Dear Colleagues:

We would like to invite you to submit an abstract for the 2012 ASME
IMECE in Houston, to be held November 9-15, 2012.  Our minisymposium
is on "Multiphysics Simulations and Experiments for Solids", and is the
continuation of a very successful minisymposium held for the past 5 years
that have resulted in more than 40 presentations at the 2009, 2010 and 2011 IMECE conferences.  This year's focus areas
are:

1.Multiphysics modeling, simulation and experiments of electromechanical materials and systems

2.Multiphysics modeling, simulation  and experiments of optomechanical materials and systems

3.Multiphysics modeling, simulation and experiments of biomechanical materials and systems

4.Multiphysics modeling, simulation and experiments of thermomechanical materials and systems

5.Multiphysics modeling, simulation and experiments of fracture in solids

6.Multiphysics modeling, simulation and experiments of coupled diffusion and deformation in solids

Abstracts can be submitted at the conference website:  (http://www.asmeconferences.org/Congress2012/Login.cfm)
where our minisymposium is Track 9-32.  Please note that the abstract
submission deadline is fast approaching, February 27, 2012.

Sincerely,

Gang Li, Harold Park, H. Eliot Fang, Hanqing Jiang, Aman Haque, Dong Qian and Albert To

Dear Colleagues:

We are happy to announce a minisymposium to be held at the 2012 ASME IMECE in Houston (November 9-15) entitled "Symposium on Multiscale Computational Mechanics:  Bridging Scales and Physics in Honor of Prof. Wing Kam Liu's 60th Birthday".  

As a world-renowned scholar in the field of computational mechanics, Professor
Liu has made fundamental contributions to nonlinear finite element methods and
pioneering work in meshfree particle methods, multiple scale analysis and
multiresolution methods, and coupling of atomistic with continuum simulations.
To reflect these important contributions, the major theme of this symposium is to
address topics in multiscale modeling and simulation of multiphysical phenomena
involved in modern engineering applications.  Contributions from all aspects related to this major theme
are invited. In addition, we welcome work that presents validation, verification,
and uncertainty quantification of the multiscale methodology through analytical
and experimental work.

Abstracts can be submitted until February 27, 2012, at the following website:

http://www.asmeconferences.org/Congress2012/Login.cfm

where the Liu minisymposium is 9-12.

Best regards from the symposium co-organizers:

Professor Shaofan Li, UC Berkeley

Professor Albert To, University of Pittsburgh

Professor Sukky Jun, University of Wyoming

Professor Harold Park, Boston University

Professor Lucy Zhang, RPI

Professor Yaling Liu, Lehigh University

Dr. Gregory Wagner, Sandia National Lab

Professor Eduard Karpov, University of Illinois

Professor Dong Qian, University of Cincinnati

We presenta three-dimensional nonlinear finite
element formulation for dielectric elastomers.  The mechanical and electrical governing equations are solved
monolithically using an implicit time integrator, where the governing finite
element equations are given for both static and dynamic cases.  By accounting for inertial terms in
conjunction with the Arruda-Boyce rubber hyperelastic constitutive model, we demonstrate
the ability to capture the various modes of inhomogeneous deformation,
including pull-in instability and wrinkling, that may result in dielectric
elastomers that are subject to various forms of electrostatic loading.  The formulation presented here forms
the basis for needed computational tools that can elucidate the
electromechanical behavior and properties of dielectric elastomers that are
used for engineering applications.

 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2012.04.031>

Recently published in JMPS:

<http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2012.07.009>

In the past 5 or so years, analytical studies of surface effects on the mechanical properties of nanostructures such as nanowires have been performed predominantly using one-dimensional models like the Young-Laplace model.   While many such analytical studies have been performed, what has been lacking until now is a systematic study of such analytical models as compared to benchmark atomistic studies for a range of nanomechanical boundary value problems. 

This work performs such a study, and also develops a new theoretical model to calculate the flexural rigidity of nanowires from three-dimensional elasticity theory that incorporates the effects of surface stress and surface elasticity.  It is very similar to a seminal work by Dingreville et al <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2005.02.012>, but is different in that it incorporates, through the second moment, the heterogeneous nature of elasticity across the nanowire cross section due to the effects of free surfaces.  We use this approach to study the boundary value problems of surface-stress-induced axial relaxation, transverse vibrations and buckling.  The benchmark comparisons demonstrate the need for a three-dimensional continuum formulation while pointing out the errors introduced by taking a one-dimensional model.  

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is accepting applications for the position of Department Chair and Professor, with tenure, starting ideally by September 1, 2013.

The Department currently has 42 primary faculty members (35 tenured or on tenure track), with many holding secondary appointments in other departments and divisions within the College. Undergraduate and graduate enrollments are approximately 500 and 150 respectively. ME faculty also advise almost 100 graduate students enrolled in programs based in other departments and the divisions. Our BS degree in ME allows for optional departmental concentrations in aerospace engineering and manufacturing engineering and college-wide concentrations in energy technologies, nanotechnology, and technology innovation. At the graduate level, the ME Department offers research and professional masters degrees in both mechanical and manufacturing engineering and the PhD in mechanical engineering.

