Dr. Ashanthi Maxworth [ashanthi.maxworth@maine.edu]
Dr. Maxworth is currently an Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering at the University of Southern Maine. She is originally from Sri Lanka, where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering at University of Moratuwa. Her Masters and Doctorate are from the University of Colorado Denver. Her graduate thesis work was on electromagnetic wave propagation in the Earth’s ionosphere and magnetosphere. Upon graduation she held a postdoctoral fellowship at University of Saskatchewan Canada for almost three years, analyzing satellite observations of natural EM waves. She has a decade of teaching experience and has published more than ten peer reviewed journal articles. Since August 2020, she has been working as a tenure track faculty member at USM. She took over the principal investigator responsibilities for the USM Cube satellite initiative in June 2022.
Dr. Scott Eaton [scott.eaton@maine.edu]
Dr. Eaton is Asst. Professor of Mechanical Engineering and principal investigator of the Fuels and Combustion Laboratory at USM where he is engaged in alternative energy research, including space-based energy conversion technologies. His teaching area is thermal/fluid sciences and offers a course on space systems engineers. He is lead organizer of the USM CubeSat Design Competition (UCDC) which engages Maine K-12 students and teachers in space exploration and the engineering design process. When not teaching or researching, he enjoys the outdoors, running, chess and all things board sports.
Dr. So Young Han [soyoung.han@maine.edu]
Dr. Han is a physicist and the Director of Maker Innovation and the STEP up STEM program. She has over 20 years experience in innovative curricula, creative pedagogy, and environmentally cognitive community projects. She is a skilled “maker” and oversees the MIST labs. She also likes coffee, skill collecting, and innovative Korean cooking.
Dr. Asheesh Lanba [asheesh.lanba@maine.edu]
Dr. Lanba teaches materials science and mechanics-based courses at the University of the Southern Maine, and conducts research in advanced materials, laser ablation tomography (LATscan) and image analysis. He is also leading the USM effort to absorb the Composites Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL). He obtained his PhD in Engineering Science and Mechanics from the Pennsylvania State University in 2015. Outside of work, Dr. Lanba is an avid hiker, mountain biker, cinephile and cynophile. He also played cricket for NTU at the national and inter-varsity level in Singapore.
Dr. Jeremy Qualls [jeremy.qualls@maine.edu]
Dr. Qualls currently serves as the Dean of the College of Science, Technology, and Health at the University of Southern Maine. As a physicist and material scientist, Dr. Qualls has pioneered work on novel electronic ground states, the high magnetic field environment, and interdisciplinary pedagogy. Dr. Qualls started research as an undergraduate student and published on Mira variable stars. His work has led to numerous publications and major grant funded research projects. Dr. Qualls has led extensive growth and innovation across the University.
Dr. Warren Ziegler [warren.ziegler@maine.edu]
Dr. Ziegler has had a long standing career in the energy, environmental and aerospace fields. Dr. Ziegler worked on the Viking Mars meteorology experiment while at NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies and also worked on the aerodynamics of the stealth fighter at Lockheed. Dr. Ziegler now organizes student events and mentors students interested in engineering design, weather stations, satellite development, and space exploration. Dr. Ziegler contributed the remote sensing, attitude control, and telemetry sections for MESAT-1, the first satellite from the state of Maine. Dr. Ziegler obtained his Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from New York University. Dr. Ziegler has various journal publications in the fields of planetary science, energy technology, and microwave power transmission. Dr. Ziegler holds U.S. and international patents in fuel cell technology.