ENGINEERING RESEARCH EXPERTISE
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS
Research in the department focuses on aerodynamics (applied and theoretical), astrodynamics, aircraft flight dynamics and control, propulsion, structural dynamics, conventional and composite structures, and smart structures. Faculty work as individuals and in groups on experimental research using a wide range of facilities.
Aerospace Engineering Research Website
Biosystems
Engineering
Research
in the department is focused on ensuring a safe and plentiful supply of
food and fiber, clean drinking water, renewable fuel and energy sources
and a safe and healthy environment in which to live. Primary research
facilities are located in the Tom Corley Building and its Annex, housing
12 laboratories occupying over 17,500 square feet. Food and biological
engineering laboratories are equipped to study properties and safe and
efficient processing techniques for food and other bioproducts.
Specialized equipment includes a radio-frequency heating unit, texture
analyzer, rheometer, shear tester, picnometer, hammer mill, pellet mill,
and several environmental chambers. Ecological engineering laboratory
spaces are used to study many aspects of preserving our land, water, and
biological resources. They are equipped with facilities for studying
streamflow and erosion control, determining water quality and biological
waste parameters, and determining movement of contaminants through the
water and soil. An extensive inventory of automated water samplers and
environmental dataloggers are available for field data collection.
In other structural
testing facilities, universal testing machines with capacities up to
200,000 pounds are available for testing small biological specimens up to
full sized glued-laminated timbers. Geospatial laboratories are stocked
with the latest in real-time-kinematic GPS equipment. Departmental
off-highway vehicle labs include a hydraulic control systems laboratory, a
sensors and controls laboratory, and engine testing equipment. Other
cooperating research units include the USDA National Soil Dynamics
Laboratory, the USDA Forest Service Engineering Research Unit (with
special facilities to test thrown object protection for machines), and the
Caterpillar ForestPro training center.
Biosystems
Engineering Research Website
The major research thrusts in the department include biotechnology, biomedical and bioresource engineering; advanced energy resources and systems; molecularly and chemically engineered materials and nanotechnology; and sustainable engineering and green chemistry. The department possesses research expertise and experience in areas such as bioreaction engineering, forest bioresource engineering, functional biomaterials, biofiltration, biocatalysis and drug delivery systems, as well as in biomedical engineering and biorefining.
Chemical Engineering Research Website
Research in the department is focused in two primary areas: environmental engineering and highway infrastructure. Environmental research areas include analysis of physical and chemical processes in environmental systems, water and waste water treatment, environmental microbiology, environmental chemistry, contaminant flow and transport in groundwater systems, and in-situ bioremediation of organic and inorganic contaminants. Highway infrastructure research areas include design, planning and impact analysis of transportation facilities, transportation safety and highway capacity analysis; construction techniques, quality control, testing, and behavior of deep foundations; performance of geotextiles; bridge hydraulics; modeling and testing of bridge scour; asphalt pavement design and construction; pavement life and performance; construction management and contracting methods; design, evaluation and rehabilitation of bridge structures; and behavior and performance of portland cement concrete.
Civil Engineering Research Website
The department provides research into many different aspects of computer science and software engineering, including human computer interaction, satellite software, information assurance, education, mobile devices and artificial intelligence.
Computer Science and Software Engineering Research Website
Department facilities and labs include:
Control Systems Research Lab (Dr. John Hung) has equipment to study and develop GPS navigation, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), electric motor drive control, power electronics control, embedded control electronics using microcontrollers and DSPs. The laboratory also has 2 FANUC A-510 industrial robots.
Research facilities for the power group (Dr. Mark Halpin) are housed in three laboratories with approximately 1900 square feet and include a wide variety of peripheral devices and analytical software packages, a number of stations for the development of embedded systems in power applications, and numerous pieces of test equipment including oscilloscopes, impedance analyzers, a power supply analyzer, a high power curve tracer and an arbitrary waveform generator.
Electromagnetics facilities (Dr. Lloyd Riggs) have a variety of test equipment that cover the frequency range from DC to 60 GHz, including network analyzers, RF power sources, signal generators, pulse generators, spectrum analyzers, vector signal analyzers, digital storage oscilloscopes, and an array of desk and lap-top driven data acquisition equipment. Additionally, there is an anechoic room, antenna pattern measurement capability, and a large number of metal detection devices.
VLSI Test and AUBIST Laboratories (Dr. Chuck Stroud) primarily focus on testing digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits and systems. The AUBIST lab specializes in the design of circuits and the configuring of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) that are capable of testing and diagnosing themselves for high reliability and fault-tolerant applications. These laboratories are collectively equipped with a variety of test equipment.
Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Website
Research in this department is highlighted by work performed in several labs:
Occupational Safety and Ergonomics Laboratory facilitates research to reduce the incidence and frequency of musculoskeletal difficulties common in the work place (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome).
Electronics Manufacturing Laboratories consist of 5 laboratories shared with Mechanical and Electrical Engineering through an interdisciplinary approach for university research. Labs included are: Experimental and Computational Mechanics, Laboratory for Electronics Assembly and Packaging (LEAP), Reliability Testing, Surface Science, and Electronic Manufacturing. These facilities are used to evaluate the process capability of new electronics packaging technologies, reliability of new packaging devices, reliability of solders and attachment materials, reliability and thermal performance of electronics materials and process requirements of new manufacturing technologies. Equipment includes a Screen Printing, 3D Solver Paste Vision, 2D Inspection, X-Ray, High Volume Liquid Dispense, Reflow Oven Underfill and Glob Dispense and various Thermal Shock testers to ensure reliability testing.
Machining and Metrology Laboratories are fully equipped to conduct both advanced machining experiments and laboratory cellular manufacturing experiments. Major pieces of equipment include electronic measuring machines, milling machines, various lathes, an automated surface profiler, standards and tools to instruct and conduct metrological studies, a Charpy V-Notch and robotic arms.
For more information on these labs, click on the "Laboratories" link here:
Industrial and Systems Engineering Research Website
The Materials Research and Education Center attracts national and international materials-related research projects in areas including adaptive materials, nanomaterials and nanocomposites, biomaterials and biosensors, processing and fabrication of materials, high-temperature materials, detection and food safety and airliner cabin environment research. These projects are housed in over 12,000 square feet of laboratory space that comprises the newest, cutting-edge equipment. These laboratories include nano/microscale materials, sensors/biomaterials/functional materials, materials processing, and materials characterization.
Materials Engineering Research Website
Mechanical Engineering facilities are centered on five areas in which the department has significant laboratory capability:
Thermal Systems: Thermal Management, Combustion, Electronic Cooling,
For more on these research areas, visit:
Mechanical Engineering Research Website
The department conducts research in fiber and materials science, composite materials, geotextiles, biomedical materials, protective materials, enzyme technology for fibers, nanofibers, polymers, polymer and colorant-related chemistry, and waste re-utilization. Research is sponsored by government and industry.
Polymer and Fiber Engineering Research Website
Initiated by a $25 million gift to the College of Engineering by Dr. Samuel L. Ginn, the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science and Software Engineering have developed a new undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Wireless Engineering degree. There are two tracks in this program, one concentrating on the design of hardware and the other on the design of software for wireless devices and networks. This new program is one of the first of its kind in the United States.
Wireless Engineering Research Website
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