Boston University has made a long-term commitment to the development of the College of Engineering and that commitment is having results. The College is ranked 38th in the nation (USN&WR) and 21st in research funding per faculty. With annual expenditures of over $8 million, the ME Department’s research focus areas include: robotics, control, MEMS and nanotechnology, physical and biomedical acoustics, materials science and engineering, energy and energy systems (including thermofluid sciences), micro-fluidics, biomechanics, advanced manufacturing technologies and computational mechanics. The portfolio is strengthened by the department’s affiliation with the Division of Materials Science and Engineering, the Division of Systems Engineering, the Fraunhofer USA Center for Manufacturing Innovation, the Center for Information and Systems Engineering, and the Photonics Center.

The successful candidate will have an earned doctorate and be internationally recognized for research excellence, leadership and scholarship in mechanical engineering or a related discipline. Additionally, s/he will have a sound vision for the future of the Department and the disciplines it represents, the skill to lead and advance a research-oriented department, the ability to both recruit and mentor exceptional junior faculty, and a passion for educational excellence at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The new Chair will be expected to oversee the hiring of multiple new faculty members over the next five years as one aspect of implementing their vision for the future. The Department is particularly interested in a leader who will further strengthen the graduate program through an environment that fosters interdisciplinary research and industry collaboration. More information on the Department can be found at (http://www.bu.edu/me/)

 
Applications will be considered until the search committee has identified a suitable list of viable candidates. It is unlikely that applications received after January 15 will be considered. Applicants should submit an electronic dossier that includes a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the names and addresses of at least six references to: (mechairsearch@bu.edu)

Boston University is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.

Recently accepted for publication in Soft Matter:

(http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2013/SM/C2SM27375F)

(http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c2sm27375f)

We present a computational study of the effects of viscoelasticity on the electromechanical behavior of dielectric elastomers. A dynamic, finite deformation finite element formulation for dielectric elastomers is developed that incorporates the effects of viscoelasticity using the nonlinear viscoelasticity theory previously proposed by Reese and Govindjee. The finite element model features a three-field Q1P0 formulation to alleviate volumetric locking effects caused by material incompressibility. We apply the formulation to first perform a fundamental examination of the effects of the viscoelastic deviatoric and volumetric response on dielectric elastomers undergoing homogeneous deformation. Specifically, we evaluate the effects of the shear and bulk relaxation times on the electromechanical instability, and demonstrate that while the bulk relaxation time has a negligible impact, the shear relaxation time substantially increases the critical electric field needed to induce electromechanical instability. We also demonstrate a significant increase in the critical voltage needed to induce electromechanical instability in the presence of a distribution of relaxation times, compared to a single relaxation time, where the former is more representative of viscoelastic behavior of polymers. We then study the effects of viscoelasticity on crack-like electromechanical instabilities that have recently been observed in constrained dielectric films with a small hole containing a conductive liquid. Viscoelasticity is shown again to not only significantly increase the critical electric field to induce the electromechanical instability, but also to substantially reduce the crack propagation speeds in the elastomer.

<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045782513000790>

We present a dynamic finite element formulation for dielectric elastomers that significantly alleviates the problem of volumetric locking that occurs due to the incompressible nature of the elastomers.  We accomplish this by modifying the Q1P0 formulation of Simo et al., and adapting it to the electromechanical coupling that occurs in dielectric elastomers.  We demonstrate that volumetric locking has a significant impact on the critical electric fields that are necessary to induce electromechanical instabilities such as creasing and cratering in dielectric elastomers, and that the locking effects are most severe in problems related to recent experiments that involve significant constraints upon the deformation of the elastomers.  We then compare the results using the new Q1P0 formulation to that obtained using standard 8-node linear and 27-node quadratic hexahedral elements to demonstrate the capability of the proposed approach.  Finally, direct comparison to the recent experimental work on the creasing instability on dielectric polymer surface by Wang et al. is presented.  The present formulation demonstrates good agreement to experiment for not only the critical electric field for the onset of the creasing instability, but also the experimentally observed average spacing between the creases.

<http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl4007112>

Strain, bending rigidity, and adhesion are interwoven in determining how
graphene responds when pulled across a substrate. Using Raman
spectroscopy of circular, graphene-sealed microchambers under variable
external pressure, we demonstrate that graphene is not firmly anchored
to the substrate when pulled. Instead, as the suspended graphene is
pushed into the chamber under pressure, the supported graphene outside
the microchamber is stretched and slides, pulling in an annulus.
Analyzing Raman G band line scans with a continuum model extended to
include sliding, we extract the pressure dependent sliding friction
between the SiO2 substrate and mono-, bi-, and trilayer
graphene. The sliding friction for trilayer graphene is directly
proportional to the applied load, but the friction for monolayer and
bilayer graphene is inversely proportional to the strain in the
graphene, which is in violation of Amontons’ law. We attribute this
behavior to the high surface conformation enabled by the low bending
rigidity and strong adhesion of few layer graphene.

