Faculty Directory
Ossama Abdelkhalik
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Space Mechanics
- Ocean Wave Energy Conversion
- Optimization
- Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
- Dynamics and Control
Research Interests
- Space Trajectory Optimization
- Ocean Wave Energy Conversion
- Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
- Global Optimization Methods
- Variable-Size Design Space Optimization
- Evolutionary Algorithms
Jeffrey S. Allen
John & Joan Calder Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Capillary Flow
- Interfacial Transport Phenomena
- Fuel Cells
- Phase-Change Heat Transfer
- Microgravity Fluid Physics
Research Interests
- Stability of evaporating and condensing liquid films
- Capillary-Scale Gas-Liquid Flow
- Near-Field Optical Diagnostics
- Thermal and Mass Transport in Porous Media and Fuel Cells
- Low-gravity fluid dynamics
- Weak Atmospheric Shock Waves
Andrew Barnard
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Faculty Advisor, SENSE Enterprise
Areas of Expertise
- Acoustics
- Noise Control
- Vibration
- Real Time Control Systems
- LabVIEW programming and instruction
Research Interests
- Advanced Measurements and Signal Processing
- Acoustic Intensity and Vector Sensors
- Room Acoustics
- Acoustic Material Characterization
- Outdoor Sound Propagation
- Physical Acoustics
- NI LabVIEW Data Acquisition and Control
- Microphones
- Crowd Noise
- Underwater Acoustics
- Structural Acoustics
- Array Signal Processing
Ezra Bar-Ziv
Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Areas of Expertise
- Clean Coal Combustion
- Fuel Switching in Coal Power Plants
- Torrefaction and pyrolysis of Biomass
Research Interests
- Emissions from Coal Power Plants
- Simulation of Operation of Coal Power Plants
- Torrefied-biomass (biocoal) as a Renewable Clean Replacement of Coal
- Kinetics of Torrefaction and Pyrolysis of Biomass
John E. Beard
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Faculty Advisor, Hybrid Electric Vehicle Enterprise
Areas of Expertise
- Design of Mechanical Systems
- Bioengineering
- Manufacturing
Research Interests
- Manufacturing variation on the response of planar and three-dimensional mechanisms
- Influence of design parameters on the wear rates of gerotor types
Sajjad Bigham
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Heat Transfer
- Thermal Management
- Multiphase Flows
- Energy Systems
- Micro- and Nano-fabrication Techniques
Research Interests
- Microscale Heat Transfer
- Microscale Physics of Phase Change Heat Transfer
- Transport Phenomena
- Multiphase Flows
- Micro- and Nano-engineered Materials
- Energy Conversion and Storage Devices
Jason R. Blough
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Director, Design Dynamic Systems Area
Clean Snowmobile Team Faculty Advisor, SAE Faculty Advisor
Areas of Expertise
- Vibrations
- Unique Instrumentation/Data Acquisition
- Digital Signal Processing
- Noise Control
Research Interests
- Dynamic Measurement Problems
- Developing new digital signal processing algorithms to understand NVH type problems
- Ways to improve the NVH characteristics of virtually any machine
Chunpei Cai
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Areas of Expertise
- Fluid dynamics
- Aerospace engineering
- Computational fluid dynamics
Research Interests
- Rarefied and non-equilibrium gas dynamics
- Plasma simulations
- Electric propulsion
- Computational fluid dynamics
- Fluid dynamics
Bo Chen
Dave House Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Mechatronics and embedded systems
- Agent Technology
- Monitoring and control networks
- Hybrid electric vehicles
- Smart grid
Research Interests
- Modeling and control of hybrid electric vehicles
- EV-smart grid integration
- Distributed monitoring and control
- Battery control for HEV and energy storage systems
- IC engine management systems
- Sensor information fusion
Chang Kyoung Choi
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Faculty Advisor, Korean Student Association
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Microscopic Imaging Techniques
- Micro-/nano-fabrications
- Cellular Sensing & Single Protein Tracking
Research Interests
- Opto-electric Cellular Sensing
- Microfluidics and Microscale Heat Transfer
- Droplet Impingement on Patterned Metal Surfaces
- Evaporation of Thin Films and Droplets
- Multiscale Interface Phenomena
- Neutron imaging
- Fluid Flow-induced Shear Effect on Chondrons; Regeneration of pericellular matrix from chondrocytes using microencapsulation;
