Annual Report

Transformative States
Jerry Qi, alongside researchers from Georgia Tech and the Singapore University of Technology and Design, has demonstrated a four-dimensional printing technology, using components made from smart shape-memory materials with slightly different responses to heat, that allows the creation of complex self-folding structures.

Secrets Unveiled
Anna Erickson and researchers from Georgia Tech have demonstrated a low-energy nuclear reaction imaging technique designed to detect the presence of weapons-grade uranium and plutonium in cargo containers arriving at U.S. ports. 

Small Scale Measuring
Understanding where and how phase transitions occur is critical to developing new generations of materials used in high-performance batteries, sensors, energy-harvesting devices, medical diagnostic equipment and other applications. But until now, there was no good way to study and simultaneously map these phenomena at the relevant length scales. Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb and other researchers at Georgia Tech and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new nondestructive technque for investigating these material changes by examining the acoustic response at the nanoscale. 

Sewing Robots
Robots can do a lot of things - from moving boxes in warehouses to building cars in factories - but one task that has remained problematic is sewing clothes. Stephen L. Dickerson's company SoftWear is working on creating a robot that can master the art of the needle and learn to sew, a project that could have a huge effect on the global economy, and could prompt the return of clothing manufacturing to the U.S.

Powering the Future

Srinivas Garimella's research team has developed a textbook sized, self-contained cooling system that operates on waste heat instead of electricity.

Devesh Ranjan is among ME researchers working on major makeovers for power plants, introducing innovations that range from revamped power cycles to new infrastructure materials, such as steam being replaced with supercritical carbon dioxide as the working fluid to operate turbines and produce electricity.

Research conducted by Asegun Henry is paving the way for the development of real-world systems at costs competitive with fossil fuels.

Shannon Yee is developing a unique conversion engine with no moving parts that leverages the isothermal expansion of sodium and solar heat to directly generate electricity.

Alper Ertuk's research has been pioneering nonlinear dynamic designs to develop wideband piezoelectric energy harvesters, which convert mechanical strain from ambient vibrations into electricity, that operate over a broad range of frequencies.

Researchers led by Peter Loutzenhiser are leveraging solar energy to reverse the combustion process and produce synthesis gas which can be converted into fuels such as kerosene and gasoline.

Baratunde Cola's research team has developed the first known optica rectenna - a technology potentially more efficient than today's solar cells and less expensive.

Student Stories

CETL/BP Outstanding Teacher Award
ME graduate student Phil Varney was selected to receive the 2016 CETL/BP Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at Georgia Tech's Teaching Day. This award is the only Institute-wide recognition for teaching assistants and symbolizes Georgia TEch's commitment to promoting exemplary teaching.

20,000th Study Abroad Student
ME undergraduate Kyle Lucas was surprised with a free airline ticket after being named Georgia Tech's 20,000th Stud Abroad student, a milestone Georgia Tech's Office of International Education determined they would reach in 2016.

NSF Graduate Fellowships
Woodruff School graduate researchers Kenechi Agbim, Erik Anderson, Nicholas Bolus, Brett Klosterhoff, Shekaib Musa, Benjamin Musci, and Svetoslav Nikolov were awarded National Science Foundation 2016 Graduate Research Fellowships.

Alumni Stories

Forbes 30 Under 30 List
Emily Woods, ME '10, and Alec Manfre, ME '11, made the Forbes magazine 30 Under 30 List. The magazine annually selects "America's most important young entrepreneurs, creatvive leaders and brightest stars" and highlights their accomplisments.

ME Alumni Further Develpment of Integrated Energy Systems

The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has named Dr. Johney Green Jr., MSME '93, Ph.D. ME '00, as Associate Laboratory Director for Mechanical and Thermal Systems Engineering.

The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory unveiled an Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy demonstration, led by ORNL researcher Dr. Roderick Jackson, BSME '00, MSME '04, Ph.D. ME '05, combining clean energy technologies into a 3-D printed building and vehicle to showcase a new approach to energy use, storage, and consumption.