Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yong Hoon Lee, Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Mentor's Department: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Contact: 901-678-5004; yhlee@memphis.edu
Project Description: We are seeking an undergraduate student with an interest in Computational Floating Offshore Wind Farm Design for a research project scheduled for the Fall semester. The successful candidate will work under the guidance of faculty mentor Dr. Yong Hoon Lee, dedicating a minimum of 10 hours per week to research activities. The project entails creating a numerical simulation case and conducting an initial design case study for a floating offshore wind farm. This will involve the use of open-source toolsets, namely FAST.Farm and FLORIS, provided for the project. The student's primary responsibility will be to develop working simulation models of floating offshore wind turbine arrays, determining their design parameters and responses. This opportunity will provide the student with hands-on experience in using open-source computer toolsets for the physical simulation of offshore wind turbine systems. Therefore, the student will not only contribute to a significant research area but also acquire valuable skills in the emerging field of offshore wind farm design.
Required qualifications: The student will be involved in computer programming, reading technical documents, development of computer code input files, and working on Linux cluster computers. Preference will be given to applicants with skills in Fluid Mechanics, Dynamics, Python, and Linux.
Application Process: To apply, please email Dr. Lee at with a brief explanation of your qualifications, a resume, and an unofficial transcript. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Starting Date: Anytime
Hours per week: 10
Compensation: Students have the option to register for an Independent Study course to gain academic credit. This course requires that the student's work meets or exceeds the quality and volume typically expected in traditional semester-long classes, thereby ensuring the credit earned is merited.
Faculty Mentor: Ranganathan Gopalakrishnan
Faculty Mentor's Department: Mechanical Engineering
Telephone Number and/or E-mail: (901) 678-2580, rgplkrsh@memphis.edu
Project Description:
Powder dispersion using standing ultrasonic waves to lift particles from surfaces and disperse them as aerosol has been a highly efficient and contactless technique in producing sterile aerosol from powders without any moving parts at concentrations that are both high (~1 – 100 million particles/cm3 or mass concentrations of ~0.5 – 1 𝜇g/cm3) and steady for several hours (~10% fluctuation in concentration). The key advance in this patented method developed in Dr. Gopalakrishnan’s group is using a standing wave pattern of ultrasonic waves between a transducer and a powder bed to lift cohesive particles and disperse them as aerosols at high concentration. Future translational research plans, in collaboration with the biomedical researchers and clinicians, involve using ultrasonic powder dispersion to develop dry powder inhalers for aerosol drug delivery that 1) do not use any carrier particles, and 2) sample aerosol from a constant upstream plume to ensure the delivery of the active pharma ingredient with high precision to desired regions of the lung without requiring the patient to generate high inhalation flowrates. Other applications of ultrasonic powder dispersion of interest are surface cleaning, reaction engineering, and particle contact charging studies. Recruitment is currently underway join this project. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Gopalakrishnan at rgplkrsh@memphis.edu .
Ranganathan Gopalakrishnan is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Memphis since 2016. He obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2013. Dr. Gopalakrishnan's research interests include particulate transport processes in aerosols, dusty plasmas, and ionized gases and has received $1.5M in funding from NSF, DOE and NASA including the DOE EARLY CAREER award for the year FY2020 from the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences for his project "Thermodynamics and Transport Models of Strongly Coupled Dusty Plasmas". He has authored 22 publications, 1 patent and supervised 5 MS, 3 PhD students towards graduation. He has been actively engaging UofM undergraduates in research. Two undergrads have co-authored research articles; one undergrad is currently pursuing MS by thesis with him and one undergrad obtained a prestigious PFURO internship with the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab after working in his group.
Qualifications for Student Applicants: Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics undergraduates interested in research internship. Students with B+ or better grades in courses such as Thermodynamics I, Fluid Mechanics, Numerical Methods, Calculus-based courses and a minimum overall 3.5 GPA may apply.
Application and/or Interview Process: Required documents include a Letter of Interest/Cover Letter & Unofficial Transcript; Interview is Required
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Prof. Gopalakrishnan. In the subject line, please state "undergrad research position" and include your CV/Resume and U-ID Number and unofficial transcript. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Starting Date: 8/28/2023
Hours per week: 10
Faculty Mentor: Amir Hadadzadeh
Faculty Mentor's Department: Mechanical Engineering
Telephone Number and/or E-mail: (901) 678-2268, hddzadeh@memphis.edu
Project Description: In the current project, additive manufacturing (AM) of titanium alloys through selective laser melting (SLM) process is investigated. Different types of powders will be used to fabricate cylindrical samples in the SLM machine. The samples will be then characterized through tensile tests to evaluate the mechanical properties (yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation). The purpose of this study is to correlate the mechanical properties to the grade of the powder.
