University of California, Berkeley Mechanical Engineering

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Research Interest

Vassilia Zorba

Associate Adjunct Professor

5126 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
vzorba@lbl.gov

For more information see: Laser Technologies Group

Professor Vassilia Zorba is the Group Leader for the Laser Technologies Group at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, CA. She is also an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on the development of the next-generation of laser tools for advanced sensors and laser-based manufacturing. Her research interests include ultrafast laser-material interactions, non-linear optics, remote sensing, laser-induced plasma chemistry, and laser ablation-based chemical analysis in electrochemical energy storage, with emphasis on next-generation Li-ion batteries. Her work has also focused on femtosecond laser surface structuring technologies and biomimetic material functionalization. Professor Zorba’s credits include 72 publications in peer-reviewed journals, more than 40 invited, keynote and plenary talks and a 2011 R&D 100 Technology Award. She serves as a senior editor for the Springer-Nature journal Applied Physics A and is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, Applied Spectroscopy and Spectrochimica Acta Part B.

 

To view Professor Zorba’s CV, please click here.


Research Description:

Energy Science & Technology; MEMS/Nano; Materials

More information about Professor Zorba’s research can be found on her group website, teamd.lbl.gov.

Key Publications:

To view a list of Professor Zorba’s publications on Google Scholar, please click here.

Zhang Lab

We are a highly interdisciplinary research group in nanoscience and engineering, with expertise in optical and electrical measurements, material synthesis, and theoretical modeling. Our research has primarily focused on the interaction of light with nanostructures, leading to exotic electromagnetic properties not found naturally. These phenomena have plentiful applications in photonics, imaging, energy, and others.

Sohn Research Laboratory

Our lab broadly focuses on two major themes: cancer and stem-cell biology. For cancer, we are developing and employing quantitative, label-free techniques to isolate, screen, and identify cells for biomedical-research and for clinical diagnostic and monitoring applications. For stem-cell biology, we are developing lab-on-a-chip systems that would enable us to study stem cells in their specialized …

Lin Lab

The Lin Lab focuses on applying the principles of mechanical engineering to a wide range of applications in growing fields, including MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems), NEMS (Nanoelectromechanical systems), Nanotechnology, Synthesis of Nanomaterials, BioMEMS, Microfluidics, Plasmonics, and Energy.

Xiang Zhang

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering
Ernest S. Kuh Endowed Chair, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (2009-2019)

5130 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
xzhang@me.berkeley.edu

For more information see: Zhang Lab
Current Classes Taught

Professor Xiang Zhang is the inaugural Ernest S. Kuh Endowed Chaired Professor at UC Berkeley and the Director of NSF Nano-scale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC). He is the Director of the Materials Sciences Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), as well as a member of the Kavli Energy Nano Science Institute.

 

Professor Zhang is an elected member of US National Academy of Engineering (NAE), Academia Sinica (National Academy in Republic of China), and Fellow of five scientific societies: APS (The American Physical Society), OSA (The Optical Society of America), AAAS (The American Association for the Advancement of Science), SPIE (The International Society of Optical Engineering), and ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers).

 

Professor Zhang received Ph.D from UC Berkeley (1996) and MS from University of Minnesota and MS/BS from Nanjing University, PR China. He was an assistant professor at Pennsylvania State University (1996-1999), and associate professor and full professor at UCLA (1999-2004) prior to joining Berkeley faculty in 2004.

 

Professor Zhang’s current research focuses on nano-scale science and technology, materials physics, photonics and bio-technologies. He has published over 240 journal papers, including over 50 publications in Science, Nature series, PNAS and Physical Review Letters. He has given over 280 Keynote, Plenary and Invited talks at international conferences and institutions. He served as a Co-Chair of NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Annual Grantee Conferences in 2004 and 2005, Chair of Technical Program of IEEE 2nd International Conference on Micro and Nano Engineered and Molecular Systems in 2007, and current Chair of Academic Advisory Board for Research Center for Applied Science (RCAS), Academia Sinica, Taiwan, ROC.

