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Seismology and Resilient Infrastructure

10-10-14

Domniki Asimaki, Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, is interested in the behavior of geotechnical systems under the influence of forces such as wind, waves, and seismological activity. Using this information, she hopes to make predictive computer models that can lead to the design of an infrastructure that is resilient to natural and man-made hazards. Her work also relates to the harvesting of wind energy and she explains, “People like myself with an engineering background, but also with scientific curiosity, can work in areas like this and set the performance and design standards from scratch. But because the energy-harvesting industry is just starting out, we need to make it innovative while still financially feasible.” [Interview with Professor Asimaki] [ENGenious article]

Tags: research highlights MCE Domniki Asimaki

Professor Andrade Elected to Engineering Mechanics’ Board of Governors

09-25-14

José E. Andrade, Professor of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, has been elected as a member of the Board of Governors for the Engineering Mechanics Institute (EMI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) . The goal of the EMI is to stimulate and support mechanics-related activities by enabling new technologies, developing rational and quantitative decision-making paradigms, advancing mechanics as a science, and playing key roles in the education of university students and practicing engineers.

Tags: honors MCE Jose Andrade

Professor Greer Awarded the Kavli Early Career Lecture in Nanoscience

09-23-14

Julia R. Greer, Professor of Materials Science and Mechanics, has been awarded the Kavli Early Career Lecture in Nanoscience. This honor recognizes significant novel contributions to materials science by a young researcher in the early stages of her career. Professor Greer’s nomination emphasized her creative, ingenious, and elegant work in nanoscience.

Tags: APhMS honors MCE Julia Greer

Ceramics Don't Have To Be Brittle

09-11-14

Julia R. Greer, Professor of Materials Science and Mechanics, and her colleagues are on the path to developing materials that possess unheard-of combinations of properties. "Ceramics have always been thought to be heavy and brittle," says Professor Greer. "We're showing that in fact, they don't have to be either. This very clearly demonstrates that if you use the concept of the nanoscale to create structures and then use those nanostructures like LEGO to construct larger materials, you can obtain nearly any set of properties you want. You can create materials by design." 

Tags: APhMS research highlights MCE Julia Greer

Caltech Engineering Ranks High on U.S. News Best Grad Schools List

09-11-14

Caltech’s undergraduate and graduate engineering programs have been ranked fourth in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Engineering graduate programs ranked very well with second in aerospace / aeronautical / astronautical, third in mechanical, third in applied math, fourth in electrical / electronic / communications, sixth in materials, and eight in environmental / environmental health. [All 2015 Caltech Rankings]

Tags: APhMS EE GALCIT MCE CMS ESE Graduate school rankings

Professor Frank Marble Passes Away

08-12-14

Frank E. Marble, Richard L. and Dorothy M. Hayman Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Jet Propulsion, Emeritus, passed away on August 11, 2014 at age 96. He has made pioneering contributions to combustion in jet propulsion systems, flame stabilization, and propagation of acoustic waves. [Caltech Obituary] [Frank E. Marble Lecture in Aerospace]

Tags: GALCIT MCE EAS history Frank E. Marble

Professor Iwan Honored by Earthquake Engineering Research Institute

08-07-14

Wilfred Iwan, Professor of Applied Mechanics, Emeritus, has been selected as an honorary member of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). Honorary memberships are awarded in recognition of sustained and outstanding contributions to the field of earthquake engineering. Professor Iwan’s research focuses on fundamental areas of mechanics, understanding and characterization of strong earthquake ground motion, analysis and monitoring of the response of structural systems subjected to extreme events, and public policy regarding disasters.

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Tags: honors research highlights MCE Wilfred Iwan

Sink or Swim: Students Prticipate in RoboSub Competition

08-04-14

For the past year, a team of Caltech students, advised by Professor Joel Burdick, met at the campus pool on Sunday afternoons to prepare for the 17th Annual International RoboSub Competition. These members of the Caltech Robotics Team carefully crafted and optimized their robotic submarine named Bruce. Bruce was programmed to perform tasks such as pulling a lever, parking between two poles, and shooting little torpedoes at a target without the help of a human operator. At the competition the Caltech team received the judges' award for Best New Entry. [Caltech release]

Tags: MCE CMS Joel Burdick

Graduate Student Wins Young Stress Analyst Competition

07-17-14

Mechanical and civil engineering graduate student Ryan Hurley who works with Professor José Andrade has won the BSSM (British Society for Strain Measurement) Young Stress Analyst Competition at the 16th International Conference on Experimental Mechanics (ICEM.16). The competition is an annual competition that is intended to encourage and reward young practitioners in the field of experimental mechanics. Ryan was among six finalists representing universities in Belgium, Poland, France, and the USA, who were selected from 34 applications by a panel of experts. The finalists presented their work during the ICEM.16 conference and were judged by a panel of leading researchers. [YSA Competition Information]

Tags: honors MCE Jose Andrade Ryan Hurley

Professor Ravichandran and Team Receive Best Paper in Strain Award

07-14-14

Guruswami (Ravi) Ravichandran, John E. Goode, Jr. Professor of Aerospace and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, as well as Director of GALCIT and former members of his group have received a Journal Strain Best Paper Prize.  The paper is titled Three-dimensional Displacement and Shape Measurement with a Diffraction-assisted Grid Method. The award winning team consisted of a high school student intern, a visiting undergraduate student researcher, a graduate student, a postdoctoral scholar, and a faculty member.

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Tags: honors GALCIT MCE Guruswami Ravichandran Jacob Notbohm Alexandros Rosakis Satoshi Kumagai Shuman Xia