The department has 31 full-time, tenured, or tenure-track faculty plus nine appointment-stream faculty whose expertise spans across a broad range of topics, including advanced manufacturing and design, energy and power technology, soft matter and solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, computational and data-enabled engineering, smart materials and systems, controls, acoustics, and nano-technology.
The research program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science is significant with over $8 million in annual research expenditures from projects funded by government agencies and industry.
The core competencies of the department's research are in many areas, most specifically:
- Advanced Manufacturing and Design
- Materials for Extreme Conditions
- Soft Matter Biomechanics
- Computational and Data-Enabled Engineering
- Cyber-Physical Systems and Security
- Nuclear and other Sustainable Energies
- Quantitative and In Situ Materials Characterization
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN
Active faculty members:
Nikhil Bajaj, Markus Chmielus, Sung Kwon Cho, Minking Chyu, C. Isaac Garcia, Tevis Jacobs, Jung-Kun Lee, Qihan Liu, Ian Nettleship, Paul Ohodnicki, David Schmidt, Albert To, Jeffrey Vipperman, Qing-Ming Wang, Wei Xiong, Jörg Wiezorek, Xiayun Zhao
MATERIALS FOR EXTREME CONDITIONS
Active faculty members:
Minking Chyu, C. Isaac Garcia, Tevis Jacobs, Paul Ohodnicki, Wissam Saidi, Guofeng Wang, Qing-Ming Wang, Wei Xiong, Jörg Wiezorek, Sylvanus Wosu
SOFT MATTER BIOMECHANICS
Active faculty members:
Sung Kwon Cho, G. Paolo Galdi, Qihan Liu, Anne Robertson, Patrick Smolinski, Jeffrey Vipperman, Qing-Ming Wang, Sylvanus Wosu
COMPUTATIONAL AND DATA-ENABLED ENGINEERING
Active faculty members:
Hessam Babaee, Nikhil Bajaj, Daniel Cole, G. Paolo Galdi, Peyman Givi, Sangyeop Lee, Anne Robertson, Wissam Saidi, David Schmidt, Patrick Smolinski, Albert To, Jeffrey Vipperman, Guofeng Wang, Xudong Zhang, Wei Xiong
CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS AND SECURITY
Active faculty members:
Nikhil Bajaj, Buddy Clark, Peyman Givi, Katherine Hornbostel, Inanc Senocak, Xiayun Zhao
NUCLEAR AND OTHER SUSTAINABLE ENERGIES
Active faculty members:
Nikhil Bajaj, Heng Ban, Peyman Givi, Katherine Hornbostel, Paul Ohodnicki, Inanc Senocak
QUANTITATIVE AND IN SITU MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION
Active faculty members:
Markus Chmielus, C. Isaac Garcia, Tevis Jacobs, Sangyeop Lee, Anne Robertson, Wissam Saidi, Qing-Ming Wang, Wei Xiong, Jörg Wiezorek, Sylvanus Wosu
• Reduced-order modeling
• Uncertainity Quantification
• Physics-informed machine learning
• Combustion
• Nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear oscillations
• Cyberphysical systems and mechatronics
• Machine learning in dynamic systems and controls
• Resonant sensor design, control, and instrumentation for nuclear and high-reliability applications
• Control of manufacturing systems
• Additive manufacturing especially binder jet 3D printing and sintering
• Magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA)
• Magnetocaloric materials
• Porous 3D printed structures
• Metallic thin films
• MEMS design and fabrication
• Micro/biofluidics
• BioMEMS
• Heat and mass transfer
• Gas turbine cooling and durability
• Fuel cells
• Energy technology
• Cyber Physical Systems, Mechatronics
• Inertial Sensors
• Human Motion Measurements
• Computer Vision
• Dynamic systems, measurement, and control
• Modeling, simulation, and data-driven modeling
• Statistical and Bayesian methods for systems modeling and control
• Cyber-physical systems
• Industrial internet of things
• Cybersecurity
• Linear and nonlinear stability
• Fluid/particle interaction
• Flow in channels and pipes
• Ferrous physical metallurgy - modern steels and stainless steels
• Microstructural optimization through alloy design and thermomechanical process
• Development of computer controlled systems for physical simulations of annealing process (batch annealing, CAL, CGL, and induction heating)
• Advanced microstructural characterization
• Additive manufacturing - powder design for free sintering low alloys
• Turbulence
• Combustion
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Propulsion
• Stochastic processes
• Quantum computing
• Data-assisted modeling
• High temperature oxidation and corrosion
• Physical metallurgy
• Materials for extreme conditions
KATHERINE HORNBOSTEL - Hornbostel Lab
•modeling deposition/resuspension of nuclear fission particles
• Processing modeling of novel carbon capture systems
TEVIS JACOBS - Surfaces and Small-scale Structures Lab
• Surfaces and interfaces
• Nanoscale mechanical behavior of materials
• Advanced and in situ transmission electron microscopy
TONY KERZMANN - Renewable Energy Systems Research Lab
• Concentrating Solar Energy
• Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Systems
• Green Hydrogen Production
• Kinetic Energy Harvesting
• Solar cell application of nanostructured materials
• Ion beam process and characterization
• Functional oxide materials
• Heat transfer in small scales
• Solid state energy conversion
• Ab initio simulations of materials
QIHAN LIU - Laboratory of Soft Materials Mechanics and Manufacturing
• Mechanics and Manufacturing of Soft Materials
• Power processing of materials
• Sintering
• Filter Materials
• Locally sourced, sustainable engineering materials
PAUL OHODNICKI - Functional Materials and Devices
• Photonic materials and fiber options
• Magnetic materials and electric power conversion
• Electronic materials and microwave devices
• Power electronics, motors and sensors
• Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid dynamics
• Cerebral vascular disease
• Constitutive modeling of soft biological tissues
• Fluid mechanics
• Atmospheric flows
• Turbulence
• Wind energy
• Computational methods
• Parallel computing
• Machine learning
• Theoretical Solid Mechanics
• Life Prediction Models
• Strain Gradient Plasticity
• Sintered Materials
• Biomaterials
• Computational simulation and finite element analysis
• Orthopaedic device engineering, tissue characterization and tissue engineering
• Simulation and testing of surgical procedures and injury mechanisms
• Quantitative Anatomic characterization
ALBERT TO - ANSYS Additive Manufacturing Research Laboratory
• Additive Manufacturing
• Computational Mechanics
• Solid Mechanics
• Topology Optimization
• Simulation & Modeling
JONATHAN VANDE GEEST - Soft Tissue Biomechanics Laboratory
• mechanobiology
• multiphase finite element modeling
• medial device design
• intravital imaging
• Acoustics, structural acoustics, noise control, and hearing loss prevention
• Applied control, including active noise and vibration control
• Control algorithm development (feedback and adaptive feedforward)
• Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) design and fabrication
• Modeling and simulation of dynamic systems
• Smart structures and systems, including sensor and actuator development
• Computational materials science and engineering
• Catalysis for renewable energy and sustainability
• Modeling of advanced manufacturing
• High entropy materials
• Magnetic materials
• Smart materials, including piezoelectrics and electrostrictives
• Thin films
• Actuator and sensor development
• MEMS design and fabrication
• Micro fuel cells
• BioMEMS
• Material Science with emphasis on Processing-Structure-Property relationships in metals and intermetallic based alloys for high performance applications
• Physical Metallurgy, Metal Physics: Phase Transformations
• Defects and Interfaces in Crystals, Microstructural Evolution, Mechanical and Magnetic properties
• Degradation of structural (steels & non-ferrous alloys, composites) in extreme environments
• Advanced Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM & TEM)
• Dynamic in-situ TEM study of deformation and transformation processes
• Quantitative electron and X-ray diffraction
• Impact physics/experimental mechanics
• Composite materials
• Biomechanics of cerebral oxygen metabolism
WEI XIONG - Physical Metallurgy & Materials Design Laboratory
• Physical Metallurgy
• Advanced Manufacturing
• 3D Printing
• Computational Materials Design
• High-Throughput Experiments
MARKUS CHMIELUS
• Multiscale Structure-Mechanical Property Investigation of Additive Manufactured Components for Development of a Reliable Qualification Method, NSF
• A Database Relating Powder Properties to Fatigue Strength for Binder Jet Printed Inconel, RAMP
SUNG KWON CHO
• Enhanced Water Recovery of Power Plant Cooling Tower Systems, DOE-NETL
• Micro Swimming Drone, NSF
• Electrowetting, Dielectrowetting, Dielectrophoresis and Digital Microfluids
• Active Membranes for Mass Transport Augmentation, CRDF
• Implantable Biosensors, DOD
MINKING K. CHYU
• Design, Fabrication and Performance Characterization of Near-Surface Embedding Cooling Channels with an Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) Coating Layer, DOE, University Turbine System Research
WILLIAM W. CLARK
• Structures with Reconfigurable Circulatory Systems, DARPA
• Light-Activated Shape Memory Polymer Composites, DARPA/Cornerstone Research Group
• Fiber-Reinforced Morphing Composite Skin, DARPA/NextGen Aeronautics
• Augmenting the Lifetime of Batteries for Implantable Devices, NSF/Piezo Energy Technologies
ANTHONY J. DEARDO
• Development of TRIP and IF Steels using TSCE Processing, Baoshan Iron and Steel Company
• Study of the Sources of Property Variability in HSLA Steels, U.S. Steel, Rouge Steel, HyLSA Steel, Reference Metals Company and AISI
• New Ultra-low Carbon High Strength Steels with Improved Bake Hardenability for Enhanced Stretch Formability and Dent Resistance, DOE, ORNL, U.S. Steel, Weirton Steel, and Reference Metals Company
