UF-ITAC Named 2026 U.S. Department of Energy Center of the Year
Recognition for Excellence The University of Florida Industrial Training and Assessment Center (UF-ITAC), housed in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and directed by S.A. Sherif, Ph.D., has been named the 2026 U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Training and Assessment Center of the Year, the highest recognition awarded among ITACs nationwide. The Center of the…
Dr. Amor Menezes Appointed to National Academies Biotechnology Committee
University of Florida Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Associate Professor Amor Menezes has been appointed to the Standing Committee on Advances and National Security Implications of Transdisciplinary Biotechnology at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). The committee brings together experts from academia, industry and government to examine emerging biotechnologies and their potential to support…
UF researchers uncover surprising boiling behavior in liquids that could advance future space missions
When astronauts travel deeper into space, every drop of fuel becomes critical, and keeping those fuels stable for months or even years is one of the biggest engineering challenges facing future missions. Now, University of Florida researchers have uncovered a surprising behavior in boiling liquids that could help solve that challenge. The findings, published July 8…
Department of Energy Genesis Mission grant to UF-led team will speed up development of stronger materials
A cross-disciplinary research team led by the University of Florida won a prestigious federal grant on Wednesday to develop an autonomous artificial intelligence platform that could fundamentally change how new materials are discovered. Selected from more than 5,000 applications, the project is one of 278 chosen under the U.S. Department of Energy’s highly competitive Genesis Mission Request for…
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…
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…
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…
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…