Mechanical Engineering

Professor Haoxiang Luo, interim chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has accepted the role of chair for a three-year term. Luo also heads the Computational Flow Physics and Engineering (CFPE) laboratory. Krish Roy, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of the School of Engineering and University Distinguished… Read More

Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering John Wesley Williamson, 91, of Nashville, died February 27, 2025. Williamson He joined the mechanical engineering faculty in 1964 and retired in 1999. He continued to teach until 2010. His research focus in fluid dynamics included modeling of turbulent flow, aerodynamic levitation of solid and… Read More

By Lauren Carnahan Vanderbilt’s TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) chapter hosted its second annual Toy Adaptation event, bringing together students to modify toys and make playtime more accessible for children with physical disabilities. Held at the Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center, this year’s event expanded from its original focus on plush toys… Read More

By Lauren Carnahan At Susan Gray School, a new tree installation has quickly become a favorite feature for the kids. This once empty space now invites students to settle into a cozy reading nook. The tree, with its soft colors and layered wooden branches, helps create… Read More

Robert W. Pitz, professor of mechanical engineering, has received a 2025 Sustained Service Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). The award recognizes sustained, significant service and contributions to AIAA by members of the Institute. Robert Pitz The award winners have made contributions at the local section… Read More

The School of Engineering’s Assistant Dean for Design joins a new cohort of 10 Immersion Faculty Fellows who are supported by Undergraduate Education in the Office of the Provost. The fellows represent each of the university’s 10 schools and colleges and will elevate Immersion Vanderbilt, now in its third year… Read More

Yuankai Huo Yuankai Huo, assistant professor of computer science, and Jason Valentine, professor of mechanical engineering, along with their team, are recipients of the distinguished Charles E. Ives Award for collaborative imaging research. The award is given in recognition of an outstanding contribution in the area of… Read More

Vanderbilt University has been awarded $965,000 by the National Science Foundation for the acquisition of a 50 kV, high-throughput electron beam lithography (e-beam) tool. This grant, part of the NSF’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, represents a significant step forward for research, education and outreach at Vanderbilt. Joshua Caldwell The… Read More

A new peer-reviewed study shows that a back-relieving exosuit originally developed at Vanderbilt University and then commercialized by spin-off company HeroWear can simultaneously increase lifting endurance and reduce injury risk. This has important implications for the future of workplace safety and for workers in civilian and defense sectors. The results… Read More

Ravindra Duddu, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University, is among a team of researchers who have developed a novel approach to better predict fracture propagation in Greenland glaciers, which has implications for global sea level rise that impacts coastal communities around the world. Ravindra Duddu… Read More