REsearch

Labs & Centers

The research activities in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering are primarily defined by faculty interests. The research is inherently integrated into the academic programs of the department. Faculty research allows the department to provide challenging research experiences for graduate and undergraduate students. Additionally, faculty members bring their research experience to the classroom generating a sense of excitement in the courses being taught.

Research in Ocean Engineering

Ocean engineering research is typically involved with determining innovative solutions to challenging problems in working in the ocean environment. Faculty are involved in a range of federal and state sponsored projects including studies of seawater corrosion and marine materials, underwater acoustics, and acoustic imaging and communication, flow noise, autonomous marine vehicles and control, hydrodynamics and propulsion of marine vehicles, physical oceanography, fabrication of nano-materials, ocean energy technologies and machine monitoring. A significant amount of the research is in the area of naval engineering. An important traditional aspect of the department research has been the development of ocean technologies, including autonomous underwater and surface vehicles, air-deployable buoys, sonar systems, acoustic modems, and a spar platform. SeaTech, The Institute for Ocean and Systems Engineering, serves as a means to promote the transition of ocean technologies to industry.

Research in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering research involves design, manufacture and operation of thermal and mechanical systems. Mechanical systems research includes controls, robotics, mechatronics, fluid power and motion control as well as the dynamics and kinematics of machinery. Faculty are involved in several research areas including, composite materials, helicopter dynamics, robotics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer, combustion, manufacturing, solar energy, structural engineering, and mechanical vibrations. The department has particular strengths in the areas of composite materials, stochastic processes, fuel cell technology and finite element analysis.

Department Labs, Centers and The Institute