PhD Students

I earned my first degree in Chemical Engineering from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Nigeria. Currently, I am simultaneously pursuing a master's degree in Computer Science and a doctoral degree in Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo. My research focuses on computer science education, with a particular interest in assessment methods. Beyond the realms of technology and academia, I am an avid poet and writer. I find relevance and inspiration in the art of words, using poetry as a means to convey emotions, ideas, and perspectives. Whether teaching students or weaving tales through prose, it is all pleasant in the art of creation.

Completed Degree(s): Bachelor of Technology, Chemical Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria, 2015

I am pursuing a PhD in engineering education and a master's in industrial engineering. Before coming to UB, I competed a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering and had over seven years of experience in teaching science and mathematics at high school level.

My research interests in engineering education include:

• Problem-solving
• Epistemic cognition, tools, and practices.
• Learning tools and artifacts.
• AI in education.

I am a member of Enlite Research lab and advised by Dr. Courtney Faber.

Completed Degree(s): Bsc Petroleum Engineering (2012). Federal University of Technology Owerri. Imo State, Nigeria.

Trevor Bennett is a PhD student in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Department of Engineering Education, at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York with over ten years of professional experience. He earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a MS in Energy Management from the New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Technology, Jamaica. His current research interests include student agency, empathy, metacognition, and engineering ethics. 

Completed Degree(s):
New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY
M.Sc. Energy Management with distinction; (CGPA: 4.0) 2005 B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering (Specialization in Power Plant Technology), (CGPA: 3.85) 2003

University of Technology, Jamaica, West Indies
Post Graduate Diploma in Education (Specialization in Tertiary Education) 2010
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (Specialization in Production) with honors 2000 

I am a first-year PhD student in the Department of Engineering Education at UB. I have a BS in Textile Engineering. My passion lies in Mental Health and Gamification in Engineering Education. My current research focuses on exploring first-year engineering students' agency and how they navigate mental health, metacognition, and time management. I aim to develop evidence-based strategies that enhance student engagement, well-being, and academic success by integrating metacognition, time management, and gamification into learning environments-ultimately improving mental health outcomes for engineering students. 

Completed Degree(s):
BS in Textile Engineering
National Textile University, Pakistan (2021) 

PhD student in the Department of Engineering Education and a Master's student in environmental engineering at UB simultaneously. Trained as a chemical engineer in the United Kingdom with her dissertation research focusing on nuclear water removal techniques. Is interested in studying qualitative research on affect, engineering identity, and empowerment of women in STEM. I believe in advocacy for accessibility within engineering education and creating a safe, supportive learning environment for students.

Completed Degree(s): BS Chemistry, Trent University, 2025; BEng Chemical Engineering, Swansea University, 2024

I am a PhD student in Engineering Education with a Mechanical Engineering background. My research interests include sense of belonging, mental health and wellbeing in engineering students, broadening participation and inclusion of underrepresented groups in engineering. I am also interested in engineering student learning and understanding, active learning, and problem solving in engineering education. 

Completed Degree(s):
BS Mechanical Engineering (Minor in Mathematics), University at Buffalo, 2023 

Athenia Cyrus is a PhD student and research assistant in the Department of Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo. Her research examines whole-community development through the lens of engineering systems, highlighting how systemic inequities and identity-based barriers influence access, engagement, and persistence in engineering, particularly among neurodiverse and multiply marginalized students.

Athenia brings an interdisciplinary background to her academic work, holding an MBA, a Change Management Professional (CMP) certification, a Harvard Certificate in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and training in Data Analytics (General Assembly) and Real Estate Appraisal (Appraisal Institute). Her practitioner experience spans maternal health, workforce development, and small-scale real estate development, which she integrates into research on community-embedded engineering solutions.

As Co-Chair of the Buffalo Common Council Affordable Housing Task Force, she helps shape equitable housing policy. She also serves as Secretary for Agents for Advocacy and is a member of the Open Buffalo Eco Collective-roles that inform her focus on design justice, mobility equity, and sustainable systems.

Athenia's work bridges academic inquiry with civic engagement. Her research contributes to the evolving understanding of engineering as a tool for social impact, and her scholarship aims to reimagine engineering systems as responsive to community knowledge, resilience, and justice. 

Completed Degree(s):
MBA - University of Phoenix - 2016 

I am a PhD student in Engineering Education and a Schomburg Fellow. I have 18 years of experience in secondary, alternative, and adult education in math, science, literacy, and student academic and workforce transition.

As an employee of CASAS, I work for a national assessment agency supporting the National External Diploma Program, an alternative high school completion program for adult learners. My work focuses on competency-based education, workforce development, and digital literacy.

My research in Engineering Education focuses on andragogy (adult learning), emphasizing structured support systems in flexible learning environments to strengthen STEMM identity and pathways. I aim to build social capital through a network-based platform and connect individuals with educational and professional opportunities. I have co-authored research on STEMM motivation, community-based research, and educational equity.

