bedford, New York
Jennie has been reappointed the Chairman of the Board on Assessment of the U.S. Army Research Laboratories of the Department of Defense, where she shares her expertise in advanced manufacturing and technology transfer. She is CEO of H-Technologies Group, a consultancy focused on global business strategy. Jennie made Case history as the first woman to earn a doctorate from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
Dominick J. Casadonte Jr. ’77, PhD
Lubbock, Texas
Dominick received the 2021 Council on Undergraduate Research-Goldwater Scholars Faculty Mentor Award, in recognition of his work mentoring nearly 90 undergraduates and 16 high school students in summer research programs. He’s the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Texas Tech University. Dominick earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Case Institute of Technology.
Julie Gerberding ’77, MD
Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
Julie inspired a new academic society in the CWRU School of Medicine. The Gerberding Society, the school’s sixth student society, honors her contributions to science and medicine. Julie made history in 2002 as the first woman appointed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She went on to become president of vaccines at Merck, where today she is the executive vice president and chief patient officer.
John Rezabek ’81
Wapakoneta, Ohio
John, a process control specialist for Ashland Corp., was inducted into the 2021 class of the Control Process Automation Hall of Fame, recognizing his contributions to process control and instrumentation in the energy industry. John earned his bachelor’s degree in systems engineering at Case Institute of Technology. A lifelong musician and trombonist, he’s an alumni member of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, which has performed at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and at Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans.
Sally Kline, MS ’83, PhD ’86
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Sally is the head of materials science at Genetech-Roche and a widely recognized leader of science-based innovation in the biopharmaceutical and chemical industries. Previously, she was director of materials science at Amgen. Sally earned master’s and doctorate degrees in polymer science at Case Institute of Technology. She shares her insight as an alumni advisor to the Polymer Initiative of Northeast Ohio (PiNO), a conference run by graduate students in the Department Macromolecular Science and Engineering.
Richard Simons ’83
Rochester, New Hampshire
Rich has been named Senior Vice President and General Manager of Laars Heating Systems, a division of the Bradford White Corporation, a manufacturer of commercial, residential and industrial water heating systems. In January, he was appointed to the board of directors of the American Boiler Manufacturers Association. Rich earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Case Institute of Technology.
Steven Conrad, MD, PhD '85
Shreveport, Louisiana
Steve received the 2020 Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry. A physician in Louisiana, he is credited with innovations that have improved care for critically ill patients. Steve earned his doctorate in biomedical engineering from the Case School of Engineering. In 1986 he joined the faculty of LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport.
Adriana Velazquez Berumen, MS’86
Geneva, Switzerland
Adriana is the Group Lead for the Medical Devices and In-Vitro Diagnostics Unit at the World Health Organization (WHO). Her group just published its List of Priority Medical Devices for Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes. The book includes more than 500 types of medical devices used for diagnostics, treatment, monitoring and rehabilitation and is intended to inform the development of national health lists worldwide. Adriana earned her master’s degree in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering and has fond memories of living at Steiner House.
Vincent Schoenig ’87
Morrisville, Vermont
Vince has been named Executive Vice President and Senior IT and Operations Officer for Union Bank, a full-service bank headquartered in Morrisville. Previously, he was the chief information officer at Old Point National Bank in Hampton, Virginia. Vince began his career in IT strategy and financial planning with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Case Institute of Technology.
Zi-Ping Fang, PhD ’88
Willoughby, Ohio
Zi-Ping is the Chief Scientific Officer for Neuros Medical, a Cleveland startup using neurostimulation technology to address chronic pain. The company raised $38.5 million in its latest funding round, completing one of the largest venture capital deals in Northeast Ohio in 2020, according to Crain’s Cleveland Business. Zi-Ping earned his doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from the Case School of Engineering.
Frank P. DiFilippo ’89, PhD
Cleveland, Ohio
Frank is the director of nuclear imaging physics in the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Imaging Institute. A medical physicist and an inventor on 17 patents, he has advanced medical imaging technology at Cleveland biomedical device maker Biomec and at Picker International, now Philips Medical Systems. Frank earned his bachelor’s degree in physics at Case Institute of Technology and his doctorate in physics at MIT.
Dan Dunkers ’89
Mount Airy, Maryland
Dan has joined Versant Health, a national managed vision care company, as senior vice president and chief information officer. Previously, he was the vice president of information technology at Johns Hopkins Healthcare. Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Case Institute of Technology.
