Dr. Claribel Acevedo-Velez is a Professor of Chemical Engineering specializing in colloids, surfactants, and interface science. Her research focuses on assembling surface-active materials to develop functional materials. A UW-Madison alumna with four patents, she currently leads the UPR-UW PREM Center and serves as Associate Director for the RNA BioFoundry.
Our Researchers
A
Acevedo Vélez, Claribel
Chemical Engineering
Research interests
- Colloidal and interfacial phenomena
- Surfactant science
- Nanoscale science
About
Contact Info
Email: claribel.acevedo@upr.edu
Office: IQ-205-K
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 6451
Website: https://sites.google.com/upr.edu/acevedo-velezresearch
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Oñate-Socarras, M. K., Piñeres-Quiñones, O. H., Chen, L. M., Palecek, S. P., Lynn, D. M., & Acevedo-Vélez, C. (2026). Thermotropic liquid crystal droplets stabilized by nanoparticles for the optical detection of phospholipid membranes: impact of membrane composition on LC ordering transitions. Soft Matter, 22(1), https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SM01253H
Wang, F., Qin, S., Yang, Z., Edwards-Medina, L. M., Chiu, B. L., Acevedo-Vélez, C., Remucal, C. K., Van Lehn, R. C., Zavala, V. M., & Lynn, D. M. (2025). A machine learning-assisted liquid crystal droplet array platform for the sensitive and selective detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water. ACS Sensors, 10(10), 7343–7353. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssensors.5c00907
Piñeres-Quiñones, O. H., Oñate-Socarras, M. K., Wang, F., Lynn, D. M., & Acevedo-Vélez, C. (2024). Pickering emulsions of thermotropic liquid crystals stabilized by amphiphilic gold nanoparticles. Langmuir, 40(7), 3923–3934. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03940
Acosta Costa, Felipe J.
Civil Engineering and Surveying
Research interests
- Structural engineering
- Civil engineering materials
About
Dr. Felipe J. Acosta Costa is a Professor of Civil Engineering at UPRM specializing in structural engineering and advanced materials. Holding a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech, his research focuses on experimental material characterization, mechanics of composites, and finite element analysis. He is a leader in structural rehabilitation and mentors the UPRM Concrete Canoe Team.
Contact Info
Email: felipe.acosta1@upr.edu
Office: CL-104
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3392
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Acosta, F. J., & Riveros, G. A. (2023). Repair of corroded steel girders of hydraulic steel structures (HSS) using fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) (ERDC/ITL TR-23-3). Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.). https://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/47404
Riveros, G. A., Acosta, F. J., Lozano, C. M., & Glynn, E. (2022). The Effects of Deteriorated Boundary Conditions on Horizontally Framed Miter Gates. Metals, 12(1), 37. https://doi.org/10.3390/met12010037
Amador Ramírez, André
Mechanical Engineering
Research interests
- Coastal hydrodynamics
- Ocean renewable energy
- Geophysical fluid dynamics
About
Dr. André Amador Ramírez is an Assistant Professor specializing in physical oceanography and coastal hydrodynamics. Holding a Ph.D. from UC San Diego, his research focuses on modeling ocean waves and currents to advance marine renewable energy and coastal resilience. He integrates autonomous vehicle path-planning and wave energy converters into sustainable microgrid solutions.
Contact Info
Email: andre.amador@upr.edu
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Mudd, K. C., Ho, A., Amador, A., Lodise, J., Behrens, J., & Merrifield, S. T. (2024). Wind velocity estimates from wave observing platforms. Coastal Engineering Journal, 66(3), 479–491. https://doi.org/10.1080/21664250.2024.2321660
Feddersen, F., Amador, A., Pick, K., Vizuet, A., Quinn, K., Wolfinger, E., … Fincham, A. (2024). The wavedrifter: a low-cost IMU-based Lagrangian drifter to observe steepening and overturning of surface gravity waves and the transition to turbulence. Coastal Engineering Journal, 66(1), 44–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/21664250.2023.2238949
Amador, A., Merrifield, S. T., & Terrill, E. J. (2023). Assessment of Atmospheric and Oceanographic Measurements from an Autonomous Surface Vehicle. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 40(3), 305-326. https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-22-0060.1
Andrade, Fabio
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research interests
- Microgrids
- Renewable energy
- Electronics
About
Dr. Fabio Andrade is a Professor at UPRM and Director of the Sustainable Energy Center (SEC). With a Ph.D. from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, his research specializes in power electronics, dc/ac converter control, and microgrid integration. He develops innovative solutions for renewable energy conversion, enhancing the resilience of modern power systems.
Contact Info
Email: fabio.andrade@uprm.edu
Office: OF-336
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 5954
Website: http://inec.uprm.edu/fandrade/
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Rodriguez-Martinez, O. F., Garcia, Y. V., Diaz, J. L., Andrade, F., & Irizarry-Rivera, A. A. (2025). Personal Microgrid Concept According with the Puerto Rico Microgrid Rule—Comparative Analysis. En D. Rossit, P. Moreno-Bernal, & C. E. Torres-Aguilar (Eds.), Proceedings of the VII Ibero-American Congress of Smart Cities, ICSC-Cities 2024: Springer Proceedings in Energy (pp. 235–248). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4301-1_20
Campo-Ossa, D. D., Sanabria-Torres, E. A., Rodriguez-Martinez, O. F., Vasquez-Plaza, J. D., & Andrade Rengifo, F. (2025). Rotated-Droop Control for Enhanced Stability and Power Decoupling in Microgrids With Complex Line Impedances. IEEE Access, 13, 173614–173628. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3615884
Taveras Cruz, A. J., Aybar-Mejía, M., Colon-González, C. G., Mariano-Hernández, D., Hernandez, J. C., Andrade-Rengifo, F., & Hernández-Callejo, L. (2025). Cybersecurity in MAS-Based Adaptive Protection for Microgrids—A Review. Electronics, 14(18), 3663. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14183663
Aparicio Carrasco, Roxana K.
Industrial Engineering
Research interests
- Data science
- Machine learning
- Artificial intelligence
- Statistics
About
Dr. Roxana K. Aparicio Carrasco is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering specializing in data science and machine learning. Holding a Ph.D. from UPRM, her research focuses on deep learning and spatiotemporal algorithms. She develops predictive healthcare models, including Transformers for blood glucose forecasting, and advances anomaly detection through artificial intelligence.
Contact Info
Email: roxana.aparicio@upr.edu
Office: II-217A
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3631
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Acuña, E., & Aparicio, R. (2026). Visualizing the Machine Learning Process in Multichannel Time Series Classification. Analytics, 5(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/analytics5010015
Acuna, E., Aparicio, R., & Palomino, V. (2023). Analyzing the Performance of Transformers for the Prediction of the Blood Glucose Level Considering Imputation and Smoothing. Big Data and Cognitive Computing, 7(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/bdcc7010041
Acuna, E., & Aparicio, R. (2023). Predicting the Blood Glucose Level Using Transformers. 2023 International Conference on Computational Science and Computational Intelligence (CSCI), 1392-1399. https://doi.org/10.1109/CSCI62032.2023.00228.
Aponte, Erick E.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research interests
- Distributed generation
- Islanding
- DG systems dynamics
- Optimization techniques
About
Dr. Erick E. Aponte Bezares is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering specializing in electric power systems. Holding a Ph.D. from UPRM, his research focuses on power system analysis, renewable energy integration, and grid stability. His expertise in power electronics and smart grids advances the resilience and efficiency of modern electrical infrastructure.