 

In 2008, Professor Zhang’s research was selected by Time Magazine as one of the “Top Ten Scientific Discoveries of the Year” and “50 Best Inventions of the Year”, Discover Magazine’s “Top 100 Science Stories” in 2007, and R&D Magazine’s top 25 Most Innovative Products of 2006. His research has frequently been featured by international media including BBC, CNN, ABC, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal.

 

Professor Zhang is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award (1997); SME Dell K. Allen Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award (1998) and ONR Young Investigator Award (1999). He was awarded the Chancellor’s Professorship by UC Berkeley (2004-2009), Distinguished Lecturer by University of Texas at Austin in 2004 and SEMETECH in 2005, respectively, Rohsenow Lecturer at MIT (2009) and William Reynolds Lecturer at Stanford (2012). In 2011, he was awarded Fred Kavli Distinguished Lectureship by Materials Research Society (MRS), Miller Professorship by UC Berkeley, and Distinguished Visiting Scientist (DVS) by the University of Toronto. In 2014, he was awarded the Fitzroy Medal for pioneering contribution in metamaterials and superlens.


Research Description:

Micro-nano scale engineering, novel 3D fabrication technologies in microelectronics and photonics, micro and nano-devices, nano-lithography and nano-instrumentation, rapid prototyping, bio-MEMS, and semiconductor manufacturing.

 

Key Publications:

To view a list of Professor Zhang’s publications, please visit the Zhang Lab website.

Kazuo Yamazaki

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering


University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
kyamazaki@berkeley.edu
(510) 642-3087

For more information see: Current Classes Taught

Education:

B.S. (1970), Keio University

M.S. (1972), Keio University

D. Eng. (1975), Keio University

 


Research Description:

Mechatronics, microprocess control of machines, CNC machine tool design and control, 3-D coordinate measurement and probing, CAD/CAM, sculptured surface machining, plastic injection molding, powder sintering, network based manufacturing automation integration.

 

Hayden Taylor

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

6159 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
hkt@berkeley.edu
(510) 642-4901

For more information see: Design for Nanomanufacturing
Current Classes Taught

Hayden Taylor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He was previously an Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Biosystems and Micromechanics group at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, and a Research Associate in the Microsystems Technology Laboratories at MIT.

 

Hayden was born in Bristol, United Kingdom, in 1981. He attended Bristol Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge, receiving the B.A. and M.Eng. degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 2004. He was sponsored as an undergraduate by ST Microelectronics. He is a Senior Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, and received the Cambridge University Engineering Department’s Baker Prize in 2004. Hayden received the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 2009, working with Professor Duane Boning.

 

Hayden is a member of the IEEE, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and the Institute of Physics. He was an Institution of Electrical Engineers Jubilee Scholar 2000-4, and was a Kennedy Scholar for the academic year 2004-5.

 

To view Professor Taylor’s CV, please click here.


Research Description:

The invention, modeling and simulation of micro- and nano-manufacturing processes, materials-testing techniques operating down to the nanoscale, and applications of polymeric materials in micro- and nano-fabrication—including for tissue scaffold engineering.

 

Key Publications:

To view a list of Professor Taylor’s publications, please visit the Design for Nanomanufacturing website.

Lydia Sohn

Almy C. Maynard and Agnes Offield Maynard Chair in Mechanical Engineering

Chancellor's Professor
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Almy C. Maynard and Agnes Offield Maynard Chair in Mechanical Engineering

5118 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
sohn@me.berkeley.edu
(510) 642-5434

For more information see: Sohn Research Lab
Current Classes Taught

To view Professor Sohn’s CV, please click here.


Research Description:

Micro-nano engineering, bioengineering

 

Key Publications:

To view a list of Professor Sohn’s publications, please visit the Sohn Research Lab website.

