Mechanical Engineering Department Personnel

Full-Time Faculty, Associate Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, Emeritus Faculty, Professional Staff

The faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering consists of tenure-track and term faculty members with the rank of full professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor in the department; emeritus faculty, faculty with associate appointments; faculty with adjunct appointments; and lecturers. Voting members of the faculty are responsible for discharge of the department's mission, as well as departmental administration and governance. Members of the permanent professional staff and term staff members also play critical roles in achieving our mission.

Full-Time Faculty

 Thomas A. Berfield

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. Research interests: thin films, micro-scale sensors and devices, digital image correlation, composite and other advanced materials. Office: Lutz Hall 445, telephone: 502-852-7173. Email Dr. Berfield.

 Matt R. Bohm

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2009. Research interests: design information archival and reuse, artificial intelligence algorithms to support a new method of automated concept generation, engineering design focusing on information data discovery, and artificial intelligence based concept generation techniques. Office: 212 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-7749. Email Dr. Bohm.

 Roger D. Bradshaw

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 1997. Research interests: time-dependent behavior of polymers and polymer matrix composites, macro- and micromechanical modeling of reinforced polymers, MEMS-based microcantilever gas sensors, finite element analysis, aerospace structures. Office: 203 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-6099. Email Dr. Bradshaw.

 Ellen G. Brehob

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 1994. Research interests: flame propagation, pulverized coal combustion. Office: 210 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-7825. Email Dr. Brehob.

 W. Geoffrey Cobourn

Professor of Mechanical Engineering. D.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, Washington University, 1979. Research interests: air pollution control, industrial energy conservation and pollution prevention, turbomachinery. Office: 214 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-5058. Email Dr.  Cobourn.

 Michael L. Day

Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University, 1981. Research interests: computer-aided engineering, finite element analysis, computational biomechanics. Office: 212 JB Speed Hall, telephone: 502-852-6195. Email Dean Day. 

 William P. Hnat

Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Akron, 1985. Research interests: biomechanics, experimental measurement techniques, dynamic modeling, acoustics and vibration. Office: 209 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-6816. Email Dr. Hnat.

 Andrea Kelecy

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1992. Office: 212 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-7749. Email Dr. Kelecy.

 Yongsheng Lian

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida. Research interests: computational fluid dynamics, fluid/structure interaction, micro air vehicle, bio-fluids, turbomachinery, and CFD-based design optimization. Dr. Lian is founder and director of UofL's CFD Laboratory. Office: 210 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-0804. Email Dr. Lian.

 Gary M. Osborne

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisville, 2006. Research interests: development of vehicle modeling methodologies, algorithms, and software analysis tools. Office: 105 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-1469. Email Dr. Osborne.

 Balaji Panchapakesan

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, 2001. Research interests include application of micro- and nanotechnology to opto-mechanical systems used for the sensing, imaging and treatment of cancer. Dr. Panchapakesan is director of Speed School's Nanotechnology Applications Laboratory. Office: 247 Belknap Research Building, telephone: 502-852-0684. Email Dr. Panchapakesan.

 Y. Sam Park

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 2007. Research interests: electrochemical systems for energy conversion and storage, catalytic fuel processing for clean energy applications, composite materials' development for sustainable energy (fuel cells, biofuels). Dr. Park is founder and director of UofL's Clean Energy Research Laboratory (CERL). Office: 215 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-7786.  Email Dr. Park.

 Glen Prater

Professor of Mechanical Engineering, department chair. Director of the Vehicle Architecture Research Group. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, 1987. Research interests: automotive structural analysis, design software development, computer modeling and simulation, mechanical design, system dynamics, vibration and acoustics. Office: 200 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-6331. Email Dr. Prater.

 Peter M. Quesada

Professor of Mechanical Engineering, M.E. Department graduate studies coordinator. Ph.D. in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, 1991. Research interests: biomechanics and orthopedics. Office: 449 Lutz Hall, telephone: 502-852-5981. Email Dr. Quesada.

 Christopher M. Richards

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, 1998. Research interests: linear and nonlinear vibrations, dynamics and controls. Office: 201 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-6336. Email Dr. Richards.

 M. Keith Sharp

Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Sc.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1987. Research interests: renewable/sustainable energy technologies, biofluid mechanics. Dr. Sharp established and directs UofL's Renewable Energy Applications Laboratory (REAL). Office: 358 Belknap Research Building, telephone: 502-852-7280. Email Dr. Sharp.

