CISE Leadership & Administrative Office

CISE Leadership

Ayşe Coşkun, Director

8 St. Mary’s St. (Room 338)
Phone: (617)-358-3641

Vivek K Goyal, Deputy Director

8 St. Mary’s St. (Room 435)
Phone: (617)-353-6521

Vivek Goyal is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Boston University, where he previously served as Associate Chair of Doctoral Programs. His research focuses on probabilistic modeling and inverse problems in computational imaging, including 3D remote sensing, electron microscopy, and non-line-of-sight imaging. Prior to joining BU, Vivek was a Member of Technical Staff in the Mathematics of Communications Research Department of Bell Laboratories, a senior research engineer for Digital Fountain, and the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was an adviser to 3dim Tech, Inc. (winner of the 2013 MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition Launch Contest Grand Prize), and was subsequently with Nest, an Alphabet company. His most recent best paper award is from the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Computational Photography, one of more than twenty awards for authored or supervised papers or dissertations. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Guggenheim Foundation, IEEE, and Optica. Vivek is a committed mentor and tennis player.

CISE Administrative Office

Christina Polyzos, Associate Director

665 Commonwealth Avenue, 11th Floor (Room 1121)
Phone: (617) 358-1295

Email: cpolyzos@bu.edu

Christina Polyzos is the Associate Director of the Center for Information & Systems Engineering (CISE) at Boston University, where she leads the center’s administrative operations, strategic initiatives, and external partnerships. Since joining BU in 2014, she has played a key role in advancing CISE’s mission to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and translate research in information and systems engineering into real-world impact. Polyzos manages programs that connect faculty, students, and industry partners, oversees the CISE Seminar Series, and supports research initiatives that span fields such as robotics, data science, and cyber-physical systems.She has been instrumental in coordinating and managing major grant-funded projects, including the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Teaching and Innovation Center (RASTIC), a multi-million-dollar initiative supported by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to advance robotics education and research infrastructure at BU. Prior to joining CISE, Polyzos served as Department Head and Professor at Deree – The American College of Greece, where she led academic programs and institutional development for over a decade. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and MSc in Mass Communication from Boston University, combining her expertise in management and communication with a strong commitment to enabling research collaboration and innovation across disciplines.

Hannah Dallman, Grants Administrator

665 Commonwealth Avenue, 11th Floor (Room 1122)

Email: hdallman@bu.edu

Hannah Dallman serves as the Grants Administrator for Boston University’s Center for Information and Systems Engineering (CISE), where she oversees the full grant lifecycle, including proposal development, financial management, and compliance. Since joining BU in December 2023, Hannah has provided dedicated, highly organized support to 18 faculty members. Known for her solutions-driven approach and fastidious attention to detail, she ensures all financial documentation is current and fully compliant with relevant laws and regulations, ultimately strengthening CISE’s broader research operations.

Prior to joining CISE, Hannah worked in public sector grants management as a Grant Coordinator for the Massachusetts Executive Office of the Trial Court’s Grant Unit. During her tenure, she managed a high-impact portfolio that included a $1.5 million Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Family Treatment Court award and a $1.1 million Second Chance Act: Pay for Success High-Risk Probationer Recidivism Reduction award.

Hannah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies and Educational Studies from Gettysburg College and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Boston University. She is currently further expanding her management expertise by pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from BU’s Questrom School of Business.

Riddhi Mehra, Marketing/Communications Specialist

665 Commonwealth Avenue, 11th Floor (Room 1137)

Email: mriddhi@bu.edu

Riddhi Mehra is the Marketing and Communications Specialist at the Center for Information and Systems Engineering (CISE). She brings experience in technical writing, content strategy, and digital marketing, with a background spanning sustainability communications, advertising, and event management. She holds a dual master’s in Business Administration and Digital Technology from BU’s Questrom School of Business. At CISE, Riddhi leads the Center’s digital presence across social media, web, and email, working to ensure that CISE’s cutting-edge interdisciplinary research reaches diverse audiences. She also provides organizational and marketing support for CISE-sponsored seminars, workshops, and conferences. In her free time, she enjoys running, baking, and long walks along the Charles River.

Administrative Support

Brendan Galvin, Staff Writer

Brendan Galvin is a recent graduate from Boston University with a major in Journalism and a minor in Business Administration and Management. During his time at BU, he was involved in extracurriculars such as The Daily Free Press, Sports Business Club, and Club Baseball. Post-graduation, he will continue writing as a Staff Writer for Hariri/CISE and begin a role as a Legislative Aide at the Massachusetts State House. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to Red Sox games, and spending time with family and friends.

Gabriella Zaff, Student Admin Support

Gabriella Zaff is a recent graduate from Boston University (BA in International Relations), where she was involved in Delta Phi Epsilon and the International Relations Review. She has experience with writing, communications, grant finances, data analyzation, and event planning. Gabriella is looking forward to continuing to contribute to CISE’s projects and outreach post-graduation. Outside of work, she enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula 1, and listening to old Maroon 5 albums.

Yanni Yaitanes, Administrative Assistant

Yanni Yaitanes is an Administrative Assistant for CISE at Boston University. He previously worked as a social media manager for a Boston sports page, where he developed strategies to increase audience engagement and awareness. He brings strong experience in social media marketing to support CISE’s outreach and programming.

Student Assistants

Nandini Cheruku is a junior from San Antonio, Texas, majoring in International Relations and minoring in Environmental Remote Sensing & GIS. Her passion for making important research accessible to everyone has been her strongest motivation throughout her time at CISE. She is currently the Senior Editor of the Asia Section at International Relations Review and previously held roles as an Online Writer and an Associate Editor. On campus, she currently serves as the Director General of BarMUN XIX and as the Vice President of Community Outreach for Delta Phi Epsilon. In her free time, she enjoys keeping up with Formula 1, reading books, spending time at cafes, and catching up with friends.

Olivia Comerford is a sophomore from Syracuse, New York, majoring in Advertising. On campus, she is involved in AdClub and serves as Secretary of her a cappella group, Aural Fixation. She previously served as Director of Communications for her high school’s French Club. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Boston, spending time with friends, and listening to music.