Recently accepted for publication in JMPS:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022509613000884

We present a surface stacking fault (SSF) energy approach to predicting defect nucleation from the surfaces of surface-dominated nanostructure such as FCC metal nanowires.  The approach leads to a criteria that predicts the initial yield mechanism via either slip or twinning depending on whether the unstable twinning energy or unstable slip energy is smaller as determined from the resulting SSF energy curve.  The approach is validated through a comparison between the SSF energy calculation and low-temperature classical molecular dynamics simulations of copper nanowires with different axial and transverse surface orientations, and cross sectional geometries.  We focus on the effects of the geometric cross section by studying the transition from slip to twinning previously predicted in moving from a square to rectangular cross section for <100>/{100} nanowires, and also for moving from a rhombic to truncated rhombic cross sectional geometry for <110> nanowires.  We also provide the important demonstration that the criteria is able to predict the correct deformation mechanism when full dislocation slip is considered concurrently with partial dislocation slip and twinning.  This is done in the context of rhombic aluminum <110> nanowires which do not show a tensile reorientation due to full dislocation slip.  We show that the SSF energy criteria successfully predicts the initial mode of surface-nucleated plasticity at low temperature, while also discussing the effects of strain and temperature on the applicability of the criterion.  

I am looking to recruit a new PhD student in the area of computational modeling of soft active materials.  The position will begin as early as January 2014, or alternatively in September 2014.  Requirements for this position including the ability to program in C++, knowledge of nonlinear finite element methods and continuum mechanics, and a good background in solid mechanics.  If interested, please contact me at parkhs(at)bu.edu, with a copy of a CV and a description of your previous research experience.

Related research that I have done on this topic can be found at this weblink:

http://people.bu.edu/parkhs/soft_materials_papers.html

The Department of Mechanical Engineering invites outstanding applicants in all areas of
Mechanical Engineering for tenure-track positions at the level of Assistant Professor beginning
Fall 2014. The Department of Mechanical Engineering is multi-disciplinary with strong research
programs in Biomechanics, Robotics and Control, MEMs and Nanotechnology, Thermo-fluid
Sciences and Energy, Bioacoustics, and Materials. The department is further strengthened by its
affiliation with the Photonics Center, the Division of Materials Science and Engineering, The
Division of Systems Engineering, and the Fraunhofer USA Center for Manufacturing Innovation.
Both the Department and College are implementing ambitious ten-year plans, in line with Boston
University’s commitment as a top-tier research university engaged in substantial growth in the
coming years.

Interested candidates should have a Ph.D. degree in a relevant field of engineering or applied
science, and should have a demonstrated ability to sustain a funded research program. The
applicant should be able to contribute to the graduate and undergraduate programs in Mechanical
Engineering. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

The ME department has 43 primary faculty members (35 tenured or on the tenure-track), many of
whom hold secondary appointments in other Departments and Divisions within the College.
Undergraduate and graduate enrollments are approximately 500 and 150 respectively. ME
faculty also advise almost 100 graduate students enrolled in programs based in other Departments
and the Divisions. Our B.S. degree in ME allows for optional departmental concentrations in
aerospace engineering and manufacturing engineering and college-wide concentrations in energy
technologies, nanotechnology, and technology innovation. At the graduate level, the ME
Department offers a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and research, and professional Masters
degrees in both mechanical and manufacturing engineering.

The application deadline is January 1, 2014; however, review of applications will begin
immediately so applicants are encouraged to apply early.

For additional information and for instructions on how to apply, please go to:

https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/3292

Boston University and the Department of Mechanical Engineering are Equal Opportunity,
Affirmative Action employers.

Dear Mechanics Colleagues:

We invite you to submit an abstract to a minisymposium on "Nano and Bio Mechanics" for the 2014 USNCTAM, June 15-20, 2014, to be held at Michigan State University. This minisymposium will focus on the development and application of
both experimental techniques and computational models and methods to
problems of interest in the fields of nano and bio mechanics. Topics of
interest will include, but are not limited to:

1. Deformation and fracture mechanisms in nano and bio materials.
2. Coupling of physics (electromechanical, thermomechanical) in bio and nano materials.
3. Development and application of atomistic and multiscale models for bio and nanostructures.
4. Mechanics and Physics of Biological Cells.
5. Cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions.
6. Advances in experimental techniques for biomechanical testing across the micro and millimeter scales.

Abstract submission can be done online here:  https://www.egr.msu.edu/conference/

The "Nano and Biomechanics" minisymposium is being held under the "Biomechanics" technical track.  Abstracts are due by December 1, 2013.

With best regards, the organizers:

Harold Park

Taher Saif

Horacio Espinosa

Dear Mechanics Colleagues:

A pleasant reminder that we invite you to submit an abstract to a minisymposium on "Nano and Bio
Mechanics" for the 2014 USNCTAM, June 15-20, 2014, to be held at
Michigan State University. This minisymposium will focus on the
development and application of
both experimental techniques and computational models and methods to
problems of interest in the fields of nano and bio mechanics. Topics of
interest will include, but are not limited to:

1. Deformation and fracture mechanisms in nano and bio materials.
2. Coupling of physics (electromechanical, thermomechanical) in bio and nano materials.
3. Development and application of atomistic and multiscale models for bio and nanostructures.
4. Mechanics and Physics of Biological Cells.
5. Cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions.
6. Advances in experimental techniques for biomechanical testing across the micro and millimeter scales.