Contact Info
Email: erick.aponte1@upr.edu
Office: SA-500
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3248
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Tremont-Brito, R. J., Darbali-Zamora, R., Aponte-Bezares, E. E., & Eddy, J. (2025). Methodology to Incorporate Backup Generator Sizing Using the Microgrid Design Toolkit. 2025 IEEE 53rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 1605-1611. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC59419.2025.11132807
Tremont-Brito, R. J., Choi, J., Quiroz, J. E., Darbali-Zamora, R., Aponte-Bezares, E. E., & Lave, M. S. (2025). Microgrid Design Toolkit Optimization of Wind-PV Hybrid Microgrids for Energy Resilience in Puerto Rico. 2025 IEEE 53rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 1597-1604. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC59419.2025.11133198
Calloquispe-Huallpa, R., Darbali-Zamora, R., Huaman-Rivera, A., Aponte-Bezares, E. E., Wachtel, A. M., & O’Neill-Carrillo, E. (2025). OpenDss to ReNCAT: A Graph Theory Approach for Automated Power Network Data Extraction. 2025 IEEE 53rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 1239-1245. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC59419.2025.11132605
Arzuaga Cruz, Emmanuel
Computer Science and Engineering
Research interests
- Pattern recognition
- Machine learning
- Remote sensing
- Hyperspectral image analysis
- Computer and network security
About
Dr. Emmanuel Arzuaga is the Director of the Computer Science and Engineering Department and LARSIP. Holding a Ph.D. from Northeastern University, his research specializes in computer architecture, virtualization, and cloud infrastructure. He focuses on pattern recognition and remote sensing for aerospace applications, advancing high-performance computing and data security.
Contact Info
Email: emmanuel.arzuaga@upr.edu
Office: S-600
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3532
Website: https://ece.uprm.edu/~earzuaga/
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Gomez, A., & Arzuaga, E. (2024). Real Time American Sign Language Recognition Using Yolov6 Model. En M. Kadoch, K. Lu, F. Ye, & Y. Qian (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Symposium on Intelligent Computing and Networking 2024 (ISICN 2024): Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems (Vol. 1094, pp. 297–308). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-67447-1_25
Tatis Posada, D., Ramos Álamo, M., Sierra, H., & Arzuaga, E. (2023). Evolutive screening of candidates for new materials using genetic algorithms and deep learning. Proceedings of the 21st LACCEI International Multi-Conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (LACCEI 2023). https://doi.org/10.18687/laccei2023.1.1.651
Theran, C., Alvarez, M., Arzuaga, E., & Sierra, H. (2023). Multi-source imagery fusion using deep learning in a cloud computing platform. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2307.03054
B
Baldaguez Medina, Paola
Chemical Engineering
Research interests
- Electrochemically mediated water remediation
- Redox materials
- Advanced oxidative processes
- Electrochemical biosensors
About
Dr. Paola A. Baldaguez Medina specializes in electrochemical technologies for environmental remediation and healthcare. Her research group develops redox electro-sorbents to remove PFAS from water and designs wearable sensors for cardiovascular monitoring. She integrates reactive separations and selective materials to advance global solutions in clean water and medical diagnostics.
Contact Info
Email: paola.baldaguez@upr.edu
Office: IQ-206-F
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 2978
Website: Baldaguez Medina Research Group – University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus | Chemical Engineering
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Cifuentes-Urtubey, F., Baldaguez Medina, P. A., Lorenzo, J. E., & Mamaril, N. (2025, febrero). Empowering Hispanic engineering students for success in graduate education with hybrid mentorship. 2025 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD), San Antonio, Texas. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2–54081
Baldaguez Medina, P., Ardila Contreras, V., Hartmann, F., Schmitt, D., Klimek, A., Elbert, J., Gallei, M., & Su, X. (2023). Investigating the electrochemically driven capture and release of long-chain PFAS by redox metallopolymer sorbents. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 15(18), 22112–22122. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c01670
Cifuentes-Urtubey, F., Baldaguez Medina, P. A., Lorenzo, J. E., & Mamaril, N. (2023, junio). Peer Mentorship in a Virtual University Setting: A Hispanic Perspective on How Mentorship Broadens Participation in Advanced Degrees. 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore, Maryland. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2–43871
Bonet Olivencia, Samuel
Industrial Engineering
Research interests
- Systems engineering
- Human factors and ergonomics
- Healthcare engineering
- Digital health
About
Dr. Samuel A. Bonet Olivencia specializes in Health and Human Systems Engineering, focusing on sociotechnical frameworks and telehealth for underserved populations. His research group develops user-centered designs and ergonomic training initiatives supported by the NSF and OSHA. He has been recognized for advancing healthcare systems engineering and mentoring students.
Contact Info
Email: samuel.bonet@upr.edu
Office: II-211
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3044
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Bonet-Olivencia, S., Carrillo-Leal, J., Rao, A., & Sasangohar, F. (2024). User-Centered Design of a Diabetes Self-Management Tool for Underserved Populations. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 18(1), 22-29. https://doi.org/10.1177/19322968231212220
Dvir, R., Goldsmith, C., Seavey, I., Vedlitz, A., Hammett, J., Bonet, S., Rao, A., Zahed, K., & Sasangohar, F. (2023). The policy environment of remote patient monitoring: Evaluating stakeholders’ views. International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management, 20(3), 249-275. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJHTM.2023.132455
Bonet Olivencia, S., & Sasangohar, F. (2023). A sociotechnical framework for integration of telehealth into clinical workflow. IISE Transactions on Healthcare Systems Engineering, 13(3), 248–259. https://doi.org/10.1080/24725579.2023.2211083
C
Cabrera Ríos, Mauricio
Industrial Engineering
Research interests
- Statistical characterization
- Mathematical modeling
- Optimization
- Bioinformatics
- Applied statistics
About
Dr. Mauricio Cabrera Ríos co-leads the Applied Optimization Group (AOG) at UPRM alongside Dr. Clara E. Isaza. The group focuses on optimization of manufacturing systems, processes, and biological systems, providing opportunities for collaborative research and mentoring of students. Research outputs also include contributions to bioinformatics education for engineers at UPRM.
Contact Info
Email: mauricio.cabrera1@upr.edu
Office: OF 342
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 5964
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Suarez-Gomez, D., Perez-Rosas, N. C., Miranda-Contreras, G. I., Colom-Braña, S. R., Zhang, W., Mim, M. S., Tan, S., Gazzo, D., Tepole, A. B., Deng, Q., Reeves, G. T., Isaza-Brando, C. E., Staiger, C. J., Umulis, D., Zartman, J., & Cabrera-Ríos, M. (2025). CalciumInsights: An Open-source, tissue-agnostic graphical interface for high-quality analysis of calcium signals. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.04.657923
Aguilar-García, X. J., Luna-Alvear, A. E., Narváez-Bandera, I., Suárez-Gómez, D., Isaza, C. E., & Cabrera-Rios, M. (2024). Breast and Colorectal Cancers in Women: a Meta-Analysis Driven by BioOptimatics. Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal, 43(4), 186–195. Retrieved from https://prhsj.rcm.upr.edu/index.php/prhsj/article/view/3238
Rocha-Clavijo, D., Suarez-Gomez, D., Miranda, G., Baco-Vargas, A., Lopez-Velasquez, J., Colom-Braña, S., Arzuaga, E., & Cabrera-Ríos, M. (2024). Quantifying Calcium Dynamics in T Cell Populations: An Automated Analysis Framework for Antigen Fluorescence Applying Functional Anova (Versión 1) [Preprint]. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5343285/v1
Cáceres Fernández, Arsenio
Civil Engineering & Surveying
Research interests
- Concrete structures
- Asphalt mixtures
About
Dr. Cáceres Fernández specializes in structural engineering and advanced construction materials, with a particular focus on concrete technology. Holding a PhD in Mechanical and Aeronautics from West Virginia University, his expertise includes earthquake engineering, SAP2000, and AutoCAD. His research contributions extend to professional service, where he conducts seminars for the Puerto Rico Transportation Technology Transfer Center. As an active member of the academic community, he also maintains professional ties with the American Concrete Institute (ACI) student chapter.
