Table of Contents
Letter from the DEO
Welcome Ryan Story
1 10 18 2 12 19 20 6 14 8 16
Hardin Donates Award
Built to Move
Rising Star, Professor Lamuta Honored Alum Marc C. Schneider
Welcome Kara Beauchamp Graduate Scholarships In Memory of Professor Beckermann
NEW ADDITIONS TO THE ME TEAM
The Department of Mechanical Engineering was excited to welcome two new office assistants, Maggie Militello and Disha Patel, during the fall semester of 2024. Their enthusiasm and diverse backgrounds have already made a positive impact on the department’s daily operations.
Maggie Militello is a senior who will be graduating in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and a Bachelor of Arts in art. Maggie brings a unique combination of creativity and business insight to the team. Outside of work and academics, Maggie enjoys reading and baking.
Disha Patel is a sophomore majoring in journalism and mass communication. She brings strong communication skills and attention to detail, qualities that are essential for the fast-paced environment of the department office. In her free time, Disha enjoys crafting and reading.
Professor Udaykumar Secures Grant
Honored Alum
Bob W. Whitmore
The department looks forward to the continued contributions of Maggie and Disha throughout the academic year. Their energy, creativity, and commitment to excellence are greatly appreciated by faculty, staff, and students alike.
Pictured (L–R): Ching-Long Lin, Dave Scholz, Maggie Militello, Disha Patel
Letter from the DEO
The Mechanical Engineering (ME) department had a wonderful academic year in 2024–2025. Associate Professor James Buchholz led the ME Teaching Lab Committee to establish a new Mechatronics and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) lab in support of our Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems curriculum. With funding from both the College of Engineering and the department, we purchased a quadruped (dog-like) robot and a humanoid robot. Two senior design teams used the quadruped robot for their spring 2025 design projects.
Our faculty’s achievements are outstanding and demonstrate a deep commitment to excellence. Associate Professor Caterina Lamuta received the 2024 ASME Rising Star Award, the ASME Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures, and Intelligent Systems (SMASIS) Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award, and the UI Fall Innovation Challenge Winner Award. Associate Professor Casey Harwood received the College of Engineering Early Career Faculty Excellence Award. Associate Professor Venanzio Cichella was honored with the Innovation Challenge – Phase I Award and the 2024 Mechanical Science and Engineering Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Professor Al Ratner served as the General Congress Chair for the 2024 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE). Professor of Instruction Justin Garvin received the College of Engineering Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award.
Additionally, several faculty members received new federal grants. Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Udaykumar received a U.S. Department of Defense grant to study energetic materials. Associate Professors James Buchholz and Casey Harwood received a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, Office of Naval Research to enhance student engagement and success in a naval capstone design program.
Ching-Long Lin, PhD
The department welcomes two new lab managers, Ryan Story and Kara Beauchamp, supporting our teaching labs and several courses. Working alongside lab manger Dr. Abdullah Hassanin, Associate Professor James Buchholz —chair of the ME Teaching Lab Committee—aims to build a collaborative community of lab managers with complementary expertise as part of the new lab’s development.
At the same time, we are saddened to share the passing of Professor Emeritus Ralph Stephens and Professor Christoph Beckermann. Their contributions to the department were profound, and they are deeply missed.
Finally, the departmental winter party continues to be a cherished annual highlight. Once again, we were honored to have Dean Ann McKenna join us for this special event. We sincerely appreciate your continued support and extend our best wishes for your health and well-being.
Edward M. Mielnik and Samuel R. Harding Professor, Departmental Executive Officer, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Built to Move: Our New Lab Brings Robots to the Classroom
Engineering Education Steps into the Future with Walking Robots
As we near the end of the “early adopter” phase, walking robots are no longer just futuristic novelties— they’re becoming essential tools in modern engineering education. With companies rapidly advancing humanoid and quadruped robotic systems, we anticipate these technologies will become commonplace in the next five years. By introducing walking robots into our curriculum now, we position our students—and our institution—at the forefront of innovation.