I am committed to expanding access to STEMM education, vocational training, and digital literacy. My goal is to develop a structured, transferable support system fostering self-sufficiency, systemic change, and sustainable success in STEMM fields. 

Completed Degree(s):
BS - Niagara University 2008
MS - Niagara University 2010 

I am a first-year PhD student in Engineering Education with a bachelor of science in Biomedical Engineering. My research interest focuses on big data to broaden participation and equity within engineering using critical quantitative, computational, and mixed methodologies. My current research explores first-year engineering students' agency, mental health, time management, and metacognition skills. 

Completed Degree(s):
B.S. in Biomedical Engineering University at Buffalo (2024) 

I have a background in Industrial and Systems Engineering and am currently a PhD student in Engineering Education. My research intrests are in developing tools, strategies, and instructional designs that enhance engineering students' problem-solving performance, especially in problem-based learning (PBL) contexts. My work explores various aspects of problem solving, including teaching, facilitation, and assessment of problem-solving processes and discourse. I use mixed-method research approaches to address educational challenges and foster innovation in engineering education. Through my research, I aim to contribute to the development of research-informed practices that support student learning, skill development, and success in complex, real-world engineering problems. I am also involved in research on role of reflection practices in supporting engineering undergraduates as they transition from student to professional and how reflection practices can help with developing engineering professional identity. 

Completed Degree(s):
B.Sc in Industrial and System Engineering Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 2019
M.Sc in Engineering Education University of Tehran, Tehran 2022 

Siddharthsinh ("Sid") Jadeja is a passionate and driven engineering education graduate research student in the Department of Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo, deeply committed to enhancing engineering education through innovative, human-centric design approaches. With a strong foundation in engineering principles and a keen interest in human-computer interactions, Siddharthsinh focuses on integrating the use of AI in design thinking into curricula to foster creativity, problem-solving skills. 

Completed Degree(s):
Bachelor of Engineering, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, 2000
Master of Technology, Nirma University, 2005
Doctor of Philosophy, Saurashtra University, 2015 

I am a PhD candidate in Engineering Education with a background in applied economics, researching the social and institutional dynamics of STEM and engineering education. My research interest lies in broadening participation, representation, equity and inclusion. My current work focuses on mental health, wellbeing, and graduate student experience, with a particular emphasis on international graduate students in engineering. I aim to inform policies and practices that foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for students and professionals in STEM.

Completed Degree(s): BS. Economics, Forman Christian College University, Lahore, Pakistan (2014);  Mphil Applied Economics, Forman Christian College University, Lahore, Pakistan (2017)

I am a mechanical engineer who spent several years working in design and analysis for the manufacturing, aircraft, space, and defense industries before entering the University at Buffalo Engineering Education PhD program. My research interests include early career engineers working in industry and their experiences with developmental relationships such as mentorship. I plan to develop tools from my research that can be used to teach students nearing graduation or early career engineers working in industry how to be intentional in their developmental relationship selection and cultivation for successful, satisfying careers. As a research assistant, I have also had the opportunity to work on projects that study the influences of affect, or emotions, on the engineering identity of first- and second-year students and engineering judgment during open ended modeling problems (OEMPs). 

Completed Degree(s):
BS in Mechanical Engineering, The Ohio State University, 2015 

Duncan is interested in learning how to prepare engineering faculty through their experiences of learning and teaching as graduate students. His work examines the epistemological beliefs of Pre-Service Faculty (engineering graduate students intent on a faculty position post degree confirmation). He is specifically using a descriptive phenomenological approach to examine the dual phenomena of "Learning Engineering" and "Effectively Teaching Engineering" and what those mean for this population of PSF.

Duncan is committed to student learning and writing, working as a graduate consultant at the CEW, and has had several opportunities to hone his teaching craft through many experiences such as DEE 503, substituting for faculty, and the mentorship of his committee members. Duncan is passionate about teaching engineering, proud to be a member of the Chemical Engineering Education division, and looking forward to having his own students one day as a teaching faculty member. Given that half of his family (legitimately, he has done the math) are teachers, this is no surprise.

Duncan currently works with his research advisor, Dr. Jessica Swenson, on a number of projects including an NSF DRK12 grant to facilitate the learning of engineering by elementary school teachers so they can infuse engineering to their classroom. 

Completed Degree(s):
BS Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 2019 BS Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, 2019
MS Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 2021

Certificate of Advanced Study in College Teaching, University at Buffalo, 2024
Certificate of Advanced Study in Engineering Pedagogies and Practices, University at Buffalo, 2024

Kayleigh Merz is a PhD student in engineering education at the University at Buffalo. Her educational background is interdisciplinary, holding degrees in STEM fields, cognitive science, as well as higher education. The culmination of education, research experience in HCI and engineering education, as well as professional experience in academic advising and success coaching has created a unique blend of skills and knowledge that led her to continue pursuing research in engineering education. Kayleigh's current research interests include graduate student experiences and community, as well as knowledge construction and epistemology. Some of her favorite hobbies include reading, music, and crafting! 

