A message from the Chair
Dear colleagues and friends,
As another year comes to a close, I am delighted to look back on the many accomplishments of our faculty and students. Their passion, creativity and commitment to research, teaching and learning has not only made 2025 another year of success, but also elevated the department to new heights in discovery and innovation. In particular, it is exciting to see the continued progress of our faculty and students engaged in three major research centers: the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center on Hybrid Autonomous Manufacturing, Moving from Evolution to Revolution (HAMMER); the NSF Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER); and the DOE Center for Materials Data Science for Stockpile Stewardship (MDS3). These efforts integrate physical and data sciences to advance the scientific foundations of manufacturing, sustainable food production, and materials reliability, while preparing a new generation of data-enabled engineers and scientists.
It is the collective talent, dedication and teamwork of our people that continue to drive the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department. From senior faculty whose leadership expands the frontiers of in vivo joint replacement technologies for osteoarthritis treatment, to innovative robotics research on autonomous pasture sanitation systems that mitigate waterway pollution and algal growth; from junior faculty gaining national recognition in hypersonics and flow-boiling heat transfer, to students whose success in translating knowledge learned in classroom to engineering practice has earned them top honors in SAE Baja competitions—together, these accomplishments underscore the strength, impact and spirit of our department as an intellectually vibrant and innovation-driven environment.
Building on this momentum and a strong foundation, I look to the year ahead with enthusiasm, confidence and deep gratitude. Thank you for your continued support, collaboration and dedication to our department. My best wishes to you and your loved ones for a joyful and rejuvenating holiday season!
Robert X. Gao
Cady Staley Professor of Engineering and Chair
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering