Mechanical Engineering

Mohan Rao, Ph.D.
Chair for Mechanical Engineering and Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3254
Email: mrao@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 232
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Vibrations
• Acoustics
• Noise Control

• Damping Design
• Sound Quality and Auditory Engineering

Jie Cui, Ph.D.
Associate Chair for Mechanical Engineering and Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3357
Email: jiecui@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 231
Professional Information

Research Interests

Ahmed Abounassif, Ph.D.
Adjunct Faculty
Phone: (931) 372-6028
Email: aabounassif@tntech.edu
Office: Clement Hall, Room 314
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Thermodynamics
• Fluid Mechanics

• Heat Transfer

Steven Anton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3287
Email: santon@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 328
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Energy Harvesting
• Smart Materials
• Piezoelectric Sensing
• Biomedical Sensing

• Robotics-Based STEM Education
• Structural Health Monitoring
• 3D Printing

William Brookshear, Ph.D.
Lecturer
Phone: (931) 372-3272
Email: wbrookshear@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 316
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Thermodynamics
• Fluids  

• Heat Transfer

Stephen Canfield, Ph.D.
Professor
Phone: (931) 372-6359
Email: scanfield@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 304
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Robotics
• Dynamic Modeling
• Compliant Mechanisms

• Smart Actuators
• Mechatronics

Pingen Chen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3310
Email: pchen@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 211
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Modeling and Control of Engine
• Emission Control
• Automated and Connected Vehicles

• Electric Vehicle Control and Optimization
• Nonlinear Control and Optimization
• Energy Storage System

Tristan Hill
Lecturer
Phone: (931) 372-3732
Email: thill@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 305
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Robotics
• Programming
• Numerical Modeling Analysis

• Mechatronics
• Dynamics of Machinery

Stephen Idem, Ph.D.
Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3607
Email: sidem@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 308
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Scale Model Testing
• Fluid Flow Measurement
• Thermal Modeling

• Fluid Mechanics
• Heat Transfer

Bruce Jo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Phone: (931) 372-6403
Email: bjo@tntech.edu 
Office: Brown Hall, Room 317
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Fundamentals of Sensors and Signal Processing
• Aerodynamics Analysis and Control Allocation for New Concept Aircraft
• Morphing Structure & Control and their Applications

• Morphing Mechanism Design and Control
• Dynamics and their Applications
• Technology Development for Human Mimicking and Function Enhancement

Ethan Languri, Ph.D., P.E.
Associate Professor
Phone: (931) 372-6790
Email: elanguri@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 240
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Heat Transfer Study of Functionalized Nanodiamond Colloids
• Latent Thermal Energy Storage Systems
• Sustainable Evaporation in Porous Media

• Industrial Equipment Energy Efficiency Enhancement
• Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

Andy Pardue, Ph.D.
Lecturer
Phone: (931) 372-6169
Email: bpardue@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 311
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Product Design
• Engineering Management

• Product Analysis
• Numerical Analysis

Sally Pardue, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3309
Email: spardue@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 310
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Random Vibrations
• Modal Analysis

• Non-Destructive Evaluation
• Machine Design

Rory Roberts, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3260
Email: rroberts@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 221
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Transient Model for Propulsion
• Power and Thermal Systems for System Design

• Optimization and Control Architecture Development

Joseph C. Slater, Ph.D., P.E.
College of Engineering Dean and Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Phone: (931) 372-3172
Email: jslater@tntech.edu
Office: Clement Hall, Room 201
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Vibration of Structures and Machines
• Aeroelasticity
• Linear and Nonlinear System Identification
• Experimental Modal Analysis

• Nonlinear Dynamics
• Cyber Physical Systems
• Morphing Wing Control
• Turbomachinery Blade Vibration

Ahmad Vaselbehagh, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Phone: (931) 372-6468
Email: avaselbehagh@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 322
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Turbulence and Vortex Dynamics
• Renewable Energy Generation
• Energy Storage

• Atmospheric Flows
• Fluid - Structure Interactions

Peng Zhang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3323
Email: pzhang@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 329
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Computational fluid dynamics
• Experimental fluid and solid mechanics
• Fluid-structure interactions

• Multi-functional materials
• Optimal design

Ying Zhang, Ph.D.
Director for the Center for Manufacturing Research and Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Phone: (931) 372-3969
Email: yzhang@tntech.edu
Office: Prescott Hall, Room 229
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Protective Coatings
• High-Temperature Materials

• Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC)
• Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

Jiahong Zhu, Ph.D.
Professor
Phone: (931) 372-3186
Email: jzhu@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 116
Professional Information

Research Interests

• Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
• High-Temperature Materials
• Coatings

• Environmental Effects in Advanced Materials
• Intermetallics

Lisa Meadows
Administrative Associate - Mechanical Engineering
Phone: (931) 372-3254
Email: lmeadows@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 224
Professional Information

Chris Mills
Research and Development Engineer - College of Engineering
Phone: (931) 372-3190
Email: cmills@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 126
Professional Information

Jeff Randolph
Academic Support Associate - College of Engineering
Phone: (931) 372-3289
Email: jrandolph@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 130
Professional Information

Beth Smith
Outreach Coordinator - Mechanical Engineering
Phone: (931) 372-3275
Email: basmith@tntech.edu
Office: Brown Hall, Room 230
Professional Information

Ashley Wright

Financial Associate - College of Engineering

Phone: (931) 372-6354

Email: afwright@tntech.edu

Office: Brown Hall, Room 239

Professional Information