Instructor Information

Justin Barone

Justin Barone is a faculty member in the Biological Systems Engineering Department, the Center for Soft Matter and Biological Physics, and the Macromolecules Innovation Institute at Virginia Tech. His research interests are in polymer physics and mechanics, particularly as they apply to biopolymers and bioinspiration. He is the author of over 60 peer-reviewed publications and holds 2 patents that have been licensed. Professor Barone is the current Chair of the Blue Ridge Rubber Group and the Faculty Advisor to the ACS Rubber Division Student Chapter at Virginia Tech.  He is the President and owner of Protein Q, Inc., a gummy candy manufacturing company, which is a delicious and fun example of an elastomer.  Prior to joining Virginia Tech, he was a Research Scientist at the United States Department of Agriculture, a Research and Development Engineer at the PolyOne Corporation, and a Project Engineer at Utility Development Corporation.  He received his Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2000, his M.S. in Engineering Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1996, and his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Lehigh University in 1994.

Paul Deck

Paul Deck has been teaching general, organic, and inorganic chemistry (both lectures and labs), from first-year undergraduates to doctoral candidates, at Virginia Tech since 1995.  He loves to share his enthusiasm for teaching and learning chemistry with students and colleagues.  Paul is the author of his own lab manual and the creator of extensive web-based content for his courses.

Lily Eligator

Lily Eligator is a science communicator working as the Educational Outreach Coordinator for the Virginia Tech Geosciences Department. She also serves as the Educational Outreach Coordinator for the Bedrock cluster of the Critical Zone Collaborative Network, one of 9 research teams which work together to understand the life-sustaining portion of our planet between bedrock and treetop

The Critical Zone Geophysics Group at Virginia Tech, led by Dr. Steve Holbrook, works to provide access to and knowledge of the deepest parts of the critical zone - the section of the planet between bedrock and treetop. Our research centers on determining the role of bedrock geology in the critical zone and the feedbacks between surface processes and the deep CZ. The CZGG at VT is one of the centers of the Bedrock cluster of the Critical Zone Collaborative Network, funded by the National Science Foundation. 

Sandy Hancock

Sandy Hancock has managed the Fralin Life Sciences Institute Biotech-in-a-Box outreach program since September 2022. This position follows a long career in the VT College of Veterinary Medicine as a microscopist in the Laboratory for Neurotoxicity Studies and as the coordinator of the Good Laboratory Practice Program. Sandy also manages the Fralin Imaging Center, providing training and support for researchers using the Zeiss LSM 880 confocal laser scanning microscope.  

Nadir Kaplan

Nadir Kaplan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Virginia Tech. His research uses theory and simulations to study the interplay between the material composition, dynamics, form, and emergent function in living systems and their synthetic analogs. Prior to his appointment at VT, Nadir was raised in Turkey, before moving to the United States for his Ph.D. and post-doctoral work in Boston (Brandeis and Harvard). Some recurring themes in his research are geometry and mechanics; and he is passionate about conveying the visual aspects of problem solving in physics.

Angela Patterson

Dr. Angela Patterson is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Statistics and co-director of the Capstone Program for the Computational Modeling and Data Analytics (CMDA) Major at Virginia Tech. Angie brings to this role 30 years of industry experience as a technical consultant, leader, and talent developer in the data sciences, and five years as a CMDA Capstone sponsor and coach. She has been awarded 10 patents. Angie’s most recent role with GE Aerospace is Chief Consulting Engineer in Applied Statistics. Angie’s Applied Statistics research has been in response surface methods with applications to computer experiments, as well as in process monitoring. She is a member of the American Statistical Association and an Ambassador for Women in Data Science (WiDS).

Tatsu Takeuchi

Tatsu Takeuchi has been teaching physics at Virginia Tech since 1997.  He has taught physics at all levels, from algebra based introductory physics to graduate level quantum field theory.  His book "An Illustrated Guide to Relativity" is based on his lecture notes for the course "Highlights of Contemporary Physics," and aims to explain special relativity without using ANY equations.  He is currently serving as the President of the Chesapeake Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers.

Jennifer Van Mullekom

Dr. Jennifer Van Mullekom joined Virginia Tech in Fall 2016 as the Director of the Statistical Applications and Innovations Group (SAIG) and an Associate Professor of Statistical Practice.  In addition to directing SAIG, she teaches a design of experiments class as well as a collaboration skills course to graduate students.   

Formerly, Jen had a 20 year career in industry. She was a Senior Consulting Statistician and Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt in DuPont's Applied Statistics Group, supporting the DuPont Protection Technologies business.  At DuPont, she provided statistical leadership to the Tyvek® Medical Packaging Transition Project in the areas of product development, commercialization, and regulatory.   

Jen is active in professional societies holding leadership roles in the American Statistical Association and the American Society for Quality. She holds three US Patents and has also worked at Lubrizol and Capital One. She holds an MS and PhD in Statistics from Virginia Tech and a BS in Mathematics and Mathematics Education from Concord University.

Gordon Yee

Gordon Yee has been teaching general, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry at Virginia Tech since 2001. He has published in the field of molecule-based magnets and also has two publications in the Journal of Chemical Education. He has won numerous teaching and advising awards. Dr. Yee is a lover of music and has established the Yee Prize for musical composing in honor of his late mother.