POTSDAM – Clarkson University announced the appointment of two assistant professors last fall.

Dhara J. Trivedi has been appointed assistant professor of physics, and Suguang Xiao has been appointed assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering.

Trivedi previously served as a visiting assistant professor of physics at Clarkson and as a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University.

She received her Ph.D. and master of arts degrees in physics from the University of Rochester, her master of science in physics from Gujarat University, and her bachelor of science in physics and mathematics from St. Xavier’s College, Gujarat University.

Her research interests focus on developing new methods for problems in nanotechnology, energy, and charge transfer in complex condensed-phase chemical and biological environments, and properties of materials.

Xiao received his Ph.D. from Lehigh University, his master of science from Tongji University and his bachelor of science from Chang’an University, all in civil engineering.

Xiao's research interests include dynamic behaviors of foundations for wind turbines, soil-structure interaction of geothermal energy piles, heat transfer simulation of bridge deicing using geothermal energy, energy storage, and discrete element method simulation of clayey soils.

He previously served as a research associate at the University of Oklahoma and Lehigh University.