Ravi Prasher

Adjunct Professor

University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 4720-1740
prasher@berkeley.edu
(510) 486-7291

For more information see: Prasher Research Group
Current Classes Taught

Ravi Prasher is the Associate Lab Director of the Energy Technologies Area and Division Director of the Energy Storage and Distributed Resources Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

 

Dr. Prasher joined Berkeley Lab in June, 2015. Previously, he was vice president of product development of Sheetak Inc., a startup developing solid state thermoelectric energy converters. He relocated to India for a while to develop these technologies for the rural Indian market. Dr. Prasher earlier worked as one of the first program directors at the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). While there, he created the Building Energy Efficiency Through Innovative Thermodevices (BEET-IT) and the High Energy Advanced Thermal Storage (HEATS) programs. Prior to joining ARPA-E, Dr. Prasher was the technology development manager of the thermal management group at Intel. He was also an adjunct professor in the school of engineering at Arizona State University (ASU) from 2005-2013, where his research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.

 

Dr. Prasher has published more 90 archival journal papers in top science and engineering journals such as Nature Nanotechnology, Physical Review Letters and Journal of Heat Transfer. He holds more than 35 patents in the area of thermoelectrics, microchannels, heat pipes, thermal interface materials, nanostructured materials and devices. He has served on the Ph.D. committee of students at Stanford and ASU. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He was the recipient of an Intel achievement award (the highest award for technical achievement in Intel). He is also a recipient of the outstanding young engineer award from the components and packaging society of IEEE. He has served on the editorial committee of Annual Reviews of Environment and Resources, Nano and Microscale Thermophysical Engineering, the IEEE Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology Society and ASME Journal of Heat Transfer. He has given multiple invited talks all over the world on nano to macroscale thermal energy process and systems. More information about Ravi’s research can be found on his group website, prasherlab.lbl.gov.

 

Dr. Prasher obtained his B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and Ph.D. from Arizona State University.

 

To view Dr. Prasher’s CV, please click here.


Research Description:

Dr. Prasher’s primary research interests are fundamental and applied studies of Nano-to-macroscale thermal energy process and systems, using both theoretical and experimental methods. Some topics of current interest include thermal transport in Lithium ion batteries, microelectronics thermal management using microfluidics, solar thermal energy conversion, high density thermochemical storage, solar thermal desalination, heat and mass transfer in roll-to-roll manufacturing process and applications of machine learning in inverse design of optical metamaterials.

 

Key Publications:

To view a list of Dr. Prasher’s publications, please click here. You can also view Dr. Prasher’s profile on google scholar.

Mohammad R. K. Mofrad

Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering

208A Stanley Hall #1762
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1762
mofrad@berkeley.edu
(510) 643-8165

For more information see: Molecular Cell Biomechanics Laboratory
Current Classes Taught

Education

1991  B.A.Sc., Sharif University of Technology

1994  M.A.Sc., University of Waterloo

1999  Ph.D., University of Toronto

 

Professional Experience

1999 – 2000  Post-Doc, Computer Science Department, University of Toronto

2000 – 2002  Post-Doc, MIT and Harvard Medical School/Mass. General Hospital

2002 – 2004  Principal Research Scientist, Biological and Mechanical Engineering, MIT

2005 – 2010  Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley

2010 – 2013  Associate Professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley

2011               Visiting Professor, Department of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

2012 – 2013  Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

2012 – Present  Faculty Scientist, Molecular Biophysics, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

2012 – 2014  Faculty Director, UC Berkeley Master of Bioengineering (M.Eng) Program

2013 – Present  Professor, Departments of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

2014 – 2015  Faculty Co-Director, Berkeley-UCSF Master of Translational Medicine (MTM) Program


Research Description:

Multiscale Biomechanics of Cardiovascular Disease and Brain Injury; Molecular and Cellular Mechanobiology; Mechanics of Integrin-Mediated Focal Adhesions; Mechanics of the Nuclear Pore and Nucleocytoplasmic Transport

 

Key Publications:

To view a list of Professor Mofrad’s publications, please visit the Molecular Cell Biomechanics Laboratory website and PubMed.

