Research Areas
Our research stretches across traditional disciplines and uses not only the resources of the School of Engineering and Applied Science but also those of the University as a whole. Projects span the entire spectrum of mechanical engineering and applied mechanics, utilizing analytical, experimental and numerical techniques. Depending on the particular project, emphasis ranges from practical applications to exploring questions of a fundamental nature. MEAM research at Penn falls broadly into seven main categories: Biomechanics, Computational Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Mechanical Systems, Mechanics of Materials, Micro- and Nanomechanics and Thermal Sciences and Energy Conversion. The faculty involved in each research area are listed with each description below.
Biomechanics
Research in Biomechanics spans from the molecular level through to tissue-level investigations, with major efforts in cell mechanics and biophysics, biomolecular simulation, gravity effects on cells and tissues, tendon and ligament injury, repair, regeneration, and intervertebral disc function/degeneration, and targeted drug delivery.
Affiliated Researchers: Paulo E. Arratia, Joel D. Boerckel, Robert W. Carpick, Dennis E. Discher, Michelle J. Johnson, X. Sherry Liu, George I. Park, Paris Perdikaris, Prashant K. Purohit, Louis Soslowsky, Ottman A. Tertuliano, Kyle Vining, Beth Winkelstein, and Shujie Yang
Computational Mechanics
Research in and application of novel computational methodologies in analysis, design and control. Examples include research in mesoscale and nanoscale materials science, molecular dynamics, plasticity and fracture, flows with dynamic interfaces and moving boundaries, multiphase flows and transport, electro- and magneto-hydrodynamics, wave propagation, microgravity, modeling and computation of biological networks in Scientific computation, and robotics and dynamical systems.
Affiliated Researchers: John L. Bassani, Nadia Figueroa, Howard H. Hu, David Issadore, Jennifer R. Lukes, George I. Park, Paris Perdikaris, Pedro Ponte Casteñeda, Michael Posa, Celia Reina, Talid R. Sinno, Cynthia Sung, Nat Trask and Kevin T. Turner
Fluid Mechanics
Fluid mechanics is the study of how fluids move and the forces on them. This includes work in micro- and nanofluidics, “laboratories on chips,” fluid and particle motion under the action of electric and magnetic fields, multi-phase flows, problems of relevance to biology and medicine, micro-electronic manufacturing, complex fluids and materials processing, hydrodynamic instabilities and flow control, and computational fluid mechanics.
Affiliated Researchers: Paulo E. Arratia, Haim H. Bau, Howard H. Hu, David Issadore, Douglas J. Jerolmack, Noam Lior, Jennifer R. Lukes, Samantha McBride, Marc Miskin, George I. Park, Paris Perdikaris, Pedro Ponte Castañeda, Kathleen J. Stebe, Nat Trask, and Nathan Wei
Mechanical Systems
Robotics, telerobotics, haptics, biomechanics, mechanism design, optimization, microelectromechanical systems, mechatronics, control, product design, locomotion systems, and unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.
Affiliated Researchers: Haim H. Bau, Nadia Figueroa, M. Ani Hsieh, David Issadore, Michelle J. Johnson, Daniel E. Koditschek, Vijay Kumar, Marc Miskin, George J. Pappas, Paris Perdikaris, Michael Posa, Jordan R. Raney, Cynthia Sung, Camillo Jose Taylor, Kevin T. Turner, Karl Ulrich, Nathan Wei and Mark Yim
Mechanics of Materials
Crystal plasticity, effective properties of nonlinear composites and polycrystals, atomic/continuum property relations, nano-scale mechanics and tribology, localization studies, phase transitions, interfacial fracture, fatigue and high temperature fracture, soft materials, cell mechanics, anisotropy and viscoelasticity of soft composites.
Affiliated Researchers: John L. Bassani, Robert W. Carpick, David L. Goldsby, Douglas J. Jerolmack, Marc Miskin, Troy Olsson, Pedro Ponte Castañeda, Prashant K. Purohit, Jordan R. Raney, Celia Reina, Ottman A. Tertuliano, Nat Trask, Kevin T. Turner, Kyle Vining, and Beth Winkelstein
Micro- and Nanomechanics
Nano, micro, and macro heat transfer, molecular dynamics simulation, energy analysis and conversion, advanced systems for power generation with reduction of global warming emissions, exergy (Second Law) analysis, renewable energy sources, space power, bio-heat transfer, combustion, emissions reduction, water desalination and waste treatment, electronic packaging, and materials processing.
Affiliated Researchers: Mark G. Allen, Igor Bargatin, John L. Bassani, Haim H. Bau, Robert W. Carpick, David L. Goldsby, David Issadore, Jennifer R. Lukes, Samantha McBride, Marc Miskin, Troy Olsson, Pedro Ponte Castañeda, Prashant K. Purohit, Jordan R. Raney, Celia Reina, Talid R. Sinno, Kathleen J. Stebe, Ottman A. Tertuliano, Nat Trask, Kevin T. Turner, Shu Yang, and Shujie Yang
Thermal Sciences and Energy Conversion
Nano, micro, and macro heat transfer, molecular dynamics simulation, energy analysis and conversion, advanced systems for power generation with reduction of global warming emissions, exergy (Second Law) analysis, renewable energy sources, space power, bio-heat transfer, combustion, emissions reduction, water desalination and waste treatment, electronic packaging, and materials processing.
Affiliated Researchers: Igor Bargatin, Robert W. Carpick, Noam Lior, Jennifer R. Lukes, Samantha McBride and Nathan Wei