Department research

Departmental research is sponsored by a variety of government agencies and companies, and spans many areas of mechanical and aerospace engineering and science, including solid and fluid mechanics, materials, structures, manufacturing, dynamics, robotics, controls, thermodynamics, heat transfer and nuclear and renewable energy. We invite you to visit the individual research pages to learn about the exciting research areas of our faculty, as well as our list of faculty and their research affiliation.

Learn more about our research and the faculty who work in those areas. 

Faculty by research area

Dynamics, Controls and Robotics Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Materials Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics
Matteo Aureli
Matteo Aureli
Associate Professor
(775) 784-6973
PE 218
3616 3618 4577
Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Materials Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics Deformation, microstructure evolution, mechanical properties, modeling and simulation, phase-field, fracture
Lei Cao
Lei Cao
Associate Professor
(775) 784-1690
PE 228
3618 4577 Deformation, microstructure evolution, mechanical properties, modeling and simulation, phase-field, fracture
Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Materials Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics
Cahit Evrensel
Cahit Evrensel
Associate Professor and ASME Fellow
(775) 784-6093
PE 220
3618 4577
Thermal and Energy Science Nuclear Packaging Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics
Miles Greiner
Miles Greiner
Foundation Professor
(775) 784-4873
WPEB 216
3617 5514 4577
Thermal and Energy Science Nuclear Packaging Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics
Mustafa Hadj-Nacer
Mustafa Hadj-Nacer
Research Associate Professor
(775) 682-7480
PE 219
3617 5514 4577
Dynamics, Controls and Robotics Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Materials Design and Manufacturing Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics
James Hanna
James Hanna
Associate Professor
(775) 784-6406
PE 217
3616 3618 8228 4577
Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Materials Design and Manufacturing additive manufacturing, 3D printing, bioprinting, 4D printing, rheology
Yifei Jin
Yifei Jin
Assistant Professor
PE 230
3618 8228 additive manufacturing, 3D printing, bioprinting, 4D printing, rheology
Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Materials Design and Manufacturing Tribology, Surface Engineering, Manufacturing, Composites
Pradeep Menezes
Pradeep Menezes
Associate Professor
(775) 682-7413
PE 224
3618 8228 Tribology, Surface Engineering, Manufacturing, Composites
Dynamics, Controls and Robotics Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics Computational fluid dynamics,Unsteady aerodynamics,Fluid-structure interaction,Data-driven modeling and control
Aditya G.  Nair
Aditya G. Nair
Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering
(775) 682-6647
PE 232
3616 4577 Computational fluid dynamics,Unsteady aerodynamics,Fluid-structure interaction,Data-driven modeling and control
Dynamics, Controls and Robotics Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics
Ryan Tung
Ryan Tung
Associate Professor
(775) 784-7782
PE 207
3616 4577
Dynamics, Controls and Robotics Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics controls, robotics, data-driven, insects, behavior, system identification, neuroscience, neuroethology
Floris van Breugel
Floris van Breugel
Associate Professor
(775) 682-9822
PE 226
3616 4577 controls, robotics, data-driven, insects, behavior, system identification, neuroscience, neuroethology
Dynamics, Controls and Robotics Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics
Petros Voulgaris
Petros Voulgaris
Chair, Founding Aerospace Program Director, and Victor LaMar Lockhart Professor
(775) 682-5725
PE 204C
3616 4577
Dynamics, Controls and Robotics
Eric Wang
Eric Wang
Associate Professor
(775) 784-6094
PE 227
3616
Thermal and Energy Science Design and Manufacturing Thermal Science, Heat Transfer, Energy, Mechanical Engineering
Yan Wang
Yan Wang
Associate Professor
(775) 784-6468
PE 229
3617 8228 Thermal Science, Heat Transfer, Energy, Mechanical Engineering
Dynamics, Controls and Robotics Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Materials Control systems; Robotics; Smart materials; Artificial muscles
Jun Zhang
Jun Zhang
Associate Professor
(775) 682-9383
PE 225
3616 3618 Control systems; Robotics; Smart materials; Artificial muscles