Reaching Beyond the Possible: Dr. Hitomi Greenslet’s Approach to Manufacturing and Mentorship
Looking Beyond the Surface Some engineering problems are easy to see. Others remain hidden deep within rocket engines, medical devices, and components so small that conventional tools cannot physically reach them. Those invisible challenges are exactly what fascinates Hitomi Yamaguchi Greenslet, Ph.D. “If I ask you to put your finger inside a hypodermic needle, you can’t…
MAE Professor S.A. Sherif Receives 2026 IAHE Rudolph A. Erren Award
Dr. S.A. Sherif, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and MAE Excellence Term Professor, received the 2026 IAHE Rudolph A. Erren Award for leadership in the thermochemical area of hydrogen production, as well as hydrogen transmission, distribution, and storage. The award was bestowed on Sherif by the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE) at the 25th…
UF partnership brings robotic fish to Florida classrooms to spark young scientists
Elementary school students across Florida are using robotic fish to learn one of science’s most fundamental skills: asking questions. A partnership between the University of Florida Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Thompson Earth Systems Institute at the Florida Museum of Natural History is developing hands-on classroom kits that help students investigate scientific concepts through experimentation…
Curtis Taylor Named Senior Member of National Academy of Inventors in Historical Cohort
Curtis Taylor, Ph.D., joins the 2026 class of Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors – one of the highest distinctions presented within the organization. A pioneer in both nanomechanics and engineering education, Taylor leads the Advanced Structures (AS) and Immersive Engineering Education (IEE) laboratories simultaneously. The scope of his research spans the study of…
MAE Partners with CPET to Bring Rocketry to Young STEM Learners
Students participating in the University of Florida’s Center for Precollegiate Education and Training (CPET) recently took part in a hands-on rocketry experience led in collaboration with the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Instructional Professor Matthew J. Traum, Ph.D. The activity gave students the opportunity to design, build, and launch model rockets while exploring the…
Yu Wang’s Vision for Safer, More Human-Centered Autonomous Systems
For Yu Wang, Ph.D., engineering has always been about more than technology. It’s about people. Long before receiving one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for early-career faculty, the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Wang was fascinated by a simple question: How can we teach autonomous systems to be safer, more reliable, and more beneficial to…
UF Professor Subrata Roy Selected for Florida Inventors Hall of Fame
Subrata Roy, a University of Florida professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering has been selected for induction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame for his pioneering work developing plasma‑based technologies that address challenges in areas including health care, food safety, water treatment and space exploration. Roy’s inventions have been patented, commercialized and applied beyond the laboratory, leading to…
MAE Chair Spearot honored as Distinguished Teaching Scholar
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering proudly congratulates our Interim Chair, Douglas E. Spearot, on his induction into the prestigious University of Florida Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars (ADTS). This outstanding recognition highlights Dr. Spearot’s lasting impact as an educator, researcher, and mentor, and reflects his unwavering commitment to student success and excellence in engineering…
2026 MAE Awards Celebration
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering gathered students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends for its annual Awards Celebration in April, an evening dedicated to celebrating achievement, service, and the MAE community. The banquet represents months of coordination and teamwork across the department and beyond. Teams and individuals throughout the MAE community worked together to highlight…
Drones and decisions: UF optimizing communication among autonomous units
Imagine a cluster of drones swarming above a dense thicket of trees, eyeing its way through unfamiliar topography to locate a missing person amid unpredictable weather. Each drone has its own complex communication and computing capabilities. But as that weather starts to sour against the clock, the rescue mission requires group optimization, not a single drone…