CV

Education

University of California, Irvine — Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering & Biophotonics, 2021 Advisor: Professor Eric O. Potma | NSF IGERT Recipient

University of California, Irvine — M.S. Biomedical Engineering, 2018

University of Tennessee, Knoxville — B.A. College Scholars Program, 2015 Science Policy and Administration | Honors Academic Physics | Cum Laude | Baker Scholar for Public Policy

Professional Experience

Assistant Professor & BMET Coordinator — East Tennessee State University, 2021–Present

Guided and mentored graduate and undergraduate students in projects spanning process control, biomedical education, photonic sensors, and assistive devices
Updated and aligned the Biomedical Engineering Technology curriculum with industry standards; coordinated biomedical industrial internships
Secured more than $1.3 million through a BioMADE grant for biomanufacturing workforce development in the Appalachian Highlands
Executed more than $120,000 in renovations to teaching and laboratory spaces for hands-on learning

Teaching Experience

Assistant Professor of Engineering — East Tennessee State University, 2021–Present

Instructed 2–3 courses per semester using active learning techniques
Coordinated 2 sections of biomedical industrial internships per semester
Mentored students in process control, biomedical education, culturally sensitive medicine, photonic sensors, and assistive devices

Teaching Assistant, Department of Biomedical Engineering — UC Irvine, 2020–2021

Developed and delivered a distance-based Data Acquisition laboratory course for BME undergraduates under Professors Elliot Botvinick & Daryl Preece
Introduced biomedical sensor design including optical plethysmographs and oximeters
Implemented open-source LabView control of Arduino hardware; lectured on engineering ethics and inclusive design

Student Instructor, Tennessee Governor’s School — University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Summer 2015

Co-created curriculum for Effects of Science on Society; introduced case-study pedagogy to the UTK science policy curriculum

Teaching Assistant, Department of Physics & Astronomy — University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2013–2015

Courses: Introductory Physics for Non-majors & Modern Physics for Majors
Led flipped classroom sessions, laboratory exercises, and office hours

Lab Technician, Department of Physics & Astronomy — University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2012–2014

Characterized temperature-dependent fluorescence lifetime measurements for the upper-division modern physics laboratory

Research Experience

Laboratory for Advanced Microscopy & Bioengineering (The LAMB) — ETSU, 2021–Present

Founded and leads the LAMB, focused on Raman microspectroscopy, nonlinear optical imaging, and bioengineering
Secured more than $1.3 million in external funding as PI on a BioMADE grant
Secured more than $150,000 in gifts and donations to support optics and biomanufacturing research
Established interdisciplinary collaborations across Biomedical Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, and Education

Potma Labs — Advancing Nonlinear Vibrational Imaging — UC Irvine, 2016–2021 Advisor: Professor Eric O. Potma

Developed and demonstrated Third-Order Sum Frequency Generation, a novel nonlinear optical imaging modality with vibrational contrast
Designed a computer-controlled variable gain photomultiplier tube detection system for multiple imaging modalities
Characterized lipogenesis in novel mammalian cell types via SHG and SRS microscopy
Collaborated on NSF, NIH, and DOE grant proposals resulting in more than $1 million in funding
Evaluated a 3D cell culture model for meibomian gland dysfunction; executed computational design of 10+ Raman and IR probes
Served as laboratory manager and safety officer from 2017

Energy Policy Research Group — UTK & Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2014–2015 Advisor: Professor Lee Riedinger, Bredesen Center

Thesis on financial and social feasibility of wind energy in West Tennessee; developed plans for net metering and low-income energy efficiency in the TVA region

Calhoun Laser Spectroscopy Group — University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2013–2014 Advisor: Professor Tessa Calhoun

Studied femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy of drug-membrane interactions; automated lab equipment with LabView

Soft Matter Biophysics Research Group — UTK & Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2012–2013 Advisor: Professor Alexi Sokolov

Studied protein mechanics and characterized secondary structure stiffness via Raman & Brillouin spectroscopy

Leadership & Service

Bioengineering & Synthetic Biology Steering and Implementation — ETSU, 2022–Present

Member of the university-wide synthetic biology task force; led development of a Bioengineering major at the intersection of engineering, synthetic biology, and manufacturing
Engaged with ETSU Research Corporation to establish the Valleybrook Campus as a regional biotechnology hub, forming a partnership with BAE Systems’ Holston facility

Mechatronics Engineering Degree Program — ETSU, 2023–2024

Co-developed curriculum for the mechatronics program with Dr. Sims; led first and second-year curriculum design

ETSU Committee Service — Present

Chair, EETS Curriculum Innovation Committee
Chair, EETS Facilities Improvement Committee
Interim Faculty Senator, ETSU Faculty Senate
Member, Synthetic Biology & Bioengineering Steering Committee
Member, CBAT Strategic Planning Committee
Member, CBAT Research Committee
Member, Outstanding Thesis Award Selection Committee

Seed Consulting Group — 2018–Present 501(c)3 providing ~$1.5M in pro-bono consulting services annually to sustainability-focused organizations

Vice President for Consulting Operations (2020–Present): Directed operations of 60+ consultants and 8 Project Managers; implemented Agile and SCRUM practices organization-wide
Established East Coast consulting operations; executed recruitment for 80+ consultants and PMs

Designer, Management Beyond the Classroom — UC Irvine Graduate Division, 2019–2021

Proposed and led development of a year-long management certificate program for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars

Director of Federal Legislative Affairs — Associated Graduate Students of UCI, 2017–2018

Led lobbying trips to Washington D.C. and Sacramento; built a graduate student lobbying corps

Vice President for Social Affairs — Associated Graduate Students of UCI, 2018–2020

Committee Member, Green Ribbon Environmental Committee — City of Irvine, CA, 2018–Present

Founding Western Chair — National Science Policy Network, 2018–2019

Founding Officer — UCI Chapter, National Science Policy Group, 2016–2020

Society of Physics Students at UTK — President 2012–2014; Treasurer 2014–2015

Grants & Professional Development


Completing the Bioindustrial Pipeline	2023
$3.2M to develop biomanufacturing education products including lab modules, teaching materials, internships, and program evaluation
ABET IDEAL Scholar	2024
Week-long training on program evaluation and assessment
National Science Foundation IGERT	2016–2019
Traineeship in Biophotonics Across Energy, Space, and Time
Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering Workshop — AAAS, Washington D.C.	2019
Science Rising Grant — Union of Concerned Scientists	2017–2018
International School on Nonlinear Vibrational Spectro-microscopy — ICORS Remote	2020
Summer School for Adaptive Optics — UC Santa Cruz	2016

Honors

ETSU CBAT Outstanding New Faculty Member — 2024
Member, Sigma Xi the Research Honor Society — 2017
Member, Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honors Society — inducted 2013
National Society of Physics Students Leadership Scholarship — 2014
Robert Talley Physics Leadership Award — 2012, 2013, 2014
Robert W. Lide Citation for Physics Laboratory Service — 2013
Member, Chancellor’s Honors Program, UTK — 2010–2015

Publications

Superstable lipid vacuoles endow cartilage with its shape and biomechanics

Raul Ramos, Kim T. Pham, Richard C. Prince et. al; Superstable lipid vacuoles endow cartilage with its shape and biomechanics; Science; 2025

Biomanufacturing & Engineering for the Appalachian Highlands: Updates on the Development of a Scalable Bioengineering Program in Rural Settings

Richard C. Prince, Pamela Mims, Aruna Kilaru, and Eric Jorgenson; Biomanufacturing & Engineering for the Appalachian Highlands: Updates on the Development of a Scalable Bioengineering Program in Rural Settings; 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition; 2024

Stimulated Raman scattering: Ensembles to single molecules

Richard C. Prince and Eric O. Potma; Chapter 3 - Stimulated Raman scattering: Ensembles to single molecules; Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy; Elsevier; 2022

Coherent Raman scattering microscopy: capable solution in search of a larger audience

Richard Prince, Eric Potma, "Coherent Raman scattering microscopy: capable solution in search of a larger audience." Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2021.

Infrared chemical imaging through non-degenerate two-photon absorption in silicon-based cameras

David Knez, Adam M. Hanninen, Richard C. Prince, Eric O. Potma, and Dimitry A. Fishman; Infrared chemical imaging through non-degenerate two-photon absorption in silicon-based cameras; Light Science and Applications; 2020

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) activates PPARγ signaling leading to cell cycle exit, lipid accumulation, and autophagy in human meibomian gland epithelial cells (hMGEC)

Sun Kim, Chang Rho, Jinseor Kim, Yilu Xie, Richard Prince, Khawla Mustafa, Eric Potma, Donald Brown, James Jester, "Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) activates PPAR$upgamma$ signaling leading to cell cycle exit, lipid accumulation, and autophagy in human meibomian gland epithelial cells (hMGEC)." The Ocular Surface, 2020.

Richard C. Prince, PhD

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