Department News and Events

News and Updates

Upcoming Events

Enrollment Growth: Welcoming over 500 New Students

The Mechanical Engineering Department experienced one of its strongest enrollment years to date, welcoming more than 500 new students in Fall 2025 across first-time freshmen, transfer students, and graduate students. This growth reflects increasing student interest in advanced manufacturing, robotics, sustainability, and emerging technologies, as well as the department’s strong academic programs and industry partnerships. We look forward to supporting a larger and more diverse Titan Engineering community.

ME Department Website Receives Major Upgrade

The Mechanical Engineering Department website has undergone a significant upgrade this year, introducing a modernized design, improved navigation, and a wealth of new information for students, faculty, alumni, and industry partners. The enhanced site provides clearer pathways to academic programs, advising resources, research activities, labs and facilities, student organizations, and department news.

Key updates include:

• Streamlined program pages for the B.S. and M.S. degrees, including updated flowcharts, catalog links, and advising guidance
• Expanded faculty profiles highlighting research areas, publications, and lab capabilities
• A dedicated Senior Design section with project requirements, funding guidelines, and team resources
• Enhanced student advising content including FAQ, appointment links, and success tips
• Updated research and laborator pages showcasing ME facilities, equipment, and ongoing projects
• A refreshed news and announcements area featuring departmental achievements and upcoming events

These improvements greatly enhance the user experience and make it easier for the ME community and prospective students to find the information they need. The updated website is part of the department’s continuing effort to strengthen communication, support student success, and highlight the accomplishments of Titan Engineers.

GEM Tech Expo 2025: Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators

The GEM Tech Expo 2025, held on October 28 at the TSU Pavilion, brought together over 400 participants, including students, faculty, industry leaders, and community partners. The event showcased innovations in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, and workforce pathways. Attendees engaged in hands-on technology demos, future-of-work discussions, and interactive engineering activities. With its emphasis on sustainability and inclusive innovation, the Expo successfully connected students with real-world engineering applications and career opportunities.

SAMPE CSUF: Fall Events and Student Achievements

The CSUF SAMPE student chapter offered a rich lineup of events this fall, giving students direct exposure to industry practices and advanced materials engineering.

Engineering Design Session at GEM Tech Expo 2025

During the GEM Expo, Michael Kramer, founder of NOVAdev, led an insightful session on the engineering design process, highlighting how ideas evolve from concept to production and offering practical guidance for students.

Composite Technologies Guest Lecture - November 18

Dr. Clement (Clem) Hiel, President of Composite Support and Solutions Inc., delivered an engaging presentation on the evolution of modern composites, sharing innovations, applications, and valuable insights for SAMPE Bridge Competition participants.

SAMPE Rocket Launch - November 8

SAMPE students, supported by the SAMPE OC Chapter, hosted a rocket launch event that provided hands-on experience in composite fabrication, aerodynamics, and testing.

SAMPE Student Spotlight Interview

SAMPE President Amaan Sayeed and Treasurer Derrick Luu were featured in a SAMPE international interview, sharing how SAMPE has transformed their academic and professional journeys. You can access the interview using this link.

ME Department Welcomes Delegation from Reutlingen University, Germany

The Mechanical Engineering Department was honored to host a visiting delegation from Reutlingen University, Germany on September 17, 2025, as part of CSU International Programs’ efforts to expand engineering study-abroad opportunities. The delegation included engineering faculty, administrators, and international program leaders exploring a potential semester-abroad pathway for ME students.

The visit included tours of the Machine Shop, Senior Design Lab (E-21), and meetings with ME faculty, including Dr. Bingling Huang and Dr. Xinyi Wang, along with several senior design student teams who showcased their ongoing projects.

The discussions focused on curriculum alignment, course equivalencies, and the development of a robust exchange program that allows CSUF students to take engineering courses in English at Reutlingen while earning degree-applicable credit. Faculty from both institutions are continuing to refine course mappings and explore mutual research and experiential learning collaborations.

The visit strengthened our international partnerships and set the foundation for a future ME study-abroad option that expands global learning opportunities for Titan Engineers.

 

ME Department Hosts IDETC 2025 Visitors for Engineering Lab Tour

The Mechanical Engineering Department had the pleasure of hosting attendees from the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC 2025) for a special lab tour on August 20, 2025. The visit brought approximately 20 conference participants, including students, researchers, and industry professionals, to explore CSUF’s engineering facilities and learn about the hands-on research and teaching activities within the department.

