/newsroom/feature-stories 2025-12-18T14:01:41-06:00 UAH webmaster@uah.edu Joomla! - Open Source Content Management 2025-12-18T08:08:21-06:00 2025-12-18T08:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19931-after-15-years-transformative-leadership-dr-shankar-mahalingam-dean-uah-college-of-engineering-set-to-retire Russ Nelson

<p><img src="//images/Shankar-Mahalingam-720.jpg" alt="Dr. Shankar Mahalingam, Dean of the UAH College of Engineering and Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering." width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Following 15 years of distinguished service as dean of the College of Engineering at ����app (UAH), Dr. Shankar Mahalingam is retiring, concluding a tenure marked by significant growth, innovation and national impact at the institution.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/Shankar-Mahalingam-720.jpg" alt="Dr. Shankar Mahalingam, Dean of the UAH College of Engineering and Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering." width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Following 15 years of distinguished service as dean of the College of Engineering at ����app (UAH), Dr. Shankar Mahalingam is retiring, concluding a tenure marked by significant growth, innovation and national impact at the institution.</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-17T08:08:21-06:00 2025-12-17T08:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19927-vignesh-geethas-whats-in-the-smoke-wins-uahs-2025-three-minute-thesis-competition Ann Marie Martin

<p><img src="//images/2025-Three-Minute-Thesis-winners-720.jpg" alt="The four winners in ����app (UAH) Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition are, left to right, Vignesh Vasudevan Geetha, first place; Derek Koehl, second place; Boshra Rezvanian, third place, and Eirian Waldron, People’s Choice." width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Vignesh Vasudevan Geetha’s explanation of “What’s in the Smoke?” took the top prize in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition presented by ����app (UAH) Graduate School on Oct. 23. UAH is a part of The University of Alabama System.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/2025-Three-Minute-Thesis-winners-720.jpg" alt="The four winners in ����app (UAH) Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition are, left to right, Vignesh Vasudevan Geetha, first place; Derek Koehl, second place; Boshra Rezvanian, third place, and Eirian Waldron, People’s Choice." width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Vignesh Vasudevan Geetha’s explanation of “What’s in the Smoke?” took the top prize in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition presented by ����app (UAH) Graduate School on Oct. 23. UAH is a part of The University of Alabama System.</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-16T08:08:21-06:00 2025-12-16T08:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19926-uah-researchers-lead-study-suggesting-dark-matter-can-be-detected-unidentified-x-ray-emission-lines-spectra-of-galaxy-clusters Russ Nelson

<p><img src="//images/XRISM-720.jpg" alt="X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) studies the hot, energetic universe by capturing X-rays to reveal details about galaxy clusters, black holes, supernova remnants and the formation of cosmic structures" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Scientists search for “decaying” dark matter (DDM) because it offers unique signatures like specific X-ray or gamma-ray lines or neutrino signals not seen in normal matter, potentially revealing dark matter's particle nature, mass and interactions, information that could illuminate the universe's structure.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/XRISM-720.jpg" alt="X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) studies the hot, energetic universe by capturing X-rays to reveal details about galaxy clusters, black holes, supernova remnants and the formation of cosmic structures" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Scientists search for “decaying” dark matter (DDM) because it offers unique signatures like specific X-ray or gamma-ray lines or neutrino signals not seen in normal matter, potentially revealing dark matter's particle nature, mass and interactions, information that could illuminate the universe's structure.</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-15T08:08:21-06:00 2025-12-15T08:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19923-heath-hudson-receives-cybersecurity-degree-from-uah-leaves-behind-bright-charger-blue-legacy Ann Marie Martin

<p><img src="//images/Heath-Hudson---IMG_9092-720.jpg" alt="Heath Hudson" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>He was a mild-mannered cybersecurity major at ����app (UAH) College of Engineering in fall 2021 when his life as a ����app student changed forever.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/Heath-Hudson---IMG_9092-720.jpg" alt="Heath Hudson" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>He was a mild-mannered cybersecurity major at ����app (UAH) College of Engineering in fall 2021 when his life as a ����app student changed forever.</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-12T09:08:21-06:00 2025-12-12T09:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19921-uah-researcher-wins-1-2m-nsf-grant-to-address-the-environmental-challenge-forever-chemicals Russ Nelson

