Two ISE assistant professors, Jordan Kern and Sara Shashaani, have been selected for the prestigious 2024-2025 Goodnight Early Career Innovators Award. This award, overseen by the Provost’s Office, recognizes and rewards tenure-track assistant professors who have demonstrated early productivity in STEM or STEM education research and innovation.
Jordan Kern
Kern has quickly become a leader in energy system decarbonization and climate change. “ISE is thrilled that Dr. Kern has joined us,” confided Julie Swann, ISE department head. “He has quickly established research collaborations with his new colleagues here.” He joined ISE in 2023 after previously being part of the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources (FER), where he was known for his outstanding scholarly achievements. Kern’s research team uses engineering fundamentals and operations research to create open-source models of real-world energy systems. His work simulates energy system dynamics under extreme weather events and potential cyber-attacks, focusing on improving system resilience. The software he develops is now used by researchers at national labs and universities, expanding the reach and impact of his research beyond his own group. Kern’s selection as a Goodnight Early Career Innovator recognizes his significant contributions to the field of sustainable and resilient energy systems.
Sara Shashaani
Sara Shashaani has made impressive contributions to simulation optimization and data science. “Dr. Shashaani’s leadership in the area of simulation is significant; she is ranked among the top handful of young simulation scholars across the country and the world,” shared Swann. She is also a leading simulation teacher and researcher, a crucial ISE area. Despite the difficulties during the pandemic, she has noticeably improved the department’s simulation courses. “More than a dozen students have reached out after completing her courses to show enthusiasm about research,” said Swann. Shashaani’s scholarly record is distinguished by numerous high-profile publications, including in top journals such as the SIAM Journal of Optimization and Technometrics, and she has received national recognition for her work.
As Goodnight Early Career Innovators, Kern and Shashaani will receive $22,000 annually for three years to support their continued research. This honor places them among a select group of faculty recognized since the program’s inception in 2021. The program has previously honored notable faculty, including ISE associate professors Xu Xu (2020-2021) and Karen Chen (2021-2022), as well as CAMAL manager of AM research Tim Horn (2022-2023).
These prestigious awards recognize the tremendous potential of NC State’s emerging scholars, whose innovative work is helping shape the future of STEM.