People


Dr. Curtis R. Taylor
Director and Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Curriculum Vitae

601 West Main St., Room 334
P.O. Box 843015
Richmond, Virginia 23284

e: crtaylor@vcu.edu
p: 804.827.7025
f: 804.827.7030









Dr. Tarek Trad
Research Scientist


601 West Main St., Room 334
P.O. Box 843015
Richmond, Virginia 23284

e: tarek@okstate.edu
p: 804.827.7027 x727
f: 804.827.7030



Graduate Students

Eddie McCumiskey

Eddie is a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering. He is interested in material science, fabrication of nanostructures, and medical applications thereof. I grew up in Vienna, VA, and attended James Madison High School. I am a member of the co-ed, professional engineering fraternity Theta Tau. Hobbies include training martial arts, speaking German, learning, and reading.

Research Project: Nanomechanics and Nanomechanical Patterning of Quantum Dots

e: e.mccumiskey@gmail.com








Bobsen Babusenan

Bobsen is a Masters candidate interested in the study of the response of cell structure to various forces at the micro and nano scale and different imaging modalities. He grew up and did his undergraduate studies in Electronics and Biomedical Engineering in India.

Research Project: Mechanotransduction of Cells Due to Nanomechanical Perturbation

e: babusenanb@vcu.edu








Undergraduate Research Scholars

Adetokunbo "Ade" Aiyelawo

Adetokunbo Aiyelawo, Ade, for short, attended Valley Forge Military College his freshman year of college then he made his transition to Virginia Commonwealth University. In May 2005 he left VFMC with a 3.5 GPA, excited to start his sophomore of college at VCU, seeking a BS in Mechanical Engineering.

Research Project: Nanowire Nanomanufacturing

e: saysmk@aol.com or aiyelawoao@vcu.edu






Nikolai A. Eroshenko

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia. Discovered America nine years later and decided to stay. Now in the sophmore year of the biomedical engineering program, and still trying to figure out what one does after college ends. Hobbies include reading, traveling, and making undeniably delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Is currently participating in the VCU Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Summer Institute.

Research Project: Mechanical Signaling for Controlled Stem Cell Differentiation

In collaboration with Dr. Raj Rao, Nikolai is trying to influence the behavior of stem cells through mechanical signals. To be exact, the project aims to increase the number of viable cardiomycytes that can be formed by pre-disposing the cells to differentiate via a specific phenotypic lineage.

e: eroshenkona@vcu.edu




Rebecca Lynn

Becca Lynn is a second year biochemistry undergraduate. After undergraduate work she hopes to gain entry to medical school and eventually become an emergency surgeon. In her spare time Becca is an emergency medical technician and volunteers at Manchester Rescue Squad. Aside form riding on the ambulance she is the Junior Squad Advisor and mentor to the younger members of Manchester. .

Research Project: Development of Polymer UV Gradients for Cell Mechanotransduction Studies

e: lynnrl@vcu.edu



High School Research Assistants


Malcolm Bressendorf

Malcolm is a senior at Richmond Community High School. He intends to major in chemical engineering next year in college. He has been doing excellent work in the study of ZnO growth of nanowires of for nanoelectronics.

Research Project: Synthesis of Vertically Aligned ZnO Nanowires for Organic Solar Cells

e: bressendorf@gmail.com







Collaborators

  • Dr. Kam Leang, VCU
  • Dr. Ajay Malshe, University of Arkansas
  • Dr. Martin Munoz, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Velimir Radmilovic, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
  • Dr. Gregory Salamo, University of Arkansas
  • Dr. Eric Stach, Purdue University
  • Dr. Florence Sanchez, Vanderbilt University
  • Dr. Raj Rao, VCU