New York Tech’s First Engineering Ph.D. Candidate Graduates
At New York Tech’s 64th annual commencement ceremony on May 18, Michael Kohler (M.S. ’22, Ph.D. ’25) became the first New York Tech student to earn a Ph.D. from the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences.
Kohler’s academic journey at New York Tech began in the master’s program in bioengineering, where he connected with Associate Professor Fang Li, Ph.D., who recognized his potential and invited him to engage in research. “Dr. Li was a great advisor. She appreciated my ideas and gave me great feedback. Working with her was absolutely amazing,” says Kohler.
Kohler embraced the opportunity to work with Li, which progressed into his enrollment in the doctoral program in engineering, which launched in 2021, just as he was finishing his master’s degree. “The fact that the timing aligned perfectly was almost a sign,” he says. He chose the bioengineering track, focusing his research on Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensors.
His work explores how SAW sensor technology can be integrated into wearable devices to capture and analyze biomechanical data from the human body. Such advancements have the potential to significantly impact rehabilitation, human augmentation, and sports science by enabling real-time, precise measurements of joint movement and muscle activity.
Kohler completed his Ph.D. with a 3.9 GPA, multiple publications, and a patent. “The graduation was really nice, but the really good feeling was when I passed my defense. That was euphoric,” he says. Kohler passed his defense on May 15 with no revisions. Now, he hopes to use his skills in research and development.
“I think the doctoral program at New York Tech is great,” he says. “It’s very accommodating to individuals. Supporting flexibility in research domains is important, and that’s exactly what they’re trying to do.”
“We are incredibly proud of Dr. Michael Kohler and this inaugural moment,” says Dean Babak D. Beheshti, Ph.D. “Michael’s success marks a pivotal milestone for the college. It is the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our journey as a research-driven institution.”
By Sophie Yoakum
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