Liwei Lin

James Marshall Wells Academic Chair in Mechanical Engineering

Professor of Mechanical Engineering
James Marshall Wells Academic Chair
Co-Director, Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center

5135 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
lwlin@berkeley.edu
(510) 643-5495

For more information see: Lin Lab
Lin Home Page
Current Classes Taught

2006 – 2009  Vice Chair – Graduate Study, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California at Berkeley

2004  Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California at Berkeley

2001  Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California at Berkeley

1999  Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California at Berkeley

1996  Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Michigan

1994  Associate Professor, Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University

1993  Senior Research Scientist, BEI Electronics Inc.

1993  PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley

1991  MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley

1986  BS, Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University


Research Description:

MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems); NEMS (Nanoelectromechanical Systems); Nanotechnology; design and manufacturing of microsensors and microactuators; development of micromachining processes by silicon surface/bulk micromachining; micromolding process; mechanical issues in MEMS including heat transfer, solid/fluid mechanics, and dynamics.

 

Key Publications:

For a list of Professor Lin’s publications, please click here.

Dorian Liepmann

Professor of Mechanical Engineering and BioEngineering

280 Hearst Memorial Mining Building
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1762
liepmann@berkeley.edu
(510) 355-8353

For more information see: Liepmann Lab
Current Classes Taught

Research Description:

BioMEMS, microfluid dynamics, experimental biofluid dynamics, hemodynamics associated with valvular heart disease and other cardiac and arterial flows.

 

Key Publications:

2015

 

2014

  • Aran, K., Paredes, J., Yau, J., Srinivasan, S., Murthy, N. and Liepmann, D.  (2014) “An Enzyme-Free Digital Biosensor for Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species.” The 18th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS), San Antonio, TX. October 26-30, 2014
  • Paredes, J., Chooljian, M., Fink, K.D., and Liepmann, D. “Rapid fabrication method for plastic microfluidic devices with embedded 2D and 3D microelectrodes and its application to electroporation and cell lysis on chip.” The 18th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS), San Antonio, TX. October 26-30, 2014
  • Aran, K., Paredes, J., Acharya, A., Yau, J., Liepmann, D. and N. Murthy. “A Novel ROS Responsive Polymer Based Lab-on-a-Chip Sensor for Detection of Circulating Lipid Hydroperoxides” BMES, San Antonio, TX, October 22-25, 2014.
  • Paredes, J., Fink, K.D., Chooljian, M., and D. Liepmann. “Integrating 2D and 3D Microelectrodes in Plastic Microfluidic Devices Allowing Spatial and Temporal  Control of Electric Fields for Detection or Stimulation.” BMES, San Antonio, TX, October 22-25, 2014.
  • Aran, K., Paredes, J., Lee, K., Acharya, A., Liepmann, D. and N. Murthy. “A Battery-less Pressure Driven Smart Pill for Oral to Systemic Protein Delivery.” BMES, San Antonio, TX, October 22-25, 2014.
  • Fink, K., Paredes, J. and Liepmann, D. (2013) The Role of Erythrocyte Size and Shape in Microchannel Fluid Dynamics. American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Kim, T. N., Goodwill, P. W., Chen, Y., Conolly, S. M., Schaffer, C. B., Liepmann, D., & Wang, R. A. (2012). Line-scanning particle image velocimetry: an optical approach for quantifying a wide range of blood flow speeds in live animals. PloS one, 7(6), e38590.
  • Gharib, M., Azizgolshani, H., Gharib, M., & Liepmann, D. (2011). Combined Electro-chemical Stimulation to Reduce the Required Current for Muscle Contraction. FASEB Journal, 25, 1051-39.
  • Gulati, S., Dutcher, C. S., Liepmann, D., & Muller, S. J. (2010). Elastic secondary flows in sharp 90 degree micro-bends: A comparison of PEO and DNA solutions. Journal of Rheology (1978-present), 54(2), 375-392.
  • Thakar, R.G., Cheng, Q., Patel, S., Chu, J., Nasir, M., Liepmann, D., Komvopoulos, K. and Li, S. (2009) Cell-Shape Regulation of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation. Biophysical Journal 96(8):3423-3432.
  • Häfeli, U. O., Mokhtari, A., Liepmann, D., & Stoeber, B. (2009). In vivo evaluation of a microneedle-based miniature syringe for intradermal drug delivery. Biomedical microdevices, 11(5), 943-950.
  • Gulati, S., Muller, S. J., & Liepmann, D. (2008). Direct measurements of viscoelastic flows of DNA in a 2: 1 abrupt planar micro-contraction. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 155(1), 51-66.
  • Liepmann, D., Pisano, A., Stoeber, B., & Zimmermann, S. (2008). U.S. Patent No. 7,415,299. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • Gulati, S., Liepmann, D., & Muller, S. J. (2008). Elastic secondary flows of semidilute DNA solutions in abrupt 90° microbends. Physical Review E, 78(3), 036314.