Abstract submission can be done online here:  https://www.egr.msu.edu/conference/

The "Nano and Biomechanics" minisymposium is being held under the
"Biomechanics" technical track.  Abstracts are due by December 1, 2013.

With best regards, the organizers:

Harold Park

Taher Saif

Horacio Espinosa

Surface Plasmon Resonance-Induced Stiffening of Silver Nanowires

http://www.nature.com/srep/2015/150529/srep10574/full/srep10574.html

We report the results of a computational, atomistic electrodynamics study of the effects of electromagnetic waves on the mechanical properties, and specifically the Young's modulus of silver nanowires.  We find that the Young's modulus of the nanowires is strongly dependent on the optical excitation energy, with a peak enhancement occurring at the localized surface plasmon resonance frequency.  When excited at the plasmon resonance frequency, the Young's modulus is found to increase linearly with increasing nanowire aspect ratio, with a stiffening of nearly 15% for a 2 nm cross section silver nanowire with an aspect ratio of 3.5.  Furthermore, our results suggest that this plasmon resonance-induced stiffening is stronger for larger diameter nanowires for a given aspect ratio. Our study demonstrates a novel approach to actively tailoring and enhancing the mechanical properties of metal nanowires.

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

If you plan on attending the 2016 WCCM (July 24-29, 2016) in Seoul, Korea, please consider giving a talk in our mini symposium on “Nanomechanics”, MS 522.  You can register and submit an abstract at the link below:

http://wccm2016.org/sub/sub05_.asp?menu=4

The abstract submission deadline is November 30, 2015.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Best regards,

Harold Park (Boston University, USA)

Sung Youb Kim (UNIST, Korea)

The Poisson's ratio characterizes the resultant strain in the lateral direction for a material under longitudinal deformation.  Though negative Poisson's ratios (NPR) are theoretically possible within continuum elasticity, they are most frequently observed in engineered materials and structures, as they are not intrinsic to many materials.  In this work, we report NPR in single-layer graphene ribbons, which results from the compressive edge stress induced warping of the edges. The effect is robust, as the NPR is observed for graphene ribbons with widths smaller than about 10 nm, and for tensile strains smaller than about 0.5%, with NPR values reaching as large as -1.51.  The NPR is explained analytically using an inclined plate model, which is able to predict the Poisson's ratio for graphene sheets of arbitrary size.  The inclined plate model demonstrates that the NPR is governed by the interplay between the width (a bulk property), and the warping amplitude of the edge (an edge property), which eventually yields a phase diagram determining the sign of the Poisson's ratio as a function of the graphene geometry.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b00311

Two-Dimensional (2D) materials have been widely studied since the discovery of graphene in 2004.  Many of the initial works on the various 2D materials (graphene, MoS2 and other transition metal dichalcogenides, black phosphorus, and others like the monochalcogenides) by mechanicians focused on issues like ideal strength, and appropriate methods to calculate the bending modulus.  Some of these, and other issues, were reviewed by Sulin Zhang in a J-Club from March 2015 (http://imechanica.org/node/17999).  That was a nice J-Club that focused on 2D membranes, both crystalline and biological. 

For this J-Club, I wish to focus the discussion entirely on crystalline two-dimensional materials.  In particular, I hope that by giving contemporary examples below of how mechanicians are contributing to this field, this might stimulate discussion as to how our community can continue to contribute and advance this field in the future.

TOUGHENING/STRENGTHENING/MECHANICAL PROPERTY ENHANCEMENT

One pressing mechanical issue for graphene is that it is brittle, with little toughness beyond the yield point.  One recent approach for significantly increasing its toughness is to combine topological defects, like disclinations and dislocation, and curvature : (http://appliedmechanics.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/article.aspx?articleid=2208390, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022509614000386, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352431614000182)

Other researchers have been successful in dramatically increasing graphene’s stretchability by different forms of patterning.  Examples including cutting, or kirigami

 (http://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.90.245437), or introducing large scale voids in a nanomesh pattern (http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/apl/104/17/10.1063/1.4874337).

In addition to finding engineering solutions to existing mechanical property deficiencies, there exist many opportunities to discover and explain novel mechanical behavior and properties that may be intrinsic to 2D materials.  Examples include auxetic behavior in single-layer black phosphorus (http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140818/ncomms5727/full/ncomms5727.html) and graphene nanoribbons (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b00311), and novel defect mechanisms like ripplocations (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl5045082), grain boundary engineering (http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v11/n9/abs/nmat3370.html), and nonlinear mechanical behavior (http://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.87.035423).

STRAIN ENGINEERING

Another area that has gained significant interest recently is that of elastic strain engineering, where mechanical strain is used to tailor, or enhance or physical properties.  Examples include thermal conductivity (http://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.81.245318 and http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-4484/22/10/105705/meta), electromechanics (http://science.sciencemag.org/content/336/6088/1557.full and http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nn301320r), bandgap tuning for optoelectronics and photovoltaics (http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/v6/n12/abs/nphoton.2012.285.html), and optics (http://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.87.155304).