Michael Hill, MS ’89, PhD ’92
San Diego, California
Michael is the Global Head, Science & Technology and Innovation, at Science Innovations LLC, which partners with medical technology companies to bring therapy and technology innovations to market. Before joining the company in 2019, he worked at Medtronic for 27 years, rising to the position of Vice President of Science & Technology and Innovation. Michael earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in biomedical engineering at Case Institute of Technology.
Wayne Wong ’89
Broadview Heights, Ohio
Wayne is Chief of the Thermal Energy Conversion Branch, Power Division, at the NASA Glenn Research Center, where he is helping to develop high-efficiency space power systems. A leader in his cultural community, he directs the Dragon Dance Team of the Organization of Chinese Americans of Greater Cleveland and is a co-founder and executive committee member of the Cleveland Asian Festival. Wayne earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Case Institute of Technology.
Benedict Gomes ’90, PhD
Palo Alto, California
Ben has been appointed Senior Vice President of Education at Google. Previously he was senior vice president of search engineering at the search engine giant. Ben earned his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering at Case Institute of Technology and joined Google in 1999 as one of its first employees.
Datuk Mohd Anuar Taib ’90
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Anuar in March was named CEO of Malaysia’s Sapura Energy, an oil services and exploration company that employs more than 11,000 people in 20 nations. He replaces company founder Shahril Shamsuddin in a planned succession. Anuar earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Case Institute of Technology and began his oil and gas career with Royal Dutch Shell. Previously, he was chairman of Shell Malaysia and CEO upstream of Petronas, Malaysia’s national oil company.
Paritosh Dhawale, MS ’91, PhD ’94
Schenectady, New York
Paritosh was appointed senior vice president and general manager of GE’s Edison Health Services Platform, where he leads a team of more than 500 engineers and product managers who build AI-enabled digital applications for GE and its partners. “We are on a journey to digitally transform how we develop and sell medical software,” he reports.
Terri Goss Kinzy, PhD ’91
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Terri, the vice president for Research and Innovation at Western Michigan University, has been named the 20th president of Illinois State University, effective July 1. She will be the first female president in the university’s history. Terri earned her doctorate in biochemistry from Case. She previously served as vice president of research and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Rutgers.
Paul Mraz, MS ‘91
Duxbury, Massachusetts
Paul is senior vice president of OrthoPediatrics Corp. and general manager of ApiFix Ltd., where he served as president and CEO prior to its acquisition by OrthoPediatrics in April 2020. He holds a dozen U.S. patents for medical devices and technologies. Paul lives with his wife and teenage daughters on the south shore of Boston and reports he does some of his best thinking while fishing and running half-marathons.
Carmen (Mulder) Becker, MS ’93
Dallas, Texas
Carmen was recognized by Plastics News as one of its Women Breaking the Mold in 2021. She’s the Vice President and General Manager at Amcor Rigid Plastics, a global leader in developing and producing sustainable, responsible packaging for consumer products. Carmen, a materials scientist, joined Amcor last year after leading Tetra Pak as president and CEO.
Michael Finley ’93, PhD
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Michael was promoted to Scientific Director of Lead Evaluation & Cellular Pharmacology at Janssen R&D, a division of Johnson & Johnson. In May of 2020, he and his colleagues were recognized with the Hofmann Award, the second highest research award at Johnson & Johnson, for their work in identifying a new class of inhibitors of the inflammasome, which may lead to therapies to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Michael earned his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at Case.
Staffan Pehrson, MS ’93
Varnamo, Sweden
Staffan has been named President and CEO of Bufab, an international trading group and supply chain partner, effective February 2022. Previously, he held executive positions with the Nefab Group and the Ericsson Group in Sweden. Staffan earned his master’s degree in Systems & Control Engineering at Case and an MBA from Stockholm School of Economics.
Ranjan Kejriwal, MS ’94
Springboro, Ohio
Raj was appointed to a nine-year term on the Wright State University Board of Trustees by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. He is the founder and president of AARIS, a Dayton provider of tubular, pipe and bar products to global manufacturers. Raj earned his master’s degree in materials science at Case and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Bihar in India.
Richard Mueller ’95
St. Charles, Illinois
Rich discussed his experience launching and leading innovative medical device companies as part of the CWRU Entrepreneurship Speaker Series in June. He is the COO of Life Spine, an innovative spinal implant company. Previously, he founded and was CEO of ION VISION and was the CTO and then COO at TransEnterix. Rich earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Case, where he played basketball for Coach Bill Sudeck. He holds 29 patents and enjoys driving his collection of classic cars.
