Chairs and Professorships

Several of our faculty members are Canada Research Chairs or hold industry-funded research chairs in diverse areas. See the full list here.

Find an Expert

Looking for an expert in a specific topic? Visit the UBC Experts Guide for media inquiries.

Work with Us

Interested in a research partnership? Reach out to a specific researcher, or email us at grants@mech.ubc.ca.

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS

The faculty in Manufacturing Automation and Robotics area conduct both fundamental and applied research in the areas of machining and additive manufacturing processes, CNC design, computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and 3D laser scanning, manufacturing process monitoring, design and digital control of machines, food processing automation, material handling systems, embedded systems, smart devices, machine health monitoring (prediction, detection, diagnosis, and accommodation) through intelligent sensing, mobile robots and telerobotics, human-robot interaction, deep learning, use of Mechatronic Design Quotient (MDQ), and intelligent, hierarchical and distributed control, etc. The goal of these research activities is to develop innovative technologies through understanding the mechanisms for manufacturing processes and mechatronic systems, therefore addressing critical industrial challenges.

 

FACULTY

Yusuf Altintas

Yusuf Altintas

Manufacturing Automation

Research Interests: modeling & analysis of machining processes, design & computer control of machine tool spindle & feed drives, mechanics, dynamics & control of micro-machining operations, design of virtual high performance machining simulation system, on line detection and suppression of chatter

Adam Clare

Adam Clare

Research Interests: Manufacturing technologies and approaches for a sustainable future; additive manufacturing (materials, processes, design and application); electrical discharge machining, electrolyte jet machining, electron beam and laser processes; stochastics in engineering design and manufacture; machine design and build; manufacturing for high value and high integrity applications (aerospace, biomedical, tool and nuclear).

Clarence de Silva

Clarence de Silva

Research Interests: multi-robot systems and applications including Homecare, process automation, mechatronics; integrated and automated design, control sensors and actuators, automated machine monitoring, diagnosis and repair, telemedicine, environmental monitoring

Hsi-Yung (Steve) Feng

Hsi-Yung (Steve) Feng

CAD/CAM/CAI

Research interests: CAD/CAM/CAI (Computer-Aided Design, Manufacturing & Inspection), emphasis on: scanning-derived geometric modeling, three-axis & five-axis CNC machining, 3D laser scanning and computational/coordinate metrology

Xiaoliang Jin

Xiaoliang Jin

Research Interests: manufacturing processes for advanced materials, vibration assisted machining, machining mechanics & dynamics, material characterization, surface integrity, hybrid additive and subtractive process for part repair and remanufacturing

Dominic Liao-McPherson

Dominic Liao-McPherson

Research Interests: model predictive control; constrained control; multi-agent systems; optimization algorithms and real-time optimization; algorithmic game theory; additive manufacturing; robotics; autonomous vehicles; energy systems; aerospace

Hongshen Ma

Hongshen Ma

Microfluidics and Biomedical Device Design

Research Interests: microfluidics, instrumentation, cell sorting, cell biomechanics, circulating tumor cells, malaria and red blood cell, deformability, single cell technologies, cell migration and chemotaxis

Ryozo Nagamune

Ryozo Nagamune

Robust and Optimal Control

Research Interests: Control Engineering: multiple robust control, parameter variation identification, nevanlinna-pick interpolation approach to robust control, machine tool servo control, wind turbine control, automotive engine control, hard disk drive track-following control, robust chatter stability analysis, magnetically actuated microlens control

Robert N. Rohling

Robert N. Rohling

Robotics, Medical Imaging

Research Interests: biomedical engineering, medical imaging, medical information systems, robotics

Christoph Sielmann

Christoph Sielmann


Research Interests: instrumentation, nanofabrication technology, MEMS, clean energy, artificial intelligence

Machiel Van der Loos

Machiel Van der Loos

Research Interests: Robotics: rehabilitation robotics, human-robot interaction; Design: design for safety, design methodology and design, coaching, roboethics

Kefei Wen

Kefei Wen

Research Interests: Kinematics, dynamics, and control of parallel mechanisms; parallel continuum robots; physical human-robot cooperation

 

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Headshots of Dr. Xiaoliang Jin, Dr. Lyndia Wu, and Dr. Naomi Zimmerman.
Three Canada Research Chairs appointed at UBC Mechanical Engineering

 

Dr. Adam Clare has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Dr. Adam Clare elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering

 

UBC Mechanical Engineering Professor Yusuf Altintas has been named an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Professor Yusuf Altintas appointed to Order of Canada