Graduate School Newsblog

Tag: Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Fall 2024 – Bryant Goodenough

Published
By

Originally from Maine, my fascination with the automotive industry led me to explore schools in the Midwest. Michigan Tech stood out due to its automotive focus and the abundance of outdoor activities in the local area. After graduating from the University of Maine in 2020, I was fortunate to join a Department of Energy-funded project at Michigan Tech to pursue a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering.

At the Advanced Power Systems Research Center (APSRC), my research has centered on the modeling, simulation, and analysis of a heavy-duty off-road material handler, with a project goal to reduce fuel consumption by 20%. I developed a high-fidelity model of the propulsion and hydraulic systems, analyzed fuel-saving options, and identified electrified powertrain configurations that maximize fuel efficiency while maintaining performance. Additionally, my research has investigated advanced control methods to achieve further fuel savings, including artificial intelligence and optimization techniques.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my research has been witnessing the significant impact of these fuel-saving technologies on the heavy-duty off-road industry. This sector, often overshadowed by light-duty vehicle research, offers opportunities for substantial carbon dioxide reductions through relatively minor changes. Our team is currently nearing completion of a machine build for a plug-in series hybrid expected to achieve about 40% fuel savings compared to the baseline machine, showcasing the profound potential of this work in reducing emissions.

I am deeply grateful to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel and the dean for selecting me as a fellowship recipient. My sincere thanks also go to my co-advisors, Dr. Darrell Robinette and Dr. Jeremy Worm, whose unwavering support and guidance over the last four years have been invaluable. This achievement would not have been possible without their mentorship.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Summer 2024 Recipient – Revanth Mattey

Published
By
Revanth Mattey leaning against a table, indoors, wearing suit and tie
Revanth Mattey –
Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

I am deeply grateful and honored to receive the Finishing Fellowship Award from the graduate school and the graduate dean’s advisory panel.

My journey at Michigan Tech began in 2018 when I commenced my graduate studies. Working alongside Dr. Susanta Ghosh, I completed my Master’s thesis in 2021. The research I conducted during this time inspired me to pursue a Ph.D. I’ve since dedicated myself to exploring phase field modeling and its applications in computational fracture mechanics, as well as employing Machine Learning to solve these intricate mathematical models.

My research aims to harness machine learning techniques to streamline computationally intensive simulations across various fields such as mechanics, phase separation, and weather prediction. These models hold tremendous potential for accelerating simulations of complex material failures and other physical systems described by partial differential equations.

I express my heartfelt gratitude to the graduate school for recognizing me with the Finishing Fellowship Award. This acknowledgment serves as a driving force as I enter the final phase of my Ph.D. journey, reflecting the university’s confidence and support in my work. I extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Ghosh for the invaluable opportunity to be part of his research group. His trust and encouragement have been instrumental throughout my Master’s and Ph.D. endeavors. I’d also like to acknowledge the unwavering support of the faculty and staff of the MEEM department during my academic journey.

Once I complete my PhD I will be joining Idaho National Laboratory as a post-doctoral researcher. I am eagerly looking forward to completing my doctoral research and continuing to advance in my academic career.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Summer 2024 Recipient – Udit Sharma

Published
By
Udit Sharma, standing smiling on a beach
Udit Sharma – Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics

Early in my academic journey, I developed a keen interest in mechanical systems, which led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Technological University from 2015 to 2017. During this time, I focused on heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and materials science. Continuing my academic pursuits, I decided to pursue a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, guided by the esteemed Professor Jeffrey S. Allen. Under his mentorship, I delved into the fascinating world of phase change materials (PCMs), particularly the impact of nanoparticles within these materials. I explored various aspects such as thermophoresis, non-equilibrium heat and mass transport, and particle distribution under different temperature gradients. Understanding supercooling in PCMs became a significant focus of my work, thanks to Professor Allen’s insightful guidance and unwavering support.

Despite my passion for research, my heart was in teaching. As the Lead Teaching Assistant (TA) for MEEM 2911, I enjoyed delivering lectures, simplifying complex concepts, and witnessing students’ “aha” moments. In 2023, I was honored with the Distinguished Teaching Fellowship, followed by a nomination for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) award from the department. I credit these achievements to the supportive environment at Michigan Tech, which has played a crucial role in shaping my career.

Outside of academia, I found solace and camaraderie at the Keweenaw Brewing Company (KBC), a local brewery where I could relax, exchange ideas, and celebrate life’s victories with colleagues.

I am deeply grateful for my journey, shaped by the nurturing environment and rugged landscapes of Michigan Tech. As I look towards the future, I am inspired by the legacy of those before me and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Summer 2024 – Yunsheng Su

Published
By
Yunsheng Su sitting outside on rock wall with waterway behind
Yunsheng Su – Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

I am honored to have the opportunity to apply for the final finishing fellowship to gain further support and guidance in my doctoral research. I am a doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech University, and I have been pursuing my Ph.D. since 2019. Over the past five years, I have focused on research in the field of mechanical fault diagnosis.

My research aims to leverage advanced data analysis techniques and machine learning algorithms to enhance the health monitoring and fault diagnosis capabilities of mechanical systems. In my doctoral research, I have explored theoretical models and algorithms and validated their effectiveness through experimental and engineering application.

Obtaining this fellowship is significant to me as it will provide the support and resources needed to complete the final steps towards my Ph.D. I look forward to collaborating with mentors and fellow researchers to further refine my research and translate it into practical applications.
In the future, I aspire to secure a position in either industry or academia, continuing my research and application work in mechanical fault diagnosis and predictive maintenance.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for considering my application, and I assure you of my commitment to fully utilize the opportunities provided by this fellowship. I want to thank Dr. Zequn Wang and my advisor Dr. Shangyan Zou for their support with my PhD research and preparing me for an academic career.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Spring 2024 Recipient – Abhishek Patil

Published
By
Abhishek Patil standing in front of mountains
Abhishek Patil, Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics

I am deeply thankful to the Graduate School and the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel for awarding me the Finishing Fellowship. This invaluable support will enable me to fully focus on completing my final research projects and dissertation.

I extend my gratitude to the Intelligent Robotics & System Optimization Lab and the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Mechanics for providing the essential resources that have greatly contributed to the success of my research. The collaborative and enriching environment has played a pivotal role in shaping the depth and quality of my work.

My research, centered on designing algorithms for the efficient coordination of multiple autonomous robots, is a passion that aligns with the complex challenges of this multidisciplinary field. The Finishing Fellowship presents a unique opportunity to further explore and expand my knowledge and skills in this area.

I want to express my sincere appreciation to my advisors, Dr. Jungyun Bae and Dr. Myuoungkuk Park, whose mentorship has been instrumental in guiding me through my research journey at Michigan Tech. Their support has not only influenced my academic pursuits but has also been a source of inspiration.

As I enter the final stages of my research, I am eager to leverage this opportunity to its fullest potential. I am committed to making meaningful contributions to the field of autonomous robotics, and I am grateful for the encouragement and support that have brought me to this significant juncture in my academic career.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Spring 2024 Recipient – Shashank Pathrudkar

Published
By
Indoor studio headshot of Shashank Pathrudkar
Shashank Pathrudkar – Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics

I am honored and grateful to accept the Finishing Fellowship Award and would like to express my sincere appreciation to the graduate school committee for this recognition.
My academic journey at Michigan Tech began in 2018 when I started my MS in the MEEM department. Immediately, I started working with Dr. Ghosh, whose guidance and mentorship have been invaluable throughout my academic career at Michigan Tech. The inherent potential and the learning opportunities presented by my Master’s thesis inspired me to extend my academic pursuit to a Ph.D. I have since been working at the intersection of Machine Learning, Mechanics, and Material Sciences.
The overarching goal of my research is to leverage machine learning models to bypass computationally expensive materials research methods. These models hold the promise of accelerating materials research, opening avenues for groundbreaking discoveries. The application of artificial intelligence in materials science has demonstrated remarkable potential in discovering novel materials that could revolutionize critical sectors such as energy harnessing, aerospace, electronics, and medical devices.
I am sincerely thankful to the graduate school for bestowing upon me the Finishing Fellowship Award. This recognition serves as a motivating force as I enter the final semester of my Ph.D. journey, encouraging me to give my best to the culmination of my research efforts. It is a testament to the support and belief the university has in my work.
I extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Ghosh for providing me with the opportunity to be a part of his research group. Working on exciting research topics under his mentorship has not only enhanced my technical competence but has also played a pivotal role in my growth as a capable researcher. I am grateful for the trust and encouragement he has provided throughout the journey of both my Master’s and Ph.D. Additionally, I would like to express my thanks to the faculty and staff of the MEEM department for their unwavering support through my Ph.D. and Master’s.
I am excited to conclude my doctoral research and further advance my career.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Fall 2023 Recipient – Hrishikesh Gosavi

Published
By

Since I began learning the basics of science, the effects of vibrations on environments has always fascinated me. As Nikola Tesla said, “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” It was with this aim that I started my Ph.D journey in Fall 2020.

My research has been in regards with “Metastructures”. These are unique structures which absorb vibrations in a system in particular frequency range, often called as ”bandgap”. It is because of this bandgap phenomenon that metastructures are widely used to mitigate vibration effects. Owing to large number of applications, it becomes important to estimate bandgaps in a metastructure to predict the frequency range in which the vibrations will be absorbed so that metastructures can be designed for various applications.

Through my research, I have aimed to developed new methods to estimate these bandgaps. The current methods available in the literature require a physics-based model of the metastructure (analytical model, finite/spectral element model) in order to estimate bandgaps. However, for various anisotropic materials, the material properties are difficult to quantify accurately which makes the physics-based model inaccurate. My research aims to overcome these limitations by developing methods which estimate bandgaps using purely experimental data. We have used the experimental data to study how a vibration wave is propagating through the metastructure (dispersion curve) and estimated bandgaps. Various other techniques such as substructuring, data-driven modeling algorithms were utilized. The developed techniques considerably reduced the design efforts required and made the entire design process much easier.

The funding provided by this fellowship will truly be helpful for me in putting all my energies in finishing my thesis in time and complete my Ph.D.!
I am grateful to the Graduate School for granting me this fellowship.
My advisor, Dr. Sriram Malladi has been more than helpful in guiding me through various ups and downs throughout my Ph.D journey. I am truly thankful for the relentless support he and his family has given me. Last but certainly not the least, I am thankful to my family i.e. my wife and my parents for their support in every aspect of my journey!

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Fall 2023 Recipient – Ponkrshnan Thiagarajan

Published
By

Growing up in a township full of scientists and engineers, I have always been curious about how things work. This led me to pursue a bachelor’s in engineering from Nehru Institute of Engineering and Technology affiliated with Anna University, Chennai. I then pursued a master’s from the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology, Madras where I delved into diverse research projects that captivated my interest. Fueled by this newfound interest, I started my journey as a Ph.D. student eager to tackle intriguing and fundamental challenges within the field of engineering.

I started working on my Ph.D. in the Fall of 2019 at the Computational Mechanics and Machine Learning Lab led by Dr. Susanta Ghosh at Michigan Tech. The focus of my research is on understanding the uncertainties associated with the predictions of computational and machine-learning models. Any model, computational or data-driven, is a representation of a physical phenomenon. We develop such models to understand the world around us better. However, predictions of such models are not always reliable due to the uncertainties associated with them. These uncertainties could arise for various reasons such as natural variability in the systems we study, assumptions in developing these models, numerical approximations, lack of data, etc. In order to use these models in real-life scenarios, quantifying these uncertainties is crucial. My research involves developing novel techniques to quantify the uncertainties, use these uncertainties to improve the model’s performance, and explain the reasoning behind the uncertainties. In my first project, we developed a Bayesian neural network-based machine-learning model that can reliably classify breast histopathology images into benign and malignant images. In addition, the model can quantify uncertainties associated with the predictions. We further developed techniques to explain the uncertainties and use them to further improve the model’s performance. In my second project, we developed novel loss functions for Bayesian neural networks and showed their advantages over the state-of-the-art in image classification problems. I am currently working on quantifying uncertainties in computational models that are used to characterize material behavior and extending the first two projects for several other applications.

I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Susanta Ghosh for giving me the opportunity to carry out this exciting research as well as for his immense help and guidance throughout the process. I thank the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel and the dean for recommending me for this award. It is an honor. I thank the graduate school and the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics for their constant support.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Summer 2023 Recipient – Roya Bagheri

Published
By

Growing up as a teenager, I always wanted to become a person who could help people around the world. I got the opportunity to start my academic life in health research, which brought me closer to what I have always wanted. As a mechanical engineer with a background in biomedical engineering and biomaterials, helping people and sharing the multidimensional point of view of these fields would be a fantastic opportunity to develop solutions for health-related problems worldwide.


I started my PhD in Mechanical Engineering in the Spring of 2020 at Michigan Technological University. Being part of the MTU family has been an exceptional experience for me. I am very fortunate to work in Dr. Abadi’s lab, who has guided me through research and several aspects of life. My research includes four different projects related to cardiovascular diseases and disorders (i.e., those related to the heart and blood vessels). Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Nanomaterials, with their unique morphologies and properties, have great potential for advancing cardiovascular engineering to treat diseases and disorders. My research is in three main categories, ranging from tissue engineering to robotics and medical devices.


Despite being far from my hometown, I feel at home in Michigan Tech. I have had several opportunities to participate in different organizations and competitions. This incredible journey will always hold a special place in my heart. I am so glad that I am close to my dream of obtaining a PhD and being able to help people around the world on a small scale in health.

I am grateful to the Graduate School for awarding me this doctoral finishing fellowship; this fellowship means a lot to me and motivates me to work harder to finish my PhD journey! I am thankful to the people who have supported me on my journey.

Continue Reading →

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Spring 2023 Recipient – Sid Gopujkar

Published
By

I started working at the APS LABS for my Masters’ thesis in Fall 2017. The research and the people at the APS are so amazing, that it wasn’t a difficult decision to stay for my PhD. I started my PhD in Summer 2018 under the guidance of Dr. Jeremy Worm, who is the associate director of APS LABS.

Majority of my PhD work has been on gasoline engines- how they can be further improved and made more efficient. The projects I have worked on have been industrial projects for major automotive companies like General Motors, Ford, Stellantis and Nostrum Energy. The current automotive climate is all about electrification. But I believe that the internal combustion engine, which is one of the major factors that has brought civilization to the advanced stage it is at right now, still has a massive role to play in the future. But the beauty of working at the APS LABS is that you are not confined to a single subject, and get exposure to all sorts of power systems. In the last five years, I have worked with hybrid electric vehicles as well, and also on a project to consider the environmental and economic impacts of electrifying the Mackinac Island ferry.

The last five years have been memorable and fulfilling, and a lot of that is thanks to my advisor, Dr. Jeremy Worm. With the help of the Finishing Fellowship, I will be able to write the final chapter of doctoral journey (figuratively and literally), and move a step closer to my goal of becoming an academic.

Continue Reading →