Research

The Department is active in both fundamental and applied research. Students at all levels (including undergraduates) are involved in research projects, which are coordinated by a faculty advisor. Research activities encompass the following broad areas: Aerospace, Bioengineering, Controls, Dynamics, Micro-Systems (MEMS), Reliability, Solid Mechanics and Thermal/Fluid Science...

Within each of these broad areas there are many projects. Some of the most visible ones include major computational efforts to predict turbulent flows, experiments on the control of separated flows, experimental and computational research on the macro- and micro-properties of composites and other materials, heat transfer in electronic cooling, oxygen generation system for the exploration of Mars, the dynamics and control of multi-body mechanical systems, reliability and bio-mechanics. More recent projects are in micro-electrical-mechanical devices and opto-mechanical research.

• Research at a Glance

Research Support

Financial support comes from a variety of federal agencies such as the AFOSR, ABS, ARO, DARPA, DOE, FAA, etc. The department cooperates with a number of national laboratories affiliated with the DOC, DOE and NASA. The department maintains close ties with industry, cooperating with companies of all sizes and interests. This includes companies in the aerospace, automotive, electronics, manufacturing, mining, and petroleum industries.