Our Team

Darrin Hanna, Ph.D.

Director of the Engineering Institute and Professor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Bioengineering

Dr. Hanna is a Professor at Oakland University, Director of the Engineering Institute, and the Director of the High-Performance Embedded Systems Laboratory. His work focuses on artificial intelligence and embedded systems, where he has contributed to both academic research and practical applications. Dr. Hanna is involved in the development of AI-driven technologies and the optimization of computing systems, bridging the gap between hardware and software in innovative ways. In addition to his research, he plays a vital role in mentoring engineering students, preparing them for careers in a rapidly evolving technological environment. His work in bringing technology to market has been recognized with the 2003 Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Commercialization Success Award, highlighting his ability to translate research into impactful, real-world applications.

Dennis Corrigan, Ph.D.

Director of Vehicle Electrification Programs and Adjunct Professor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Corrigan has a PhD in Electrochemistry from the University of Wisconsin. For over 3 decades, he has pursued the development of electrochemical power devices for hybrid and electric vehicles including several types of batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors. He played key roles in the development of lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride batteries for the iconic GM EV1. His work at GM R&D, ECD-Ovonics, Cobasys, US Army TARDEC, XALT Energy, and Wayne State University has led to over 170 presentations and publications and 19 US patents. He has developed and taught graduate engineering courses on electric and hybrid vehicles and batteries at Oakland University since 2009. Since 2019, he has taught over 20 graduate training courses with the Engineering Institute assisting over 400 auto engineers transition to electric vehicle engineering.

Lori Crose

Program Developer, Professional and Continuing Education

Lori Crose has been with Oakland University (OU) in Rochester, Michigan since 2000 and was the Founding Director of Professional and Continuing Education. In her current position as Program Developer, she has administrative responsibility for educational programs across Engineering including credit and non-credit certificates, certification training and retooling programs at and above the post-bachelor level. In addition, she is responsible for developing high quality, new and innovative programming that will align with county, state, and federal employment trends and is charged with connecting them with the government and business communities. Lori has served as Director of OU’s Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program for the last ten years.

Prior to higher education, she worked in the healthcare industry serving as laboratory research assistant at both Illinois State University in Bloomington, Illinois and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. Later, she served as Senior Microbiologist at Pharmacia-Upjohn in Kalamazoo, Michigan. While there, her research on Streptomyces transposons resulted in several white paper publications and she received numerous awards for her contribution to antibiotic production process improvements.

Lori earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration in 2002 from Oakland University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois College in 1981. As part of her community and workforce development activities, she served on the Oakland County’s Workforce Development Business Roundtable and represented Oakland University Representative on the Oakland County Emerging Sectors Educational Consortium. She was a founding member of Main Street Pontiac and currently serves on the Board of Directors and is chair of the Economic Vitality Committee.

Professionally, she has served two terms as the Central Region Secretary for the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) and served as Central Region President in 2017 bringing the Central Region Conference to Detroit.

For fun, Lori volunteers in support of democracy and is currently working on advocating for voter’s rights. She was a volunteer for Voter’s Not Politicians as a statewide organizer for Prop 2 to end gerrymandering in Michigan.

Jerry Ku, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Ku is an Adjunct Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Oakland University. He retired in September 2022 from Wayne State University, after over 38 years of active research and curriculum development in several areas. In 2008, he co-founded the first-in-US master’s degree program in Electric-drive Vehicle Engineering (EVE) and developed and taught key courses on xEV powertrain design as well as xEV simulation and controls using MATLAB/Simulink. From 2011 to 2018, he served as lead faculty advisor for WSU’s EcoCAR student HEV design team to compete in Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (avtcseries.org), having successfully reengineered 2 production gasoline vehicles into plug-in hybrid in 2 different architectures, while closely interacted with DOE, GM, Mathworks, NXP, as well as OEMs for EV battery, embedded system testing etc. In 2019, he expanded teaching and research to simulation and controls of ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) and autonomous vehicles.

Huirong Fu, Ph.D.

Professor of Engineering in Computer Science and Engineering

Dr. Huirong Fu is a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Oakland University. Her research focuses on cybersecurity, particularly in the areas of network security, data privacy, and secure software development. Dr. Fu has contributed extensively to the field through her research on enhancing security protocols and developing innovative methods for protecting sensitive data. She is also deeply committed to education, playing a key role in guiding students and professionals in the evolving field of cybersecurity. Dr. Fu’s work is characterized by its practical impact, bridging the gap between theoretical research and real-world security challenges, making her a respected figure in both academic and professional circles.

Mohammad Sedigh Toulabi, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Toulabi received the Ph.D. degree from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, in 2016, in electrical engineering. He is an Assistant Professor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Oakland University. Prior to that he was on the faculty at the University of Windsor and held positions as an electrified powertrain lead engineer at Stellantis, formerly called Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) US LLC, Auburn Hills, MI, USA and was a senior research associate at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. His research interests include design, analysis, modeling, control and testing of electric machines and power electronics for transportation electrification. Dr. Toulabi is the senior member of IEEE, senior editor of the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION and the associate editor of the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION and IEEE POWER ENGINEERING LETTERS. He is a registered professional engineer (P.Eng.) in the province of Ontario, Canada, and an invited professor by various US academic institutes to teach electric machines and drives to the automotive industry engineers.

Xia Wang, Ph.D.

Professor of Engineering and Chair of Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Wang is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Oakland University. Dr. Wang's research is focused on thermal and fluid science with applications in fuel cells and batteries, including modeling, design, and experimental characterization. In the field of batteries, Dr. Wang's research concentrates on developing Multiphysics modeling for Lithium-ion batteries. This model has been utilized to study battery thermal management, optimize battery electrode design, investigate fast charging strategies, and model battery aging. Experimental research is also centered on characterizing the thermal properties of batteries. Dr. Wang's research in fuel cells centers on water and thermal management of PEM fuel cells, involving the development of non-invasive optical temperature measurement and water detection sensors, along with multi-physics modeling.

David Stern

Ph.D. Candidate in Embedded Systems

David Stern is a Ph.D. student in Electrical and Computer Engineering studying Embedded Systems at Oakland University. David earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering at Oakland University in May 2018 and his Master of Science in Embedded Systems in May 2020. His areas of interest have been implementing AI algorithms in embedded systems using FPGAs and full-stack software development with a focus on cloud tools. Along with his research, he is currently a teaching assistant for a hardware design course and teaches a certification program for professionals on cloud tools and cross-platform mobile development.

David enjoys skiing, hiking, and traveling when he isn't working. He hopes to get his pilot's license within the next couple of years to make these adventures easier to do.

"[Coffee] is the lifeblood that drives the dreams of champions.”

Nashwan Sebi, Ph.D.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Nashwan Sebi is a Visiting Assistant Professor at OU and an Adjunct Professor at EMU. In 2020's summer, he commenced his instructional journey with the ECE4/5520 Automotive Mechatronics I at Oakland University, Rochester, MI. His academic contributions expanded to include notable courses such as ECE6520 Automotive Mechatronics II, ECE4/5415 Microcomputer-based Control Systems, and ECE3100 Electronic Circuits and Devices. Concurrently, since 2021, he has been a key educator for the CEET373 Autonomous Vehicles course at Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti.

Highlighting his contribution to the OU-Stellenatis (formerly recognized as OU-FCA) collaboration from 2019, Nashwan has been instrumental in delivering the Automotive Mechatronics I course (Cert. 1 Mod. 3) to Stellantis' engineers.

Dr. Sebi earned his Ph.D. at Oakland University. He holds a Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI, and a B.Sc. from the University of Technology, Baghdad, in Computer and Control Engineering. Professionally, he made significant contributions to the University of Baghdad, leveraging his skills as a Computer Engineer and sharing knowledge as a lecturer for an impressive duration of over six years. At the heart of his research endeavors lie AI and the innovative world of autonomous vehicles.

Emily Crose

Information Security Professional

Emily Crose has been an information security professional for over a decade. She has been an officer for multiple government organizations including the NSA, CIA and US Army INSCOM. She currently works to secure critical industrial infrastructure worldwide. She is also an advocate for counter white nationalism, and government transparency.

