Real machines and structures are needed for our health, prosperity, and happiness. University of Florida mechanical and aerospace engineers research and teach how to design and manufacture such machines and structures. The design and manufacturing techniques and methods that are developed can be applied to many industries and applications. There is particular expertise in design and manufacturing for aerospace, agriculture, biology, energy, environment, healthcare, robotics, and transportation.
Areas of Excellence
Design
- Computational Design and Artificial Intelligence
- Design Education
- Design for X (DFX)
- Design Theory and Methodology
Manufacturing
- Additive Manufacturing
- Biological & Biomedical Manufacturing
- Nontraditional Manufacturing
- Smart Manufacturing
Application Areas
- Aerospace
- Energy
- Environment
- Health
Facilities
Associated Centers and Institutes
- Center for Engineering Design
- Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics
- Center for Manufacturing Innovation
- Industrial Assessment Center
Related Faculty
Additional Roles
Assistant Director of the Industrial Assessment Center, and Assistant Director of the Mobile Energy Laboratory at the University of Florida. He is also an Affiliate Faculty at the Center for Latin American Studies
Education
BS, University of Chile, 1989
Ph.D. University of Florida, 1998
Professional Memberships and Fellowships
Association of Energy Engineers, Member
Research Interests
Industrial energy management and productivity, energy efficiency and optimization, energy policy, new energy sources and materials, chemical reactivity and structure optimization at molecular level.…
Carl D. Crane is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Director of the Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics (CIMAR) at the University of Florida. He received his B.S. and M.E. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1978 and 1979. Following this he spent five years as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers.…
Education
Ph.D., 2006, University of Florida
Professional Memberships and Fellowships
The American Society for Mechanical Engineers, Member
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Member
Teaching Interests
Engineering Mechanics (statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials)
Engineering Design
Computer Programming for Engineers (LabVIEW and Matlab)
Research Interests
Computational image analysis
Electrical contact mechanics
Tribology
Engineering education methods for very-large enrollment courses
Education
Ph.D., 2020, University of Florida
Research Interests
Prognostics and health management, maintenance of aircraft structure
Teaching Interests
- Capstone Senior Design classes: Mechanical Engineering Design III, Aerospace Design I (Spacecraft Design), and Aerospace Design II (Aircraft Design).
- Solid Mechanics classes: Finite Element Analysis and Design, Mechanics of Materials, Aerospace Structures, and Mechanical Engineering Design I.
…
Professor Greenslet received her Ph.D. in 1996 from Utsunomiya University in Japan. Her research interests include Magnetic field-assisted finishing; Surface functionalization and characterization; Ultra-precision surface finishing of optics; Surface and edge finishing of capillary tubes, catheter shafts and stents; and Medical device development.
Education
Ph.D., 1996, Utsunomiya University, Japan
Professional Memberships and Fellowships
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fellow 2015
Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Fellow 2016
American Heart Association, Member
International Academy for Production Engineering, Member
International Society for Optics and Photonics, Member
Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Member
Teaching Interests
Manufacturing engineering, Fundamentals of production engineering, Nontraditional manufacturing engineering.…
After 20 years in the robotics industry, Mike came back to UF to teach the design courses.
Education
1991 Ph.D. University of Florida
1988 MSME University of Florida
1985 BSME University of Florida
Professional Memberships and Fellowships
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Member
Teaching Interests
Design, Kinematics, Statics, Numerical Methods
Research Interests
Kinematics, Statics, Screw Theory
Dr. Yong Huang is a professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. His research interests are two-fold: 1) processing of biological and engineering materials for healthcare/energy applications, and 2) understanding of dynamic material behavior during manufacturing and process-induced damage or defect structures. He served as the Technical Program Chair for the 2010 American Society of Mechanical Engineers International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference (ASME MSEC 2010) and the 2012 International Symposium on Flexible Automation (ISFA 2012).…
Education
Ph.D., 1992, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Research Interests
Experimental mechanics, moire interferometry, compositie materials, micro air vehicles.
