POTSDAM -- Clarkson University has recently appointed four more assistant professors.

Bhavana Raja has been appointed assistant professor of physical therapy and Jay Rigsbee has been appointed clinical assistant professor of physical therapy. Mario Ciani has been appointed assistant professor of physician assistant studies. Chen Liu has been appointed assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Raja received her bachelor in physical therapy degree from Nanak Dev University, India, and her doctoral degree from the University of Florida.

Before coming to Clarkson, she was staff physiotherapist at Civil Hospital, Rajpura, India. She also was an adjunct assistant professor at Holy Names University in Oakland, Calif., and has been a teaching assistant in neuroscience.

As a research fellow, Raja worked on a project on the interlimb coordination of hemiparetic walking. She also worked as a research assistant at the Human Motor Performance Laboratory at the Veterans Administration in Gainesville, Fla., for more than four years. There, she investigated the role of non-paretic leg and interlimb coordination as it relates to recovery of walking post-stroke.

Raja is licensed to practice physical therapy in India and in the state of New York.

Rigsbee, a retired U.S. Navy Mustang and Medical Service Corps Officer, is a doctor of physical therapy and a certified strength and conditioning specialist. He is a licensed physical therapist in South Carolina and in New York State.

He received his bachelor of science degree in physical therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, and his doctor of physical therapy degree from Boston University.

Once he was licensed as a physical therapist, he received a commission in the Medical Service Corps and continued his career in the Navy as a physical therapist practicing in a variety of health care settings around the world.

Before coming to Clarkson, Rigsbee was a senior physical therapist at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Rehabilitation at PARC in Plattsburgh. Prior to that, he was the program director of the Tri-Service Physical Therapy Specialty Program at the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. While stationed in Texas, he also taught in the Army-Baylor Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy as an adjunct professor.

Rigsbee is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, Orthopaedic and Sports Section of the American Physical Therapy Association, New York Physical Therapy Association, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Ciani received his bachelor of science degree, graduating cum laude, from SUNY University of Albany. He received his doctor of chiropractic medicine degree from New York Chiropractic College, and his master of science degree in clinical human nutrition from the University of Bridgeport, Conn. Additionally, he holds credentials as a certified clinical nutritionist and a board-certified nutritionist.

Before coming to Clarkson, he was assistant professor and chair of the Department of Natural Sciences at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. He also served as a professional associate and adjunct professor at Mercy College, prior to his placement as assistant professor. He has taught at Hofstra University and the University of Bridgeport.

For more than 20 years, Ciani was in private practice as a doctor of chiropractic medicine. He also has hosted a radio talk show about health.

Ciani has held several major academic leadership roles, including being science activity director for Title V STEM grant at Mercy College. He was also activity director for another Title V grant at Mercy College.

Liu received his bachelor of engineering degree in electronic and information engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China and his master of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Riverside. Liu received his doctoral degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of California, Irvine.

Before coming to Clarkson, he was an assistant professor at Florida International University in Miami, where he taught in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. He also was an instructor at the University of New Haven.

Liu has worked on and is continuing work on several projects with funding and support from the National Science Foundation, Florida International University, Intel and Xilinx.