We are fortunate to have alumni all over the world who have stayed connected to Binghamton University. Here are a few notable alumni from the Mechanical Engineering Department.
My PhD in mechanical engineering from ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ has changed my life and enabled me to compete for the best jobs in both industry and academia. These include a senior lead engineer at Emerson Electric, aFortune 500 company, to assistant professor at the mechanical engineering department at Wichita State University and currently at the Durham School at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, one of the best architectural engineering program at the U.S. The type of research I did during my PhD study while working with Professor Mohammad Younis and using the state-of-the-art MEMS lab of Professor Ron Miles is equivalent to any other research at the top engineering schools in the world, and I'm always proud of ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ.
Fadi Alsaleem, MS '07, PhD '09, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Working in Professor Paul Chiarot's research group reminded me of what the relationship between a teacher and student should be about: mutual respect, long nights in the lab, a bit of laughter, honest academic discussions and a shared desire to discover the unknown. I learned valuable lab skills in an industry-funded project, and thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Professor Chiarot.
Richard Barley '16, MS '17, Technical Product Lead at Emergent BioSolutions
The ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ ME Department helped me establish a strong foundation in academics and leadership. I crafted my engineering skills with challenging coursework while working in Professor Paul Chiarot's lab following my first year. I also learned how to lead independent projects and large organizations with influence from Watson College to the national level. Each year brought opportunities that prepared me for my career as an aerospace engineer and leader in my company's Aerospace Women's Council. I am grateful for my experiences and the mentorship I received from faculty, staff and peers.
Ami Bhavsar '16, MS '17, Thermofluids Engineer at Varda Space Industries
My BS degree from Binghamton was very much a springboard to higher education, several research positions and eventually a faculty position in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan. When I think back on my undergraduate experience and how it prepared me both technically and professionally, I think of Professor Bruce Murray's encouragement to pursue research, Professor Ron Miles' class on PDEs (which gave me an edge over my fellow graduate students later on), Professor Tim Singler's renewable energy tangents in fluids and Professor James Pitarresi's rock climbing examples in statics/dynamics, all of which play a role in my research and teaching today.
Jesse Capecelatro '09, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan
The Mechanical Engineering Department has faculty who are passionate in training students to become innovative and creative researchers. It was a pleasure to have Professors Chiarot, Huang and Murray as my mentors!
Mikhail Coloma, PhD '17, System Engineer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Hear about his experience at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ.
The Mechanical Engineering Department provided me with a robust foundation in problem-solving, critical thinking and applied technical skills. The experiences have provided me with valuable insights, shaped me into a proficient engineer and effective leader, and enabled me to pursue my passions. This comprehensive preparation instills confidence in my ability to tackle real-world challenges and seize opportunities.
Joseph Green '24, MS '25, graduate student entering fifth year of 4+1 program
The research opportunities in the Mechanical Engineering Department set me on the path to my own career as a faculty member. I often think of my courses in mechanics and materials with Professors James Pitaressi and Ron McGrann and draw inspiration from their examples in my own teaching.
David Henann '06, James R. Rice Associate Professor of Solid Mechanics at Brown University
The path to my PhD degree at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ helped me to become a professional and highly skilled researcher and start an exciting career in an R&D mechanical engineer position at Seagate Technology. It was all possible because of the opportunities that Binghamton offered me. I received tremendous support and encouragement from the Mechanical Engineering Department and my academic advisor, Professor Sherry Towfighian, who inspired me to pursue research in the field of my interest and reach this level of success. I also appreciated my dissertation committee members Professsor Ron Miles, Professor Pu Zhang, and Professor Guy German, who encouraged me to get the best out of myself.