The tour was led by Dr. Bingling Huang, with support from Dr. Xinyi Wang, who coordinated the visit, met with attendees, and engaged them in discussions about CSUF’s instructional laboratories, student projects, and research capabilities. Several ME labs participated, offering demonstrations and highlighting ongoing work in areas such as design engineering, manufacturing, and advanced analysis. 

The IDETC visitors expressed strong interest in CSUF’s applied engineering environment, collaborative student culture, and the department’s commitment to experiential learning. The event strengthened CSUF’s visibility within the national design engineering community and reinforced the department’s growing presence in professional engineering networks.

Dr. Huang served as Local Chair in the IDETC ConferenceOrganizing Committee, organizing the tours includingCSUF, University of California, Riverside (UCR), and University of Southern California (USC).

 

Major Renovation of Senior Design Project Space (E-21): Modern Furniture, New Technology, and Expnaded Capabilities

The Mechanical Engineering Department completed a significant transformation of the Senior Design Project Space (E-21) this fall, creating a modern, flexible, and technology-enhanced environment to support the growing needs of our capstone teams.

The newly renovated space features state-of-the-art collaborative furniture, upgraded workstations, improved lighting, and a more efficient layout designed to support teamwork, prototyping, and design review activities. New digital displays, enhanced connectivity, and equipment upgrades allow students to integrate simulation tools, testing workflows, and design presentations directly into their project development process.

These improvements provide our students with an environment that more closely mirrors contemporary engineering workplaces, fostering creativity, communication, and innovation. The enhanced space has already become a high-energy hub for senior design teams, faculty mentors, and industry collaborators.

The upgrades reflect the department’s ongoing commitment to hands-on learning, modern engineering design practices, and industry-aligned project experiences, ensuring Titan Engineers are well prepared for the professional world.

Launching Soon: New Mechanical Engineering B.S. + M.S. Blended (4+1) Program

The Mechanical Engineering Department is excited to announce the upcoming launch of the B.S. + M.S. Blended (4+1) Program, expected to begin in Fall 2026. This accelerated pathway will allow high-achieving students to complete both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in approximately five years.

The blended program enables students to double-count up to 12 units of graduate coursework, taken during their senior year, toward both degrees—saving time and tuition. Students will gain early exposure to 500-level Mechanical Engineering courses in areas such as advanced manufacturing, digital twin systems, Industry 4.0 technologies, advanced materials, and energy systems, preparing them for leadership roles in fast-evolving engineering fields.

The program is designed for students seeking deeper technical expertise, expanded research opportunities, and a competitive edge in industry or graduate-level pursuits. Advising support will be provided to help students plan their pathway and integrate blended coursework into their academic timeline.

More details, including eligibility criteria, application timelines, and the official 5-year roadmap, will be released in the coming months. The department looks forward to welcoming the first cohort of students into this exciting new academic opportunity.

ME Advising Team Continues to Excel in Supporting Student Success

The Mechanical Engineering advising team had an exceptionally strong year, providing high-quality guidance and support to our growing student population. With more than 500 new ME students joining the department this fall, advising has been central to helping students understand degree requirements, plan their course schedules, and stay on track for timely graduation.

Undergraduate ME advising for juniors and seniors is led by Dr. Hope Weiss and Dr. Justin Tran, who provide one-on-one support with course planning, prerequisite sequencing, senior project enrollment, and preparation for internships and careers. Working in close collaboration with the ECS Student Success Center, which supports freshmen and sophomores, the advising team ensures that students receive coordinated, accurate, and timely information at every stage of their academic journey.

The department extends its sincere appreciation to Dr. Weiss and Dr. Tran for their outstanding dedication to student success and for continually elevating the advising experience for Titan Engineers.

Faculty Research Highlights: Recent Publications in 2025

Mechanical Engineering faculty continue to advance impactful research across hydrogen energy systems, materials engineering, and Industry 4.0 technologies. Several notable peer-reviewed publications were released in 2025:

1. Technoeconomic Insights into Metal Hydrides for Stationary Hydrogen Storage
   X. Wang, P. Peng, M. Witman, V. Stavila, M. Allendorf, H. Breunig
   Advanced Science (2025), Article 2415736
   Summary: This study provides a comprehensive technoeconomic analysis of metal hydrides for large-scale stationary hydrogen storage, offering new insights into material performance, cost drivers, and system-level feasibility.
2. Machine Learning-Driven Screening of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Hydrogen Storage
   X. Wang, H. Breunig, P. Peng
   Applied Energy, Volume 383, 2025
   Summary: This article demonstrates a broad-range material-to-system screening method using machine learning to evaluate MOFs for hydrogen storage applications, accelerating the discovery of viable energy materials.
3. Emergent Role Specialization in Self-Organized Systems via K-Means-Based Behavioral Analysis
   Bingling Huang, Maximillian Haaga, Hao Ji
   Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE 2025)
   Paper No. DETC2025-169584, V02AT02A057; 13 pages
   Summary: The paper examines how multiagent systems naturally develop distinct roles during collaborative tasks by analyzing agent behaviors using physical motion metrics and K-means clustering. Results show that hierarchical role specialization emerges without predefined assignments, offering insights for designing adaptive and efficient autonomous robotic systems.
4. A Pilot Study on a Strategic Approach for Integrating PLC with Industry 4.0 Technologies
   K.S. Kollamolel and Sagil James
   Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE 2025)
   Paper No. IDETC/CIE2025-168815
   Summary: This paper presents a strategic educational and technical framework for integrating programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with Industry 4.0 technologies, offering a pilot implementation and recommendations for modernizing automation and manufacturing curricula.

These publications showcase the department’s growing strengths in energy innovation, smart manufacturing, and advanced computational engineering, contributing significantly to CSUF’s research impact.

SME Student Chapter Hosts Manufacturing Networking & Mentorship Event

The CSUF SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) student chapter, coordinated by Dr. Sagil James, hosted a successful Manufacturing Networking & Membership Event on November 6, 2025, in E-101. Students, faculty, alumni, and local industry professionals gathered for a networking mixer, an overview of SME membership benefits, and opportunities for involvement in upcoming manufacturing projects and competitions. The event highlighted pathways for student engagement in advanced manufacturing, automation, and workforce innovation, with lunch provided to encourage informal discussion and collaboration.

ME Students Recognized at Titan Supercomputing Center Research Symposium

In September 2025, Mechanical Engineering graduate student Ibrahim Emin Cem Patir and undergraduate student Maxwell Chevenak participated in the Titan Supercomputing Center Research Symposium, an event highlighting advanced research in high-performance computing at CSUF. Emin received the Best Poster Presentation award for excellence in visual clarity and scientific communication.
The symposium spotlight can be viewed here: CSUF Community Celebrates High-Performance Computing Research.

Graduate Student Ibrahim Emin Cem Patir Receives UROC Travel Grant

In December 2025, ME graduate student Ibrahim Emin Cem Patir was awarded the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center (UROC) Student Travel Grant. This competitive award will support his travel to present research findings at the TMS 2026 Annual Meeting & Exhibition (The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society), one of the leading international conferences in materials science and engineering.
This achievement reflects the growing research strength and national visibility of CSUF Mechanical Engineering students.

Dr. Huang Honored with ASME Advancing Engineering Profession Service Award

Dr. Bingling Huang received the ASME Advancing Engineering Profession Service Award at the IDETC-CIE 2025 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. This recognition highlights her contributions to engineering education, professional service, and her leadership within the design engineering community. The award reflects Dr. Huang’s ongoing commitment to supporting students, advancing research collaboration, and strengthening CSUF’s engagement with ASME.

CSUF ME Students Present Research at International ASME Conference

Mechanical Engineering senior Max Haaga, supervised by Dr. Bingling Huang, successfully published and presented his research paper, “Emergent Role Specialization in Self-Organized Systems Via K-Means Analysis,” at the IDETC-CIE 2025 conference on August 19 in Anaheim. His work highlights the increasing involvement of CSUF undergraduate students in high-level engineering research and strengthens the department’s visibility within the ASME design engineering community.

Graduate student Kelvin Kollamolel, supervised by Dr. Sagil James, also presented his peer-reviewed conference paper, “A Pilot Study on a Strategic Approach for Integrating PLC with Industry 4.0 Technologies” (Paper No. IDETC/CIE2025-168815). The study proposes a practical educational and technical framework for integrating programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with modern Industry 4.0 technologies, offering recommendations for advancing automation and manufacturing curricula. Kelvin’s contribution reflects the department’s growing research strength in smart manufacturing and engineering education innovation.