MSOE faculty members Dr. Sebastian Berisha, Diercks School of Advanced Computing, and Dr. Mohammad Mahinfalah, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, were recognized for their outstanding research with the 2026 Karl O. Werwath Applied Research Award.

Karl O. Werwath was an innovator in engineering education and the application of technology, and believed that teaching effectiveness was enhanced through applied research and consulting. He felt that MSOE should make an effort to contribute to the advancement of technical knowledge for the benefit of business and industry for the good of the community and the nation. This award was initiated to recognize the vision of Karl O. Werwath and the contribution of MSOE faculty and staff who have fostered the advancement of applied scientific knowledge. The award recipient is chosen based on criteria including his or her contribution to engineering, scientific research, consulting, the engineering profession and scholarship, promoting research at MSOE, patentable concepts and publications.  

Recipients of this award are nominated by MSOE faculty and staff members, alumni, Regents and Corporate Board members. 

“It is an honor to receive the Karl O. Werwath Applied Research Award, and I would like to acknowledge Dr. Sudhir Kaul for his leadership and my nomination for this award,” said Mahinfalah.

“Receiving the Karl O. Werwath Applied Research Award was a tremendous honor,” said Berisha. “It was gratifying to have the significance of this research recognized, particularly because the work brings together engineering, data science and medicine to address real clinical needs. I also see the award as recognition of the collaborators, students and clinical partners who make this research possible. It has encouraged me to continue pursuing work that is both scientifically rigorous and capable of improving patient care.”

Dr. Sebastian Berisha
Dr. Sebastian Berisha’s research applies machine/deep learning and data science to improve the detection and diagnosis of diseases using biomedical data. He has two focus areas: one area focuses on improving cancer diagnosis through hyperspectral photothermal mid-infrared spectroscopic imaging. He uses computational methods to classify clinically relevant tissue types and his group is extending the work from ovarian cancer to cervical cancer. The second area focuses on analyzing electrocardiogram (ECG) signals to identify patterns associated with cardiovascular conditions such as arrhythmias, stroke risk, pulmonary embolism and congestive heart failure. The goal is to create reliable screening and risk-stratification tools that could eventually be used in hospitals, clinics and wearable or mobile devices.

Berisha was inspired by the opportunity to use AI to address important clinical problems. The cancer-imaging research is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Rohith Reddy’s laboratory at the University of Houston, which specializes in biomedical imaging and spectroscopic analysis of cancer tissues. The ECG research is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Kevin Cohoon at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert. Many MSOE undergraduate and graduate students have contributed to this research work in the form of undergraduate research thesis and summer research programs. Berisha is continuing to work on advancing both of these research projects.

“These projects are valuable not only because of their potential clinical impact but also because they provide students with meaningful interdisciplinary research experiences,” said Berisha. “Students work with real biomedical datasets while gaining skills in machine learning, signal processing, imaging, spectroscopy, statistical analysis, visualization and clinical data interpretation.”

 Dr. Mohammad Mahinfalah
Dr. Mohammad Mahinfalah earned his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in the area of experimental mechanics and has used his knowledge to conduct research in failure and characterization of composite materials, fatigue, fracture mechanics and vibrations. 

Mahinfalah’s research has been published in 28 journal articles and 78 conference proceedings. He has served as a thesis advisor for more than 20 graduate students at MSOE and North Dakota State University and has served on advisory committees for even more graduate students. At MSOE, he’s grateful to engage undergraduate students and colleagues in his research. As the program director for the Master of Science in Engineering program, he continues to support the program’s goals, expand the program and teach graduate-level courses in his area of expertise. 

Mahinfalah greatly enjoys working with colleagues and students on research opportunities. “One of the cornerstones of the faculty responsibilities in an institution of higher learning is to be engaged in scholarly activities and research in a university setting,” said Mahinfalah. “Inspiration for my research comes from enjoyment of working with others and contributing to their success.”

Mahinfalah is currently working with Drs. Milad Tatari and Kaylie Butt to write proposals to the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support future projects to ensure success of students at MSOE.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to my students and my colleagues who have contributed to the success of my research, specifically Drs. Bob Rizza and Subha Kumpaty.”