Get to know our Faculty and Staff
Dr. Raj K Vinnakota
Interim Director of the CMMS
Assistant Professor & EET Program Coordinator
Troy University
123 Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS)
Troy, AL 36082
rvinnakota@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-808-6277
http://spectrum.troy.edu/rvinnakota/
Dr. Vinnakota is an Assistant Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Troy University, where he also coordinates the Electronics Engineering Technology program. He is currently serving as the Interim Director for the Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS). Dr. Vinnakota joined Troy University in 2020 and holds a Ph.D. in Engineering (Engineering Physics concentration) from Louisiana Tech University, along with master's degrees in Microsystems Engineering, Applied Physics, and Electrical Engineering. Following his doctorate, he conducted postdoctoral research at Louisiana Tech University's Computational Electromagnetism Research Lab (CERL) and the Institute for Micromanufacturing (IFM), gaining extensive experience in cutting-edge technologies. His research interests include: Novel Optoelectronic Devices, Metal and Semiconductor based Plasmonics and enhanced light matter interactions, Nanophotonics, Heat Transfer.
Dr. Zhiyong Wang
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Chair, Dept. of Chemistry and Physics
Troy University
315 McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
wangz@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-670-3573
His current research interest is in using Organic Chemistry as a tool to explore two areas: 1) The rational construction of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for clean energy-related applications including methane storage, hydrogen storage, and carbon dioxide capture; 2) The genetic incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins and labeling of proteins with small molecule probes.
Dr. Shaoyang Liu
Professor of Chemistry
Troy University
130 Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS)
Troy, AL 36082
lius@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-808-6556
https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/rid/C-3417-2012
He received his B.S. in Applied Chemistry and later earned his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). After graduation, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher and later as a Research Fellow at Auburn University. In 2012, he joined the faculty at Troy University. His research endeavors are primarily centered on the application of diverse advanced analytical instruments in the realms of plastic recycling and the development of innovative materials.
Dr. Mojtaba Enayati
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Troy University
129 Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS)
Troy, AL 36082
menayati@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-670-3577
Dr. Enayati received his Ph.D. in polymer chemistry from the University of Tehran. After graduation, he worked for 5 years as an assistant professor. He then joined the University of Pennsylvania as a postdoctoral research associate (2015-2017), followed by another postdoc and a senior research associate position at Cornell University (2017-2020). His research was focused on controlled (living) radical polymerizations, surface-initiated Cu(0)-mediated reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (Cu(0)-RDRP), synthesis and characterization of polymer beads and ion-exchange resins, microencapsulation of active ingredients, and waste to value-added products. By joining Troy University in 2021, his research is mainly focused on “polymer recycling”.
Dr. Arun Ghosh
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Troy University
122 Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS)
Troy, AL 36082
aghosh@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-808-6758
http://spectrum.troy.edu/aghosh/
Dr. Arun Ghosh is an Assistant Professor and scientist in the Center for Materials & Manufacturing Sciences at Troy University, AL. He has obtained his PhD in polymer/rubber technology from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and has about 20 years of experience in polymers and allied materials including polymer recycling, forest biomaterials, protein biomaterials, natural fiber and textiles, nanocomposites, adhesion and coating technology, and rubber technology. Dr. Ghosh has published over 40 research articles in international journals as a leading author and prepared numerous technical reports for industries. Before joining Troy University in 2019, Dr. Ghosh worked as post-doctoral fellow and scientist in various organizations including the University of Tennessee Knoxville (Oak Ridge National Lab), AgResearch New Zealand, Case Western Reserve University, and the University of Toronto, and was a visiting scientist at Zhejiang University.
Dr. Amanda Kennell
Assistant Professor of Physics
Troy University
121 Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS)
Troy, AL 36082
akennell@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-808-6759
Dr. Kennell received her PhD in physics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research is multifaceted in material fabrication through nanofibers and study of the material's properties and behavior in a physiological environment. Dr. Kennell's research interests are in electrohydrodynamics, tissue engineering, biomechanical engineering, and filtration.
Dr. Aboulfazl Barati
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Troy University
119 Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS)
Troy, AL 36082
abarati@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-670-5939
He earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the Petroleum University of Technology (Iran), and later his Master and Ph.D. in Chemical (Polymer) Engineering at the Tarbiat Modares University (Iran). His educational background, graduate, and postgraduate training and research represents his expertise in polymer science and engineering, recycling and sustainability, and process-structure-property relationships. Dr. Barati commenced his role as a postdoctoral research associate at Troy University in June 2022. In 2024, he joined the faculty at Troy University. Currently, his research interest is focused on developing new methods for recycling/upcycling of polymer materials. This involves exploring various facets, such as processing, characterization, and application of synthetic, natural, and hybrid (composite) polymers.
Dr. Brooke Otten
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Troy University
002B Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS)
Troy, AL 36082
botten@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-670-3576
Dr. Otten received her Bachelor and PhD in Chemistry from the University of North Texas. After graduation she worked as a visiting assistant professor at Vassar College in New York. Dr. Otten joined Troy University in August 2021. Her research interest include catalytic and structural studies of Au(I) compounds through both computational and experimental means.
Dr. Shaimum Shahriar
Assistant Professor of Electronics Engineering Technology
Department of Chemistry and Physics
Troy University
University Park, 518 S Brundidge St, Suite #120, Room #101A
Troy, AL 36081
sshahriar@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-808-6723
Dr. Shaimum Shahriar is an Assistant Professor in the Electronics Engineering Technology Program at Troy University. He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The University of Texas at El Paso in December 2019, where his research focused on organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells. He specialized in the fabrication and characterization of perovskite thin films and planar solar cells. Prior to joining the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Troy University in Fall 2023, Dr. Shahriar worked as a Post-Doctoral Scholar researching bioinspired spatially varying photonic crystals (SVPCs) for chemical warfare agent (CWA) sensors. These structures were created using multi-photon lithography (MPL) to emulate natural nanophotonic structures. His current research interests include flexible solar cells, energy-harvesting materials and technologies, nano-mechanical energy harvesting, and photonic sensors.
Dena G Byars
Assistant to the Director
Troy University
321C McCall Hal (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
dbyars@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-808-6721
Emily Sustarich
Laboratory Technician
Troy University
002A Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences (CMMS)
Troy, AL 36082
esustarich@troy.edu
cmmslabtech@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-670-3574