Rowan engineering professors receive national honors

Ying “Gina” Tang, Ph.D., professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Robert Hesketh, Ph.D., professor of chemical engineering, recently received national recognition for their significant contributions to their respective fields. Tang was named an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow. Hesketh was named an American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Fellow. Both are longtime faculty members in the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering.

The IEEE Board of Directors elevated Tang to IEEE Fellow after reviewing a pool of less than 0.1% of voting members recommended for fellowship. An expert in automation and intelligent systems design, Tang researches sustainable and responsible manufacturing processes. She also specializes in enhancing modeling practices around foundational systems present in modern manufacturing. The IEEE cited her “contributions to modeling and control of manufacturing and low-carbon manufacturing systems for sustainable development” as a basis for her fellowship. 

More broadly, Tang’s research brings together artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. Tang studies how these tools can make complex systems easier to understand, model and control. Most recently, Tang explores how combining AI with virtual and augmented reality can help learners understand complex topics through an interactive, game-like environment.

Hesketh received AIChE’s highest grade of membership through election by the institute’s Board of Directors for his dedicated service and contribution to the organization and to the field of chemical engineering. Specializing in sustainable chemical transformation and separation processes, Hesketh studies chemical reactions such as pollutant formation during diesel combustion, as well as separation methods in the pharmaceutical and water treatment industries. 

Along with his research, Hesketh was recognized for his contributions to engineering education, particularly in transforming student engagement with the principles of the field through hands-on, real-world projects.