Nabid Hossain, PhD ‘22, Senior MEMS Engineer at Zepsor Technologies, Inc
The Mechanical Engineering Department at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ has played an incredible role in shaping my passion and career as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Tyler. Of the countless important experiences in my eight years at Binghamton University, the most formative was my PhD degree under the supervision of Professor Shahrzad Towfighian and Professor Mohammad Younis. Since my first day at Binghamton University as a graduate student, they believed in me and gave me endless support. On the academic level, they taught me the fundamentals of conducting scientific research in the mechanical engineering area. Under their supervision, I learned how to define a research problem, find a solution to it, and finally publish the results. On a personal level, they inspired me by their hardworking and passionate attitude. Whether it is in the past, present or in the future, I am proud to be a graduate of the Mechanical Engineering Department at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ for becoming the kind of scientist I am today. For that I am grateful, and I will proudly represent ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ wherever my career path takes me. Go Green!
Wathiq Ibrahim, MS '13, PhD '17, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler
My experience in the 4+1 Program opened the door to research and hands-on experience that I otherwise would not have had. Receiving my master's degree in only five years helped to jump-start my career and stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
Matthew Jones '14, MS '15, Software Engineer at Google
Undertaking extraordinary research and engineering projects at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ inspired me to pursue a PhD in mechanical engineering. I left Binghamton extremely empowered and eager to tackle some of the world's most devastating health problems as a fluid mechanician. An enormous thank you to Professors Huang, Yong, and Zaychik for their invaluable guidance in research, fluid dynamics and project design.
Andrew Kang, BS '18, Mechanical Engineering PhD student in KirbyLab Microfluidics at Cornell University
I learned to be a student with the influence of the excellent academic environment of ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ. I learned to be a good researcher by taking the enlightening training and courses taught by the passionate educators of the Mechanical Engineering department and I learned to be a better person by seeing the embodiment of mentoring and responsibility from my PhD advisor, Professor Paul Chiarot. All of these helped me get to where I am today.
Li Lu, PhD '16, Software Engineer at Meta
The quality of coursework and the receptiveness of the faculty to new ideas provided me with fundamental knowledge, and the freedom to explore my passions in mechanical engineering. The 4+1 program allowed me to pursue a master's degree in a way that was affordable and efficient.
Tyler J. Mehlman, P.E. '16, MS '17, Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer at Crusoe
The research experience that I gained at the Mechanical Engineering Department has been a key milestone pursuing my career in semiconductor industry. I always have had an interest in learning about micron/nanoscale devices because of their potential to make this world a better place for others. Thus, I registered for related courses and performed research under Associate Professor Sherry Towfighian and Distinguished Professor Ronald Miles’ supervision. I was also able to get microfabrication-related hands-on experience at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ's cleanroom facility. My advisors were both very kind and patient enough while they were waiting for me to learn and apply new things in the lab. All these together helped me to create a strong foundation to understand the manufacturing processes and the basics of semiconductor device characteristics. Due to this prior experience, I was able to get an National Science Foundation-supported internship position that turned into a full-time position.
Mehmet Ozdogan, MS '15, PhD '20, Module Development Engineer at Intel Corp.
The five years of research experience at the ME Department at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ is one of the most important stages in my life, during which I have learned how to think independently and how to solve problems more efficiently. The ME Department equipped with many different experimental facilities provides students with a good platform to build up their research skills based on their interests. Meanwhile, the professors from different fields are very knowledgeable and are willing to help students to grow. I’d like to express my special thanks to my PhD advisor, Professor SB Park, who is the mentor in my research work and my life. I’m always impressed by his ability to link theories to industrial practice, which many people always highly regard.
Ke Pan, PhD ‘22, Hardware Engineer at Apple
The faculty in the ME Department at Binghamton are incredibly generous with their time and their mentoring most certainly helped me get to where I am today. Early on, I fondly remember Professor James Pitarresi's office hours for mechanics and Professor Bruce Murray taking extra time to oversee my independent coursework in fluid mechanics. A bit later on, Professor Frank Cardullo advised my senior capstone project and Professor Tim Singler supervised some undergraduate research in fluid mechanics and, importantly, encouraged me to pursue advanced degrees at Caltech.