 Stuart J. Williams

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2009. Research interests: fluid dynamics, micro- and nanofluidics, particle image velocimetry (PIV), Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Lab-on-a-Chip systems, and  colloidal self-assembly. Dr. Williams directs the Integrated Microfluidics Laboratory. Office: 106 Sackett Hall, telephone: 502-852-6340.  Email Dr. Williams.

Associate Faculty¹

 Amir A. Amini

Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2002. Dr. Amini holds the J.B. Speed School of Engineering Endowed Chair of Bioimaging, and is director of the Medical Image Computing Laboratory. His research focuses on medical imaging and biomedical image processing and analysis. Areas of general interest include physiologic imaging and image analysis (specifically, the task of extracting information from medical images acquired from X-ray projection and CT devices, MR imagers, nuclear medicine scanners, and ultrasound in an automated and reproducible way). Areas of particular interest include development of new techniques for quantification of the heart motion from cardiac MRI and its application to determination of mechanical strain. In the area of vascular imaging his interests are in developing techniques to determine intravascular pressures, shear stress, and other mechanical indices of function from phase-contrast MR images. 

 Gina E. Bertocci

Professor of Bioengineering. Ph.D. in Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 1997. Dr. Bertocci holds the J.B. Speed School of Engineering Endowed Chair of Biomechanics. She is founder and director of  UofL's Injury Risk Assessment and Prevention (iRAP) Laboratory. Her research interests include injury biomechanics, rehabilitation biomechanics, and wheelchair transportation safety. Telephone: 502-852-0296. Email Dr. Bertocci.

 Mary Ellen Buning

Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery. Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science, University of Pittsburgh, 2001. Research interests: Assistive technology service delivery, wheelchair seating and propulsion biomechanics, wheelchair transportation safety, and telerehabilitation. Office: Frazier Rehab and Neuroscience Institute #1112, 220 Abraham Flexner Way. Dr. Buning is a principal investigator of  UofL's Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center. She is also affiliated with the Mechanical Engineering Department's Injury Risk Assessment and Prevention (iRAP) Laboratory.

 André M. Gobin

Assistant Professor of Bioengineering. Ph.D. in bioengineering from Rice University, 2007. Dr. Gobin directs Speed School's Nanotherapeutics Laboratory. His primary research focus is the implementation of near infrared (NIR) absorbing nanoparticles (nanoshells) for use as a direct diagnostic and therapeutic agent in oncological applications, incorporation into drug delivery systems and photo-mechanical transduction systems for integration into micro-fluidic devices. This work involves nano-manufacturing techniques for enabling scaleup in the production of small (30-50 nm) self-assembled NIR absorbing nanoparticles with a gold layer on a gold-sulfide core. He and his research group also develop coatings on the nanoparticle surface with high specificity for particular types of cancer tumors in order to facilitate the targeted delivery of the drugs. Other bioengineering advances undertaken by Dr. Gobin include the production of the best/hottest home-made habanero sauces.

 Karen L. Frost

Assistant Professor of Bioengineering. Ph.D. in Health and Rehabilitation sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 2004. Research interests: assistive technology related to wheelchair transportation, rehabilitation outcomes associated with specific surgery procedures. In addition to her B.E. faculty position, Dr. Frost is affiliated with the University of Louisville Injury Risk Assessment and Prevention (iRAP) Laboratory. Office: Room 110, Instructional Bldg, telephone: 502-852-6335. Email Dr. Frost.

  Andrea S. Gobin

 Assistant Professor of Bioengineering. Ph.D. in Bioengineering, Rice University, 2003. Dr. Gobin's research interests include biomaterials with mimics in structure and/or function of natural extracellular matrices (ECM) for basic science and tissue engineering applications, particularly polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels and silk fibroin materials. She is founder and director of Speed School’s BioMimetics Laboratory.

 Robert S. Keynton

Professor and chair, Department of Bioengineering. Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, 1995. Research specialties: development of biomedical micro-electro-mechanical systems (BioMEMS), development of micro Total Analysis Systems (μTAS), experimental and computational microfluidics, experimental fluid mechanics, cardiovascular mechanics, and acoustic transducer design and fabrication.

 Shamus P. McNamara

Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2002. Research interests include the development of microelectromechanical devices (MEMS), including sensors and actuators.

 Palaniappan Sethu

Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering. Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2002. Research interests: development of microfluidic systems for biological and medical applications, including systems for efficient isolation (sample preparation), culture, manipulation and extraction of information from functionally viable cells for applications in clinical diagnostics and cell biology. Other activities involve research into materials and fabrication technology to enable design and development of truly integrated complex microfluidic systems. Dr. Sethu is founder and director of Speed School’s Microscale Biotechnology Laboratory.

 Brent E. Stucker

Professor of Industrial Engineering. Edward Reep Clark Chair of Computer Aided Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1997. Research interests: additive manufacturing technologies and their applications, with current research funding focusing on new materials development for biomedical implants and aerospace/defense structures using ultrasonic consolidation and laser based metal deposition technologies.

 Michael J. Voor

Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Associate faculty appointment, Department of Bioengineering. Director of research and technical director, University of Louisville Orthopaedic Bioengineering Laboratory. Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, 1992. Research interests: orthopaedic biomechanics, remodeling reactions of the human skeleton, finite element analysis in orthopaedics, bone mechanics.

Adjunct Faculty

 Nolan L. Boyd

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, Arlington, and M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Bioengineering from Texas A&M University, College Station, and Georgia Tech, respectively. Dr. Boyd holds a primary appointment as an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the UofL School of Medicine’s Cardiovascular Innovation Institute. His research involves blood microvessel assembly in tissue and organs.

 Matthew P. Castanier

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1995. Research Mechanical Engineer, Data Analysis and Optimization Team, U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC), Warren, MI. Research interests include dynamics of complex systems, vibration of rotating systems,and probabilistic analysis of structures.

 Rodney A. Ewing

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. M.Eng., Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisville, 1996. Chief Engineer, Fuel Systems XPI Pump Development, Cuummins, Inc., Columbus, IN. Technical specialties: acoustics and vibrations, engineering analysis, new product development.

 David A. Lamb

Adjunct Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mathematics, University of Wisconsin-Madison May 17, 1992 (minor in Computer Sciences). Senior Technical Expert for Modeling and Simulation, U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC), Warren, MI. Research activities include ground vehicle modeling and simulation, reliability, and condition-based maintenance.

 Jin Haishui

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Acoustics, Tongji University, 2002. Director, Sound and Vibration Laboratory, Research and Development Center, Shanghai Hitachi Electrical Application Co., Ltd.Technical specialties: identification of compressor noise and vibration sources, measurement and assessment of noise and vibration, design and redesign of compressor components to control noise levels.

 Surya S. Patel

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, 1996. M.D., Dalhousie University, 1979. Research interests: non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, turbulence, vascular flow, biomechanics. a title="Contact Dr. Patel using UofL's WWW email gateway" class="external-link" href="http://www.louisville.edu/cgi-bin/uofl.mail?surya.patel">Email Dr. Patel.

Emeritus Faculty²

 Hsing Chuang

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics, Colorado State University, 1962. Professional interests: fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and robotics. Retired 1992.

 Robert L. Collins

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1966. Professional interests: dynamic system analysis and design. Retired 1998.

 George C. Lindauer 

Professor emeritus of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 1962. Professional interests: engineering education, heat transfer and fluid mechanics. Retired 1998.

 Ronald A. Mann

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Physics, University of Cincinnati, 1964. Professional interests: neural networks and genetic algorithms, computer enhanced instruction, non-linear dynamics. Retired 2011.

 Robert E. Stewart

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 1966. Professional interests: heat transfer, HVAC, and fluid mechanics. Retired 1995.

 Julius P. Wong

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering. Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics, Oklahoma State University, 1966. Research interests: computational mechanics, computer aided engineering and materials. Retired 2010.

Professional Staff

 J. Sue Jones

Program Coordinator Senior. Office: SH 200, telephone: 502-852-6331. Email Ms. Jones.

 John C. Jones

Coordinator of Engineering Technical Services. Office: SH 200, telephone: 502-852-6339. Email Mr. Jones.

 Diane L. Jenne

Administrative Assistant. Office: SH 200, telephone: 502-852-6331. Email Ms. Jenne.

 Brent Hudson

Technical Specialist Intermediate (IT support). Office: SH 216, telephone: 502-852-7204. Email Mr. Hudson.

Notes