2010 Annual Report

I am proud to present the 2010 version of our annual report. It has a little of everything in it regarding our department, ranging from the undergraduate program to faculty research to updates on some of our prominent alumni.

The effort to increase scholarships for our undergraduates has paid huge dividends for our program. Back in 2003, we were offering about 80 departmental scholarships. We now have over 200. We have directed a large number of the newer scholarships to helping us recruit top students into our program. The past year, we had 24 National Merit Scholars, 7 National Hispanic, and 2 National Achievement Scholars in our freshmen class. We would not be able to have such a stellar group of freshmen without the generous donations of our former students. Thanks to all of you that have endowed a scholarship or donated to our scholarship fund.

During the past eight years, I have had the opportunity to hire over 30 faculty and increase the number of faculty in the department by about 15. The net result has been an increase in the number of classes that we can offer in both our undergraduate and graduate programs. We have also been able to expand into new areas, such as nano-technology, ceramics, plasmas, and micro-scale heat transfer—areas where we did not have expertise in 2003. Those who visit our department today see a relatively young and energetic faculty.

Our research expenditures continue to increase. For this past fiscal year, we topped $14 million for the first time. In addition, we had over $15 million in new awards last year. The $14 million in expenditures was used to support over half of our graduate students with monthly assistantship stipends. The projects and their sponsors are quite diverse. Some of our faculty and their research are highlighted in the section on research. Two of our assistant professors (Miladin Radovic and David Staack) were recently informed by the National Science Foundation that they will receive NSF CAREER awards. With the addition of these two faculty, we now have twelve faculty in our department who have or have had CAREER awards. This provides an indication of the quality of our younger faculty.

Our former students continue to make an impact on the profession and nation. In this report you will find a short write-up on Mr. John Wright, who graduated from our program in 1978. He led the team from Boots and Coots that finally plugged the Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last summer. What does the future hold for our current students? Two of our undergraduates held university leadership positions last year. Miles McGowen was Deputy Corps of Cadets Commander and Colin Loveless was Student Body President. Expect to see both of these in leadership positions in industry or government in future years. A team of our undergraduates competed again in the Formula Hybrid racecar event in May 2010 and placed second in the international competition. The team that beat them was from Italy.

Last year was an important year for our undergraduate program. In October, we had an accreditation visit from ABET, which occurs only once every six years. The Mechanical Engineering program has been accredited since the 1930s. You will be happy to know that our ABET visitor did not find any problems with our program. We will officially receive reaccreditation in summer 2011.

We said goodbye to three individuals who had long histories with our program: Aaron Cohen, Fred Kettleborough, and Harvey Mohr. Both Drs. Cohen and Kettleborough were retired faculty members from our department. Mr. Mohr was a long-time supporter of our program and charter member of our Industry Advisory Council. We will miss all three.

For the past eight years, I have had the privilege to serve as head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Back in November, I announced to the faculty that I will be stepping down at the end of August. Thus, when you get the 2011 version of our annual report, we should have a new department head. I feel the department is well positioned to continue to climb in prestige and rankings. Please feel free to come by and visit the department. We continue the tradition of excellence that you have come to expect from the Mechanical Engineering program at Texas A&M University.

Dennis O’NealHoldredge/Paul Professor and Department Head

12010

Department of Mechanical Engineering

The Dwight Look College of Engineering is one of the largest engineering colleges in the nation. It ranks 17th in the country for undergraduate engineering schools.

The Dwight Look College of Engineering is the largest college on the Texas A&M campus with more than 10,000 engineering students enrolled in our 12 department. The faculty are dedicated to teaching, research and discovery in all of the major engineering fields.

Texas A&M Engineering also includes three state engineering agencies that provide engineering research, education, and outreach.

The Dwight Look College of Engineering is consistently ranked among the nation’s top programs. It is also among the top universities in the number of National Merit Scholars, nationally recognized faculty and funded research.

U.S. News & World Report ranks the Texas A&M Engineering graduate program 8th overall among 185 U.S. universities and the undergraduate program 9th among 181 U.S. universities.

Texas A&M College of Engineering was ranked first in the nation in the latest Hispanic Outlook survey of America’s schools.

The College includes nine university Distinguished Professors. Among our senior faculty are holders of 36 endowed chairs and 66 endowed professorships. Nine members of our faculty are members of the national Academy of Engineering.

Dwight Look College of Engineering

Mechanical Engineering 2010/2011 enrollment: Undergraduate: 1164 Graduate: 462 (M.S. 247, Ph.D. 215)

2010/2011 incoming freshmen: 193 out of 272 were in the top 10% for mechanical engineering

The pass rate for the spring 2010 FE Examination for mechanical engineering was 95%. The national pass rate is 84%.

Approximately 300 companies interview our graduates each year

Average SAT scores of entering freshmen: Math: 675, Verbal: 622, Total: 1297

The average GRE score for graduate students admitted to the program: Verbal: 498, Quantitative: 758

Over $352,400 in undergraduate scholarships and graduate student fellowships were awarded to our students this past year

Rankings among public institutions (2010 U.S. News & World Report): 9th in Graduate Ranking 10th in Undergraduate Ranking

Sixty-one tenure/tenure track faculty: 28 professors 12 associate professors 21 assistant professorsOf these there are: 10 named Professorships 5 Chairs 3 University Distinguished Professors 1 Regents Professor 3 Career Development Professorships

Thirty-five editors or associate editors in over seventy journals

Forty-four faculty are Fellows or Honorary Fellows in thirteen professional societies

Fourteen faculty have received Association of Former Students Teaching Awards

2 2010

The Department appreciates the support and generosity of its many former students, friends, and corporate sponsors to achieve our goals. These gifts enable us to provide scholarsips to undergraduates, fellowships to graduate students, professorships to faculty, upgrades and renovations of classrooms and laboratories, sponsor student acitivities and so much more.

Opportunities for supporting the department are numerous. If you would like to learn about different giving opportunities, including estate planning, donations to an existing endowment, or creating a funded endowment in the name of chosen individual or entity, please contact:

Jennifer HesterDirector of Development, Engineering

Texas A&M Foundation401 George Bush DriveCollege Station, Texas

77840-2811979.845.5113

$25,000 & aboveDr. & Mrs. Dara Childs

ConocoPhillipsEControls Inc.

ExxonMobil CorporationExxonMobil Foundation

Jay H. Stafford ‘48Janet and Thomas Paul ‘62

James Cain

$10,000 to $24,999BP Corporation North America

Caterpillar FoundationKuraray America, Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. Charles A. Mast ‘51Aruna and J. N. Reddy

Shell Oil Company

$1,000 to $9,999Air Products Foundation, The

William. D. Allison ‘44Ayco Charitable Foundation, The

James J. Cain ‘51Chevron Humankind

CITGO Petroleum CorporationDon H. Davis, Jr. ‘61

Dr. Early B. Denison ‘66Dow Chemical Foundation, The

Foster Family FoundationMr. & Mrs. Gordon Gibson ‘55

Halliburton Foundation, IncorporatedGeorge W. JeffsSandeep Kishan

Marathon Oil CompanyGary W. Markham ‘71

Mr. & Mrs. Donald Ray ‘68Society of Plastic Engineers Inc.

Kumbakonam R. RajagopalDavid L. Sanders ‘90

William SchneiderMr. & Mrs. Donald Schroeter ‘63Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Steele ‘80

Lemuel D. Wooddy III ‘79

$500 to $999Byron H. Anderson ‘54

Russell Bayh III ‘75Mr. & Mrs. James H. Berry, Jr. ‘49

Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Best ‘72Mr. Nhai T. Cao ‘91

Rishiraj Das ‘02Mr. & Mrs. Grayum Davis ‘65

Mr. & Mrs. Fred HaiseCynthia Halim ‘95Brenda Hightower

Joseph KerwinRobert J. Miller ‘81Pepsico Foundation

Larry G. Porter & AssociatesRBC Capital Markets Corporation

Shell Oil Company FoundationMr. & Mrs. Michael T. Scanlon ‘85

Department Gifts

32010

Robert D. Tolles ‘84Troy N. Whitehurst, Jr. ‘53

$250 to $499Mr. & Mrs. Randall Armstrong ‘85

Robert V. Baylis ‘58Mr. & Mrs. James Blacksmith ‘78Mr. & Mrs. Larry Bloomquist ‘79

Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Cohen ‘52Mr. & Mrs. Walt Jaderlund

Dr. & Mrs. Eugene R. JanulisJeffrey W. Lipscomb ‘73

Kathleen M. Lynn ‘79Ernie W. McWilliams, Jr. ‘78

Raytheon Education ProgramsMr. & Mrs. Ted Stephens ‘52

Sterling Auto GroupMr. & Mrs. Richard H. Truly

Phillip Tschoepe ‘80Max R. Vordenbaum ‘73

Jerry W. Wauters ‘79Jimmy Williams ‘83

$100 to $249Mr. & Mrs. George A. Abbott

Michael J. Ashfield ‘88Carol Hickman Barrett ‘85

Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. BattinRichard V. Bays

Dr. & Mrs. David E. Beers ‘66Mr. & Mrs. Louis Belinsky ‘52

Mr. & Mrs. Floyd V. Bennett, Jr. ‘77Dr. & Mrs. Leonard L. Berry

Pamela BlakelyMr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Boedecker ‘63

Louis BrandtMr. & Mrs. Hall Burgess ‘01

Mr. & Mrs. Adam Callarman ‘06Chevron Humankind

Mr. & Mrs. Nathan E. ChristianMr. & Mrs. Atlan M. Citzler ‘41

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel CohenConoco Phillips

J. Christopher Cook ‘93Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Crippen

Kathryn F. DickersonJoseph T. Dillard

George M. Eggleston II ‘76Dr. & Mrs. W. E. Feddersen

Mr. & Mrs. Keith R. FullenweiderMr. & Mrs. Mannon T. Gallegly

Capt. & Mrs. Andrew Hobokan (Ret.)Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. HuntoonMr. & Mrs. Dick M. Jennison ‘52

Mr. & Mrs. Brian L. JonesDr. Kanthi G. Kannan ‘97Reverend Janice Kerlee

Timothy KerleeKerr Foundation, The

Mr. & Mrs. Richard L. KlineMr. & Mrs. Richard H. KohrsMr. & Mrs. Chris C. Kraft Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Randall B. Lake

Mr. & Mrs. Dominic LeporeMr. & Mrs. Marvin Liss

Jack R. ListerMr. & Mrs. Kenneth J. Mallin

Lt. Col. Charles McMullen, (Ret.) ‘57Omez S. Mesina ‘93

Percy D. MimsDr. Arnold Muyshondt ‘95

Ronald T. NelsonCarol M. Parzen ‘81

Emanuel ParzenMr. & Mrs. Lawrence Pirtle

Nagaraj H. Ramakrishna ‘02Melissa Reddin

Jessica ReinmannGlen Rosenbaum

Mr. & Mrs. Samuel SandlerMr. & Mrs. Charles E. Schultz ‘55

Mr. & Mrs. William M. ShanderElizabeth L. Sjoberg

Snider & Weinstein PLLCMr. & Mrs. Robert A. SnowMr. & Mrs. Mark Spradling

Stonebridge Homeowners AssociationSharon R. Stoerkel ‘89

Teresa R. SullivanMr. & Mrs. William A. Thomas

Vinson & Elkins LLPMr. & Mrs. John Weese

Michael J. WeynardChristopher S. Whitesell ‘94Mr. & Mrs. Donald F. WoodMr. & Mrs. Leon C. Wulfe

Mr. & Mrs. Scott WulfeMichael C. Young ‘85

$20 to $99Mr. & Mrs. Ron Addlestone

Rohit Agarwal ‘04Mr. & Mrs. Percy Anderson, Jr. ‘49Dr. & Mrs. Robert J. Anderson ‘70

Bonnie BaerDr. & Mrs. Douglas C. Biggs

Mr. & Mrs. Roland D. Block ‘92Mr. & Mrs. Brian Branum ‘90

Mindy BroderJeffrey Chapman

Mr. & Mrs. Austin J. Christensen ‘70Mr. & Mrs. George S. CraftMr. & Mrs. Joseph C. Dilg

Harriet E. EiseleJanet M. Evans

Fluor Foundation, TheDorothy A. Frank

Lesta FrankMr. & Mrs. J. Kent Friedman

Nancy H. GabrielMr. & Mrs. David Goldberg

Mr. & Mrs. Michael S. GoldbergSylvan Gurinsky

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen F. HannaCharles L. Hansford ‘67

Sue HardwickMr. & Mrs. Michael R. Haughey ‘99

Karen L. HeintzMr. & Mrs. Bruce Hendin

Mr. & Mrs. David C. Herbst ‘80Mr. & Mrs. Daniel H. Herman

Mr. & Mrs. Arthur H. Hinners, Jr.Jacqueline Q. Hodge ‘96

Harry Hogan ‘84James W. Howard, Jr. ‘92

Mr. & Mrs. Milford L. Hughes ‘58Mr. & Mrs. Mark A. Jacobson

Mr. & Mrs. Carl F. Jaedicke ‘73Mr. & Mrs. Orville E. Johnson, Jr. ‘52

Amita JhunjhunwalaKBR Matching Gift Center

Nathan L. Kelley ‘03Joyce O. Koch

David J. Kowalczyk, Jr. ‘07Dr. Christopher C. Kraft

Dr. & Mrs. Robert S. KramerAmelia G. Krohn

Michael LaChanceMr. & Mrs. Steven LadnerMr. & Mrs. Robert E. Lapin

Dr. April R. Lauper ‘73Mr. Benjamin Lawrence ‘07

Ms. Jenna Lawrence ‘05Mr. & Mrs. Steven D. Lemer

Jason D. Liscum ‘00Suzanne Liscum ‘99Stephen Lodewyck

Mr. & Mrs. William J. Manning ‘55Mr. & Mrs. Clement Marcus

Dr. & Mrs. John R. Massey ‘52Dennis C. McSherry ‘94

Edna Earle MatteiLynn McQuesten

Mr. & Mrs. Melvin M. Mitchell ‘52J. Michael Monks

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas L. MoserDr. Norman K. Muraya ‘86

Sharon L. PaganMr. & Mrs. William B. Peyton ‘61

Elizabeth PilandRobert O. PilandKimberly Purcell

Scott T. Rappaport ‘06Dr. Jason T. Rhodes ‘97Albert C. Sanderson ‘57Richard C. Schiller ‘79

Mr. & Mrs. Stuart D. SchoolerEvelyn G. Schwartz

Mr. & Mrs. John L. SpragueJulie Stenger

William H. Stindt ‘61Mr. & Mrs. William Hal Taylor

Texas A&M FoundationChester A. Vaughan

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew WeinbergMr. & Mrs. Sanford A. WeinerMr. & Mrs. David B. Wolf ‘52

Scott E. Woloson ‘94Liang Wu ‘09

4 2010

New Endowments

Pauls’ establish new scholarship

Janet and Thomas Paul have established the Janet and Thomas Paul ‘62 Scholarship in Mechanical Engineering and the Janet and Thomas Paul ‘62 Graduate Fellowship in Mechanical Engineering.

