Karuna Koppula

Karuna Koppula serves as a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology's Kate Gleason College of Engineering. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses since joining RIT in 2009, initially in Mechanical Engineering before transitioning to Chemical Engineering in 2010. Her instructional portfolio includes Continuum Mechanics, Analytical Techniques, System Dynamics and Control, and advanced design capstone projects.

Her educational background comprises a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Andhra University (India), an M.S. from the University of New Hampshire, and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University where her dissertation focused on turbulent flow modeling during an internship at Bechtel National Inc.

Dr. Koppula's research bridges microfluidics and computational fluid dynamics, with dual expertise in particle manipulation via insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP) and turbulent flow modeling. Her work addresses biomedical applications including cell sorting and separation systems, while maintaining foundational contributions to fuel cell technology and thermoelectric energy conversion. Current investigations focus on electrokinetic phenomena in microscale devices and advanced turbulence closures.

Publication trends from 2009-2014 reveal an evolution from fundamental turbulence modeling (2009-2011) toward applied microfluidics and biomedical engineering (2013-2014), demonstrating interdisciplinary integration of chemical engineering principles with biomedical device innovation. Her collaborative work frequently appears in specialized journals covering electrophoresis, nanotechnology, and chemical engineering fundamentals.

Her notable recognitions include:

• Norman A. Miles Award for academic teaching excellence (2012), selected by student recipients
• Faculty Equipment and Academic Development (FEAD) grant (2013)

Dr. Koppula actively mentors students through capstone design projects and laboratory courses, integrating industry-relevant simulation tools like ChemCad and P&ID development. Her teaching excellence award reflects strong student engagement in complex computational techniques and process control systems.

Her research program operates through collaborative networks within RIT's chemical engineering facilities, leveraging computational resources for fluid dynamics modeling and microfluidic device prototyping, with ongoing exploration of electrokinetic applications in biomedical diagnostics.