MECHANICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH AND FACILITIES
In the Department of Mechanical Engineering, exciting opportunities exist for students and faculty at all levels to address some of the Earth's greatest challenges. We consider it our mission as engineers to serve the common good, encompassing humanity and the natural world.
AREAS OF FOCUS
Mechanical Engineering faculty are modeling, developing and testing robots and autonomous vehicles (unmanned systems)—ground, marine and air—and their cooperative missions. They are also developing advanced modeling techniques integrating machine learning and physics for complex dynamic systems.
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Hashem Ashrafiuon, Dr. Garrett Clayton, Dr. C. Nataraj, Dr. Sergey Nersesov
Research involves the modeling of cells, tissues and biomaterials; cryopreservation; cardiovascular engineering; computational bone mechanics and solid mechanics; brain biomechanics; cellular biomechanics and biofluid dynamics.
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Jens Karlsson, Dr. Ani Ural, Dr. Qianhong Wu, Dr. Chengyu Li
Faculty are engaged in nanomechanical characterization and modeling and the design of nanomaterials and nanostructures for a variety of applications. They are also investigating the mechanical response of advanced materials.
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. David Cereceda, Dr. Gang Feng, Dr. Bo Li, Dr. Sridhar Santhanam
Research involves thermal and flow management and architecture design, heat transfer, computational fluid dynamics, systems engineering, biomimetic and bioinspired flows, and engineering for sustainability. Constructal theory is also an area of specialization.
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Gerard Jones, Dr. Calvin Li, Dr. Chengyu Li, Dr. Sylvie Lorente, Dr. Alfonso Ortega, Dr. Aaron Wemhoff, Dr. Qianhong Wu
CENTERS AND LABS
CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
Center for Energy-Smart Electronic Systems is developing methodologies, tools and systems to maximize energy efficiency and productivity in the operation of data centers, creating a greener industry
Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Control is working on real-world applications—including security, mobility and healthcare—of nonlinear dynamic systems and control theory
Villanova Center for Analytics of Dynamic Systems is making use of "big data" to uncover the underlying dynamics for analysis, diagnostics, prognostics and health management
FACULTY LABS
- Advanced Control Theory and Applications
- Biothermal Sciences
- Cellular Biomechanics and Sport Science
- Computational Biomechanics and Solid Mechanics
- Flow Simulation & Flow Physics
- Heterogeneous Autonomous Vehicles Laboratory
- Hybrid Nano-Architectures and Advanced Manufacturing
- Laboratory for Advanced Thermal and Fluid Systems
- Mechanics of Materials and Processing
- Mechatronics Systems
- Methods for Systems Analysis
- Multiscale Modeling of Materials and Machine Learning
- Nano-Bio-Mechanical Characterization
- Nanoengineering Multiphase/Interfacial Energy Transport
- Thermal and Flow Management of Multiscale Systems
- Unmanned Surface and Underwater Vessels
RESEARCH REPORT
When Fluids Meet Nanomaterials: Establishing a Fluid-Assisted Nanomanufacturing
As the United States aims to revive its manufacturing industry, Mechanical Engineering professors Drs. Bo Li and Qianhong Wu have received a $499,957 NSF grant to develop a new field of fluid-assisted nanomanufacturing with applications in flexible electronics.
Former Roommates “Cook” Nanomaterial Together
Mechanical Engineering PhD students Dong Zhou and Ji Lang have discovered the mysterious role of fluids in nanomaterial growth. Their research has the potential to revolutionize the chemical vapor deposition process, leading to new strategies to design the CVD setup and achieve controllable nanomaterial synthesis.
Karlsson Tapped to Lead Industry-Sponsored Research on Cryopreservation of Immune Cells
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has entered into research contract with Villanova for $97,000 for work that will be supported by Dr. Jens Karlsson, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of Villanova University's Biothermal Sciences Laboratory, to improve the cryopreservation process for a new cancer-targeting cell therapy product. The work is associated with NovaCell, Villanova’s Center for Cellular Engineering.