New Faculty Members

Keat Ghee Ong joins the faculty of the Department of Biomedical Engineering as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the KMG2 Sensors Corporation.

Ong holds a PhD, an MSE and a BSE in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kentucky. He also taught Circuit Analysis with Applications as a co-instructor for the University of Kentucky.

He has published numerous papers in journals such as the Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sensor Letters, Sensors and Actuators, IEEE Transactions, and Magnets and Sensors. Ong has also published book chapters in Advanced Magnetic Materials and Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Ong holds patents for "Technique and electronic circuitry for quantifying a transient signal using threshold-crossing counting to track signal amplitude," "Network of sensor nodes assemblies and method for remote sensing within liquid environments" and "Temperature, stress and corrosive sensing apparatus utilizing harmonic response of magnetically soft sensor element(s)."

He has received several funded contracts from the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation, such as a $750,000 contract for "Magnetoelastic Sensors for Biomedical Monitoring" from NIH and $100,000 for "Wireless, Embedded Sensors for Long-term Monitoring in Concrete Structures" from NSF. Ong has been a member of Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu since 1995 and is a recipient of the Kentucky Research Challenge Trust Fund Fellowship.

Ong worked for the KMG2 Sensor Corporation in State College, Pa., as a chief scientist for four years. He was also employed at Pennsylvania State University as a postdoctoral researcher and at the University of Kentucky as a postdoctoral researcher and research engineer assistant.

RYAN GILBERT

Ryan Gilbert joins the faculty of the Department of Biomedical Engineering as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Gilbert holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University/Georgia Institute of Technology, a BSE in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. He is also pursuing a PhD.

His research interests include how central nervous system injury changes the chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan character of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, analysis of cell-cycle arresting agents and their effect on altering apoptotic pathways in hybridoma cell lines and determining how often drivers sustained facial, periorbital and ocular injuries from deploying airbags.

Gilbert has assisted in the teaching of biomolecular engineering. He has published papers in journals such as Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, the Society for Automotive Engineers and the Journal of Rehabilitation Research.

RUPAK M. RAJACHAR

Rupak M. Rajachar joins the faculty the Department of Biomedical Engineering as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the University of Washington, Seattle.

Rajachar holds a PhD and an MSE in Biomedical Engineering and a BSE in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He also earned a fellowship in vascular biology from the University of Washington, Seattle.

He has lectured in the areas of biomaterials and been a mentor for seniors in bioengineering and undergraduates in research programs. Rajachar has published numerous works in journals, such as Bone, Calcified Tissue International and Analytical Chemistry.

Rajachar has received grants toward his research into "Effects of Age and Exercise on Microdamage and Composition of Bone" and "Dynamic Spectroscopic Imaging in Bone Biomechanics." Rajachar has also received the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Future Faculty Teaching Apprenticeship, the Cardiovascular Training Grant Senior Fellowship, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, the NIDCR Biomaterials Training Grant and the Gordon Research Conference on Biomineralization Travel Award.

He has worked as a senior fellow in the field of bioengineering at the University of Washington, a research assistant in the fields of biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan and as a research assistant in the field of physiology for the University of Michigan Medical School.