Janet and Tom Paul

The undergraduate scholarship will be awarded to a mechanical engineering student who is also a member of the Corps of Cadets. The graduate fellowship will be awarded to a graduate student pursuing study in turbomachinery. The department’s Turbomachinery Laboratory will match the funds. Paul spent two years in the U.S. Army and two years at Boeing Aircraft before joining the General Electric Company in 1966. He retired from the General Electric Company in Schenectady, New York, in 1997. Paul is a past member of the College of Engineering’s External Advisory and Development Council and the Mechanical Engineering Development and Advisory Council. He was inducted into the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Academy of Distinguished Graduates in the fall of 1992.

A gift from Distinguished Professor J.N. Reddy and his wife, Aruna, has established the Aruna and J.N. Reddy Distinguished Fellow in Computational Mechanics. Distributions from this endowment will support one or more fellowships for full-time students pursuing a doctoral graduate degree in mechanical engineering. Reddy is the holder of the Oscar S. Wyatt Chair in Mechanical Engineering and director of the university’s Advanced Computational Mechanics Laboratory. He holds joint adjunct faculty appointments in the aerospace engineering, civil engineering and mathematics departments, and serves as the coordinator of the Mechanics and Materials (MEMA) interdisciplinary

Reddys’ gift will create fellowship in computational mechanics

At the heart of the department’s priorities is developing new scholarships and fellowships that can make a tremendous difference in students’ lives. The department awards more than $240,000 in scholarships and fellowships annually to deserving students. Scholarships assist students with the cost of education. They are awarded on the basis of academic criteria, but can also include financial need, campus and community activities, leadership positions and work experience. Scholarships are designed to reward, encourage and assist students in pursuing academic excellence and leadership roles Generous support from former students, private industry, and community groups provides these scholarships. Without your help, college would not be possible for many of our students. A scholarship is a very personal investment—a special agreement between donor and student. As a scholarship contributor, you decide the educational goals you want to support and the type of student you want to help, and students accept your scholarship as an affirmation that someone believes in their dream and their ability to achieve it.

J. N. and Aruna Reddy

program between those departments and mechanical engineering. In addition, he directs the university’s Computational Science and Engineering Program. Reddy earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Osmania University, an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics from the University of Alabama. Aruna Reddy has dedicated her life to the family, supporting her husband in his pursuit of professional excellence and joining with him to help relatives in India pursue their goals of higher education.

Jay H. Stafford ‘46 Scholarship in Mechanical Engineering. Mr. and Mrs. Jay H. Stafford established the Jay H. Stafford ’48 Scholar-ship in Mechanical Engineering in 2006. They recently added another $100,000 to their scholarship, which will allow the department to fund several more scholarships to worthy and deserving students in mechanical engineering.

Stafford’s establish Scholarship

52010

Childs’ endow turbomachinery scholarship in brother’s memory

Turbomachinery expert Dara Childs and his wife, Susan, have endowed a Texas A&M University scholarship in memory of his brother who died during the Vietnam War. The Vandiver L. Childs III, Captain USAF, Memorial Scholarship was establish-ed with a $25,000 gift to the Texas A&M Foundation. Each year’s recipient will be the junior student making the top grade in MEEN 363, Dynamics and Vibrations. “I thank Dara and Susan Childs for choosing to honor his brother’s memory with this scholarship. Dr. Childs has a long history of teaching Dynamics and Vibrations, a class that all mechanical engineering majors take, and his textbook is used in the course. Recognizing the top student in this class each year will be one way to motivate students to pursue a career in this area in which Dr. Childs has worked for nearly four decades,” said Dennis O’Neal, mechanical engineering department head and holder of the Holdredge/Paul Professorship. Vandiver Childs was 29 and had served six years in the U.S. Air Force at the time of his death in April 1967. He was a pilot with the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force. Born in Ethel, Ark., Childs was the eldest of five children. He spent his childhood in Louisiana and earned the Eagle Scout medal with Bronze Palm. His father’s career in wildlife management took the family to Paris, Tennessee, during his junior year in high school. A standout lineman for Grove High School, Childs had his choice of scholarship offers and played football for Oklahoma State University, winning All-American honorable mention. After graduation in 1959 with a degree in forestry, Childs joined the National Guard before a transfer to the Air Force. As a B52 electronic warfare officer at Altus Air Force Base

in Oklahoma, he was part of the “best bomber crew in the entire Air Force,” bragging rights earned after rigorous competition. He was first in his pilot training class at Luke AFB in Phoenix, Arizona. Childs chose to fly the single-seat F100 Super Sabre, saying he did not want to be responsible for another man’s life. He was a passenger on the reconnaissance helicopter shot down by enemy fire at Doi Ma Creek in Quang Ngai Province during Operation Enterprise, two months into his South Vietnam tour of duty. He was survived by his wife, Olga, and their children: son Vandiver and daughter Melanie. “I have a great affection for Texas A&M University, the mechanical engineering department and Aggie students. This scholarship lets me help Aggie students while remembering my older brother,” Dara Childs said. The younger Childs followed his brother to Oklahoma State University and earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering. He was working on his Ph.D. in engineering mechanics at the University of Texas in 1967 when his brother was killed. At Texas A&M, Dara Childs holds the Leland T. Jordan Chair in Mechanical Engineering and has been director of the internationally acclaimed Turbomachinery Laboratory for more than 25 years. He is a Fellow of ASME and the recipient of its Henry R. Worthington Medal. His expertise focuses on dynamics and vibrations, dynamics of rotating machinery, and testing to verify dynamics models including fluid-structure interaction forces in rotordynamics. The Vandiver L. Childs III, Captain USAF, Memorial Scholarship will receive continuing funding through sales of his book, Turbomachinery Rotordynamics: Phenomena, Modeling, and Analysis.

Vandiver L. Childs III

6 2010

Mechanical engineering involves the design of all types of machines and equipment including robots; biomedical devices; vehicles for ground, air and space transportation; machines for converting fuels into energy; consumer products; and the climate control of buildings. Mechanical engineers bring together design graphics, engineering materials, manufacturing, thermodynamics and heat transfer, and the principles of mathematics and science to find solutions to human needs. They often work directly in the design and operation of food processing plants, power plants, manufacturing plants, refineries and other industrial operations. The goal of our undergraduate program is to provide our graduates with the analytical and practical skills needed to perform mechanical design in a variety of fields. Our program includes courses on design, controls, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, dynamics, energy conversion, properties and selection of materials, manufacturing, and the application of computers to these topics. The curriculum balances basic fundamentals, analytical methods and design applications of current knowledge, preparing our graduates for entry into the profession and a life-long career. The employers of our graduates include aircraft and automobile companies, food processing companies, machinery and equipment companies, oil companies, semiconductor manufacturers, gas and electric utilities, architectural and engineering firms, and many agencies in federal, state and local governments. Our academic programs at the undergraduate level have changed significantly in the past ten years. Students have more options today to enrich their education. Many of our students take advantage of certificate programs and minors. A popular minor is business. The certificate programs

allow students to go beyond the traditional curriculum and gain specific knowledge in a concentration area. Certificate programs are avail-able are in the areas of energy engineering, engineering project management, engineering scholars program, international certificate for engineering students, polymers, and systems safety engineering. Students can also take advantage of exchange programs to enrich their international experience. All of these provide our students with more skills and a broader education than in earlier years. Because of the large demand for mechanical engineering and limited resources, the department has an enrollment management program to bring enrollment in line with the available resources and facilities. Students are required to make a prescribed grade point average (GPA) on a specified group of freshman–level courses to be admitted to the upper division of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Initially, the required GPA was set at 2.5, but in the late 1990s was raised to 2.85. The results of this program may be seen in enrollment figures holding between 1,000 and 1200.

Our program graduates approximately 200 students per year. Monitoring admission to the upper division when student demand for places in our program is so strong, and when the demand for our graduates is so high has resulted in an even higher caliber graduate, because only the best students are able to enter into the program. Today, enrollment at Texas A&M University is 49,400, with 11,059 students in the Dwight Look College of Engineering. Our undergraduate students are among the top in the university. For the 2010-2011 school year, the department admitted 24 National Merit Scholars and semi finalists, with over 50% joining us this fall. Freshman scored an average 1297 on the SAT. The fact that we make most national corporations’ short list for preferential recruiting gives us confidence that our undergraduate program continues to be one of the best in the country. The success of our graduates is the best indication of the quality of our program, as is the recent increase in total scholarships and dollars awarded to our undergraduates. In 2008-09, we had over 350 companies seeking to employ our graduates.

Undergraduate Program

72010

2010/2011National Achievement Scholar

Emmanuel EtumaduNnaedoziem Aririele

2010/2011National Merit

Scholars

Benjamin AfflerbachAmy Albright

Colin BreedloveAeriel Corey

Gabriel CunhaMatthew DaigleTimothy DavisRyan Gordon

Nikolaus HardinNathan HoggTrevor JacksonAlexander Jang

Christopher KirklandDaniel KruzickJohn Lassalle

Zachary LeonardJon MacKayCraig NolenIrina PopovaRobert PriceBrian Reid

Matthew ScribeWyatt Smitherman

Joe Wallace

2010/2011 National Hispanic Scholars

Juliet GarciaCarlos GarzaTadeo Huerta

Aaron Morales-SalgadoBenjamin Richbourg

Daniel ShipmanChristina Walters

Graduate Enrollment

Masters Ph.D. Total

09/10 247 215 462

08/09 312 138 450

07/08 253 122 375

06/07 220 141 361

05/06 216 126 342

04/05 179 135 314

Undergraduate Enrollment

Male Female Total

10/11 997 167 1164

09/10 983 164 1147

08/09 932 148 1080

07/08 984 132 1116

06/07 1039 151 1190

05/06 970 144 1114

04/05 913 129 1042

Graduates

B.S. Masters Ph.D.

09/10 187 89 21

08/09 170 95 25

07/08 204 89 29

06/07 174 69 31

05/06 172 87 32

04/05 162 95 22

8 2010

2009/2010 Undergraduate Scholarship AwardsAdvisory Council Scholarship Christopher Benson

Brian BourgeoisKristen ClaussGabriel CunhaHaydee EucedaCarlos Garza

Lizette HerreraBradley HewittTyler KleypasBrandon Lilly

Christopher MoseleyNathan Niesel

Kristofer OberascherDaniel Parfitt

Shanna SimmonsChristina Walters

Toby Williams

Clarence Albert ‘29 Scholarship Kevin Seaton

Gladys M. & William D. Allison ‘44 Scholarship

Alexander Jang Allison Kingsley Wyatt Smitherman

ASME Golf/MESF Thomas DeetjenJoshua Gutz

Monica MuznyYehia Omar

Joseph ReedTravis Warren

Edmond L. Bailey ‘61 Memorial Scholarship

Dustin Kraft Nicholle Thelen Wesley Jones

Bechtel Scholarship Merlen De La Garza Rigoberto Lopez Kaylan Martin

Dr. Allison J. Berry ‘76 Scholarship

Amy AlbrightNatalie Lopez

Mark Godsey Irina Popova

Henry J. Bettencourt, Jr. ‘49 Scholarship

Daniel Chacko

BP Scholarship Caroline BushMatthew Gill

Clayton Mulvihill

Craig NolenRenata Nowobilski

Michael Ruffino

Daniel ShipmanRachael Solari

Victoria Templeman

Mrs. Douglas E. Broussard ‘44 Scholarship

Erin BoeseKimberly Caleon

John CharlesworthKira Erb

David Rodin

Graham SchlangerLauren Scott

Clayton T. Burger ‘00 Scholarship

Bonnie Stern Eric Williams

Chevron Scholarship Carlos De La Guardia

Katherine DietzScott Lenfest

Kally Wendell

Cockrell Scholarship Elliott Howard Kevin Seaton

Aaron Cohen Engineering Scholarship

Katherin Bhora

Jeanette & Robert B. Conn ‘51 Scholarship

Aeriel Corey Benjamin Richbourg

ConocoPhillips Scholarship Kirby FisherAaron Griffin

Tadeo Huerta Michael ScottAbnet Tekle

Don P. Dixon ‘57 & Sons Scholarship

Timothy Woolsey

DOW Aggies Endowed Scholarship

Emmanuel Etumadu

Billie G. Earnheart Memorial Scholarship

Sarah Corbitt John Lassalle

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Fisher ‘66 Scholarship

Peter Arensdorf Stephen Hejl

Fluor Aggies Scholarship Kevin HavisDaniel Mann

Kenneth McCown Kristin VorderkunzKimberly Wightman

FMC Technologies Huy Nguyen Amber Tucker

Morris E. Foster ‘65 Scholarship Timothy Davis Daniel Kruzick Christopher Newkirk

Marie M. & James H. Galloway ‘51 Scholarship

Ashley Casteel Stephanie Simerskey

Bobbie & Louis Gee ‘44 Scholarship

Michael Cox Tiffany Jefferson Kyle Richter

Mary Ann & Gordon Gibson ‘55 Scholarship

Benjamin Afflerbach Nnaedoziem Aririele

Ernst H. & Eva C. Gras Scholarship

Kelsey BrownKayla Cloud

William DixonJordan Griege

Garrett Hallmark

Kristine KuseCaitlin Laneri

Zachary LeonardCalvin Mackey

Garrett McDaniel

Lauren MitchellSarah Powers

Brian ReidJoe Wallace Mary Witte

A. W. Guill ‘41 Scholarship William BronaughRoss Coleman

Joshua Freeman Jeremy MercierJohn Pace

Bill & Janice Hanna Scholarship Andrew GowdyRebecca Hollkamp

Sarah Mannen Peter NystromMichael Penny

William M. Hays, Jr. ‘64 Scholarship

Luke Perkins

Charles Jackson ‘50 Scholarship Douglas Simmons Joel Turtle

Tim Kerlee, Jr. Memorial Scholarship

Colin Breedlove Michael Guymon Bridget Hill

John A. Langston ‘12 Memorial Scholarship

Cambridge BolenShibin Daniel

Daniel FonsecaRyan Gordon

Nikolaus Hardin

Tiffany HargettNathan Hogg

Christopher Kirkland

Jon MacKayAaron

Morales-SalgadoRobert Price

Matthew ScribeCorey Stone

Frank M. & Wilton H. Leverett Scholarship

Gary DaigleRobert Garay

Spencer Hugo Michelle HunterSarah Widger

Marathon Scholarship David Fain

Gary W. Markham ‘71 Scholarship

Roel Cantu Sterling Debner Colton Shannon

Elizabeth and Raymond Marlow ‘53 Scholarship

Maximo AcostaTimoteo AlegriaKaila Bertsch

Yonatan BeyeneKyle Bowzer

Cassandra GutierrezElbert PramudyaBrad Williams

Eddie & Joe Mattei ‘53 Scholarship

Katherine Letourneau

Justin Montgomery

Joe C. Merritt ‘63 Scholarship Ivan AlanizPaul Blahut

Zachary BurkeEdgar Diaz AguirreMichael Lassiter

Larry SullivanLuke Vierus

Edward C. Mrozik Scholarship Erin Roach

Ginny & Emmitt J. Nelson ‘51 Scholarship

Amy Waughtal

Thomas Christopher O’Leary ‘12 Memorial Scholarship

Nathan Edgemon

Janet & Thomas Paul ‘62 Scholarship

Bryan Yaggi

George & Ruby Lee Sandars Scholarship

Wesley Jones Nathan Mentzer

Sandford Scholarship Zachary AlbrechtMaxwell Anthony

Robert McGowen Jeanneth OrellanaMalcolm Stein

Linda & Ralph Schmidt ‘69 Scholarship

Callie HillChristopher Janak

Edward Kozel Jacob SchneiderJohn Schommer

Mary Joe & Donald R. Schroeter ‘63 Scholarship

Christina Cordaro Joshua Lucas

Mollie & Jim Schulze ‘50 Scholarship

Henry Harrity Natalie Lopez

Dr. Clifford M. Simmang ‘36 Scholarship

Jessie Haberer Tyler Lindt

Keith R. Slaughter ‘49 Scholarship

Matthew Daigle Trevor Jackson

Jay H. Stafford ‘48 Scholarship Andrea AbelnKathryn AymondRobert CheyneAdam Forness

Patrick HainesVictoria NorisJohn Norton

Blake RennerTravis Schott

Ashely SimmonsDaniel Steck

Ted & Dee Stephens ‘52 Scholarship

Brandy Alaniz Juliet Garcia Michael Jaska

Turbomachinery Scholarship Joshua BushRyan Ju

Andrew McCalip Eric PenningtonCole Skinner

92010

Mechanical engineers work to make our world safer, cheaper and more efficient. The field holds a lot of opportunities and is a good fit for science-minded individuals who want to apply their knowledge to real-world solutions. Well educated students will find many opportunities in a wide range of industries. Mechanical engineers can work in agriculture, manufacturing and maintenance. Those with advanced degrees can choose to teach or work in research and development Some specialize in one or more disciplines such as automotive, bio-medical, HVAC, robotics and nuclear engineering. Our graduate program has grown in both national visibility and size, with an increase in student enroll-ment from 314 in the fall of 1995 to over 462 in the fall of 2010. The quality of our graduate student body has also improved significantly. In 2010, our graduate program ranked 9th among mechanical engineering graduate programs at public institutions according to U.S. News & World Report. Approximately 40% of our students are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, with the others being outstanding international students from universities around the world. Nearly 75% of the students are supported as either graduate research or teaching assistants with monthly stipends ranging from $1,400 to $2,000 per month. Graduate research and teaching assistants also receive full health insurance benefits, and their tuition is paid for them. Additional competitive fellowships and scholarships are available for qualified students. During the past twenty years, as Texas has sought to diversify its economical base from oil and agriculture to high technology and manufacturing, our department has been able to provide highly educated engineers with graduate degrees to support this economic development. Many of our former graduate students are well placed in industry, research laboratories, and academia around the world.

2009/2010 Graduate Fellowship Awards

Graduate Program

Bowen FellowshipDaniel Cihak Chuck Hsiao

Matthew PowellAndrew Vissotski

Crawford FellowshipYang Chen

Xingliang HeJixiang Huang

Xiayn HuangLee Kooktae

Steven RiveraWillliam Warren

Olufunmilola Atilola

Fletcher FellowshipOlufunmilola AtilolaNicolas Carvajal-Diaz

Ankush GuptaEric Halfmann

Rasish KhatriNicholas Niedbalski’

Kozik/Hervey FellowshipJishe Cai Charles Kaneb

Reed Tool FellowshipWon Hyuk KohSooyeon Lee

Wei Li

Shuangshuang LiangQian Shao

Feng YuHuihua ZhaoHuanlin Zhu

Thompson FellowshipChristopher Billy

Ramon BoudreauxQing Liu

Zhongzheng LiuOlufunmilola Atilola

Wei-Chien Tu

Hongjin WangYu Yang

Je Hong Yoo

10 2010

Dr. L. Cate Brinson is currently the Jerome B. Cohen Professor of Engineering at Northwestern University and Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Depart-ment with a secondary appointment in the Materials Science and Engineering Department. After receiving her Ph.D. in 1990 from Caltech, Brinson performed post-doctoral studies in Germany at the DLR, and since 1992 she has been on the faculty at Northwestern University. Her primary research focus is on the modeling and characterization of advanced material systems, including polymers, nanocomposites and intelligent materials. Current research investigations involve characterization of nanoparticle reinforced polymers, the phase transformation response of shape memory alloys, nano and microscale response of bone, and investigation of microstructure effects on properties of microporous materials for bioengineering, where investigations span the range of molecular interactions, micromechanics and macroscale behavior. Brinson has received numerous awards, including a 2006

L. Cate Brinson

Fowler Lecture Series

Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Prize of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the 2003 ASME Special Achievement Award for Young Investigators, and an NSF CAREER Award; she is a Fellow of the Society of Engineering Science and of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering; and she served as a member of the Defense Science Study Group (1998-99). Brinson has given many invited technical lectures on her research and has authored one book and 100 refereed journal publications. She is a member of several professional societies and served 5 years on the Society of Engineering Science Board of Directors, including one year as President of the society. She has also been an Associate Editor of the Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures and the Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology and is currently serving on the National Materials Advisory Board of the National Academies. The title of her lecture was the Effects of Interface, Interphase and Substrate on Mechanical Properties of Polymers via Experiments and Simulations of Nanoindentation.

112010

Senior Design Program

Sponsors3M Knust-SBO

Alcoa KvaermerAmerican Orthodontics Lockheed Martin

Applied Materials Lufkin IndustriesBoeing NASA

British Petroleum NCH CorporationChevron Northrup Grumman

Cameron Drilling Systems Oil States/HydrotechHP Compaq Ransome Corporation

Department of Energy RaytheonDril-Quip Rental & Fishing Tools

DrillTech Mission SandiaFluor Daniel Schlage Lock

Ethicon Corporation SchlumbergerFMC Technologies Shell Global Solutions

Ford Motor Company Stewart & StephensonFormula SAE Surgimedics

GE/Vetco Gray TTIGeneral Motors Research Tapco/Triter

Halliburton Trinity IndustriesHughes Christensen URS

Ingersoll Rand USAFIODP Valvtron, Inc.

Keystone Valve USA Varco

The senior design classes, MEEN 401 and 402, are the capstone of the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum. In these courses the students integrate the knowledge they have acquired in their engineering science courses to design a system or device to meet a customer need. They learn and apply an advanced design process based on an abstraction approach that encourages and enables innovation. These design courses also address a variety of issues that are critical in the corporate environment but cannot be covered in depth in the under-graduate curriculum; e.g., cost, manufacturing, teamwork, oral and written communication, environment, project management, etc. Projects range from systems for drilling on Mars, to large tensioners for offshore drilling platforms, to tiny orthodontic appliances. These challenging projects are provided by our industrial partners, who also provide support from engineering staff to define the project, answer questions during the design process, and critique the students at several design reviews. Sponsors benefit from a fresh perspective on the design because the students do not know what cannot be done. Confidentiality agreements are often executed, and the sponsor owns any intellectual property developed. Past projects have led to new products and patentable concepts for the sponsoring companies. The sponsoring company managers and engineers also benefit from access and exposure to students during the design process. Project attributes that enhance the educational value to the students and the technical value to the sponsor are: technically challenging, of current interest to the sponsor but not an active project (not schedule critical), project sponsor with decision authority, and company commitment. For further information on the Depart-ment’s design program contact Dr. Steve Suh, 845-1417, [email protected].

12 2010

132010

Texas A&M Hybrid Vehicle placed second in 4th annual Formula hybrid International competition founded and organized by Dartmouth College’s competition Thayer School of Engineering. The May 2010 competition involved SAE International’s Collegiate Design Series of Competitions and featured designs from schools from around the world including schools in the United States, Canada, Italy, and Russia. The Formula Hybrid competition challenged teams to develop a fast and fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid electric race car. The Aggies competed against the following teams in order of placement: Italy Politecnic di Torino, University of California-Davis, Brigham Young University, University of Wisconsin-Madison Dartmouth College, Colorado State University, University of Vermont, McGill University, and Yale University. Texas A&M University placed second overall behind Politecnico di Torino from Italy. Torino scored a perfect 200 on design judging. Won the autocross and endurance events and the Institute of electrical and electronics engineers’ engineering the future award. The TAMU car recorded the fasted acceleration during the acceleration run-unrestricted event, which lets driver opt for any combination of gas and electric power. The TAMU car accelerated across 75-m (246-ft) in 4.7-s.“The way we integrated our electric system with the internal-combustion engine allowed our two power trains to optimally complement each other,” stated Daniel Gamboa, team leader. The Texas A&M University car team designed the car with a parallel, mechanically coupled drive system. “Our analysis showed that based on all the components necessary to build the two architectures, the weight-to-power ratio of a series race car is roughly 50% higher than that of a parallel race car,” said Gamboa. “Likewise, having to convert energy from chemical to mechanical to electrical and back to mechanical is usually less efficient than simply converting energy from chemical to mechanical.” The Torino race car produced 10 hp (7.5 kW) on its Gio 150-cc single-cylinder gasoline-fueled engine, however, they also had two motors each producing 30-kW at 72-Vs and 450-A. Gamboa stated that by the time the TAMU car crossed the finish mark, both the permanent brushed dc/permanent magnet electric drive system and the E85 ethanol-fueled engine were delivering peak power at 33 hp (25 kW) from the Yamaha WR250 single-cylinder engine and 16 kW from the drive motor. For more information on the Aggie Formula Hybrid contact Dr. Make McDermott at 979.845.4337 or at [email protected].

Aggie Formula Hybrid places second at international competition

Materials AdvantageASM International considers itself the materials society. The Department of Mechanical Engineering has revived its student chapter and is actively recruiting new members. ASM hosts three to four meetings per semester, and each fall the chapter visits a local manufacturing plant. ASM has combined with The American Ceramics Society (ACerS) and The Metallurgical Society (TMS) to form a student group called Material Advantage. The student membership fee entitles them to membership to all three societies and access to their publications. The students are looking forward to the future growth of this organization.

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SAE

SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) is an

educational and scientific organization dedicated

to advancing mobility technology to better serve

humanity. The Texas A&M student chapter of

SAE provides opportunities for students to learn

about transportation industry challenges and

opportunities. Beginning in 1999, Texas A&M SAE

also offered students the chance to gain real-world

design experience by participating in the Formula

SAE student design competition. Students design,

construct, test and compete with a small race car

with guidance and financial support from both Texas

A&M and industry.

Today’s world needs leaders who can communicate, who can seek answers beyond traditional academic boundaries, and who can understand the social and ethical consequences of their work. The department is facing this challenge by providing experiences that encompass both academic and extracurricular opportunities. This means offering our students opportunities to participate in the community to build on existing community service and to take part in leadership development programs. Our goal is to show our students that we are committed to their success and to help them understand that they belong to a larger international community.

Student Associations

Pi Tau Sigma Honor Society

The Pi Tau Sigma Honor Society recognizes outstanding

achievement of undergraduate students in mechanical

engineering. The Texas A&M chapter is an active

chapter initiating 10 to 20 new members a semester. By

participating in the pledge process and other chapter

activities, students are able to serve their community as

well as interact with leaders in industry.

Pi Tau Sigma promotes faculty/student interaction.

Since Pi Tau Sigma membership is for life, over 20 faculty

members in the Department of Mechanical Engineering

share a common membership with current students.

Pi Tau Sigma also promotes leadership engineering

by keeping members informed about opportunities in

industry and in graduate programs across the nation.

ASMEASME (American Society of Mechanical

Engineers) was founded in 1880 as a

forum for engineering professionals.

Today, ASME International consists of

over 125,000 members worldwide and

serves the professional community as

a nonprofit educational and technical

organization .

The Texas A&M student ASME

section hosts several programs that link

students with engineering professionals.

Tours, conferences, and speakers not

only expose members to the inner

workings of industry, but highlight

employment opportunities for

graduates. One of ASME’s most success-

ful programs is the Mexican Exchange

Program. The interaction between

A&M students and their Mexican

counterparts promotes international

awareness and industrial experience .

MEGSOThe Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student

Organization (MEGSO) promotes positive

communication within the Mechanical Engineer-

ing Graduate Program at Texas A&M University.

To achieve its mission, MEGSO provides a

forum for communication between faculty and

the graduate student body and promotes the

Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program at

Texas A&M University. Another important role

of MEGSO is helping the department recruit

prospective graduate students. Monthly

speaker meetings are held so members can get

together to promote social and professional

interaction, and to inform members about

current issues that affect mechanical

engineering graduate students.

14 2010

Student Recognition

Senior Colin Loveless is the Texas A&M Student Body President for the 2009/2010 school year. “[Loveless] is very smart, conscientious, and a hard worker,” said Harry Hogan, associate professor and undergraduate coordinator in the department. “I think his engineering background could very well be a big advantage as student body president because engineers learn to become analytical and systematic problem-solvers, and these skills can be readily applied to non-engineering things.” After Loveless graduates from Texas A&M in August 2010, he plans to attend graduate school in Saudi Arabia. He hopes to one day achieve a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in international development. His dream job would be to act as a consultant for countries in developing energy resources within their economic and public policy infrastructure.

Junior Miles McGowen has been named Deputy Corps Commander for Operations of the Corps of Cadets for the 2010/2011 school year. McGowen is a junior mechanical engineering major out of Company B-1 from Shreveport, Louisiana. As Deputy Corps Commander, McGowen will assist the Corps Commander in leadership of the

Corps. “Upon being named Deputy Corps Commander, I was both honored and humbled,” said McGowen. “...I am excited about being in a position to positively influence the Corps of Cadets, and to continue to develop exceptional leaders of character.” McGowen plans to work in the private sector as a mechanical engineer upongraduation. The Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets is in its 133rd year of training leaders for service to the state and nation. In the Corps, cadets gain valuable leadership skills and experience to complement their academic education. While cadets can earn commissions as military officers, membership in the Corps itself, carries no military obligation.

McGowen named Deputy Corps Commander

Miles McGowen

Loveless completes term as Student Body President

Colin Loveless

The Materials Advantage chapter promotes the field of materials science and its branches, assists its members in their academic endeavors and instills professional pride in the materials science field. This year members will volunteer at the International Sustain-able World Energy, Engineering & Environment Program (ISWEEP) Olympiad in Houston. They will also volunteer at ASM International’s Material Camp, a high school outreach program at the Materials Science and Technology Conference in Houston in October.

Ryan Sinnet

Graduate student Ryan Sinnet was selected to receive a 2010 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship. Sinnet’s selection was based on his outstanding abilities and accomplish-ments, as well as his potential to contribute to strengthening the vitality of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise.

Saurabh Bajaj will participate in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Computational Chemistry & Materials Science Summer Institute. He will work under Patrice Turchi, a worldwide leader in the field of alloy theory and ab initio calculations. The program offers graduate students the opportunity to work directly with leading

LLNL researchers on the development and application of cutting edge methods in computational materials science, computational chemistry, and other related areas of computational science. The program is highly competitive with hundreds of appli-cants from the best universities in the nation with only ten students admitted each year.

