Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department at UF

Fall 2026 is here, and we’re excited to welcome our UF MAE Gator Engineers to another great semester! Whether you are a new or returning student, faculty, or staff, come celebrate the start of the semester with us!

📅 Thursday, August 20
⏰ 12 PM
📍 NEB Rotunda

Come by the NEB Rotunda to take your official first-day photo, meet fellow Gator Engineers, and grab some UF MAE swag to start the semester in style!

Go Gators! 🐊

What if the key to longer space missions is hidden in the way liquids boil?

University of Florida researchers have uncovered surprising behavior in boiling cryogenic liquids that could help engineers better manage the ultracold fuels and coolants future spacecraft will rely on.

Published July 8 in npj Microgravity, the findings lay important groundwork for next-generation spacecraft systems, helping us get one step closer to making deep-space missions more efficient, reliable and sustainable.

Read the article here:
https://mae.ufl.edu/2026/08/11/uf-researchers-uncover-surprising-boiling-behavior-in-liquids-that-could-advance-future-space-missions/

UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
UF Astraeus Space Institute

UF researchers uncover surprising boiling behavior in liquids that could advance future space missions When astronauts travel deeper into space, every drop of fuel becomes critical, and keeping those fuels stable for months or even years is one of the biggest engineering challenges facing future…

Harnessing Heat to Power the Future!

Dr. Moon is bringing innovative heat-transfer research to the Cade Museum’s Invention of Cool exhibition. Through interactive demonstrations, visitors can explore how heat can be converted into electricity for deep-space applications and how electricity can enable direct cooling without conventional coolants. Discover how engineering innovation is transforming the way we think about energy, cooling and the future of space exploration.

Today is National Sea Serpent Day! 🌊🐍

While mythical sea serpents have captured imaginations for centuries, the ocean still holds many real mysteries waiting to be explored.

At the University of Florida, mechanical and aerospace engineers are helping push the boundaries of discovery through robotics, advanced sensors, fluid dynamics, and innovative technologies that allow us to better understand the world around us.

Of course, here in Gator Nation, we know there's one legendary reptile that stands above the rest. 🐊

Tag a UF MAE researcher, student, or lab whose work is exploring the unknown OR comment with your favorite mythical sea serpent!

Congratulations to Mohammad Moulod, former graduate student of Saeed Moghaddam, whose paper, "Modeling and experimental study of low flow rate miniaturized electrodialysis for artificial kidney applications", has been selected as a Featured Article by the Journal of Applied Physics!

The recognition highlights the impact of his research and the quality of work emerging from our department. We are proud to celebrate this outstanding achievement and congratulate Mohammad on this well-deserved honor.

Read the featured paper: https://pubs.aip.org/aip/jap/article-abstract/140/3/034701/3398615/Modeling-and-experimental-study-of-low-flow-rate?redirectedFrom=fulltext

UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

Modeling and experimental study of low flow rate miniaturized electrodialysis for artificial kidney applications In this study, the application of electrodialysis for ion recovery as an active transport mechanism is evaluated where a low flow rate of de-ionized water conta

🧪 What's in My Lab?

What do robots, magnets, diamond abrasives, and surface roughness testers have in common? They all play a role in the research happening in Hitomi Greenslet's lab.

Dr. Greenslet's work in advanced manufacturing combines cutting-edge technology with hands-on problem solving to tackle real-world engineering challenges. Along the way, she mentors students through meaningful face-to-face collaboration, helping prepare the next generation of innovators.

And every great lab needs a little curiosity... even if that means keeping an eye out for aliens. 👽

Take a look inside the lab and discover the people, tools, and ideas shaping the future of manufacturing.

We're proud to share that research led by Dr. Piran Kidambi has been featured by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science!

The DOE highlighted Dr. Kidambi's team's groundbreaking work demonstrating how atomically thin, two-dimensional membranes can separate hydrogen isotopes with remarkable precision. By combining machine learning with scalable materials synthesis, the research opens new possibilities for more energy-efficient isotope separation.

Congratulations to Dr. Kidambi and the entire research team on this outstanding recognition!

Read the DOE feature:

Creating Atom-Thin Filters that Separate the Smallest Isotopes Scientists demonstrated that ultra-thin membranes made of 2D materials can act as filters to separate isotopes of hydrogen.

Congratulations to UF MAE Ph.D. candidate Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba on being named to the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 Class of 2026! 🚀

Featured by UF News, Wanjiku shares how a childhood curiosity about the moon grew into a mission to advance space infrastructure and help shape the future of space exploration for Africa and beyond.

Read the full story on UF NEWS.

As a Forbes Africa ‘30 Under 30’ honoree, I want to help define Africa’s next era in space One of my earliest memories is looking at the moon as a child in Nairobi, Kenya, and wondering, “Why is the moon following me?”