Mechanical Engineering – Maine College of Engineering and Computing

Building the Future Blue Economy Workforce in Digital Twin Technologies

ava.hyora — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:37:19 +0000

This summer, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maine (91��) hosted an international summer school on digital twins for ocean engineering.

Organized through Dr. Amrit Verma’s NSF-funded ExLENT project and a Norwegian government-funded UTFORSK partnership between 91�� and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the summer school brought together students and faculty from both institutions to explore digital twin technologies and their applications in offshore renewable energy, marine systems, and the blue economy.

The two-week summer school hosted 29 students, including 16 students from 91�� and 13 students from NTNU. Participants gained hands-on experience with digital twin technologies through laboratory activities, experiments, lectures, and team-based projects. Students learned how physical ocean systems can be integrated with sensors, physics-based models, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) to create virtual representations that monitor, forecast, and support real-time decision-making.

The program leveraged several unique research facilities at Mechanical Engineering, including a wave tank and an NSF-funded digital twin test bed, and provided live digital twin demonstrations. The program was led by Dr. Amrit Verma, Dr. Andrew Goupee, and Dr. Richard Kimball from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Damian Brady from the School of Marine Sciences, and Dr. Yifeng Zhu from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The event also featured a keynote by Dr. Giovanna Guidoboni, Interim Vice President for Research and Dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing, and guest speakers from the Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC), DeepCwind, the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), and Kelson Marine.

By combining research, education, and international collaboration, the program is helping prepare the next generation of blue economy engineers and scientists to address emerging challenges in offshore renewable energy, maritime industries, and the rapidly growing blue economy.

Emerging Leadership Award

ava.hyora — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:26:40 +0000

Assistant Professor of mechanical engineering, Dr. Xiaoxiao Zhao, is the recipient of the 2026 SAMPE North America Young Professional Emerging Leadership Award. The award recognizes Dr. Zhao’s emerging leadership in materials and process engineering, particularly in sustainable surface engineering, multifunctional coatings, and scalable materials processing.

Since joining 91�� in 2024, Dr. Zhao has established an active research program focused on fluorine-free omniphobic and superhydrophobic materials, liquid-like polymer brush coatings, nanostructured silica-based coatings, and plasma-enabled processing technologies. His work emphasizes not only fundamental structure–property relationships at surfaces and interfaces, but also manufacturable coating strategies with applications in aerospace, protective materials, environmental, and advanced manufacturing.

His research group is developing durable, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-free surface treatments for applications such as icephobic aerospace materials, chemical protective textiles, fluid-handling systems, and PFAS remediation. These projects integrate materials design, surface modification, reactor development, and characterization, while providing graduate and undergraduate students with hands-on training in fabrication, testing, and process optimization.

In the words of Department Chair Rais-Rohani “Dr. Zhao’s innovative research on PFAS remediation and PFAS-free surface treatments advances global efforts in combating environmental pollution.” The 2026 SAMPE award reflects both Dr. Zhao’s technical contributions and his commitment to advancing sustainable, scalable, and application-driven materials technologies.

91�� Team Meets the Challenge in a Design-Build-Fly Competition

ava.hyora — Thu, 28 May 2026 14:37:55 +0000

91�� AIAA Design-Build-Fly (DBF) team spent nearly a full year transforming ideas into an aircraft. Every stage of the process, from conceptual design and aerodynamic analysis to fabrication, testing, crashing, and rebuilding, pushed students to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world engineering environment. Competing in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Design Build Fly competition means far more than flying an RC airplane; it is an opportunity to compete alongside some of the most talented students in the world. With only around 120 teams invited from hundreds of applicants, qualifying alone is a major achievement that requires professional-level proposals, technical reports, and innovative engineering solutions.