<p><img src="//images/PFAS-720.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Dr. Yu Lei, a professor in the College of Engineering at ����app, a part of The University of Alabama System, has won a $1.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF)</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/PFAS-720.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Dr. Yu Lei, a professor in the College of Engineering at ����app, a part of The University of Alabama System, has won a $1.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF)</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-12T08:08:21-06:00 2025-12-12T08:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19919-uah-students-named-capitol-scholars-for-2026 UA System Office

<p><img src="//images/UAH-Capitol-Scholars-1-720.jpg" alt="Om Patel, LoriElle Hutchinson, Andrew Brien, Braeden Hayes" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Four students from ����app (UAH) have been selected to travel to Washington, D.C., next summer for the University of Alabama (UA) System’s 2026 Capitol Scholars program. UAH is a part of the UA System.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/UAH-Capitol-Scholars-1-720.jpg" alt="Om Patel, LoriElle Hutchinson, Andrew Brien, Braeden Hayes" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Four students from ����app (UAH) have been selected to travel to Washington, D.C., next summer for the University of Alabama (UA) System’s 2026 Capitol Scholars program. UAH is a part of the UA System.</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-11T08:08:21-06:00 2025-12-11T08:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19916-diana-sontay-uah-fall-2025-education-grad-eager-to-help-her-students-reach-aha-moments Ann Marie Martin

<p><img src="//images/Diana-Sontay---IMG_9071-720.jpg" alt="Diana Sontay teaching intern at Discovery Middle School in Madison" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>When Diana Sontay was in high school, she thought math was just not her thing as she struggled through the classes. Some people even agreed with her. But one math teacher objected.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/Diana-Sontay---IMG_9071-720.jpg" alt="Diana Sontay teaching intern at Discovery Middle School in Madison" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>When Diana Sontay was in high school, she thought math was just not her thing as she struggled through the classes. Some people even agreed with her. But one math teacher objected.</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-10T08:08:21-06:00 2025-12-10T08:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19913-uah-grad-delaney-enlow-collaboration-between-academic-disciplines-builds-path-success-2025 Ann Marie Martin

<p><img src="//images/Delaney-Enlow-at-SMAP-Center-720.jpg" alt="Delaney Enlow UAH College of Nursing" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Delaney Enlow contributed to better health care in our community as a student at ����app (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/Delaney-Enlow-at-SMAP-Center-720.jpg" alt="Delaney Enlow UAH College of Nursing" width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Delaney Enlow contributed to better health care in our community as a student at ����app (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System.</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-09T08:08:21-06:00 2025-12-09T08:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19910-uah-fall-2025-grad-bryan-rogomentick-track-to-return-classroom-teaching-after-military-service Ann Marie Martin

<p><img src="//images/Bryan-Rogomentick-2---IMG_9036-720.jpg" alt="Bryan Rogomentick stands at the front entrance to Bob Jones High School, where he’s spent the fall 2025 semester as a teaching intern." width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Teaching middle school requires dedication and courage. So does serving in the U.S. Army. When Bryan Rogomentick left the first career and joined the second, he discovered that his experience leading a classroom provided insights he could employ in the military.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/Bryan-Rogomentick-2---IMG_9036-720.jpg" alt="Bryan Rogomentick stands at the front entrance to Bob Jones High School, where he’s spent the fall 2025 semester as a teaching intern." width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>Teaching middle school requires dedication and courage. So does serving in the U.S. Army. When Bryan Rogomentick left the first career and joined the second, he discovered that his experience leading a classroom provided insights he could employ in the military.</p> <!--// END Intro Text --> 2025-12-08T10:08:21-06:00 2025-12-08T10:08:21-06:00 /newsroom/feature-stories/19909-uah-student-researcher-leads-discovery-fastest-gamma-ray-burst-ever-recorded Russ Nelson

<p><img src="//images/Sarah-Dalessi-720.jpg" alt="Sarah Dalessi, a graduate student in the UAH College of Science, holding a model of NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope." width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>– Sarah Dalessi, a fifth-year student in the College of Science at ����app (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, is the lead author of a paper on arXiv detailing the discovery of the fastest gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever recorded.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->

<p><img src="//images/Sarah-Dalessi-720.jpg" alt="Sarah Dalessi, a graduate student in the UAH College of Science, holding a model of NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope." width="720" height="405" loading="lazy"></p><!-- BEGIN Intro Text --> <p>– Sarah Dalessi, a fifth-year student in the College of Science at ����app (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, is the lead author of a paper on arXiv detailing the discovery of the fastest gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever recorded.</p> <!--// END Intro Text -->