For the first time, two faculty members have been chosen to receive the 2020 CEC Outstanding Faculty Research Award.

Dr. Jason Berberich, Associate Professor in the CPB department, and Dr. Andrew Sommers, Associate Professor in the MME department, are the joint recipients of the award. The two have established collaborations with researchers both within and outside of Miami University.

Dr. Sommers is recognized for his innovative and creative research efforts in the area of multi-phase heat transfer. This research involves frost property modification, condensate management, vapor compression system modeling and much more.

“I am thankful for the encouragement that I have received, thankful for the opportunities afforded to me, and thankful for the relationships with like-minded colleagues both here and abroad,” Dr. Sommers said.

He has also conducted research with universities in Brazil and New Zealand, and has authored nearly 15 journal publications in the last few years.

Dr. Berberich is recognized for his multidisciplinary research program that covers chemical engineering, biomedical engineering and material science. His research focuses on the interface between materials science and biotechnology. His range of research allows him to contribute to a number of fields, from environmental protection to improving industrial detergents.

“I look forward to many more years working alongside and learning from my colleagues while trying to solve interesting problems,” Dr. Berberich said.

He has also established research and funding with Procter & Gamble and the Environmental Protection Agency, which has assisted him in publishing 15 journal papers and a few book chapters in recent years.

By Jenna Calderón, CEC Reporter