William J. Endres
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Senior Capstone Design Program Director
Manufacturing/Industrial (MI) Area Director
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Machining Dynamics
- Cutting Mechanics
- Manufacturing Processes
Craig Friedrich
Richard & Bonnie Robbins Chair, Professor, Associate Chair and
Director of Graduate Studies, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Director, Multi-Scale Technologies Institute (MuSTI)
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Micromechanical Systems
- Nanotechnology
Research Interests
- Micromechanical machining processes
- Microsystem design
- Bionanotechnologies
Lucia Gauchia
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Richard and Elizabeth Henes Assistant Professor of Energy Storage Systems
Areas of Expertise
- Energy Storage Systems
- State estimation for batteries and supercapacitors
Research Interests
- Energy storage selection for sustainable communities
- Energy storage testing and modeling
- Battery ageing for transportation electrification
John K. Gershenson
Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Peace Corps Master's International Coordinator
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Life-Cycle Engineering
- Modular Product Architecture
- Lean Engineering
- Sustainable Product Design
Research Interests
- Life-cycle design
- Modular product and process architectures
- Sustainable product/process design
- Lean manufacturing
- Lean engineering
- Design for post-manufacturing issues
- Mechanisms of innovation
L. Brad King
Ron & Elaine Starr Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Director, Space Systems Research Group
Faculty Advisor, Aerospace Enterprise
Areas of Expertise
- Space Propulsion
- Plasma Physics
- Optical Fluid Diagnostics
Research Interests
- Design of in-situ electrostatic probes
- Ion-energy analysis and time-of-flight mass spectrometry
- Doppler laser cooling of trapped ions
- Optical flow diagnostics
- Antimatter confinement
Seong-Young Lee
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Energy Thermo-Fluids (ETF) Area Director
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Spray Combustion
- Fuel Chemistry
- Soot Emissions
- Laser-Based Combustion Diagnostics
- Internal Combustion Engines
- Gas Turbine Engine
Research Interests
- Laminar and Turbulent Combustionmbustion engines
- Soot Formation and Spray Combustion
- Bio/Alternative Renewable Energy and Clean Fuels in Low Temperature Combustion
- New Emerging Laser-Based Technique Development
- Nonequilibrium Plasma-Assisted Combustion
- Surrogate Fuel Chemical Reaction Models and CFD Modeling of Reacting Flow Systems
- Combustion Dynamics of Instability, Stabilization, and Propagation in Gas Turbine Engine
Nina Mahmoudian
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Faculty Advisor, SENSE Enterprise
Areas of Expertise
- Dynamics and Control
- Unmanned Systems
Research Interests
- Nonlinear Systems and Control
- Cyber-physical Systems
- Coordination and Control of Networked Multi-Agent Systems
- Motion Planning in Complex Environments
- Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) with Special Interest in Underwater Gliders
Scott A Miers
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Alternative and renewable transportation fuels
- Internal combustion engine efficiency
- Performance and emissions
- Wireless data acquisition techniques
- Combustion visualization
Research Interests
- Internal combustion engine efficiency, emissions, and performance
- Alternative and renewable fuels: investigating how the unique chemical compositions affect both engine and vehicle operation
- IC engine data acquisition techniques such as piston-mounted wireless microwave telemetry and minimally invasive combustion visualization
- Alternative and renewable transportation fuels
- In-Use Emissions
Michele H. Miller
Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Innovative Global Solutions Enterprise Co-Advisor
Engineering Education Innovation Research Group Director
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Engineering Education Research
- Precision Engineering
- MEMS
- Human Factors
Research Interests
- Self-directed learning
- Teaching and learning hands-on ability
- Vibration assisted grinding and water-jet assisted grinding
- Wheel wear and wheel loading mechanisms
- Machining of ceramics
