Research
The department has a proven record of outstanding research with strong inter-departmental and inter-school collaborations and is committed to increasing diversity among our faculty and graduate student populations. Our research programs have organically formed from our world-class faculty and include the core focus areas of: biomechanical engineering for health, cyber-physical systems and autonomy and sustainability in energy, manufacturing and transportation.
Our Research
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Aeronautics
Our faculty are leading pioneering research that is shaping the future of aeronautics. Their work spans high-speed aerodynamics, hypersonic thermal management, and fluid-structure interactions, with applications in both atmospheric and space flight.
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Biomechanics
From describing the dynamics of human motion, to studying crack propagation in bone, to developing better ways to predict injury risk in automobile collisions, biomechanics leverages the foundation provided by fundamental mechanical sciences, and builds off of that foundation adding complexities unique to physical biological systems.
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Data Analytics & AI
UVA mechanical and aerospace engineering faculty are advancing research at the intersection of data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and engineering applications. Their work encompasses the application of machine learning and Bayesian inference to accelerate the discovery of novel materials, including 2D materials and metallic alloys.
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Energy Sustainability
Our faculty are exploring innovative thermal management techniques, such as utilizing hyperbolic phonon-polaritons in hexagonal boron nitride to enhance heat transfer in electronic devices, thereby improving energy efficiency.
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Engineering Materials and Design
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High-Performance Computing
Our work spans the development of cutting-edge computational fluid dynamics algorithms for simulating complex, high-speed flows, and the creation of large-scale, parallelized frameworks for modeling plasma dynamics in space propulsion systems
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Gavin Garner Steps Into a Role That Just Feels Right: Director of Experiential Learning
Read NowMechanical and aerospace engineering professor will lend his considerable experience mentoring students to directing UVA Engineering’s experiential learning programs.
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Forging the Future: UVA’s Role in the Nuclear Fusion Revolution
Read NowUVA researchers are advancing materials, data science and technology to make nuclear fusion — a clean, limitless energy source — commercially viable and power a sustainable future.
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UVA Engineering Team Develops New Way to Build Soft Robots That Can Walk on Water
Read NowProfessor Baoxing Xu’s research group introduces an innovative fabrication method that uses water as a platform to create delicate films and devices for next-generation robotics and sensing.
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NASA Selects UVA Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Alum for Astronaut Candidate Class
Read NowCharlottesville-born Army officer and pilot Ben Bailey has his sights set on space.