2025 Faculty Innovation Fellows
Shima Afshar
Lecturer III in Mechanical Engineering, Department of Engineering, College of Innovation and Technology
Seyed Ali Arefifar
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Engineering, College of Innovation and Technology
Ella Shirl Donaldson
Assistant Professor of Engineering, College of Innovation and Technology
Charlotte Tang
Associate Professor of Computer Science, College of Innovation and Technology
Steve Wilson
Assistant Professor of Computer Science, College of Innovation and Technology
Emna Zedini
Assistant Professor of Computer Science, College of Innovation and Technology
2024 Faculty Innovation Fellows
Dr. Amal Alhosban
Associate Professor of Computer Science & Director, College of Innovation and Technology
I am Amal Alhosban, an experienced educator deeply passionate about incorporating innovation into the learning experience. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science, I’ve spent 10 years dedicated to enhancing education through dynamic approaches and technology integration.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
The MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship aligns perfectly with my commitment to pushing educational boundaries. I’m excited about collaborating with fellow educators, exploring new methodologies, and contributing to a community focused on transformative teaching practices. This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to enhance my teaching skills and share successful strategies with a broader educational audience, and I’m eager to embark on this journey of innovation and growth.
Dr. Khalil Khanafer
Assistant Professor of Engineering, College of Innovation and Technology
Dr Khalil Khanafer is an Assistant professor in the College of Innovation and Technology at University of Michigan – Flint. Dr Khanafer was an associate research scientist in the Biomedical Engineering Department and Cardiovascular Research Center at University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. He completed his post doc in Mechanical Engineering at University of California, Riverside. Dr Khanafer has several years of research experience in the field of computational thermo- fluid dynamics and biomedical engineering. Some of these areas are Multiphysics modeling and simulation of laser additive manufacturing process, fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis of flow and heat transfer in thermal systems, hemodynamics analysis of various vascular diseases, medical devices, thermal management of high heat flux electronic devices, applications of nanoparticles in solar energy and desalination, energy harvesting using piezoelectric, laminar, and turbulent transport phenomena in porous media, and flow and heat transfer in biological tissues. Recently, Dr Khanafer was among the World’s top 2% scientists by Stanford University list. Dr Khanafer is an associate editor for both Journal of Porous media and Special Topics and Reviews in Porous Media Journal: An International Journal.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
In my role as a faculty member at CIT, my ongoing research centers extensively on the application of 3D printing technology across diverse fields. Through the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship, my objective is to gain insights into the practical implementation of ideas. I am particularly keen on bridging the gap from conceptualization to actualization. Additionally, I am excited about enhancing my understanding of innovation, aspiring to serve as a valuable resource for students interested in creating and advancing their own products.
Dr. Khalid Malik
Visiting Professor of Computer Science & Director, College of Innovation and Technology
Dr. Khalid M. Malik is Professor of computer science and director of cybersecurity at the College of Innovation and Technology, University of Michigan-Flint. Prior to joining UofM-Flint, he was distinguished associate professor in the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Oakland University. His research focuses on the integrated area of AI, healthcare, and information security to design secure, intelligent, and decentralized decision support systems by employing multimodal, federated, trustworthy, and neuro-symbolic AI. In healthcare, he focuses on prediction of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events using clinical text and multiple medical imaging modalities (e.g. DSA, MRA). In cybersecurity, his research focus is on developing forensic examiners for authenticity, integrity and veracity of audios, videos, images. Dr. Malik’s research is supported by the multiple National Science Foundation awards, Brain Aneurysm Foundation, Department of Energy, and the Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization Innovation Hub, among others. He is a recipient of numerous accolades, not limited to Oakland’s Young Investigator Research award (2018), SECS Outstanding Research award (2019) and Distinguished Associate Professor award (2021).
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
Drawing on a decade of research, I am currently engaged in the development of two groundbreaking technologies. The first is the Deep Forgery Detector (DFD), designed to identify fraudulent audio, video, and images. The second is Neuroassist, a predictive tool for anticipating neurological and cardiovascular events such as strokes. The primary objective of the MWIN initiative is to explore the applicability of DFD and Neuroassist across various industries. This involves comprehending potential sales channels, establishing startup ventures, launching the products, and addressing other aspects of the commercialization process. Initial exploration into the legal sector for DFD through NSF I-Corps in 2022 has generated substantial interest. With a sense of cautious optimism, I believe that the ongoing customer discovery efforts, coupled with MWIN training, will pave the way for the successful commercialization of the DFD and Neuroassist technologies.
