Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Newsletter: August 2024

Message From the Chair

Welcome to the August issue of the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Newsletter!

As the new chair of the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department, I am thrilled to share the latest developments and exciting changes within our department. It's been just over a month since I stepped into this role, and our faculty and I see this transition as a golden opportunity to re-imagine and enhance our programs for the benefit of our students. We remain committed to providing an outstanding in-person experiential teaching experience, coupled with rich undergraduate and graduate research opportunities.

Over the summer, we were delighted to welcome Dr. Nick Tepylo, Dr. Chamara Herath, and Mr. Alex Jodoin to our faculty. Their expertise and enthusiasm are great additions to our team, and we eagerly anticipate the innovative contributions they will bring in the coming year.

In August, we are hosting several candidates for tenure-track positions in both Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. We invite all our readers to attend these seminars and share your valuable insights and opinions, as they are crucial to shaping the future of our department.

We are also excited to announce that a Clarkson team has been selected by NASA to compete in a challenge aimed at improving our capabilities for operating on the Moon, Mars and other planets. Additionally, we celebrate the honors received by our faculty members and alumni, which you can read about in this issue.

Finally, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Warm regards,

Marcias Martinez
Professor & Chair, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department

Clarkson Team Selected By NASA

Earth is positioned on the left of a graphic with a starry sky background on which is written Autonomy Augmented Unnamed Technology Operating in Navigating Objects of Mining Yield, under which is the logos for NASA and RASC-AL, along with the flags of the U.S., Australia and UAE, as well as logos for Clarkson University, RMIT University and Khalifa University

A Clarkson team was selected as a finalist to compete in one of NASA’s longest-running student challenges: the Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts – Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) competition. The competition fuels innovation and challenges teams to develop new concepts to improve our ability to operate on the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Read More About The Competition

Professor Is Top-10 Volunteer

Portrait of Craig Merrett holding a crystal plaque next to a large fan connected to a wind tunnel

Associate Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Craig Merrett has been recognized by Pathful Connect as one of its Top-10 Volunteers for 2023. Pathful Connect is an educational service provider that connects K-12 classrooms in remote or underserved areas with industry professionals across the country.
Read More About Pathful Connect

Mastorakos on Committee

Chest-up portrait of Ioannis Mastorakos in blue button-up sweater and checkered, open-collar shirt

Associate Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Ioannis Mastorakos has been appointed a voting member of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society Structural Materials Division Council. Council members work on the science and engineering of load-bearing materials.
Read More About This Appointment

Honorary Degree for MechE Alum

Hunter Peckham stands at a podium in regalia as he speaks to an audience not pictured

Mechanical Engineering alumnus P. Hunter Peckham '66, co-director of the MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree at Clarkson's spring commencement.
Read More About Hunter Peckham