Mechanical Engineering
Faculty and Staff Directory
Leadership
Mohan Rao, Ph.D.
Chair of Mechanical Engineering; Professor
Research Interests: Vibrations; acoustics; noise control; damping design; sound quality and auditory engineering.
931-372-3254 | mrao@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 232 | Profile
Jie Cui, Ph.D.
Associate Chair of Mechanical Engineering; Professor
Research Interests: Computational fluid dynamics; turbulence modeling; large eddy simulation; numerical heat transfer; thermal fluids.
931-372-3357 | jiecui@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 231 | Profile
Professor
Stephen Canfield, Ph.D.
Professor
Research Interests: Robotics; dynamic modeling; compliant mechanisms; smart actuators; mechatronics.
931-372-6359 | scanfield@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 304 | Profile
Stephen Idem, Ph.D.
Professor
Research Interests: Scale model testing; fluid flow measurement; thermal modeling; fluid mechanics; heat transfer.
931-372-3607 | sidem@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 308 | Profile
Joseph C. Slater, Ph.D., P.E.
Dean of the College of Engineering; Professor of Mechanical Engineering
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.
931-372-3172 | jslater@tntech.edu | Clement Hall (CLEM) 201 | Profile
Ying Zhang, Ph.D.
Director of the Center for Manufacturing Research; Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Research Interests: Protective coatings; high-temperature materials; thermal barrier coatings (TBC); chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
931-372-3969 | yzhang@tntech.edu | Prescott Hall (PRSC) | Profile
Jiahong Zhu, Ph.D.
Professor
Research Interests: Solid oxide fuel cell; high-temperature materials; coatings; environmental effects in advanced materials; intermetallics.
931-372-3186 | jzhu@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 116 | ProfileAssociate Professor
Steven Anton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Energy harvesting; smart materials; piezoelectric sensing; biomedical sensing; robotics-based stem education; structural health monitoring; 3D printing.
931-372-3287 | santon@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 328 | Profile
Pingen Chen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Modeling and control of engine; emission control; automated and connected vehicles; electric vehicle control and optimization; nonlinear control and optimization.
931-372-3310 | pchen@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) | Profile
Bruce Jo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
bjo@tntech.edu | Profile
Ethan Languri, Ph.D., P.E.
Associate Professor
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.
931-372-6790 | elanguri@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 240 | Profile
Sally Pardue, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Random vibrations; modal analysis; non-destructive evaluation; machine design.
931-372-3309 | spardue@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 329 | Profile
Rory Roberts, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: transient model for propulsion; power and thermal systems for system design; optimization and control architecture development.
931-372-3260 | rroberts@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 312 | ProfileAssistant Professor
Ahmad Vaselbehagh, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Turbulence and vortex dynamics; renewable energy generation; energy storage: atmospheric flows; fluid-structure interactions.
931-372-6468 | avaselbehagh@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 322 | Profile
Peng Zhang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Computational fluid dynamics; experimental fluid and solid mechanics; fluid-structure interactions; multi-functional materials; optimal design
931-372-3323 | pzhang@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 329 | ProfileLecturer
William Brookshear, Ph.D.
Lecturer
Research Interests: Thermodynamics; fluids; heat transfer.
931-372-3272 | wbrookshear@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 110 | Profile
Tristan Hill
Lecturer
Research Interests: Robotics; programming; numerical modeling analysis; mechatronics; dynamics of machinery.
931-372-3732 | thill@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 305 | Profile
Andy Pardue, Ph.D.
Lecturer
Research Interests: Product design; engineering management; product analysis; numerical analysis.
931-372-6169 | bpardue@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 316 | ProfileAdjunct Faculty
Ahmed Abounassif, Ph.D.
Adjunct Faculty
Research Interests: Thermodynamics; fluid mechanics; heat transfer.
931-372-6028 | aabounassif@tntech.edu | Clement Hall (CLEM)316 | Profile
Staff
Lisa Meadows
Administrative Associate
931-372-3254 | lmeadows@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) | Profile
Chris Mills
Research and Development Engineer
931-372-3190 | cmills@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 126 | Profile
Jeff Randolph
Academic Support Associate
931-372-3289 | jrandolph@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 130 | Profile
Beth Smith
Outreach Coordinator
931-372-3275 | basmith@tntech.edu | Brown Hall (BRWN) 230 | Profile