Jeffrey Goldmeer, PhD ’96
Fairfield, Connecticut
Jeff was promoted to the role of Emergent Technologies Director for Decarbonization at GE Gas Power, where he received a GE CEO award for his work in leading the company’s decarbonization activities. Jeff is the co-creator and co-host of the “Cutting Carbon” podcast, where he explores our energy future. He earned his Case doctorate in mechanical engineering.
John Jakovcic II ’96
Roswell, Georgia
John has been appointed Senior Vice President of Technology at MedRisk, a managed care provider in the workers’ compensation industry. He will focus on cybersecurity, business continuity and automation strategies. John earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering
Shouresh Amir-Tahmasseb ’96, MBA ’03
Solon, Ohio
Shouresh has been named the Americas Head of Engineering for ABB’s Energy Industries Division, which is based in Cleveland. He joined the global technology company nearly 25 years ago as an engineer, soon after earning his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Case and his MBA from Weatherhead. Shouresh is the former chair of the board of the Home Repair and Resource Center in Cleveland Heights, a nonprofit that helps residents to repair and maintain their homes.
Andrew T. Carroll, MSE ’98
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Andrew has been named Vice President, Automotive OEM Coatings Americas and Mobility at PPG Industries, a Pittsburgh-based paint and coatings company. Previously, he was Vice President, Industrial Coatings Americas. In his new role, Andrew will lead the global rollout and execution strategy for PPG’s automotive mobility initiatives, which focus on autonomous and electric vehicles. He joined PPG 30 years ago and has held a range of leadership roles in technology, product management and mergers and acquisitions.
May Q. Liu ’98, PhD
Raleigh, North Carolina
May is a Principal Medical Research Scientist for Intuitive Surgical, a technology leader in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery. After earning her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at Case, where she was a member of the Case Engineers Council and Alpha Phi Omega, she went on to Stanford for her doctorate in mechanical engineering.
Jennifer Baus, ME ’01
South Euclid, Ohio
Jennifer has been named Senior Vice President of Design & Entitlements at The NRP Group, a Cleveland-based apartment developer and general contractor with projects nationwide. She has risen steadily at NRP since joining the company as a project manager in 2005. In 2019, she was named a Women of Professional Excellence by the YWCA of Greater Cleveland.
Tim Peshek ’01, MS ’03, PhD ’08
Cleveland, Ohio
Tim has been named Chief of the Photovoltaics and Electrochemical Systems Branch at the NASA Glenn Research Center, where he started in 2017 as a research electrical engineer. Tim is a former research assistant professor of materials science at the Case School of Engineering. He earned three physics degrees at Case, including his doctorate in semiconductor physics.
Chunjiang ‘CJ’ Qian, PhD ’01
San Antonio, Texas
CJ has been named an IEEE Fellow for contributions to control and estimation of nonlinear systems. He is a professor and Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Rosa Rivera-Hainaj, PhD ’01
Schertz, Texas
Rosa is the new provost of McDaniel College in Maryland. She was selected following a national search and will join the college in July as its chief academic officer. Previously, she served as associate vice president of academic affairs at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, and as dean of science and mathematics at Lorain County Community College. Rosa earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, and came to Case to attain her doctorate in biochemistry.
Elizabeth (Matzinger) Matson ’03
College Park, Maryland
Liz is an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where she started as an intern. She’s the Deputy Instrument Systems Engineer for L’Ralph, an infrared imager and panchromatic spectrometer for the upcoming Lucy mission toward Jupiter. Liz also co-chairs the LGBT Advisory Board at the space center.
Matthew MacEwan ’04, MD, PhD
Saint Louis, Missouri
Matt is the founder and Chief Science Officer at Acera Surgical, a soft tissue repair company born from his research into nanofibers and patient-focused innovation. He shared his journey as part of the CWRU Entrepreneurship Speaker Series in September. Matt earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the Case School of Engineering and his medical and doctorate degrees from Washington University in St. Louis.
Brian Taylor ’05, MS ’09, PhD ’12
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Brian is the Principal Investigator for the Quantitative Biology and Engineering Sciences Laboratory in the Department of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His latest research explores how animals use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate as they travel thousands of miles on migratory paths—and the possible human applications. A three-degree alumnus, Brian earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering under the mentorship of Professor Roger Quinn.
Ya-Ting Liao, MS '07, PhD '11
Highland Heights, Ohio
Ya-Ting, an assistant professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Case School of Engineering, received a $111,494 grant from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in South Korea to examine the fire hazards of lithium-ion batteries in energy storage systems. She will serve as principal investigator on the 18-month project. Ya-Ting, a fire behavior specialist, earned her master’s and doctorate degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Case.
Penny Walter, MS ’08
Atlanta, Georgia
Penny was recognized by Plastics News, as one of the Women Breaking the Mold in 2021. She’s the Supply Chain Leader for North America at the Coca Cola Company, where she is helping to lead recycling and sustainability efforts.
Marcin Citak ’11, MEM ’12
Bellevue, Pennsylvania
Marcin joined Mursion, a maker of virtual reality training simulations, as a senior client engagement manager. Previously, he was a management consulting manager for Accenture. Marcin earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and his master’s in engineering management from the Case School of Engineering.
Piper Fernwey ’11
Clifton, Ohio
Piper is coordinating a task force that aims to create a Climate Action and Sustainability Plan for Yellow Springs, Ohio. She hopes the plan becomes a model for how communities can respond to climate change. Piper earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the Case School of Engineering and has spent much of the past decade planning and managing sustainability programs at colleges and universities.
Taneisha Deans ’12, PhD ’17
Detroit, Michigan
Taneisha is a research and technology engineer in polymers and the ARTC Lab Manager at DSM Engineering. She earned her bachelor’s degree in polymer science and engineering at the Case School of Engineering. Boosted by the Envoys program, she went on to earn her doctorate in macromolecular sciences.
Philip Stuckey, PhD '12
Oak Ridge Tennessee
Philip is one of six science and technology innovators invited to the fifth cohort of the Innovations Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The program supports science-based startups to help advance game-changing technologies. Phil, who joined Oak Ridge in June, is developing a 3D hierarchical separator and catalyst support system for fuel cells. He earned his doctoral degree in chemical engineering from Case.
Poorva Limaye ’13, MEM '14
Cleveland, Ohio
Poorva has started a new position as Project Leader, CHG, at Avery Dennison Medical. Previously she was the lead color specialist for protective & marine coatings at PPG Industries in Pittsburgh. Poorva earned a master of engineering and management and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where she was active in the Case Ballroom Dance Club.
Anjali Verma ’13, PhD
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Anjali has accepted a position as a biomedical engineer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Previously, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the school of pharmacy at the University of North Carolina. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where she was president of Engineers Without Borders.
Ross Widenor '13, MS '13
Munroe Falls, Ohio
Ross is now the Sustainable Mobility Solutions PMO at Bridgestone Americas. Previously, he was the Open Innovation Project Manager and a chemical engineer at the Akron tire maker. He also serves on the Munroe Falls Park Board. Ross earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the Case School of Engineering, where he sang with the Case Men’s Glee Club.
Evan Vander Hoff ’14
Tucson, Arizona
Evan has joined Raytheon Missiles & Defense as a Senior Mechanical Engineer. Previously he was the Design Engineering Lead at Amphenol Borisch Technologies. Evan earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering at Case.
Joseph Toth ’15, PhD '20
Rockledge, Florida
Joe has joined NASA’s Kennedy Space Center as a physicist. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the Case School of Engineering. While pursuing his doctorate, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct electrostatics research at the University of Turku in Finland. In May, he shared his insights on a panel for ChEGO, the Chemical Engineering Graduate Organization.
Jesse Gadley PhD ’16
Newark, Ohio
Jesse is a Senior Engineer of R&D at Owens Corning. He joined the company after earning his doctorate in materials science at the Case School of Engineering. He shares his insight as an alumni advisor to the Polymer Initiative of Northeast Ohio (PiNO), a conference run by graduate students in the Department Macromolecular Science and Engineering.
Sean "Chip" Kennedy '16
New York, New York
Chip, a software engineer and an entrepreneur, is an advisor to Tastemakers Africa, a global community connected to the Africa Diaspora. He helped design and build the group’s cross-platform network and online marketplace as its CTO. He’s also a volunteer leader and shelter captain for Christmas in the City, an annual Christmas party for homeless children in Boston and New York City. Chip earned his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering at Case and served as president of Undergraduate Student Government.
