My teaching experience spans more than two decades and includes engineering mechanics, design, computational methods, laboratory courses, mathematics, capstone design, and research supervision. I have taught students from introductory through advanced undergraduate levels across several engineering disciplines and have developed courses in both traditional and project-based formats.

At Alvernia, my teaching has increasingly focused on helping build the engineering curriculum across the full student experience, from first-year design and foundational engineering courses through professional development, internships, and senior capstone. Earlier work at Penn State included extensive teaching in statics, mechanics of materials, system dynamics, vibrations, MATLAB programming, finite elements, and interdisciplinary courses in kinesiology and game design.

• Professor of Mechanical Engineering

  • Alvernia University, Reading PA: Fall 2022 - Present (Associate Professor 2022-2026, Professor 2026-Present, Tenured May 2023)

    • EGR 111: Engineering Design I Project Course (F24)

    • EGR 201: Engineering Statics (F22, F23, F24)

    • EGR 210: Engineering Design II (S23, S24, S25)

    • EGR 211: Engineering Design II Project Course (F24)

    • EGR 260: Undergraduate Engineering Colloquium (F24, F25, S26, F26)

    • EGR 306: Measurement and Dynamic Response (S26)

    • EGR 310: Engineering Design III (S24, S25)

    • EGR 371L: Measurement and Dynamic Response Lab (S26)

    • EGR 480: Engineering Capstone I (F24, F25, F26)

    • EGR 481: Engineering Capstone II (S25, S26)

    • EGR 285/385/485: Engineering Internship or Research Experience (S25, Su25, F25, S26, Su26)

    • MAT 345: Applied Probability and Linear Methods (F23, F24, F25, F26)

    • ME 201: Strength of Materials (S23, S24, S25)

    • ME 271L: Strength of Materials Lab (S24, S25)

    • ME 211: Thermodynamics (S23, S24)

    • PHY 200L: Physics I Lab (F22)

• Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Kinesiology

  • The Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus, Reading PA; Fall 2013 – Summer 2022 (Assistant Professor 2013-2019, Associate Professor 2019-2022, Tenured May 2019)

    • CMPSC 200: MATLAB Programming (S14, Su15, Su16, Su17, S18, Su18, S19, Su19, F19, S20, Su20, S21, Su21, S22)

    • EMCH 211: Engineering Statics (F13, F14, F15, F16, F19, F20, F21)

    • EMCH 213: Strength of Materials (S15, S16, S17)

    • IST 446/ME 497: Video Game Design (S17, S19)

    • KINES 488: Mechanics of Locomotion (S19)

    • ME 357: System Dynamics (S14, S15, S16, S17, S18, S19, S20, S21, S22)

    • ME/EMCH 370/470: Vibration of Mechanical Systems (F14, F15, F16, F17, F18, F19, F20, F21)

    • ME 380: Machine Dynamics (S14, S15)

    • ME/EMCH 461: Finite Elements in Engineering (S22)

    • ME 494H: Honors Thesis (F15, S16, F17, S18, F18, Su19)

    • ME 496H: Independent Study (F16, S17)

• Lecturer in Engineering Science and Mechanics

  • The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA; Summer 2013

    • EMCH 211: Engineering Statics (Su13)

• Faculty Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering (Fixed-Term Position)

  • The Pennsylvania State University, The Behrend Campus, Erie PA; Spring 2012

    • EMCH 211: Engineering Statics (S12)

    • ME 349: Intermediate Mechanics of Materials (S12)

    • ME 357: System Dynamics (S12)

• Lecturer in Mathematics

  • The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA; Summer 2012

    • MATH 140: Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (Su12)

• Teaching Assistant in Engineering Science and Mechanics Department

  • The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA; 2006-2008, 2010-2013

    • EMCH 316: Experimental Determination of Mechanical Properties of Engineering Materials

    • EMCH 211/213/315: Statics, Strength of Materials, and Mechanical Properties of Engineering Materials

• Instructor for “Principles of Engineering Design”

  • Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth; Summers of 2007, 2008

• Private Tutoring 2008-Present

• Lab Teaching Assistant Engineering Design and Graphics 100(H)

  • The Pennsylvania State University; 2005-2006

Research supervision is an important part of my teaching and mentoring. I have supervised undergraduate and graduate research across biomechanics, gait analysis, wearable sensing, motion capture, machine learning, and engineering design, including more than 40 undergraduate research projects and honors theses.

I try to involve students in the full research process. Depending on the project, students may help develop research questions, collect human-subject data, process and analyze data, write code, interpret results, and prepare scientific presentations, theses, or manuscripts. Many of these projects have led to conference presentations, publications, honors work, and continued research opportunities.

My goal is for students to leave the experience with both technical skills and a better understanding of how research actually works: asking useful questions, dealing with imperfect data, working collaboratively, communicating results, and contributing something new to the field.

Honors Theses

• Christopher Trapp (2020) Multiphysics Finite Element Analysis of Lightning Strike Effects on Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites - https://honors.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/7150clt49

• Nicholas Ficca (2019) Undulatory Swimming: Flexible Fin Dynamics - https://honors.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/6289nmf5233

• Michael Bianco (2018) Virtual Air Hockey Table as Motor Control Analysis Research Platform - https://honors.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/5326mab6756

• Dominic Lupo (2018) Pendulum Angle Estimation with a Complementary Filter - https://honors.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/5540drl5318

• Tye Morales (2016) An Examination of Non-dominant Leg Gait and Gait Symmetry through AFO and VO2 Analysis - https://honors.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/29319

Ph.D. Dissertations

• Joseph Kroculick (2026) Igniting Hearts and Minds for Sustainability: A Comparison of Theological and Engineering Ecological Conversion Models

• Jullien B Searfoss (2020). The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Styles, and Gender of Superintendents in Pennsylvania Public School Districts