Sinnet receives NSF Research Fellowship

Saurabh Bajaj

Bajaj to participate in Lawrence Livermore summer institute

ASMEASME (American Society of Mechanical

Engineers) was founded in 1880 as a

forum for engineering professionals.

Today, ASME International consists of

over 125,000 members worldwide and

serves the professional community as

a nonprofit educational and technical

organization .

The Texas A&M student ASME

section hosts several programs that link

students with engineering professionals.

Tours, conferences, and speakers not

only expose members to the inner

workings of industry, but highlight

employment opportunities for

graduates. One of ASME’s most success-

ful programs is the Mexican Exchange

Program. The interaction between

A&M students and their Mexican

counterparts promotes international

awareness and industrial experience .

MEGSOThe Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student

Organization (MEGSO) promotes positive

communication within the Mechanical Engineer-

ing Graduate Program at Texas A&M University.

To achieve its mission, MEGSO provides a

forum for communication between faculty and

the graduate student body and promotes the

Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program at

Texas A&M University. Another important role

of MEGSO is helping the department recruit

prospective graduate students. Monthly

speaker meetings are held so members can get

together to promote social and professional

interaction, and to inform members about

current issues that affect mechanical

engineering graduate students.

152010

Khalid A. Al-Falih ‘82, leader of the world’s largest petroleum company, received the university’s Outstanding International Alumnus Award in March of this year. Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin said the selection of Al-Falih for one of the university’s most prestigious awards serves as recognition of the contributions

Former Students

Khalid Al-Falih

of the tens of thousands of international former students around the world who represent Texas A&M so well, and as an inspiration for the more than 4,500 international students currently enrolled. “Mr. Al-Falih is a great example of what is possible with a Texas A&M degree for all of our students, and especially our international students,” Loftin said. “Both his commitment and loyalty to Texas A&M are remarkable. We appreciate all that he has done for the university and for his ongoing legacy on behalf of our current and former students, as well as future generations of Aggies.” Al-Falih graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1982. His professional path has led to his current position as president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, where he oversees the company’s management of the world’s largest proven conventional oil reserves and the fourth-largest gas reserves.

Saudi Aramco president named Texas A&M Outstanding International Alumnus

Al-Falih’s road to leadership began as an Aramco-sponsored student at Texas A&M and resulted in a three-decade immersion in every operational arena of the company that sponsored him. A loyal Aggie, Al-Falih is quick to note the relevance of his Texas A&M experience to his professional and personal achievements on the global stage. “My years at Texas A&M not only provided me with a firm technical foundation for my professional career, but also reinforced many of the values which guide me in life to this day. Integrity and hard work are core to being an Aggie and the value of self-development and lifelong learning are all integral to A&M,” Al-Falih said. “Furthermore, my experiences as a young international student at the university helped to shape my attitudes and perspectives on collaboration and partnership within our global community.”

Aggie-led Stress Engineering Services named Best Place to Work in Texas

For the second consecutive year, employee-owned Stress Engineering Services has been named one of the “Best Companies to Work for in Texas” by the Texas Association of Business, the Texas State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management, and Best Companies Group. Stress Engineering Services was rated the #3 medium-sized (75 to 249 employees) firm among the 100 companies selected in the annual survey. “This third-party benchmarking

shows that employee ownership and a strong focus on excellence in high-performance energy engineering are the right formula in today’s economic and energy industry environment,” said CEO Joe Fowler ‘68. In addition to being employee-owned, the “Best Companies” profile noted that the company is a flat organization with few titles and flexible hours, that all employees participate in company

Susan and Joe Fowler

profits, and that a Ph.D. psychologist/job coach helps employees deal with workplace conflicts and assists with supervisor training. Stress Engineering Services has been in business for 36 years, and has grown 15 percent annually to more than 250 employees. The company is a leader in engineering design, testing and analysis for high-performance energy industry structures, vessels, machines and processes. Stress Engineering Services is an independent, employee-owned consulting engineering firm headquartered in Houston with offices in Cincinnati and New Orleans. Stress performs full-scale testing, mechanical design, product development, subsea engineering, project management and other engineering services for the oil and gas, offshore drilling and production and consumer products industries. Joe Fowler is a graduate of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University and currently chairs the College of Engineering Advisory Council. He is also a former member and chair of mechanical engineering’s Development and Advisory Board, and he chaired the department’s first capital campaign. A registered professional engineer,

Fowler is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a member of the Society of Experimental Mechanics and the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and is a past-president of ABET Inc. (formerly the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology).

16 2010

Texas A&M University and The Association of Former Students have announced the recipients of the 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award. Two of the recipients, Don H. Davis, Jr. ‘61 and Charles W. Soltis ‘55, are former students of the department. Established in 1962, the Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a former student of Texas A&M University. Since its inception, 197 individuals have been recognized for their significant contributions to their professions, Texas A&M and their local communities.

Charles W. Soltis ‘55, received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University and went on to attend the Engineering Training School in Syracuse, N.Y. During his time at Texas A&M, he was in the Corps of Cadets, the Houston Club, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Pi Tau Sigma. Following military service, Soltis began a successful career in commercial heating and air conditioning with the Carrier Co., and then in air-filtration technologies and cleanroom design and construction for industry and the medical field. Today he is the president and managing partner of Soltis Enterprises in Houston. Soltis’ passion for the preservation of the Costa Rica rainforest spurred him and his late wife,

Wanda, to donate a research and education center in San Juan de San Isidro de Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica, to Texas A&M University to provide students with international experiences and to study topics related to sustainability in the tropics and community development. In addition to this state-of-the-art center, Soltis has given Texas A&M the long-term right to access and study a 250-acre rainforest adjacent to the Center. Soltis was inducted into Texas A&M’s Department of Mechanical Engineering Academy of Distinguished Graduates in 1994 and he received the Cleanroom Hall of Fame Award in 1991. Soltis is a member of the Houston A&M Club and The Association of Former Students Century Club.

Don H. Davis, Jr. ‘61, graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and received a Master of Science in business administration from Texas A&M in 1963. During his time at A&M, he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, the varsity base-ball team and the Shreveport Hometown Club. After graduation, Davis worked as an engineering sales trainee with Allen-Bradley and moved up through the sales and marketing ranks to become president of Allen-Bradley in 1989, four years after its acquisition by Rockwell. Davis was named president of Rockwell International in 1996, CEO in 1997 and chairman in 1998. He retired in 2005 after a distinguished 42-year career with the company.

Davis was honored with the Dwight Look College of Engineering Outstanding Alumni Award in 1990, and he was elected to the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Academy of Distinguished Graduates in 1992. Davis and his wife, Sallie, have supported Texas A&M with endowments, including the Sallie and Don Davis ’61 Professorship in Engineering, two graduate fellowships in mechanical engineering, and a major gift to support the renovation of Olsen baseball field. Davis has served on the College of Engineering external advisory committee and he continues to serve on many boards. He is an Endowed Century Club member of The Association of Former Students and he volunteers and contributes to many educational and cultural organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Association of Former Students honor two from mechanical engineering

Don H. Davis Charles W. Soltis

Stan Dixon

Stan Dixon was recently appointed vice president of Gulfstream’s Mid-Cabin Programs. Dixon previously held positions at Gulfstream include director of Mid-Cabin Programs and director of the Gulfstream G150 program.

He came to Gulfstream from Galaxy Aerospace Company, where he was the director of Purchasing and Sub contracts. He has also held various positions with AccuFill Systems, Inc., SimuFlite Training International and Cessna. Dixon earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1979 from Texas A&M University. He is a commercial, multi- engine and instrument-rated pilot.

Dixon named vice president at Gulfstream Jim Havelka has recently

been elected to the Board of Directors for Acro Energy. Havelka earned a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Rice University. Jim Havelka is currently the managing director in the

Public Sector Services group and national practice leader for the firm’s Government Practice. Havelka spent 8 years with BearingPoint, most recently as a senior Vice President responsible for the sales and strategic Development Segment within the Global Public Services business unite. Prior to that, he was a partner and practice leader with KPMG where he led the Government SAP, industrial Markets Business Strategy and Utilities practices.

Havelka elected to Acro Energy Board of Directors

Jim Havelka

172010

CenterPoint Energy named Tal Centers vice president of Gas Operations in Minnesota. Centers will be responsible for the state’s largest natural gas distribution utility and the company’s unregu-lated business, Home Service Plus (HSP). Centers began his career with the company in 1985, and most

recently served as vice president of Gas Engineering and Tech-nical Services for the company’s natural gas distribution systems in six states. He has held numerous leadership positions in natural gas trade associations including serving on the Executive Council and Operating Managing Committee for the Southern Gas Association and on the Managing Committee of the American Gas Association. Centers received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1985 from Texas A&M University and is an executive MBA graduate also from Texas A&M. CenterPoint Energy, Inc., is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations.

Tal Centers

Centers named CenterPoint Vice President of Minnesota Gas Operations

John Wright is Senior Vice President of technology at Boots & Coots, a Houston well control company recently purchased by Halliburton. For the last five months, however, he has been working as the leader of BP’s relief well effort to plug the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico. Wright has made his career as a veteran well-control specialist. He has been involved in 83 projects around the world with a flawless 41 for 41 record in designing, managing, and successfully completing relief wells. Relief wells are considered back-up solutions, and work in the field is scarce. Those who can successfully drill them are a necessity to oil field operators. Wright is “one in a handful” of relief-well specialists in the nation as well as one of the most qualified specialists in the world. Wright’s interest in uncertainty led him to specialize

John Wright

in the wellbore hole positions, a topic which he relied on to drill to the Macondo. Before the spill, Wright had been hired to prepare the company’s relief well contingency plans for deep-water opera-tions, which take into account worse case scenarios, difficult currents, and problems of intersecting well bore at various depths. Wright was chosen to lead BP’s relief well drilling intersection project a week after the blowout, and was charged with the task of drilling to a target less than 8 inches in diameter under two miles of non-uniform rock formations. The operation took three months of constant work with little sleep. In September 2010, Wright successfully completed the project on the first pass. Wright attended Sam Houston High School and graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Metallugy.

Aggie mechanical engineer brings relief to Gulf oil spill

Tidewater elects Morris Foster to Board of Directors

Morris Foster

Tidewater announced the election of Morris E. Foster to its Board of Directors for 2010/2011. Foster served as vice president of ExxonMobil Corporation and president of ExxonMobil Production Company. Since 1965, he has accumulated more than 40 years of service with the company in various domestic and foreign

management programs. Foster retired in 2008 but still serves as Chairman of the Board of Regents of Texas A&M University. A distinguished graduate of Texas A&M University, Foster is also a member of the Mechanical Engineering’s Academy of Distinguished Graduates. Foster earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University.

18 2010

One key element in the success of the mechanical engineering program is the significant involvement with industry and the substantial support from many industrial friends. Of particular importance is the Industry Development & Advisory Council, which met for the first time in 1989 as a forum where the department could interact more effectively with our primary customers. Composed of individuals who are leaders in industry and government agencies, the council provides a broad perspective on the changing requirements for engineering education and helps the department identify new opportunities in research. Many changes in the department are the result of the guidance provided by this distinguished council, which meets twice each year.

Randy ArmstrongRadomes Technical Staff

Raytheon Company

Russell Bayh III ‘75Technology Manager

Halliburton Energy Services

Amy BuhrigEnterprise Technology Strategy Leader

The Boeing Company

Grayum Davis ‘65Bryan, Texas

David FulbrightChief Executive OfficerCheetah Tool Systems

Lawrence Paul Graviss ‘71President

Eagle Engineering Group Inc.

Kennon Guglielmo ‘88President

EControls, Inc.

Eugene P. Janulis3M Company

Sandeep Kishan ‘85Vice President

ERGJeffrey W. Lipscomb ‘73

JWL Engineering

Kathy LynnVice President & Chief RepresentativeSumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

Gary Markham ‘72Consultant

Rimkus Consulting Group Inc.

Srinivas Mirmira ‘99Associate

RedShift Ventures

Terry BaughnRaytheon Company

Russell Bayh III ‘75Halliburton Energy Services

A. J. ‘Tony’ Best ‘72Best Energy

Jim Blacksmith ‘78URS Corporation

Larry BloomquistMechanical Reps, Inc.

Arthur W. BrooksFrito-Lay, Inc.

Thomas Burger ‘70ExxonMobil Corporation

Jim Bylander3M Company

Aaron Cohen ‘52Texas A&M University

Howard E. Decker ‘44Goetting & Associates

Dana D. Dorsey ‘923M Emtech

D. E. ‘Dori’ EllisSandia National Laboratories

Joe FowlerStress Engineering

John Fuller ‘79Bell Helicoper

Brenda Hightower ‘81Celanese Chemicals Ltd.

Frank “A. J.” JonesApplied Materials

Lisa Mahlmann ‘85Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Raymond Marlow ‘53Marlow Industries, Inc.

Charlie A. Mast ‘51Austin, Texas

Ernie McWilliams ‘78Reliant Energy

Harvey O. Mohr ‘58HydroTech Systems, Inc.

Tom PaulGeneral Electric

Tony Pelletier ‘75Alamo Resources, LLC

Antonio ‘Tony’ Perez, Jr. 73Motorola Semiconductors

Thaddeus H. Sandford ‘60Boeing Integrated Defense Systems

Industry Advisory Council

Rodney Moss ‘88Vice President/Chief Legal Officer

Balfour Beatty Construction

Arnold Muyshondt ‘95Manager

Sandia National Laboratories

Paul ParkDirector, Chief Engineer’s Office

Lockheed Martin

David J. PierpolineOperations Manager North American Gas

British Petroleum

Larry Porter ‘64Larry G. Porter & Associates

Mike Reddin ‘82President & CEO

Kerogen Resources Inc.

Ty Schmitt ‘93Dell Computers

Robert Tolles ‘84Twin Creek Technologies

Phil TschoepeProject Development

ExxonMobil Refining & Supply

Jerry Wauters ‘79Vice President

Halliburton Completion Tools

William Richard Welch ‘79Operations Manager

Knust-SBO

Jimmy Williams, Jr. ‘83Director Alcoa Defense Sector

Alcoa Technical Center

L. Dale Wooddy IIIPresident

Medco Energi USA

Emeritus Members

Current Members

192010

Michael Smith is Chief of Structural Dynamics at Bell Helicopter Textron. Since 1980, Smith as worked extensively in the areas of rotorcraft dynamics, vibration reduction, and crashworthiness. In 1988, he served as a Designated Engineering Representative in Structures and Powerplant for the Federal Aviation Administration. Smith is a Texas A&M University Alumni. He earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1979 and a Masters of Engineering in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas in 1984. He holds many awards, including the Textron Chairman’s Award in 2004 and 2006, the Lawrence D. Bell Pioneer Award for Innovation Excellence in 2003 and 2005, and the AHS International’s Harry T. Jenson Award in 2001 and 2003. In addition, he holds thirteen patents and has authored eighteen technical papers.

