School of Engineering Industry Professionals Advisory (IPAC) Committee

Samantha Johnson is the Founder & CEO of Tatum Robotics. Samantha earned her master’s degree in Bioengineering from Northeastern University in 2021; shortly after, she established Tatum Robotics to bring her master’s thesis project—a robotic hand/wrist capable of actuating the fingerspelled letters of ASL—to R&D and eventual commercialization. Along with her role as the CEO of Tatum Robotics, Samantha participates directly in the robotic design and construction of the technology as well as facilitating communication when deafblind consultants visit the office. Under Samantha’s leadership, Tatum Robotics has established partnerships with the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC), the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), the Deaf-Blind Contact Center (DBCC), and the Technology Access Program (TAP) at Gallaudet University. The fingerspelling robot has been tested by over 50 deafblind individuals across several states with a 98% recognition rate. Samantha herself was honored in the Forbes 30 Under 30 North America Class of 2024 in the Consumer Technology category and Forbes 30 Under 30 Boston Class of 2024. Samantha has been signing with deafblind community members for the past three years and participates in Boston’s deafblind community by serving as Secretary of Boston’s largest deafblind community group. 

Houssam Abouzahra is a member of the Technical Staff at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, with over 20 years of experience in advanced RADAR engineering, embedded systems, and space electronics projects. His expertise includes systems engineering, real-time embedded software development, and integration & testing. Throughout his career, he has successfully led multidisciplinary teams, driving innovation in both software and hardware solutions for critical defense and research projects. With a deep commitment to bridging academia and industry, Houssam brings a wealth of technical and leadership expertise to support the next generation of engineers. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell.

Anna Michel is an Associate Scientist in the Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and is the Chief Scientist for the National Deep Submergence Facility that operates ROV Jason, HOV Alvin, and AUV Sentry. As Chief Scientist, Michel engages with the scientists and engineers who utilize these vehicles for deep sea research. Her lab’s research focuses on the development of new in situ sensors and sensing platforms for advancing our understanding of ocean chemistry, especially for measuring dissolved methane and carbon dioxide, in locations ranging from deep-sea hydrothermal vents to methane seeps to the coastal Arctic. Michel’s lab is also developing in situ technologies for measuring microplastics in the ocean. Michel received dual BS degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biology and an MS in Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has a PhD in Mechanical and Oceanographic Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program. Michel completed a postdoctoral fellowship in engineering at the Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and the Environment (MIRTHE) at Princeton University. Michel is committed to educating a diverse next generation of ocean engineers and broadening participation in the field.

David Wigley is a Senior Principal Software Engineer at BAE Systems Inc., an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land, space and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. Over his time with BAE Systems Inc., David has taken on multiple technical leadership roles and is responsible

Moiz is the Head of Engineering and AI Market Development at MathWorks, leading growth in several areas including robotics and electrification. At MathWorks his focus includes promoting an ecosystem of scientist and engineers, with a common goal of advancing technology. This includes supporting the use of simulation and modeling tools in cutting-edge applications and teaching, to speed the pace of development and learning, respectively. Moiz received his BS and MS from Rutgers University and New York University, respectively, and his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University, where he developed and patented innovative medical robotics systems. Immediately following, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School, where his research focused on developing surgical planning and optimization algorithms and minimally invasive robotic devices. Moiz currently serves on academic advisory boards, as editor for prestigious robotics journals, and as the co-chair of the Robotics and AI subcommittee for the New York City Bar Task Force on AI and Digital Technologies. Moiz has also served as a consultant for several industry leaders on robotics and design.

Kevin S. Chuang is a Technology Leader at Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) in Wilmington, MA, where he spearheads radio technology innovations and development for 6G wireless

for embedded software design, development, test, and integration of complex software solutions for large-scale, mission critical defense platforms. David holds a bachelor's degree in computer engineering, with minors in Physics and Computer Science, from Wentworth Institute of Technology, as well as a master's degree in computer engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He is also a graduate of the Engineering Leadership Development Program (ELDP) from BAE Systems Inc. As a Wentworth Institute of Technology alum, he enjoys giving back to the university that helped shape his academic and professional career, which included helping him obtain his initial start at BAE Systems Inc. via the Co-op program. In his spare time, David enjoys playing volleyball, participating in game nights with friends, and reading.

Philip Zurek received the B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2016, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2018 and 2021, respectively. As a part of his graduate studies, Philip worked with the RF Technology Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory during the summers of 2018 and 2019 as an intern. This work, involving the design of passive RF circuits and high-power amplifiers using Lincoln Laboratory's CMOS- low-cost GaN-on-Si semiconductor process, culminated in his dissertation, a US patent, and several peer-reviewed publications. He then began full-time employment with Lincoln Laboratory in 2021 as a technical staff member of the Advanced Concepts and Technologies Group, where he is currently supporting the mission of developing radar, electronic warfare, and system-of-systems technologies for future integrated air and missile defense systems. These contributions resulted in earning the 1st place early career award at the 2023 National Fire Control Symposium. In addition to his professional work, Philip has also been serving on the IEEE International Symposium on Phased Array Systems and Technology Committee since 2022, and as the Vice Chair and Chair of the IEEE MTT-S Boston Chapter since 2023.

Bhawna Shiwani is a scientist and director of research leading the teams at sister companies Altec and Delsys, Inc., with an emphasis on translating innovative concepts into human sensing solutions that advance the understanding of human physiology and performance for healthcare, military, and sports applications. Her team has produced groundbreaking computer vision technologies that overcome technical challenges ranging from achieving clinical-grade physiological sensing in extreme military environments to complementing virtual reality exergames for children with rare diseases. Using technologies conceived at Altec and translated to the commercial marketplace through Delsys, Bhawna and her team collaborate with leading healthcare centers across the country, working closely with the National Institute of Health, the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, and other agencies of the U.S. government to pioneer the latest healthcare solutions that transcend scientific and technological barriers. Bhawna holds a B.S. in Electronics and Communcation Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, India, and an M.S. in Robotics Engineering from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA, USA.

Christopher Sweeny earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2021) and M.S. in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Power Systems (2022) from Wentworth Institute of Technology. Since 2023, he has served as a Transmission Planning Engineer at 1898 & Co., part of Burns & McDonnell, where he supports grid reliability and power system planning projects across the U.S. Christopher also serves on the Executive Committee of the IEEE Power & Energy Society Boston Chapter, contributing to professional development and industry collaboration in the energy sector.

Sangita Skipitaris is a Senior Manager of Customer Success Engineering at MathWorks, leading a team of Customer Success Engineers across North America, helping universities and research institutions enhance their teaching and research through the effective use of MATLAB and Simulink-based tools. By partnering with universities and research institutes, her team provides support and guidance to educators on course curricula — grounded in emerging industry trends — to prepare students for successful careers in industry. Sangita brings more than 25 years of Industry experience, 15 years of experience from Microsoft, where she served as Senior Director of Customer Success for Cloud, managing a group of Cloud Solution Architects, enabling IT sectors across various industries on Cloud. Sangita holds a master’s degree in computer science and mathematical modeling and a bachelor’s degree in computer science, both from the University of Oslo.

Ram Krishnamurthy is a Principal Education Application Engineer at MathWorks, where he leads strategic collaborations with universities to strengthen the bridge between academia and industry. He partners with faculty, researchers, and institutional leaders to advance computational thinking, modernize engineering curricula, and prepare students with the analytical and data-driven skills needed to succeed in an evolving technology landscape. His expertise lies in applying Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to image and signal processing workflows, driving innovation across both research and real-world engineering domains. Ram holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) (Hons), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, PilaniBirla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani.