Alptekin Aksan
Professor Aksan works in the area of Biopreservation and Biothermodynamics. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering form Michigan State University working on Thermochemical Characterization of Collagenous Soft Tissues. Before joining the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota, he worked as a post-docdoctoral research fellow and a research associate at the Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School focusing on Biopreservation.
John
Bischof
Professor Bischof’s research investigates thermally induced
physical and biological alterations to biomaterials with application
to biopreservation and thermal therapies. In biopreservation his
work focuses on the preservation of sperm, engineered and native
tissues, and the measurement of thermal properties related to low
temperature biomaterials and cryoprotective solutions. Work in thermal
therapies focuses on minimally invasive thermal treatments of cardiovascular
disease, urologic disease, gynecologic and breast disease.
Thomas Chase
Professor Chase's research interests are in the area of computer aided design. He was involved with the design of the 5.4 kiloton MINOS neutrino detector which is now in service at the Soudan mine site in Tower, MN. He formerly served as Chair of the ASME Design Engineering Division. He is an Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design.
Tianhong Cui
Prof. Cui specializes in MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) and nanotechnology. His current MEMS research aims at developing sensing platforms for the realization of novel bio and physical sensors. His present research efforts on micro/nanomanufacturing are the combination of nano self-assembly, e-beam nanolithography, and variety of microfabrication techniques. He also involes polymer/organic microelectronics projects, which aim to fabricate novel polymer microelectronics and its integration for MEMS.
Jane Davidson
Professor Davidson studies thermal, fluid and chemical processes
in solar energy systems. Current research addresses mixed and natural convection heat transfer in novel heat exchangers and metal foams, development of low-cost polymer solar heating systems, development of energy efficient roof structures, and solar production of hydrogen from water. Her research is funded by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Department of Energy and the Intiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment.
Traian Dumitrica
Assistant Professor Dumitrica has earned his BS in Physics from University of Bucharest, Romania (1992); his M.S. in Condensed Matter Physics form the "Abdus Salam" International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy (1996); and his PhD in Chemical Physics from Texas A&M University, TX (2000). Before joining the University (January 2005), he was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Rice University in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. He was also a Visiting Scientist at Free University Berlin and Kassel University. His research interest is in theoretical and computational aspects of materials science, with emphasis on the mechanical properties, stability, and behavior of nanoscale objects.
William Durfee
Professor Durfee works in human-machine systems. Research areas
include rehabilitation engineering, muscle mechanics, haptic interfaces,
powered orthotics, and surgical tools. Example projects include
the study of mechanical and electrical responses of muscle to electrical
stimulation; equipment and systems for tele-rehabilitation; driving
simulators for those with cognitive disabilities; virtual panel
controls; and the design and characterization of tools for minimally
invasive urologic surgery.
Arthur Erdman
Professor Erdman specializes in mechanical design, bioengineering
and product design. Applications of MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical
systems) are of current interest, especially applied to medical
devices and instruments. Also, kinematic fundamentals are
applied to study relative motion between segments of the human skeleton. Sports biomechanics activity related to competitive rowing, speed
skating, in-line skating, and the luge are examples of on-going
research interests.
Steven Girshick
Professor Girshick’s research concerns plasmas and nanoparticles.
His group is developing thermal plasma processes that synthesize
nanoparticles and deposit them on surfaces to create hard nanoparticle
films, or that focus the particles to narrow beams for use in microfabrication. Other projects include thermal plasma synthesis of reactive nanoparticles
for applications such as solid fuel propulsion; a study of particle
nucleation in low-pressure (non-thermal) plasmas; and thermal plasma
chemical vapor deposition of thin films.
Diwakar Gupta
Professor Gupta builds Stochastic Models to describe and improve
engineering, business, and social systems. In particular, his models
have been concerned with manufacturing systems, supply chain (inventory)
management and healthcare delivery systems. Current research deals
with strategic use of inventory in integrated steel mills, supply
chain coordination, design of appointment systems for outpatient
clinics, and applications of stochastic comparisons in production
yield and airline revenue management.
Allison Hubel
Professor Hubel's research involves
two basic areas: (1) the preservation of engineered tissues and
cells based therapies; and (2) functional tissue engineering.
The development of methods to manufacture and store engineered
tissues and cell based therapies is fundamental to the clinical
and commercial application of these products. Engineered
tissues represent an emerging technology to treat the tissue deficiencies
that affect millions of people every year. Specifically,
we are interested in the development of a tissue engineered cornea
whose biomechanical and optical properties mirror the native tissue.
Da
vid Kittelson
Professor Kittelson’s research interests include sampling
and characterization of particles from high-temperature, high-pressure
streams; characterization of devices for removing particulate
matter from combustion products; energy conversion and the production
and use of alternative fuels; dynamics of diesel exhaust and other
carbonaceous aerosols; electronic engine control; measurement
and control of spark ignition engine knock; engine sensors, control,
and on-board diagnostics. He is director of the Center for
Diesel Research.
Barney Klamecki
Professor Klamecki’s current research interests are in the areas of active polymeric materials design and mechanical process and machine monitoring. Active or adaptive or smart materials are those that are designed to respond in desirable ways to stimuli, for example materials that act in a self-healing manner when fracture or tearing of them occurs. The mechanical system monitoring research is primarily aimed at developing signal processing techniques for use in relatively high noise situations. For example, the use of micro- and nano-size sensors in macro-size systems means that naturally occurring background noise is important and may be very difficult to eliminate. The underlying concept being developed is the effective use of noise rather than the traditional path of trying to eliminate it.