Dr. Cathleen Miller
Associate Professor of Accounting and Chair, Accounting, Finance & International Business, School of Management
Dr. Cathleen L. Miller, PhD, CPA is an Associate Professor of Accounting at the University of Michigan – Flint. She teaches auditing, financial accounting, and governmental and not-for-profit accounting. She has published in practitioner and academic journals, including Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, Behavioral Research in Accounting, and The Journal of Accountancy. She received awards for her service and community engagement, including Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award – Beta Alpha Psi (2019), School of Management Outstanding Service Award (2017), Civic Engagement Course Implementation Grant – Univ. of Michigan – Flint (2014), Internal Revenue Service Award (2008), 2007 Community Partnership Project Development Funding Grant – University of Michigan-Flint (2006 and 2007), Nominated for Michigan Campus Compact Campus-Community Partnership Award for VITA Program (2013), and Nominated for Sybyl Award for outstanding community service to Flint, MI (2020). She has worked with the IRS to run the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program in Genesee County for 25 years. Since 2005, she has run the program as part of a class at the University of Michigan – Flint. Annually, the students and Miller help approximately 400 individuals and families file their federal, state and city income taxes, resulting in approximately $400,000 of refunds.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
I applied for the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellows Program to help me with my concerns with the VITA program.I am looking for assistance in helping me improve the VITA program process. Clients wait a long time to get their returns completed. I’m hoping to find some ways to shorten the wait time by removing bottlenecks in the process.
Dr. Matthew Spradling
Associate Professor of Computer Science, College of Innovation and Technology
Matthew Spradling is an Associate Professor of Computer Science in the College of Innovation and Technology at the University of Michigan – Flint. His research areas include such diverse topics as game design, media misinformation, game theory, coalition formation, stability and optimization, theory of computation, and computer science ethics. He completed his PhD in Computer Science in 2015 at the University of Kentucky, not far from his hometown of Mount Sterling. He maintains two student-centered research labs; “Team Rocket,” focused upon breaking down game design paradigms and finding new ones, and “The Fake News Team,” which designs next generation countermeasures for online misinformation.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
The spread of misinformation online may be the great challenge of our generation. It is, put simply, a threat to all trust. The improper response could damage the very civil liberties we would otherwise seek to protect. Given the stakes, I am seeking the support of this Fellowship to help navigate the legal and ethical challenges my area of work represents. My hope is to move forward on steady ground while still taking the boldest steps we can towards a more credible internet.
Dr. Doug Zytko
Visiting Associate Professor of Computer Science, College of Innovation and Technology
Dr. Douglas Zytko, is an Associate Professor in the College of Innovation & Technology at the University of Michigan-Flint, specializing in human computer interaction (HCI). His research uses consent as a lens to study and design technologies for computer-mediated sexual violence mitigation and ethical collection and processing of personal data for AI model training. His recent NSF-funded research involves development of a data donation platform to collect personal data about online dating sexual experiences to enable new implements of sexual risk detection AI. His other work explores extended reality (XR) as a medium for interpersonal consent mechanics. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, US Army, and industry partners.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
Dr. Zytko is excited to participate in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship as an important step towards translating his research into publicly-accessible technologies to mitigate interpersonal harm and foster more consensual relationships between our personal data and industry partners that leverage that data for AI-driven products.
2023 Faculty Innovation Fellows
M. Usman Ahmed
Associate Professor of Supply Chain and Operations Management,
School of Management, UM-Flint
M. Usman Ahmed teaches supply chain and operations management courses at the School of management at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His research interests include sustainable supply chains, supply chain analytics, and buyer-supplier relationships. His research has been published in top ranked journals such as the international journal of operations and production management, the international journal of production economics, and the journal of operations management. Ahmed’s teaching emphasizes application of concepts and techniques to real life situations through case discussions and simulations. Ahmed has been interviewed by ABC 12 and WNEM 5 news channels for his views on supply chain issues during the Covid pandemic.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
I am interested in the MWIN faculty innovation fellowship because I feel education requires innovation in the post-Covid world. A lot of the teaching materials and techniques were designed in for use in-class. New methods that go beyond recorded lecture and discussion board posts need to be designed to give students engaging and instructive online learning experiences.
