UNC CHARLOTTE’S DIVISION OF RESEARCH LAUNCHES FACULTY RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
November 20, 2024
The Division of Research (DR) is excited to announce the appointment of two outstanding UNC Charlotte faculty for the pilot inaugural Faculty Research Fellowship Program (FRFP) – Dr. Evelyn K. Orman, Professor of Music Education, and Dr. Mesbah Uddin, Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
FRFP represents a significant step in our commitment to accelerate interdisciplinary research across campus, guided by the overall university strategic plan (Shaping What’s Next) and “Research Shaping What’s Next: UNC Charlotte’s Research Strategic Plan 2022-2032 (RSWN).”
For FY 2025, DR will pilot the program with a focus on three priority areas: DoD (Department of Defense), Healthy People & Communities, and Art/Humanities. During that time, Dr. Orman and Dr. Uddin will work closely with the Division of Research Vice Chancellor, Dr. John Daniels, and Associate Vice Chancellor, Dr. Deb Thomas.
“I am truly excited and thankful to serve as one of the inaugural Faculty Research Fellows in the Division of Research. I strongly believe that collaboration across the arts, creative design, humanities, and the sciences is essential for addressing the complex challenges we face today and for advancing research in meaningful ways. By combining these diverse disciplines, we can generate novel insights, foster creative synergies, and produce research that is innovative, ethical, culturally relevant, and impactful, promoting a more holistic understanding of the human experience,” shares Dr. Orman.
Dr. Orman will spearhead the development of an actionable roadmap to accelerate and promote interdisciplinary and translational research within the Arts & Humanities across the University. Dr. Uddin will spearhead defense research initiatives.
“This feels like the first step toward a long-held vision of establishing a National Defense focused research center at UNC Charlotte. I’m deeply grateful to our university leadership—Chancellor Sharon Gaber, Vice Chancellor for Research John Daniels, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Deb Thomas—for placing their trust in me and showing such strong commitment to advancing our defense research efforts. Their support is both humbling and inspiring, and I look forward to working toward this important goal for our university and community,” shares Dr. Uddin.
The program is a win-win for the University and for faculty members at the forefront of our research priority areas.
“It allows us to deep dive into some of our important focus areas, leveraging the expertise of our exceptional faculty fellows, while also increasing their awareness about the inner workings of the Division of Research,” shares Associate Vice Chancellor, Dr. Thomas.
Bios
Dr. Evelyn K. Orman, Professor of Music Education at UNC Charlotte, has a rich background in the Arts as a professional saxophonist, public school music educator, professor, and entrepreneur as co-founder or sole owner of three successful startups. During her tenure at Louisiana State University, Dr. Orman achieved the level of a distinguished, titled professor. Currently, she is completing a six-year term (2018-2024) as one of nine members of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Society for Research in Music Education Executive Committee.
Dr. Orman’s research is largely interdisciplinary and translational, focusing on technology including software development, and examining the effects of technology on the human condition. She is perhaps best known internationally for her groundbreaking work on the effect of immersive virtual reality on music performance anxiety. In this seminal research, she combined the arts, technology, and biological measures, which ultimately led to a successful National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant proposal.
——-
Dr. Mesbah Uddin is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UNC Charlotte and a member of Charlotte’s Military Affairs Committee. He has over 30 years of experience in experimental and computational aerodynamics. He previously directed the North Carolina Motorsports & Automotive Research Center, leading the growth of Charlotte’s motorsports engineering graduate program from the ground up.
His current research integrates machine learning and reduced-order methods to enhance aerothermal predictions, with a focus on boundary layers, wakes, separated flows, aerodynamics of ground and aerial vehicles, and cost-effective CFD simulations for Rotating Detonation Engines (RDEs) and hypersonic missiles. He has served as PI and Co-PI on numerous research and workforce development projects funded by the Office of Naval Research and the U.S. Army.
——-
Please join us in congratulating our inaugural Faculty Research Fellows!