College of Engineering Welcomes 10 New Permanent Faculty Members

Laurie Bracaglia
Assistant Professor,
Chemical and Biological Engineering

Dr. Bracaglia joins the College of Engineering from Yale University, where she was a postdoctoral fellow studying drug delivery vehicles and inflammation. At Villanova, Dr. Bracaglia will lend her expertise to courses in biomaterials.

“I am very excited to start my research program here at Villanova,” she says. “It is a great opportunity to work with motivated students and among talented faculty to pursue translatable and high-impact advances in therapeutics.”

Sarada Prasad Gochhayat
Assistant Teaching Professor,
Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Gochhayat comes to Villanova from Old Dominion University, where he was a postdoctoral fellow working on developing the theoretical foundation for the Blockchain simulator. With research interests in designing and developing secure and privacy-aware protocols for distributed networks and systems, Dr. Gochhayat will teach courses in the College of Engineering on cybersecurity and network security.

While getting settled in his new role at Villanova, Dr. Gochhayat most looks forward to “interacting with students,” he says.

Kelly Good
Assistant Professor,
Civil and Environmental Engineering

Dr. Good is a familiar face in the College of Engineering, having served as a visiting assistant teaching professor from 2019 to 2022 after finishing her PhD at Carnegie Mellon University; she is also an alum of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. In her research, Dr. Good seeks to advance understanding of watershed system interactions to support resilient, equitable decision-making under an uncertain future. These interests span engineering, health and policy.

“I am thrilled to be able to remain a part of Villanova community and continue teaching while also growing my research through collaboration and mentoring,” she says. “Put another way, in paraphrased words of St. Augustine, to help my students ‘become what they are not yet.’”

Scott Jackson
Assistant Teaching Professor
Chemical and Biological Engineering

For six years, Dr. Jackson has made a name for himself in the College of Engineering, first as an adjunct and then as a visiting professor. His expertise in the petroleum industry has led to numerous interviews with the local media, in which Dr. Jackson has explained the impact of global events on oil and gas prices and their impact on the world economy. These discussions spill over into Dr. Jackson’s Engineering Economics and Dark Energy courses.

An expert in biphasic systems, heat transfer in reacting systems and industrial application of environmental microbiology, in addition to petroleum engineering, Dr. Jackson says he is excited “to continue to teach my experiences garnered from 30+ years in industry.”

Christopher Kitchens
Professor and Chair,
Chemical and Biological Engineering

Dr. Kitchens, our new chair of Chemical and Biological Engineering, comes to Villanova from Clemson University, where he was a full professor, director of the Institute for Sustainability Education, and principal investigator and director of SPECTRA, or Student Pathways in Engineering and Computing for Transfers—an NSF S-STEM program supporting transfer students from South Carolina technical colleges. With a background in nanotechnology, surface science and advanced materials, Dr. Kitchens takes an interdisciplinary approach to research, combining chemistry, materials science and chemical engineering in his work with an eye toward sustainable processes.

“It’s an exciting time to be joining the College of Engineering,” he says. “I look forward to leading the department as we establish and work toward new goals for the College.”

Liesl Klein
Assistant Teaching Professor,
Electrical and Computer Engineering

An alum of the College of Engineering, Dr. Klein returns to her former department with research interests in electrical engineering, biomedical engineering (particularly MRI and MRI devices), engineering education and student well-being. In her new role, the recent graduate of the doctoral program at Purdue University will teach Fundamentals of Circuits Labs, MATLAB and Senior Design, among other courses.

“I like working with students to help them succeed in their courses and career paths,” she says. “I’m also excited to return to Villanova as a faculty member—my time as an undergrad was so fun, and it’s great to be back.”

Leila Malekmotiei
Assistant Teaching Professor,
Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Malekmotiei has been part of the Villanova community since 2020, previously serving as a visiting assistant teaching professor. An expert in mechanics of materials and nanomechanics of polymers, Dr. Malekmotiei will continue to teach courses in solid mechanics, mechanics labs, mechanics of materials in her now-permanent role.

As the new academic year begins, Dr. Malekmotiei says she most looks forward to “interaction with the new generation of students in my classes.”

Rebecca McGill
Assistant Professor,
Mechanical Engineering

Dr. McGill comes to Villanova from Harvard University, where she was a PhD candidate in the Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory. With a research interest in robotics—specifically focusing on design and control of flapping-wing and aerodynamic systems—Dr. McGill will lead courses in dynamics and control.

“I am looking forward to the congenial and collaborative research environment at Villanova,” she says, “and I’m excited to delve into new questions with students and other faculty.”

Stephen McGill
Assistant Teaching Professor,
Mechanical Engineering

Previously a Manager, Driver Risk Assessment, at Toyota Research Institute

Dr. McGill joins the College of Engineering from the Toyota Research Institute, where he was a manager in Driver Risk Assessment. With a background in motion planning and human intent estimation for robotics, Dr. McGill will lend his expertise to courses in dynamic systems and computer programming for mechanical engineers.

“I’m looking forward to the energy of the Villanova community,” he says, “and seeking new ways to approach engineering from the faculty, student body and Villanova’s Augustinian tradition.”

Chenfeng Xiong
Assistant Professor,
Civil and Environmental Engineering

An authority on transportation engineering and human mobility, Dr. Xiong joins the College of Engineering from the University of Maryland College Park, where he was an associate research professor. At Villanova, Dr. Xiong will teach undergraduate- and graduate-level courses related to transportation engineering, data sciences and planning.

Dr. Xiong looks forward to “building a multifaceted hub of research, education, and workforce development for transportation engineering and planning through my career here,” he says. “Our Villanova broader community will be able to learn the field of transportation engineering and planning, engage in cutting-edge research and education, find a common ground to collaborate and grow together.”