Indicators of Quality

• Engineering Mechanics and Nuclear Engineering rank in Top 5 programs
• Three National Academy of Engineering members
• Three Wisconsin Distinguished Professors
• Five named professorships

Areas of Emphasis in the Graduate Program

Mechanics of Materials

(Professors M. Allen, Blanchard, Bonazza, Carpick, Crone, Drugan, Kammer, Lakes, Malkus, Plesha, Smith, Waleffe, Witt). Engineering Mechanics concerns the fundamental study of force, stress, deformation, and motion as applied to engineering materials and structures. Research is conducted with a wide range of experimental, computational, and theoretical techniques. Materials and structures under study include shape memory alloys, nanostructured films, biomaterials, bone and soft tissue, geomaterials, space structures, viscoelastic liquids, and fiber-reinforced composites. Close collaboration with the departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering are emphasized.

Nuclear Systems Engineering

(Professors T. Allen, Bier, Blanchard, Bonazza, Corradini, Henderson, Kulcinski, Moses, Pfotenhauer, Wilson, Witt). Nuclear Systems Engineering emphasizes research in radiation transport and neutronics, materials science and engineering, and thermal-hydraulics, as well as risk analysis and systems integration studies for fission reactors, fusion systems, and medical applications of nuclear technology. These efforts are conducted in bench-top labs as well as large-scale experimental facilities in combination with theoretical and computational modeling. Close collaboration with the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Medical Physics are emphasized in student, research scientist and faculty teams.

Plasma Science and Engineering

(Professors Callen, Fonck, Hegna, Hershkowitz, Moses, Sovinec, Volpe). Plasma Science and Engineering emphasizes high-temperature plasmas for fusion energy applications (both magnetic and inertial), low-temperature plasmas for industrial applications, such as plasma processing and plasma-aided manufacturing, and basic plasma physics. The research carried out is both experimental and theoretical/computational. Close collaboration with the Departments of Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering are emphasized. UW-Madison has one of the largest and most highly regarded plasma physics program in the U.S.

Research Centers/Facilities

Centers, research groups in the department, and interdepartmental research centers and facilities in which the department faculty have a significant involvement include the following:

• Applied Superconductivity Center
• Center for Human Performance and Risk Analysis
• Center for Mathematical Sciences
• Center for Plasma-Aided Manufacturing
• Center for Plasma Theory and Computation
• Fusion Technology Institute
• Materials Research Science and Engineering Center
• Materials Science Center
• Materials Science Program
• Materials and Mechanics Research Group
• Pegasus Plasma Experiment
• Rheology Research Center
• Synchrotron Radiation Center
• UW Nuclear Reactor
• Wisconsin Institute of Nuclear Systems
• Wisconsin Plasma Processing and Technology Research Consortium
• Wisconsin Shock Tube
• Wisconsin Structures and Materials Testing Laboratory

Further information about these centers can be found on the department website: www.engr.wisc.edu/ep/research.

Faculty and their Research Areas

Copyright 2009 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System Date last modified: 05-Dec-2008 07:50:03 Date created: 29-Oct-2002 Content by: ep@engr.wisc.edu Accessibility Web services