Requirements for Student Applicants:
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Courses: Engineering Materials
Skills: Hands-on Experience
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Unofficial Transcript, Interview
Starting Date: 10/1/2020
Hours per week: 15
Hours per week: 10
Faculty Mentor: Vipin Agarwal
Faculty Mentor's Department: Mechanical Engineering
Contact: https://www.memphis.edu/me/faculty/vipin_a.php, 901-678-3858, vipin.a@memphis.edu
Project Description: We invite an ambitious undergraduate student to join our pioneering research project focused on designing a neural machine capable of predicting long-term transient chaos in nonlinear systems. This cutting-edge research is critical for the early detection and control of dynamic instabilities in various sectors, including engineering and biomedical fields. You will be involved in data collection, preprocessing, and applying advanced machine learning techniques. Your role will encompass the development, training, and testing of this neural machine, bridging computational neuroscience, engineering, and data science.
Requirements for Student Applicants: We are looking for an undergraduate student currently enrolled in a program related to Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a similar field. The ideal candidate should have a foundational understanding of machine learning and neural networks, coupled with proficiency in programming languages such as Python or MATLAB. A strong interest in data analysis is preferred.
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Letter of Interest/Cover Letter, Unofficial Transcript, Interview
Starting Date: Anytime
Hours per week: 10
Compensation: Students have the option to register for an Independent Study course to gain academic credit. This course requires that the student's work meets or exceeds the quality and volume typically expected in traditional semester-long classes, thereby ensuring the credit earned is merited.
Faculty Mentor: Vipin Agarwal
Faculty Mentor's Department: Mechanical Engineering
Contact: https://www.memphis.edu/me/faculty/vipin_a.php, 901-678-3858, vipin.a@memphis.edu
Project Description: We invite an ambitious undergraduate student to join our innovative research project focusing on the dynamics of noise (stochastic perturbation) in high-dimensional systems. This project aims to explore, understand, and constructively harness real-life noise in both mechanical and non-mechanical systems. A key part of your role will involve conducting experiments with various systems to study the impact of noise. These experiments will range from mechanical structures to computational models, providing a hands-on experience in a diverse set of scenarios. Through this research, we aim to transform noise from a mere disturbance into a valuable resource, potentially leading to advancements in energy harvesting, system optimization, advanced computing, and more. Your contribution will be pivotal in compiling a comprehensive library of studies on noise-influenced dynamics, setting the stage for groundbreaking applications in science and technology.
Requirements for Student Applicants: We are looking for an undergraduate student who is actively pursuing a degree in Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a closely related field. The student will be involved in computer programming, reading technical documents, development of computer code input files, working on cluster computers, and conducting experiments. Preference will be given to applicants with skills in Dynamics, Vibrations, Python, and MATLAB.
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Letter of Interest/Cover Letter, Unofficial Transcript, Interview
Starting Date: Anytime
Hours per week: 10
Compensation: Students have the option to register for an Independent Study course to gain academic credit. This course requires that the student's work meets or exceeds the quality and volume typically expected in traditional semester-long classes, thereby ensuring the credit earned is merited.
Faculty Mentor: Vipin Agarwal
Faculty Mentor's Department: Mechanical Engineering
Contact: https://www.memphis.edu/me/faculty/vipin_a.php, 901-678-3858, vipin.a@memphis.edu
Project Description: Join our exciting research initiative exploring the complex world of nonlinear phenomena in origami-inspired structures and the development of pioneering metastructures. This project aims to delve into the intricate geometry and potential for multistable states of origami structures, uncovering their pronounced nonlinear dynamics. The research findings have the potential to revolutionize applications in fields such as robotics, aerospace, and architecture. As an undergraduate research assistant, you will be involved in experimental studies, data analysis, and the conceptual development of novel origami-based designs that harness these unique dynamics for practical engineering solutions.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Ideal candidates for this position should be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related field. They should possess a strong foundational knowledge in mechanics and structural dynamics, coupled with a keen interest in origami design and mechanical metamaterials. Proficiency in computational modeling tools is highly desirable. Candidates should also demonstrate excellent analytical abilities, attention to detail, and the capacity to work effectively in a collaborative research setting.
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Letter of Interest/Cover Letter, Unofficial Transcript, Interview
Starting Date: Anytime
Hours per week: 10
Compensation: Students have the option to register for an Independent Study course to gain academic credit. This course requires that the student's work meets or exceeds the quality and volume typically expected in traditional semester-long classes, thereby ensuring the credit earned is merited.