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Researcher Profiles

Researchers at Kent State are focused on the challenges we face as a society – in health care, energy and sustainability. Their cultural and artistic endeavors enrich our lives and their scholarship educates the next generation of educators. Their examples of research and scholarship foster a culture of student research. Here are some of the researchers profiled in recent news and feature stories:



Oleg Lavrentovich
Liquid crystals captivate and compel

"Once you observe them under a microscope, you're addicted."


Colleen Novak
What is the brain’s role in obesity?
“About one third of adults in the U.S are obese and another one third are overweight. I’m interested in that other one third ..."


Brian Peters
  Architecture's digital future​
His laboratory is one of the “gardens of digital design” around the Kent State campus.


Joseph Ortiz
Sharpening the way we monitor Lake Erie
“If we notice that a harmful algal bloom is occurring in one part of the lake, we can alert authorities so they can take action.”


John Gunstad
Losing it can be good for the brain
“If excess weight causes memory problems, can losing significant weight have the opposite effect?”


Phillip D. Rumrill, Jr.
Clearing a career track for brain-injured students
“They’re highly motivated – they’re in college. We’ve got to help them catch up.”


Nadia Greenhalgh-Stanley
The economics of safety features for the elderly
“Falls among older individuals are very prevalent and are strongly related to housing quality.”


Amy Sato
Stress and the risk of obesity in teens
What she learns could be used in interventions to stop a pattern of obesity.


Margarita Benitez
Taking fashion in a digital direction
"I'm always looking at new technology, whether software or hardware, to learn, explore and subvert."



Kenneth Bindas
How did a Depression-era program shape our parks?
"The work of the CCC played a prominent role in creating the scenic fact of America."


Christopher P. Banks

Life lessons in the Supreme Court and politics


Kristy Welshhans
Will Down syndrome one day be treated in utero?
“If we can figure out what’s happening in utero, maybe we can develop strategies to treat the disorder.” 


Antal Jákli
A liquid crystal’s structural color discovered
This opens “a rich world of learning more about structural color throughout nature.

Quan Li

Quan Li
Developing energy-saving technologies
“His interests are at the forefront of societal needs with strong research programs centered on energy and photonic materials. 


Heather Caldwell
How a hormone affects aggression
“If we understand the basics, it may provide insights into other species, including humans."