Grant. W. Wangila, PhD. | Interim Chairperson
Analytical and Inorganic Chemistry
(870) 575-8382 | wangilag@uapb.edu
Education: Dr. Wangila holds Bachelor of Education (Science) and Master of Science (Chemistry) from Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya, and Ph.D. degree (Chemistry) from University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Experience: Interim Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics since May 2015. Joined UAPB family in 2002 as Assistant Professor of Chemistry and rose in the ranks to Associate (2006), tenure (2007) and full professor in 2012. He has prior experiences at Mosoriot Teachers College, Eldoret, Kenya; Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya; Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya; University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; University of North Texas for Health Sciences, Fort Worth, Texas and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Research: Directly involved in synthetic of antioxidant complexes that have the ability to alleviate side effects due to chemotherapy and rhabdomyolysis. Some of the complexes synthesized in lab have shown ability to prevent hair loss (Alopecia) caused by anti-cancer drugs. Also, these complexes when used in combination with market products have prolonged the shelf life of the organ allografts. The lab is also involved in synthesis of nanostructure-assisted photo-electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen and oxygen production with direct applicability with the NASA space mission. The new frontier is synthesizing of cellulose nano-materials from the forest for applications in photonics. These meta-materials are artificial synthesized with the state of the art engineering by reacting cellulose with metals producing the products, which have remarkable properties like optical activity.
Grants and Publications: Attracted over 1.25 million dollars directly for research as PI and more millions of dollars as Co-PI in the institutional grants that assist in instruction and instrumentation. He has published over 15 papers in peer-reviewed journals with international repute.
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 Miah Adel, PhD.
Space Physics, Astronomy, Climate Change, Water Resources, GDP, and Environmental Sciences
(870) 575-8788 | adelm@uapb.edu
Education: Dr. Adel holds a Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) Honors degree in Physics with minor in Chemistry and Mathematics from Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. Also, he received a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Physics from the same university. He received the Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Louisiana State University (LSU).
Experience: He has been serving the Physics Program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) since 1988. Prior to joining UAPB, he taught at the Louisiana State University, the American University of Beirut, and Beirut University College, and Rajshahi University. At UAPB, he earned Associate Professorship in two years and Full Professorship in the next five years.
Research: Dr. Adel is a multidisciplinary researcher. His research projects are spread in planetary space physics, solar-terrestrial relations, satellite data analysis, particle telescopic efficiency, astrology, water resources management, arsenic geochemistry, nano-technology-based water purification devices, climate change, lightning protection, downstream impacts from upstream water piracy, food security, and land use and land cover changes.
Grants and Publications: His grants totaled almost a million from federal funding agencies, and government and non-government organizations. He published about 60 articles in refereed journals and a few in meetings proceedings. He authored 9 books, and currently works on a few manuscripts. He often writes in the Bengali Weekly Thikana published from New York. He does science for humanity. He is an advisor to a few international organizations dealing with water rights and human rights. He offers expertise-based community services.
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 Aslam Chowdhury, PhD.
Optics Physics
(870) 575-8777 | chowdhurya@uapb.edu
Education: Bachelors of Science (Hons) and Masters of
Science - Dacca University, Bangladesh; M.S. - Marquette University;
Ph.D. - Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.
Experience: Dr. Chowdury is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics, and the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. Prior experiences as Post-Doctoral Research Associate at Louisianan State University and Oklahoma State University and Lecturer at University of Dacca, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research: Dr. Chowdury is nvolved with mentorship of students from physics, chemistry, computer science and mathematics in research and promotion of university activities. He collaborates with faculty at UALR on nanomaterial research, where UAPB students have hands-on experience in growing and fabricating nano-rods. He has developed the information technology minor program which serves UAPB students and Pine Bluff community. He is the first computer science faculty who teaches graduate database using mysql at UAPB.
Grants and Publication: An active researcher and proposal writer with impeccable record in publications. Since joining UAPB he has had many grants which have transformed many students’ lives.
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 Wei Du, PhD.
Si Photonics; Nanotechnology; Semiconductor Optoelectronics
(870) 575-8974 | duw@uapb.edu
Education: Dr. Du holds Bachelor of Science in Physics from Peking University, China, and Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Experience: Currently is Research Scientist of Physics with the Department of Chemistry and Physics. He is also faculty affiliate with the Department of Electrical Engineering at University of Arkansas (Fayetteville).
Research: He has wide range of active research projects in the area of: (a) Si Photonics, to develop the discrete device as well as explore the integration solutions. Research ranges from fundamental material growth mechanism study using Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) to high-performance devices development, including light-emitting diode (LED), laser, waveguide and photodetector; (b) Nanotechnology, to develop the nano-scale device to improve the performance such as emission efficiency and lasing threshold; (c) Semiconductor Optoelectronics, focus on III-V active and passive devices in light emission and detection applications.
His current grants related to these fields are from National Science Foundation (NSF), Air Force Office of Scientifics Research (AFOSR), Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP).
Publications: He has authored and co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers and conference publications, and many presentations as invited speaker.
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 Seyed Amir Ghetmiri, PhD.
Si Photonics;laser; Semiconductor Optoelectronics
(479) 684-1101 | ghetmiris@uapb.edu
Education: Dr. Ghetmiri holds Bachelor of Science in Physics from Shiraz University, Iran, Master of Science in Photonics from Kerman University, Iran, and Ph.D. degree in Microelectronics-Photonics from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, US.
Experience: Currently is Research Scientist of Photonics with the Department of Chemistry and Physics.
Research: He has participated in theoretical and experimental Si-based Infrared Photonic and Optoelectronic research, including (a) Temperature-dependent characterization of group IV germanium-tin (GeSn) and silicon-germanium-tin (SiGeSn) semiconductors; (b) Modeling the band structure of GeSn and SiGeSn quantum well (QW) devices; (c) Investigation on GeSn-based optically pumped lasers; and (d) Optical and electrical characterization of GeSn light emitting diodes (LEDs) for near infrared and mid-infrared wavelength range.
His current grants related to these fields are from National Science Foundation (NSF).
Publications: He has authored and co-authored more than 80 peer-reviewed journal papers and conference publications, and many presentations as invited speaker. For more information regarding the publications, click the link:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=92uJ0N0AAAAJ&hl=en
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 Peng He, PhD.
Analytical/Bioanalytical Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry
(870) 575-7155 | hep@uapb.edu
Education: Bachelor of Engineering in Applied Chemistry from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Master of Science in Polymer Science from The University of Southern Mississippi; Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from North Carolina State University.
Experience: Currently is Assistant Professor in Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He joined the Department of Chemistry and Physics in 2017. Prior to this position, he worked as postdoctoral associate in Biological Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Departments at Cornell University. He also worked as research scientist and project leader to support P&G Chemicals and Fabric & Home Care Business R&D at The Procter & Gamble Company.
Research: His research interests include polymeric materials for biosensors & bioanalytical microsystems, polymeric barcoding, DNA-accelerated radical polymerization, and phospholipid-nanomaterial bioconjugates. He is developing new types of polymeric materials and bioanalytical sensors for early screening and diagnosis of human diseases, health assessment in space, and forensic analysis. In the past, he developed an amplification-by-polymerization approach in DNA biosensing, electrochemical biosensors in microfluidics for rapid molecular diagnostics and battlefield health assessment and treatment, phospholipid-nanomaterial bioconjugates via phospholipid modification and functionalization for a whole series of nanomaterials, and in situ FTIR approach to study polymer conformational change during the thermal degradation.
Grants and Publications: He has 23 peer-reviewed scientific publications, three patents, and has spoken at numerous conference presentations and invited talks. He has served as the North America Regional Editor of Current Analytical Chemistry journal, been an invited review panelist for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, and referee for more than 20 peer-reviewed journals. He also received academic research awards including the 2009 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad and First Place of Richard D. Gilbert Award in Polymer Science at North Carolina Section of the American Chemical Society. Click here for more information on Dr. He's research. |
 Abul Kazi, PhD.
Organic Chemistry
(870) 575-8979 | kazia@uapb.edu
Education: Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) and Master of Science (Organic Chemistry) - Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Ph.D. (Organic Chemistry) - University of Manchester, U.K.
Experience: Currently full Professor of Chemistry at UAPB. He joined UAPB in 2002 as Associate Professor of Chemistry and was promoted to the rank of full Professor in the year 2009. Prior to joining UAPB, he served as Associate Professor of Chemistry at Mississippi Valley State University, Assistant and Associate Professor of Chemistry at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. He had other experiences as Post-Doctoral fellow at Tohoku University, Japan and California State University-Northridge, California. Had research experiences at the University of Mississippi, Mississippi, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, University of Arkansas, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Research: His past research involved synthesis of organic and organometallic compounds to study their biological activities as radioprotective agents. Computational chemistry of transition metal complexes and copper catalyzed organic reactions. Synthesis of Cobalt complexes of amide based ligands as oxygen reduction catalysts for fuel cell applications. His current research interest is directed towards hydrothermal and solvothermal synthesis of metal oxide and metal sulfide nanostructures for fuel cell and solar cell applications.
Grants and Publications: Received grants of over $100,000 as PI for research and over 500 thousand dollars as Co-PI. Has published over 17 papers in highly acclaimed peer reviewed professional journals of chemistry.
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 Mansour Mortazavi, PhD.
Quantum Optics - Experimental and Theoretical
(870) 575-8789 | mortazavim@uapb.edu
Education: Dr. Mortazavi holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Minor in Mathematics from University of Tabriz, Iran, and Ph.D. degree in Physics from University of Arkansas.
Experience: Dr. Mortavi is currently Professor of Physics with the Department of Chemistry and Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, and director of the Lasers and Nano-Science Laboratories. He is also faculty affiliate at the Nano-Science and Engineering Institute (http://nano.uark.edu), Microelectronics and Photonics, a graduate program (http://microep.uark.edu), and research projects with the Department of Electrical Engineering at University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Research: He has wide range of active research projects in the area of: (a) semiconductor research, to develop in new materials to create lasers with specific wavelength, and Infra-Red detectors for medical fields and optical communications. These materials use combinations of elements using Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), and characterization of these materials using photo-luminescence, electro-luminescence, atomic Force, Scanning Tunneling and scanning Electron Microscope techniques to name a few. (b) Computational Science in the area of photon statistics in lasers with Saturable Absorbers that are very interesting because in this region the system show bistability which is important in optical computing, and we can observe this phenomena using photon-counting techniques. (c) To study biological tissue using Raman Microscope, mapping techniques, and laser tweezers to study a single cell. His current funded grants related to these fields are from National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Air Force Office of Scientifics Research (AFOSR). He is also Co-PI of several other major grants related to Mathematics and Computational Sciences.
Grants and Publications: He currently has about $1.5 million in active grants as Principle Investigator, and several millions as Co-PI or other previous grants. He has numerous publications in some of the most prestigious journals such as Science, Science News, Physical Review Letters, Physical Reviews, and many presentations and as invited speaker.
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