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Research Areas

Research Slideshow

Research in the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering is primarily concentrated on the following areas:

Energy and Environment

  • Solar and thermal sciences
  • Net-Zero-Energy buildings and renewable energy — Led by Dr. Yong Tao
  • Geothermal heat pumps in hot and humid climates
  • Adaptive beam tracking and steering via electrowetting-controlled liquid prism
  • Wickless vapor chamber (active electrowetting control)
  • Electrowetting solar cell and solar house — Led by Dr. Jiangtao Cheng
  • Optofluidic solar house
  • Drop wise condensation on lotus-leaf-like surfaces — Led by Dr. Jiangtao Cheng
  • Tire wear modeling for low tire particle emission — Led by Dr. Jaehyung Ju
  • Fuel efficient non-pneumatic tires — Led by Dr. Jaehyung Ju
  • Structural design for aerodynamic energy efficiency — Led by Dr. Jaehyung Ju
  • Energy harvesting with electro-active polymers — Led by Dr. Jaehyung Ju
  • Impact energy dissipation with cellular materials — Led by Dr. Jaehyung Ju
  • Atmospheric environmental quality — Led by Dr. Kuruvilla John
  • Self-sensing concrete pavement — Led by Dr. Xun Yu
  • Energy efficient building cooling systems — Led by Dr. Yong Tao
  • Ground source heat pump — Led by Dr. Yong Tao
  • Heat and mass transfer in multiphase media — Led by Dr. Yong Tao
  • Nanoscale thermography (non-invasive surface temperature mapping of microelectronics at submicron and nano scale levels) — Led by Dr. Mihai Burzo
  • Transient thermoreflectance (laser-based in-situ measurement of thin films and nanostructures) — Led by Dr. Mihai Burzo
  • Harnessing wasted energy from micro-level and macro-level thermal systems using novel means of direct energy conversion — Led by Dr. Mihai Burzo

Biotechnology and Nanotechnology

  • Biomedical implants and devices with compliant cellular materials — Led by Dr. Jaehyung Ju
  • Multifunctional polymers and composites
  • Biological temperature sensor
  • Renewable bioproducts based on cradle-to-cradle paradigm — Led by Dr. Nandika D’Souza
  • Supercritical CO2 foams in structural insulated panels — Led by Dr. Nandika D’Souza
  • Polymers for structural health monitoring — Led by Dr. Nandika D’Souza
  • Bioresorbable polymer meshes and films for drug release — Led by Dr. Nandika D’Souza
  • Thermal properties of thin films and nanostructures
  • Instrumentation for measuring thermal properties — Led by Dr. Tae Choi
  • Laser-based transient thermoreflectance technique
  • Laser scribing and selective machining for laser micro/nano manufacturing — Led by Dr. Tae Choi
  • Nanomaterial control and characterization 
  • Nanomaterial matrix for stem cell differentiation — Led by Dr. Xun Yu
  • Active noise cancellation systems for medical instruments — Led by Dr. Xun Yu
  • Multifunctional materials for thermal energy storage — Led by Dr. Xun Yu
  • Non-intrusive detection of driver drowsiness — Led by Dr. Xun Yu
  • Carbon nanotube based on transparent thin film acoustic actuator and sensor — Led by Dr. Xun Yu
  • Plasmonic nanostructures for photovoltaics — Led by Dr. Tae Choi
  • Nano indentation — Led by Dr. Reza Mirshams

Advanced Manufacturing

  • Laser machining and fabrication of materials
  • Laser machining of structural ceramics
  • Reliability issues in “green” electronics — Led by Dr. Aleksandra Fortier
  • Deposition and characterization of thin films  — Led by Dr. Aleksandra Fortier
  • Metal whisker issue in electronics  — Led by Dr. Aleksandra Fortier
  • Efficiency of Li-ion batteries  — Led by Dr. Aleksandra Fortier
  • 3D manufacturing with aerosol jet printed electronics — Led by Dr. Aleksandra Fortier
  • Hybrid manufacturing — Led by Dr. Aleksandra Fortier
  • Manufacturing of 3D cellular structures — Led by Dr. Jaehyung Ju and Dr. Tae Choi