About

Dr. Israa Azzam is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). She earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University in 2025, where her research focused on digital technologies, control systems, and extended reality (XR) applications for engineering education and teleoperation.

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During her doctoral studies, she served as a Research Assistant on the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project “Research Initiation: Developing Spatial Visualization and Understanding of Complex Systems via Interactive Mixed Reality Modules”. In this role, Dr. Azzam collaborated with industry partners on cutting-edge projects in digital hydraulics and XR, designing and controlling hydraulic and mechanical systems while integrating control system analysis into XR development. Her contributions extended to the creation of interactive Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) modules, which proved effective in engineering education and workforce training. She also assisted in securing external NSF funding (Award #2204919 for $224,996 and Award #2431980 for $300,000, PI: Dr. Farid Breidi), showing her ability to contribute to impactful and collaborative research initiatives bridging academia and industry.

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Before joining Purdue as a Ph.D. student in 2022, Dr. Azzam served as a Visiting Scholar in the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University, where she conducted research on the design, modeling, simulation, and control of complex fluid power and mechanical systems. She received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Beirut Arab University (BAU) in 2019 and her M.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 2021, specializing in robust control theory. At AUB, her research focused on the design and validation of robust algorithmic controllers to optimize energy performance while ensuring system stability.

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Now, as Dr. Azzam is starting her new role as an assistant professor at MSOE, she is dedicated to teaching-focused innovation. Her philosophy centers on creating an inclusive, learner-focused environment that emphasizes experiential learning, teamwork, and innovation. She aims to integrate state-of-the-art methods and advanced technologies such as XR into her lectures and labs to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Through hands-on activities, interactive simulations, and reflection opportunities, she equips students with essential STEM skills to thrive as future engineers, innovators, and leaders.

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Her professional vision continues to combine teaching excellence with research in XR-enabled teleoperation, immersive simulations for engineering education, and advanced control systems, while inspiring and mentoring the next generation of engineers.