Distinguished Professor Jason R. Blough has officially been named the chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), effective Jan. 6. Blough has served in the role since July 2022.
Blough is a full professor in the department whose distinguished career includes a thriving research group and many honors in recognition of his work. He was named a distinguished professor at Michigan Tech in 2021.
Blough himself is an alum of MAE, having earned both B.S. and M.S. degrees at Michigan Tech before going on to earn his doctoral degree at the University of Cincinnati. He joined MAE’s faculty as an assistant professor in 2003, and before that worked as a research professor at the Keweenaw Research Center. In his previous service as chair, Blough oversaw the addition of the B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and subsequent department name change. He has also served the department as associate chair and director of graduate studies.
“Jason Blough brings an unwavering dedication to provide MAE students with high-quality, rigorous training in mechanical and now also aerospace engineering,” said College of Engineering Dean Michelle Scherer. “I am looking forward to working with Jason and the MAE faculty and staff to train the next generation of mechanical and aerospace engineers.”
Blough has been recognized for numerous contributions in teaching, research and service, and has advised both doctoral and master’s students. He is a member of Michigan Tech’s Academy of Teaching Excellence and a recipient of the SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award, and has been recognized as an international leader in the research area of noise, vibration and harshness, having received the Blue Ribbon Coalition Scientist of the Year Award (2006), the SEM DeMichele Award (2021) and the SAE Arch T. Colwell Merit Award (1997).
Extremely active in service, Blough has advised Michigan Tech’s SAE student chapter and the SAE Clean Snowmobile Enterprise team for over 15 years, as well as helped organize the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge. He was named a Fellow of SAE in 2021, and currently serves as a member of the SAE Snowmobile Committee and as the president of the Society for Experimental Mechanics. He also sits on the Scientific Board of the International Conference on Noise and Vibration Engineering at Katholieke University in Leuven, Belgium.
Blough has published his research in numerous journals and peer-reviewed conference papers, and given over 30 short courses to industry. Additionally, his 100-plus funded projects total more than $3.7 million as a principal investigator and $2.3 million as a co-PI.
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