Stephanie Vidaillet Gelderloos
Lecturer IV in English, Department of Language and Communication,
College of Arts and Sciences, UM-Flint
Stephanie Vidaillet Gelderloos is a native of Southwest Detroit. She attended the University of Detroit Mercy and Eastern Michigan University where she studied foreign languages and linguistics. During her time at EMU, she studied abroad in the Netherlands for a year. While there, she learned to speak Dutch and collaborated on the first comprehensive Frisian-English dictionary. Stephanie currently uses her linguistic and language skills working at the University of Michigan-Flint as a Lecturer IV in the Department of Language and Communication. She is the university’s specialist in developmental reading and writing, and she worked to help create the university’s Bridge Program for International Students. Stephanie speaks Spanish proficiently and is the faculty advisor for LUNA, UM Flint’s Latino student organization.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Over the years, I have come up with many ideas for products and services, yet having no idea how one might launch a business, they just stayed ideas. Through the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship, I hope to learn how to go from concept to reality. I am also eager to learn more about innovation to be a resource for students and mentees who are interested in developing their own products.
Dr. Cam McLeman
Chair & Associate Professor of Mathematics
Department of Mathematics and Applied Science, UM-Flint
Dr. Cam McLeman is chair of the Mathematics and Applied Sciences department at the University of Michigan – Flint, and upcoming Director of the proposed center. His research expertise has been in algebraic number theory and in algebraic graph theory, but has recently shifted in the direction of the use of mathematics in data science.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
The proposed center is well-poised to connect data science expertise at the University with data science needs in the local community — schools, government, and industry alike. The MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship will help me develop the infrastructure to convert these lofty ideals and informal partnerships into a system that can sustain the Center through grants and economic initiatives.
Dr. Suleyman Uludag
Director of Computer Science and Professor Computer Science,
College of Innovation and Technology, UM-Flint
Suleyman Uludag received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA, in 2007. He is currently a Professor of Computer Science at the College of Innovation and Technology (CIT) at the University of Michigan-Flint as well as serving as the Accreditation Director at CIT. His research interests include secure data collection, denial-of-service mitigation, Internet-of-Things security, post-quantum cryptography, blockchain, software-define networking, smart grid communications, smart grid privacy, demand response bidding privacy, applied cryptography, Smart Grid privacy, denial-of-service attacks in the smart grid, cybersecurity education and curriculum development. He was the recipient of Lois Matz Rosen Junior Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award in 2010 and Scholarly or Creative Achievement Award in 2020. He received the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Core Award in 2012 and 2018 to Turkey and Bosnia & Herzegovina, respectively.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
I moved to the College of Innovation and Technology as of July 1, 2022. CIT emphasizes innovation and entrepreneurship as well as close industry relationships. Through MWIN‘s exciting program, I would like to be able to better contribute to CIT’s mission.
Jeffrey J. Yackley
Assistant Professor of Information Technology,
College of Innovation and Technology, UM-Flint
Jeffrey J. Yackley is an Assistant Professor of Information Technology in the College of Innovation and Technology at the University of Michigan – Flint. Jeff’s research focuses on software engineering using applied artificial intelligence techniques for software architecture, maintenance, and evolution. Additionally, he also investigates pedagogical improvements to computer science education and game design. Jeffrey earned his PhD in Computer and Information Science from the University of Michigan – Dearborn in 2022. His professional experience includes software architecture research at the Software Engineering Institute – Carnegie Mellon University, mainframe software development at Compuware, and automotive software architecture design and development at Visteon. He is a member of IEEE, ACM, and ASEE.
Why are you interested in participating in the MWIN Faculty Innovation Fellowship?
As a software engineer, my research focuses heavily on creating tools and new theories to help software developers and businesses write and maintain better software. However, it can be hard to pinpoint industry needs and make the case to corporations for funding of academic projects, let alone going solo to launch and commercialize a new invention. I hope to learn more about how to accomplish the realization from idea to product launch particularly in an academic environment.
2022 Faculty Innovation Fellows
Dr. Yasser Aboelkassem
Assistant Professor
College of Innovation & Technology
Dr. Yasser Aboelkassem is an assistant professor in the College of Innovation and Technology at the University of Michigan-Flint. Dr. Aboelkassem was a research scientist at the University of California, San Diego. He completed his postdoc training in Biomedical Engineering at Yale and Johns Hopkins Universities. Dr. Aboelkassem obtained his Ph.D. in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Virginia Tech.
Dr. Aboelkassem has research interests that fall into two broad areas: cardiac electromechanics and bio-microfluidics. His current research focuses on deriving novel multiscale mathematical models in cardiology and developing integrative computational methods to study the human heart function under several disease conditions. A strong emphasis of his research is placed on the translation of scientific research into medical devices and innovative technologies with societal impacts.
