More Herff Headlines 

With the start of a new academic year comes a new chair for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Herff College of Engineering.

Dr. Sungyong Jung began his appointment as department chair on August 3. Jung left South Dakota State University to join the University of Memphis, a decision he said the University of Memphis’ national reputation made easy.

Graduate students returned to the Herff College of Engineering on Thursday, August 20, for a Welcome Back Kickoff event. 

Herff College of Engineering senior Madison Cole received a $2,500 scholarship from Smith + Nephew, money she says will help her complete her goals as she enters her final undergraduate academic year in Herff's Department of Mechanical Engineering. 

While some students spent their summer break at the beach, Herff College of Engineering senior Tarik Wilkins spent his time away from the classroom as an intern at AutoZone Store Support Headquarters in Downtown Memphis.

Francis Smith-Brown, course developer at the University of Memphis Center for Information Assurance (CFIA) and creator of Sugar Bubbles™, was named a Community Choice winner and Bronze recipient in the 2026 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards.

The Urban Fellows Program provides students with a 10-week internship and offers students a chance to get directly involved in the city government’s work of improving the lives of citizens. Students from the Herff College of Engineering made up nine of the 23 participants who were placed in the city’s division of engineering.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Dr. Sungyong Jung has been named chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Herff College of Engineering at the University of Memphis. He will begin his appointment Aug. 3.

Incoming Herff College of Engineering senior Kenzie Slakans already has more industry experience than most engineering students do by the time they graduate, thanks to her ongoing internships with Barnhart Crane & Rigging, a company that assists with the moving and installation of heavy equipment of all sizes.

Cristian Fernandez graduated from high school in 2019 and went straight to work in the construction industry, but he always knew that he’d need to continue his education to earn the role he sought, a position in management.

Turner Construction of the Mid-South donated $75,000 to the University of Memphis Foundation on Thursday, July 30. 

When the 14th International Fatigue Congress (IFC14) kicked off on June 28 in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, one of the first voices attendees heard was from the University of Memphis (UofM).

The construction management certificate at the Herff College of Engineering enables students worldwide to gain skills that can take their construction careers to the next level in as little as two semesters.

If you find yourself in an engineering lab feeling inadequate or even stupid, there's good news. Dr. Gary Bowlin, chair of Herff's Department of Biomedical Engineering, says you're exactly where you need to be to succeed.  

If the University of Memphis is Tennessee’s AI University, as University of Memphis Provost Dr. David J. Russomanno told conference attendees from around the country at the American Society of Engineering Education Southeastern conference held at the University of Memphis in March 2026, then the Polytechnic@UofM is its data center.

Twenty high school students from different schools across the Greater Memphis Area spent three days at the Herff College of Engineering learning about cybersecurity through the Center for Information Assurance (CFIA)’s 2026 Cyber Ambassadors Tech Camp.

At the Herff College of Engineering, leadership is not confined to titles—it is cultivated through experience, connection, and a shared commitment to community impact. That spirit is reflected in the recent selection of Kirbi Robinson, Assistant Dean of Graduate Engineering Studies, and alumnus David Oppong (’18, ’20) to the prestigious Leadership Tennessee NEXT program, a recognition that highlights both individual achievement and the enduring strength of the Herff network.

Fireworks will light up the sky this Fourth of July and the city will be aglow with the products of mechanical engineering.

Nearly 100 students from 50 schools in the Memphis area got their first taste of engineering through the West Tennessee STEM Hub's Bridges to Engineering summer program. 

Sohail Tufail, a research graduate student working with Herff’s Department of Civil Engineering chair Dr. Rouzbeh Nazari, spent his summer participating in the 2026 Water Prediction Innovators Summer Institute at the University of Alabama, a seven-week program that brings together PhD students from across the country to enhance their flood modeling research skills.

It’s easy for engineering students to get consumed by research and spend all their time in study rooms or labs. But during the summer of 2026, Herff College of Engineering sophomore Madison Nolen found inspiration in a different environment: the stage.

Dr. Chrysanthe Preza received a $478,511 award from the National Science Foundation for the proposal “REU Site: Artificial Intelligence in Multidisciplinary Engineering Research for Guided Exploration (AI-MERGE)”.

When the Polytechnic@UofM begins offering students a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in applied AI in the Fall 2026 semester, it’ll do so with a new director leading its charge into the digital revolution. Dr. William Duffy joined the Polytechnic@UofM in June as director of Applied AI.

The Herff College of Engineering hosted Memphis Mayor Paul Young for a tour and open discussion with faculty and staff members on Wednesday, June 24. 

Growing up on an Arkansas cattle farm and playing high school football, Dr. Hayden Carlton became very familiar with heat. Now, at age 30, he teaches students in the Herff College of Engineering Department of Biomedical Engineering about heat transfer.