Doctoral student Chris Egersdoerfer, who is advised by Dong Dai, associate professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, won the Scalable Storage Competition (SSC24) by designing and implementing FSAgent, an autonomous agent capable of independently tuning complex parallel file systems in HPC environments. SSC is a high-profile, multiteam contest organized by GWDG that challenges participants to design and optimize high-performance, scalable storage solutions for real HPC workloads. The concept behind FSAgent was later developed into a paper, which has been accepted for presentation at the International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage and Analysis (SC’25), one of the premier venues in the high-performance computing field.

Andrew Teplyakov, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was recently recognized for excellence in mentorship by the American Vacuum Society (AVS). The award honors individuals from all scientific and engineering backgrounds both in and outside of academia, who not only excel in science, but also enhance the careers of future generations who might not have considered or had access to opportunities in science, engineering and technology. Teplyakov specializes in research and training in surface and interface functionalization of nanomaterials and solid films with applications in microelectronics and energy conversion. His doctoral students specifically nominated Keplyakov for this prestigious award.

Benjamin García‑Holgado, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, received the 2025 Edward S. Corwin Award from the American Political Science Association (APSA) for the best dissertation in the field of public law. He completed his dissertation, “The Judicial Bulwark: Courts and the Populist Erosion of Democracy,” at the University of Notre Dame in 2023, and joined UD that fall. His research and teaching interests are in political regimes, comparative judicial politics and qualitative methods, and explore the role of judicial institutions in safeguarding democratic governance against the pressures of populist governments. García‑Holgado approaches these topics from an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing on insights from public law, American political development, comparative‑historical sociology, and political history. The APSA award committee cited the care with which García‑Holgado developed the dissertation’s theoretical argument and the rigor with which it was evaluated, along with thorough attention to detail, saying it makes the piece “an engrossing and thought-provoking read about a topic of great contemporary relevance.”

Presentations

Rudi Matthee, John and Dorothy Munroe Distinguished Professor of History, attended the 10th biennial conference of the Association of Persianate Studies, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Aug. 12-15. He chaired a panel and spoke about his 2023 book, Angels Tapping at the Wine Shop’s Door: A History of Alcohol in the Islamic World, at a book talk panel.  

Adil Bentahar, associate professor in the English Language Institute, has made several presentations this year. On April 24, 2025, he presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA), which was held in Denver, Colorado. His session, entitled "Exploring the Integration of Social-emotional Learning [SEL] into EFL pre-service Teacher Preparation in Morocco: A Mixed-method Study,” addressed Moroccan EFL preservice teachers’ readiness and SEL competencies. On April 25, 2025, Bentahar was among those scheduled for a panel of international educators discussing inclusion and special education. His session was titled "Fostering a Culture of Inclusive Teaching in the Language Classroom: The Case of L2 Reading," which was held at Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco. On June 23, 2025, Bentahar delivered the keynote speech [online] at Moulay Ismail University's (Morocco) first conference on English Language Teaching and Digital Futures. His speech, titled "Bringing Reading to Life in Moroccan EFL Classrooms: Way Forward," addressed cultural and social barriers to English as a Foreign Language teachers and students in Morocco.

On May 28, 2025, Eui Jung Kim and Wakako Yamasaki, academic development specialists in the English Language Institute, delivered a poster presentation at NAFSA 2025 Annual Conference and Expo. Their presentation was entitled “Creating Student-Centered Pre-Departure Orientation.”

On May 28, 2025, Patti Miele, academic development specialist at the English Language Institute, delivered a presentation at University of Delaware's Summer Institute on Teaching entitled "Supporting Students’ Mental Wellbeing through Social-Emotional Learning: Simple Ways to Apply SEL in Any Teaching Context." This talk analyzes data on student mental health and proposes practical strategies for instructors to support students' mental wellbeing while caring for their own wellbeing. Miele was invited to deliver the presentation again on Aug. 21, 2025, at UD's Keep Calm and Teach On workshop series.

Publications

Hannah Kim, associate professor of history and co-coordinator of social studies education, is the author of Ties that Bind: People and Perception in U.S. and Korean Transnational Relations, 1905-1965. Recently published by the University of Nebraska Press, the book “narrates five stories of how a transnational community helped shape American perceptions and understandings of Korea and Koreans, from a time when only a small number of Americans knew anything about Korea to a time when most Americans were aware of Korea’s geopolitical significance.”