Terrence Mathis ’16
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Terrance focuses on marine renewable energy as a project engineer at PMI Industries in Cleveland. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where he was an engineer coach and math tutor for the Envoys program.
Elvis Cudjoe, PhD ’17
Strongsville, Ohio
Elvis is a Senior Research and Development Engineer at PolyOne, where he works for the Color, Additives and Inks business unit. He earned his doctorate in macromolecular science and engineering at Case. Every MLK Day since 2013, Elvis has staged polymer science demonstrations for children and their families at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Chioma Onukwuire ’17, MEM ‘18
Dearborn, Michigan
Chioma is a compliance analyst for Wells Fargo and a contributing writer to KAMSI, an African fashion and lifestyle magazine. She earned her bachelor’s degree in materials science at Case, where she developed her African fashion line CHIMU.
Jessie Adkins '18
Seattle, Washington
Jesse has joined the engine systems team of Frostbite, a maker of gaming software and platforms, as a software engineer. Previously she was with Amazon. She earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science at Case, where she was a member of the Hackers Society and Phi Sigma Rho sorority.
Luke A. Fakult ‘18
Cleveland, Ohio
Luke is co-founder and craftsman at CoopedUp Cleveland, a builder of bespoke chicken houses. The company offers a total-care subscription service and sells frozen pasture-raised meat birds. Previously, Luke was a process engineer and project manager for Soundwich Inc. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Case, where he was captain of the rowing team. In his free time, he designs and builds motorcycles.
Shelby Ovrom '18
Seattle, Washington
Shelby is a hardware development engineer at Amazon Lab126. She recently played a role in the development of the Halo Band, Amazon’s first wearable health and wellness band. Shelby earned bachelor’s degrees in electrical and computer engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where she was a student assistant for DELPP, the Division of Engineering Leadership and Professional Practice.
Anshul Dhingra ’19
Chicago, Illinois
Anshul is an analyst at Accenture focused on strategy and consulting in the healthcare field. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where he was a Michaelson-Morley Scholar.
Hillary Hellmann ’19
Boston, Massachusetts
After earning her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Hillary Hellman went on to Northeastern for her master’s degree. Today she’s a machine design engineer for Procter & Gamble. Meanwhile, she’ll be forever enshrined in CWRU athletics. As a member of the Women’s Basketball Team, Hillary scored 1,593 points during her collegiate career, second in team history, and drained a record 220 three-point shots. She was team captain and a finalist for the Jostens Trophy.
Tyrel Hill ’19
Midland, Texas
Tyrel is a production engineer for Chevron. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Case, where he was president of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and a member of the National Society of Black Engineers. An internship with Chevron led to a job after graduation.
Theodore Letsou ’19
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Ted is a graduate research assistant at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, having received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. He earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering physics at the Case School of Engineering, where he conducted several research projects under the guidance of Professor Giuseppe Strangi.
Dasani Madipalli ’19
Bellevue, Washington
Dasani is a product manager for Microsoft, where she builds and maintains features for the sales and marketing module. She earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science at Case, where she shared her skills with local teens as a facilitator for Girls Who Code and was one of 20 women in North America named a Google Women Tech Makers Scholar.
Matthew Trowbridge ’19, MS ’20
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Matt is a Research Associate in the Science and Technology Division of the Institute for Defense Analyses, a nonprofit corporation that operates federally funded research and development centers addressing U.S. security and science policy. He earned his Case degrees in mechanical engineering.
Adi Alkalay ’20
Lincolnshire, Illinois
Adi has accepted a position as a Technical Solutions Engineer for Epic. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where she served as president of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society. She also earned UAA All-Academic recognition as a member of the Women’s Swimming & Diving team.
Joshua Chiel ‘20, MS ’20
College Park, Maryland
Joshua was awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, which supports outstanding graduate students in STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based advanced degrees. He’s a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Physics at the University of Maryland. Joshua earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics and a master’s degree in physics at Case, where he was the winner of the Albert A. Michelson Prize.
Rueben Dockery Jr. ’20
Cleveland, Ohio
Rueben is a manufacturing engineer for W.S. Tyler, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of wire cloth and mesh materials. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Case, where he was secretary of the Case Engineers Council and a pole vaulter for the Men’s Track & Field team.
Grace Furnas ’20
Cleveland, Ohio
Grace is an Associate Product Development Engineer at Moen and a member of the steering committee of Moen’s Women’s Engagement Network for STEM & Advocacy. In that role, she works with community groups like the Great Lakes Science Center to expose youth to science activities. Grace earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Case, where she was a member of the executive board of Camp Kesem.
Madison Hillyard '20, MS '21
Boston, Massachusetts
Madison is joining MITRE Corp. as a Software Engineer. The private, non-profit company provides engineering and technical guidance to branches of the federal government. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering at Case.
Muriel Hook ’20
San Diego, California
Muriel is a software engineer at Qualcomm, one of the world’s leading innovators in wireless technology. She earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where she was member of the Case Rocket Team and a recipient of the George J. Goudreau Sr. ’25 Scholarship from the Case Alumni Association.
Rebecca Lalk ’20
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Rebecca, an intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory, plans to pursue her doctorate in materials science and engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, beginning this fall. She was awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, which supports outstanding graduate students in STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based advanced degrees. Rebecca earned her bachelor’s degree in physics at Case, where she was a member of the Symphonic Winds and a founding member of the Women in Physics and Astronomy Club.
Ellie Martin ’20
Warren, Ohio
Ellie is a process engineer and associate scientist for Procter & Gamble, where she works in the skin care division. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Case, where she was active in student government and the Society of Women Engineers.
Hannah Messenger ’20
Boston, Massachusetts
Hannah is pursuing her master’s degree in music at the New England Conservatory of Music. She earned bachelor’s degrees in music and physics at CWRU, where she co-founded the Women in Physics and Astronomy Club. Hannah plays the French horn.
Cindy Pan ’20
Cleveland, Ohio
Cindy, an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer at Nexus Engineering Group, recently passed her Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Case, where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and helped expand STEM outreach to middle school students as a volunteer for Public School Connection.
Max Berky ’21
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Max has accepted a position with Deliotte as a business technology analyst in its Healthcare Division. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where he was a lab assistant and vice president of the Entrepreneurship Club.
Benjamin Cheung ‘21
Houston, Texas
Benny plans to pursue a doctorate in applied physics at Rice University. A pianist and a composer, he completed a double major in math-physics and music at CWRU, where he was president of the Origami Club.
Rohan Desai ’21
Madison, Wisconsin
Rohan has accepted a position with Epic as an Integration Engineer after earning bachelor’s degrees in biomedical engineering and economics. As a student, he was an officer for the Undergraduate Indian Student Association and a member CWRU’s competitive Garga-Raas style dance team.
Marlee Dingle ’21
Madison, Wisconsin
Marlee has joined Saint-Gobain as a Rotational Engineer in its Essentials of Manufacturing Rotational Program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Polymer Science and Engineering at Case, where she was a Peer Advisor for the Case School of Engineering and played varsity volleyball.
Devika “Ria” Nandwana ’21
Cleveland, Ohio
Devika is taking her bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering to the CWRU School of Medicine, where she plans to pursue her medical degree. She received Emergency Medical Technician certification as a first-year student and has served EMT shifts on campus ever since. This semester, Devika administered vaccines and provided other volunteer services at Covid-19 vaccination clinics, including the CWRU site.
Oluka Okia ’21
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Oluka is pursuing a doctorate degree at the University of Michigan, where he is researching photovoltaics and nanomanufacturing. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Case. As a ThinkEnergy Fellow, he co-founded the student startup EnvironFlo, which developed oil/water separation technology to clean up oil spills.
Sophia Poppenberg ’21
Cincinnati, Ohio
Sophia is joining Proctor & Gamble as a research development engineer. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. This spring she joined her grandfather Oliver Poppenberg Sr. ’59 as a member of a Legacy Family – one with two or more graduates of the university. Sophia played club lacrosse and was a member of Phi Mu sorority while at Case.
Ben Stawicki ’21
Cleveland, Ohio
Ben joined MIM Software as a Clinical Support Engineer in the radiation oncology market. He had interned at the Cleveland medical imaging company while earning his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. As a member of the varsity baseball team, Ben was selected for the UAA All-Academic Team.
Emma Wyckoff ’21
Columbus, Ohio
Emma has joined Gresham Smith as a Water Resources Engineer-in-Training. Previously, she was a Pathways Intern for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. Emma earned her bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering at Case, where she was an office assistant for the Case Alumni Association.
@2020 Case Alumnus Magazine
Case Alumni Association, Inc.
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