91�� students experienced the intensity and excitement of aerospace engineering firsthand this year in Wichita, Kansas. Teams faced high-pressure technical inspections, demanding flight missions, and the constant challenge of adapting under pressure. This year’s tandem-wing aircraft demonstrated the team’s creativity, resilience, and technical skill, especially after recovering from setbacks during competition. Beyond the engineering itself, DBF builds camaraderie, leadership, and lasting connections with students from across the globe who share a passion for aviation. This year’s team captain, Lana Friess noted that “the experience reflects the very best of engineering: perseverance, teamwork, innovation, and learning through hands-on problem solving.” Each year, the 91�� AIAA team continues to prove that University of Maine College of Engineering and Computing students can compete on one of the world’s largest collegiate aerospace stages while representing the university with professionalism, determination, and pride. The team’s faculty advisor, Prof. Alex Friess reflected on the AIAA DBF competition by saying “DBF represents a rollercoaster of emotions, teamwork, celebrations and disappointments, perseverance, and truly feeling the embrace of this amazing international AIAA community. It is an exceptional experience at many levels. Our 91�� AIAA branch and DBF team continue to rise to the occasion, excelling not only technically with innovative designs, but perhaps more importantly as passionate and caring individuals that embody the best of the engineering profession.”

Understanding Aerodynamics Through Flow Visualization

ava.hyora — Wed, 27 May 2026 12:33:19 +0000

This past school year, Elsa Perez Abella, a sophomore mechanical engineering student, participated in a research project at the Aerosystems Dynamics Laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Ahmed Aboelezz. She focused on improving the efficiency of wind-tunnel based oil film surface flow visualization technique to make it simple, cost effective and an accurate application for aerodynamic flow analysis. She refined the oil film mixture to make it fluorescent under UV light and enhance the detail observable with clear flow patterns. In collaboration with a PhD student, she co-authored a research paper summarizing their methodology and findings, which she presented at the 2026 AIAA Region I Student Conference in Maryland. Elsa describes her experience by saying “My main takeaway was that engineering extends beyond technical knowledge, emphasizing iteration, communication, adaptability to unexpected results, and continuous learning.” In praising her research, Dr. Aboelezz notes “Elsa was a very dedicated undergraduate researcher who showed a strong interest in learning and contributing to the project. She did an excellent job engaging with the research process, and her work reflects both technical growth and professionalism.”

2026 Outstanding Graduating Senior in Mechanical Engineering

ava.hyora — Wed, 27 May 2026 12:26:56 +0000

Katherine (Kat) Gross��believes her��experience at 91�� has been incredibly enriching, challenging, and fun. She says her classes pushed her to expand her creative thinking and technical skills but were well designed to allow her to enjoy her college experience inside and out of the academic sphere. She was able to balance classes with being a teaching assistant, Honors Ambassador, research assistant, and club president while still having time for a social life and hobbies. In her senior year, she also had enough flexibility to complete the capstone project, an Honors thesis, and become a club athlete on the Woodsmen team.
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In describing her undergraduate research experience, Kat says “Knowing that faculty and staff are paying attention to students close enough to reach out and invite them to research is something that makes me excited to continue my experience at 91�� in the accelerated master’s program in Mechanical Engineering right here at my undergraduate alma mater.” In describing Kat, Dr. Sheila Edalatpour who served as Kat’s research mentor says “Kat is an exceptional student whose intelligence, independence, and perseverance set her apart. While completing an honors thesis, she remained deeply engaged in extracurricular activities and consistently demonstrated the determination, maturity, and work ethic of an outstanding graduate. She does not quit when faced with challenges, and I am very proud to see her receive this well-deserved recognition.”

Mechanical Engineering – Maine College of Engineering and Computing

Building the Future Blue Economy Workforce in Digital Twin Technologies

Emerging Leadership Award

91���� Team Meets the Challenge in a Design-Build-Fly Competition

Understanding Aerodynamics Through Flow Visualization

2026 Outstanding Graduating Senior in Mechanical Engineering

91�� Team Meets the Challenge in a Design-Build-Fly Competition