A Milestone for Engineering Research in Pennsylvania
Trisha Campanaro secured her place in university history this August as the first graduate of the doctorate in engineering and computing systems program at Penn State Harrisburg. Her graduation serves as a marker for the degree track, which officially launched in 2023. The timing aligns with a broader institutional achievement as Penn State surpassed one million degrees awarded across the university system. For the Harrisburg campus, the achievement coincides with its 60th anniversary celebrations, providing a layer of historical significance to her academic work.
The doctoral program requires students to engage in research that bridges traditional engineering fields. The curriculum focuses on what the U.S. National Science Foundation classifies as engineered systems. Students within this track often blend expertise from civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering with advanced computational systems. By design, the program encourages candidates to look beyond siloed disciplines to solve complex, real-world technical problems.
From Industry Practice to Doctoral Research
Campanaro did not follow a direct path to her doctorate. She earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering technology from Penn State Harrisburg in 2020. She then transitioned into the workforce, obtaining a master’s degree in engineering management from Rowan University in 2022. During her time in manufacturing, she held project management roles that exposed her to the inner workings of research and development departments. This exposure shifted her career trajectory, as she realized she wanted to move from managing projects to conducting the underlying research.
She maintained her professional relationship with the Harrisburg faculty during her time in industry. When the doctoral program was announced, she saw an opportunity to return to an environment she knew well. Her former undergraduate professors, who focused on manufacturing and vibration research, became central to her decision. Joining the initial cohort in the fall of 2023, she helped define the culture of the program alongside a small group of peers from various engineering backgrounds.
Redefining Noise Control Through Human Perception
Her doctoral research concentrated on the psychoacoustic characterization and noise reduction of centrifugal air blowers. These devices, often called birdcage impellers, power HVAC systems in high-demand settings like buses and hospitals. Campanaro identified a gap in traditional engineering: standard decibel meters only measure raw sound pressure, failing to account for how people actually perceive noise. Using a mix of machine learning, physical testing, and computational fluid dynamics, she sought designs that feel quieter and less harsh to the human ear.
This approach often prioritized human comfort over raw aerodynamic efficiency, a trade-off that standard engineering metrics frequently ignore. She credited her adviser, Issam Abu-Mahfouz, with helping her identify this research niche early in her tenure. She noted that the campus focus on applied research allowed her to translate theoretical simulations into practical, tangible solutions for noise pollution in industrial environments.
Looking Toward a Future in Academia
The structure of the Penn State Harrisburg program facilitated a strong relationship between students and faculty from the first semester. Campanaro cited this connectivity as a critical success factor in her ability to complete the degree within a tight timeframe. She noted that the interdisciplinary nature of the program could have been a hurdle, yet the administrative and faculty support systems worked to keep students aligned with their goals.
Having completed her defense in June, Campanaro now transitions into a new chapter. She has accepted a faculty position at Penn State Great Valley within the engineering management department. This role allows her to apply both her doctoral research and her prior industrial experience in manufacturing. As Penn State Harrisburg looks toward the future of its engineering wing, Campanaro represents the first of what the institution hopes will be a steady pipeline of graduates trained in modern, interdisciplinary systems engineering.