Kathy Lynn is Vice President and Chief Representative of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) in Houston. She has over 18 years experience in corporate finance, project finance, and structured finance specializing in the energy and power industries. Lynn ‘79 graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University, and an MBA in finance from the University of Houston. Kathy manages the Houston Energy and Natural Resources representative office for SMBC. Lynn is responsible for analyzing the credit, reserve and business risk of potential clients. She is responsible for developing new business and maintaining relationships with current clients through an active calling program. Lynn is also responsible for meeting the annual budget and complying with credit monitoring and credit administration requirements.

David Pierpoline is an operations manager for BP responsible for BP’s natural gas field and plant operations across the southern United States. He manages over 600 employees and contractors across five states. Pierpoline received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University and an M.B.A. from the University of Houston. As a Manufacturing Excellence Manager for BP from 2002 to 2004, Pierpoline led the delivery of operational excellence. Here, he became involved in BP’s Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (HSSE) compliance program, which he worked with as the Director Western Hemisphere until 2006. In 2007, Pierpoline served as the Safety & Operations Director and Operations Excellence Director, and in 2008, he became the operations manager for North America Gas.

Eugene Janulis is a technical director at 3M Company. He has spent 26 years at 3M in various technical positions and currently directs a 180-person global lab organization for 3M’s Electrical Markets Division. Janulis is responsible for new product development, research, and development and technical service. Janulis earned a B.S. in chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1979 and a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Illinois in 1983. In addition, he is the inventor/co-inventor of 14 U.S. patents and is an enthusiastic supporter and sponsor of senior design projects at Texas A&M University.

Michael SmithChief, Structural DynamicsBell Helicopter Textron

Kathy LynnVice President and Chief RepresentativeSumitomo Mitsui Banking Co.

David PierpolineOperations ManagerNorth America GasBP

Eugene “Gene” JanulisTechnical Director3M Company

New Council Members

20 2010

Gary Markham ‘72Raymond Marlow ‘53

Charlie A. Mast ‘51William C. McCord ‘49

Richard L. McGannon ‘50Arthur McKnight ‘31

Hugh D. McMillian, Jr. ‘46Reid P. McNally, Jr. ‘65

Harvey O. Mohr ‘58William E. “Ed” Nelson ‘51

Donald H. Niederer ‘53Ozden O. Ochoa ‘76C.E. “Pat” Olsen ‘23

James R. Partrigde ‘58Thomas C. Paul ‘62G. Paul Pepper ‘54

George P. “Bud” Peterson ‘85Herman L. Philipson, Jr. ‘45

Michael Plank ‘83Henry O. Pohl ‘56

Robert L. Poland ‘42Thaddeus Sandford ‘62Oscar W. Schuchart ‘43

Edwin “Ned” des Snead ‘51Charles W. “Bill Soltis ‘55

Karl J. Springer ‘57Charles R. Steele ‘56

Harry J. Sweet ‘56Ed J. Szymczak ‘61David G. Tees ‘66

Lee P. Thompson 41Bill Tompkins ‘65

J. Mike Walker ‘66Jack V. Walker ‘58

Barton B. Wallace, Jr. ‘47Jack R. Woolf ‘45

Oscar S. Wyatt, Jr. ‘45

The Department established its Academy of Distinguished Graduates in 1992. This academy recognizes and honors our former students who have excelled in the mechanical engineering profession and highlights the significant contributions and achievements of these individuals. Through this award, the department hopes to promote a closer association between our current mechanical engineering students and outstanding mechanical engineering professionals.

To be considered for selection, nominees must be graduates of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M and have:

• attained prominence in and made significant contributions to the mechanical engineering profession;• made significant contributions toward improving the quality of the educational program within the department;• demonstrated leadership in service to professional societies or the community; and• exhibited the highest standards of integrity and character.

Nominations may be made by any graduate of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, any faculty or staff member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and any Texas A&M former student.

Richard M. Alexander ‘65Lelsie Appelt ‘41Joseph Ashy ‘62

Quentin Baker ‘78David Barker ‘66

Stuart Bell ‘86Tony Best ‘72

Ray M. Bowen ‘58Lola Boyce ‘80

William B. Boyd ‘45Douglas E. Broussard ‘44

Jack E. Brown ‘46Charles Castine ‘70

Aaron Cohen ‘52Don H. Davis, Jr. ‘61

Orval C. “Cliff” Davis ‘42Howard E. Decker ‘44Richard L. Engel ‘68

Bannister W. Farquhar, Jr. ‘57L.S. “Skip” Fletcher ‘58

Mike Flynn ‘73James Foster ‘49Morris Foster ‘65Don Fowler ‘66Joe Fowler ‘68

Louis S. Gee ‘44Fred Goldsberry ‘68Robert H. Gruy ‘69

R.C. “Bud” Hagner ‘48C. Melvin Harrison ‘52

William M. Hays , Jr. ‘64Joe D. Hoffman ‘56Charles Jackson ‘50

Peter E. Jacobson ‘55Arnold Levine ‘67Earl Logan, Jr. ‘49

Larry V. Macicek ‘71

Mike Flynn

Academy of Distinguished Graduates

Academy Members

Michael E. Flynn graduated from Texas A&M in 1973 and began his career with Exxon as an engineer in the Production Department in Louisiana. He moved to Exxon’s Production Research Company in 1978 to work with affiliates worldwide to progress onshore and offshore developments. In 1983, Flynn began a series of management assignments in the United States, including design of the unique LaBarge plant in Wyoming, operations manager for the Central United States and then Vice President of the Exxon Supply Company. In 1990, Flynn was named Upstream Advisor to Exxon Corporation’s Board of Directors. In 1992, he returned to Exxon Company, USA as a Division Manager responsible for operations in the eastern United States and offshore Gulf of Mexico. Flynn moved to Malaysia in 1994 to become Production Manager of Esso Malaysia, where he worked closely with Petronas Carigali. In 1997, he returned to the United States to manage the record-breaking Hoover-Diana Project in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Hoover-Diana received the OTC’s Outstanding Achievement Award and NOIA’s Safety in the Seas Award. Flynn was one of the founding executives of ExxonMobil’s new worldwide Development Company.

Flynn newest member of Academy of Distinguished Graduates

212010

Faculty Research

Funding Sources

Research Awards

Expenditures

61% 13%

10%

12%

3% 1%

Federal Corporate

International

State Non-Profit Other

Sources of Research Funding in FY 2010

 $-­‐        

 $2,000,000    

 $4,000,000    

 $6,000,000    

 $8,000,000    

 $10,000,000    

 $12,000,000    

 $14,000,000    

 $16,000,000    

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Research  Expen

ditures  

Fiscal  Year  

 $-­‐        

 $2,000,000    

 $4,000,000    

 $6,000,000    

 $8,000,000    

 $10,000,000    

 $12,000,000    

 $14,000,000    

 $16,000,000    

 $18,000,000    

2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010  

Res

earc

h A

war

d A

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nt

Fiscal  Year  

22 2010

Shock Accelerated Inhomo-geneous Flows (SAIFs) exhibit some of the most violent and complex mecha-nisms in nature. They arise when nonuniform fluid systems are accelerated impulsively by shock waves, so that the nonuniform features are subjected to strong displacement, deformation and vorticity generation. This is a problem of fundamental interest, which can be construed as a building

block toward developing more complicated problems involving shock propagation through a random media characterized by inhomogeneities in density, temperature, or other thermodynamic state variables. SAIFs occur in a wide variety of physical situations covering broad ranges of spatial, temporal, and energy scales, but not limited to, astrophysical flows and, in particular, the interaction of supernova remnants with interstellar clouds, supersonic combustion, the fragmentation of gallstones or kidney stones by shock waves, and high-energy-density systems such as Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) devices. Ranjan and his fellow researchers have devised a new inclined shock tube facility that can provide a platform for decoupling the fluid dynamics from the other phenomenon associated with a high energy density system such as ICF. The shock tube is capable of launching strong shock waves greater than Mach 2 without resorting to low initial pressure and is equipped with a state-of-the-art laser diagnostics system. Ranjan’s group is interested in performing well controlled experiments that will provide modelers with much needed statistical information regarding the flow field. To understand the importance of impulsive acceleration, Ranjan’s group is also working with another system that studies the mixing and interface growth rate between two fluids under constant acceleration. The ultimate goal of the study is to understand the mixing process, extract what the controlling parameters are, and then devise new methods to control or minimize this mixing in the ICF environment. Current efforts are being funded by the Department of Energy-National Nuclear Security Administration and Los Alamos National Laboratory. For more information, contact Dr. Devesh Ranjan at [email protected].

New technologies in shock wave research

Devesh Ranjan

232010

In 2009, the TAMU Dwight Look College of Engineering was selected as the winner of the Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI), Synthesis, Analysis, and Prognosis of Hybrid-Material Flight Structures. Professor Dimitri Lagoudas,TAMU-AERO, is Lead PI and the Director of the MURI research effort, Characterization and Modeling of Functionally Graded Multifunctional Hybrid Composites for Extreme Environments in partner-ship with University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Stanford University and University of Dayton. TAMU co-PIs are MEEN faculty Xin-Lin Gao, Ibrahim Karaman, Ozden Ochoa, Miladin Radovic, J.N. Reddy, and AERO faculty Zoubeida Ounaies, Paul Cizmas and John Whitcomb. The AFOSR Program managers are Dr. David Stargel (lead) and Drs. Joycelyn Harrison and Ali Sayir. The program vision is to enable the design of next generation high-speed, long-range, high-altitude aerospace vehicles with sensing and remaining life prognosis capabilities. The overall research goal is developing a novel multifunctional ceramic/metal/polymer hybrid composite system for high-temperature aerospace applications utilizing functionally graded materials, interpenetrating phase composites, high-temperature polymer matrix compo-sites, actively cooled polymer matrix composites, multiscale simulations, and multiscale characterization tools. These concepts are integrated by coupling thermal-acoustic-mechanical flight loads to guide the design of multifunctional Functionally Graded Hybrid Composite (FGHC) systems with integrated sensing capabilities for extreme environments. The program’s first annual review took place at the University of Dayton Research Institute in September 2010 where the first year accomplishments and the second year plans were shared with an audience of scientists and engineers from Air Force, NASA, industry and academia. The full research team is composed of seventeen faculty members, twenty-four graduate students, four post-docs, two research associates and three undergraduates. The presentations, publications and contact information are available at http://muri18.tamu.edu. The technical highlights of the first year include:

• Successfully fabricating the first functionally graded Ti2AlC –Ti and cold pressed and co-sintered Ti2AlC - Ti, Ti2AlC - NiTi, and Ti3SiC2 - NiTi from powders.

• Created and analyzed the microstructure of a highly reflective thermal barrier coating of nano-porous metal oxide which forms a photonic band gap.

• Studied adhesion between Ti and polyimide considering effect of curing, surface treatment, and fillers with SLS experiments and simulations. Created micro channels using sacrificial PLA fibers in epoxy and integrated PLA fibers into 3-D woven composite.

• Demonstrated active cooling in 2D microvascular network with sacrificial fibers and direct-write assembly. • Modeled the thermal response of the embedded network. • Measured modulus, damping and high rate stress/strain of Ti2AlC, showing rate dependence and failure

modes. • Characterized interfacial strength, electrical resistance, and thermal impedance of CVD CNTs on carbon

fabric, carbon tow and quartz. • Observed two-fold increase in Mode I fracture toughness of fuzzy fabric interface. High alignment and

density of CNTs led to smaller thermal impedance. • Correlated the strain and change in resistance of fuzzy fibers tested in tension. • Developed fuzzy fiber RVE to obtain effective properties. • Fabricated sensors based on BS-PT (solid solution of bismuth scandium oxide and lead titanium oxide) with

over 80% of piezoelectricity maintained at 350o C. • Simulated wave propagation in metal plates. • Performed impact tests on PMCs with high-speed video and correlated with SHM methods. • Developed general computational framework for large-scale FEM simulations. • Developed, verified and validated a new nonlinear beam model for aerodynamic response correlated with

experiments.

Faculty help win a Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative

Xin-Lin Gao Ibrahim Karaman

Ozden Ochoa Miladin Radovic

J. N. Reddy

24 2010

Diesel Combustion. Diesel engines conventionally have higher effi-ciencies than other types of work devices but are plagued with high emissions of nitric oxide and particulate matter (both of which are regulated by the EPA due to their harmful effects on human, animal, and plant life). Low temperature diesel combustion is a combustion mode that simul-taneously decreases nitric oxide and particulate matter from a diesel engine, while also potentially enabling it to maintain high efficiency. The Advanced Engine Research Laboratory is conducting engine experiments to improve the understanding of the benefits and challenges of low temperature diesel combustion. So far, the team has had great success with simultaneous reductions in nitric oxide and particulate matter of over 50% relative to modern-day diesel engines (which meet the current EPA standards for clean engine operation). In collaboration with Dr. Jerald Caton’s Energy, Emissions, and Engines Laboratory ([email protected]), computations provide

model-based tools that probe combustion and thermodynamic phenomenon not easily measured in the laboratory to further improve the understanding of low temperature diesel combustion. Another well-known attribute of internal combustion engines is its flexibility to use a wide-range of fuels; in fact, internal combustion engines have been shown to use fuels in all three phases of matter (gaseous, liquid, and solid). Alternative fuels, of course, continue to receive attention as potential means to augment our fossil-fuel supplies. The Advanced Engine Research Laboratory conducts on-going studies of alternative fuels—namely, biodiesel—to understand the underlying combustion and emissions formation mechanisms that must be known to design an engine that seamlessly uses fuels from any stock (e.g., fossil fuel, vegetable oil, cellulosic, and algael). For example, a recent study of palm olein biodiesel revealed that minor adjustment to the engine’s control of exhaust gas recirculation could allow the biodiesel-fuelled engine to deliver power with the same efficiency and nitric oxide emissions as the petroleum-fuelled engine but with improved particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbon emissions. These are just some examples of the education-oriented research taking place in the Advanced Engine Research Laboratory. For more information on this research or to interact with the students composing the research group, please contact Dr. Timothy Jacobs at [email protected].

