College of Engineering News • Iowa State University

Transfer graduate student finds new home at Iowa State

Going from a smaller university in an urban area to a larger university in a smaller college town might have been difficult for some, but for mechanical engineering graduate student Murtaza “Murt” Zohair the transition was smooth. Zohair is from Aurora, Ill., part of the greater Chicago area. Growing up he was often reading books …Continue reading “Transfer graduate student finds new home at Iowa State”

Nanosurfactant discoveries appear in Nano Letters

Shan Jiang, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, and his team had research published in Nano Letters, a high-impact journal published by the American Chemical Society. The research is centered around the activation and creation of “Plasmonic-Magnetic Nanosurfactants for Encapsulation and Triggered Release.” The team behind the research includes postdoctoral research associates Fei Liu; …Continue reading “Nanosurfactant discoveries appear in Nano Letters”

Incoming ME professor brings energy research program to Iowa State

During an era before the internet, Cary Pint remembers building ham radio antennae and designing electrical systems that allowed the young broadcaster to communicate with people all over the world. Pint, who will join the mechanical engineering (ME) faculty at Iowa State University for the spring 2020 semester, said that working on this radio equipment …Continue reading “Incoming ME professor brings energy research program to Iowa State”

Shan Jiang’s Janus particle discovery lands Langmuir cover

Shan Jiang, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, led a discovery that made the cover of Langmuir. Jiang and his team investigated how amphiphilic Janus particle assembly structures are influenced by the addition of surfactant molecules. The research offers principles and guidance for future applications in coatings, biomedication, sensors and disease diagnosis.

Engineered nanoparticle discovery led by MSE’s Jiang makes cover of Nano Letters

Shan Jiang, assistant professor of material science and engineering, led a research group that created a novel Janus nanocrystal platform to control nanoparticle self-assembly. Janus particles are fundamental new materials, and Jiang’s discovery opens opportunities in different areas including energy, drug delivery, disease diagnosis and therapy. The results appear on the cover of the March issue of Nano Letters.

ME’s Gomes organizes USDA symposium

A mechanical engineering faculty member is part of a symposium that will focus on nanotechnology in food manufacturing. Carmen Gomes, an associate professor of ME, has helped to organize a symposium entitled Convergence of (nano)Technology and Food Manufacturing (CoNFoMA). The event, which will take place Sept. 8 and 9 on the University of Minnesota campus …Continue reading “ME’s Gomes organizes USDA symposium”

Engineers study nanodefects suspected of causing early failures of electrical materials

AMES, Iowa – Tiny defects in electrical insulating materials may lead to breakdowns, robbing the power grid and even cell phones of reliability and efficiency. Xiaoli Tan, an Iowa State University professor of materials science and engineering, is working to understand how those nanoscale defects, when subject to extreme electric fields, evolve into material failures. Those …Continue reading “Engineers study nanodefects suspected of causing early failures of electrical materials”

ME researcher aims to improve solar panels, batteries for wind energy storage

An ongoing research project by a mechanical engineering faculty member could lead to improved solar cells and better batteries for wind energy storage. Shan Hu, an assistant professor of ME, recently received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Hu is one of three ME researchers at Iowa State to receive the award …Continue reading “ME researcher aims to improve solar panels, batteries for wind energy storage”

Jiang lab helps industry develop biobased functional coatings using nanotechnology

Assistant Professor, Shan Jiang, one of Materials Science and Engineering’s newest faculty members, joined the department in 2016. Prior to becoming an assistant professor at Iowa State, Jiang spent three years working at The Dow Chemical Company as a project leader. His research was primarily focused on waterborne latex coating. Jiang brought a wealth of …Continue reading “Jiang lab helps industry develop biobased functional coatings using nanotechnology”

ME grad student gets funding to study microwave interaction with energetic material flames

Mechanical engineering graduate student Joel Lynch recently received a $2500 grant from the Iowa Space Grant Consortium to study the coupling of microwave fields with solid rocket propellant combustion. His current project is entitled “Modeling of Flames Seeded with Alkali Compounds under the Presence of Alternating Electric Fields.” The research is taking place within the …Continue reading “ME grad student gets funding to study microwave interaction with energetic material flames”

Welcome Back: Richard LeSar is the Interim Chair of MSE

Richard LeSar is no stranger to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering or to the role as department chair. His past experience opened the door to a short-term opportunity to lead the department as interim chair until the next full-time chair is hired. The former chair, Kristen Constant, resigned to become the interim vice …Continue reading “Welcome Back: Richard LeSar is the Interim Chair of MSE”

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