Rose-Hulman welcomed 14 new faculty members at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year, continuing the Institute's longstanding commitment to excellence in undergraduate STEM education. These experts in their fields are active in both their communities and professional organizations and bring with them a wealth of knowledge to share with the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.

"Rose-Hulman is defined by both our people and the quality of our education, and these individuals have interwoven themselves into a community committed to curiosity and enduring excellence," said Ellen Goldey, PhD, Rose-Hulman Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. "Our new faculty are some of the best and brightest with a passion for teaching and are dedicated to the growth of each and every student."

Several of the faculty members are also Rose-Hulman alumni or have participated in workshops or teaching experiences on campus and are already giving back to Rose-Hulman's culture of student success, while others bring with them varied perspectives from across the nation and globe.

The new faculty members by department are:

Hannah Kimmel, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Biology and Biomedical Engineering who earned a doctorate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign modelling the complexity and heterogeneity of tissue microenvironments to identify key factors responsible for modulating cellular responses. Kimmel graduated from Rose-Hulman in 2017 with a degree in biomedical engineering. She and her husband, Ben Kimmel, also a 2017 graduate of Rose-Hulman, met on the first day of orientation and have been together ever since.

Nicole Ramo, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Biology and Biomedical Engineering. Ramo most recently launched a new undergraduate program in biomedical engineering at West Chester University. Ramo completed a two-year instructional postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan, which involved spending six months in southeast China. She earned her doctorate in biomedical engineering from Colorado State University and her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Kettering University. She participated in a 2019 workshop on Making Academic Change Happen at Rose-Hulman.

Caitlin Adams, PhD, is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering. Adams earned her doctorate in materials engineering from Purdue University, where she studied the implementation of superabsorbent polymers for internally cured concrete. Adams is returning to Rose-Hulman, where she was a visiting assistant professor in 2023. She then worked as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at University of Colorado Boulder. A 2016 graduate of Smith College with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, Adams is also a Broadway aficionado who has seen at least one show at each of the 41 Broadway theaters.

Grant Bryant is the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department's first Associate Professor of Practice. A 2001 Rose-Hulman graduate who earned a master's from Norwich University, Bryant returns to his alma mater with over twenty years of construction and structural engineering experience. Bryant will be continuing his consulting business but is eager to invest in students. One of his greatest passions is service, including volunteering through Samaritan's Purse, designing foundations, retaining walls, and structures to aid in hurricane recovery.

Amanda Ross, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Software Engineering. Ross holds a doctorate in engineering education from Virginia Tech, where she also earned a Master of Engineering in computer science with a concentration in software engineering. Her doctoral research focused on student attrition at various exit points along computer science pathways, with attention to gender differences and ways in which artificial intelligence can be leveraged for qualitative analysis. Ross is currently training for her second marathon.

Mahfuzur Rahman, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering who earned his doctorate from Texas Tech University. Originally from Bangladesh, where he completed his bachelor's degree, Rahman researches wearable devices and edge computing. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys traveling, as well as playing card games, table tennis, and cricket.

Aya Tozawa is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Japanese in the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts. Tozawa earned a bachelor's degree in East Asia global studies from Akita International University in Akita, Japan, and a master's degree in Japanese pedagogy from Indiana University. Tozawa has participated in the ALLEX Teacher Training Institute at Cornell University and is a member of the American Association of Teachers of Japanese. While at Indiana University, Tozawa coordinated weekly Japanese-English Conversation Tables for Japanese learners at all levels to practice their skills, and she hopes to host similar events at Rose-Hulman.

Joseph Hoisington, PhD, is a visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics who has lived in all four time zones within the continental United States. Hoisington earned his doctorate in mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania with research interests in differential geometry. He holds a master's degree from the University of Chicago and a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois. Hoisington comes to Rose-Hulman after spending last year at Colby College and the prior two years at Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in Germany.

Shannon Tefft, PhD, is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics with an interest in algebraic number theory, particularly Ducci sequences. She earned both her master's and her doctorate in mathematics from Kent State University and a bachelor's degree in math education with a minor in theater from Ohio Northern University. In her free time, she enjoys reading manga, doing embroidery, and making both origami and kirigami.

Kevin Haughn, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. He earned his doctorate in aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan, where his research focused on using machine learning to develop controllers for autonomic morphing wings in a dynamic aerial environment. During his graduate studies, he volunteered as a high school pole vault coach and has since worked for the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, where his research incorporated avian-inspired morphologies and control surface design to improve small aircraft maneuverability and adaptability.

Thomas Janssen, PhD, is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering who earned a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University. His research focus was on modeling nonlinear dynamics of fluid-whisker interactions – or, as he jokingly calls it, the aerodynamics of rat whiskers. Janssen loves theater, video games, anime, and playing the violin. A 2017 Rose-Hulman mechanical engineering and computational science graduate, Janssen is eager to give back to his alma mater.

Ioanna Katsamba, PhD, is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Originally from Cyprus, a small island in the Mediterranean Sea, she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical and manufacturing engineering from the University of Cyprus in Nicosia, Cyprus. Katsamba earned her doctorate in mechanical engineering from Purdue University with a focus on tailoring light-particle interactions and the significance of nanostructure and morphology in radiative cooling nanocomposites. She enjoys dancing, good music, and spending time with her cat.

Yanzeng Li, PhD, is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics, Optical Engineering, and NanoEngineering. He earned his doctorate in physics and optical science from the University of North Carolina - Charlotte, and his research mainly explores nanophotonics, nanoscale optical manipulation, and electrodynamic modeling, with a focus on the collective behaviors of N-body systems driven by symmetry breaking. Li earned his bachelor's degree in opto-electronic engineering from Changchun University of Science and Technology. He is returning to his alma mater, having earned his master's degree in optical engineering at Rose-Hulman. He enjoys life with his wife and four young children.

Vishal Saravade, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Physics, Optical Engineering, and NanoEngineering. He received his bachelor's degree in electronics engineering from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute and his doctorate in electrical engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology - Rolla. Saravade's research interests include nanotechnology, semiconductors, quantum information science, and STEM education. Outside of his academic pursuits, Saravade likes to investigate the relationship between a person's characteristics and their handwriting.