Uwe Kortshagen
Professor Kortshagen's projects on nanotechnology involve the synthesis of semiconductor particles in the nanometer range with low-pressure plasma (gas discharge) systems. His group has developed and patented several plasma approaches that enable the synthesis of nanocrystals with excellent size control. The group is interested in applications of nanoparticles for more efficient solar cells, energy-efficient solid state light sources, new electronic devices, and quantum dots for bio-imaging.
Thomas Kuehn
Professor Kuehn’s work focuses on energy use and indoor
air quality in buildings. Critical applications that have been
investigated include semiconductor manufacturing clean rooms and
patient protection against airborne microbial contamination in
health care facilities. Current work includes development
of a standard method of test for kitchen grease filters, determining
critical environmental conditions that support mold growth on
ventilation filters and measuring background microbial populations
in major airport terminals throughout the U.S.
Francis A. Kulacki
Dr. Frank Kulacki's current research include coupled heat and mass transfer in porous media, two-phase flow in micro-channels, natural convection heat transfer with solar energy applications, heat transfer in metal foams, hybrid renewable energy systems, energy policy, management of technology, and the adaptation of computer-based technologies in engineering education.
Perry Li
Professor Li research area is in control and mechatronics. Mechatronic
systems integrate physics and smartness through embedded sensors,
actuators and control to achieve better machines. Resarch areas
include mechatronic design of hydraulic components and systems,
robots that interact with humans, aquatic vehicles, control of
imaging systems, transportation and paper manufacturing process.
Susan Mantell
Professor Mantell’s research interests include mechanical
performance of polymer materials and polymer composites, and design
of MEMS (microelectromechanical systems). Current projects
in polymer materials focus on developing polymer heat exchangers
for solar hot water systems and cars. Current projects in
MEMS include: design of microscale heat transfer surfaces
and performance of MEMS in liquids. Many of her projects
involve collaborations with other faculty in heat transfer and
fluids.
David Pui
Professor Pui's research is in the field of aerosol science and
technology, including studies in instrumentation and sensors development,
clean manufacturing for semiconductor industry, filtration and
separation technology, and nanoparticle production and measurement. He has also made use of nanoparticle technology to develop a gene
gun for transfecting genes into mammalian cells for possible gene
therapy applications.
Rajesh Rajamani
Professor Rajamani’s research is on the use of control systems
for the development of new mechanical devices and new systems.
Examples of new devices and systems under development include
automation systems for highway vehicle applications, new MEMS
sensors that incorporate feedback control in the measurement process
and “smart panels” that are electronically controlled
to absorb sound.
James Ramsey
Professor Ramsey's research is concentrated in the area of buildings
and air quality. He is currently involved in a project to develop
a Method Of Test (MOT) for commercial kitchen exhaust systems.
Previous research activities have included establishing design
procedures for snow melting systems, transmission and storage
of moisture in building materials and development of flow visualization
techniques for air distribution in clean rooms.
Sant Arora
Professor Arora received the Ph.D. from The John Hopkins University. He worked with Bell Laboratories as a member of the Technical Staff in the design of telephone communications prior to my joining the faculty at the University of Minnesota. His area of research is model building, optimization, statistics and design of experiments.
Terrence Simon
Professor Simon’s research deals with transport in steady
and unsteady, turbulent and transitional flows and boiling heat
transfer. Applications include gas turbine and Stirling
engines, electronic cooling and manufacturing processes.
Ephraim Sparrow
Professor Eph Sparrow works on any problem that comes his way. HIs work encompasses both cutting-edge numerical simulation and synergistic laboratory experiments.
Patrick Starr
Professor Starr’s interests lie in four areas: creation
of models to describe and analyze the behavior of sociotechnical
systems in terms of resource use, technological options, and economics;
development of strategies for sensitivity analysis of large-scale
dynamic models; creating a description of the design process as
managing an open system of information; and utilization of modeling,
simulation, and expert systems to define and manage recurring
problems in manufacturing. Prof. Starr is the advisor for the
University of Minnesota solar vehicle, SAE formula car and mini-baja
car projects.
Kim Stelson
Professor Stelson’s research is in modeling, sensing and
control of manufacturing and other mechanical processes. Recent projects have included using closed-loop control to improve
the accuracy of tube bending and of multi-bending (a new process
used primarily in automotive manufacture where long, slender workpieces
are bent and twisted to become structural elements of a car).
Other research areas include factory automation; computer-aided
process planning; and the modeling and control of die casting,
polymer injection molding, and composite materials manufacturing.
Paul Strykowski
Professor Strykowski’s research examines fluid motion in
applications ranging from low-speed water flows to supersonic
gas flows moving at 1200 mph. The main focus of the research is
to understand flow behavior using a variety of techniques from
flow visualization (e.g. using smoke, dyes, strobe lights, etc.)
to detailed flow field measurements relying on powerful lasers
and high-speed cameras. Once a flow is well understood,
strategies are developed to manipulate the fluid to achieve practical
goals such as drag reduction, noise suppression, or increased
heat transfer.
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