Michael Fields, associate professor in the English Language Institute, published "10 Tips for Writing Effective Language Test Items” for the summer 2025 issue of Notes from the Field. 

In May 2025, Adil Bentahar, associate professor in the English Language Institute, published as a co-author a peer-reviewed journal article in Education Sciences, a Q1 journal. The article, which was titled "The Influence of Media Multitasking on Moroccan English as a Foreign Language Teachers’ Reading Habits,” examines the impact of media multitasking on the reading habits and practices of 700 Moroccan EFL teachers, utilizing a time-diary survey methodology. The findings reveal that a significant number of teachers engage in media multitasking, particularly watching television and using the Internet, while reading for both academic and recreational purposes. In March 2025, Bentahar published a non-refereed article in TESOL-International Reading-Vocabulary Newsletter. The article, entitled "Improving reading proficiency in Morocco begins with teachers’ habits,” sheds light on the likely role of language teachers in the unsatisfactory reading proficiency of Moroccan students and offers implications to raise awareness among Moroccan teachers and educators.

Alexander Selimov, Elias Ahuja Chair of Spanish and Latin American Studies, has released Cosmic Beat, a new chapbook published by Bottlecap Press. The book takes readers on a raw journey through what it means to be human in today's chaotic world. These are expressions that pulse with life and emotion, tackling heavy subjects such as mortality, discrimination, the impact of technology, cycles of history, memory and loneliness. His voice has bite when it needs to, calling out the endless cycles we get trapped in. Selimov's recent accolades include the titles of Poet of the Year (2024), Universal Ambassador of Culture (2018, 2023), Silver Medal at the International LIFFT Poetry Festival (2019 and Premio Victoria Urbano, Honorable Mention (2018).

Service

James Ancona, associate professor of music, served as the percussion adviser for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. On Aug. 9, 2025, the Boston Crusaders made history by securing their first Drum Corps International World Championship in 85 years. In the final round of the world competition, the Crusaders achieved a flawless percussion score—a distinction awarded only once before in Drum Corps International's history. This momentous victory was the culmination of an eight-week national tour. Ancona is the assistant director of the Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band, director of the Basketball Pep Band and co-director of the Symphonic Band. With over 35 years of experience as a composer and instructor for elite drum and bugle corps, his expertise has significantly contributed to the success of the ensembles he leads.

Appointments 

Jamie Pottman, who earned her bachelor’s in applied molecular biology and biotechnology (AMBB) in May, has accepted a position as a postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Pottman will be working in Thomas Redmond’s Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology within the National Eye Institute (NEI). Pottman’s research will focus on age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss, to uncover the molecular and biochemical changes that drive its progression and identify biomarkers that could enable earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatments to slow or prevent blindness.

College of Arts and Sciences Dean Caleb Everett has appointed three faculty members to new roles as associate deans, effective Sept. 1:

• Chad Gasta, chair of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, will serve as associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs. Gasta joined the University in 2022 as chair and professor of Spanish. Prior to UD, he served as professor and chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures at Iowa State University, where he also served as director of International Studies. Over his career, Gasta has led large, multidisciplinary departments and has broad experience with curricular innovation, recruitment and retention initiatives, strategic enrollment management and student success. 
• Joel Rosenthal, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is the new associate dean for research and graduate affairs. He joined the University in 2010. Prior to this appointment, he also served as the department’s associate chair of graduate studies and research. In his prior roles at UD, Rosenthal has gained experience with graduate student training and curriculum design, stewardship of diverse extramural funding portfolios and an array of physical infrastructure and other institutional capacity building efforts. His research group’s work is focused in the areas of chemical catalysis and phototheranostics and has been supported by awards from NSF, DOE, NIH, DOD and several industrial partners.
• Dan Smith, former senior associate dean of social sciences, will serve as associate dean for faculty affairs. Smith, who joined the University in 2016, served as senior associate dean for the social sciences and as senior adviser to the dean on the budget under interim dean Debbie Hess Norris, working closely with other associate deans to maintain the college’s financial health. Prior to this appointment, Smith served as associate dean of the social sciences for four years. He is a professor in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, where he was the associate director and director of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. He also has served as president of the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Senate and as a member of the University Faculty Senate Budget Committee.   

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