About Our Team

Dacheng Ren

Dacheng Ren

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Dr. Dacheng Ren received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Connecticut in 2003. After finishing postdoctoral training at Cornell University, he joined Syracuse University in 2006. Currently, he is the Stevenson Endowed Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, director of Syracuse Biomaterials Institute, and interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Dr. Ren received an Early Career Translational Research Award in Biomedical Engineering from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation in 2009 and a NSF CAREER award in 2011. He was named the College Technology Educator of the Year by the Technology Alliance of Central New York in 2010. Dr. Ren is also a recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award from the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University in 2014, and Chancellor’s Citation for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction in 2018. Dr. Ren currently has 63 journal publications over 4,500 citations and an h-index of 31, 10 issued/pending patents, and more than 40 invited talks.  Dr. Ren has broad research interests in biotechnology and biofilm control. His research has been supported by NSF, NIH, EPA, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and industrial sponsors.


Yoanna Ferrara


Yoanna Ferrara

Director for Research Development

Yoanna Ferrara provides support for engineering and computer science faculty to advance research and build capacity for large and complex proposals. She monitors and evaluates emerging funding opportunities to align with investigators’ research interests and career stage. Ferrara also provides services to foster collaboration among diverse faculty. She helps enhance broader impact strategy by building and facilitating partnerships. Prior to Syracuse University, she was director of the research administration service center at Cornell Engineering. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from Cornell University.