 

To view a list of Professor Liepmann’s publications from previous years, please visit the Liepmann Lab website.

Kyriakos Komvopoulos

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

5143 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
kyriakos@me.berkeley.edu
(510) 642-2563

For more information see: Current Classes Taught

Professor Komvopoulos has been in the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) since 1989. Before joining UCB, he was in the faculty of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1986-1989). Professor Komvopoulos is internationally known for pioneering research in surface nanosciences and nanoengineering, with important implications in several emerging technologies including communications, microelectronics, information storage, and biotechnology. He is the founder and director of the Surface Sciences and Engineering Laboratory (SSEL) and the Computational Surface Mechanics Laboratory (CSML) and holds the positions of Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UCB, Faculty Scientist, Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Principal Investigator, The Berkeley Stem Cell Center, and Principal Investigator, Center for Information Technology in the Interest of Society (CITRIS).

 

The research of Professor Komvopoulos is at the interfaces of mechanical and electrical engineering, materials sciences, surface physical chemistry, bioengineering, and biology. His work is characterized by a multidisciplinary nature and the combination of analytical and experimental techniques used to analyze complex surface and interface phenomena. His research is based on the integration of fundamentals from mechanics, materials, surface chemistry, and biology, and spans a broad range of scales, from the mesoscopic to the atomic and molecular levels. 

 

Early research accomplishments of Professor Komvopoulos include contact deformation at submicron scales, new friction theories of surfaces interacting in the presence of physicochemically adsorbed monolayers, surface plasticity and fracture of contacting bodies, acoustic emission in surface sliding and machining, synthesis and characterization of ultrathin diamondlike and amorphous carbon films, adhesion forces in miniaturized electromechanical systems, and rheological behavior of boundary films. 

 

In the past two decades, Professor Komvopoulos broadened his research activities, branching into the exploration of various surface microprobe techniques for atomic and molecular level surface analysis, synthesis of self-assembled organic monolayers for reducing adhesion between silicon microdevices, invention of plasma-assisted surface treatments for biopolymers (used in total joint replacements, catheters for minimally invasive treatment of diseased arteries, and cell platforms), deposition of ultrathin (a few atomic layers) amorphous carbon films by sputtering and filtered cathodic vacuum arc for ultrahigh-density magnetic recording and heat-assisted magnetic recording, phase transformations and nanomechanical properties of shape-memory alloys (both in thin-film and bulk form) for retina disks and artery stents, a surface-specific spectroscopy technique (infrared-visible sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy) for in-situ studies of entropically driven molecular rearrangement at various biopolymer surfaces due to in-plane and out-of-plane stretching and aging effects.