Contact Info
Email: arsenio.caceres@upr.edu
Office: CI-104
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3410
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Cotto-Ramos, A., Davila, S., Torres-García, W., & Caceres, A. (2020). Experimental design of concrete mixtures using recycled plastic, fly ash, and silica nanoparticles. Construction and Building Materials, 254, Artículo 119207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.119207
Zapata-Orduz, L., Portela, G., Suárez, O., & Caceres, A. (2016). Compatibility analysis between Portland cement type I and micro/nano-SiO2 in the presence of polycarboxylate-type superplasticizers. Cogent Engineering, 3(1), Artículo 1260952. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2016.1260952
Barbero, E., Abdelal, G., & Caceres, A. (2005). A micromechanics approach for damage modeling of polymer matrix composites. Composite Structures, 67(4), 427–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2004.02.001
Canals Silander, Miguel
Engineering Sciences and Materials
Research interests
- Applied ocean sciences
- Physical oceanography
- Coastal engineering
About
Miguel Canals is an interdisciplinary researcher focusing on coastal intelligence, hydrodynamics, and marine renewable energy. His research focuses on high-resolution wave models to enhance coastal resilience. He coordinates the Coastal and Ocean Engineering Curricular Sequence in the Department of Engineering Sciences and Materials.
Contact Info
Email: miguelf.canals@upr.edu
Office: Magueyes Marine Laboratories
Phone: (787) 899-2048
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Canals, M., Morell, J., & Chardon-Maldonado, P. (2025). Yabucoa Port Metocean Observations and Prediction System. Benefits of Ocean Observing Catalog (BOOC), 3, Artículo 1126. https://doi.org/10.15351/3068-2320.1126
Viehman, T. S., Reguero, B. G., Lenihan, H. S., Rosman, J. H., Storlazzi, C. D., Goergen, E. A., & Canals Silander, M. F. (2023). Coral restoration for coastal resilience: Integrating ecology, hydrodynamics, and engineering at multiple scales. Ecosphere, 14(5), Artículo e4517. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4517
Xu, H., Morell, J., Roarly, H., Chardon-Maldonado, P., Canals, M., & Evens, C. (2022). Improvement of Sargassum seaweed tracking in Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands using high-resolution FVCOM. 2022 IEEE/OES OCEANS, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANS47191.2022.9976971
Carlo Colón, Hector J.
Industrial Engineering
Research interests
- Distribution logistics
- Material handling
- Optimization
About
Dr. Héctor J. Carlo specializes in the design and optimization of logistics systems. As director of the Center of Excellence for Transportation and Logistics, his research integrates mathematical modeling and simulation to enhance terminal operations and automated material handling. He focuses on improving efficiency across complex supply chains and large-scale transport systems through applied optimization.
Contact Info
Email: hector.carlo@upr.edu
Office: II-207
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3105
Website: https://hjcarlo.wordpress.com/about/
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Carlo, H.J., Blanco-Quintana, A.F.**, Robles-Vega, F.E.*, Nieves-Báez, J.E.* (2025) Unidimensional Puzzle-Based Storage Systems. Logistics Research, 18(1-2): 23-45. https://doi.org/10.1108/LORE-01-2025-0006.
Rodriguez-Roman, D., Moctezuma Rivera, M.*, Brevan Villanueva, E.*, Santiago, N.G., Carlo, H.J., Figueroa-Medina, A.M., Deida Villafañe, C.* (2025) Integrated Carpooling and Parking System to Improve Mobility: Case Study at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. Latin American Transport Studies, 3, 100039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.latran.2025.100039.
Rodriguez-Roman, D., Carlo, H.J., Sperling, J., Duval, A., Leonicio-Cabán, R.E.*, López del Puerto, C. (2024) Optimizing the Location and Configuration of Disaster Resilience Hubs Under Transportation and Electric Power Network Failures. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 24: Article 101079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2024.101079.
Castro Sitiriche, Marcel
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Research interests
- Renewable energy
- Power
- Solar energy
About
Marcel J. Castro-Sitiriche is a Professor of Electrical Engineering specializing in resilience justice and renewable energy systems. His research focuses on rural electrification and energy equity, leading high-impact initiatives like PR100 and Oasis de Luz. He bridges technical power electronics with social ethics to advance responsible wellbeing and community-based energy policy.
