The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department has a number of experimental centers, facilities, and laboratories at which both fundamental and applied research is being conducted. See the department website research tab for details.
Gregory P. Carman, Director
The Active Materials Laboratory contains equipment to evaluate the coupled response of materials such as piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, shape memory alloys, and fiberoptic sensors. The laboratory has manufacturing facilities to fabricate magnetostrictive composites and thin film shape memory alloys. Testing active material systems is performed on one of four servohydraulic load frames in the lab. All of the load frames are equipped with thermal chambers, solenoids, and electrical power supplies.
Xiaoyu (Rayne) Zheng, Director
The Additive Manufacturing and Metamaterials Laboratory performs research on additive manufacturing and material designs for structural and multifunctional devices. It draws principles from mechanics, optics, and materials science to develop the next generation of additive manufacturing (3D printing) processes, material design, and synthesis approaches to create multifunctional materials and all-in-one devices with controlled topologies, compositions, and multiscale features. It also develops methods to leverage artificial intelligence and rapid printing techniques to design metamaterials with tailorable mechanical and functional behaviors. These materials can be transferred to a wide array of applications for 3D electronics, structures, robotics, energy storage, and transduction; even biology and health care. The lab houses custom, scalable additive manufacturing capabilities and digital light-processing techniques for a wide range of multimaterials, with feature sizes ranging from tens of nanometers, to tens of centimeters, and above.
Tyler R. Clites, Director
The group researches anatomics, the coengineering of body and machine in pursuit of synergistic bionic performance. The research combines surgical and mechanical design to codevelop body and machine. The longterm goal of the work is to transform the field of human rehabilitation and augmentation by making anatomics a fundamental tenet of bionic development.
Jason L. Speyer, Director
AVSIL is a testbed for design, building, evaluation, and testing of hardware instrumentation and coordination algorithms for multiple vehicle autonomous systems. AVSIL contains a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulator—designed and built at UCLA—that allows for real-time, systems-level tests of two formation control computer systems in a laboratory environment, using the Interstate Electronics Corporation GPS Satellite Constellation Simulator. The UCLA flight control software can be modified to accommodate satellite-system experiments using real-time software, GPS receivers, and intervehicle modem communication.
James S. Gibson, Director
The Beam Control Laboratory involves students, faculty, and postdoctoral scholars to develop novel methods for laser-beam control in applications including directed energy systems and laser communications. Algorithms developed at UCLA for adaptive and optimal control and filtering, as well as system identification, are being used in adaptive optics and beam steering. UCLA high-bandwidth controllers correct both higher-order wavefront errors and tilt jitter to levels not achievable by classical beam control methods.
Veronica J. Santos, Director
The Biomechatronics Laboratory is dedicated to improving quality of life by enhancing the functionality of artificial hands and their control in human-machine systems. The research is advancing the design and control of human-machine systems as well as autonomous robotic systems. Current research projects involve human biomechanics, tactile sensing, control of robotic systems, and machine learning.
Jacob Rosen, Director
The Bionics Laboratory performs research at the interface between robotics, biological systems, and medicine. Primary research fields are medical robotics and biorobotics, including surgical robotics; and wearable robotics as they apply to human motor control, neural control, human and brain-machine interfaces, motor control (stroke) rehabilitation, brain plasticity, haptics, virtual reality, tele-operation, and biomechanics (full-body kinematics and dynamics, and soft/hard tissues biomechanics).
Vijay K. Dhir, Director
The laboratory performs experimental and computational studies of phase-change phenomena. It is equipped with various flow loops, state-of-the-art data acquisition systems, holography, High-speed imaging systems, and a gamma densitometer.
Gregory P. Carman, Director
TANMS is a multi-institutional engineering research center (ERC) focused on research, technology translation, and education associated with magnetism on the small scale. The TANMS vision is to develop a fundamentally new approach that couples electricity to magnetism using engineered nanoscale multiferroic elements, to enable increased energy efficiency, reduced physical size, and increased power output in consumer electronics. This new approach overcomes scaling limitations present Oersted’s magnetism control discovery of 1820. TANMS goal is to translate its research discoveries to industry while seamlessly integrating a cradle-to-career education philosophy involving its students, and future engineers, in unique research and entrepreneurial experiences.
Yong Chen, Director
The Chen Research Group studies nanofabrication, nanoscale electronic materials and devices, micro-nano electronic/optical/bio/mechanical systems, and ultra-scale spatial and temporal characterization.
Ann R. Karagozian, Director
CCAS is a multi and transdisciplinary research center focused on fundamental and applied basic studies relevant to aerospace systems. Research projects that broadly span the computational and experimental arenas are conducted at UCLA and at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RQR) at Edwards Air Force Base, about 90 miles northeast of campus. UCLA faculty, students, and postdoctoral researchers collaborate with AFRL scientists and engineers on highimpact problems to advance U.S. capabilities in aerospace systems.
