Tracking the fiery path of particles: UF leads combustion research
A research team led by the University of Florida is using artificial intelligence and high-performance computing to explore swarms of airborne particles to solve combustible mysteries, a study that may lead to more efficient engines and better combustion in power plants. What can we learn from fast-and-furious particles burning in a group? “It can improve safety, including…
Hannah Roberts Represents UF in Space Force Research Project
UF MAE is proud to celebrate Hannah Roberts, a Ph.D. student in UF’s Astraeus Space Institute working with Dr. Amor Menezes in the SYBORGS Lab. Recently featured in UF News, she represented UF in a collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Academy and Space Force. See the full article on UF News →
Forecasting the final frontier: How research prepares U.S. for the next solar storm
“At the University of Florida Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, our researchers are at the forefront of studying space weather and its impact on technology and national security. The recent powerful solar storm underscores the importance of their work to better understand and forecast these natural events.” — UF Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering…
Musgrave Wins Elite Air Force Young Investigator Award to Embody Structures with Intelligence
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Program (YIP) is a highly competitive and prestigious award granted to early-career scientists and engineers who show exceptional promise. It provides three years of research funding totaling $450,000. Beyond the monetary support, being selected is a significant professional honor. Patrick Musgrave, mechanical and aerospace engineer at…
Shaping the Future of Underwater Robots with NSF CAREER Award
Patrick Musgrave, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Florida, has been awarded a CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation, one of the most prestigious honors given to early-career faculty in science and engineering. The award supports both groundbreaking research and educational outreach, and it includes federal funding for a five-year project aimed at…
Enzymes as Nanoscale Machines: The Intersection of AI, Biochemistry, and Engineering
Enzymes are nature’s tiny machines, responsible for everything from digesting food to breaking down environmental pollutants. But what if we could design custom-made enzymes to tackle real-world challenges—like neutralizing harmful chemicals or detecting diseases—more efficiently than ever before? Jing Pan Ph. D., a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University…
Message From The Chair – Summer 2025
As we welcome summer, I’m proud to reflect on another extraordinary season at MAE. This edition of our newsletter showcases the incredible breadth and depth of work happening across our department—from space biomanufacturing and award-winning research to student-driven innovation and alumni distinction. Each story speaks to the excellence that defines us. Our faculty continue to lead…
Fu & Dixon Work to Achieve Strategic Dominance
Dr. Jie Fu (PI) has been awarded $1.3 million in funding from the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory for the project titled “Strategic Planning in Hierarchical Games: Achieving Rapid Dominance in the Uncertain World of Conflict (Shadow),” under Cooperative Agreement #W911NF-25-2-0045. Distinguished Professor Warren Dixon, chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of…
ME Capstone Spin-Off MOOchanics LLC Revolutionizes Agriculture with Artificial Cow Rumen Simulator
MOOchanics LLC, a startup born from a University of Florida senior design team project, is making notable progress as it prepares for the Big Idea Gator Business Plan Competition. The company was recently selected as an inaugural member of the F-300 AgFoodTech Startup Accelerator, a pioneering agricultural development initiative aimed at strengthening Newberry’s agri-food tech ecosystem…
UF’s Douglas Spearot Honored with Prestigious Brimacombe Medal by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
Douglas Spearot, Ph.D., the Newton C. Ebaugh Professor, has been recognized by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), the largest professional society for materials science and engineering. TMS has more than 10,000 members worldwide, and only nine professionals were selected this year for the Brimacombe Medal. The Brimacombe Medal is a mid-career award that recognizes…