Completed Degree(s):
Master of Arts in Higher Education, University of Michigan, 2022
Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science, University of Michigan, 2020
Associate of Science in Mathematics, Lansing Community College, 2017
Associate of Science in Computer Science, Lansing Community College, 2017
Associate of Science in Physics and Engineering, Lansing Community College, 2017 

Krina (she/her) is a first-generation engineer, educator, and researcher.

As a Kenyan-born Indian, she has always been intrigued by the diverse educational systems across different countries. Her passion for engineering design ignited during her senior year of high school when a baking mishap sparked curiosity, leading to an Engineering Sciences bachelor's degree from Penn State and a Mechanical Engineering master's from UC Berkeley.

Krina is pursuing a doctorate in Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo under the co-advisory of Dr. Corey Schimpf. She is currently working on the Mobile Design Studio (MODS) project, which integrates environmental science with human-centered design to address community-based challenges, such as water conservation. Her research interests include exploring student learning in engineering design through a design justice lens, unpacking how power, identity, and user engagement shape the design process and learning.

During her free time, if Krina is not burning food trying out new recipes, she usually does something crafty like embroidery or lippan art. 

Completed Degree(s):
BS, Engineering Sciences, Penn State
MS, Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley 

Sense of belonging, integration of sociotechnical content into engineering course, Experiential learning and Engineering Curriculum Desing 

Completed Degree(s):
Specialization in Higher Education Teaching, Universidad del Istmo, 2021
BS, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, 2011. 

Chris Romeo is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Engineering Education at SUNY University at Buffalo, where he is working under the advisement of Dr. Andrew Olewnik. His general research interests include problem typologies (specifically troubleshooting), problem-based and experiential learning, student problem-solving processes, innovative pedagogies, and instructional design. His dissertation work presently focuses on the design and implementation of troubleshooting exercises in contemporary engineering classes across multiple technical disciplines, as well as student problem-solving strategies and techniques when troubleshooting. He earned both his Bachelor of Engineering Degree and Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from SUNY Stony Brook University, and he joined DEE in the fall of 2023. 

Completed Degree(s):
MS in Electrical Engineering, SUNY Stony Brook University, May 2021
BE in Electrical Engineering, SUNY Stony Brook University, May 2020 

I am 2nd year PhD student who holds a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering and a master's degree in project management. Before making a transition to academia, I gained 4 years of industry experience by working on engineering projects that required both technical expertise and strategic oversight. My interdisciplinary background shapes my approach towards engineering education, with a keen interest in understanding engineering student's experiences. I am particularly drawn towards exploring ways to prepare students for real world challenges. My interest lies at the intersection of industry expectations and student experiences. I am also presently working on a project focused on Institutional diversity which models engineering education as a complex system and aims to see the impact of certain Broadening Participation Initiatives (BPIs).

Completed Degree(s): BS Electronics Engineering from University of Engineering & Technology, Taxila (UET Taxila) in the year 2016. MS Project Management from COMSATS University Islamabad in the year 2020.

Hello! I'm a first year PhD student at UB's Department of Engineering Education under Dr. Adrienne Decker's expertise with a focus on Computer Science Education.

💻I'm also a Computer Scientist! I recently graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and have had a passion for research since I was exposed to it in my freshman year of undergrad.

🎓In my future work, I will bring critical approaches to the forefront of Computing Education research and contribute to national Computer Science education policy changes.

Completed Degree(s): SUNY University at Buffalo, B.S Computer Science 2024 

Valerie Sullivan is a graduate student research assistant in the Department of Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo working with Dr. Bonnette. She was awarded the Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship to support her education. She graduated in the Spring of 2024 with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Sustainability at the University at Buffalo, where she worked as an undergraduate research assistant for the Department of Engineering Education. Her research interests are in neurodiversity, inclusion, and community-based research. 

Completed Degree(s):
University at Buffalo Bachelor's of Arts and Sciences,
Environmental Studies and Sustainability 2024 

I fell in love with teaching during my industrial and systems engineering master's degree program at the University of Tennessee. Working as a teaching assistant helped me realize how much I enjoyed working with students, particularly being able to build their confidence as future engineers. My research interests include exploring the factors which encourage intellectual risk taking (e.g. asking questions, sharing ideas, expressing uncertainty) in engineering classrooms and research groups. In my dissertation study, I am using participatory narrative methods to understand how power dynamics manifest in undergraduate research experiences. 

Completed Degree(s):
MS Industrial and Systems Engineering , University of Tennessee - Knoxville, 2021
BS Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Tennessee - Knoxville, 2019 

I have an educational background in computer science with a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo.

My research interests are focused on identifying difficulties within the computing curriculum for second and third year computer science undergraduates and developing methods for supporting them over these hurdles. 

Completed Degree(s):
BS, Computer Science, University at Buffalo, conferred June, 2020.
PhD, Engineering Education, University at Buffalo, June, 2025.