Marian University is proud to announce the appointment of five 
distinguished engineering professionals to the E. S. Witchger School of Engineering faculty, bolstering Marian's commitment to growing its engineering presence in Indianapolis.
The additions to Marian's faculty bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and expertise to enhance further the university's university's innovative leader in engineering education. These faculty members will be pivotal in shaping the next generation of engineers serving central Indiana and the region.
The following distinguished individuals have joined the Marian University engineering faculty:
- Kleio Avrithi, Ph.D., assistant professor of Civil Engineering. Dr. Avrithi brings a wealth of experience in civil engineering, focusing on soil and structural mechanics, the built environment, and systems design. She has a specific interest in infrastructure resilience and sustainability. Dr. Avrithi received her doctoral degree in civil engineering from the University of Maryland, is a licensed professional civil engineer, and is a program evaluator for the Accredidation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Elwali Ahmed, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Ahmed completed his doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from Manitoba University and specializes in developing digital health and biomedical instrumentation technologies with particular expertise in sleep, respiratory, and cardiac disorders. In addition to research, he is interested in entrepreneurship and is the founder of the start-up company X-Bioanalysis.
Pattie Mathieu, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering, joins the biomedical engineering program after completing her post-doc at the University of Maryland researching cardiovascular mechano-biology and metabolism. She received her doctoral degree from Trinity College Dublin, studying the effects of collagen structure and strain on muscle cell proliferation. Dr. Mathieu's research focuses on the impact of vascular mechano-biology on vascular calcification and cardiovascular diseases.
Najmus Saqib, Ph.D., assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering, has extensive teaching experience in mechanical engineering and is excited to join the E. S. Witchger School of Engineering. He received his doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, developing optical diagnostics strategies to assess the health of Li-S and Li-ion batteries. He is interested in developing diagnostic tools for the electrochemical storage of renewable energy systems. Dr. Saqib is passionate about student learning and innovations in engineering education.
Mohammad Shokrolah Shirazi, Ph.D., assistant professor of Computer Engineering. Dr. Shirazi received his doctorate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in electrical engineering with an emphasis in computer engineering. His research focuses on building real-time intelligence systems for understanding traffic patterns through surveillance cameras. His teaching philosophy centers on incorporating real-world applications and hands-on experiences in the classroom. He has received recognition for his teaching excellence as his students and peers nominated him.
Marian University opened its engineering school in the Fall of 2022 and has quickly grown its faculty and student enrollment. The E. S. Witchger School of Engineering has developed innovative, hands-on engineering curricula for its degree programs, allowing students to connect theory, research, and practice. Through the lens of a holistic liberal arts education, students develop unique skills in leadership, communication, critical thinking, and global perspectives that prepare them to be transformative leaders in their professions and communities. These new faculty members bring a diverse range of expertise, which will strengthen our ability to provide cutting-edge education to our students and drive innovation in engineering research.
"We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional individuals to our engineering faculty," said Dr. Binh Q. Tran, founding dean of the E. S. Witchger School of Engineering. "Their expertise will undoubtedly enhance the educational experience of our students and further our university as an innovator in engineering education."
For more information about Marian University's University's E. S. Witchger School of Engineering and its new faculty members, please visit here.