- Dynamic behavior of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)
- Human factors in design
Ibrahim Miskioglu
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Faculty Advisor, BoardSport Technologies Enterprise
Solid Mechanics (SM) Area Director and Faculty Advisor, SEM
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Engineering Mechanics
- Experimental Stress Analysis
- Composite Materials
Research Interests
- Use of severe plastic deformation to alter properties of materials
- Failure studies of random fiber composites with applications to structural problems
- Failure of sandwich panels with applications to structural problems
- Nanoscale properties of interphase in polymer matrix composites
- Photomechanics integrated with digital image processing for thermomechanical stress analysis
Jeffrey D. Naber
Ron & Elaine Starr Professor in Energy Systems, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Director, Advanced Power Systems Research Center
Pi Tau Sigma Faculty Advisor
Areas of Expertise
- Internal Combustion Engines
- Hydrogen and Biofuels
- After-Treatment
Research Interests
- Combustion processes and combustion control of hydrogen and hydrogen dual fuelled engines
- Biofuels including ethanol with production from forest products and application in advanced combustion engines
- Gasoline IC engine research and the development of physical based correlations and models
- Development of combustion measurement techniques for diesel, gasoline, and HCCI and PPCI engines
Amitabh Narain
Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Condensing/Phase-change flows
- Computational and Experimental Fluid Mechanics/Heat Transfer
Research Interests
- Phase-change flows, especially internal condensing and boiling flows
- Cavitation signatures in an automobile’s torque-converter
- Melting and solidification processes associated with use of phase-change materials (PCM) for energy storage applications (such as solar power plants)
- Computational simulations of forced and natural convection turbulent flows (inside heat exchangers, displacement pumps, etc.)
Gregory M. Odegard
Richard and Elizabeth Henes Professor of Computational Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Associate Chair and Director of Undergraduate Studies
Adjunct Professor, Materials Science and Engineering and ASME Faculty Advisor
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Mechanics of Materials
- Materials Science
Research Interests
- Computational Mechanics
- Computational Materials Science
- Computational Chemistry
Gordon G. Parker
John & Cathi Drake Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Agile & Interconnected Microgrids Center (AIM) Co-Director
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Nonlinear Controls
- Mechatronics
- Microgrids
Research Interests
- Control system design
- Methods for correlating nonlinear dynamic models to experimental data
- Nonlinear control
- System simulation
- Nonlinear system parameter identification and optimization
Fernando Ponta
Richard & Elizabeth Henes Professor in Wind Energy
Areas of Expertise
- Theoretical and Computational Fluid Mechanics
- Vortex Dynamics
- Fluid-Structure Interaction
- Wind-Turbine Aerodynamics
- Renewable-Energy Sources
- Energy Systems
Research Interests
- Theoretical and Computational Fluid Mechanics
- Vortex Dynamics
- Fluid-Structure Interaction
- Wind-Turbine Aerodynamics
- Renewable-Energy Sources
- Energy Systems
William W. Predebon
Department Chair, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Ceramics
- Impact Phenomena
- Wave Propagation
- Computer Simulation of Explosive - Metal Systems
Research Interests
- Mechanical behavior
- Characterization and processing of ceramics
- Shock deformation including microstructural effects and dynamic fracture of metals and ceramics
- Impact phenomena
- Computer simulation of wave phenomena
- Explosive-metal interaction and fragmentation
Youngchul Ra
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Areas of Expertise
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
- Combustion/Chemical kinetics
- Internal Combustion Engine
Specialties
- Advanced Combustion Modeling: Gasoline Compression Ignition (GCI), Reactive Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI),High Pressure Torch Jet Combustion (HPTJC), Ignition, Flame propagation
- Engine CFD: Full Conjugate Multi-domain code, Engine combustion application, Code development
- Chemical kinetics: Multi-component fuel chemistry, Surface chemistry, Soot, Emissions.