• Development of Ultra-high Strength Linepipe Steels, Wuhan Steel and TAMSA
• A New Approach to TRIP Steels, U.S. Steel and Reference Metals Company
• Physical Metallurgy of High Strength Thin Slab Casting Steels, Nucor Steel, HyLSA, and Reference Metals Company
• Development of Medium Carbon Steels with Enhanced Machinability, Machinability Consortium
• Development of Dual-phase and Trip Steels for Automotive Applications, Nucor Steel
PEYMAN GIVI
• Comprehensive Characterization of Oxy-fuel/Hydrogen Turbine Systems, DOE-NETL
TEVIS D. B. JACOBS
• Mechanics of Nanoscale Contacts
• Mechanical and Functional Properties of Rough Surfaces
• Fundamental Understanding of Tribological Processes
JUNG-KUN LEE
• Multifunctional Smart Nanoparticle Based Drilling Fluids for Ultra Deep Oil and Gas Exploration, DOE-NETL
• Enhanced Water Recovery of Power Plant Cooling Tower Systems, DOE-NETL
IAN NETTLESHIP
• Nanofluids for Enhanced Thermal Energy Transport, DOE-NETL
• The Processing of Highly Porous Ceramics by Analogy with Quasi-regular Eutectic Structures, NSF
• Validation of Sintering Models by the Application of Advanced Microstructural Analysis, Sandia National Laboratory
• An Interdisciplinary Approach to Process Control at the Microstructure Level: The Application to the Fracture Strength of Advanced Ceramics, with Professor Smith of the Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering, Auburn University; NSF
ANNE M. ROBERTSON
• Improving Cerebral Aneurysm Risk Assessment through Understanding Wall Vulnerability and Failure Modes
• Determining the Link between Hemodynamics and Wall Structure in Cerebral Aneurysms
• In vivo Tissue Engineering of Small Arteries - Experiments and predictive modeling
• Translational, Multimodality Correlation between Human Saccular Aneurysms and Aneurysm Models
• Mathematical and Computational Modeling of Human Physiology
• Effect of Aging on the Structure and Mechanical Function of the Bladder Wall
WISSAM SAIDI
• Experimentally Verified Nano-oxidation of Copper Surfaces, NSF
• Dynamic Atomic-Scale Metal Oxidation Using Multiscale Simulations, NSF
NITIN SHARMA
• Coordinating Electrical Stimulation and Motor Assist in a Hybrid Neuroprosthesis Using Control Strategies Inspired by Human Motor Control, NSF
• Optimal Adaptive Control Methods for Hybrid Exoskeleton, NSF
• Control of FES and an Electric Motor Drive Swimming Drone for a Hybrid Neuroprosthesis, NIH
• 3-D Maneuverable Feedback-Controlled Micro Swimming Drone for Biomedical Application, NSF, NRI
• Closed-loop Hybrid Exoskeleton utilizing Wearable Ultrasound Imaging Sensors for Measuring Fatigue, NSF, CPS
WILLIAM S. SLAUGHTER
• Nano and Microscale Experiments and Theoretical Modeling for Strain Gradient laPsticity, NSF
• The use of Micromechanical Models in the Prediction of Microstructural Paths and Constitutive Parameters for Densification of Powders, NSF
• Fatigue Damage Behavior of Chemically Treated Bioprosthetic Heart Valve Tissues, NSF
• Turbine Aerothermal and Material Research for Oxy-fuel and Hydrogen Cycles, DOE-NETL
• Aerothermal-Material Integrated Thermal Protection, DOE-NETL
PATRICK SMOLINSKI
• Design, Construction, and Evaluation of a Prototype Wear Testing Machine for Ankle mpIlants, National Collegiate Investors and Innovators Alliance
• Design for Non-round Can Development, Weirton Steel
• Modeling and Analysis of Open Coil Cooling, U.S. Steel
• Modeling and Analysis of Total Ankle Arthroplasty, Depuy, Inc
• Development of a Precision Roll Alignment System, U.S. Steel and Weirton Steel
JEFFREY VIPPERMAN
• Acoustic Control using Damped, Resonant Filters (Electronic Helmholtz Absorbers)
• Evaluation of Impact Noise and Acoustical Signal Processing, NIOSH-Cincinnati
• Variable Orifice Area Technique (VOAT) Design, DOE
• Vibro-acoustic Studies on a Chamber Core Cylinder, Air Force Research Lab
• Worker Dose and Equipment Noise Identification, NIOSH-Pittsburgh Research Lab
• Enhanced Time Domain Signal Processing for the Study of Noise Generation Mechanisms, NIOSH-Pittsburgh Research Lab
• MEMS Microvalve Technology: Phase II, DOE
GUOFENG WANG
• Atomistic Simulation Investigation on Processing-structure-property Relation of Magnetic Metal Alloy Nanostructures, NSF
QING-MING WANG
• Acoustic Wave Gas Sensors for Ultra-high Temperature Environments, NSF
• An Acoustic Wave Cytosensor System for Living Cell Study, NSF
• Fabrication of Functional Oxide Nanotubes and Nanorods for Nanoelectromechanical Devices, NSF
• Field-assisted Manufacturing of Multifunctional Nanowire-polymer Nanocomposites, NSF
• Integrated Multimode Thin Film Bulk Acoustic Wave Resonators, ARO
• Scanning Probe Microscopy of Nanomechanics and Biomechanics Research, ARO
SYLVANUS N. WOSU
• Pitt Engineering Impact Program, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania