MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE PROGRAM
BY THE NUMBERS Twenty-one of our professors and associate professors, or more than 55 percent, have served as or are currently serving as
editors or chairs/members of editorial boards of archival journals. Our faculty published 335 papers in archival journals in 2008. Professors J.N. Reddy and Kumbakonam Rajagopal published more than 20 papers each in archival journals, with another 15 accepted for publication. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report ranked our graduate program 10th and our undergraduate program 9th among public institutions in the U.S. In academic year 2008-09, our department awarded a total of 25
Ph.D. degrees and 95 master’s degrees.
Our department is home to the Turbomachinery Laboratory, the Polymer Technology Center, and the
Energy Systems Laboratory.
From university- and college-level fellowships to departmental fellowships, more than $500,000 is awarded to our graduate students each year.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEPARTMENT HEAD
Over the past six years, our department has grown rapidly as we have added more than 30 new tenure/tenure-track faculty to our program. This expansion has allowed us to diversify the faculty and add expertise in new areas, such as nano-materials and plasmas, as well as strengthen some of our traditionally strong research programs. So far, these new faculty have won five NSF CAREER awards, one AFOSR YIP, and one Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. In addition, two other new faculty brought NSF CAREER awards with them from their previous institutions. Along with the new faculty, our graduate program has grown from 350 students to more than 450 in the past six years, with the number of Ph.D. students and women now at their highest levels ever. Research expenditures continue to grow each year. As you read over the research accomplishments of a few of our faculty here, I hope you are able to share some of the excitement I have about our outstanding faculty and the impact they are making in their respective fields. Our faculty and students are committed to acquiring new knowledge through cutting edge research to improve the quality of life for generations to come and to meeting the challenges of the future by relying on our greatest tradition: pursuing excellence in all we do.
Dennis L. O’Neal, Ph.D., P.E., Class of ’73 Holdredge/Paul Professor and Head Department of Mechanical Engineering
FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS tenured or tenure-track faculty
endowed chairs
Dr. J.N. Reddy
University Distinguished Professor and Oscar S. Wyatt, Jr. Chair in Mechanical Engineering Ph.D., University of Alabama in Huntsville, 1973 jnreddy@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: As one of the original investigators, Professor J.N. Reddy has provided significant research contributions in various computational nano- and bio- mechanical applications, such as: • Multi-scale analysis of carbon nanotube-reinforced composite materials • Formulation and numerical simulation of bio-mechanical problems • Development of robust and efficient computational technology for the solution of critical problems of mechanics, for instance, least-squares based computational algorithms for the analysis of fluid flows, plate and shell structures, and coupled problems Dr. Je-Chin Han
University Distinguished Professor and Marcus C. Easterling Chair in Mechanical Engineering Sc.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1976 jc-han@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: • Acquired a large body of benchmark-quality, experimental, enhanced internal cooling and film cooling data that gas turbine manufacturers have used to calibrate their software for the design of high-performance gas turbine engines. • Identified the most effective film cooling hole configurations for turbine blade tip design and turbine platform design. • Determined the best rib orientation for rotor blade leading edge cooling design. • Assessed the effect of shock wave on suction-side film cooling performance. Dr. Kumbakonam Rajagopal
University Distinguished Professor, Regents Professor, and James M. Forsyth Chair in Mechanical Engineering Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1978 krajagopal@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: • Presented a unified thermodynamic theory for describing the response of classical inelastic bodies, twinning of solids, solid to solid phase transition, superplasticity, single crystal super alloys, viscoelastic fluids and solids, and crystallization of polymers and shape memory polymers. • Introduced totally new classes of models via implicit constitutive theories that greatly enlarge the class of constitutive relations that were available, and such models have been used to describe phenomena that have defied description thus far. • Developed models for the complex response exhibited by geological materials that for the first time have a clear thermodynamic basis. Dr. Jerald A. Caton
Thomas A. Dietz ’31 Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Associate Department Head Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1980 jcaton@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: • As one of the original investigators, successfully introduced a process to remove nitric oxide from exhaust gases using cyanuric acid. • Demonstrated the importance of the second law of thermodynamics in improving the efficiencies of reciprocating engine. • Conducted some of the first contemporary investigations of the use of coal fuels for diesel engines. • Completed a series of studies that have quantified the destruction of exergy during the combustion process as functions of engine operating and design parameters.
