Aerospace and mechanical engineering research
Preparing the next generation of engineers who will keep the world running and flying.
The mechanical and aerospace engineering faculty members take a cross-disciplinary approach to research, exploring disciplines including heat transfer and thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and aerodynamics, structures and vibration, system dynamics and control, and design and manufacturing.
Our students, at all levels of education from undergraduate to graduate, conduct research through programs such as Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative and Master’s Opportunity for Research in Engineering.
Research areas
Research conducted in aerospace and mechanical engineering covers everything from developing new aviation technologies to investigating thermodynamics and structural mechanics.
Adaptive materials, structures and systems
Our faculty members study materials and systems that can change their properties in response to external conditions and engineer dynamic solutions.
Fluid and aeromechanics
MAE faculty members explore the behavior of fluids, like air and water, and their effects on objects, optimizing performance in systems such as aircraft and vehicles.
Design and manufacturing
By focusing on efficiency, functionality and scalability, faculty members and students bridge the gap between creative design and practical implementation.
Dynamics, controls and robotics
We’re developing intelligent robots through the integration of physics, computation and state of the art engineering.
Mechanical behavior and design of materials
ASU’s MAE faculty and students leverage the school’s technology to design custom materials, ensuring stronger and durable systems.
Thermal and solar energy
Our faculty members are harnessing heat and solar radiation to create sustainable energy solutions.
World-class faculty
Awards and recognitions
In 2024 alone, faculty members of the mechanical and aerospace engineering programs at ASU have earned four NSF CAREER Awards.
Wonmo Kang earned an NSF CAREER award for developing a manufacturing technique for materials with ultrahigh electrical conductivity properties
Kang’s goal is to create composites where copper and graphene form unbroken pathways for the electrical current to flow freely, thereby optimizing electrical conductivity.
Assistant Professor Beomjin Kwon earns NSF CAREER Award for visualizing heat transfer
Kwon received $540,000 over five years from the National Science Foundation to develop a technology to visualize how heat transfers in boiling fluid.
ASU researcher Xiangjia “Cindy” Li receives an NSF CAREER award for an electrically assisted multimaterial 3D printing approach
Li is developing a novel approach to printing 3D objects with complex designs using both metal and polymer materials.
Leixin Ma awarded Early-Career Research Fellowship from National Academies
Ma is researching real-time predictive models to improve offshore energy system safety and the well-being of coastal communities and ecosystems.
Associate Professor Kailong Jin earns NSF CAREER Award to explore polymer properties
Jin received $640,000 from the National Science Foundation to explore how polymers in plastics crystalize to advance degradable plastic alternatives over five years.
NSF CAREER award supporting Zhe Xu’s quest to advance cyber-physical systems to set the stage for societal benefits
The award will provide about $550,000 over five years to discover ways to maintain and improve the safety and reliability of autonomous vehicles and other robotic systems, thus reducing the risk of malfunctions and accidents.
Our faculty members
The mechanical and aerospace engineering programs at ASU are home to several distinguished faculty members conducting impactful research in various areas and have received prestigious recognitions, including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award and various national and internal awards.