Of these areas involving strain, one promising avenue is the generation of pseudomagnetic fields in graphene, which occur due to strain gradients, and which result in pseudomagnetic fields measured experimentally (http://science.sciencemag.org/content/329/5991/544) and predicted theoretically to approach hundreds of Teslas, which is much larger than, for example, Earth’s magnetic field, which is on the order of 10-6 Teslas.  Mechanics insight has recently been used to propose a feasible approach to generation of constant pseudomagnetic fields in graphene (http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.245501).

ADHESION/FRICTION

Mechanics researchers have also contributed substantially to understanding the interactions between 2D materials and substrates, in the form of adhesion and friction, as most applications involving 2D materials will involve a substrate of some kind.  Relevant issues are that of substrate roughness (http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/jap/107/12/10.1063/1.3437642) and morphology (http://iopscience.iop.org/0022-3727/43/7/075303), the sliding behavior of 2D materials(http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.201301999/abstract and http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl4007112), as well as experimental measurements of the ultrastrong adhesion of graphene on substrate  (http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/v6/n9/abs/nnano.2011.123.html)

One area where this will be particularly relevant lies in the field of graphene heterostructures, where 2D composite materials with novel properties are made by stacking different 2D materials together, i.e. (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v499/n7459/full/nature12385.html). 

COMPUTATIONAL METHODOLOGY

2D materials are physically amazing, with complex relationships between mechanics, geometry, and electronic structure.  It is for this reason that novel computational methodologies, that go beyond usage of molecular dynamics, may be one interesting path forward in this field.  For example, coupling of molecular dynamics, tight-binding electronic structure calculations, and Landauer-Buttiker methods for transport have enabled interesting studies concerning the electromechanical behavior in larger scale (i.e. tens of thousands of atoms) graphene structures, as shown here (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl400872q) and here (https://arxiv.org/abs/1604.02697).  Further advancements in this field would open new doors for mechanicians to study 2D structures at length and time scales beyond what is capable though standard molecular dynamics, DFT, or ab initio techniques.

CONCLUSION

This J-Club is meant to give one snapshot of contemporary issues in the mechanics of 2D materials.  Clearly, there are many fields not covered here that may be just as promising, if not more so.  For example, the mechanics of graphene and other 2D materials interacting with liquids or biological systems was not covered.  I hope to hear the thoughts and opinions of others in this field as to the areas and issues where mechanics can play a role moving into the future.

The Boston University Department of Mechanical Engineering anticipates openings for multiple tenure-track junior faculty positions.  Areas of emphasis include (a) Robotics, particularlyMechanotronics (b) the intersection of Nanofabrication and Soft Robotics and (c)Emerging Areas of Mechanical Engineering such as Multifunctional Materials, Photoacoustic Imaging, or Optomechanics. Additionally, we anticipate hiring a non-tenured Professor of the Practice.

The Mech E department is collaborative and multi-disciplinary with strong expertise in systems and control, biomechanics, MEMs/NEMs, nanofluidics, advanced materials, and nanomedicine.  The department is further strengthened by its affiliation with the Division of Systems Engineering and the Division of Materials Science and Engineering.  The College of Engineering is ranked 35th in the nation by US News and World Report, having improved its ranking more than any other Engineering school in the country that was ranked in the top 54 ten years ago.

The Department has 46 primary faculty members, many of whom are affiliated with other centers at BU including the Photonics Center, BU Nano, the Center for Space Physics, the Hariri Institute for Computing and the newly established Sustainable Energy Institute. The department has recently completed a nearly 5000 sq ft Robotics Research Facility with capabilities for research on coordinating ground and air vehicles. At the graduate level, the Department offers research and professional Masters degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Product Design and Manufacture with specializations in Robotics, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity along with our PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering. 

Leading Assistant Professor tenure-track candidates would hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering or a related field of engineering or applied science, have postdoctoral experience, and show potential for leading an independent and vibrant research program. BU also places high value on excellence in teaching.

Boston University is an AAU institution with a rich tradition dedicated to inclusion and social justice. We are proud that we were the first American university to award a Ph.D. to a woman and that Martin Luther King Jr. received his Ph.D. here. The College of Engineering includes diversity as one of five strategic goals. We are dedicated to increasing the participation of all talented students and are committed to the pursuit of engineering by underrepresented groups at BU and beyond.

For more information, please visit http://www.bu.edu/eng/departments/me/.

Applicants should submit a brief letter of interest, statement of accomplishments and plans, a current CV and contact information for three references to the appropriate link below. For full consideration, applicants should upload materials before November 15, 2016.

Junior Robotics: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/7998

Junior Nanofabrication-Soft Robotics: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/7994

Junior Emerging Areas: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/7995

Professor of the Practice:  https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/8000

Boston University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status

The Boston University Department of Mechanical Engineering anticipates openings for multiple tenure-track junior faculty positions.  Areas of emphasis include (a) Robotics, particularlyMechanotronics (b) the intersection of Nanofabrication and Soft Robotics and (c) Emerging Areas of Mechanical Engineering such as Multifunctional Materials, Photoacoustic Imaging, or Optomechanics.  Additionally, we anticipate hiring a non-tenured Professor of the Practice.

The Mech E department is collaborative and multi-disciplinary with strong expertise in systems and control, biomechanics, MEMs/NEMs, nanofluidics, advanced materials, and nanomedicine.  The department is further strengthened by its affiliation with the Division of Systems Engineering and the Division of Materials Science and Engineering.  The College of Engineering is ranked 35th in the nation by US News and World Report, having improved its ranking more than any other Engineering school in the country that was ranked in the top 54 ten years ago.

