Faculty and Staff

Dr. Shengyi Wang is an assistant professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Temple University, Philadelphia, in 2022. His research centers on Artificial Intelligence for power and energy systems, with particular emphasis on large language model (LLM) applications for grid intelligence, power system and data center flexibility aggregation, virtual inertia scheduling and control for inverter-based resource (IBR)-dominated power systems, and data-driven optimization theory and computational approaches. His work integrates learning, optimization, and control to enable reliable, efficient, and intelligent grid operations, advancing AI and energy innovations for next-generation power systems.

Dr. Yunxiang Zhang is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He received his Ph.D. from SUNY Binghamton University in 2025. His research focuses on FPGA-based acceleration for AI in edge and wearable devices, including hardware–software co-design for AI accelerators, neural signal transmission and compression, multiplier-less models for neural architecture search, and in-memory computing.

Dr. Shweta U. Dabetwar is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the Principal Investigator of the Material Intelligence and Prognostics (MIP) Lab. Her pioneering research resides at the intersection of traditional mechanics and advanced Artificial Intelligence, focusing on developing “physics-informed AI” to enhance the reliability of renewable energy systems and civil infrastructure. By integrating deep learning with non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques like infrared thermography, she creates frameworks that allow critical components—such as wind turbine blades and Li-ion batteries—to self-diagnose and predict failure.

A dedicated “Teacher-Scholar,” Dr. Dabetwar is a certified practitioner of Scientific Teaching, employing active learning to mentor award-winning engineering students. She holds a Ph.D. from Texas Tech University and serves as the 4th Vice Chair of the ASME Safety Engineering and Risk Analysis Division. Her innovative approach to intelligent prognostics recently earned her the 2026 Rising Faculty Award, cementing her role as a leader in creating safer, more resilient engineering systems.

Coming soon…

Dr. Weijun Shen is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He earned his Ph.D. in industrial engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2025. His research focuses on design for additive manufacturing, with particular interests in mechanical performance enhancement through infill design, warpage mitigation strategies, and geometric control in material extrusion processes. He also explores non-destructive evaluation methods, such as structured light scanning and μXCT scanning, and the integration of multi-sensory feedback and adaptive control for smart and autonomous manufacturing systems.

Dr. Nalaka Amarasiri is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He received his PhD in Systems Engineering (Mechanical Engineering concentration) from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2024. His research lies at the intersection of dynamics, control theory, and intelligent systems, with core interests in robotics, smart manufacturing, and healthcare applications. He integrates physics-based modeling and control strategies with artificial intelligence to develop robust and adaptive autonomous systems. He also investigates the analysis and control of thermal and energy systems. Through his work, he aims to bridge theoretical development with real-world applications in advanced engineering systems.