Contact Info
Email: marcel.castro@upr.edu
Office: OF-324
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 6190
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Peña-Becerra, C. A., Pacheco-Cano, W. A., Aragones-Vargas, D. F., Irizarry-Rivera, A., & Castro-Sitiriche, M. (2025). Barrio-Level Assessment of Solar Rooftop Energy and Initial Insights into Energy Inequalities in Puerto Rico. Solar, 5(2), 28. https://doi.org/10.3390/solar5020028
Andrade, F., Vasquez-Plaza, J. D., Luna, A., Castro-Sitiriche, M., & Irrizary, A. (2025). Microgrids for resilience: Powering Puerto Rico’s future: The role of community microgrids in improving resiliency for Puerto Rico’s remote areas. IEEE Electrification Magazine, 13(2), 26–36. https://doi.org/10.1109/MELE.2025.3558709
Pacheco-Cano, W. A., Peña-Becerra, C. A., & Castro-Sitiriche, M. (2025). Boricua Energy Justice Visualization. Energies, 18(1), 72. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18010072
Ciri, Umberto
Mechanical Engineering
Research interests
- Fluid mechanics
- Wind energy
- Large-eddy simulations
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
About
Dr. Umberto Ciri specializes in fluid mechanics, wind energy, and turbulence modeling. His research utilizes high-fidelity large-eddy simulations (LES) to investigate interactions between wind turbines and the atmospheric boundary layer. He applies computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to optimize wind farm layouts and enhance turbine structural reliability for sustainable energy.
Contact Info
Email: umberto.ciri@upr.edu
Office: Office: L-201
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Ciri, Umberto (2025). Large-scale offshore wind farm effects on weather and climate in Puerto Rico (Final Technical Report). https://doi.org/10.2172/3006181
Ciri, U., Rodríguez-Abudo, S., & Leonardi, S. (2024). Comparison between shear-driven and pressure-driven oscillatory flows over ripples. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 998, A42. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2024.931
Ciri, U. (2024). Large-eddy simulation study on wave-wake interactions past an offshore wind turbine. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2767(5), Artículo 052038. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2767/5/052038
Córdova Figueroa, Ubaldo
Chemical Engineering
Research interests
- Fluid mechanics
- Transport processes
- Colloidal sciences
- Rheology
About
Dr. Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa specializes in reconfigurable and multifunctional soft materials, leading research initiatives backed by major NSF funding. His work focuses on colloidal science and systems innovation, driving advancements in material properties and organizational transformation. A recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, he integrates agile strategy and data-driven leadership into sustainable scientific research.
Contact Info
Email: ubaldom.cordova@upr.edu
Office: IQ-207-K
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 5844
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Dai, Y., Pajo, B., Ding, C., Díaz-Maldonado, M., Córdova-Figueroa, U. M., Youngblood, J., & Martinez, C. J. (2026). Formation and drying dynamics of cellulose nanocrystal capsules produced via double emulsion drops. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 733, Artículo 139264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.139264
Mendible-Barreto, O. A., Díaz-Maldonado, M., Carmona Esteva, F. J., Torres, J. E., Córdova-Figueroa, U. M., & Colón, Y. J. (2025). DynaMate: Leveraging AI-agents for customized research workflows. Molecular Systems Design & Engineering, 10(7), 585–598. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5ME00062A
Jalilvand, Z., Notarmuzi, D., Córdova-Figueroa, U. M., Bianchi, E., & Kretzschmar, I. (2025). Dynamics of a bottom-heavy Janus particle near a wall under shear flow. Soft Matter, 21(28), 5773–5784. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SM00229J
Cortés Delgado, María
Engineering Sciences and Materials
Research interests
- Hybrid simulation
- Structural engineering
- Seismic performance evaluation
- Collapse analysis of steel structures
About
Dr. Maria D. Cortes specializes in advanced structural testing and cyber-physical systems. Her research focuses on simulating complex structures under dynamic loading using earthquake simulators and hybrid testing methodologies. Her research interests include the development of large space structures and the integration of renewable energy systems.
