Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Irvine

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April 13, 2008: Salvador Mayoral has won the Western Region Award of the Sigma Gamma Tau Aerospace Engineering Honor Society. The award is based on academic accomplishment, service, and leadership in Aerospace Engineering. Each year, only one student is selected from the Western Region which includes the states of California, Washington, and Arizona. Mr. Mayoral is an undergraduate student at UC Irvine with mulitple majors including Aerospace Engineering. In addition to his Western Region Award, he is the recipient of the local chapter UC Irvine Sigma Gamma Tau Award. He is presently the President of the UC Irvine Sigma Gamma Tau Chapter.

02/25/2008 Professor Daniel D. Joseph Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering has been honored by Florida State University with the Sir James Lighthill Distinguished Lectureship Award for 2008. Dr. Joseph has been recognized for his seminal contributions in the diverse field of fluid dynamics. The Distinguished Lectureship Award was established to honor leaders in mathematical sciences. The previous winners are: Peter Lax, Andy Majda, Steven Orzag and Katapelli Sreenivasan.

07/01/2007 Dr. Manuel Gamero-Castaño joins MAE Department as Assistant Professor. The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is pleased to welcome Dr. Manuel Gamero-Castaño to its faculty. Dr. Gamero-Castaño received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University in 1999. Since then he has performed research and development work on electric space propulsion, for Busek, Inc. in Massachusetts and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena. Most of his research focus has been on developing colloid thrusters (electric micropropulsion for precision formation flying and drag cancellation missions). In his Ph.D. work and subsequent research publications, he has established himself as a leader in electrosprays and the related nanotechnology and in electric propulsion (EP) for space propulsion purposes.

07/01/2007 Dr. Lorenzo Valdevit joins MAE Department as Assistant Professor. The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is pleased to welcome Dr. Lorenzo Valdevit to its faculty. Dr. Valdevit received his M.S degree (Laurea) in Materials Engineering from the University of Trieste, Italy and his Ph.D degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University. Prior to arriving at UC Irvine, Dr. Valdevit held a post-doctoral scholar position at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a visiting researcher appointment at Cornell University. Dr. Valdevit expertise is in experimental, analytical, and computational tools to study the mechanical behavior of materials and structures, primarily for aerospace applications. Dr. Valdevit’s research at UCI will concentrate on multifunctional optimization of thermo-mechanical structures, and micro-scale (including MEMS) applications of topologically optimized sandwich plates. Additionally, he is interested in cell mechanics, in particular the modeling and measurement of adhesion, contractility and migration in mammalian cells.

06/8/2007 MAE Display Day will showcase latest Engineering Design Projects by senior undergraduate students. Display Day will be held in the Engineering Gateway Plaza during 10:00am - 12:00pm. Please see flyer at: http://mae.eng.uci.edu/news/DisplayDay2007.pdf

04/01/2007 Dr. William R. Seeker joins MAE Department as Adjunct Professor. The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is pleased to welcome Dr. William R. Seeker to its faculty. Dr. Seeker received his Ph.D. in Engineering from Kansas State University in 1978. Dr. Seeker was a Manager of New Product Development for General Electric (GE) Environmental Services, a division with a $600,000,000 revenue stream that is responsible for developing environmental solutions for energy, petrochemical, cement, metals, and mining operations worldwide. Dr. Seeker’s interests, talents, and record of achievement represent a superb complement to the portfolio of existing UCI campus expertise in energy and the environment.

Dr. Seeker will be an extraordinary contributor to the research and teaching mission of our MAE Department, School, and University in the important field of energy and the environment.

10/01/2006 MAE graduate student Maximilian Perez has won the 2006 IEEE Sensors Council Award. This prestigious Annual Graduate Student Scholarship Award sponsored by General Electric recognizes excellence in graduate-student sensors-related research. Max was selected from 133 applicants from around the world. In addition to a cash prize, the IEEE Sensors Council will sponsor Max's travel expenses to participate in 2006 IEEE Sensors Conference in Daegu, Korea from October 22 to 25, 2006. The award will be presented by the President of the IEEE Sensors Council during the Sensors' 2006 Banquet. Max is a student in Professor Andrei Shkel's Microsystems Laboratory.

08/01/2006 Dr. Yun Wang joins MAE Department as Assistant Professor. The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is pleased to welcome Dr. Yun Wang to its faculty. After obtaining his B.S. and M.S. degrees in China (Peking University, Beijing) in 1998 and 2001 respectively, Dr. Wang joined the Pennsylvania State University for his graduate study where he received his Ph.D degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2006. Prior to arriving at UC Irvine, Dr. Wang conducted research at the Electrochemical Engine Center at the Pennsylvania State University, and at the State Key Laboratory for Turbulence Research in China. Dr. Wang's areas of expertise are electrochemical energy systems, such as fuel cells and batteries, and internal combustion engines, specializing in multiphase multi-component transport, electrochemistry, thermo-fluidic, parallel computations, and turbulent combustion. His current research activities focus on the computational modeling and experimental diagnostics of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). His work emphasizes exploration on fundamentals of the physicochemical processes for renewable energy resources and his research aims at developing a science-based framework for designing next-generation, high-performance energy systems.

07/01/2006 Dr. Benjamin Villac joins MAE Department as Assistant Professor. The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is pleased to welcome Dr. Benjamin Villac to its faculty. After completing his undergraduate education in France (Ecole Nationale de Techniques Avancees, Paris, France), Dr. Villac joined the University of Michigan for his graduate studies where he received MSE and Ph.D degrees in Aerospace Engineering in 2000 and 2003, respectively. His interest in mathematics also led him to earn an MS degree in Mathematics in 2002. Dr. Villac worked as a post-doctoral scholar at Caltech and joined the Outer Planet and Mission analysis group at JPL in November 2004. His research interests revolve around spaceflight mechanics, nonlinear dynamical systems and their control. His research aims at improving the design of complex missions by characterizing global properties of optimal control solutions and their relation to the underlying dynamics. This research involves the study of stability properties of flow structures under model perturbations,as well as the properties of uncertainties propagation in such systems. Finally, the numerics of such questions are another aspect of his research where enclosures of solutions are sought numerically.

06/19/2006 Prof. Liebeck has been selected to be the first recipient of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) Award for Innovation in Aeronautics. This Award recognizes the many outstanding original contributions of Prof. Liebeck in the area of aerodynamic design and, in particular, Prof. Liebeck's innovative design of blended wing-body (BWB) configurations for jet transport aircraft. Von Karman founded ICAS in 1958 with the purpose of promoting excellence in aeronautical science and engineering throughout the world.

05/08/2006 The UCI AIAA Design Build Fly (DBF) team mentored by Prof. Liebeck has placed seventh out of 49 entries in the competition at Wichita, KA, on April 21-23, 2006. Pictures of the UCI aircraft at the DBF competition are available here: http://mae.eng.uci.edu/aiaa/DBF2006/pictures.html Please see additional information at the UCI AIAA web site: http://mae.eng.uci.edu/aiaa/aiaa.html

05/08/2006 John Clanton, an undergraduate majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UCI, has been selected as a Tau Beta Pi Scholar for 2006-07. Tau Beta Pi Scholarships are awarded on the competitive criteria of high scholarship, campus leadership and service, and promise of future contributions to the engineering professions. 123 Scholars were selected out of 251 applicants. All selected scholars are members of Tau Beta Pi which is the National Engineering Honor Society. For more information, please see: http://www.tbp.org

05/01/2006 Rebecca Shupe has been chosen to receive the NASA Graduate Student Researcher Program (GSRP) Award. This is a highly competitive and prestigious award for which she will conduct research at NASA Glenn Research Center on jet noise reduction fundamentals in addition to her research at UCI with her advisor Prof. Papamoschou. Ms. Shupe was ranked #1 for the entire NASA Glenn Research Center and her research project is entitled: "Noise and Flow Field of Non-Axisymmetric Dual-Stream Jets". Information on NASA GSRP can be found at: http://fellowships.hq.nasa.gov/gsrp/program/

01/30/2006 Prof. Sirignano has been chosen to receive the AIAA Sustained Service Award. The award is presented to recognize sustained, significant service and contributions to the AIAA by members of the Institute. The citation for the award reads, “For outstanding sustained contributions to the Institute, student education, and community service over the past decades.”

01/26/2006 Prof. Samuelsen has become Fellow of ASME. The ASME announcement reads as follows. "Scott Samuelsen's career spans 40 years. After receiving his doctorate from UC Berkeley in 1970, he founded the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Irvine and served as department chair for 14 years. Scott has led the establishment of research centers in the area of combustion and energy systems, each of which have produced significant and lasting contributions to understanding and mitigating the impact of energy on the environment. Most recently under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission, Scott established the "National Fuel Cell Research Center" in 1998 which is today pioneering the evolution of "hybrid" fuel cell/gas turbine power generation systems. As an educator, Scott has established novel and forward looking curriculum in energy and the environment and has influenced the thinking of a huge number of undergraduate and graduate students. He is held in equally high regard by those who work with him in this field and he is often sought for leadership positions in advisory positions including octane posting. Working with the Federal Trade Commission in 1973, Scott developed the "(R+M)/2" index for posting which today continues to guide the motoring public and the automobile and refueling market. Finally, he has been a dedicated participant in the activities of the ASME IGTI for over 25 years, chairman technical committees, author over 40 papers at the IGTI, and continues to organize innovative and timely technical sessions. University of California, Berkeley Ph.D. 1970 Mechanical Engineering." The original announcement is available here.

11/29/2005 Prof. Rangel has received a $400,000 award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) given to support the California-Catalonia Alliance for Miniaturization Science and Engineering program, which is an expansion of the international collaboration between the University of California, Irvine and selected universities and research facilities in Catalonia, Spain. Please see the full announcement here.

11/23/2005 Prof. Shkel has received a $1,250,000 award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the development of the world’s first micromachined gyroscope based on spin-polarized nuclei precession. This U.S. Department of Defense-based program, called Navigation Grade Integrated Micro Gyroscopes, supports the development of novel micro- or nano-engineered devices capable of sensing rotation rate with navigation-grade performance.

11/01/2005 MAE Aerospace History article will appear in AIAA book on the history of Aerospace Engineering Programs. A version of the article is available here: http://mae.eng.uci.edu/UCI-Aerospace.pdf

07/29/2005 Prof. Liebeck has been selected to receive the AIAA 2005 Aircraft Design Award. The award is presented to a design engineer or team for the conception, definition, or development of an original concept leading to a significant advancement in aircraft design or design technology. The citation for the award reads as follows: "For lifetime achievement in aerodynamics, advanced aircraft development and conceptual design. Specifically the innovative wing designs for the Boeing Condor, Aerovironment Helios, and the Blended Wing-Body approach air liner." The award consists of an engraved bronze medal, a certificate of citation, and a rosette pin. It will be conferred on Wednesday, 28 September 2005, at the AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration and Operations (ATIO) Forum.

07/01/2005 Prof. Roger Rangel is the new Chair of the MAE Deparment.

06/17/2005 MAE Display Day will showcase latest Engineering Design Projects by senior undergraduate students. Display Day will be held in the Engineering Gateway Plaza during 8:45am - 11:30am. Please see flyer at: http://mae.eng.uci.edu/news/DisplayDay2005.pdf

05/26/2005 MAE Students in Mini-Baja race team mentored by Prof. McCarthy receive first place in Mac Short competition. Please see SAE newsletter at http://mae.eng.uci.edu/news/SAE-May2005.pdf

05/15/2005 Prof. Liebeck has been awarded the 2005 ASME Spirit of St. Louis Medal for meritorious service in the advancement of aeronautics and astronautics. Please see additional information including past recipients at: http://www.asme.org/honors/ms71/saa/ssl.html

MAE News Archives:

12/16/2004 Prof. Shkel has been named recipient of a NSF CAREER Award for investigations of a MEMS-based electronic prosthesis mimicking the dynamic vestibular function, which is an effort to develop a fully-implantable electro-stimulatory prosthesis capable of restoring damaged inner ear function. Please see news at: http://www.calit2.net/news/2004/12-16-04_shkel.html

12/07/2004 Prof. Orme's high-speed droplet-based manufacturing technology profiled by the National Science Foundation. Please see news at: http://www.eng.nsf.gov/general/publicdoc/economy02.htm

