Distinguished Academic Standing in INES Program
Chancellor’s Award 2026 : INES PhD student recipient
The Chancellor’s Awards at UNC Charlotte are prestigious honors presented to top graduating student leaders to recognize outstanding leadership, academic excellence, and significant contributions to the campus community.
Nita Khanal, a doctoral graduate in Infrastructure and Environmental Systems, is a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award, 2026. These annual awards include a monetary gift and highlight students who have made a lasting impact. Khanal has been recognized for her academic excellence and research contributions.
Dr. Mariya Munir, Khanal’s advisor was recognized for her valuable support and contribution to this successful academic journey. Posted: 05/17/2026
Awarded KIT/EPIC TE-REx International Research Fellowship (2026)
This summer , Elisa Macêdo, a PhD. Student in Infrastructure and Environmental Systems (INES) department, at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, was selected to participate in the 2026 KIT/EPIC Transatlantic Energy Research Experience (TE-REx) program at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.
Supported by both KIT and the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC), the 12-week international research program focuses on advanced energy infrastructure technologies. Under the supervision of Dr. Omid Shoghli and Dr. Reza Maalek, Ms. Macêdo will contribute to research on AI-driven predictive analytics, Digital Twins, smart sensing systems, and modular energy infrastructure for next-generation resilient energy systems.
The experience will also support ongoing doctoral research in sustainable infrastructure, microgrids, and intelligent construction technologies.
Posted: 05/17/2026
INES Students Showcase Their Research at the 25th Annual Graduate Research Symposium
Several INES graduate students had the opportunity to present their latest research at the 25th Annual Graduate Research Symposium, held at the Popp Martin Student Union, UNC Charlotte on April 6, 2026. The Symposium provided a university-wide platform to showcase the outstanding and innovative research being conducted across campus.
The theme of this year’s Symposium, “The Power of Possibility: Reimagining Research for a Changing World,” highlighted interdisciplinary approaches to addressing emerging societal and technological challenges. Presentation summaries are provided below:
Mahla Behrooz
Here is What’s Possible: My study investigates the potential of integrating photovoltaic (PV) systems into Charlotte’s light rail traction power to advance sustainable urban transit. In line with “Power of Possibility,” it highlights how renewable energy can transform infrastructure and support resilient, low-carbon mobility in a changing world.
Roger Riggin
Here is What’s Possible: My research shows much of the population lives along coastal regions so it is imperative that we have a solid understanding of how severe storms interact with coastal environments to produce more timely and accurate life-saving warnings.
Taraneh Kamyab
Here is What’s Possible: My research introduces a unified, data-grounded framework that translates EV design and operational behavior into effective pavement loading, enabling the first systematic quantification of how electrification impacts road deterioration and service life.
Anjumana Jannati Nur
Here is What’s Possible: My research provides critical evidence supporting engineered nanoparticles as an innovative non-antibiotic strategy against antimicrobial resistance.
“Beyond the Floodplain: A Multi-Criteria Framework for Emergency Shelter Placement in Buncombe County, NC”
Kibri Hutchison Everett , Srijana Raut , Tung Le, Sodiq M. Balogun, Shen-En Chen, Jy Wu
The collaborative research paper introduces a novel, data-driven framework for evaluating emergency shelter locations in flood-prone regions. By integrating GIS analysis, HAND-derived flood modeling, land-use data, and a machine-learning-based Socio-Economic Vulnerability Index, the team identified critical gaps in current shelter placement strategies. Their findings reveal that several existing shelters may be located in high-risk flood zones, while safer areas remain underutilized.
This interdisciplinary project demonstrates how advanced analytics and engineering research can support more resilient and equitable disaster preparedness strategies for communities. The research was under the guidance of faculty members , Dr. Shen-En Chen and Dr. Jay Wu, published in Applied Science Journal. Posted 4/4/2026
https://doi.org/10.3390/app16052608
INES Student, named the winner of the 2026 ASHRAE student paper competition
Felix Ekuful has been selected as the winner of a 2026 international student paper competition organized by ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers. This organization recognizes outstanding student research in the field of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration.
Last semester, graduate student Ekuful submitted his master’s thesis, “A Comparative Study of Occupancy-Based Dynamic Ventilation Reset Strategies for Variable-Air-Volume Systems.” The research examined how ventilation can be adjusted based on real-time building occupancy to improve both energy efficiency and indoor air quality. For this work, Ekuful won the competition, which was announced in January. Posted 4/4/2026