Contact Info
Email: maria.cortes5@upr.edu
Office: OF – 339
Phone: (787)832-4040, ext: 3336, 5957
Website: https://www.uprm.edu/exdsra/
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Cortes, M., Arora, P., Ceferino, L., Ibrahim, H. A., Istrati, D., Reed, D., Roueche, D., Safiey, A., Tomiczek, T., Zisis, I., Alam, M., Kijewski-Correa, T., Prevatt, D., & Robertson, I. (2022). StEER: Hurricane Ian Preliminary Virtual Reconnaissance Report (PVRR). DesignSafe-CI. https://doi.org/10.17603/ds2-kc9k-s242
Kijewski-Correa, T., Cortes Delgado, M. D., Gutierrez Soto, M., Javadinasab Hormozabad, S., & Roueche, D. (2020, November). EVENT BRIEFING – Hurricane Eta (PRJ-2954). Structural Extreme Events Reconnaissance (StEER) Network. https://doi.org/10.17603/ds2-jdgs-1667
Roueche, D., Kameshwar, S., Marshall, J., Bandaru, S. N. S. A., Do, T., Kijewski-Correa, T., Cortes, M., Crawford, S., Javadinasab Hormozabad, S., Strader, S., & Prevatt, D. (2020). EVENT BRIEFING – Hurricane Delta. DesignSafe-CI. https://doi.org/10.17603/ds2-y2gc-xj10
Cruzado Vélez, Ivette
Civil Engineering & Surveying
Research interests
- Transportation engineering
- Inverted classroom
- Learning styles
About
Dr. Ivette Cruzado-Vélez specializes in transportation safety and highway design. Her research utilizes statistical modeling to analyze how road geometry and speed impact crash frequency. Through her leadership in the Research Academy and transportation institutes, she informs traffic management policies and advances infrastructure safety and design standards across Puerto Rico. She currently serves as the Director of the Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying.
Contact Info
Email: ivette.cruzado@upr.edu
Office: CI-102K / CI-101
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3718
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Valdes, D. M., Figueroa-Medina, A. M., Cruzado, I., del Valle, C., & Martínez, J. (2024). Influencing travel behavior via an open-source platform Phase 3: Transforming multimodal travel behavior data to support traffic congestion reduction strategies [Resumen de investigación]. University of Puerto Rico (Mayaguez Campus); National Institute for Congestion Reduction. https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/84819
Valdes-Diaz, D. M., Figueroa-Medina, A. M., Cruzado, I., del Valle, C., Martínez, J., Marrero-Rodriguez, L., & Santiago-Ibarra, J. R. (2024). Influencing travel behavior via an open-source platform Phase 2 (Reporte n.º CUTR-NICR-Y2-3-1.2). University of Puerto Rico (Mayaguez Campus); National Institute for Congestion Reduction. https://doi.org/10.5038/CUTR-NICR-Y2-3-1.2
Cruzado, I., Figueroa-Medina, A. M., González, D., Valdés, D., Rivera-Pérez, L. G., & Ruiz-Hernández, B. E. (2023). Corridor-wide surveillance using unmanned aircraft systems Phase II: Freeway incident detection using unmanned aircraft systems (Part A) (Reporte n.º CUTR-NICR-Y2-4-4.1). University of Puerto Rico (Mayaguez Campus), Dept. of Civil Engineering & Surveying; National Institute for Congestion Reduction. https://doi.org/10.5038/CUTR-NICR-Y2-4-4.1
D
Domenech García, Maribella
Chemical Engineering
Research interests
- Microfluidics
- Stem cell technologies
- Culture platforms
- 3D bioprinting
- Biomedical engineering
About
Dr. Maribella Domenech specializes in biomaterials and microfluidic platforms to model the breast tumor microenvironment. Her research group focuses on 3D bioprinting and therapeutic cell manufacturing, advancing breast cancer oncology and stem cell technologies. Through leadership in NSF-funded centers, she develops innovative tools for complex biological modeling and medical diagnostics.