Dr. Halil Bisgin
Associate Professor
Computer Science
Dr. Halil Bisgin is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint). Dr. Bisgin received his Ph.D. in Integrated Computing-Computer Science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he also taught as a visiting faculty.
His research focuses on a wide range of topics, from Security Analytics to Bioinformatics. At the core of his efforts lie Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), by which he has been undertaking interdisciplinary projects on disease prediction, biomarker discovery, security analytics, genomics, and food contamination in collaboration with researchers in those fields.
As a researcher who started his early career at the U.S. FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), he has been involved in several AI-driven public health projects, some of which have been recognized with the FDA Group Recognition Award and FDA R2R Special Citation Award.
Dr. Bisgin’s projects at UM-Flint have been awarded RCA, Ben F. Bryer Foundation, and MIDAS grants and resulted in several papers in eminent journals and proceedings in the fields of Bioinformatics, Cyber Security, and Social Computing. Dr. Bisgin also has a book chapter on homophily in online social media.
Dr. Melissa Sreckovic
Associate Professor
Education
Dr. Melissa Sreckovic is an Associate Professor of Education at the University of Michigan-Flint. She received her BA in Elementary Education from Michigan State University, her MA in Special Education and Literacy from Michigan State University, and her Ph.D. in Early Childhood, Special Education, and Literacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to academia, she worked as a third-grade teacher in North Carolina.
In the School of Education and Human Services, Dr. Sreckovic teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on inclusive pedagogy, classroom management, and exceptional learners. To facilitate learning in her classroom she implements many of the strategies she teaches pre-service educators, such as building a classroom community, facilitating interactive class discussions, and providing ample opportunities to respond.
Dr. Sreckovic’s research interests centralize on best practices for creating inclusive environments for individuals with disabilities in both school and community settings, with a specialized focus on best practices for autistic individuals. She has published her research in journals such as the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Remedial and Special Education, Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, and Teacher Education and Special Education. Dr. Sreckovic was the 2020 Alvin D. Loving Junior Faculty Initiative Award recipient for her work and dedication to researching issues affecting individuals with disabilities.
Dr. Keith Kelley
Associate Professor
International Business
Dr. Keith J. Kelley joined the faculty at the University of Michigan-Flint School of Management in 2014. He received his Ph.D. from Florida International University in Miami, FL, where he also received a Master’s degree in International Business. He also holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration & International Affairs from the University of New Hampshire. He has more than 11 years of teaching experience in subjects such as International Business, Strategic Management, International Management, Global Strategy, Management, and Entrepreneurship.
Dr. Kelley’s two primary research areas are the relationship and balance of diverse performance outcomes, such as shared value creation and global reputation management; and the effect of leadership and management with digital technologies on various performance outcomes. His most recent publications have included work on global reputation management in platform businesses, artificial intelligence, and political risk management, information technology strategies for corporate reputation management, global supply chain diversification strategies for uncertainty, board foreign diversity strategies, as well as several articles on shared reputational value management and corporate social responsibility. His work has been published in the Journal of Business Research, Thunderbird International Business Review, Multinational Business Review, Corporate Reputation Review, the International Journal of Emerging Markets, Research in Global Strategic Management, the Journal of General Management, AIB Insights, and the Journal of Global Responsibility, among others. His work has also been presented at major conferences such as the Academy of Management, the Academy of International Business, and the Strategic Management Society. He also serves on the Editorial Board of International Studies of Management and Organization. He has worked both full and part-time, and as a consultant in service industries such as technology, banking, healthcare, and education. Professor Kelley is a native New Englander, but prior to moving to Michigan he lived and worked in Miami for 12 years.
Dr. Ming Li
Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Ming Li is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Sciences at the University of Michigan-Flint. She received a Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering and Materials from Florida International University in Miami, Florida. Her research interests include machine learning, signal processing, structural health monitoring, and robotics.
Dr. Thiago Ferreira
Assistant Professor
Information Technology & Informatics
Dr. Thiago do N. Ferreira is an Assistant Professor in the College of Innovation & Technology (CIT) at the University of Michigan-Flint. He received his Ph.D. Degree in Computer Science from the Federal University of Parana in 2019. His research interests focus on the use of user preferences, optimization algorithms, and artificial intelligence techniques to address several software engineering problems such as Software requirements, software testing, and software refactoring. Prior to academia, Dr. Ferreira worked in the software development industry as a software developer.