The Advanced Engine Research Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering has the mission of improving the knowledge and understanding of the internal combustion engine. This mission is driven by the belief that improvements to internal combustion engines today will manifest long term benefits for society tomorrow. For example, the U.S. Department of Energy states that the U.S. can cut its transportation-based fuel usage by 20 to 40% through the deployment of advanced internal combustion engines. Because of its pervasive use in transportation, industrial, and residential appli-cations, the internal combustion engine affords great potential to decelerate the consumption of natural resources in a cost effective

and environmentally healthy manner. The research team of the Advanced Engine Research Laboratory, composed of assistant professor Dr. Timothy J. Jacobs and his graduate and undergraduate students, are working to help this improvement and widespread deployment of better, more efficient, and cleaner internal combustion engines. Many exciting developments are underway on the conventional internal combustion engine. Some of these developments include in-production advanced technology such as direct injection spark ignition engines, variable valve timing, and advanced diesel engines. Other technology still under development in research laboratories, such as homogeneous charge compression ignition, predictive engine

control algorithms, and waste heat recovery using thermoelectric devices, will create greater improvements in efficiency, greater reductions in emissions and noise, and greater flexibility for seamless use of alternative fuels. One such technology under development in the Advanced Engine Research Laboratory is Low Temperature

Laboratory works to improve advanced internal combustion engine

Timothy Jacobs

252010

International environmental regulations mandate the phase-out of lead from microelectronics manufacturing over the next few years. Unfortunately, the most versatile microelectronics soldering techniques use lead alloys. Our group is currently developing highly sophisticated simulations of the interactions between liquid solder alloys and metallic substrates. These simulations (the most sophisticated to date) will optimize Pb-free soldering processes (funded by NSF-CMMI). Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are multifunctional materials that undergo large and reversible changes in shape upon the application of thermal, mechanical or magnetic stimuli. Our group, in collaboration with Dr. Ibrahim Karaman’s group, is currently developing novel SMAs based on the Co-Ni-Ga system capable of actuation at high temperatures. Applications include the aerospace and automotive industries (funded by NSF-DMR). Over the next few decades, hydrogen-based fuel cells may become the main clean power source in the automotive industry. Unfortunately, in order to enable this technology it is necessary to develop efficient technologies for storing hydrogen. Our group, in collaboration with Dr. Xinghang Zhang’s group, is currently employing computational methods to predict the stability of novel nano-layered metallic materials for hydrogen storage. These materials can absorb and release hydrogen at temperatures much lower than conventional storage materials (funded by NSF-CBET).

Engineers have succeeded in designing and making smart robots that help in manufacturing as well as our daily tasks. Taking this to a higher level, Professor Helen Liang’s research group uses an entirely new approach. Teamed up with Professor Brad Vinson in the Department of Entomology and Professor Mark Harlow in the Department of Biology, mechanical engineering researchers design various probing systems to study how insects move in nature and how they respond to in vivo and in vitro stimulation. The research group has developed piezoelectric sensors to probe insects, which they then use to design electrical systems to stimulate bugs’ locomotion. Such types of hybrid robots are proving to be more efficient than mechanical robots since they can respond to environments more quickly. This type of project is highly interdisciplinary. Students have opportunities to learn the mechanical, materials, and physiology of biological systems. The research has made some exciting discoveries, and one of their recent papers was highlighted in Science and Discovery Magazine. For more information, please contact Dr. Hong Liang at [email protected].

Laboratory studying insects for use in hybrid robots

Helen Liang

Raymundo Arroyave

Improving the automotive fuel economy is essential for a more sustainable use of our energy resources. Vehicle effi-ciency can improve through weight reduction. Our group, working with Dr. Ibrahim Karaman, is developing ultra-high strength steel alloys through a combination of experiments with advanced genetic-algorithm alloy design strategies (funded by NSF-CMMI). The development of high-temperature materials is key to improving efficiency in aerospace propulsion systems. Our group is developing methods to predict the thermo-mechanical properties of advanced high-temperature materials using atomistic simulations. Recently, there has been increased interest in the development of advanced fuel cycles for nuclear-based power generation. These advanced fuels will operate at much higher burn-up rates, increasing the amount of actinides generated. Our group is developing thermo-dynamic models of actinide alloys that will predict the phase-stability of advanced fuel systems. For more information, contact Raymundo Arroyave at [email protected].

Research to optimize Pb-free soldering processes

26 2010

Dr. Julie Linsey’s Innovation, Design Reasoning, Engineering Education and Met I-DREEM lab focuses on developing new methods and tools to support the early phases of the design process with a particular focus on innovation and conceptual design. The research is an integration of cognitive psychology and engineering design research. The lab’s research seeks to understand designers’ cognitive processes with the goal of creating better tools and approaches to enhance innovation and teach engineering. There are currently three NSF funded project, Learning to Innovate Through Bioinspired Design, Enhancing Engineering Innovation through Physical Representation: Identifying the Cognitive Enhancements Provided by Representation and Creating Novel Design Methods, and Sketched-Truss Recognition Tutoring System: Improved Student Learning through Active Learning and Immediate Student Feedback. The NSF project on the Free-Sketch Tutorial System for Truss Analysis is further developing and evaluating a software system to do just that for students learning truss analysis. In the Mechanix software students can draw in a free-hand style mimicking natural drawing. Using the software, students can draw their solutions for truss diagrams and receive immediate feedback and guidance. Mechanix through artificial intelligence can recognize the student’s sketches and then offer feedback and guidance. The project is in collaboration with Dr. Tracy Hammond of the Department of Computer Science and Dr. Erin McTigue in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture. Creativity, invention, and innovation are indispensible qualities of engineering (National Academy of Engineering, 2002). Nevertheless, innovation is generally only briefly addressed in engineering curricula. Though learning mechanisms for innovation are not well understood, using nature to inspire design is often cited as a method for innovation. A current NSF funded project with mechanical engineering’s Dr. Dan McAdam’s as co-PI, Learning to Innovate Through Bioinspired Design, will answer the question, “How does one best teach engineers to innovate by using nature as inspiration?” The gecko’s amazing ability to climb any surface has inspired numerous innovations for adhesion and wall climbing. Aggies will soon have the opportunity to learn to innovate through bioinspired design. Drs. Julie Linsey and Dan McAdams are currently developing a curriculum to teach bioinspired design. For more information, please contact Dr. Julie Linsey at [email protected].

Julie Linsey

Met DREEM Laboratory combining cognitive psychology with engineering design

272010

Robots already form an integral part of our society, but they have yet to be utilized to their full potential. Science fiction has demonstrated our innate fascination with robots and with their potential to be inte-grated into society at a personal level. Yet the inherently appealing possibility that robots might both interact with us on a daily basis and aid the disabled remain elu-sive. This is due primarily to the complexity of making robots do even the simplest of human tasks.

The ability to walk efficiently is often taken for granted because of the ease with which humans are able to perform this task. Yet achieving natural and efficient walking in two legged (bipedal) robots is extremely challenging. This is because walking is “dynamically stable;” it does not involve balancing but rather controlled repeatable forward progression or, as it is often described, “walking is controlled falling.” The goals of this work are to mathematically understand the basic mechanisms underlying human walking, apply this understanding to achieve anthropomorphic walking in bipedal robots and design prosthetic devices that result in efficient and natural walking for transfemoral amputees to increase their quality of life. Moreover, the anthropomorphic nature of bipedal locomotion has wide appeal to people of all ages and demographics. This appeal can be leveraged to greatly facilitate outreach and education throughout Texas, encouraging the next generation of students to pursue science and engineering education and careers.

Walking with robots

Aaron Ames

The first step in understanding how humans walk is to create a mathematical model of a bipedal robot. This is achieved by studying the basic phases of walking in humans; that is, the different events that occur in a walking gait, and the order in which these events occur (such as the heel or toe striking the ground). This decomposition of human walking allows for the biped to be mathematically modeled by a hybrid dynamical system, where there are discrete domains (corresponding to the different phases of walking) on which continuous dynamics evolve according to Newtonian principles. Once a mathematical model for a bipedal robot has been achieved, the next step is to design a controller that decides how to actuate the biped in order to yield stable walking. Humans are again looked to for motivation in designing these controllers. Specifically, human walking can be decomposed into a surprisingly small collection of “universal canonical functions” followed by the human throughout the walking gait.These canonical functions can be combined and used to define control laws for a bipedal robot, resulting in stable and surprisingly human-like walking. Understanding the basic mechanisms behind human walking and understanding how to obtain human-like walking in bipedal robots, allows for the intelligent design of prosthetic devices; the controllers used to obtain bipedal walking can be applied directly to prosthetic devices. Because human walking provided the inspiration for the mathematical model and for the resulting natural and energy efficient walking obtained for the bipedal robot, the resulting prosthetic devices promise to provide very efficient walking for the user. This research, therefore, could have a dramatic and potentially revolutionary impact on the quality of life of the millions of lower body extremity amputees. For more information, please contact Dr. Aaron Ames at [email protected].

Right ToeLeft HeelLeft ToeRight Heel

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(b) Walking Obtained through Human-Inspired Controllers (c) BipedalRobot

28 2010

Dr. Alan Palazzolo is a TEES Senior Fellow, former Halliburton Fellow, a Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Vibration Control and Electromechanics Lab (VCEL), and a Professional Engineer of the State of Texas. His research specialty areas are rotordynamics, active vibration control, magnetic bearings and electromechanics. The VCEL is currently working on the following projects:

High Temperature Coils Babcock and Wilcox – Nuclear is funding development of ultra-high temperature motor coils for a special purpose motor that will operate in reactor vessels. The VCEL has developed similar coils for NASA and several other companies. A unique feature of the coils is that they utilize a proprietary fabrication process and an electrically resistive, thermally conductive ceramic material for wire

insulation. The ceramic’s maximum permissible temperature is 2800F, which far surpasses organic insulators for magnet wire that have limiting temperatures of about 500F. Recent test indicate high potential ratings exceeding 1400VAC at 850F.

Single Fuel InitiativeFor a number of years the United States Army has had the stated goal of transition-ing all engine systems to use only one fuel, JP-8. This “one fuel forward” initiative simplifies logistical issues, improves safety, and increases combat effectiveness. JP-8 fuel is essentially kerosene with additives to reduce static electric buildup, improve lubricity, and prevent water separation in the fuel4. As with kerosene, JP-8 also lacks the light, short hydrocarbon chains contained in 87 octane gasoline that provide the volatiles for ignition, particularly when the engine is cold. A challenge for this initiative is to convert operation of gasoline engines over to JP-8 operation. The approach VCEL is taking requires flash heating of the JP-8, which facilitates the combustion process. A special modified direct fuel injector has been developed for this purpose. The project is presently funded by the U.S. Army Research Lab.

Rotordynamics ResearchVariable frequency drives VFD’s provide low loss variable speed operation for in-duction and synchronous motors. Field experience has shown that the VFD’s may excite destructive levels of torsional vibration in machinery trains. The vibrations cause cumulative fatigue damage of a non periodic nature. Industrial members of the Texas A&M Turbomachinery Consortium are funding the VCEL R&D effort to provide industry with software to accurately simulate torsional vibrations in VFD driven machinery trains. The software includes life prediction utilizing a rainflow approach.

Energy Storage FlywheelsThe Association of American Railroads is presently funding VCEL research to develop a flywheel that stores energy obtained from regenerative braking and utility sup-plied power. This will allow railroads to reduce diesel fuel consumption and NOX emissions, and avoid surcharges levied by utilities for peak power draw. The VCEL’s approach utilizes a unique magnetic suspension system for the flywheel and a novel motor stator design that increases the amount of energy that can be absorbed by the flywheel in regenerative braking. For more information, contact Dr. Alan Palazzolo at [email protected].

VCEL developing high temperature motor coils

Alan Palazzolo

292010

Dr. Eric Petersen’s research is in the general areas of combustion and propulsion. Recent projects include measuring the chemical kinetic reaction times and laminar flame speeds of alternative fuel blends at high pressures; solid propellant burning rate tailoring using nanoparticle additives; and the physics of shock and detonation wave propagation. Applications of Petersen’s research range from rocket propulsion to energy production. His research labs are composed of several unique experimental facilities, including a high-pressure shock tube, two laminar flame speed vessels, a solid propellant strand burner, an aerosol shock tube, a detonation tube, and a propellant remote-mixing facility. In addition to the main facilities is an assortment of optical diagnostics for laser absorption and emission spectroscopy measurements, supporting electronics, data acquisition systems, spectrometers, and high-speed cameras.

Petersen is working on the following projects:

Ignition and Flame Speed Chemistry of Hydrocarbon Fuel BlendsWith the ever-increasing demands for fuel efficiency and alternative energy sources, knowledge of the fundamental combustion properties of fuels and fuel blends is extremely important for the proper design and

Eric Petersen

operation of power generation systems for energy production and vehicular propulsion. Two important combustion properties that are used to characterize the performance and reactivity of a fuel-oxidizer combination are the chemical ignition delay time and the laminar flame speed. Ideally, these characteristics should be determined at the elevated pressures and temperatures seen in the combustor. In several ongoing projects, shock tubes are used to study the ignition chemistry of fuel-air mixtures at pressures as high as 100 atm and a windowed vessel to measure the laminar flame speeds of fuel-air mixtures at initial pressures as high as 20 atm.

Tailoring the Burning Rate of Solid Propellants using Advanced AdditivesIncreasing or otherwise changing the burning behavior of solid propellants and energetic materials is of interest for a wide range of applications ranging from rocket propulsion to oil drilling. With the capability of mixing solid propellant formulations and burning the resulting samples at pressures exceeding 5,000 psi, the effect of various additives on the burning rate of the propellant mixtures is studied to advance the state of the art in the manufacture of solid propellants and explosives with burning rates that can be tailored to a specific mission without significantly altering an otherwise proven baseline formulation. Examples of the new additives include nano-sized organometallic particles based on titania that are engineered from the ground up. For more information, please contact Dr. Petersen at [email protected].

 t  =  0  ms

  t  =  4.98  ms

t  =  14.9  ms   t  =  18.4  ms

 t  =  6.56  ms   t  =  6.12  ms

 t  =  13.1  ms   t  =  12.2  ms

 t  =  19.7  ms

  t  =  24.5  ms  t  =  26.3  ms   t  =  19.9  ms

 Pi  =  5  atm Pi  =  1 0  atm  Pi  =    1  atm

  t  =  9.97  ms

 t  =  0  ms  t  =  0  ms

From rocket propulsion to energy production

30 2010

Dr. David Staack is exploring new plasma sources and applications including plasma interactions with living matter and micro- and nano-scale plasmas. Plasmas, ionized gases generated by applying electricity to gases, are widely used in low temperature vacuum materials fabrication applications (such an integrated circuit manufacturing) and also in high temperature surface coating applications (such as plasma spray). Recent advances in power supply technology and a better understanding of the thermal stability of high pressure plasmas has allowed for the generation of low temperature plasmas in ambient air. These ‘cold’ plasmas are non-thermal; having high temperature electrons but low temperature gas. As such they can produce chemically reactive species without generating high temperatures. Because the plasmas operate at atmospheric pressure they can also be used on temperature sensitive non-vacuum compatible substrates including people and living things. These properties make it useful for sterilizing surfaces and depositing thin films. Plasma enhanced film deposition on people techniques may allow for manu-facturing of the materials in-situ and in-vivo. For example: the bonding of artificial implants to bone, in-vivo synthesis of metallic, dielectric, or polymeric implants, in-vivo repair of implants, or the deposition of bandages or adhesive sutures. The plasma process allows for a high level of control, sterilization, great adhesion, and unique materials and processes. A potential application is the deposition of super sterile multifunctional bandages. An infected wound, such as a burn or ulcer, is sterilized and coated with a polymeric film using a plasma discharge. The thin film would be conformal to the wound and could prevent further infection. This bandage deposition process could build upon the plasma’s unique sterilization capabilities, combining the sterilization and deposition steps. For more information contact David Staack at [email protected] or visit http://www1.mengr.tamu.edu/PEDL.

