Ehsan Atefi

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, The University of Pennsylvania
  • Ph.D., The University of Akron

Courses Taught

  • ENGG 652: Project Management
  • ENGG 656: Engineering Optimization
  • ENGS 116: Introduction to Engineering Computation
  • ENGS 117: Introduction to Engineering Computation Honors
  • ENGS 202: Materials Science Laboratory
  • MECG 734: Operation Research
  • MECG 746: Research Project in Mechanical Engineering
  • MECH 323: Machine Design
  • MECH 401: Mechanical Engineering Design I
  • MECH 402: Mechanical Engineering Design II
  • MECH 408: Mechanical Engineering Projects I
  • MECH 410: Mechanical Engineering Projects II
  • MECH 438: Operation Research
  • MECH 450: Intro To Tissue Engineering
  • MECH 484: Project Management
  • Research

    Research

    Dr. Atefi’s research area focuses on applying bio-inspired machine learning and optimization algorithms in bio-medicine and sustainability. Dr. Atefi has published more than 20 research articles in outstanding high-impact factor journals of Physical Review Letters, Engineering with Computers, Advanced Functional Materials, Langmuir, and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. His work has received more than 628 citations (h-index of 11). He has received several funds and scholarships from NREL, ACS Petroleum, and Jasper Summer program to pursue his research. Dr. Atefi has been an advisor to more than 20 graduate students' research projects. In addition, he has supervised several Manhattan College students attending national competitions. His current research interests are: 


    1. Optimization, Data Mining, and Machine Learning
    2. Operation Research, Sustainability, and Energy Management
    3. Surface Characterization, Interfacial Tension, and Contact Angle Measurement
    4. Drug Deposition in Lung Airways 

    Patent

    H Tavana, E Atefi, S Lemmo, “Engineering Individually Addressable Cellular Spheroids Using Aqueous Two-Phase Systems”, US Patent Application # US 20140120573 A1.

  • Publications and Scholarly Activities

    Dr. Atefi has published more than 20 research articles in leading journals in his field. His publications have received 628 citations with an h-index of 20. Dr. Atefi published his research articles in several prestigious and high-Impact Factor (IF) journals including Physical Review Letters (IF: 9.2), Engineering with Computers (IF: 8.1), Advanced Functional Materials (19.9), Langmuir (4.3), and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (IF: 10.4)

    Here is a list of Dr. Atefi's research papers and conference presentations. Please refer to his Google Scholar page for more information Dr. Atefi's Page:

    • Naraghi, M.H., Atefi, E. Optimum Solar Panel Orientation and Performance: A Climatic Data-Driven Metaheuristic Approach. Energies(2022), 15, 624. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15020624.
    • A. Calicchia, E. Atefi and J. C. Leylegian, “Creation of Small Kinetic Models for CFD Applications: A Meta-heuristic Approach”, Engineering with Computers (2021), P 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-021-01352-4.
    • Gandomi and E. Atefi, Software review: the GPTIPS platform. Genet Program Evolvable Mach 21, 273–280 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10710-019-09366-0.
    • Jayawickreme, E. Atefi, E. Jayawickreme, J. Qin and A. H. Gandomi, “Association Rule Learning Is an Easy and Efficient Method for Identifying Profiles of Traumas and Stressors that Predict Psychopathology in Disaster Survivors: The Example of Sri Lanka”, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(8), 2850. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082850.
    • Molaei, E. Atefi and J. C. Crocker, "Nanoscale Rheology and Anisotropic Diffusion Using Single Gold Nanorod Probes", Physical review letters 2018, 120 (11), 118002. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.118002.
    • E. Atefi, R. Joshi and H. Tavana, “Effect of Molecular Weight of Phase Polymers on Partition of Cells in Aqueous Two-Phase Systems”, MRS Advances 2017, 2(45), PP 2415-2426. https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2017.425.
    • Z. Chen, E Atefi, T. Baumgart, “Membrane shape instability induced by protein crowding”, Biophysical Journal 2016, 111 (9), pp 1823-1826.
    • E Atefi, D Fyffe, K Kaylan, H Tavana, “Characterization of Aqueous Two-Phase Systems From Volume and Density Measurements”, J. Chem. Eng. Data, 2016, 61 (4), pp 1531–1539.
    • E Atefi, K Kaylan, J A Mann, H Tavana, “Interfacial Tension Effect on Cell Partition in Aqueous Two-Phase Systems”, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2015, 7 (38), pp 21305–21314.
    • S Lemmo, E Atefi, D Fyffe, H Tavana, “Robotic Production of Cancer Cell Spheroids With An Aqueous Two-Phase System for Drug Testing”, Journal of Visualized Experiments (98), e52754-e52754, 2015.
    • E Atefi, S Lemmo, D Fyffe, G D Luker, H Tavana, “High Throughput, Polymeric Aqueous Two‐Phase Printing of Tumor Spheroids”, Advanced Functional Materials 24 (41), 6509-6515, 2014.
    • E Atefi, J A Mann, H Tavana, “Ultralow Interfacial Tensions of Aqueous Two-Phase Systems Measured Using Drop Shape”, Langmuir 30 (32), 9691-9699, 2014.
    • S Lemmo, E Atefi, G D Luker, H Tavana, “Optimization of Aqueous Biphasic Tumor Spheroid Microtechnology for Anti-cancer Drug Testing in 3D Culture”, Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering 7 (3), 344-354, 2014.
    • D Petrak, E Atefi, L Yin, W Chilian, H Tavana, “Automated, Spatio‐Temporally Controlled Cell Microprinting With Polymeric Aqueous Biphasic System”, Biotechnology and Bioengineering 111 (2), 404-412, 2014.
    • E Atefi, J A Mann, H Tavana, "A Robust Polynomial Fitting Approach For Contact Angle Measurements", Langmuir 29 (19), 5677-5688, 2013.
    • S. Swartwout, S. Seoane, E. Atefi, “Simulating External Respiration Using Nonlinear Optimization”, BMES2019, October 16-19 (2019), Philadelphia, USA. (Poster Presentation)
    • Jayawickreme, N., Qin, J., Gandomi, A., Atefi, E., & Jayawickreme, E. (2019, November).  Association rule learning to identify profiles of traumas and stressful life events that predict anxiety and depression in Sri Lankan war survivors.  Oral symposium presented at the 35th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Boston, MA. (Oral Presentation by student).
    • Sherry Swartwout, Ehsan Atefi and Nand Jha, “Geometric Programming: A Strong Optimization tool for Biological Systems”, 2nd International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Technology Management, NYC, August 10-12, 2018 (Orla Presentation).
    • Jiale Qin, Amir H Gandomi, Nuwan Jayawickreme, and Ehsan Atefi, “The relationships between negative emotions and psychological distress or life problems among Sri Lankan survivors”, 14th Graduate Research Conference, Stevens Institute of Technology, February 21-22, 2019 (Oral Presentation).
    • E. Atefi, J.A. Mann, H. Tavana, “Interfacial tension effect on cell partition in aqueous biphasic systems”, 89th ACS Colloid & Surface Science Symposium, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg PA, June 15-17, 2015 (Oral Presentation).
    • E. Atefi, J.A. Mann, H. Tavana, “Wetting Phenomena Involving Aqueous Two-Phase Systems”, 89th ACS Colloid & Surface Science Symposium, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg PA, June 15-17, 2015 (Oral Presentation).
    • E Atefi, S Lemmo, H Tavana, “Aqueous Biphasic Printing of Tumor Spheroids”, 36th Annual International IEEE EMBS Conference, Chicago IL, August 26-30, 2014.
    • E Atefi, S Lemmo, D Fyffe, H Tavana, “3D Tumor Microtissue for Drug Discovery”, BMES 2014, San Antonio TX, October 22-25, 2014. (Poster presentation)
    • E Atefi, S Lemmo, D Fyffe, G. Luker, H Tavana, “Aqueous Two-Phase Printing of Tumor Spheroids For Drug Screening”, BMES 2014, San Antonio TX, October 22-25, 2014 (Invited talk presented by Dr. H Tavana).
    • S Lemmo, E Atefi, H Tavana, “High Throughout, Microprinting of Tumor Spheroids for Anti-Cancer Drug Screening”, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology, Oahu HI, December 8-12, 2014.
    • E Atefi, J A Mann, H Tavana, "Accurate Measurement of Ultralow Interfacial Tensions of Aqueous Biphasic Systems", 87th ACS Colloid & Surface Science Symposium, Riverside CA, June 23-27, 2013 (Oral Presentation).
    • G Jalalahmadi, E Atefi, R Mallik, H Tavana, "Wettability Characterization of Living Cell Layers Through Aqueous Biphasic Systems-Mediated Contact Angle Measurements", 87th ACS Colloid & Surface Science Symposium, Riverside CA, June 23-27, 2013 (Oral Presentation).
    • E Atefi, H Tavana, "Polymeric Aqueous Biphasic Engineering of High Throughput Cancer Cell Spheroid Microtechnology for Drug Screening", BMES 2013, Seattle WA, September 25-28, 2013 (Poster Presentation).
    • E Atefi, H Tavana, "A New Polynomial Fitting Method For High Accuracy Contact Angle Measurements", 86th ACS Colloid & Surface Science Symposium, Baltimore MD, June 10-13, 2012 (Oral Presentation).