Why Now? Why These Robots?
Our initiative focuses on integrating Unitree robots, which are already in use at top-tier institutions like Carnegie Mellon, UC San Diego, and Iowa State University. These robots offer a rare combination of affordability, robust documentation, and ongoing support through a North American distributor. Built on the open-source Robot Operating System (ROS), these robots also provide students handson experience with the same software infrastructure used across the robotics industry—an invaluable skillset in today’s job market.
Curricular Integration Across All Levels
The impact of these robots will span the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, offering immersive, real-world learning across a variety of courses:
ENGR:1100 Intro to Engineering
Problem Solving
Students will explore AI concepts using Excelbased modules on supervised learning, with the robots helping bridge theory and application. Their visibility in the Engineering Design Studio will also serve as an engaging showcase for visitors and prospective students.
ENGR:2710 Dynamics
Walking robots will allow students to witness real-time demonstrations of rigid body motion
and dynamic linkages, translating textbook concepts into tangible experiences.
ME:3600 Control of Mechanical Systems & ME:4120 Advanced Linear Control
These courses will use the robots to demonstrate control techniques, from basic PID controllers to optimal energy-efficient maneuvers, making abstract theory come alive in the classroom.
ME:4140 Modern Robotics & Automation
Students will tackle complex robotic challenges, including inverse kinematics and trajectory planning, while experimenting with advanced tactile sensors and manipulation techniques.
ME:4145 Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
This course introduces social robotics— collaborative, multi-robot systems operating in tandem. Our humanoid robot will interact with existing industrial manipulators in a simulated manufacturing task, offering students a glimpse into the future of automated industry.
ME:4150 Artificial Intelligence in Engineering
Students will connect AI theory directly to robotic action, gaining critical insight into the relationship between algorithms and physical outcomes.
Extending Impact Beyond the Classroom
Graduate students in advanced courses like ME:6120 Mechatronics and Wearable Robotics and ME:6240 Probabilistic Inference will also benefit, particularly as the robots serve as a bridge between undergraduate learning and graduate research. They will also support recruitment for the U2G program by offering a compelling research and development platform.
Outreach, Collaboration, and Campus Innovation
These robots are more than teaching tools— they’re ambassadors of innovation. In Summer 2024, Deema Totah, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, collaborated with a local high school student to build and program a series of robots that danced onstage with students at Hancher Auditorium. This interdisciplinary project, in partnership with assistant professor Stephanie Miracle and
Pictured (L–R): our community of lab managers Ryan Story (p. 10), Kara Beauchamp (p. 12), and Abdullah Hassanin (featured in last year’s newsletter).
students from the Department of Dance, has already sparked grant proposals focused on dance biomechanics and wearable technology.
Our new robotics lab—currently under development—will become a flagship space within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a must-see destination on campus tours.
Looking Ahead: Real-World Applications
From disaster response to
“Our vision is to build a lab with a workshop open to undergraduate and graduate students working on robotics through coursework, student organizations, and research. This year, we currently have two capstone design teams conducting projects with the robots.”
- James Buchholz, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
agriculture, walking robots have far-reaching potential to:
• Navigate rough terrain or disaster zones where wheeled robots fall short
• Maintain balance while carrying heavy loads
• Assist with tasks like herding livestock or delivering supplies in remote areas
• Explore hostile environments, including caves or other planets
• Offer an accessible platform for teaching robotic gait and stability control
By embracing walking robots today, we equip our students with the tools, experiences, and vision to lead tomorrow’s engineering breakthroughs. These technologies are not just enhancing our curriculum— they’re transforming how we think about learning, collaboration, and innovation.
Department of Dance and Department of Mechanical Engineering collaboration
Professor Caterina Lamuta Honored as a ‘Rising Star’ by ASME
ME professor Caterina Lamuta is considered among the brightest young minds in her field.
A University of Iowa engineering professor who has gained acclaim in her field for research contributions is now being recognized as a “rising star” by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
Caterina Lamuta, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, received the ASME Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering award during the 2024 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition on November 19 in Portland, Oregon.
The award recognizes “innovative work and dedication that significantly advances the
engineering profession and inspires the next generation of engineers.” “Rising star” honorees have previously received federal support through prestigious research programs.
The award event provided an opportunity for researchers to present their ideas and make connections with program managers at funding agencies, academic peers, and leaders in industry.
Lamuta, a research engineer at IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, has amassed numerous early career faculty accolades and funding awards, a testament to the trajectory of her research career.
She has received the 2024 ASME SMASIS Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award, the 2022 IOWA OVPR Early Career Scholar of the Year, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program Award, the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award, and the DARPA Director’s Fellowship for research advancing a octopusinspired robot that can perform underwater monitoring, rescue, and assembly operations.
To learn more, visit Professor Lamuta’s SMMS (Smart Multifunctional Material Systems) Lab website.
Udaykumar Secures $1M DoD Grant to Study
Energetic
Materials
The knowledge could help make safer rockets, design detonation engines for hypersonic vehicles, and handle shock-sensitive materials.
A University of Iowa professor of mechanical engineering is investigating an innovative approach to a clearer, more detailed understanding of how energetic materials, such as solid rocket propellants or explosives, transition from atomic-scale reactions to major explosions.
H.S. Udaykumar, Roy J. Carver Professor of Engineering and associate dean for research and faculty in the College of Engineering, secured a 4.5-year, $982,705 grant from the Department of Defense, Air Force Office of Scientific Research to further the project.
“We
need this knowledge to understand how to make safer rockets, design detonation engines for hypersonic vehicles, and handle shock-sensitive materials,”
- H.S. Udaykumar
The project shifts the paradigm of calculating the shock-to-detonation reaction in energetic materials from a sequential, step-by-step process to an all at once approach called direct numerical simulation (DNS).
The DNS process will be executed on exa-scale computers, currently the fastest computing machines in use, operating at a billion times the speed of a desktop computer. This is made possible by new algorithms, better models, and improved simulation techniques for solving large systems of equations.
“In computational terms, we are swinging for the fences here, resolving materials down to atomistic scales and trying to capture every fine detail of how a tiny spark grows to explosively consume the material,” Udaykumar said.
One of the selected entries from this year’s Capture Your Research contest (pictured right) shows a high-fidelity simulation of a shockwave passing through an HMX crystal embedded in polymeric binder. The crystal geometry, derived from nanoscale CT scans (courtesy of UIUC collaborators), reveals localized ‘hotspots’—regions of elevated temperature that can trigger ignition. Generated using our inhouse hydrocode SCIMITAR3D, the image highlights the Computational Thermophysics Lab’s capability to predict complex, reactive flow dynamics in energetic materials.
Pictured (L–R): Dr. Pradeep Seshadri, Dr. Shobhan Roy, Dr. Prarthana Parepalli, Dr. Chukwudubem Okafor, PhD student Irene Fang, Professor Udaykumar, and MS student Ranabir Saha at the APS Shock Physics Conference.
RYAN STORY
What was your experience before the University of Iowa?
I was set on obtaining a degree in meteorology out of high school. I grew up in Georgia and looked at schools across the country. Iowa State University (ISU) stood out. After my degree, I worked as a software developer remotely in Iowa City. The company developed business management software for petroleum distributors. I worked on databases, desktop applications, and mobile applications. While working there, I started to build a kit airplane. I had been flying for about five years and decided it would be fun to design/build airplanes and get paid for it. I earned another BS at ISU, this time in aerospace engineering, and interned at Collins Aerospace and Boom Supersonic. It was interesting to see the difference between a large, multi-national corporation (Collins) and a small, growing aerospace start-up company (Boom). My wife and I looked all over the country for jobs after I graduated and ended up back in Iowa City. I began working at Collins Aerospace as a systems engineer. I took top-level features and decomposed them into requirements that described how the avionics should work. Once the features were developed by the software teams, we tested and verified that the requirements were satisfied. I had enjoyed my structures classes at ISU and began looking for a mechanical engineering role, which led me to Van’s Aircraft, the world’s most popular kit aircraft company. I was a sustaining engineer and helped solve problems that customers had while building/flying their airplanes, managed assembly instructions, and supported the tech support
group. I also supported the production group to disposition parts that did not meet drawings and served as the engineering contact for production and for external vendors. After Van’s, I was a senior mechanical design engineer at Eaton in Davenport. I focused on designing and operating an environmental test system for cryogenic coolers. These tests help define performance and product life specifications as well as prove compliance to customer requirements.
How did you hear about the University of Iowa?
I first became aware of the University of Iowa on September 15, 2007. That was the day of the CyHawk game in Ames, and it was my first semester at ISU. A fun part of that game, for me at least, was that ISU outscored Iowa solely with field goals.
When did you start having an interest in ME/ISE?
I’ve been interested in engineering since childhood. My brothers and I did a lot of building projects that were an affront to modern building codes. I also had a strong interest in electronics, computers, and flying machines. I was drawn to meteorology during high school and ended up at ISU. The math requirements in meteorology are the same as engineering, so that helped when I went back for the aerospace degree. My interest in becoming a degreed engineer peaked when I started building my airplane.
What are you excited about in your new position? What are you looking forward to accomplishing?
I am excited about providing lab experiences that are meaningful and help students be better prepared for entering the workforce. Engineers are hired for a variety of positions and industries. One selling point to employers is that engineers bring good problem-solving skills to the position. A skill that is harder to cultivate is how your engineering designs come to life as physical parts. Understanding how parts are made and how to choose a manufacturing method is best done experientially. You gain an immense amount of experience going from an idea to a physical part and, finally, testing that part against the initial requirements.
What
do you like to do in your free time?
How do you relax?
My wife and I welcomed a baby last summer, and he has soaked up most of our free time. Being a parent has been an incredible experience so far. I enjoy flying airplanes, and it is a relaxing hobby, usually. I also do plane projects throughout the year. Other hobbies are motorcycles, electronics (software and hardware design), and film photography.
What is your experience working with students?
I really enjoy working with students—whether I’m teaching them how to fly an airplane, build a kit plane, or, in my current role, how to manufacture parts. The students are excited to explore the equipment available in the labs, and it has been rewarding to watch their skills develop through hands-on learning.
Is there anything else you would like us to know?
I encourage students to seek out projects and internships. Unique experiences help you stand out to employers and give you skills that add on to your standard engineering coursework. Also, do not be overcome with analysis while working on a project or an idea. Design, build, test, and iterate.
KARA BEAUCHAMP WELCOME
What
was your
experience before the University of Iowa?
I got an undergraduate degree and PhD in physics, at Carleton College and the University of Minnesota, respectively. For my PhD, I focused on solid-state physics. Specifically, I used molecular beam epitaxy to make thin films of the high-temperature superconductor, DyBa2Cu3O7-x. I characterized the thin films with parallel-beam x-ray diffraction and measured electrical characteristics, including the transition to superconductivity, down to temperatures near absolute zero. I continued research on hightemperature superconductors and magnetic materials as a post-doc at the University of Chicago and as a professor at Wesleyan University. After having a child, my husband and I moved to Iowa to be closer to family, and I taught physics for 23 years at Cornell College, in Mount Vernon, Iowa. While at Cornell College, I worked on projects with students, which ranged from collecting and analyzing wind speed data from anemometer towers we placed in Eastern Iowa, to fabricating and testing dye-sensitized-solar cells, to analyzing radio waves from a starforming region.
When did you start having an interest in ME/ECE?
I took a physics class in high school which I really enjoyed. I thought about going into engineering as an undergraduate, but my mom wanted me to attend a small liberal arts college and I wasn’t sure what kind of engineering I wanted to do, so I majored in physics at Carleton College. I
considered transferring into an engineering major at the University of Illinois (in my hometown) for my junior year, but I decided to stay at Carleton and finish my physics degree. I have appreciated the fundamental understanding that physics provides, which allows for applications to a lot of different kinds of systems, including mechanical and electrical systems, and I have been fascinated by the way different physics concepts, including quantum mechanics and electricity and magnetism, are applied in solid state physics. My interests in physics have stayed on the relatively practical side, but I also find understanding our place in the universe to be fascinating and aweinspiring.
What are you excited about in your new position? What are you looking forward to accomplishing?
I love learning and helping students learn. I am excited to be part of a large public institution which impacts a large number of undergraduate students, and I am excited to focus on supporting students in their educational endeavors and supporting faculty who are creating the educational context for student learning.
What is your experience working with students?
For 23 years, I taught physics to a wide variety of students – from non-science majors, in classes like “Astronomy” and “Energy and Society,” to “Quantum Mechanics” for upper-level
physics majors. I taught 6 different classes a year on an intensive schedule called the “Block Plan” in which students took, and I taught, one 4-semester-credit course at a time, in 3.5 weeks, during which students spent 4 hours a day, M-F, in class with me.
What do you like to do in your free time? How do you relax?
I am fascinated with science in general, and I like to keep up on what scientists are learning in a variety of areas. Outside of physics and engineering, I’m especially interested in what anthropologists are learning about ancient human migration using genetic analysis and what neuroscientists are learning about human consciousness. I also like to bike, but not very far, not when it is too hot or too cold, and not into a very strong wind or up very steep hills. When Iowa gets a good amount of snow, I like to crosscountry ski.
Do you have a particular engineering interest? If so, why do you gravitate towards that?
My experience connects most closely with electrical and mechanical engineering, so I am happy to be working in both of these departments. I have a strong interest in the
impact of our energy systems on society and the environment, and in renewable energy in particular, which also connects to both electrical and mechanical engineering.
Dr. Marc C. Schneider Inducted Into Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy
Marc C. Schneider earned a BA in 1989, an MS in 1991, and a PhD in 1995, all in mechanical engineering from the University of Iowa.
After working as a research assistant modeling solidification processes in the Solidification Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering under Professor Christoph Beckermann, Marc seized the opportunity to move to Aachen, Germany, to join a group of fewer than 20 professionals at MAGMA Giessereitechnologie GmbH. This small but pioneering company was following the vision that a computer and process simulation
ribbon
The Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy was created to honor University of Iowa engineering alumni for their personal contributions toward engineering achievement, leadership, and service to the profession and to society.
has a place in a foundry, and their turnkey software MAGMASOFT® for simulating metal casting processes was designed to be used by a foundryman without any knowledge of computational methods.
Originally planning to stay in Germany for just a few years, Marc found the challenge of applying his expertise in process modeling, numerical methods, and metallurgy to commercial software development so compelling that he decided to stay.
Starting as a software developer in 1995, he contributed to or led projects on modeling steel casting, copper continuous casting, and centrifugal casting, as well as delving into the simulation of plastic injection molding processes for a new software, SIGMASOFT®. In 2001, he was appointed head of software development
and accompanied the growth of the R&D group from 16 to more than 50 people working on modeling and simulating flow, heat transfer, solidification, metallurgy, and stress development in various processes and materials. His primary responsibilities were the continuous development and quality assurance of the software programs for casting and injection molding simulation and optimization.
During this time Marc was also responsible for coordinating collaboration with strategic R&D partners from industry and academia, and he participated in several research projects funded by the European Union and the German government, including serving as work-package leader and on project steering committees.
In 2013, Marc became CEO and president of the MAGMA group of companies and in that role is responsible for the technical, financial, and
personal management and strategic growth of the group. This includes not only the R&D activities carried out in Aachen, Germany, but also the responsibility for all aspects of the development and growth of the group companies with 250 employees at 10 locations worldwide.
Beyond his corporate leadership, Marc remains actively engaged in applied research by serving as a member of the Advisory Board of the Research Cluster AMAP - The Aluminum Cluster and on the Industrial Advisory Board of the Cluster of Excellence Internet of Production both at the RWTH Aachen University and as a member of the scientific committee of the Modelling of Casting Welding and Advanced Solidification Processes conference series. He is member of the German Foundryman’s Society VDG and the German Engineering Society VDI.
Marc and his wife, Barbara, have two sons and live in Aachen, Germany.
Marc C. Schneider (4th from right) posing with Dean Ann McKenna (5th from left) and other honored alumni
Robert (Bob) W. Whitmore Receives Alumni Merit Award
Bob graduated from the University of Iowa in 1986 with a BSE (mechanical) and completed an MS in mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota in 1988. During his time at Iowa, he was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma honor societies.
After graduating from Iowa, Bob began his career in the digital storage industry as a mechanical
The College of Engineering Alumni Merit Awards were created to honor alumni who have had distinguished careers in their fields and who have established themselves as leaders in their engineering disciplines.
engineer for Seagate Technology. Over nearly 30 years in the industry, he held various seniorlevel engineering and operations positions, including an expatriate assignment in Singapore for several years. In the last decade of his career, Bob served as executive vice president and chief technology officer. During this time, he oversaw all R&D and operations, managing a workforce of approximately 45,000 people. His responsibilities included global product design, research, hard disk drive manufacturing operations, materials, and corporate quality.
In 2009, Bob was inducted into the Iowa Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy. Since retiring from Seagate in 2015, he has been involved with numerous early-stage companies as a board member and investor. These companies span a wide range of industries, from cycling to cloud storage. Bob also served on the Iowa College of Engineering advisory board for more than 10 years.
Bob has been married to his wife Molly (84BSN) for 40 years, and they have two children and five grandchildren. He enjoys golfing, cycling, traveling, and managing their 125-acre forest in northern Wisconsin. Bob and Molly split their time between Scottsdale, Arizona, and northwestern Wisconsin.
Bob W. Whitmore receiving the Alumni Merit Award from Professor Hiroyuki Sugiyama
Iowa Engineering Staffer Donates Steel Founders Award Prize to Department
Richard Hardin won the Thomas E. Barlow Award of Honor, which is one of the organization’s top accolades.
Richard Hardin, a mechanical engineering research scientist at the University of Iowa Solidification Laboratory, has been honored by the Steel Founders’ Society of America (SFSA) for contributions to the field.
Over his nearly 30-year career at Iowa, Hardin has advanced custom-made software for casting process control, capabilities of commercially available casting simulation software, and novel approaches for casting mechanical performance prediction. He has also been an author on 97 publications.
Hardin won the Thomas E. Barlow Award of Honor, which is one of the society’s top three accolades. The society’s mission is to advance the steel casting industry through “manufacturing and design R&D, customer education, specifications development, and 120 years of operating and business knowledge.”
The Barlow Award recognizes those who have “gone above and beyond the call to support the steel casting industry.” The recognition occurred at the 2024 National Technical & Operating Conference in Chicago.
The Barlow Award came with a $1,500 prize, which Hardin chose to donate to the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Hardin joined the University of Iowa as a postdoc and later a staff researcher for Christoph Beckermann, who directed the Solidification Laboratory. Beckermann was also the University of Iowa Foundation Distinguished Professor and an affiliate of the Iowa Technology Institute.
Graduate Student Scholarships CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to the graduate students who have been awarded scholarships for the 2024–2025 academic year! This group of outstanding individuals exemplifies dedication through their academic work, research, and teaching assistant responsibilities. They set a high standard for future students and proudly represent the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Daniel Matthew received the Richard B. Stewart Scholarship. He is currently working towards his PhD in mechanical engineering under Professor Casey Harwood working to develop and validate a dynamic model for an amphibious vehicle. He is also a TA for ME: 4080, