Engineering the Future: Steven Botwinik’s Trailblazing Journey at Lockheed Martin
The phrase “homegrown talent” is a familiar one to sports fans—and when it comes to Steven Botwinik, it applies equally well to aerospace engineering. From his beginnings as a University of Florida MAE student to his current role as Vice President of Advanced Programs Execution and Transition at Lockheed Martin’s Sand Lake Road facility, Botwinik has…
New 3D-printing method makes printing objects more affordable and eco-friendly
University of Florida engineers have developed a method for 3D printing called vapor-induced phase-separation 3D printing, or VIPS-3D, to create single-material as well as multi-material objects. Yong Huang, Ph.D., a professor in UF’s department of mechanical and aerospace engineering, said the printing process he and colleagues developed allows manufacturers to create custom-made objects economically and sustainably….
P.K. Yonge Robotics Team Receives NASA Sponsorship and Prestigious Award for Assistive Technology Work
The P.K. Yonge robotics team has once again showcased their exceptional talent and dedication, earning both the prestigious Inspiration Award and a sponsorship from NASA at the recent FIRST Robotics competition. The team, mentored by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida, has been making waves in the robotics community for…
Engineering students solve soldiers’ problem at lightning speed
It started as a class project for University of Florida senior engineering students, and it became a viable solution for soldiers who needed an easier, faster, and safer way to camouflage their vehicles on the battlefield.
Unlocking the mysteries of the solar eclipse
Few celestial events capture the imagination quite like a total solar eclipse, and the one on April 8 promises to be particularly remarkable. Alicia K. Petersen, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida, is shedding light on the significance of this upcoming cosmic phenomenon. “During a…
Making advances in space engineering
UF engineers collaborate to develop the next generation of space exploration It was 1969, and space was simple. Only a handful of countries had managed to launch satellites into orbit. Just two, the Soviet Union and the United States, were vying for supremacy. And the lunar surface belonged to America alone. Half a century later, dozens…
Dr. Xin Tang earns trio of federal grants
MAE professor Xin Tang won three significant awards selected nationwide this past year, receiving grant money from the National Institute of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). The NIH granted Tang a prestigious Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA R35), which essentially has the goal of increasing…
A Personalized Approach to Mentoring: Dr. Douglas Spearot Earns The 2023-2024 Herbert Wertheim Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award
In the academic realm, mentorship plays a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of researchers. Dr. Spearot, who has been an academic advisor for over 19 years, will receive the honored Herbert Wertheim Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award for the 2023-2024 academic year. Dr. Spearot practices a very personalized approach to mentoring, deviating from conventional group…
Together UF’s Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and Animal Sciences Departments are Creating a New Ruminant Digestion Simulation Apparatus for Cow Feedstuff Evaluation
ME Capstone students are collaborating with Dr. Antonio Faciola, an associate professor of animal sciences at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), to redesign legacy cow digestion simulators pivotal for ruminant nutrition research. This interdisciplinary partnership leverages the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department’s EML4502 course, taught by senior lecturer Dr. Matthew J. Traum. In…
Dr. Jing Pan earns National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award and grant
Dr. Jing Pan, a UF MAE professor, won a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation last month. This honor is the most prestigious award granted by the NSF, and comes with a federal research grant. Pan’s winning proposal was about developing a biosensing technology for monitoring chemicals and biomolecules in bodily fluids, such as blood,…