 

Professor Komvopoulos’ most recent work includes plasma-assisted polymer surface functionalization for controlling adhesion and growth of cells, protein secretion due to mechanotransduction in articular cartilage, cell mechanics, patterned media for single-cell growth, and cell infiltration into fibrous scaffolds synthesized by electrospinning, new electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries, flexible and stretchable bioelectronics, skin mechanics, and transdermal drug delivery by microneedle arrays, mechanics of biological surfaces, and synthesis of scaffolds with special cues for enhanced biofunctionality.

 

Professor Komvopoulos’ research is documented in 379 publications consisting of 277 papers published in peer-reviewed archival journals, 71 papers in refereed conference proceedings, 19 papers in symposium proceedings, 2 book chapters, 65 technical reports, and 10 US patents. As of June 2021, Professor Komvopoulos’ publications and patents have been cited more than 13,750 times (h-index = 62, Google Scholar). He has also authored an undergraduate-level textbook (Mechanical Testing of Engineering Materials) and co-authored two monographs (1999 Interface Tribology Towards 100 Gbit/in2; Long Term Durability of Structural Materials: Durability 2000). He has given 225 scholarly presentations at various international conferences, academic institutions, national laboratories, industries, and various media, supervised the research and dissertations of 58 graduate students (33 PhD and 25 MS) and 17 post-doctoral students, visiting faculty, and industry fellows, and consulted with a wide range of industries and law firms on various litigation matters. 

 

Professor Komvopoulos has been elected to the grade of Fellow of STLE (2004) and ASME (2000) and has been the recipient of several awards, including NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award (1989-1996), IBM Faculty Development Award (1990-1992), Berkeley Engineering Fund Award (1989-1990), ASME B. L. Newkirk Award (1988), and NSF Engineering Initiation Award (1987).

 

At UCB, Professor Komvopoulos teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Plasticity, Fracture, Fatigue, and Tribology and devotes significant time to administration duties at the Department, College, and University system-wide levels. His most recent system-wide committee service includes UC Faculty Welfare, Assembly Representative, Divisional Council, Educational Technology, Courses of Instruction, Graduate Study, and Committee on Academic Planning and Resource Allocation.


Research Description:

Theoretical and numerical studies in nano-/micro-scale contact mechanics, tribology, mechanical behavior of bulk and thin-film materials, deposition and characterization of single and multi-layer ultrathin films by sputtering and filtered cathodic vacuum arc methods, reliability of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), surface force microprobe techniques, surface modification of biopolymers, surface chemical functionalization for enhanced biocompatibility and cell activity, mechanotransduction effects at the single-cell and tissue levels, scaffolds for tissue engineering, and flexible/stretchable bioelectronics.

 

To learn more about Professor Komvopoulos’ research, please click here.

 

To view a list of Professor Komvopoulos’ supervised current and past graduate students and visiting scholars, please click here.

 

Key Publications:

To view a list of Professor Komvopoulos’ publications, please click here.

George Johnson

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering

6149 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
gcjohnson@berkeley.edu
(510) 642-3371

For more information see: Current Classes Taught

Professor Johnson’s research can be broadly categorized as materials characterization at the intersection of mechanical engineering and materials science. The thrust of his effort is to under-stand macroscopic material behavior in terms of its microstructure and to develop material models that accurately capture the response of a wide range of materials. His recent work falls into four areas: 1) microscopic modeling of failure modes in brittle materials, 2) understanding the failure of materials under impact loading, 3) developing macroscopic material models for the large-deformation response of metals, and 4) application of X-ray tomography with micron-level resolution to visualize the growth of damage in structural materials. Professor Johnson is also currently the Chair of the Board on Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS), a committee of the systemwide Academic Senate for the University of California.


Research Description:

Elasticity/plasticity, acoustoelasticity, instrumentation, materials behavior, materials characterization, sensors, texture analysis, thin shells deformation, ultrasonic stress analysis, x-rays.

