Southern Illinois University System - Edwardsville
09/19/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/19/2025 09:38
Four Faculty Members Receive 2025 SIU System Collaboration Award
Four Faculty Members Receive 2025 SIU System Collaboration Award
September 19, 2025, 10:00 AM
Four faculty members were awarded the Southern Illinois University System's 2025 Faculty Collaboration Award at the SIU Board of Trustees meeting on September 18, 2025 for their academic innovation and partnerships.
Two of the recipients were Dr. Sinan Onal, professor and chair of the Department of Industrial Engineering at SIU Edwardsville (SIUE), and Dr. Chao Lu, associate professor in the School of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering at SIU Carbondale (SIUC).
They have collaborated on methods to observe and measure the human gait of individuals with movement disorders or physical impairments, addressing a pressing challenge in biomedical engineering and rehabilitative healthcare. In their research, they ask people to wear sensors that utilize artificial intelligence (AI), and then they apply integrated technologies with advanced algorithms to monitor their gait. Their work has the potential to inform the development of next-generation rehabilitation devices, improve clinical decision making, and support personalized, data-driven care in both clinical and home settings.
Dr. Lu brings deep expertise in AI and biomedical system design, while Dr. Onal contributes a strong background in systems engineering, with expertise in computational biomechanics and healthcare applications. They have also collaborated in co-mentoring Ph.D. students who assist with their research.
The other two honorees are Dr. Jyotsna Kapur, professor of Cinema and Media Studies and former Director of the Honors Program at SIUC, and Dr. Eric Ruckh, associate professor of history and Director of the John Martinson Honors Program at SIUE.
These professors have been collaborating since 2020 to offer interdisciplinary courses taught by a variety of faculty for about 200 students, roughly half from SIUE and half from SIUC. These interactions have also led to the two honors student organizations running shared service projects (one in Carbondale in 2023 and one in Edwardsville in 2024). Additionally, honors students from the two campuses co-presented at the 2023 National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Chicago.
"The SIU System Faculty Collaboration Award was created to highlight and encourage faculty collaboration across SIU campuses," said SIU System President Dan Mahony. "The research, teaching and program development of this year's honorees directly advance the university's goals related to academic innovation, student success and partnerships."
All of the scholars said they are grateful to receive the SIU collaboration award. "This award affirms the strength of our technical approach and underscores the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in fostering innovation and solving practical problems," Onal said.
Lu added: "We are all hearing so much about the beneficial uses of AI, and we are very grateful that SIU is shining a light on our efforts in engineering and the biomedical field that could be life changing."
Kapur and Ruckh are encouraged by the system's support of their efforts. "We believe that as SIU continues to honor collaboration, it will fuel creativity and generate new knowledge and prepare our students to work and live in a deeply interconnected planet. The ability to work across disciplines and locations is one of the major strengths of an Honors education," they said.
Mahony featured Kapur and Ruckh on his monthly podcast, Office Hours, to learn more about their work in the episode, the Evolving Classroom: A Deeper Look at the Changes and Challenges.
SIU employs more than 7,000 faculty, staff and administrators who serve approximately 23,500 students at campuses in Carbondale and Edwardsville and at the SIU School of Medicine and its clinics in Springfield.
PHOTOS: Image 1: SIU President Dan Mahony, Chao Lu, Sinan Onal and SIU Board of Trustees Chair J. Phil Gilbert
Image 2: SIU President Dan Mahony, Eric Ruckh, Jyotsna and SIU Board of Trustees Chair J. Phil Gilbert
Two of the recipients were Dr. Sinan Onal, professor and chair of the Department of Industrial Engineering at SIU Edwardsville (SIUE), and Dr. Chao Lu, associate professor in the School of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering at SIU Carbondale (SIUC).
They have collaborated on methods to observe and measure the human gait of individuals with movement disorders or physical impairments, addressing a pressing challenge in biomedical engineering and rehabilitative healthcare. In their research, they ask people to wear sensors that utilize artificial intelligence (AI), and then they apply integrated technologies with advanced algorithms to monitor their gait. Their work has the potential to inform the development of next-generation rehabilitation devices, improve clinical decision making, and support personalized, data-driven care in both clinical and home settings.
Dr. Lu brings deep expertise in AI and biomedical system design, while Dr. Onal contributes a strong background in systems engineering, with expertise in computational biomechanics and healthcare applications. They have also collaborated in co-mentoring Ph.D. students who assist with their research.
The other two honorees are Dr. Jyotsna Kapur, professor of Cinema and Media Studies and former Director of the Honors Program at SIUC, and Dr. Eric Ruckh, associate professor of history and Director of the John Martinson Honors Program at SIUE.
These professors have been collaborating since 2020 to offer interdisciplinary courses taught by a variety of faculty for about 200 students, roughly half from SIUE and half from SIUC. These interactions have also led to the two honors student organizations running shared service projects (one in Carbondale in 2023 and one in Edwardsville in 2024). Additionally, honors students from the two campuses co-presented at the 2023 National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Chicago.
"The SIU System Faculty Collaboration Award was created to highlight and encourage faculty collaboration across SIU campuses," said SIU System President Dan Mahony. "The research, teaching and program development of this year's honorees directly advance the university's goals related to academic innovation, student success and partnerships."
All of the scholars said they are grateful to receive the SIU collaboration award. "This award affirms the strength of our technical approach and underscores the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in fostering innovation and solving practical problems," Onal said.
Lu added: "We are all hearing so much about the beneficial uses of AI, and we are very grateful that SIU is shining a light on our efforts in engineering and the biomedical field that could be life changing."
Kapur and Ruckh are encouraged by the system's support of their efforts. "We believe that as SIU continues to honor collaboration, it will fuel creativity and generate new knowledge and prepare our students to work and live in a deeply interconnected planet. The ability to work across disciplines and locations is one of the major strengths of an Honors education," they said.
Mahony featured Kapur and Ruckh on his monthly podcast, Office Hours, to learn more about their work in the episode, the Evolving Classroom: A Deeper Look at the Changes and Challenges.
SIU employs more than 7,000 faculty, staff and administrators who serve approximately 23,500 students at campuses in Carbondale and Edwardsville and at the SIU School of Medicine and its clinics in Springfield.
PHOTOS: Image 1: SIU President Dan Mahony, Chao Lu, Sinan Onal and SIU Board of Trustees Chair J. Phil Gilbert
Image 2: SIU President Dan Mahony, Eric Ruckh, Jyotsna and SIU Board of Trustees Chair J. Phil Gilbert
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