Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Systems and Design
Research in this broad disciplinary area involves the development of methodologies to address issues ranging from defining the size and shape of components needed for force and motion specifications, to characterizing performance in terms of design parameters, cost and complexity, to understanding the educational experiences and perspectives of engineering students, faculty, and professionals. Applications include microdevices; biomechanics; air pollution; manufacturing; inclusive teaching and learning methods; and automotive and aerospace systems. Areas of specific interest include:
- Design and control of MEMS
- Machine Information Systems Integration
- Computer Aided Design
- Robotics including Microrobotics
- Biomechanics
- Carbon and Magnetic MEMS
- CD-based Fluidics
- Rehabilitation, Prosthetics and Exoskeletons
- Kinematics of Spatial Motion
- Design of Mechanical Systems
- Modeling of Global Air Pollution
- Aerospace Systems
- Inclusive Teaching and Learning Methods
- Engineering Education Research
Examples of Graduate Courses in Systems and Design
- MAE 242 Robotics
- MAE 244 Theoretical Kinematics
- MAE 245 Spatial Mechanism Design
- MAE 247 Micro-System Design
- MAE 249 Micro-Sensors and Actuators
- MAE 250 Bio-Robotics
- MAE 251 Micro/nano robotics
- MAE 252 Fundamentals of Microfabrication
- MAE 253 Advanced BioMEMS Manufacturing Techniques
- MAE 263 Aviation Systems and the Environment
- Engr 265 Advanced Manufacturing Choices
- MAE 281 Design for Human Movement
- MAE 282 Computational Methods in Design
- MAE 279 Special Topics in Mechanical Systems
- Engr 290 Developing Teaching Excellence
- MAE 291 Research Communication in Engineering
Participating Faculty
Natascha Buswell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Teaching in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Graduate engineering education, faculty development, engineering teaching, engineering education research methods
Email: nbuswell@uci.edu
Donald Dabdub, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests: Mathematical modeling of urban and global air pollution, dynamics of atmospheric aerosols, secondary organic aerosols, impact of energy generation on air quality, chemical reactions at gas-liquid interfaces
Email: ddabdub@uci.edu
Research Lab
Mircea Gradu, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests:
Email: mgradu@uci.edu
Lawrence Kulinsky, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Micro- and nano-manufacturing, hybrid manufacturing, microfluidics, electrokinetic phenomena, BioMEMs, personalized diagnostics, drug delivery
Email: lkulinsk@uci.edu
Research Lab
Robert Liebeck, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, and aircraft design
Email: rliebeck@uci.edu
Marc Madou, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests: Miniaturization science (MEMS and NEMS) with emphasis on chemical and biological applications; microfabrication, bioMEMS, nanotechnology, C-MEMS and CD-based fluidics
Email: mmadou@uci.edu
J. Michael McCarthy, Ph.D.
Director of the Performance Engineering Program and Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Design of mechanical systems, computer aided design, kinematic theory of spatial motion
Email: jmmccart@uci.edu
Design Resources
David Reinkensmeyer, Ph.D.
Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Anatomy and Neurobiology; Biomedical Engineering; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Research Interests: Robotics, mechatronics, biomedical engineering, rehabilitation, biomechanics, neural control of movement
Email: dreinken@uci.edu
Research Lab
Nina Robson, Ph.D.
Associate Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Kinematics, mechanical systems design, robotics, biomechanics
Email: npatarin@uci.edu
Research Lab
Andrei Shkel, Ph.D.
Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Research Interests: Design and advanced control of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS); high-precision micro-machined gyroscopes; MEMS-enhanced optical systems, tools, and prosthetic appliances; electro-mechanical and machine-information systems integration
Email: ashkel@uci.edu
Research Lab
Jacqueline Huynh, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Design of aircraft systems and operations, aviation environmental impacts, aeroacoustics
Email: huynhlj@uci.edu
Research Lab
Camilo Velez Cuervo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Micro/nano robotics, micro/nano device fabrication, microfabrication of magnetic microsystems, magnetic micro/nanostructures, selective magnetization of micro patterns, microsystems (MEMS), biomedical microsystems, semiconductor devices and microfluidics
Email: cvelezcu@uci.edu
Alexandra Voloshina, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Wearable robotics, gait rehabilitation, human biomechanics, motor impairment, neural control of movement
Email: avoloshi@uci.edu
Research Lab