People

Prof. Liang

Jianyu_161x160

Jianyu Liang (Professor, Mechanical Engineering)
Associated with Material Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering

Office: WB 311A
Phone: +1-508-831-6649
E-mail: jianyul [at] wpi.edu
Link to faculty page: https://www.wpi.edu/people/faculty/jianyul

Prof. Liang  has been promoted to professor of mechanical engineering. The director of WPI’s Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Laboratory, her research in materials science and engineering includes work on nanomaterials, nanofabrication, and nanomanufacturing, including research that explores the physics of interfaces between the nanometer and micron scales. Her research focus areas include materials for lithium-ion batteries and fuel cells. Her work in nanobiotechnology has included research on nano-biomaterials for controlled drug and gene delivery. She has also investigated electrochemical techniques for smoothing and polishing the surfaces of parts made with additive manufacturing to reduce their vulnerability to fatigue and cracking. She is currently co-principal investigator for a project funded by a $1.15 million award from the Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program that aims to develop a mobile foundry that military units can use in the field to make new parts for vehicles and other equipment by melting down scrap metal. She is a member of WPI’s China Hub and is co-director of the Center for Global Public Safety, a joint research effort with Tsinghua University in China that addresses natural and manmade public safety threats.

 

Researchers

Ryan Mocaldo (Doctoral Candidate, Manufacturing Engineering)

Ryan-GRIE-2016

Office: by appointment
E-mail: mocad [at] wpi.edu

Ryan received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. After graduating in 2013, he started his Ph.D. program in Manufacturing Engineering at WPI on a GANN fellowship. Ryan’s research is focused on additive manufacturing and the design of novel manufacturing processes.

Research: I was fortunate to enter my doctoral program, here at WPI, during a time where much focus and research has been in the field of additive manufacturing. This timing has allowed for the opportunity to work, in conjunction with the Army Research Lab, on a little known additive and coating process, called Cold Gas Dynamic Spraying or Cold Spray for short. Cold Spray is a solid state deposition process, used to create bulk materials with unique properties when compared with other additive processes. My focus within Cold Spray is dealing with the design and fabrication of a novel Cold Spray device. The difference with this novel device is its ability to lay down micron size lines; traditional Cold Spray has line widths on the scale of millimeters. Once in operation this novel process could find use as an additive process with higher fidelity than traditional Cold Spray, or in the deposition of circuit pathways.

Ryan’s graduate students profile video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faKxiHdqkN0

Wisawat Keaswejjareansuk (Doctoral Candidate, Mechanical Engineering)

Office: HL 301
E-mail: keaswejjareansuk [at] wpi.edu

Wisawat has background in Mechanical Engineering (mechanics, thermal sciences and fluid engineering). He received B.Eng in 2009 from Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University (Bangkok, Thailand). He obtained a M.S. in 2012 from University of New Haven (West Haven, CT USA). In 2013, he has started his Ph.D. program also in Mechanical Engineering at WPI, and, joined the Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Laboratory a year after.

Research:
– Structural battery
– Polymers and ceramics: membrane creating process and characterizations
– Electrospinning process and electrospun membrane for energy conversion and storage

Zhaotong Yang (Doctoral candidate, Manufacturing Engineering)
William B. Smith Fellowship
WPI-Tsinghua University Center for Global Public Safety

Zhaotog Yang

Office: by appointment
E-mail: zyang6 [at] wpi.edu

 

Zhaotong is a recipient of the William B. Smith Fellowship. He has completed a BS degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Science and Technology of Beijing, China. He received an MS in Materials Science and Engineering from WPI in May 2017. He joined the Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Laboratory as a PhD student in Fall 2017. Zhaotong is the first PhD student to become a part of the WPI-Tsinghua University Center for Global Public Safety. Prior to his works on additive manufacturing, he worked on synthesis and performance of geopolymer (red mud and fly ash).

Research:
– Additive manufacturing, selective laser melting (SLM)
– Magnesium alloys
– Geopolymer

Zhanglong Zhang (Doctoral Candidate, Manufacturing Engineering)

Office: by appointment
E-mail: zzhang4 [at] wpi.edu

Zhaolong is working on additive manufacturing of ceramic and metal at the Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Laboratory. He has completed a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Henan University of Science and Technology, China. He obtained M.S. in 2012 from Pittsburg State University and in 2016 from WPI. He joined the Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Laboratory as a PhD student in Fall 2018.

Research:
– Additive manufacturing
– Manufacturing processes control
– Ceramic materials performance

Yutao Wang (Doctoral student, Manufacturing Engineering)

Yutao Wang

Office: by appointment
E-mail: ywang32 [at] wpi.edu

 

Yutao is working on additive manufacturing of ceramic and metal at the Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Laboratory. He has completed a BS degree in Composite Materials at the Donghua University, China, where he worked on carbon fiber reinforced polymer. He received an MS in Materials Science and Engineering from WPI in May 2019.

Research:
– Additive manufacturing
– Ceramic materials

 

Cesar Guerrero (Undergraduate Research Student, Mechanical Engineering)

Office: by appointment
E-mail: caguerrero [at] wpi.edu

Research:
–  Electrospinning process and electrospun membrane for energy conversion and storage

 

Visiting Faculty

  • Wang, Qiying (July 2015 – July 2016) Host Institute: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, P.R. China 510006
  • Wang, Xiang (April 2015 – April 2016) Host Institute: Department of Material Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Hubei Province, P.R. China 430070
    Faculty page: http://smse.whut.edu.cn/yjspy/xsdw/fjs/201411/t20141105_132242.htm

Alumni

Ph.D.

 M.S.

B.S.

  • Du, Mengxi (2014/CH)
  • Allwood, Thomas (2013/MFE)
  • Keane, Kevin (2013/CM)
  • Motz, Livia (2013/ME)
  • Sandgren, Hayley (2013/ME)
  • Tuma, Peter (2013/CM)
  • Bezies, Nancy (2013/CM)
  • Ellison, Connor (2013/CM)
  • Hollinger, Justin (2013/CM)
  • Miller, Xavier (2013/CM)
  • Boucher, Andrew (2012/CM)
  • Ducey, Michael (2012/CM)
  • McNeff, Nathan (2012/CM)
  • Chawla, Manish (2012/CM)
  • Chou, Tony (2012/CM)
  • McCarthy, Kevin (2012/CM)
  • Larsen, Alex (2010/ME)
  • Whetstone, Ryan (2010/ME)
  • Cavanaugh, Garrett (2008/ME)
  • Perron, Justin (2008/ME)
  • Harrison, Keith (2008/Biomedical Engineering)
  • Souviney, Nicholas (2008/Biomedical Engineering)
  • Blair, Ryan (2008/Biomedical Engineering)