The Department has 46 primary faculty members, many of whom are affiliated with other centers at BU including the Photonics Center, BU Nano, the Center for Space Physics, the Hariri Institute for Computing and the newly established Sustainable Energy Institute. The department has recently completed a nearly 5000 sq ft Robotics Research Facility with capabilities for research on coordinating ground and air vehicles. At the graduate level, the Department offers research and professional Masters degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Product Design and Manufacture with specializations in Robotics, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity along with our PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering. 

Leading Assistant Professor tenure-track candidates would hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering or a related field of engineering or applied science, have postdoctoral experience, and show potential for leading an independent and vibrant research program. BU also places high value on excellence in teaching.

Boston University is an AAU institution with a rich tradition dedicated to inclusion and social justice. We are proud that we were the first American university to award a Ph.D. to a woman and that Martin Luther King Jr. received his Ph.D. here. The College of Engineering includes diversity as one of five strategic goals. We are dedicated to increasing the participation of all talented students and are committed to the pursuit of engineering by underrepresented groups at BU and beyond.

For more information, please visit http://www.bu.edu/eng/departments/me/.

Applicants should submit a brief letter of interest, statement of accomplishments and plans, a current CV and contact information for three references to the appropriate link below. For full consideration, applicants should upload materials before November 15, 2016.

Junior Robotics: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/7998

Junior Nanofabrication-Soft Robotics: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/7994

Junior Emerging Areas: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/7995

Professor of the Practice:  https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/8000

Boston University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status

The Boston University Department of Mechanical Engineering anticipates two openings for tenure-track junior faculty positions, pending approval by the Provost. These positions are in Emerging Areas of Mechanical Engineering such as Additive Manufacturing, Multifunctional Materials, Photoacoustic Imaging, and Sustainable Energy Systems. 

The MechE Department is collaborative and multi-disciplinary with strong expertise in systems and control, biomechanics, MEMs/NEMs, nanofluidics, robotics (soft and hard), advanced materials, nanomanufacturing, and nanomedicine. The department is further strengthened by its affiliation with the Division of Systems Engineering and the Division of Materials Science and Engineering. The College of Engineering is ranked 35th in the nation by US News and World Report, and 15th among private universities.   The MechE Department has 48 primary faculty members, many of whom are affiliated with other centers at BU including the Photonics Center, BU Nano, the Center for Space Physics, the Hariri Institute for Computing, the 15,000 square foot Engineering Product Innovation Center, and the newly established Sustainable Energy Institute. At the graduate level, the Department offers research and professional Masters degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Product Design and Manufacture with specializations in Robotics, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity along with our PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering.  Leading Assistant Professor tenure-track candidates would hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering or a related field of engineering or applied science, have postdoctoral experience, and show potential for leading an independent and vibrant research program. BU also places high value on excellence in teaching.  Boston University is an AAU institution with a rich tradition dedicated to inclusion and social justice. We are proud that we were the first American university to award a Ph.D. to a woman and that Martin Luther King Jr. received his Ph.D. here. The College of Engineering includes diversity as one of five strategic goals. We are dedicated to increasing the participation of all talented students and are committed to the pursuit of engineering by underrepresented groups at BU and beyond.  Applicants should submit a brief letter of interest, statement of accomplishments and plans, a current CV and contact information for three references. For full consideration, applicants should upload materials before December 1, 2017. For more information on the ME department, please visit http://www.bu.edu/eng/departments/me/.  An online link to the application can be found here:  https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/9474 We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.    

I am looking to recruit a highly motivated and independent postdoctoral researcher to study, via the development of new computational techniques, various scientific issues surrounding phononic topological insulators.  The position is available for a 1-year duration, with possible extension to future years depending on the availability of funding.  

Requirements for the position include:

1.  A strong background in computational solid mechanics, and in particular topology optimization techniques (i.e. level set-based)

2.  A strong background in phononics and wave propagation

If you are interested in the position, please contact me via email at parkhsAT_bu.edu.  Please email with the subject entitled "Postdoc Position", and send a CV with the contact information of two references, along with two representative publications.

https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.255304

Accelerated Search and Design of Stretchable Graphene Kirigami Using Machine Learning

P.Z. Hanakata, E.D. Cubuk, D.K. Campbell and H.S. Park

Making kirigami-inspired cuts into a sheet has been shown to be an effective way of designing stretchable materials with metamorphic properties where the 2D shape can transform into complex 3D shapes.  However, finding the optimal solutions is not straightforward as the number of possible cutting patterns grows exponentially with system size.  Here, we report on how machine learning (ML) can be used to approximate the target properties, such as yield stress and yield strain, as a function of cutting pattern.  Our approach enables the rapid discovery of kirigami designs that yield extreme stretchability as verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.  We find that convolutional neural networks (CNN), commonly used for classification in vision tasks, can be applied for regression to achieve an accuracy close to the precision of the MD simulations.  This approach can then be used to search for optimal designs that maximize elastic stretchability with only 1000 training samples in a large design space of 4x106 candidate designs.  This example demonstrates the power and potential of ML in finding optimal kirigami designs at a fraction of iterations that would be required of a purely MD or experiment-based approach, where no prior knowledge of the governing physics is known or available.

