Category: News

The atrium of the Herbert Wertheim Laboratory for Engineering Excellence was transformed into a modern Colosseum on April 9, when mechanical gladiators from all over the state descended on UF for the Scuffle in the Swamp. The first open battlebots event ever to take place at UF, the tournament was hosted by Gator Robotics, a […]

Dr. Umesh Persad is coming from the Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship Unit at the University of Trinidad and Tobago where he was an Associate Professor of Engineering Design, Head of Department, and leader of the Design and Innovation research group. Dr. Persad brings multidisciplinary design thinking to bear on complex problems with interests in […]

While most of us were spending our quarantine time picking up new hobbies or exploring the hidden depths of Netflix, Professor Matthew Hale was writing proposals that would eventually earn him both a Young Investigator Program (YIP) award and a Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) grant this year. The YIP will be for $510,000 […]

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department welcomes Dr. Alicia Petersen! Dr. Alicia Petersen is coming from the Space Vehicles Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory, where she has been a Space Physics Research Fellow for the National Research Council. Through data analysis, instrumentation and modeling, Dr. Petersen researches the kinetic physics, magnetism and dynamics […]

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department welcomes Dr. Christopher Petersen! Dr. Christopher “Chrispy” Petersen is excited to join the University of Florida from the Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV) and the United States Space Force (USSF).  His research looks at four pillars:  1) exploring and exploiting spacecraft dynamics, 2) advanced guidance, navigation, […]

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department welcomes Dr. Jingjing Shi! Dr. Jingjing Shi’s research focuses on understanding energy transport and conversion to solve thermal challenges in different systems, with an emphasis on wide and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor devices for future power and radio-frequency applications. Her work utilizes multiscale modeling and experimental methods to understand effects […]

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department welcomes Dr. Jessica Allen to AI Biomechanics. Dr. Allen’s research focuses on identifying biomechanical targets that can guide interventional decisions in rehabilitation and device design for individuals with ambulatory impairments. This work leverages musculoskeletal modeling and machine learning techniques to identify deficits in lower-extremity biomechanics and to predict how […]

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department welcomes Dr. Kerry Costello to AI Biomechanics. Dr. Costello’s research focuses on understanding the role of movement biomechanics and physical activity in musculoskeletal health, with an emphasis on knee osteoarthritis. This work utilizes motion capture, wearable sensors and machine learning to examine how time-varying, multidimensional joint loads experienced during […]

What brought you back to UF MAE to serve as a member of the External Advisory Board? Mary Church visited Denver on a trip to reconnect with alumni in Colorado. I really enjoyed getting to know her and the MAE mission for industry outreach. I do serve on two other university boards but Florida is […]

What brought you back to UF MAE to serve as a member of the External Advisory Board? As I have advanced and matured in business, I find that doing work that is impactful is my goal.  Joining the UF MAE has been a significant way for me to invest my time and energy. What has […]

What brought you back to UF MAE to serve as a member of the External Advisory Board? I graduated eight years ago with my PhD from UF MAE, and since then I’ve been lucky to lead an exciting and fulfilling career. I work at Draper – a Not for Profit institution that has a mission […]

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, three extraordinary women of the department’s External Advisory Board (EAB) share what it’s like to be a woman in a male-dominated field. The board serves as a sounding board for all things MAE to ensure the department is doing three main things for students. Those three areas […]

“Keep your eye on where you want to go, but all you have to do is conquer one day at a time.” Jill Peterson In recognition of Women’s History Month, we are taking a moment to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Robert and Jill Petersen MAE Women’s Excellence Fund. The fund was started by […]

As we make our way through Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting the W.E. Rise program within UF MAE. W.E. Rise (Women Engineers) is a group of UF engineering alumni and friends who give back financially and with their time through mentoring in support of our mission. Their ultimate goal is that every female student will […]

“What makes me proud to be a black engineer and represent the black community in this field is just being able to be a role model,” says Ciku Makumi, a current Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering student. Makumi recently completed a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in electrical and computer engineering at UF […]