H. Pirouz Kavehpour, Director
The Complex Fluids and Interfacial Physics Laboratory is multidisciplinary, with areas of research ranging from rheology of biofluids to energy storage. The group is directed towards development of fundamental engineering and scientific knowledge.
Tetsuya Iwasaki, Director
CyCLab investigates the neuronal mechanisms for information processing and learning. It also develops fundamental theories for analysis and design of dynamical feedback systems, with applications to bioinspired robotic vehicles, assistive devices for human movements, and neurorehabilitation after spinal cord injury.
Artur Davoyan, Director
The laboratory is focused on nanoscale materials for space and energy applications. Research topics encompass space exploration, device physics, and sustainability.
The laboratory offers an environment for synergistic integration of design and manufacturing. Available equipment includes four CNC machines, two rapid-prototyping systems, coordinate measuring, X-ray radiography, robots with vision systems, audiovisual equipment, and a distributed network of more than 30 workstations.
Elisa Franco, Director
The Dynamic Nucleic Acid Systems Laboratory develops mathematical models and experimental platforms to build adaptive and dynamic biological devices using DNA, RNA, and proteins. The results have applications in materials science, nanotechnology, and synthetic biology.
Ann R. Karagozian, Director
The Energy and Propulsion Research Laboratory applies modem diagnostic methods and computational tools to the development of advanced rocket and airbreathing propulsion as well as energy systems. Research involves applications of fundamental fluid mechanics, combustion chemistry, dynamical systems, and optics.
Richard E. Wirz, Director
The Energy Innovation Laboratory investigates high-impact renewable energy science and technology. Its current work primarily focuses on large-scale thermal energy storage for grid-scale applications and advanced wind energy capture.
Jonathan B. Hopkins, Director
The Flexible Research Group is dedicated to the design and fabrication of flexible structures, mechanisms, and materials that achieve extraordinary capabilities. The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art synthesis tools, optimization software, and a number of commercial and custom-developed additive fabrication technologies for fabricating complex flexible structures at the macro to nanoscales.
Mohamed A. Abdou, Director
The Fusion Science and Technology Center includes experimental facilities for conducting research in fusion science and engineering, and multiple scientific disciplines in thermofluids, thermomechanics, heat/mass transfer, and materials interactions. The center includes experimental facilities for liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic fluid flow, thick and thin liquid metal systems exposed to intense particle and heat flux loads, and metallic and ceramic material thermomechanics.
Chih-Ming Ho, Director
The Ho Systems Laboratory researches phenotypic personalized medicine (PPM). It has discovered that drugdose inputs are correlated with phenotypic outputs with a parabolic response surface (PRS). With a few calibration tests to determine the coefficients of its governing algebraic quadratic equation, PRS dictates the composition and ratio of a globally optimized drug combination. Based on the PRS platform, PPM can realize unprecedented adaptability to identify the optimized drug combination for a specific patient. PRS is an indication-agnostic and mechanism-free platform technology, which has been successfully demonstrated in about 30 diseases.
Yongjie Hu, Director
H-Lab is focused on understanding and engineering fundamental transport phenomena and new materials for wide applications including energy conversion, storage, aerospace, electronics, thermal management, micro/nano sensors, and biomedical devices. The laboratory uses a variety of experimental and theoretical techniques to investigate nanoscale transport processes and develop device applications, with a particular emphasis on design, chemical synthesis, and manufacturing of advanced materials, ultrafast optical spectroscopy, pulsed electronics, thermal spectral mapping techniques, ab initio calculations, and atomistic modeling.
Xiaolin Zhong, Director
The Hypersonics and Computational Aerodynamics Group primarily focuses on fundamental physics-based research of hypersonic flows using advanced numerical tools; and application of discovered fundamental knowledge to real-world aerospace systems, such as development of hypersonic planes and space vehicles. Its main research areas are computational fluid dynamics (CFD), hypersonic flows, instability and transition of hypersonic boundary layers, interaction of strong shocks and turbulence, and numerical simulation of wave energy harvesting.
Raymond M. Spearrin, Director
The Laser Spectroscopy and Gas Dynamics Laboratory conducts research driven by applications in propulsion and energy, with extensions to health and environment. Laboratory activities are united by a core focus in experimental thermofluids and applied spectroscopy. Projects commonly span fundamental spectroscopy science to design and deployment of prototype sensors to investigate dynamic flow-fields.
Yen-Chih (Neil) Lin, Director
Lin Lab research looks at developing 3D biological tissues that mimic the geometric structure, mechanical properties, and functionality of human organs. Major research focuses include development of live cell imaging tools, cell mechanics measurements, and tissue manufacturing methods. This research could lead to detailed and complex model tissues for drug screening; and ultimately, artificial organs that could be transplanted into humans.
Ajit K. Mal, Director
The Materials Degradation Characterization Laboratory is used for characterization of the degradation of high-strength metallic alloys and advanced composites due to corrosion and fatigue, determination of adverse effects of materials degradation on the strength of structural components, and research on fracture mechanics and ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation.
Nasr M. Ghoniem, Director
MATRIX seeks answers to two fundamental questions: What are the physical phenomena that control the mechanical properties of engineering materials operating in extreme environmental conditions; and knowing such behavior, can we design engineering materials to be more resilient.
Robert T. M’Closkey, Director
The Sensors and Instrumentation Laboratory focuses on the design, fabrication, modeling, and testing of microscale sensors, notably coriolis vibratory gyroscopes. The laboratory offers the opportunity to conduct leading-edge analytical and experimental research in state-of-the-art facilities.
Lihua Jin, Director
The Mechanics of Soft Materials Laboratory investigates the fundamental physics and mechanics of soft materials, such as their constitutive relation, nonlinear deformation, instability, and fracture. The laboratory also strives to develop new materials, structures, and functions for soft robotics and stretchable electronics.
Tsu-Chin Tsao, Director
The Mechatronics and Controls Laboratory conducts research in theory and innovation in dynamic systems, controls, mechatronics, and robotics. It creates high-performance systems with novel sensors, actuators, and real-time digital signal processing and embedded control. Applications include precision motion and vibration control, manufacturing equipment and processes, medical devices, and robots.
Chang-Jin (C-J) Kim, Director
The Micro and Nano Manufacturing Laboratory explores physical phenomena unique in submillimeter scale, and utilizes microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies to advance important knowledge and create useful applications. Surface tension is one such phenomenon, which led to cutting-edge discoveries and revolutionary applications, some commercialized. Research themes include electro-wetting-on-dielectric (EWOD), electro-dewetting, droplets and bubbles, and superhydrophobic surfaces; and application areas include droplet (digital) microfluidics, micro fuel cells, and drag reduction of liquid flows. Typical research starts with a novel concept, and completes with application devices of commercial implication. The laboratory has various equipment to complement the Nanolab (e.g., fume hood, modular cleanroom, environment chambers, probe stations, microscopes, dicing saw, electroplating setup, and interference lithography); and facilitate drag-reduction research (e.g., water tunnel and molding setup), including a 13foot motorboat at a local marina.
Adrienne G. Lavine, Director
The Modeling of Complex Thermal Systems Laboratory addresses a variety of systems in which heat transfer plays an important role. Thermal aspects of these systems are coupled with other physical phenomena such as mechanical or electrical behavior. Modeling tools range from analytical to custom computer codes to commercial software.
Laurent G. Pilon, Director
The heat transfer laboratory is engaged in a broad range of interdisciplinary research projects at the intersection of interfacial and transport phenomena, radiation transfer, material science, and biology for sustainable solar energy conversion; waste heat energy harvesting; electrical energy storage; and energy efficient buildings. The laboratory features state-of-the-art equipment for material synthesis and characterization such as glove boxes and high-temperature furnaces, potentiostats, calorimeters, and thermal conductivity analyzers. It is also equipped with a full set of instruments for optical characterization of solids, liquids, and suspensions from ultraviolet to infrared wavelengths (e.g., spectrometers, lasers, and detection systems). The laboratory also has various instrumented flow loops for rheological and convective heat transfer experiments with complex fluids.
Y. Sungtaek Ju, Director
MTSL is focused on heat and mass transfer phenomena at the nano- to macro-scales. A wide variety of applications are explored, including novel materials and devices for energy conversion; combined cooling, heating, and power generation; thermal management of electronics and buildings; energy-water nexus; and biomedical MEMS/NEMS devices.
Timothy S. Fisher, Director
The Nanoscale Transport Research Group works on a broad range of problems, primarily involving transport processes by electrons, phonons, photons, and fluids. It seeks to solve problems with high importance to applications in energy transport, conversion, and storage, that are relevant to major industrial segments (aerospace, micro/nanoelectronics, and sensors). The laboratory solves these problems through a holistic, balanced approach that spans nanomaterial synthesis, basic material characterization and modeling, and functional characterization and simulation. The group includes the Center for Integrated Thermal Management of Aerospace Vehicles (CITMAV), which develops new solutions to highly transient transport problems that occur in aerospace applications.
Eric Pei-Yu Chiou, Director
The Optofluidics Systems Laboratory develops heterogeneously integrated functional devices and systems for biomedical applications. Research areas include integrated photonics and fluidics devices; 3D micro and nanomanufacturing technologies; and flexible mechanical, photonics, and electronics systems.
Laurent G. Pilon, Director
The Pilon Research Group researches photobiological fuel production, mesoporous materials, electrochemical capacitors, waste heat energy harvesting, foams/microfoams, biomedical optics, and energy efficiency.
The laboratory is an experimental facility for processing and manufacturing advanced materials by high-energy means (plasma and beam sources). It is equipped with plasma diagnostics, two vortex gas tunnel plasma guns, powder feeder and exhaust systems, vacuum and cooling equipment, high-power DC supplies (400kw), vacuum chambers, and large electromagnets. Current research is focused on ceramic coatings and nanophase clusters for applications in thermal insulation, wear resistance, and high-temperature oxidation resistance.
Richard E. Wirz, Director
The Plasma and Space Propulsion Laboratory investigates plasmas using a combination of experimental, computational, and theoretical perspectives. Its research is directly inspired by the rapidly emerging field of electric propulsion (EP). Other applications of its work include microplasmas, plasma processing, and fusion.
Dennis W. Hong, Director
RoMeLa is a facility for robotics research and education with an emphasis on studying humanoid robots and novel mobile robot locomotion strategies. Research is in the areas of robot locomotion and manipulation, soft actuators, platform design, kinematics and mechanisms, and autonomous systems. RoMeLa is active in research-based international robotics competitions, winning numerous prizes including third place in the DARPA Urban Challenge. The laboratory also took first place in the RoboCup international autonomous robot soccer competition (kidsize and adultsize humanoid divisions), and was world champion five times in a row. It also brought the prestigious Louis Vuitton Cup Best Humanoid award to the U.S. for the first time, and most recently was one of six Track A teams chosen to participate in the DARPA Robotics Challenge disaster response robot competition.
Xiaochun Li, Director
The Scifacturing Laboratory furnishes a creative, interdisciplinary platform for sciencedriven manufacturing (scifacturing) as the next level of manufacturing. It seeks to enable application of physics and chemistry to empower breakthroughs in manufacturing. The laboratory links molecular, nano, and microscale knowledge to scalable processes/systems in manufacturing and materials processing. Current focus areas include scaleup nanomanufacturing, solidification nanoprocessing of supermaterials with dense nanoparticles, structurally integrated micro and nanosystems (especially sensors and actuators) for manufacturing, clean energy and biomedical manufacturing, meso/micro 3D printing, and laser materials processing.
Rajit Gadh, Director
SMERC performs research; creates innovations; and demonstrates advanced Internetofthings, sense-and-control technologies, and data-enabled machine learning to enable development of the next-generation electric utility grid—the smart grid. SMERC also furnishes thought leadership through its ESmart Consortium between utilities, government, policy makers, technology providers, electric vehicle manufacturers, energy technology companies, Department of Energy research laboratories, and universities, so as to collectively work on envisioning, planning, and executing the smart grid of the future. This grid will enable integration of renewable energy sources. It will also reduce losses; improve efficiencies; increase grid flexibility; allow for integration of electric and autonomous vehicles; reduce power outages; allow for competitive energy pricing; and overall become more responsive to market, consumer, and societal needs. SMERC is currently working on electric vehicle integration (G2V and V2G), automated demand response (ADR), microgrids, distributed energy resources, renewable integration, battery energy storage integration, and autonomous vehicle infrastructure.
Jeffrey D. Eldredge, Director
The SOFiA Laboratory explores a wide variety of phenomena that occur in fluid flows in nature and technology. It investigates low-order modeling of unsteady aerodynamics of agile, bioinspired, microair vehicles; microparticle manipulation by viscous streaming; the fluid dynamics of biological and biologically-inspired locomotion; interactions of fluid flows with flexible surfaces; transitional and turbulent hypersonic boundary layer flows; vortex estimation techniques for autonomous control of formation flight; and new computational tools for simulation of biomedical flows.
Kunihiko (Sam) Taira, Director
The Computational Fluid Dynamics Laboratory studies a variety of fluid mechanics problems with research interests in the areas of computational fluid dynamics, flow control, data science, network theory, and unsteady aerodynamics. The studies leverage numerical simulations performed on high-performance computers.
Vijay Gupta, Director
The Thin Films, Interfaces, Composites, Characterization Laboratory includes a Nd:YAG laser of 1 Joule capacity with 3 ns pulse widths; a state-of-the-art optical interferometer including an ultra-high-speed digitizer, sputter deposition chamber, 56 Kip-capacity servohydraulic biaxial test frame, and polishing and imaging equipment for microstructural characterization; for measurement and control study of thin film interface strength.