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Seminar Series

The Department of Mechanical Engineering Seminar Series comprises exceptional speakers whose research spans the range of the Mechanical Engineering discipline. Through this series, we seek to expose our faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers to a spectrum of topics in areas both similar to and complementary to those areas investigated within the department. Below is a list of speakers slated for the upcoming semester and speakers from previous semesters. We hold all seminars at 132 Fluor Daniel. For more information, contact: Dr. Fadi Abdeljawad at (864) 656-5639 or fabdelj@clemson.edu.

Fall 2022

Graduate seminar

First ME seminar speaker: Dr. Yidong Xia, Idaho National Laboratory      
Date: Friday, November 4, 2022
Host: Zhen Li 

Second ME seminar speaker: Prof. Warren Dixon, University of Florida.
Date: Friday, December 2, 2022
Host: Ardalan Vahidi and Atul Kelkar

Third ME seminar speaker: Dr. Ramathasan Thevamaran, University of Wisconsin-Madison    
Date: Friday, December 9, 2022
Host: Zhaoxu Meng

Fall 2019/Spring 2020

Graduate seminar

Xiaowang Zhou (Sandia National Lab), October 14 (Monday, fall break)

Srinath V. Ekkad (NC State), Department Head, October 22 (Tuesday)

Dr. Samuel Stanton, US Army Research Office, November 7th, 1:00 pm (Thursday)

Ying Sun (Drexel University), NSF program manager, January 31 (Friday)

Karen Thole (Penn State), Department Head, February 28 (Friday)

Yidong Xia (Idaho National Lab), April 10 (Friday)

Spring 2019

Graduate seminar

Dr. John Michopoulos (Friday, Jan. 18, 2019)
Naval Research Laboratory

Dr. Eliot Fang (Friday, Feb. 1, 2019) Program Manager in Sandia National Lab

Dr. Brigid Mullany (Friday, Feb. 8, 2019) NSF CMMI Program Director

Dr. Yongfeng Lu (Friday, Feb. 22, 2019) Lott Distinguished University Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

Dr. James Friend (Friday, March 8, 2019) Professor, UCSD 
Acoustofluidics at Small Scales

Dr. Chris Schuh (Thursday, March 28, 2019) Department head of Materials Science and Engineering, MIT 

Dr. Andres Arrieta (TBD) Assistant Professor, Purdue University https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME/People/ptProfile?resource_id=127238 

Fadi Abdeljawad and Kristen Grissom
Why Does My Chocolate Crumble? The "Metallurgy of Chocolate.
Tuesday, April 9, 2019, 1:00 pm, Fluor Daniel 132.
View Abstract

Fall 2018

Graduate seminar

Dr. Grant Mahler

Autonomous Vehicle Development at BMW

Friday, October 19th, 10 am Fluor Daniel 132.

Graduate seminar

Dr. Joseph Choma

Assistant Professor, School of Architecture

Friday, November 16th, 2:30 pm, Fluor Daniel 132

Graduate seminar

Dr. Yunyi Jia

Assistant Professor, Department of Automotive Engineering

Friday, November 30th, 2:30 pm, Fluor Daniel 132.

Spring 2018

Departmental Seminar

Fanjian Li

Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control
February 2nd, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Graduate seminar

Zhengshou Lai

February 5th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Faraz Ashtiani

Optimal Strategy for a Cycling Time Trail Considering Human Muscle Fatigue and Recovery Models
February 9th, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building 

Graduate seminar

Roland Platz

Prospects Of State Control Approaches To Gain Certitude In Structural Systems

February 16th, 1:30 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building

Graduate seminar

Xingchen Shao

February 12th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Allen Huang,

HEV Motor Cooling
February 16th, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Di Li


February 19th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building
Departmental Seminar

Devin Keck


February 26th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building
Departmental Seminar

Abby George,

Human Energy Harvesting
March 2nd, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Sai Kosaraju


March 5th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building
Departmental Seminar

Charles Wang,

Human-Machine Interface Design
March 9th, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Austin Dollar


March 12th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building 
Departmental Seminar

Doug Chickarello


March 26th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building
Departmental Seminar

Shervin Shoai Naini,

Active/Passive Cooling Concepts
March 30th, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Rucha Natu


April 2nd, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building
Departmental Seminar

Dr. Allison Beese

Additive manufacturing of metals: from monolithic structures to functionally graded components
April 6th, 1:30 pm, 132 Fluor Daniel.
Seminar Abstract

Departmental Seminar

Philippe Giguere,

Wind Turbine Drivetrain Testing
April 6th, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Kyle Yeomans


April 9th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building
Departmental Seminar

Dr. Marc Madou

Controlling Carbon 3D Shapes, Microstructure, and Function
April 13th, 1:30 pm, 132 Fluor Daniel.
Seminar Abstract

Departmental Seminar

Zaker Syed,

Adaptive Heat Exchanger Control
April 13th, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Senbagaraman Sudarsanam


April 16th, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building
Departmental Seminar

Minami Yoda

Near-Wall Dynamics of Colloidal Particles Subject to Shear Flow and Electric Field

April 20th, -- 1:30 - 2:45, Fluor Daniel Room 132

Departmental Seminar

Tyler Ward,

Compliant Mechanisms - Modeling and Control
April 20th, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Departmental Seminar

Longsheng Jiang


April 23rd, 3:00 pm in 132 Fluor Daniel Building
Departmental Seminar

Shahab Karimi,

Control and Dynamics of Vehicle
April 27th, 4:00 pm in 215 Fluor Daniel Building

Fall 2017

Departmental Seminar Dr. Brian Kirby, Hydrodynamic, acoustic, and electrokinetic tools for particle manipulation in microfluidic devices
Friday, November 3rd, 10:30-11:45 am, 132 Fluor Daniel.
Seminar Abstract
Departmental Seminar Shervin Shoai Naini, Ground Vehicle Cooling System with Thermal Bus
Friday, November 3rd, 4:00 pm, 215 Fluor Daniel.
Departmental Seminar Xiao Jia
Mon, November 6, 3 pm – 4 pm, Fluor Daniel 132
Departmental Seminar Zaker Syed, Engine Waste Heat Harvesting
Friday, November 10th, 4:00 pm, 215 Fluor Daniel.
Departmental Seminar APS DFD Practice Talk SPEAKERS: XINGCHEN SHAO, DI LI
Mon, November 13, 3 pm – 4 pm, Fluor Daniel 132

Departmental Seminar Jessica Manning, Optimal Control and Scheduling for Unmanned Vehicles
Friday, November 17th, 4:00 pm, 215 Fluor Daniel.
Departmental Seminar Sahand Sadeghi
HARNESSING THE QUASI-ZERO STIFFNESS CHARACTERISTIC FROM FLUIDIC ORIGAMI FOR VIBRATION ISOLATION, Mon, November 20, 3 pm - 4 pm, Fluor Daniel 132
Departmental Seminar Vijay Sreedhara
Mon, November 27, 3 pm – 4 pm, Fluor Daniel 132
Departmental Seminar Austin Dollar, Anticipative Automated Driving
Friday, Dec. 1st, 4:00 pm, 215 Fluor Daniel.

Dr. Paul Witherell, Sustainable Manufacturing Processes
October 13, 2017, 1:30 -2:30 pm Fluor Daniel room 132
Seminar Abstract

Spring 2017

Dr. Venkat Krovi, Automotive Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University
"A Distributed Robotic Systems Roadmap for Robotics & Automation Systems"
February 10, 2:30 PM

Fall 2016

Dr. Chris Hogan, Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota
"Aerosol Based Nanometrology: Applications in Nanomedicine and Macromolecular Analysis"
November 18, 1:30 PM

Dr. Margaret M. Wiecek, Department of Mathematical Sciences at Clemson University
"Robust Multiobjective Optimization for Decision Making under Uncertainty and Conflict"
October 24, 3:00 PM

Dr. Alexander Alexeev, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology
"Efficient swimming using oscillating flexible fins"
October 6, 2:30 PM

Dr. Martin Tanaka, Western Carolina University
"Biodynamics Research and Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Collaboration"
September 30, 3:00 PM

Spring 2016

Dr. Francis G. Spinale, USC School of Medicine
"Designing and Translating Novel Biomaterials for Cardiovascular Repair"
April 15, 2:30 PM

Dr. Hua Bao, University of Michigan - Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute
"Numerical Investigations of the Thermal Transport Properties at Micro/Nanoscale"
April 8, 2:30 PM

Dr. Yung C. Shin, Purdue University
"Lasers in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials Processing"
March 25, 2:30 PM

Fall 2015

Dr. John T. Wen, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
"Co-Robots: Collaborative, Assistive, Sensor-driven"
November 13, 1:30 PM

Spring 2015

Dr. Joshua B. Bostwick, Northwestern University
"Sessile drop dynamics"
May 11, 1:30 PM

Dr. Congrui Jin, Northwestern University
"Adhesion Selectivity via Complementarity"
May 4, 1:15 PM

Dr. Minh-Son Pham, Carnegie Mellon, and NIST
"Crystal Plasticity of Metallic Materials: Experimental Characterization and Constitutive Modeling"
April 30, 1:30 PM

Kai Yu, Georgia Institute of Technology
"Thermomechanical Behaviors of Shape Memory Polymers"
April 28, 2:00 PM

Garrett Pataky, University of Illinois at Champaign - Urbana
"Experimental Studies of Material Deformation and Fracture: Linking Deformation to the Microstructure"
March 30, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Jing Du, University of California
"Adhesion and Contact in Healthcare or Energy-Related Materials and Structures"
March 9, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Robert L. Jackson, Auburn University
"From Transmissions to Graphene: Leading Friction and Wear Research and Education into the Digital Age"
March 5, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Nichole Nadermann, National Institute of Standards and Technology
"Structuring soft materials for improved behaviors"
March 2, 2:00 PM
Seminar Abstract

Jarred Heigel, Ph.D. Candidate, Penn State University
"Additive Manufacturing: In situ measurement to improve process knowledge and validate models"
February 16, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Cameron Turner, Colorado School of Mines
"Complex Engineering Design Problems: The Past, Present and Future Application of Surrogate Approximation Models"
February 9, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Ashley Carson Brown, Georgia Tech
"Development of Microgel Systems for Evaluation and Modulation of Biological Responses"
February 5, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Weiwei Deng, University of Central Florida
"Droplet-based Additive Manufacturing"
February 2, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Dong Lin, Purdue University
"Improving fatigue performance of additive manufactured metal structures by ultra-stable microstructures"
January 29, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Gaurav Nilakantan, University of Southern California
"Challenges with the Predictive Modeling of Composite Armor, and Upcycling of Scrap Aerospace Prepreg"
January 27, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Jean-François Boujut, Grenoble Institute of Technology
"Studying Design and Designers"
January 23, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Fall 2014

Dr. R. Glynn Holt, Boston University
"Fire and Ice: Intense bubble dynamics at high pressure"
December 12, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Srikanth Pilla, Clemson University
"Sustainability in the Automotive Industry: Engineered Approaches using Renewable Materials and Green Manufacturing"
November 20, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Andres Arrieta, ETH Zurich
November 19, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Mr. Jakob Axel Bejbro Andersen, Denmark Technical University
"Design research at DTU"
September 15, 10:30 AM
Seminar Abstract

Spring 2014

Dr. Xiaopeng Qu, Duke University
"Jumping droplets: from self-cleaning to hotspot cooling"
May 20, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Ethan Kung, University of California San Diego
"Integration of Computational and Benchtop Experimental Engineering Methods in Cardiovascular Medicine"
May 16, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Mr. Xin Zhao, Purdue University
"Ultrashort Laser Pulse-Matter Interaction: Fundamentals and Novel Applications"
May 15, 1:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Oliver J. Myers, Mississippi State University
"Smart Materials Research"
April 14, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Ms. Shan Hu, University of Minnesota
"Nanotechnology for the Next Generation of Batteries, Supercapacitors, and Solar Cells"
April 4, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. John D. Williams, University of Alabama
"High Aspect Ratio Micro Systems Technologies (HARMST) and Work Toward a MEMS Oligo Synthesis Reactor"
March 31, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Minkyu Kim, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"Design & Characterization of Biopolymer Building Blocks: Toward Manufacturing Biopolymer-based Functional Materials"
March 26, 1:00 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Yuhang Hu, Harvard University
"Poroelastic materials: from fundamental mechanics to novel applications"
March 24, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Shuodao Wang, University of Illinois
"Mechanical Design and Fabrication Techniques for Bio-Electronic Systems"
March 10, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Mr. Ping Guo, Northwestern University
"Elliptical Vibration Texturing of Micro-Structured Functional Surfaces"
March 5, 2:00 PM
Seminar Abstract

Ms. Yayue “Anna” Pan, University of Southern California
"Research in Stereolithography based Additive Manufacturing and Thoughts on Next Generation Direct Digital Manufacturing"
March 3, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Hu Tao, Tufts University
"Advanced Materials and Manufacturing for Life Sciences"
January 31, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Fall 2013

Dr. Hsueh-Chia Chang, University of Notre Dame
"Perm-Selective Membranes as Ion-Current Molecular Sensors"
November 21, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. Andrea Prosperetti, Johns Hopkins University
"A physics-based approach to the numerical simulation of particulate flows"
October 18, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract

Dr. David H. Frakes, Arizona State University
"Toward Interventional Planning of Endovascular Therapies for Cerebral Aneurysms"
October 4, 2:30 PM
Seminar Abstract