Nick Parziale '08, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology
Binghamton gave me a platform to specialize in data center thermal management. I had a good team and good advisors, which really helped when looking at things from a bigger scale or perspective. I was part of ES2 (Energy Smart Electronic Systems), a National Science Foundation initiative that gave me a platform to present my research data to a wider audience of industry experts, building contacts while also shedding inhibitions about presenting my work.
Bharath Ramakrishnan, PhD '19, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Microsoft
The Mechanical Engineering Department provided me with a wide breadth of knowledge throughout my undergraduate degree, helping me home in on specific topics that interested me. I was fortunate to learn from so many incredible professors such as Professor Paul Chiarot, who made Thermodynamics and Energy Engineering fascinating. Outside of the classroom, I gained research experience working in Professor Xin Yong's Soft Matter and Interfacial Phenomena Lab, where he was an excellent mentor.
Justin Reicher '24, Systems Engineer at L3Harris Technologies
My experience working under the guidance of Professor Miles in the vibro-acoustics lab at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ gave me a great foundation to work in the consumer electronics industry. I have been able to lean on my research experience from school and build on the product development experience, starting with a small OEM called Solteras and then while working in companies like Bose and Amazon's Lab 126. While working on my master's and PhD theses, I received the right mix of modeling, analysis and measurement experience. I look back fondly at the time that I spent in Binghamton and appreciate the opportunity that I had to be part of ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ.
Mihir Shetye, PhD '07, Senior Audio Hardware Engineer at Amazon Lab126
For years, I lacked the clarity and guidance on how to get to a stable career and path that would make me proud. Mechanical engineering allowed me the flexibility of learning different skills while still keeping me engaged and challenged. I fell in love with robotics and the future of medicine through prosthetics. On the path to this career, Professor Chiarot, Professor Singler and Professor Towfighian were key faculty who mentored and guided me to the right path.
Bryana Thompson '23, MS '24, Product Design Engineer at TE Connectivity
The research I did in the Mechanical Engineering Department at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ as an MS student has introduced me to the exciting field of nanoscale heat transfer. This further helped me get into the PhD program at MIT and eventually pursue an academic career in this field. I enjoyed my time at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ, where I have made many lifelong mentors, friends and also met my husband Yan.
Zhiting Tian, MS '09, Associate Professor at Cornell University, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Watson College challenged me immensely, strengthening my technical prowess and contributing to my passing of the EIT/FE Exam, a prerequisite for the professional engineer license. I will never forget the real-world assignments like designing airplane landing-gear and a collapsible drum set that sent my head spinning in infinite directions, yet cultivated an internal sense of persistence and accomplishment, something I value highly today.I was able to apply and build upon my passion for renewable energy and energy efficiency through Watson College's sustainable engineering minor. Today, I lead solar photovoltaic development projects across the country. Even though my student ID may have expired, I'll always consider myself a student — a student of life.
Devan Tracy '13, Smart Buildings Lead at Lockheed Martin
Tracy returned to campus to give a talk on sustainability as part of TEDxBinghamton in 2018.
The research experience in the Mechanical Engineering Department at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ encouraged me to pursue further academia. More importantly, I have met many great faculty, generous staff, and supportive friends there. Thanks to Professors Chiarot and Singler, who have shared their precious research experience with me. Last but not least, thanks to my PhD advisor, Professor Yong, who guided me to the fantastic world of computational fluid dynamics and supported me all the time.
Mingfei Zhao, PhD '19, Incoming Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University
of Alabama; Postdoc Research Associate at Theoretical Division of Los Alamos National
Lab
I feel so proud to have received my PhD at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ, where I was surrounded with great faculty, staff, friends, top research facilities and a beautiful campus. My advisor, Professor Ron Miles, and my thesis committee members, Professors Changhong Ke and Sherry Towfighian, provided me with fantastic training and mentorship on acoustics, nanomechanics and dynamic systems. It was a wonderful experience to study at Binghamton and work in Professor Miles’ lab, one of the quietest rooms in the world. All these support me to pursue an academic career.
Jian Zhou, PhD ’18, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