Research

The Department of Mechanical Engineering conducts research in 13 major areas:

Faculty research

Mohamed Gad-el-Hak

Dr. Mohamed Gad-el-Hak's research interests are in the areas of microtechnology, flow control and turbulence. He is the developer of a novel micropump that relies on fluid viscosity for its proper operation, and therefore a pump that is well suited for MEMS applications or any other low-Reynolds-number situation. He is the author of the book "Flow Control: Passive, Active, and Reactive Flow Management," and the editor of "The MEMS Handbook."

Gad-el-Hak is renowned for developing the laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique for flow visualization, a technique that is now widely used around the world. He introduced the concept of targeted control to achieve drag reduction, lift enhancement and mixing augmentation in wall-bounded flows. His work on Reynolds number effects in turbulent boundary layers, published in 1994, marked a significant paradigm shift in the subject. His 1999 paper on the fluid mechanics of microdevices established the fledgling field on firm physical grounds and is one of the most cited articles of the 1990s. (... more)

Muammer Koç

(1) Advanced manufacturing process developments for cost-effective lightweight products and structures: material behavior and tribological characterization, process mechanics and optimization. Examples include manufacturing at elevated temperatures, hydroforming, springback variation in AHSS/Al/Mg parts, etc.

(2) Micromanufacturing technology for realization of microscale parts and surface features for medical devices, electronics, consumer products and in alternative energy generation devices (fuel cells and processor). Examples include bipolar/interconnect plate design and manufacturing for fuel cells, design and fabrication of engineered surfaces with nano/microscale features, etc.

(3) Design for lightweight, flexible products and equipment.

P. Worth Longest

Dr. P. Worth Longest’s area of research is computational multiphase biofluid mechanics with applications to cardiovascular and respiratory therapies. This research is characterized by computational fluid dynamics simulations of single and multiphase transport phenomena, such as the dynamics of therapeutic or potentially toxic aerosols in the respitoary tract, as well as the motion and adhesion of critical blood particles in the vascular system (particle hemodynamics) including the role of these blood elements in the development of disease. Key fundamental areas of basic research include the application of CFD to multiphase flow, fluid-structure interactions, multiscale modeling and microfluidics. These areas of research are then applied to the analysis and design of critical therapeutic devices and predictive clinical tools including respiratory dose assessment models for asthma aggravation and lung cancer, micro-device aerosol generators for inhaled medications, macro and micro-circulation models and surgical vessel connectors.

James McLeskey

Dr. James McLeskey’s research interests include novel energy conversion systems, traditional power generation, nanoparticle entrainment and engineering education. Current research revolves around photovoltaics (solar cells) made from organic polymers and quantum dots (nanoscale particles such as carbon nanotubes or titanium dioxide). Funded projects include the development of computer modeling tools for the power generation industry – specifically tools for calculating heat transfer and mechanical stresses in large turbo-generator rotors; the development of a hands-on Experiential Engineering Library for infusing discovery learning into the engineering curriculum; and a study of the entrainment of sub-micron or nanoscale particles into a fluid flow.

Karla Mossi

Dr. Karla Mossi's area of research is smart materials and their applications. Specifically, studying the basic mechanisms that govern the behavior of smart composites as actuators, sensors, or energy sources to explore the realm of application on medicine, agriculture or aerospace applications.

Ramana M. Pidaparti

Nanotechnology and Applications: Dr. Ramana M. Pidaparti conducts research to simulate the natural design of a bio-inspired motor through a combination of mathematical and computational models from molecular (nano) level to cells (micro-level) to tissue and organ levels (macro-level), and develop scaled MEMS devices. Various applications of the supramolecular motor include integration of active transport into synthetic devices, molecular filters/sorters, nano/micro pump implantable drug delivery devices through BioNEMS and BioMEMS. Another research project is aimed to develop an understanding of the self-assembly process of collagen fiber formation through a set of critical rules using a new approach of “cellular automata” for determining the structure-function relationships at nano- and micro-levels.

Computational Intelligence Applications: Pidaparti and his team have been applying computational intelligence tools for studying composites and fatigue damage of aircraft materials and structures. They have innovatively applied computational intelligence tools like Neural Networks to model the anisotropic behavior of composites and corrosion as well as fatigue crack-growth in aging aircraft panels. They are interested in developing an Intelligent Health Monitoring Model based on evolutionary computing techniques and biosonar to structures and material systems. They are concentrating on the development of tools/technology (hardware and software) for NDT and health monitoring of sensors, instrumentation and computational models.

John Speich

Dr. Speich’s research interests are at the intersection of mechanical engineering and medicine, with a focus on medical robotics and biomechanics. In the area of robotics, his research includes the development of devices to assist persons with disabilities, robotic devices for rehabilitation, surgical training simulators and devices to test the mechanical properties of biological tissues. His recent projects include the development of an adaptive videogame controller for children with disabilities and an evaluation of surgical skills in microgravity. In the area of biomechanics, Dr. Speich’s focus is on the experimental characterization and modeling of smooth muscle behavior. One of his recent studies identified and characterized strain softening behavior and adjustable passive stiffness in bladder tissue and produced a new mechanical model for adjustable passive stiffness in smooth muscle. The significance of this research lies in its potential to provide insight into the physiological mechanisms that affect smooth muscle stiffness and contractile activity, and their potential role in disorders, such as hypertension, asthma and urinary incontinence.

Gary Tepper

Dr. Tepper’s research focuses on the investigation and development of advanced materials, devices and integrated engineering systems primarily for applications in chemical, biological and radiological sensing. This includes both basic experimental research into new materials for sensing applications as well as applied development of sensor electronics, devices and integrated systems. Applications of these technologies include national defense and homeland security, environmental characterization and medical diagnostics.