Contact Info
Email: maribella.domenech@upr.edu
Office: IQ-207-G
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 3749
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Rivera-Crespo, C., Velez-Román, L., Acevedo-Esquilin, M., Mills, H. J., Holzhaus, O. G., & Domenech-García, M. (2025). Cryogenic microcarrier-assisted stem cell storage (Cryo-MASCS): A preservation method enabling scalable culture of human mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 17(1), Artículo 57. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-025-04871-9
Echeverría-Altamar, K., Barreto-Gamarra, C., Domenech-García, M., & Resto-Irizarry, P. (2025). Prediction of cardiac differentiation in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte supernatant using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and machine learning. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 283, Artículo 117528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2025.117528
Barreto-Gamarra, C., & Domenech, M. (2025). Integrin stimulation by collagen I at the progenitor stage accelerates maturation of human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 201, 70–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2025.02.009
E
Echeverría Iriarte, Marco J.
Mechanical Engineering
Research interests
- Numerical modeling
- Additive manufacturing
- Metallic materials
About
Dr. Marco J. Echeverría specializes in materials science and mechanical engineering, focusing on additive manufacturing and numerical modeling. His research utilizes molecular dynamics simulations to model metallic materials under extreme conditions, such as plate and laser shock-loading, bridging atomic-scale dislocation behavior with macroscopic performance to advance structural integrity.
Contact Info
Email: marco.echeverria@upr.edu
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext.
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Nitol, M. S., Echeverria Iriarte, M. J., Dickel, D. E., & Fensin, S. J. (2026). Evaluating moment tensor potential in Ag–Cu alloy: Accuracy, transferability, and phase diagram fidelity. Physical Review Materials, 10(2), Artículo 023602. https://doi.org/10.1103/2x2g-3vbp
Callanan, J. G., Echeverria, M. J., Gaskey, B., Martinez, D. T., Mathews, C. W., Jones, D. R., & Fensin, S. J. (2026). Dynamic compression and spallation behavior of NbTaTiVZr high-entropy alloy. Journal of Applied Physics, 139(4), Artículo 045102. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0304035
Tsurkan, P., Echeverria, M. J., Mishra, A., & Dongare, A. M. (2025). Influence of nanoscale interfaces on the dynamic deformation and spall failure of Cu–Fe alloy microstructures. Journal of Applied Physics, 138(22), Artículo 225902. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0293267
Esteban Hernández, Luis
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Research interests
- FPGA-based Signal Processing
- Infrared Interferometry
- Nuclear Instrumentation
- Radiation-Hardened Electronics
- Plasma Diagnostics
- Gesture Recognition Technologies
About
Dr. Luis Esteban Hernández is a researcher specializing in ASIC and FPGA design, radiation-hardened circuits, and algorithm optimization. With a Ph.D. from the Technical University of Madrid and experience at UC Berkeley, his work advances electronic systems for aerospace and telecommunications applications.
Contact Info
Email: luis.esteban@upr.edu
Office: SA-412
Phone: (787) 832-4040 ext. 6771
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Esteban, L., López-Benitez, M., Regadío, A., & Milovanović, V. M. (2025). SlotFi: A time slotted ALOHA anti-collision protocol using Wi-Fi envelope detection. 2025 32nd IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Circuits and Systems (ICECS), Marrakech, Morocco. 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICECS66544.2025.11270514
Esteban, L., & Milovanović, V. (2024). A 65 nm CMOS battery-less RFID tag featuring short range communication with commodity WiFi. 2024 39th Conference on Design of Circuits and Integrated Systems (DCIS), Catania, Italy. 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1109/DCIS62603.2024.10769184
Regadío, A., García Tejedor, J. I., Esteban, L., & Sánchez-Prieto, S. (2024). Three topologies of deep neural networks for pulse height extraction. Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 204, Artículo 111137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2023.111137