New Horizons in Engineering
New Horizons in Engineering
Distinguished Lectureship Series
Clarkson University Distinguished Research Professor of Engineering Liya L. Regel has provided a generous gift to support the New Horizons in Engineering Distinguished Lectureship Series at Clarkson University, which she created in 2010.
As the chair of the series, Regel has orchestrated campus visits since 2010 by nationally renowned engineers and scientists. These visits include presentations on important trends in engineering to Clarkson students, faculty and staff, and community members.
To date, many distinguished speakers have shared their expertise, including leading world-renowned scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Livermore National Laboratory, MIT, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, University of Houston and more.
Most are members of the National Academy of Engineering. Topics have included “Engineering a Sustainable Future: The Role of Science and Technology,” “Materials Engineering Challenges in Fission and Fusion Energy,” “Re-Inventing Urban Water Infrastructure,” “Grand Challenges for Engineering and Beyond”, “ Does Physics Still Matter?” and more.
New Horizons in Engineering has three goals: to introduce students and faculty to eminent engineers and their achievements; to stimulate our thinking about the latest engineering advances and visions of the future; and to provide these distinguished engineers with lasting memories of Clarkson's campus, research, and student activities.
Distinguished Speakers Lectures and Videos
Nurturing Engineering Education for Manufacturing
Dr. Alton (Al) D. Romig Jr.
Executive Officer National Academy of Engineering, Washington, DC
October 15, 2025
Smart Grid: The Internet of Energy
Dr. H. Vincent Poor
The Michael Henry Strater University Professor, Princeton University
Member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Science
April 13, 2023
Convergence: Unexpected Partnerships in Engineering, Medicine, and Beyond
Dr. Francis J. Doyle III
The John A. Paulson Dean of the Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences / The John A. & Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor, Harvard University
Member of the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Inventors, and the National Academy of Engineering.
November 17, 2022
The Future of Engineering Education: Lessons from 20 Years of Experimentation at Olin College.
Dr. Richard K. Miller
President Emeritus and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Olin College
Member of the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and the National Academy of Inventors.
September 20, 2022
Watch the Video
Dr. Susan Trolier-McKinstry
Steward S. Flaschen Professor of Ceramic Science and Engineering / Professor of Electrical Engineering / Director of the Nanofabrication facility, Pennsylvania State University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Piezoelectric Films for Microelectromechanical Systems,
March 2020
Watch the Video
Dr. David J. Bishop
Head of the Division of Materials Science and Engineering and Director of the CELL-MET Engineering Research Center, Boston University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Silicon Micro-Machines for Fun and Profit
April 2019
Dr. Leah H. Jamieson
Ransburg Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the John A. Edwardson Dean Emerita of Engineering, Purdue University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Engineering Education Research: The Growth of a Discipline and Lessons (Being) Learned
October 2018
Dr. Rafael L. Bras
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Saving Venice
April 2018
Dr. Ellen Pawlikowski, Air Force General and Commander of the Air Force Material Command. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Future of Airpower
March 2017
Dr. Charles T. Driscoll, Jr.
University Professor of Environmental Systems Engineering and Distinguished Professor at Syracuse University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Everglades and Challenges for Restoration
December 2016
Dr. Jared L. Cohon
Carnegie Mellon University President Emeritus and University Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy and Director of the University’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Globalization of Engineering Education
April 2016
Dr. Wanda M. Austin
The Aerospace Corporation President and CEO. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Rethinking STEM in America
October 2015
Dr. Christine Ehlig-Economides
The William C. Miller Endowed Chair and Professor of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Houston. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Has Unconventional Become Conventional?
April 2015
Dr. Earl H. Dowell
The William Holland Hall Professor, Duke University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Future of Engineering Education
September 2014
Dr. William H. Goldstein
Director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and President of Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC.
Does Physics Still Matter?