- Alternative Fuel Research: Biofuel, Additives, Spray modeling, Fuel assessment and design
- High Performance Computing Technology: Parallel computing, Solver algorithm, Optimization
Mo Rastgaar
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Dynamics and Controls
- Robotics
- System Identification
Research Interests
- Human-Robot Interactions
- Prosthetic Robots
- Assistive and Rehabilitation Robotics
- Augmenting Agility of Locomotion
- Biomechanics of Gait
Darrell L. Robinette
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Research Interests
- Advanced propulsion and power transfer systems
- Automatic transmission systems design
- Integration and control
- Hybrid electric propulsion systems
- Driveline torsional vibration analysis and testing
- Rotating machinery NVH
- Dynamic/digital signal processing
- Lumped parameter modeling
Rush D. Robinett III
The Richard and Elizabeth Henes Chair Professor in Mechanical Engineering
Director of Research
Agile & Interconnected Microgrids Center Co-Director
Areas of Expertise
- Renewable Energy Grid Integration
- Collective Systems Control
- Nonlinear Controls
- Optimization
- Dynamics
- Aeroelasticity
Research Interests
- Energy storage system design for renewable energy grid integration
- High penetration renewable energy microgrids
- Collective control of networked microgrids and teams of robots
- Exergy control for buildings
- Flutter suppression for wind turbines
- Nonlinear control system design
Trisha Sain
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Research Interests
- Constitutive modeling
- Polymer and soft composites
- Biomimetic composite materials
- High rate fracture
Mahdi Shahbakhti
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Dynamic Systems Modeling and Control
- Powertrain/Vehicle Control
- Internal Combustion Engines
- Alternative/Renewable Fuels
- Vehicular Emissions and Aftertreatment Systems
Research Interests
- Modeling and Control of Energy Systems
- Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- Advanced Combustion Engines
- Energy Control of Buildings in a Smart Grid
Wiliam Shapton
Professor Emeritus, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Areas of Expertise
- Design
- Kinematics
- Vibration
- Modal Analysis
- NVH
- Noise Path Analysis
- Sound Quality
Research Interests
- Design and experimental modal analysis of dynamic structures
Ye Sun
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Cyber-Physical System
- Human-Machine Interaction
- Human Factors in Transportation
Research Interests
- Wireless Body Area Network and Wireless Health Care
- Non-contact Physiological Measurement System
- Data Mining in Human Fatigue Detection
- Transportation Safety
- Human Factors
- Nondestructive Testing (NDT)
Kazuya Tajiri
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
SAE Aero Faculty Advisor
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Ex-situ and in-situ characterization of transport properties through porous media
- Proton exchange membrane fuel cell in-situ diagnostics and modeling
- Fuel cell systems modeling and analysis
- Primary / secondary metal-air battery diagnostics and modeling
- Gas-liquid two-phase flows in microchannels
- Shock wave compression in microchannels
Research Interests
- Transport phenomena in multiscale/multiphase systems
- Thermo-fluid system diagnostics, modeling, and optimization
- Polymer electrolyte fuel cells for automotive application
- Renewable energy
- Combustion dynamics modeling
Charles D. Van Karsen
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Vibration
- Modal Analysis
- Acoustics
Research Interests
- Experimental Vibro-Acoustics
- NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness)
- Structural Dynamics
Zequn Wang
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
zequnw@mtu.edu
MEEM 802
MEEM 802
Areas of Expertise
- Design under uncertainty
- Uncertainty quantification
- Model calibration and validation
- Metamodeling
Research Interests
- Design for reliability and system resilience
- Prognostics and health management
- Design of engineered material systems
- Uncertainty management
Song-Lin (Jason) Yang
Professor, Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics
Links of Interest
Areas of Expertise
- Applied Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer
- Engine Flow Simulation
- DPF and DOC Modeling and Simulation
- Computational Aerodynamics
Research Interests
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
- Modeling and numerical simulation of diesel particulate trap (DPF) performance during loading and regeneration
- Diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) converter code development
- Lattice Boltzmann Method for Porous/Disordered Media