I am looking to recruit a highly motivated and independent postdoctoral researcher to study, via the development of new computational methodologies, the deformation mechanisms in crystalline nanostructures.  The specific emphasis is on predicting the plasticity at timescales that far exceed those possible in classical atomistic simulations, and verifying the predictions through collaborations with experimentalists.  The position is available as soon as possible for at least a 1.5-year duration, with possible extension to future years depending on the availability of funding. 

Requirements for the postdoc position include:

1. A strong background in computational solid mechanics, in particular molecular modeling
2. A strong background in plasticity, particularly at the atomic scale
3. Familiarity with transition state theory, and statistical mechanics.

If you are interested in the postdoc position, please contact Prof. Park via email at (parkhsAT_bu.edu); please email with the subject entitled “Postdoc Position”, and send a CV with the contact information of two references.

I am looking to recruit a highly motivated and independent postdoctoral researcher to study, via the development of new topology optimization techniques, various scientific issues surrounding phononic topological insulators.  An example of recent related work from my group can be found here.  The position is available for a 20-month duration, with possible extension to 36 months depending on the availability of funding, with a proposed start date of June 1 or July 1, 2021.  

Preferred qualifications for the postdoc position include:

1. A strong background in computational solid mechanics, and in particular topology optimization techniques
2. Background in phononics, phononic crystals and wave propagation phenomena

If you are interested in the postdoc position, please contact Prof. Park via email at (parkhsAT_bu.edu); please email with the subject entitled “Postdoc Position”, and send a CV with the contact information of two references, and one example publication.

The college of engineering at Boston University has embarked on a bold new strategic plan that will pursue excellence and impact along six convergent and collaborative research themes:  (1) Intelligent, Autonomous and Secure Systems, (2) Synthetic Biology, Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology, (3) Energy, Sustainability and Climate, (4) Materials by Design (5) Photonics and Optical Systems, and (6) Neuroengineering, Neuroinformatics, and Neuroscience. The Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE) is conducting a search at the Assistant Professor rank (pending provost approval). We welcome applications from candidates focused on Emerging Areas of Mechanical Engineering, including, but not limited to: (1) the nexus of energy, resource management, and sustainability (2) sustainable water initiatives that involve nanofluidics and (3) computational mechanics of matter.

Boston University is an AAU institution with a rich tradition of inclusion and social justice and a commitment to broadening participation of underrepresented groups in engineering. We are proud that we were the first American university to award a PhD to a woman. The enhancement of diversity and inclusion in engineering is a foundational initiative in the College of Engineering’s new strategic plan. BU’s MechE department has a long history of leadership and collaboration in its core areas of Biomechanics; Matter; Micro/Nanoengineering (MEMS/NEMS); and Robotics and Autonomous Systems. We attract exceptional graduate students and talented faculty at all levels. Our faculty lead and participate in several high-profile, multidisciplinary research centers, including the Institute for Sustainable Energy, the new Center for Multiscale and Translational Mechanobiology, the Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science and Engineering, the Center for Information and Systems Engineering, BU’s NSF Engineering Research Center in Cellular Metamaterials, the Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Science and Engineering, BU Nano Center, and the Photonics Center.

Leading Assistant Professor tenure-track candidates would hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and would be prepared to conduct an experimental and/or computational research program that would complement and enhance the existing strengths in the Mechanical Engineering Department. We are explicitly looking for candidates who have an interest in the societal impact of their research. Applicants should submit 1) a cover letter that describes your research/creative and teaching interests; 2) a teaching statement that describes your teaching philosophy and experience, 3) a diversity statement that describes how you, through your teaching and/or scholarship, will contribute to our goal to engender a more inclusive and diverse environment, 4) a statement of research accomplishments and goals including how a focus on collaborative and convergent research can affect your research impact, 5) a current CV and 6) three references with their contact information.

We encourage candidates to apply early, as we will begin reviewing applications on November 19, 2021. Applications received by December 17, 2021 will be given full consideration.

Boston University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

***Pending Provost Approval***

Applications for this position can be submitted here:  https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/18965

I am looking to recruit a high motivated and independent postdoctoral researcher to study, through theoretical and computational approaches, various topics related to the topological mechanics of solids, including phononic topological insulators, odd elasticity, and non-Hermitian mechanics.  The position is available for an initial 8-month duration, with possible extension to 24 moths depending on availability of funding.  The position is available immediately.

Preferred qualifications for the postdoc position include:

1. A strong background in phononics, phononic materials, and wave propagation phenomena

2. A strong background in linear and nonlinear solid mechanics

If you are interested in the postdoc position, please contact Prof. Park via email (parkhsAT_bu.edu); please email with the subject entitled "Postdoc Position", and send a CV, two relevant publications, and the contact information of three references.