November 2013
Dr. Steven J. Zinkle
Chief Scientist and Corporate Fellow at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Materials Engineering Challenges in Fission and Fusion Energy
September 2013
Dr. Dick Luthy, Silas H. Palmer Professor at Stanford University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Re-Inventing Urban Water Infrastructure
September 2012
Dr. Frank DiSalvo
Director of the David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University. Member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Sustainability - Many Challenges and a Personal Odyssey
September 2012
Dr. Sheldon Weinbaum
Distinguished Professor at the City University of New York. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
An Engineering Approach to Vulnerable Plaque Rupture
April 2012
Dr. Wesley L. Harris
Charles Stark Draper Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Grand Challenges for Engineering and Beyond
November 2011
Dr. David Dzombak
Walter J. Blenko Sr. Professor of Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Geologic Sequestration of CO2: Evaluating and Monitoring Seal Rock Integrity
April 2011
Dr. Fazle Hussain
President's Distinguished Chair in Engineering and Science and Senior Advisor to the President at Texas Tech University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Looming Crisis in Air Traffic Capacity -- Can Vortex Dynamics Help?
March 2011
Dr. Thomas Zacharia
Director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Ph.D. in Engineering Science from Clarkson University. Member of the International Academy of Astronautics
Engineering a Sustainable Future: The Role of Science and Technology
October 2010
About Liya Regel
Dr. Liya Regel is a pioneer in research on high-energy, heavy-ion implantation in III-V semiconductors, magnetic semiconductors and rare-earth materials using the nuclear particles accelerators, and the heavy-ion accelerators. She pioneered research on centrifugal processing of materials and flow visualization, including the creation of several new types of apparatus and discovery of very surprising phenomena that excited the entire global materials science community.
Dr. Regel is well known as the inventor of a technique for deposition of diamond films at low pressure and at temperatures sufficiently low to permit coating of some polymers. Research interests also include the influence of microgravity and centrifugation on deposition of diamond films and directional solidification of compound semiconductors, metal alloys and composite materials.
Professor Regel is the author of 6 monographs published in France, Russia, UK and USA; and over 300 scientific papers; edited and co-edited 6 books and conference proceedings. She has made over 600 presentations, including university commencement speeches, plenary lectures, keynote and inaugural addresses, and invited seminars. She has served in many significant leadership positions in national and international organizations, and chaired programs and organizing committees for over 200 scientific meetings. She has mentored many students at all levels, along with post-doctoral visitors. They subsequently attained highly responsible positions in universities, companies, and national laboratories. One of her doctoral students was a cosmonaut.
Dr. Regel participated in more than 250 experiments on materials processing and crystal growth in space and over 100 experiments on large centrifuge as PI or Co-PI. At Clarkson Professor Regel was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science in 2002 (only active faculty to receive). She received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from Alabama A&M University for her academic accomplishments in science and art (only woman scientist to receive this honor).
She is elected Academician (Section 1: Basic Science) of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). At the IAA she founded and chaired the Advanced Materials Science Committee, received the Basic Science Award, and the Best Book Award, and founded the Study Group “STEM/STEAM for Space. Grand Challenges.” She was elected Chair of the Nominating Committee of the President, Officers and Trustees of the Academy for 2021-2023, and current Co-Chair of this Committee.
Dr. Regel earned her Kandidat degree in solid state physics (The Kandidat is equivalent to the Ph.D. in the U.S.) She was awarded Russia’s highest degree, the coveted Doctorat, for which there is no Western equivalent, in Physics and Mathematical Sciences. The Doctorat is given to only a very small percentage of those with the Kandidat. Indeed, she remains one of very few women to have received this recognition for her research in solid state physics.
In her university days, Dr. Regel had to make the difficult choice between physics and concert piano, at both of which she was equally adept. While she chose physics, she has maintained her interest in composing music and live improvisation. She includes her music and art (sound-image presentations) in STEAM lectures. She has long been an advocate of including the creative arts in the education of students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She created the acronym STEAM in 2001. Dr. Regel’s original paintings and high-quality giclée prints hang on permanent display in the museums, a church, universities and private collections.