2021 Faculty Innovation Fellows
Dr. Wendy Tremaine, Ph.D., OTRL
Dr. Tremaine has been an occupational therapist for over 30 years and has worked in pediatric practice for the majority of her career. Currently, Dr. Tremaine serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in the new Occupational Therapy doctoral program at UM-Flint.
Dr. Tremaine earned a B.S. in OT from the Medical College of Georgia (now part of Augusta University), a M.A. from the University of Southern California, and her Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration from the University of Georgia.
She is a huge animal and nature lover and serves on the board of two volunteer animal welfare organizations and a local community advisory council. She is the proud Mom of two rescue dogs. Dr, Tremaine just moved to Michigan in 2019 and one of her favorite pastimes (other than watching The Mandalorian) is learning about her new resident state!
Dr. Quamrul Mazumder
Dr. Quamrul Mazumder is committed to student success through a collaborative learning environment. His teaching philosophy includes the integration of experiential, hands-on learning and innovative pedagogical approaches. By collaborating with industry partners, he helped students in the capstone design course to develop innovative solutions to products, processes and services. He is currently involved in several interdisciplinary research in the areas of healthcare equipment development, multiphase flow and facial recognition systems to assess student engagement. Dr. Mazumder received several awards and grants such as Hagerman Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Teaching Excellence awards, Fulbright scholarship, etc. His current research focus areas include student engagement, motivation and metacognition.
Dr. Mark Allison
Mark Allison is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair in Computer Science at the University of Michigan at Flint. He received his PhD in Computer Science from Florida International University, specializing in Software Engineering. Prior to academia, he worked in the telecommunications industry at the directorate level for a Fortune 500 corporation.
Dr. Allison has research interests in cognified model-driven software development, autonomous vehicles in swarms, energy management, and computer science education. This work has resulted in over 20 peer-reviewed publications and has been supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Google.org among others. Dr. Allison is currently a member of the NSF college of reviewers for undergraduate STEM education and has reviewed projects for the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. He was the recipient of the UM-Flint’s Alvin D. Loving Junior Faculty Award for 2017-18.
At UM-Flint he is the founding and current advisor of the Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) honor society and advisor for the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) student chapter. He is an active professional member of ACM and co-vice president of the South East Michigan chapter of Mensa International.
Dr. Brian D. Blume
Brian D. Blume obtained his Ph.D from Indiana University and an MBA degree from Bradley University. He has experience working in business management prior to pursuing his Ph.D. Professor Blume also has provided consulting and training for management teams from several companies regarding leading change and organizational effectiveness.
In the School of Management, Professor Blume teaches undergraduate and MBA courses on ‘Leading Organizational Change’, ‘Human Behavior in Organizations’, and ‘Entrepreneurship & New Venture Creation’. He utilizes simulations and interactive activities to facilitate learning in the classroom.
His research focuses on leadership behaviors, the transfer of training to the job, forced distribution performance management systems, and characteristics of entrepreneurs that are associated with successful new ventures. He has published his research in journals such as the Journal of Management, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Business Venturing, Human Resource Management Review, and the Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies.
Dr. James Alsup
Dr. James Alsup is an associate professor of physics and chair of the Department of Computer Science, Engineering, and Physics at the University of Michigan-Flint. He completed his Ph.D. in High Energy Theoretical Physics from the University of Tennessee in 2010, and has held various appointments at the University of Tennessee and Colorado State University-Pueblo. His research interests include holography as a means to model quantum systems exhibiting phase changes, orbital mechanics, and perturbations.
Dr. Alsup has implemented experiential-learning techniques promoted by the physics education research community throughout all levels of UM-Flint’s undergraduate physics curriculum. Dr. Alsup will be working with Dr. Mark Allison from the Computer Science program to approach new avenues, questions, and pedagogy within quantum mechanics derived by modern developments in computation and gaming.
Dr. Marilyn Filter
Dr. Marilyn S. Filter holds a doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies from Michigan State University. She is a certified nurse-midwife (CNM) having earned her MS from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. She has a BA in Elementary Education and Music History from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and earned her ADN from Schoolcraft College.
Dr. Filter has over 20 years of experience as a CNM both in private practice and a clinic for underserved women in Saginaw County. She current clinic is in Saginaw at CMU Medical Education Partners where she is working to initiate Centering Pregnancy to improve infant and maternal mortality rates and reduce disparities.
