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

All MAE courses

 

Participating Faculty
 

Natascha Buswell

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

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

Mircea Gradu, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests:
Email: mgradu@uci.edu

Lawrence Kulinsky

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

Robert Liebeck, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, and aircraft design
Email: rliebeck@uci.edu

Marc Madou

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

Michael McCarthy

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

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

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

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 Thomas

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

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

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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