Low temperature plasmas for better health

David Staack

312010

Aaron Cohen ‘52, former director of the NASA Johnson Space Center who helped create the space shuttle program, died in College Station after a long fight with cancer. He was 79 years old. Cohen was named director of the Johnson Space Center in 1986 after the space shuttle Challenger exploded, killing teacher Christa McAuliffe and six astronauts. Cohen was at the helm when shuttle flights resumed nearly three years later and continued to lead the center until 1993. He resigned from NASA to teach in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University. “His engineering expertise and rigor were tremendous assets to our nation and NASA,” said NASA administrator Charles Bolden. “Aaron provided the critical and calm guidance needed at the Johnson Space Center to successfully recover from the Challenger accident and return the space shuttle to flight. We will miss him as a colleague, mentor and a friend.” Cohen, a mechanical engineer, joined NASA in 1962 and managed the computer guidance systems for the Apollo command module and the landing module that first carried astronauts to the moon’s surface. He was a leader in developing the shuttle. “He was the one person at the Johnson Space Center responsible for the design, development, tests and the funds—the budget of the shuttle—from the time it started to the time it flew,” said his supervisor and friend Christopher Kraft. “Everybody looked up to Aaron.”

Former JSC NASA Head and Professor remembered

Aaron Cohen

Harvey Mohr ‘58 graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. His first engineering job was with Cleco Air Tools in Houston. Mohr’s career advanced when he started with Schlumberger where he designed tools for the oil industry. Mohr and his wife, Vera, started their own company, H. O. Mohr Research and Engineering. They worked with major oil companies around the world, and were responsible for housing tools used in underwater pipe line repair. The company also housed a destructive and non-destructive testing laboratory. Mohr often hired and mentored young college students entering the oil industry. After 25 years of running his own company, Mohr sold H. O. Mohr Research and Engineering and continued his work in the sub-sea oil production industry. He later became a senior principal engineer with Technip. Mohr’s work took him across the world from the Far East to the Gulf of Mexico. He became a world-recognized authority on sub-sea technology and developed equipment to last in extremely hostile environments. Mohr was inducted into the Offshore Energy Center’s Hall of Fame of Industry Pioneers in 2006. He published 38 technical papers and held seven U.S. patents during his illustrious career. Mohr was a charter member of the Mechanical Engineering Academy of Distinguished Graduates as well as a charter member of the Mechanical Engineering Industry and Advisory Council.

Harvey Mohr

Friend and former student will be missed

Charles Fred Kettleborough

Respected faculty emeritus Charles “Fred” Kettleborough passed away in May. He was 87 years old. Kettleborough served as a Scientific Officer in the Royal Navy Scientific Service from 1944 to 1946. Following that, he earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Sheffield, England in 1950. From there he went on to a long and distinguished career in the field of mechanical engineering. This included serving as Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Auckland, New Zealand from 1957 to 1961, and Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia from 1961 to 1965. Kettleborough joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M as a fully-tenured Distinguished Professor in 1965 where he served in that capacity until his retirement in 2003. He remained active in research and service as Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the department for several years following his retirement. Kettleborough was internationally recognized in his field with hundreds of publications, books, and presentations on heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and lubrication technology. He was an early pioneer in the field of solar energy. He was an excellent teacher and mentor to many. Many of his students went on to very successful careers of their own and remained in contact as close friends for the balance of his lifetime. He was universally loved by both his peers and students, not just for his knowledge, but also for his kindness, patience, friendliness, and gentle demeanor.

Professor Emeritus Kettleborough

In Memoriam

32 2010

Faculty Awards

A group of 18 researchers has been awarded a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation (NSF MRI) Program grant to acquire a modular state-of-the-art instrument to be used in a wide variety of disasters and exercises. The research team includes Aaron Ames, assistant professor in mechanical engineering. The goal of the NSF MRI program is to enhance engineering research and training through research instrumentation

that can be shared by multiple researchers and used for different projects. The $2 million grant funds the Mobile, Distributed Instrumentation for Response Research project (RESPOND-R). This project will bring together many researchers across diverse disciplines and will provide the first comprehensive, open source instrument for studying complex, emergent system interactions. It is based on the smaller “R4: Rescue Robots for Research and Response” grant, which held 13 rescue robot exercises with 17 universities and participated in 10 disasters including Hurricane

Katrina and the Crandall Canyon Utah mine collapse, and is expected to have a greater impact on research and response. RESPOND-R allows emergency informatics researchers to capture the complex, real-time information flow and interactions between 15 unmanned systems and sensors, the physical world, and human decision-makers in realistic conditions at Disaster City®, homeland security exercises, or actual disasters. An advantage of the RESPOND-R system is that it is modular, allowing researchers to work with subsets of the instrument and at different scales. Another advantage of RESPOND-R is that it will allow for agile communication between responders and authorities in disaster situations. A wireless mesh network works differently from the standard networks that we have in our offices and homes. Instead of only communicating via one route in a standard network, a mesh provides multiple routes of communication between the same points by using the individual members of the network as routing nodes. If one path breaks, the mesh will automatically compensate by finding another route. If one route gets congested, the mesh can send packets along another path to relieve congestion. No fixed architecture is required, thus making the network very adaptable to different disaster situations. Ultimately, the researchers say, REPSOND-R will save lives and reduce the negative impact of disasters.

NSF Award: Emergency Informatics Instrumentation

Aaron Ames

Ray Bowen

Bowen chairs National Science BoardRay Bowen, who served as president of Texas A&M from 1994 to 2002, was selected to head the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation. Bowen has worked for the NSF twice, in the early 1980s as a division director and in the early 1990s as an act-ing assistant director for engineering. He has also been on the 25-person board for eight years, appointed to the six-year term in 2002 by President George W. Bush and reappointed in 2008. The board establishes policies for the NSF, the federal agency with a $6.9 billion budget. The agency provides about 20 percent of all federally support-ed basic research conducted by U.S. colleges and universities. The board, which meets every other month, also advises the president and Congress on issues related to science and engineering research and education. “The long-term economic strength of our nation depends on the availability of strong basic science,” said Bowen, who has spent his post-presidency teaching math and mechanical engineering and writing technical books. “That basic science produces the iPads, iPods, the Internet—all the things that have economically driven our country over the last 30 or 40 years.” A constant “dilemma” for the NSF, Bowen said, has been where to focus money: large centers or smaller grants to individuals. It’s a tougher challenge this year, as funding may not increase as it usually does, and the agency won’t have $3 billion in stimulus funding that it had last year. What does Bowen’s appointment mean for Texas A&M, his alma mater? “For better or worse, I have A&M stamped on me,” Bowen said. “Most universities would see that as a positive.”

332010

Ibrahim Karaman was recently named Materials Program Chair for the Material Science Program. The Materials Science program is an interdisciplinary program through the Dwight Look College of Engineering and the College of Science. It is comprised of over 50 faculty members, 14 of which belong to the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The materials research at A&M has a wide range of applications and is key for developing new enabling technologies in fields such as defense, biomedical engineering, and energy applications. In addition, the graduate program, created in 2003, is comprised of 100 graduate students, most of which are funded as research assistants rather than teaching assistants. Karaman has been working with the department since the fall of 2000. He researches processing-micro-structure-mechanical property relationships in metallic materials, micromechanical constitutive modeling of crystal plasticity, twinning and martensitic phase transformation in metallic materials and magnetic, thermal and mechanical activation of martensitic phase transformations.

Ibrahim Karaman New Materials Program ChairDr. Nicole Zacharia, assistant

professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering has been awarded the Texas Space Grant Consortium New investigator Program (TSGC) for materials research. TSGC is designed to assist in professional development of faculty members or researchers who strive to begin a career in research. Zacharia will conduct research on smart textiles, which

can be used to incorporate functionality into uniforms. As a part of the grant program, Zacharia will recruit high school students to increase underrepresented groups in the undergraduate mechanical engineering program and increase awareness of materials science. She will also continue to teach introductory materials science at Texas A&M University. Zacharia joined the ME faculty in August 2009. She earned a Bachelor and Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her research interests involve areas of responsive and soft and colloidal materials. These include biomimetic properties such as self-healing and self-repair in thin films, polyelectrolyte multilayers and their properties, soft lithographic and other patterning techniques, and colloidal systems.

Zacharia Receives TSGC Grant

Robert Handler received his B.E. from Stevens Institute of Technology (with honor), his M.S.E. from the University of Michigan, his S.M. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his Ph.D. in mechanics from the University of Minnesota. His research is in the area of basic physics of turbulence with emphasis on understanding drag reduction methodologies as well as computational fluid mechanics with emphasis on Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) and Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) of turbulent flows. In addition, Handler researches environmental fluid mechanics with an emphasis on electromagnetic scattering by atmospheric turbulence and studies infrared (IR) remote sensing of the air-sea interface. Handler will teach undergraduate courses in fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics. At the graduate level, Handler will teach Computation Fluid Dynamics with an emphasis on DNS and LES or in Environmental Fluid Mechanics.

Robert Handler joins Department faculty

Ibrahim KaramanNicole Zacharia

Robert Handler

34 2010

Julie Linsey, assistant professor, was named both a 2009 Frontiers in Education (FIE) New Faculty Fellow and Aggie 100 Scholar. Linsey was named a new faculty fellow for the Frontiers in Education: Imagining and Engineering Future CSET Education conference. FIE promotes the involve-ment of new faculty in the FIE Conference so they will be exposed to the ‘latest and greatest’ in engineering educational practices and will have the opportunity to exchange information with leaders in education innovations. Additionally, Linsey was named an Aggie 100 Scholar by the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship (CNVE) in Texas A&M’s Mays School of Business. The Aggie 100 Entrepreneurial Scholars Fund supports junior faculty or doctoral students studying topics related to entrepreneurship, as well as research on topics including creativity, path-breaking innovation, technology transfer and organizational transformation.

Linsey named FIE Fellow & Aggie 100 Scholar

Julie Linsey

Aaron AmesNSF CAREER Award

Swaroop DarbhaASME Fellow

Tim JacobsTEES Select Young Fellow

Won-jong KimASME Fellow

S. C. LauCharles W. Crawford Service Award

Julie Linsey2009 Frontiers in Education

New Faculty FellowAggie 100 Scholar

Hong (Helen) LiangCharles H. Barclay, Jr. ‘45 Fellow

Michelle MitchellMechanical Engineering Staff

Excellence Award

Kim MosesMechanical Engineering Staff

Excellence Award

Anastasia MulianaAir Force Office of Scientific Research Young

Investigator AwardPECASE Award

K. NakshatralaTexas A&M Teaching Excellence Award

Dennis O’NealASME Fellow

Alan PalazzoloHalliburton Professorship Award

Eric PetersenTexas A&M Teaching Excellence Award

TEES Fellow

K. R. RajagopalRegents Professor

Devesh RanjanMorris Foster Faculty Fellowship

Bryan RasmussenPeggy L. & Charles L. Brittan ‘65

Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award

H. -J. SueSPE Fellow

2010 Patent and Innovation Award

Sy-Bor WenNSF CAREER Award

Xinghang ZhangMechanical Engineering Outstanding

Graduate Teaching Award

Faculty/Staff Awards

The Pressure Sensitive Tape Council (PSTC) named Jaime Grunlan recipient of the 2010 Carl Dahlquist Award. The annual award, named for innovator Dahlquist who developed the Dahlquist Criterion of Tack, is presented to the very best in research relating to adhesive tape technology and focuses on scientific contribution, originality, and quality of visuals. PSTC is the North American trade association for tape manufacturers and affiliate suppliers. PSTC provides education and training and works with the ASTM and global trade organizations to harmonize test methods. The association monitors legislative and regulatory activities and dedicates its efforts to helping the industry produce quality pressure-sensitive adhesive tape products in the global marketplace. This year, the association awarded Grunlan at the 2010 PSTC TECH 33 technical seminar during PSTC’s Week of Learning

in May. At the seminar, many pressure-sensitive adhesive tape industry channels were represented from manufacturers to experts. Grunlan, one of 27 speakers at the seminar, presented “Nanocomposite Gas Barrier Thin Films on PET.” Grunlan’s winning paper is published online at PSTC’s website, www.pstc.org/grunlan and in the PSTC TECH 33 proceedings book.

Reddy awarded Honorary Doctorate

Dr. J. N. Reddy recently received an honorary doctorate degree (Honoris Causa) from the Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal. In addition to his degree, Reddy received the Lifetime Achievements in Composite Materials from the American Society of Composites and the Advanced Computations Engineering and Experimenting (ACE-X) Award for Career Achievements at the 4th International Conference (ACE-x 2010). Reddy is a professor and holder of the Oscar S. Wyatt Chair in Mechanical Engineering.

Grunlan receives 2010 Carl Dahlquist Award

Jaime Grunlan

J. N. Reddy

352010

Texas A&M faculty are committed to providing students with the knowledge, compassion and critical thinking skills not only to be successful in their chosen career, but also to serve humankind throughout their lives. More than 2,800 award-winning teachers and researchers in 10 colleges are in the classroom and laboratory every day preparing the next generation of leaders and pursuing life-changing research discoveries. After class and in the evenings, faculty advise and mentor A&M students and student organizations, taking a special interest in ensuring student success. This level of commitment has positioned Texas A&M at the top statewide in student retention and graduation and made Texas A&M the university of choice for students from all walks of life. Texas A&M has a total of more than 2,700 faculty members, including 447 new faculty members hired in the past five years under one of the most aggressive faculty hiring programs in the world. We offer more than 120 undergraduate degrees and more than 240 master’s and doctoral degrees as well as a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Many of these programs are ranked among the very best in their respective disciplines. More than 2,000 companies actively recruit our graduates through the University’s Career Center. Research expenditures for fiscal year 2008 rose to a record $582 million for Texas A&M University, including the agricultural and engineering agencies. To support our new faculty members and help ensure excellence in our educational environment, Texas A&M has approximately $800 million in construction in various phases of completion or advanced planning.

Research Interests: hybrid systems, dynamical systems and control, mechanics and robotics, complexity and fragility, algebraic topology and homology, hybrid system implementation, and embedded and networked systems.

Aaron Ames

Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 2006

Research Interests: condensation heat transfer, numerical heat transfer and fluid flow, numerical techniques, heat exchangers, porous media, and aerosols.

N. K. Anand

Professor & Assistant Dean, Graduate ProgramsPh.D., Purdue University, 1983

Research Interests: computational fluid dynamics and heat and mass transfer, development of materials for controlled release strategies in medicine and agriculture, and detailed measurements of turbulence in Rayleigh-Taylor mixing.

Malcolm Andrews

ProfessorPh.D., Imperial College, England, 1986

Research Interests: combustion, coal and biomass, animal waste, energy conversion, pollutants, fire and thermodynamics.

Kalyan Annamalai

G. Paul Pepper ProfessorPh.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1975

Research Interests: computational thermodynamics and kinetics of materials and development of phase field methods to describe the time evolution of microstructures.

Raymundo Arróyave

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004

Faculty

36 2010

Research Interests: multi-phase flow and heat transfer (boiling), microfluidics, nanotechnology, thermal and fluid sciences: multi-phase flows and heat transfer (boiling), and micro-scale heat transfer, computational fluid dynamics.

Debjyoti Banerjee

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1999

Research Interests: continuum mechanics and applied mathematics.