11/01/2004 Prof. Mease receives NASA/JPL contract to pinpoint Mars landings within 100 meters. Please see news at: http://www.eng.uci.edu/news_events/current/?page=2004_11_01_mease

10/07/2004 Prof. Dabdub and colleagues have been awarded $7.5 million for a new Environmental Molecular Science Institute dedicated to understanding at the molecular level how human activity and nature contribute to global environmental problems. Please see news at: http://today.uci.edu/news/release_detail.asp?key=1222

08/22/2004 Prof. Madou has been appointed Honorary Distinguished Professor at Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India.

06/18/2004 MAE Senior Design Display Day (click here for flyer and brochure), 8:45am - 11:45am.

06/07/2004 Prof. Sirignano has received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Energy Systems Award for 2004. The award is presented for significant contribution in the broad field of energy systems, specifically as related to the application of engineering sciences and systems engineering to the production, storage, distribution, and conservation of energy. The award citation reads: "For fundamental pioneering research on fuel atomization, spray combustion, and turbulent flames in gas-turbine and automotive engines, and for the innovative turbine-burner and miniature-liquid-film-combustor concepts."

05/19/2004 Prof. Sirignano is appointed as the Henry Samueli Endowed Chair in Engineering.

09/17/2003 AIAA Student Chapter launches new web site http://mae.eng.uci.edu/aiaa/aiaa.html. Undergraduate aerospace engineering students are encouraged to join the Chapter and benefit from organized activities in aeronautics and astronautics. Mechanical Engineering Honor Society, Pi Tau Sigma (PTS), launches new web site http://mae.eng.uci.edu/pts/pts.html. Honors undergraduate students in mechanical engineering are encouraged to join and participate in the PTS activities.

06/18/2003 Prof. Andrei Shkel's student, Cenk Acar, is First Place Winner of MEMGen's worldwide competition "The MEMS Design Challenge".

06/05/2003 Prof. Marc Madou profiled in Lab on a Chip.

05/08/2003 Graduate Student Jiayin Liu, in Prof. Shkel's group, wins Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship Award.

03/21/2003 Prof. Friehe's research on wind and ocean waves published in Nature.

11/19/2002 Prof. Dabdub and colleagues receive $2.6 million NSF grant to study the chemical reactions occurring between air and water surfaces, such as those of oceans.

11/07/2002 ZEVNET wins Blue Sky Merit Award for transportation innovation and excellence.

11/01/2002 Prof. Liebeck is elected Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

10/24/2002 Inaugural Lecture on Careers in MAE.

10/03/2002 Fall Quarter MAE Seminar Series begins.

07/01/2002 Prof. Dimitri Papamoschou is the new Chair of the MAE Deparment.

06/10/2002 Prof. Marc J. Madou, international expert on micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS) and bio-MEMS/-NEMS, will join the UCI MAE Department.

02/15/2002 Prof. William Sirignano elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

11/13/2001 Prof. Scott Samuelsen and Prof. Donald Dabdub receive a $3 million grant from the California Energy Commission to study distributed power and air quality.

07/26/2001 New Endowed Chair, the Henry Samueli Chair in Microsystems Engineering, has been established in the MAE Department.

03/2001 Prof. Donald Dabdub has been nominated among a very small group of faculty members as the favorite professor of freshman students. The recognition, given officially by Project Prometheus, targets faculty members who have made themselves available and approachable: faculty who have aided students in clarifying their goals, values, and contribution potential.

11/2000 Prof. William Sirignano has been elected Fellow of the American Physical Society.

08/2000 Prof. Michael McCarthy has been elected Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

04/2000 Prof. Donald Dabdub discovers how sea salt influences pollution.

02/2000 Prof. Roger Rangel receives AIAA best paper award.

01/2000 Renowned aerodynamicist Dr. Robert H. Liebeck joins the Department.

01/2000 MEMS expert Dr. Andrei M. Shkel joins the Department.

11/1999 Prof. Said Elghobashi has been elected Fellow of the American Physical Society.

03/1999 Prof. Haris Catrakis has been selected to receive the National Science Foundation Career Award.