I am looking to recruit a highly motivated and independent postdoctoral researcher to study, theoretically and computationally topics related to the dynamics of metamaterials, with specific emphasis on wave phenomena.  The position is available immediately, and potentially relevant backgrounds for the position include:

1. Phononic crystals

2. Acoustic or phononic bandgaps

3. Non-reciprocal wave propagation

If you are interested in this position, please contact Prof. Park via email (parkhsAT_bu.edu); please email with the subject entitled "Postdoc Position", and send a CV, two relevant publications, and the contact information of three references.

The College of Engineering at Boston University has embarked on a bold new strategic plan that will pursue excellence and impact along convergent themes: (1) Intelligent, Autonomous and Secure Systems, (2) Synthetic Biology, Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology, (3) Energy, Sustainability and Climate, (4) Materials by Design, (5) Photonics and Optical Systems, and (6) Neuroengineering, Neuroinformatics, and Neuroscience. As part of our Materials by Design theme, the College is searching for a tenure-track assistant professor to begin in the academic year 2023/2024 in the broad area of Engineered Living Materials. Whereas traditional materials are comprised entirely of non-living components, and thus have properties that are relatively fixed after fabrication, engineered living materials leverage the autonomous and adaptive functionality of living organisms such as cells, bacteria, and plants to create active and animate materials. By combining living and non-living matter, engineered living materials can achieve vastly greater ranges of properties, functions, and autonomy. We are particularly interested in candidates who are working at the intersection of fields such as synthetic biology, materials science, mechanics, cell biology, and chemistry to design, develop, and characterize new engineered living materials—whether for mechanical, biological, electrical, or environmental purposes—or to create new manufacturing processes. Further, we envision a colleague who will complement ongoing experimental, computational and theoretical efforts across the College of Engineering in advanced manufacturing, structural materials, optics/photonics, robotics, energy systems, and biomedical science.

Boston University is an AAU institution with a rich tradition of inclusion and social justice. We are proud that we were the first American university to award a PhD to a woman and the university from which Martin Luther King Jr. received his Ph.D. The College of Engineering believes that the cultural and social diversity of our faculty, staff, and students is vitally important to the distinction and excellence of our research and academic programs. We are especially eager to have a colleague join our ranks who will contribute to our mission of ensuring BU is inclusive, equitable, diverse, and a place where all members of our community can thrive. For more information, on diversity and inclusion at BU, please visit https://www.bu.edu/diversity/

Since research in Engineered Living Materials cuts across all three of our departments (Mechanical Engineering (ME), Biomedical Engineering (BME), and Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)), this is a College-wide search. The candidate will have a primary appointment in one of the three departments, and we anticipate that he/she/they will also have an affiliated appointment in the Division of Materials Science and Engineering. Affiliated appointments in other departments will also be considered.

The College of Engineering attracts exceptional undergraduate and graduate student and faculty talent at all levels. The College has 125 tenured or tenure-track primary faculty and is ranked 16th among private universities, with all of its individual programs ranked in the top 20. Research activity by primary College faculty is over $60M per year. Engineering faculty lead and participate in several high-profile, interdisciplinary research centers including the Biological Design Center, BUNano, the Neurophotonics Center, the Center for Systems Neuroscience, the Photonics Center, the Hariri Center for Computational Science and Engineering, the Center for Multiscale and Translational Mechanobiology, the Center for Information and Systems Engineering, and the NSF Engineering Research Center in Cellular Metamaterials. For more information about the College, please visit http://www.bu.edu/eng/

Candidates must hold a PhD in an appropriate area and show potential for leading an independent, vibrant, world-class research program. The College of Engineering also places high value on excellence in teaching and on community. Candidates will be expected to teach both graduate and undergraduate courses.

Applicants should submit 1) a cover letter that describes their research/creative and teaching interests; 2) a teaching statement that describes their teaching philosophy and experience, 3) a diversity statement that describes how they, through their teaching and/or scholarship, will contribute to our goal to engender a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, 4) a statement of research accomplishments and goals including how a focus on collaborative and convergent research can affect your research impact, 5) a current CV and 6) three references with their contact information.

We encourage candidates to apply early, as we will begin reviewing applications on November 15, 2022. Applications received by December 16, 2022 will be given full consideration.  To apply, visit https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/22258

Boston University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor

I am looking to recruit a highly motivated and independent postdoctoral researcher to study, theoretically and computationally topics related to the dynamics of metamaterials, with specific emphasis on wave phenomena.  The position is available immediately, and potentially relevant backgrounds for the position include:

1. Phononic crystals

2. Acoustic or phononic bandgaps

3. Non-reciprocal wave propagation

If you are interested in this position, please contact Prof. Park via email (parkhsAT_bu.edu); please email with the subject entitled "Postdoc Position", and send a CV, two relevant publications, and the contact information of three references.

I am looking to recruit a highly motivated and independent postdoctoral researcher to study, theoretically and computationally topics related to the dynamics of metamaterials, with specific emphasis on wave phenomena.  The position is available immediately, available for two years, and potentially relevant backgrounds for the position include:

1. Phononic crystals

2. Acoustic or phononic bandgaps

3. Non-reciprocal wave propagation

If you are interested in this position, please contact Prof. Park via email (parkhsAT_bu.edu); please email with the subject entitled "Postdoc Position", and send a CV, two relevant publications, and the contact information of three references.  Preference will be given to candidates who already have a green card or are likely to be able to secure a visa in a timely fashion.