Ray Bowen

Professor & President EmeritusSara & John H. Lindsey ‘44 ChairPh.D., Texas A&M University, 1961

Research Interests: internal combustion engines, modeling engine and combustion processes and thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics and fundamental and applied combustion topics.

Jerald Caton

Thomas A. Dietz ProfessorPh.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1980

Research Interests: design of generic new operating devices and systems, including patents; invention disclosures; software systems in use in industry or elsewhere.

Dara Childs

Regents Professor & Leland T. Jordan ChairPh.D., University of Texas Austin, 1968

Research Interests: monitoring and analyzing energy use, expert system applications in buildings, and energy accounting and management.

David Claridge

Leland T. Jordan ProfessorPh.D., Stanford University, 1976

Research Interests: synthetic multifunctional materials, nastic materials for active structures, nanoscale/microscale properties of materials, and equal channel angular extrusion of polymer matrix composites.

Terry Creasy

Associate ProfessorPh.D., University of Delaware, 1997

Research Interests: dynamics and control of large scale systems with applications to modeling and control of traffic flow and collections of unmanned vehicles; diagnostics and control of air brake systems in trucks.

Swaroop Darbha

Associate ProfessorPh.D., University of California Berkeley, 1994

Research Interests: understanding of turbulent transport of mass, momentum, and heat in fluids and plasmas using high performance computational diagnostics and mathematical analysis.

Andrew T. Duggleby

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University, 2006

Research Interests: micro- and nano-mechanics, nano-particle- and nanotube-reinforced composites, high-order (non-local, gradient) continuum theories, and multi-scale materials modeling.

Xin-Lin Gao

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of Wisconsin Madison, 1998

Research Interests: micro- and nano-mechanics, nano-particle- and nanotube-reinforced composites, high-order (non-local, gradient) continuum theories, and multi-scale materials modeling.

Molly Gentleman

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Materials University of California, xxxx

372010

Research Interests: polymer nanocomposites with properties that rival metals and ceramics, while maintaining beneficial polymer mechanical behavior.

Jaime Grunlan

Associate ProfessorPh.D., University of Minnesota, 2001

Research Interests: thermal fluid sciences–heat transfer and cooling in gas turbines, film cooling in unsteady high turbulent flows, and advanced hydrogen turbine for future electricity generation.

Je-Chin Han

Distinguished Professor & Marcus C. Easterling ChairPh.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1976

Research Interests: structure-property-processing relation-ships, sever plastic deformation of materials via equal channel angular extrusion, and applied superconductivity.

Karl T. Hartwig, Jr.

ProfessorPh.D., University of Wisconsin Madison, 1977

Research Interests: energy efficient industrial equipment, industrial assessment, and combustion.

Warren Heffington

Associate ProfessorPh.D., University of California San Diego, 1977

Research Interests: aerosol sampling, concentration and collection, health effects of aerosols and air pollution control, and aerosol formation in combustion and other processes.

Bing Guo

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Tsinghua University China, 1998

Research Interests: orthopedic biomechanics and bone biomechanics, investigations of changes in properties due to mechanical unloading, estrogen deficiency, diet changes, and other treatments.

Harry Hogan

Associate Professor/Undergraduate Faculty AdvisorPh.D., Texas A&M University, 1984

Research Interests: internal combustion engines, fundamental experimental diagnostics and investigations, alternative fuels, bio-based fuels and after-treatment systems.

Timothy Jacobs

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of Michigan, 2005

Research Interests: processing-microstructure-mechanical property relationships in metallic materials and micro-mechanical constitutive modeling of crystal plasticity.

Ibrahim Karama

Dietz Career Development ProfessorPh.D., University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 2000

Research Interests: cooperative control, condition-based monitoring, closed loop system identification, mobile sensor networks and directional features of feedback for diagnostics, active control of vibration, and nonlinear sensors.

Suhada Jayasuriya

Kotzebue Endowed ProfessorPh.D., Wayne State University, 1982

Research Interests: computational, theoretical, and experimental fluid mechanicssuperconductivity.

Robert Handler

ProfessorPh.D. University of Minnesota, Mechanics, 1980

38 2010

Research Interests: precision mechatronics, nanoscale engineering and technology, real-time control systems design, novel actuators and sensors, and networked control systems.

Wong-jong Kim

Dietz Career Development Professor IIPh.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1997

Research Interests: active and passive noise/vibration, acoustics.

Yong-Joe Kim

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Purdue University, 2003

Research Interests: internal combustion engines, energy systems.

Tom Lalk

Associate ProfessorPh.D., University of Wisconsin, 1972

Research Interests: internal turbine blade cooling, with and without rotation, heat transfer enhancement for single phase convection and boiling, heat exchangers, electronic package cooling, and conjugate heat transfer.

Sai Lau

Professor & Graduate Program DirectorPh.D., University of Minnesota, 1980

Research Interests: surface properties-behavior relations, (nano) tribology, tribochemistry, bionanointerfance, biomaterials, nanomanufacturing, and CMP.

H. ‘Helen’ Liang

ProfessorPh.D., Stevens Institute of Technology, 1992

Research Interests: intelligent control, fuzzy linguistic control, adaptive and self-organizing systems, vehical dynamics and control, diagnostic systems.

Reza Langari

ProfessorPh.D., University of California Berkeley, 1991

Research Interests: engineering design, computer-aided design, numerical methods for engineers, modeling and simulation in design, engineering database design, regression analysis, design of experiments.

Richard Malak, Jr.

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008

Research Interests: design theory and methodology with specific focus on functional modeling, design of innovative automated products through process modeling, and failure avoidance as applied to product design.

Daniel A. McAdams

Associate ProfessorPh.D., University of Texas at Austin, 1999

Research Interests: fluid mechanics and heat transfer, turbulence, acoustics, flow instabilities, flow induced noise, turbomachinery, pumps, compressors, computerized data acquisition and analysis, laser anemometry.

Gerald Morrison

Nelson-Jackson ProfessorPh.D., Oklahoma State University, 1977

Research Interests: engineering design theory and methods, engineering innovation and creativity, conceptual design and design by analogy, design cognition, and engineering education.

Julie Linsey

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of Texas Austin, 2007

392010

Research Interests: theoretical and computational aspects of mechanics of heterogeneous porous media with an emphasis on developing relevant mechanics, and numerical techniques.

Kalyana Nakshatrala

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 2007

Research Interests: heating, ventilating, and air conditioning, frost formation on heat exchangers, heat pump system defrost performance and dynamics, ventilation air heat pumps, and aerosol mixing in ventilation systems.

Dennis O’Neal

Holdredge/Paul Professor & Department HeadPh.D., Purdue University, 1982

Research Interests: rotordynamics, fluid film/ball/magnetic bearings, energy storage flywheels, drillstring dynamics, vibrations, machinery diagnosti systems, finite and boundary elements, stress analysis, machinery dynamics.

Alan Palazzolo

ProfessorPh.D., University of Virginia, 1981

Research Interests: machine condition assessment and end-of-life prediction, distributed sensor/actuator networks, intelligent mechatronics devices, intelligent control for system life extension.

Alexander Parlos

ProfessorPh.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1986

Research Interests: composite materials, carbon foam, damage mechanics, and computational mechanics.

Ozden Ochoa

ProfessorPh.D., Texas A&M University, 1980

Research Interests: alternative energy, energy conservation and efficiency, green building technology and sustainability, heat transfer and heat exchangers, and thermal processes and refrigeration properties.

Michael B. Pate

ProfessorPh.D., Purdue University, 1982

Research Interests: propulsion, shock wave physics, shock tubes, chemical kinetics, solid rocket propellants, optical diagnostics, reacting flow fields, gas dynamics, fluid mechanics, and gas turbines.

Eric Petersen

Associate ProfessorPh.D., Stanford University, 1998

Research Interests: design, vibrations, strength of materials, fluid mechanics, and elasticity and plasticity.

K. R. Rajagopal

Regents Professor & J. M. Forsyth ChairPh.D., University of Minnesota, 1978

Research Interests: processing and characterization of ceramics, high-temperature materials for energy application, solid oxide fuel cells, high temperature mechanical properties of ceramics, realiability and durability of ceramic materials.

Miladin Radovic

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Drexel University, 2001

Research Interests: analytical, numerical, and experimental approaches in areas of structural and computational mechanics.

Anastasia Muliana

Associate ProfessorPh.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004

40 2010

Research Interests: experimental fluid mechanics, inertial confinement fusion, turbulent mixing and supersonic combustion, shock tube applications, design of thermal systems.

Devesh Ranjan

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of Wisconsin Madison, 2007

Research Interests: dynamic modeling and control of thermo-fluid energy systems, model reduction, model validation, automated modeling, nonlinear control, robust control, alternative energy systems.

Bryan Rasmussen

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 2005

Research Interests: collaborative decision making for large scale systems, autonomous systems, vision-based control, remote sensing of infrastructure systems, and air traffic control.

Sivakumar Rathinam

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of California Berkeley, 2007

Research Interests: analysis, design and testing of fluid film bearings and gas bearings and seals for oil-free turbomachinery, and rotordynamics of turbomachinery, structural vibrations, computational mechanics.

Luis San Andres

Mast-Childs ProfessorPh.D., Texas A&M University, 1985

Research Interests: mathematical engineering mechanics, structural and mechanical design, spacecraft entry thermal protection systems, and large space structures.

William Schneider

Visiting ProfessorPh.D., Rice University, 1972

Research Interests: analysis of laminated composite plates and shells with actuators/sensors, and development of robust and efficient computational technology for the solution of critical problems of mechanics.

J. N. Reddy

Distinguished Professor & Oscar S. Wyatt ChairPh.D., University of Alabama, 1973

Research Interests: artificial joints, modeling of soft tissues, protection of skin from shear injuries, active biomaterials, biotribology, polymers, tissue engineering, life-cycle engineering design, design education.

Christian Schwartz

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Iowa State University, 2006

Research Interests: plasticity of metals and polymers, thermomechanics of dissipative processes, dislocation dynamics, Cosserat continua, design and dynamics of compliant mechanisms.

Arun Srinivasa

ProfessorPh.D., University of California Berkeley, 1991

Research Interests: non-thermal plasmas, micro- and nano-scale plasmas, electric propulsion for spacecraft, plasma enhanced materials processing and synthesis, plasma enhanced fuel conversion and combustion.

David Staack

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Drexel University, 2008

Research Interests: experimental and theoretical investiga-tions of flow within turbomachinery components, analysis of dynamic behavior of turbomachinery systems, tubine performance.

Taher Schobeiri

ProfessorPh.D., Technical University Darmstadt, 1978

412010

Research Interests: nonlinear machining dynamics, MEMS and NMEMS fabrication, microelectronic packaging reliability, stress wave propagation, and laser-induced stress wave thermometry.

Chii-Der ‘Steve’ Suh

Associate ProfessorPh.D., Texas A&M University, 1997

Research Interests: laser processing with ultrahigh speed pulsed laser, chemical analysis with laser-induced plasma, nanomaterial generation with laser ablation, and nanoscale energy and mass transport with near field effects.

Sy-Bor Wen

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., University of California Berkeley, 2006

Research Interests: investigation of energy transport in nanostructures and synthesis of nanostructured materials for energy conversion applications, thermal insulation, and thermal energy dissipation.

Choongho Yu

Assisant ProfessorPh.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2004

Research Interests: nanoscale colloidal structures, polymer-metal composite structures for nanomotors and nanocapsules, microphase separation and creation of swellable-shrinkable fibers.

Nicole Zacharia

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007

Research Interests: energy efficiency, solar energy, monitoring and verification of energy retrofits, building continuous commissioning.

Dan Turner

ProfessorPh.D., University of Oklahoma, 1969

Research Interests: radiation damage in nanostructured metals, nanotwins induced strengthening, magnetic shape memory alloy films.

Xinghang Zhang

Assistant ProfessorPh.D., North Carolina State University, 2001

Research Interests: nanomaterials synthesis, functionalization, exfoliation and structure-property relationship of polymers, coatings, adhesives, and composites.

H. J. Sue

ProfessorPh.D., University of Michigan, 1988

42 2010

Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) is a branch campus of Texas A&M University. The mechanical engineering curricula at TSMUQ is the same as the main campus in College Station. Academic instruction is in English and co-educational. Currently, the mechanical engineering program has about eleven faculty who cover the range of teaching and research. Class sizes are small, typically 10 or 12 students for upper division mechanical engineering courses. The student body is international in its makeup. Courses are taught in classrooms and laboratories, which have access to current technology. The TAMUQ campus is part of the multi-institutional Education City, a campus dedicated to education, research and technology, established on a vast 2,500-acre site near Doha, the country’s capital. Texas A&M’s neighbor institutions in Education City are Virginia Commonwealth University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Carnegie Mellon University, and Georgetown University.

Qatar Campus

Qatar Faculty

Bryant has worked in the HVAC field for more than 23 years. Bryant has extensive applied engineering experience in mechanical consulting/design, field energy metering installation, and energy management systems operation and maintenance.

John Bryant

Associate Professor

Griffin’s background is metallurgy and material science with research in corrosion and education. In corrosion, he works environmental cracking, coatings, erosion, lifetime prediction. In education, he works with the foundation coalition on active learning and teaming in the engineering classroom.

Richard Griffin

Program Coordinator and Professor

Gyeszly has over thirty-five years of combined experience in university teaching, academic administration, senior management in industry, and consulting.

Steven Gyeszly

Visiting Professor

Karkob performs research in systems and controls. His specialties are engineering vibratioin, controls, robotics, and application of artificial intelligence to mechanical systems.

Mansour Karkob

Visiting Professor

Kridli’s interest area is product design and manufacturing. His specific experience is in elevated temperature processing of aluminum alloys, including warm forming and superplastic forming. In addition, he is interested in engineering education.

Ghassan Kridli

Visiting Associate Professor

Masad holds interest in characterization and modeling of infrastructure materials, transport in porous media, granular mechanics, design and analysis of pavements, and microstructure analysis techniques.

Eyad Masad

Professor

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Masudi has a great deal of experience as a researcher, educator, and service provider at national and international levels. He has worked extensively in the areas of mechanical system and design, energy, composite materials, CAD/CAM, biomechanics, and failure analysis.

Houshang Masudi

Visiting Professor

Ruimi’s research interests are in classical continuum mechanics, Cosserat continuum, piezoelectricity, plasticity, finite element analysis with applications ranging from MEMS design to mechanics of biomaterials.

Annie Ruimi

Visiting Assistant Professor

Ozalp has research interests in thermodynamic analysis of energy conversion processes for efficient and clean energy technologies, and energy and environmental policy.

Nesrin Ozalp

Visiting Assistant Professor

Sadr’s research interests include micro- and nano-scale fluid mechanics and heat transfer, Brownian dynamics and particle-fluid interaction, electro-osmotic fluid mechanics at micro- and nano-scale, and related surface chemistry and turbulent jets.

Reza Sadr

Assistant Professor

Tafreshi’s research includes biomedical signal processing, machine fault diagnosis, dynamic systems and control, and robotics and automation.

Reza Tafreshi

Visiting Assistant Professor

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