Dona Burkhard

Special Lecturer of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering and ECE Advisory Board Member

Dona Burkard specializes in embedded system technologies working in automotive for over 30 years in manufacturing, product development and research. Her responsibilities range from vice president of an automotive supplier, senior management at OEMs, and university government research. As department manager at Ford’s Research and Innovation Center she led the future vehicle software and electrical platform architecture. The vision integrated traditional software architectures with autonomous applications, artificial intelligence, cyber security and strategy for quantum algorithms. She currently teaches a post-graduate EECE course at Oakland University, “Safety-Critical Systems”, and serves on the EECE board. Dona received her BS in Computer Engineering and MS in Engineering Management from Oakland University. She served on numerous boards including Chair of NSF Center of Embedded Systems, authored technical publications and led industry advancements in MRAM, OTA, AUTOSAR, and manycore processors in safety-critical applications.

Manohar Das, Ph.D.

Professor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Das received his B. Tech and M. Tech degrees in Radio Physics and Electronics from the University of Calcutta, India, and M.S and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Colorado State University, USA. He joined Oakland University in 1984, as an Assistant Professor of Engineering, and currently serves there as a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He has seven years of industrial experience in India, and several years of consulting experience with Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company. His research areas include Power Electronics, Modeling and Optimization of Charge/Discharge Processes of Li-ion Batteries, Adaptive Controls, System Modeling and System Identification, Digital Signal Processing, Image Processing, Pattern Recognition, and Data Compression. He has supervised 24 Ph.D. dissertations in these areas and currently serves as the supervisor of 5 doctoral students. He has published more than 150 papers/articles in journals, books, and conference proceedings and holds four US patents. He served as a Technical Editor of Simulation Journal, and a reviewer for Electronics Letters, several MDPI Journals, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, IEEE Transactions on Education, IEE Proceedings, and a number of international conferences.

Dan Aloi, Ph.D.

Director of Research, Director of the Applied EMAG and Wireless Lab, and Professor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Aloi is the Director of Research for Oakland University’s School of Engineering Computer Science. He is also a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and Director of the Applied EMAG and Wireless Lab. His research is focused in the area of applied electromagnetics with emphasis on antenna measurement, modeling and design; wave propagation; and electromagnetic compatibility for the automotive and aerospace/defense industry. He is a senior member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and a member of the Applied Electromagnetics Society (ACES), Antenna Measurement Techniques Association (AMTA), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and past-member of the 5th Generation Automotive Associate (5GAA). He earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, all in electrical engineering, from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio.

Alex Postlmayr

Ph.D. Candidate in Bioengineering

Alex started his undergraduate degree at Oakland as pre-med. He had been in and out of the doctors office, growing up playing ice hockey. He joined an engineering class in hopes of doing more projects and less exams. During his senior project, he was inspired by the works of Neuralink and had the opportunity to fabricate his own neural electrodes. He received the NSF GRFP fellowship to do his PhD, and he is now at the University of California San Diego studying Bioengineering and working on his thesis - an AI Coach for virtual physical therapy. He is combining his passion for sports and machine learning. In his freetime, Alex likes to play hockey, tennis, and surf.

Jason Gorski, Ph.D.

President and Founder of MicroNova

Jason Gorski is the founder and president of MicroNova, an embedded systems research and development company based in Metro Detroit, Michigan. Jason earned his Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from Oakland University, where he conducted research on reconfigurable computing architectures, high-level synthesis techniques, and wireless energy transfer. For his dissertation, Jason developed the FPOA (Field-Programmable Operation Array), a medium-grained reconfigurable computing architecture, for which he was also awarded US Patent 10,482,209. In previous industry roles, Jason developed mission-critical embedded software at a defense contractor, and designed FPGA-based mixed-signal circuitry and PCB layouts for scanning probe microscope controllers.

Alan Horton

Technology Leader

Alan Horton is a seasoned technology leader with 30 years of progressive experience innovating and operating business critical SaaS software products. He has worked as a Chief Technology Officer for the last ten years leading companies in rapid growth, addressing tech debt, innovating, improving security, and scaling and developing their engineering organizations into high performing teams. Alan is co-inventor of a patent for a big data technology solution to systematically produce near real-time data to the life sciences market and holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the Rochester Institute of Technology. As an Instructor in the Engineering Institute at Oakland University, he enjoys sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience with all aspects of Agile and Continuous Delivery methods.

Hank Barker

AI Trainer and Consultant

Hank Barker is an AI trainer and co-founder of PriorAIty, where he helps organizations make artificial intelligence simple, actionable, and approachable. He has partnered with universities, colleges, and professional organizations to deliver engaging training programs that break down complex AI concepts into clear, usable strategies for the workplace. His experience spans industries including education, marketing, sales, and human resources. Hank has worked with institutions such as Oakland University, Siena Heights University, Macomb Community College, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as well as organizations like MASPA and MEMA. His energetic, front-facing approach makes AI both fun and practical, inspiring teams to adopt new technologies with confidence. Hank is an alumnus of Oakland University and a lifelong sports enthusiast. He enjoys spending time outdoors, staying active, and watching football games with his family. At home, he is also a proud dog lover, with three dogs who keep life lively.

Benjamin Tarzwell

AI Trainer and Consultant

Benjamin Tarzwell is an AI trainer and co-founder of PriorAIty, specializing in data safety, responsible adoption, and workplace readiness for emerging AI tools. He works with organizations to ensure that AI implementation is not only effective but also secure and aligned with ethical best practices. His guidance helps teams build trust in new technologies while reducing risks and addressing organizational concerns. Ben’s experience includes partnerships with leading educational institutions such as Oakland University, Siena Heights University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as well as professional organizations like MASPA and MEMA. He has delivered training programs across education, sales, marketing, and human resources, helping professionals confidently navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Outside of his professional work, Ben is an avid cat lover with a household full of feline companions. He also enjoys spending time with friends playing Dungeons & Dragons, bringing the same creativity and problem-solving skills to the table that he applies in his professional work.

Tom Harvey

Battery Management Systems Senior Technical Fellow

Tom Harvey has over four decades of experience designing semiconductors, electronics, and Battery Management Systems (BMSs).  His professional career began in IC design at Digital Equipment Corp, and later his entrepreneurial spirit led to founding Coastline Technology where he developed instrumentation for racing engines. Upon joining Ford’s fledgling electric vehicle program in 1992, Tom found a passion for BMS hardware, software, and algorithms.  He invented and received three patents for Ford’s first distributed BMS and championed the technology for future EVs.  Inspired to take BMS technology further, he founded eXtend inc. where he created advanced and novel BMS solutions for a variety of vehicles and batteries.  Tom has continued his focus on BMS at many automotive and semiconductor firms and enjoys sharing his diverse background as inspiration to solve today’s BMS challenges.

Steve Bazinski, Ph.D.

Special Instructor in Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Bazinski earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland University with novel research work on the development of a thermographic technique to predict the thermal behavior in lithium-ion pouch batteries. Additionally, Dr. Bazinski has several decades of R&D experience in vehicle electrification engineering with automotive and battery companies including Chrysler, Dow Kokam, Magna Steyr, A123, and LG Energy Solutions. He is also a dedicated teacher with over 28 years of teaching graduate and undergraduate engineering courses as an adjunct instructor at several colleges and universities. As a Special Instructor with the Oakland University Mechanical Engineering Department, he has developed excellent courses introducing basic concepts with practical application to electric and hybrid vehicle engineering.

Arshan Khan, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Khan is an expert in vehicle electrification with over 14 years of industry experience. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Oakland University, where he teaches courses on hybrid and electric vehicle systems. His academic focus is on preparing students to navigate the evolving field of electrified transportation.

Dr. Khan has held several key positions in the automotive industry. Most recently, he was the Director of Power Electronics and Electric Machines at CNH Industrial, where he led global teams to develop electrification strategies for agriculture and construction machinery. Prior to that, he served as a Chief Engineer at Eaton Corporation, leading the development of high-voltage inverter systems and motor control software for electric vehicles.

