Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department at UF

Today we celebrate the women who shape the field of engineering.

On International Women in Engineering Day, we recognize the innovators, researchers, educators, and students whose work advances our field and inspires the next generation of engineers. Help us celebrate by tagging a woman in engineering who has inspired you!

Engineering thrives on curiosity, creativity, diverse perspectives, and a commitment to solving the world's most complex challenges. We are proud to celebrate the women of UF MAE who bring these qualities to our department, classrooms, and laboratories.

This photo was taken during our Curie Lecture Series, an annual tradition honoring pioneering women in science and engineering. Featured here are just some of the incredible women who make up the MAE community.

Happy International Women in Engineering Day!

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Celebrating recent faculty milestones across MAE 🐊

🔸 Jessica Allen was promoted to Associate Professor.
🔸 Norman Fitz-Coy was promoted to Professor.
🔸 Mike Griffis was promoted to Master Lecturer.
🔸 Yong Huang was awarded the title of Distinguished Professor.
🔸 Jonathan Scheffe was promoted to Professor.

Each of these accomplishments reflects years of dedication to teaching, research, and service across MAE. Congratulations to all on these well-earned achievements!

Today honors freedom, resilience, and the continued pursuit of equality.

UF MAE will be closed on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.
Normal operations will resume on June 22.

We’re proud to spotlight MAE’s Grace Tran, who brings an engineer’s mindset to everything she does—from leading Gator Motorsports to running marathons. 🧡💙
https://mae.ufl.edu/2026/06/18/run-like-an-engineer-grace-trans-strategy-for-marathons-and-mechanical-engineering/

Run like an engineer: Grace Tran’s strategy for marathons and mechanical engineering For Grace Tran, the sky is no limit. A mechanical engineering student in the combined master’s program, Grace’s career interests are in advanced robotic systems where human interaction, health…

🚀 We are proud to celebrate Swamp Launch Rocket Team's accomplishments this year at the NASA USLI competition and share some recent highlights with the MAE community.

Swipe through for a look at the people, technology, and milestones behind Project Terragator.

The Swamp Launch rocket team successfully completed its 2025–2026 launch initiative: “Project Terragator.” In continuing to set the standard for engineering excellence at the University of Florida, the team showcased their technical prowess by:

• Winning the NASA Project Review Award for the second time, illustrating a mastery in technical clarity
• Placing fifth overall in the competition
• Deploying the “Swamp Scooper” payload
• Implementing a functional airbrake system using GNC algorithms to control apogee
• Utilizing a modular aft to contain the solid rocket motor used on the vehicle

Congratulations to Swamp Launch on an outstanding year of innovation, teamwork, and engineering excellence.

Swamp Launch would like to thank all its dedicated executive board, leads, and members for their continued hard work to push the boundaries of student rocketry.

Swamp Launch Rocket Team, UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, UF Astraeus Space Institute

Congratulations to UF MAE Assistant Professor Dr. YU WANG on receiving a National Science Foundation CAREER Award!

Wang’s research is focused on developing safer, more reliable autonomous systems that can learn from human feedback while keeping safety, trust, and real-world impact at the center. His work aims to help future technologies—from robotaxis to service robots—better understand and adapt to the people they serve.

Read more about Wang’s vision for human-centered autonomy:

Yu Wang’s Vision for Safer, More Human-Centered Autonomous Systems For Yu Wang, Ph.D., engineering has always been about more than technology. It’s about people. Long before receiving one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for early-career faculty…

Four weeks into their six-week study abroad experience in southern Spain, University of Florida Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering students are gaining firsthand insight into the technologies and strategies shaping a more sustainable future.

Led by Jonathan Scheffe, Ph.D., the program combines classroom learning with industry visits and expert perspectives, giving students a unique opportunity to explore how engineers around the world are addressing energy and sustainability challenges. We are proud to see MAE represented across the globe and excited to watch our students engage with the people, facilities, and innovations shaping the future of energy.

UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

🚀 Florida Rocket Lab is defining what engineering excellence looks like.

University of Florida students have achieved a historic milestone with the successful flight of Mirage, the first liquid bipropellant rocket in UF history. Launched at the FAR OUT competition, the vehicle reached an altitude of 7,646 feet and was recovered completely undamaged after a flawless flight.

What began as a whiteboard sketch less than a year ago became a record-setting achievement through countless hours of design, manufacturing, testing, and teamwork. Mirage's success showcases the innovation, technical expertise, and determination that define Gator engineers.

Congratulations to Florida Rocket Lab on this incredible accomplishment and for continuing to push the boundaries of student-led aerospace engineering.

Mirage has become:

• The highest-flying student liquid rocket from the state of Florida, reaching 7646 feet (within 6% of our simulated apogee).

• The first American student-developed rocket with an augmented spark igniter (ASI) to have a successful flight and recovery in competition history.

UF Astraeus Space Institute, Friends of Amateur Rocketry - Oxidizers Uninhibited Tournament, UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

Congratulations to MAE Professor Subrata Roy on his selection for induction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame!

Roy is being recognized for pioneering plasma-based technologies that have advanced health care, food safety, water treatment, transportation, and space exploration. His innovations have moved beyond the laboratory into real-world applications, leading to multiple patents, commercialized technologies, and the creation of four spinoff companies.

From low-temperature sterilization systems and food preservation technologies to innovations designed for future space missions, Roy’s work exemplifies the impact engineering can have on society.

We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor and the extraordinary contributions he continues to make through research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and mentorship. 🐊

Read more here:
https://news.ufl.edu/2026/05/florida-inventor-hall-of-fame/?j=2137823&sfmc_sub=210180297&l=272_HTML&u=86381122&mid=518003454&jb=3004

UF Professor Subrata Roy Selected for Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Subrata Roy's pioneering work developing plasma‑based technologies earns him selection into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame.

The GATR Vex Robotics team has released a video playlist from VEX Worlds – Push Back, compiled by their President, Cannon Spencer!

Great work to the team for representing engineering and robotics! 💪 🐊

P7 GATR1 vs ZIPS GATR1 34 ZIPS 19