Distinguished Research Team From Johns Hopkins University Joins U of A, I³R and College of Engineering (2024)

One of the University of Arkansas' most established and high-performing colleges and the U of A's groundbreaking new research institute are partnering to bring a world-class research team here from Johns Hopkins University.

Professors Mehran Armand and Alejandro Martin Gomez are joining the university in the 2024-25 academic year with joint faculty appointments in the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R) and the College of Engineering.

“Bringing researchers of this caliber to the U of A speaks to our positive momentum, our collaborative approach to innovation and our commitment to research excellence,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “The founding and early success of I³R has already enhanced the university's reputation for world-changing research, helping us to recruit these outstanding faculty and to continue creating life-improving innovations for the people of our state and beyond.”

Regarding the hires, Provost Terry Martin added, “Recruiting exceptional faculty like Armand and Martin Gomez, who are experts in their field, is a priority for our institution. Collaborating across campus and leveraging our facilities for recruiting researchers in this way allows the university to continue to grow its research enterprise and statewide impact.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Armand and Martin Gomez to I³R,” said Ranu Jung, associate vice chancellor, distinguished professor of biomedical engineering and I³R founding executive director. “Medical robotics and extended reality are at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation. Mehran and Alejandro’s collective expertise in these areas will further research excellence at the university and push I³R to new heights in developing innovations for impact in Arkansas and the world.”

College of Engineering Dean Kim Needy said, “The college is delighted to have professors Armand and Martin Gomez join our faculty in the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, respectively. Their expertise will enrich our academic environment, enhance our research capacity, contribute to successful student outcomes and advance the college’s strategic plan – Vision 2035.”

I³R is rapidly expanding as the institute prepares to launch its full capabilities with the opening of its state-of-the-art research hub later this year.

“We are growing the institute’s research and innovation clusters,” Jung said. “Joining Armand and Martin Gomez will be research engineers, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and faculty in medical imaging.”

Provost Martin commended the College of Engineering and I³R for working together on these joint faculty appointments and stated, “It takes a lot of coordination and collaboration to make joint hires. I appreciate the commitment and collaboration Dr. Jung and Dean Needy showed by recruiting this team – it is a great foundation for our future hires.”

Mehran Armand

In addition to his extensive experience with federally funded projects, including as principal investigator of nine National Institutes of Health grants, Armand has assisted in developing start-up enterprises, experience that will further position I³R as an ideal industry partner for the development and deployment of novel technologies. He has authored more than 250 papers and holds 25 patents and patent applications.

Armand’s current areas of research include the development of systems and components for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery with continuum manipulators for orthopaedic surgery, full-body imaging for diagnosis and documenting the progression of skin cancer, and integrated robotic systems for neuroplastic surgery.

“The University of Arkansas and the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research are at the leading edge of translating research for societal impact,” Armand said. “I’m delighted to join the brilliant faculty in the College of Engineering in shaping the future of science and the outstanding researchers at I³R in partnering with industry, clinical and community members to solve ‘wicked’ problems.”

Acknowledging the lack of access to medical and healthcare services often affecting rural communities, Armand said, “I’m especially excited about the opportunity to work with community and industry partners interested in developing and deploying an Integrated Mobile Surgical Suite (IMSS) that would take advantage of leading-edge advances in healthcare technologies to reshape the delivery of medical and surgical care, especially in rural and underserved areas.”

Alejandro Martin Gomez

Alejandro Martin Gomez is currently an assistant research professor in the Department of Computer Science, Malone Center and Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics at Johns Hopkins. His expertise is in understanding the properties of human sensory and cognitive systems in order to create efficient, intuitive, understandable and transferable extended reality experiences.

“I’m deeply impressed by the innovative work I³R is planning to do in augmented and virtual reality,” Martin Gomez said. “My long-term goal is to create extended reality systems that are as natural and intuitive as the physical world, and I’m thrilled to join a team that is committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and working with industry to create technologies to make this level of extended reality possible.”

A 2023 Johns Hopkins Malone Center Faculty Fellow, Martin Gomez was recently recognized with the 2024 Professor Joel Dean Excellence in Teaching Award for excellence in teaching in the Computer Science Department at Johns Hopkins University. He has nearly two dozen published articles and is highly engaged in student mentoring.

“I’m excited to join a vibrant university that is so keenly focused on student success and boasts an institute that is a burgeoning hub of innovation,” he said. “Located in one of the most rapidly developing and forward-thinking regions in the country, the University of Arkansas is fertile ground for the kind of collaborations that lead to transformational innovations, and I look forward to being a part of it.”

What They're Saying Around the State

“Access to medical services in some parts of our state is a real issue. Dr. Armand’s vision for leveraging novel technologies to increase access to quality medical care has the potential to make a real difference in our state.”

❖​Judd Semingson, chief executive officer of Community Clinic and chairman of Community Health Centers Arkansas.

“The expertise of Drs. Armand and Martin Gomez will be a tremendous asset to enhance our state’s capabilities. We look forward to collaborating with them to develop medical innovations that improve health outcomes and quality of life.”

❖​C. Lowry Barnes, chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine

"The addition of Drs. Mehran Armand and Alejandro Martin Gomez to the University of Arkansas faculty represents a new era of innovation and research in the region. Washington Regional is excited about the possibilities this brings, particularly in medical robotics and extended reality — areas that hold transformative potential for healthcare delivery. We look forward to the advancements and solutions they will contribute, which align perfectly with our mission of improving the health of those in the communities we serve."

❖​Larry Shackelford, president and chief executive officer of Washington Regional Medical System

“The health care transformation division is delighted to welcome the University of Arkansas’ newest faculty members. Their expertise and contributions will significantly enhance the capabilities of our health care ecosystem, greatly advancing our ability to deliver world-class health care.”

❖​Ryan Cork, head of the Northwest Arkansas Council’s health care transformation division

For More Information

Individuals and research teams interested in learning more about opportunities to join I³R can reach out directly to icubedr@uark.edu. Visit engineering.uark.edu for more about the College of Engineering.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the UofA provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the UofA contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the UofA among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the UofA among the top public universities in the nation. See how the UofA works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.

About the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R): Established through a transformational gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, the University of Arkansas Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research pioneers solutions to wicked problems through convergence research across academic, industry, government, and non-profit sectors to make a positive societal impact by creating and deploying innovations at scale. Learn more at i3r.uark.edu.

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the largest engineering program in the state of Arkansas. Over the past decade, the college has experienced unprecedented growth. Undergraduate enrollment has doubled since 2007, and total enrollment in the college is now over 4,000 students. The College of Engineering offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in nine engineering fields, as well as incorporating distance learning and interdisciplinary programs. Faculty in the college conduct research in many key areas, including electronics, energy, biomedical and healthcare engineering, materials science, transportation and logistics.