Dr. Luis A. San Andrés
Mast-Childs Professorship Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1985 lsanandres@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: • Enabled the technology, modeling with experimental verification, of hybrid fluid film bearings for reusable cryogenic fluid turbo pumps. • Conducted the most complete measurements on squeeze film dampers evidencing fundamental differences between lubricant dynamic cavitation and persisting air ingestion and entrapment. • Developed unique parameter identification techniques for nonlinear rotor-bearing systems. • Developed fast numerical techniques for solution of fluid flow lubrication problems, linear and nonlinear. Dr. Eric L. Petersen
Associate Professor Ph.D., Stanford University, 1998 epetersen@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: • Acquired the first comprehensive database of ignition delay times for methane, ethane, propane, and butane fuels, and their blends over a wide range of pressures and temperatures. • Developed a frequency-modulated laser absorption diagnostic for the accurate detection of SiH2 in the presence of soot particles. • Demonstrated the use of nano-engineered titania particles for the tailoring of solid propellant burning rates. • Compiled the first comprehensive chemical kinetics mechanism for methane oxidation at high pressures and intermediate temperatures. Dr. Debjyoti Banerjee
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1999 dbanerjee@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: • Demonstrated 60% enhancement in nucleate pool boiling and 300% enhancement in film boiling using carbon nanotube (CNT) coatings, and 120% enhancement in critical heat flux using silicon nano-fins. • Observed 40% enhancement in performance of compact heat exchangers using CNT nano-fluids. • Demonstrated 100% enhancement in performance of compact condensers using CNT coatings. • Developed a room-temperature synthesis technique for CNT at ambient conditions using dip pen nanolithography (DPN) with the ability to control chirality of CNT. Dr. Jaime C. Grunlan
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2001 jgrunlan@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: • Demonstrated first truly thermoelectric polymer nanocomposite (ZT > 0.01) using a carbon nanotube-filled latex. • Created nanocomposite coating (< 100 nm), with positively-charged polymer and clay, that could impart anti-flammable behavior to open-celled foam and cotton fabric. • Produced polymer composite foil replacement, with oxygen barrier that rivals SiOx that was useful for food, pharmaceutical and flexible electronics packaging. • Used pH and temperature to control the microstructure of carbon nanotubes, stabilized by stimuli-responsive polymers, in water-based suspensions. Dr. Timothy J. Jacobs
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2005 tjjacobs@tamu.edu
Significant Research Accomplishments: • Assessed the differences between fundamental and system response issues in manifesting nitric oxide emission differences between biodiesel and petroleum diesel fuels in diesel engines. • Quantified the system-related effects on engine performance and efficiency when using biodiesel fuel. • Demonstrated up to 90% reductions in nitric oxides and 70% reductions in particulate matter emissions from a light-duty diesel engine using low temperature diesel combustion.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS A Unified Thermodynamic Framework for Describing the Response of Non-Linear Solids and Fluids Undergoing Entropy Producing Processes
A general thermodynamic framework has been used to describe widely disparate material behavior. The framework provides a method for obtaining non-linear generalizations of “Onsager’s principle”, has the ability to generalize “Avrami’s equation” for crystallization kinetics, and provides a natural way of incorporating constraints as constitutive relations rather than additional conditions that need to be enforced. Dr. K.R. Rajagopal
Advanced Engine Research
The Advanced Engine Research Laboratory has the long-range purpose of advancing energy conversion for internal combustion engines, which is met through fundamental experimental and theoretical investigations of in-cylinder combustion processes, the coupling to advanced concepts such as low temperature combustion, and the use of alternative fuels. Dr. Timothy J. Jacobs
Development of Diagnostic Systems for Air Brakes in Trucks
An on-board brake monitoring system for enhancing the safety of trucks on the roads is being designed and constructed. The system is based on the development of algorithms for detecting leaks and estimating the stroke of the pushrod in the air brake system of a truck. Dr. K.R. Rajagopal and Dr. Swaroop Darbha
Thermodynamic Engine Cycle Simulations Including the Use of the Second Law This research has resulted in original engine simulations for spark-ignition engines that have been used in a large number of investigations. These simulations have been used to study the effect of engine design and operating parameters on performance, efficiency and nitric oxide emissions. Dr. Jerald A. Caton
Bio-Mechanical Analysis of Tumor Tissue
This research aims to develop a multiscale computational model of breast tumor tissue to study the correlation of breast density on tumor progression and diagnosis, and also provide insights into complex tumor mechanisms using computational modeling. Dr. J.N. Reddy
Gas Bearings for Oil-Free Turbomachinery
The objective of this research is to deploy gas-bearing technology into sustainable micro turbomachinery, near friction free, with a lower footprint, and environmentally sound by eliminating mineral oil-based contaminants. Dr. Luis A. San AndrĂŠs
Ignition and Flame Speed Chemistry of Hydrocarbon Fuel Blends
With the ever-increasing demands for fuel efficiency and alternative energy sources, knowledge of the fundamental combustion properties of fuels and fuel blends is extremely important for the proper design and operation of power generation systems for energy production and vehicular propulsion. Dr. Eric L. Petersen
Heat Transfer in Turbine Blade Internal Coolant Passages at High Rotation Numbers
This project focuses on internal heat transfer for advanced gas turbine blades with realistic coolant passage geometries, including the blade leading-edge and trailing-edge shapes and orientations, at realistic coolant flow, thermal, and rotating conditions. Dr. Je-Chin Han
Thermoelectric Polymer Nanocomposites
Polymers are intrinsically poor electrical conductors, which has excluded them for thermoelectric applications. By adding single-walled carbon nanotubes to latex, the resulting polymer nanocomposites become truly thermoelectric. Dr. Jaime C. Grunlan
Harnessing Micro/Nano-Scale Multi-Phase Flows for Enhanced Transport Properties
This research focuses on heat and mass transfer for multi-phase flows of nano-fluids over surfaces coated with nano-particles or carbon nanotubes (CNT). The applications range from home appliances, electric power generation, and chemical processing to aerospace, military, and homeland security. Dr. Debjyoti Banerjee
GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
University- and College-Level Fellowships
• Graduate Merit Fellowship, $25,000 • Graduate Diversity Fellowship, $13,000/year • National Excellence Fellowship, $40,000/year • NSF LSAMP Bridge-to-the-Doctorate Fellowship, $30,000/year • Regents Graduate Fellowship, $7,600
Departmental Fellowships: $5,000 to $15,000 • Applied Materials Graduate Fellowship • Sally and Ray Bowen ’58 Fellowship • Emil Buehler Aerospace Fellowship • Charles W. Crawford Graduate Fellowship • Robert H. Fletcher Graduate Fellowship • Linda D. and Joe R. Fowler Fellowship • Graduate Mechanical Engineering Fellowship • Kozik-Hervey Fellowship • Eddie and Joe Mattei ’53 Fellowship • Phillips Fellowship • Aruna and J.N. Reddy Distinguished Fellowship • Reed Tool Company Fellowship • J. George H. Thompson Graduate Fellowship
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has one of the
largest and most diverse graduate programs in the United States.
From left to right: Rodrigo Cooper (Ph.D. student), Alaina Jones (Ph.D. student), Josh Camp (M.S. student), Shu Jiang (Ph.D. student), Aracely Rocha (Ph.D. student), Brandon Tompkins (Ph.D. student), Nicole Donato (M.S. student), and Benjamin Lawrence (Ph.D. student)
DIVERSITY In 2008, minorities
accounted for 22.7 percent of the domestic graduate enrollment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
This was the largest percentage among
the Top 15 public programs.
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In 2008, women made up 17.6
percent of the graduate enrollment in Texas A&Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mechanical
engineering program. This was second only to UC Berkeley. From 2005-2008, the number of females in Texas A&Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mechanical engineering graduate program rose by 53 students. This was the largest growth among the
Top 15 public programs.
Source: Women and minority enrollments in U.S. News & World report Top 15 public graduate mechanical engineering programs in the U.S. are based on 2005-2008 enrollment data from ASEE.
DISTINGUISHED FORMER STUDENTS Mr. Khalid A. Al-Falih (Class of ’82)
President and Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Aramco
Dr. Stuart R. Bell (Ph.D., 1986)
Dean, School of Engineering, University of Kansas Former Professor and Head, Mechanical Engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa Dr. Ray Bowen (Ph.D., 1961)
Sara and John H. Lindsey ’44 Chair, Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University President Emeritus, Texas A&M University Professor Aaron Cohen (Class of ’52)
Member of the National Academy of Engineering Professor Emeritus, Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University Former Director, NASA-Johnson Space Center Dr. Atila Ertas (Ph.D., 1984)
Professor and Director of Academy for Transdisciplinary Studies, Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University
Dr. L.S. ‘Skip’ Fletcher (Class of ’58)
Regents Professor and TEES Professor of Engineering, Texas A&M University Former Director of Aeronautics, NASA-Ames Research Center Former President of ABET, ASME, and AIAA
Dr. Matthew A. Franchek (Ph.D., 1991)
Professor and Chair, Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston Former Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
Dr. Roy E. Hogan, Jr. (Ph.D., 1984)
Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories
Dr. Ozden Ochoa (Ph.D., 1980)
Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University Former Associate Dean, Office of Graduate Studies, Texas A&M University Dr. Jay M. Ochterbeck (Ph.D., 1993)
Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University
Dr. David L.E. Ong (Ph.D., 1994)
Director and Chief Executive Officer, CNA China Co. Ltd.
Dr. G.P. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Budâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Peterson (Ph.D., 1985)
President, Georgia Institute of Technology Former Chancellor, University of Colorado at Boulder Former Provost, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
FOWLER DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES Each semester, the Department of Mechanical Engineering invites an internationally renowned scholar, researcher, scientist and/or engineer to present a seminar to the faculty and graduate students of the department. Mr. Donald W. Fowler and Dr. Joe R. Fowler endowed this lecture series. Past speakers of the Fowler Distinguished Lecture Series include Dr. C. Thomas Bowman (Stanford University), Dr. Alan Epstein (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Dr. Woodie Flowers (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Dr. J. Karl Hedrick (University of California, Berkeley), Dr. William Johnson (California Institute of Technology), Dr. J. Tinsley Oden (University of Texas at Austin), Dr. Robert Stengel (Princeton University), Dr. David Wisler (General Electric Aircraft Engines), and Dr. Ben Zinn (Georgia Institute of Technology). Mr. Donald W. Fowler (Class of ’66) pioneered compressed natural gas technology that took wellhead natural gas directly to pipelines or end users. He is founder and president of Fowler Energy Company in Austin that develops tailored energy procurement strategies for clients in Texas and throughout the United States. Mr. Fowler is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a registered professional engineer in Texas, and is currently a member of the President’s Council of Advisors at Texas A&M University. Dr. Joe R. Fowler (Class of ’68, Ph.D., 1971) is co-founder and president of Stress Engineering Services, Inc., in Houston. The company developed the RAMS (Rational Approach to Analysis of Marine Systems), a design software for marine systems. With offices in Houston, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Denver and Atlanta, the engineering consulting firm provides design, analysis and testing services to a variety of industries. Dr. Fowler is currently the chair of the Advisory Council of the Dwight Look College of Engineering. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a registered professional engineer in Texas, and a past president of ABET.
The Dwight Look College of Engineering is the largest college on the Texas A&M campus with more than 10,000 engineering students enrolled in our 12 departments. Our college is consistently ranked among the nation’s top programs. We are also among the top universities in the number of National Merit Scholars, nationally recognized faculty and funded research. The mission of Texas A&M Engineering is to serve Texas, the nation and the global community by providing engineering graduates who are well founded in engineering fundamentals, instilled with the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and are prepared to meet the complex technical challenges of society.
Texas A&M University was founded in 1876 and is the State of Texas’ first public institution of higher learning. The campus consists of more than 5,000 acres and is
home to a nationally recognized faculty. Texas A&M is one of a select few universities with land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant designations. At Texas A&M, 38,000plus undergraduates and more than 9,000 graduate students have access to worldclass research programs and award-winning faculty. Washington Monthly recently ranked the research-intensive flagship university with 10 colleges first in the nation for “tangible contributions to the public interest.” U.S. News & World Report ranked Texas A&M third nationally as a “best value” among public universities.
Tradition of spirit: Courtyard area of the mechanical engineering buildings features the statue, Menos, Greek for spirit. EC98_1283 10/09 1M