Posted on September 11, 2025 by Klesse College Staff
Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design is pleased to welcome a diverse group of new faculty members. As part of our mission to always strivie for engineering and design excellence, we are delighted to welcome these talented individuals to the Klesse College family.
School of Architecture and Planning
Michalangelo Sabatino, Professor & Director
What is your teaching philosophy?
Guide students to address pressing issues concerning the preservation of historic buildings and help them to understand the value of adaptive reuse projects along with new construction.
Serge Ambrose, Assistant Professor
What is your teaching philosophy?
"I am instered teaching a hands-on approach to the design, construction and historic preservation of the built environment."
Sarah Serpas, Assistant Professor of Instruction
What are you most exicted about working at UTSA?
"San Antonio has a long tradition of community advocacy to shape a better city, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with students, community groups, and others in our city to create a more just San Antonio."
Department of Biomedical & Chemical Engineering
Jie Zheng, Professor
Why did you choose UTSA?
"For me, joining UTSA was really driven by the exciting growth happening there. The university is investing heavily in areas that align perfectly with my research interests and career goals, which made it feel like a natural fit."
School of Civil & Enviromental Engineering, and Construction Management
Tianzhi He, Assistant Professor
What is your teaching philosophy?
"My teaching philosophy centers on creating an engaging, student-centered learning environment that emphasizes collaboration, technology, and real-world application. I aim to prepare students to not only master content but also teach and lead others."
Opeyemi Oyeyipo, Senior Lecturer
Why did you choose UTSA?
"San Antonio's industry ecosystem plus UT San Antonio's partnerships creates unmatched applied learning environment- exactly what I wanted for my teaching and research."
Department of Electrical Engineering
Qiwei Zhang, Assistant Professor
What is your teaching philosophy?
"I believe it's important to help students be prepared for future job hunting through the course materials. My teaching philosophy would be focus on programming and hand-on problem/projects."
William Severa, Associate Professor
What is your teaching philosophy?
"I am a strong proponent of project based learning, which is particularly effective in interdisciplinary areas such as my own. I am very interested in research-based classes and hope to develop one around advanced AI methods."
Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering
Kunal Kate, Associate Professor
Why did you choose UTSA?
"UTSA's strategic emphasis on collaborative research perfectly aligns with my vision of tackling urgent industrial challenges while involving students across various levels of their education in practical, impactful research."
Sara Abu-Aridah, Postdoc Fellow
Timothy Chung, Associate Professor
Why did you choose UTSA?
I joined UTSA because the institution is on an inspiring path of growth and innovation, thanks to its strong leadership and infrastructure. I wanted to be part of shaping its next chapter by helping build something truly impactful for students, science, and society.
— Klesse College Staff
