Engineering and Computing Annual Report 2014

Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Department Overview

The 2013-2014 year saw an increase in full time equivalents (FTEs), fundable student credit hours (FSCH), headcount and degrees awarded. One member of the faculty was recognized as fellow of his professional society. Our students and student societies won several awards. The department gained two new faculty members starting in fall 2013. Overall, the department met many of its target goals.

Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MME) saw a 20.7% increase from the previous academic year, 26.9% for the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and 10.8% for Mechanical Engineering (ME). The department exceeded the strategic target rate of 6%. Our student credit hours and FTEs increased by 3.4% and 4.0%, respectively, over last year. Over the last three years we have averaged a 6.5% increase both in FTE and FSCH, exceeding the target growth rate of 6%. The number of BSME students graduated remained at 80. The number of MSME students graduated increased from 8 to 16. Our goal is to increase the number of our masters and doctoral graduates.

The department faculty received external funding of about $0.8M and had a research expenditure of about $1.2M. Our faculty published two book chapters, three books, four monographs, 48 journal papers, 37 conference proceedings, and seven technical reports.

The department also saw a change in its leadership. Dr. Levy stepped down as department chair and Dr. Tansel was named interim chair, while a national search is underway.

Student and Faculty Highlights:

  • The Materials Advantage chapter at FIU won another Chapter of Excellence; this is the 8th out of the last 11 years that Materials Advantage has won.
  • Dr. Bao was hired as a new instructor for the department.
  • Dr. Reding joined the department as the new lab manager.
  • Drs. Wang has been notified that she have won awards for the fall 2013 Convocation. Dr. Wang was also chosen for the Educational Leadership Excellence (ELE) Program.
  • Dr. Sun won a CEC Faculty Council Teaching award and she has been awarded the 2014 FIU convocation award for Teaching
  • Dr. Tremante won the third place Award from Oderbrecht in 2013. Because of this he also won the FIU Sustainability Award. He was also shortlisted for the Oderbrecht 2014 award.
  • Dr. Bilal El-Zahab was notified that he was among the three finalists of the 2014 Oderbrecht award.
  • Department won one RUGS internal grant to enhance the graduate student experience through seminars. More than 12 esteemed scientists were sponsored by the grant.
  • Melissa Morris, a PhD. student and Dr. Tansel chaired the FCRAR conference in April 2014, representing FIU.
  • Our PhD student, Kamran Moradi, was a finalist for the MGH-APF/CIMIT Primary Care Prize
  • Dr. Debrupa Lahiri, a former MSE PhD student, received the 2013 Zwick Science Award

Fall Term Enrollment

Degrees Awarded

Sponsored Research Awards and Expenditures

Awards-Expenditures-MME