Professional Memberships and Fellowships
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Member
Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Member
Dr. Nam-Ho Kim is presently a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida. He graduated with a Ph.D. in the Department of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Iowa in 1999 and worked at the Center for Computer-Aided Design as a postdoctoral associate until 2001. He is an Associate Fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and an Associate Editor of Journal of Mechanical Design and Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization.…
Education
Ph.D., 1993, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Professional Memberships and Fellowships
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Member
Research Interests
Multifunctional structures, Finite Element Method, Geometric Modeling, Design Optimization and Rapid Prototyping.
Education
Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, 1995, University of Minnesota
Professional Memberships and Fellowships
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Member
Research Interests
aeroservoelasticity, morphing, controls, flight testing
Amor A. Menezes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, an affiliate of the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, an affiliate of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and a member of the Institute for Cell & Tissue Science and Engineering at the University of Florida. His group applies dynamical systems theory and control engineering methods in the fields of systems biology and synthetic biology.…
Dr. Sean Niemi received his Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida in 2018.
Education
Ph.D., 2018, University of Florida
Professional Memberships and Fellowships
American Society of Engineering Education, Member
Society of Automotive Engineers, Member
Teaching Interests
Engineering Design, Precision Engineering, Tribology, Metrology, Quality and Manufacturing Engineering
Jing Pan received his PhD from Purdue University in 2017. His research focuses on developing nanoscale machineries for biotechnology applications. He conducted his postdoctoral research at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he demonstrated translational impact of his work in novel biosensors and molecular diagnostics.
Education
Postdoc, 2019 Stanford University
Ph.D, 2017 Purdue University
B.S, 2011 Xi’an Jiaotong University
Teaching Interests
Heat and Mass Transfer; Classical and Statistical Thermodynamics; Modern Optics and Imaging System Engineering; Biodesign
Research Interests
Macromolecular Machines; Directed Evolution; Self-assembly and self-organization; Bio-nanotechnology; Synthetic Biology; Medical Technology.
Dr. Umesh Persad obtained his Ph.D. in Engineering Design from The University of Cambridge (Cambridge Engineering Design Centre), with a special focus on Inclusive and Healthcare Design. His areas of interest include Engineering Design and Product Development, Applied Artificial Intelligence, Educational Innovation and Technology, and Academic Strategy and Leadership. Dr. Persad previously held the position of Associate Professor and Head of Department of the Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship (MME) Department at The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), West Indies.…
Alicia Petersen is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) at the University of Florida. Through data analysis, instrumentation and modeling, Dr. Petersen researches the kinetic physics, magnetism and dynamics at play during the transit and interaction of space weather phenomena in the inner solar system, their impacts on spacecraft, and strategies for mitigating the impacts of space weather.…
Prof. John K. Schueller received his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1983. He is a generalist with some concentration in manufacturing and in off-highway vehicles and equipment. He is a Fellow of ASABE, IAABE, and SAE and holds Founder, Life, and/or Senior Member status in ASME, EurAgEng, IEEE, ISAE, and SME. Prof. Schueller is the Chair Editor-in-Chief of Computers and Electronics in Agriculture and serves on the Management Committee of the Club of Bologna.…
Professor Xin Tang received his Post-doctoral training from Harvard University and Ph.D. from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research interests include cell and molecular mechanics in cancer development and metastasis, cardiovascular system, and neurons; unconventional mechano-electrophysiology; quantitative in vivo/vitro functional bio-imaging; bio-nanotechnology; and development of new biophysical tools to probe biological function/structure. His research is supported by NIH, NSF, AFOSR/DoD, UF Health Cancer Center, UF Opportunity Funds, and etc.…
Dr. Matthew J. Traum is an experienced educator, administrator, fund raiser, and researcher serving the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida as an instructional faculty member. Traum serves as Principle Investigator of UF’s GatorKits Laboratory focused on pedagogical research and best practices for hands-on kit-centered STEM instruction. A serial entrepreneur and inventor in the Ed Tech, Energy Tech, and Bio Tech industries, Dr.…