 

David Horsley

Adjunct Professor

Swarm Lab, 490 Cory Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
dahorsley@ucdavis.edu

For more information see: Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center
MEMS Laboratory
UC Davis Faculty Page
Current Classes Taught

David A. Horsley received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1998. From 1998 to 2003, he held research and development positions at Dicon Fiberoptics and Hewlett Packard Laboratories and helped to co-found Onix Microsystems, a manufacturer of fiber-optic switching components. Since 2003, he has been a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, Davis, and he is a Co-Director of the Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center (BSAC), the National Science Foundation’s Industrial/University Collaborative Research Center (I/UCRC) focused on MEMS research. Professor Horsley is co-founder and CTO of Chirp Microsystems Inc., a manufacturer of ultrasonic sensors using MEMS technology, and a co-founder of Picosense Inc, a developer of low-noise magnetoresistive sensors. He was the Co-Chair of the 2016 IEEE Sensors Conference and the 2017 TRF Napa Microsystems Workshop. Dr. Horsley is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award, the Outstanding Junior Faculty Award at UC Davis, the 2016 NSF I/UCRC Association’s Schwarzkopf Award for Technological Innovation, and has authored or co-authored over 150 scientific papers and holds over 20 patents.


Research Description:

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), ultrasonics, piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs), piezoelectric sensors and actuators, inertial and acoustic sensors, magnetic sensors, optical MEMS, dynamics and control issues in MEMS.

 

Key Publications:

For a list of Professor Horsley’s publications, please click here.

Roberto Horowitz

James Fife Endowed Chair

Professor of Mechanical Engineering
James Fife Endowed Chair

5100A Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
horowitz@berkeley.edu

For more information see: Horowitz Home Page
Current Classes Taught

Roberto Horowitz is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley and holds the James Fife Endowed Chair in the College of Engineering.   He received a B.S. degree with highest honors in 1978 and a Ph.D. degree in 1983 in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and became a faculty member of the Mechanical Engineering Department in 1982. Dr. Horowitz teaches and conducts research in the areas of adaptive, learning, nonlinear and optimal control, with applications to Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS), computer disk file systems, robotics, mechatronics and Intelligent Vehicle and Highway Systems (IVHS). He is currently the Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Department is a former co-director of the Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology (PATH) research center at U.C. Berkeley. Dr. Horowitz is a member of IEEE and ASME and the recipient of the 2010 ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Division (DSCD) Henry M. Paynter Outstanding Investigator Award.

 

To view Professor Horowitz’s CV, please click here.


Research Description:

Adaptive, learning and nonlinear control, control of robot manipulators, computer mechatronics systems, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), intelligent vehicle and highways systems (IVHS)

 

Key Publications:

To view a list of Professor Horowitz’s publications, click here.

Costas Grigoropoulos

A. Martin Berlin Chair in Mechanical Engineering

A. Martin Berlin Chair in Mechanical Engineering
Professor of Mechanical Engineering

6129 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
cgrigoro@berkeley.edu
(510) 642-2525

For more information see: Laser Thermal Lab
Current Classes Taught

Costas P. Grigoropoulos received his Diploma Degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (1978), and in Mechanical Engineering (1980) from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece. He holds a M.Sc. degree (1983), and a Ph.D. (1986), both in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University. He joined the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley as an Assistant Professor in 1990, after serving as an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington from 1986-1990. He was promoted to Associate Professor in July 1993 and to Professor in Mechanical Engineering in July 1997. He has conducted research at the Xerox Mechanical Engineering Sciences Laboratory, the IBM Almaden Research Center and the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, FORTH, Greece. He is Faculty Staff Scientist with the Environmental Energy Technologies Division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.


Research Description:

Laser processing of materials, ultrafast laser micro/nanomachining, nanotechnology, nanomanufacturing, fabrication of flexible electronics, laser crystal growth for thin film transistors, advanced energy applications, microscale fuel cells, hydrogen storage, heat transfer, electronics cooling, microfluidics, laser interactions with biological materials.