Dr. Khan's industry experience also includes roles at Ford Motor Company and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), where he contributed to the development and optimization of electric drive systems for flagship vehicles such as the Ford F-150 Hybrid and Chrysler Pacifica. His work in these positions significantly improved fuel economy and vehicle performance.

In addition to his industry contributions, Dr. Khan has been active in academia, teaching at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Lawrence Technological University. His courses have focused on electric drive transportation, power electronics, and Analog Electronics. He has published over 18 technical papers, holds several patents related to motor control, and has delivered keynote speeches at major conferences. Dr. Khan earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Florida International University and is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

Gholam-Abbas Nazri, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Nazri is a world-renowned expert in the science and engineering of lithium-ion batteries. After earning a PhD in Physical Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University followed by post-doctoral studies at Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory, he participated as senior technical staff at GM R&D for 27 years, where he spearheaded GMs activities into lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells, and hydrogen storage. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of Pierre and Marie Curie, Bordeaux and Nates in France. He has served as research and teaching professor at Wayne State University, University of Windsor, and Oakland University. He has 21 US and world patents, 11 proceeding volumes on solid-state Ionics, 2 textbooks on science and technology of lithium-ion batteries, and over 160 referenced publications to his name. His technical fields of interest include advanced batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells for electric and hybrid vehicles, alternative energy sources and energy conversion, hydrogen storage, nano materials synthesis and applications, solid state electronic materials and devices, and real time characterization of materials and devices. Dr. Nazri has taught dozens of undergraduate and graduate level courses and has supervised many MS and PhD students in his academic career.

Shaahin Filizadeh, Ph.D.

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Shaahin Filizadeh is a Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Manitoba in Canada. His areas of expertise include electromagnetic transient simulation of power and power-electronic systems, and power electronics and its high-power applications. Dr. Filizadeh is a registered Professional Engineer in the province of Manitoba and a Senior Member of the IEEE. He currently also teaches courses on design of electric motors for Oakland University.

Srihari Gangaraj, Ph.D.

Senior Electric Vehicle Expert

With a Ph.D. and 25 years of industry experience, Dr. Gangaraj has worked extensively on electric vehicles at General Motors, FCA, a startup, and in the marine sector. He has led engineering teams focused on electric motors, power electronics, and battery systems across six product lines. His expertise lies in multidisciplinary modeling of electric powertrain systems and mentoring engineers to transition from conventional powertrain to electrified systems. He is coinventor on six patents in this field, he is a Senior Member of IEEE, and currently serves as an associate editor for an IEEE journal. Dr. Gangaraj is committed to equipping engineers with the knowledge they need to achieve success in the rapidly evolving field.

Nick Karditsas

Electric Vehicle Battery Pack Integration Expert

Nick Karditsas, a highly accomplished leader in high-voltage battery systems, currently serves as the Director of High Voltage Battery Systems at American Battery Solutions in Michigan. With a diverse career spanning multiple industry-leading organizations, Nick has developed his technical acumen and leadership skills. Nick has held various roles, including Senior Director of Energy Storage Systems at Rivian, and has contributed to numerous patents through his expertise in cell and pack development, spanning the entire product lifecycle. He collaborates with automotive OEMs, startups, and the U.S. Department of Energy, inspiring and leading multidisciplinary teams. Beyond his professional achievements, Nick teaches at Oakland University, contributing to the development of the next generation of engineers. He holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration. Nick’s technical expertise and leadership have earned him a respected reputation in the battery industry.

Keith Harvey

Budget Manager for the School of Engineering and Computer Science

Keith is the budget manager for SECS. Keith is instrumental in working swiftly to onboard and hire faculty, staff, and students for the Engineering Institute. He is key to processing scholarships for graduate students.

Bonnie Koch

Office Manager for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Bonnie is the Office Manager for the ECE Department at Oakland University and graciously works with the Engineering Institute on connecting all the dots to hire students and staff.

Sean Conklin

Web Development

Sean spends much of his time creating websites and online applications. Back in 2008, he taught himself to code in order to create a guitar lesson membership website that is still active to this day.

When he's not busy coding, he enjoys hiking, playing guitar, writing music, and raising his beloved dog, Teddy.