 

Key Publications:

Professor Grigoropoulos has published 227 research articles in archival Journals, 11 Chapters in technical review books and 9 U.S. patents. He has also published the books Transport in Laser Microfabrication, Cambridge University Press (2009) and Hierarchical Nanostructures for Energy Devices, RSC Publishing (2014).

 

To view a list of Professor Grigoropoulos’ publications, please visit the Laser Thermal Lab website.

Chris Dames

Howard Penn Brown Chair in Mechanical Engineering

Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Howard Penn Brown Chair in Mechanical Engineering

6143 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
cdames@berkeley.edu
(510) 643-7013

For more information see: Nano/Energy Lab
Current Classes Taught

Chris Dames received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2006. His B.S. and M.S. are from UC Berkeley (1998, 2001). He was a faculty member at UC Riverside from 2006-2011 before joining UC Berkeley in 2011, and he has also worked as a research engineer for Solo Energy Corp. (1998-1999). His research interests emphasize fundamental studies of heat transfer and energy conversion at the nanoscale, using both theoretical and experimental methods. Some topics of current interest include graphene, nanocrystalline materials, mean free path distributions, thermoelectrics, biological systems, and highly anisotropic and nonlinear transport including thermal rectification. His research has been recognized with a DARPA Young Faculty Award (2009) and NSF CAREER award (2011).


Research Description:

Heat transfer and energy conversion at the micro and nano scale. Theoretical and experimental methods. Nanostructured thermoelectric materials. Thermal rectification. Graphene. Nonlinear, anisotropic, and asymmetric heat transfer.

 

Key Publications:

For a list of Professor Dames’ publications, please visit the Nano/Energy Lab website.

M. Reza Alam

American Bureau of Shipping Chair in Ocean Engineering

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
American Bureau of Shipping Chair in Ocean Engineering

6111 Etcheverry Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1740
reza.alam@berkeley.edu
(510) 643-2591

For more information see: TAF Lab
Current Classes Taught

Born in Yazd, a small historic city at the geographic center of Iran, Reza received his BSc in Mechanical Engineering and MSc in Applied Mechanics from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. He then joined the Mechanical Engineering program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. He received his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2005, Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2008, and then served as a Postdoctoral associate (2008-2009) and Lecturer (2009-2011) at MIT. In July 2011 Reza joined the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley, CA, as an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering.


Research Description:

Theoretical Fluid Dynamics, Nonlinear Wave Mechanics, Ocean and Coastal Waves Phenomena, Ocean Renewable Energy (Wave, Tide and Offshore Wind Energy), Nonlinear Dynamical Systems, Fluid Flow Control

 

Key Publications:

Publications in 2015

Jalali, M. A.; Khoshnood, A., and Alam, M.-R., “Microswimmer-Induced Chaotic Mixing“, Journal of Fluid Mechanics (2015), In Press, [PDF]

 

Zareei, A. and Alam M.-R., “Cloaking in Shallow Water Waves via Nonlinear Medium Transformation“, Journal of Fluid Mechanics (2015), Volume 778, pp. 273-287

 

Timmerberg, S, Börner, T., Shakeri, M., Ghorbani, R. and Alam M.-R., “The “Wave Bridge” For Bypassing Oceanic Wave Momentum“, Journal of Ocean Engineering and Marine Energy (2015), [PDF]

 

Couston, L. A., Mei, C. C., and  Alam, M.-R. “Landslide Tsunamis in Lakes“, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Volume 772 / June 2015, pp 784- 804. [PDF]

 

Nia, H. T., Jain, A. D., Liu, Y., Alam, M.-R., Barnas, R., and Makris N.C.,  “The evolution of air resonance power efficiency in the violin and its ancestors“ Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical & Engineering Sciences, A 471: 20140905. (2015). [PDF]

 

Börner, T., and  Alam, M.-R. “Real Time Hybrid Modeling for Ocean Wave Energy Converters“, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 43, pages 784–795, (2015).

 

Please visit the TAF Lab website for the previous years’ publications.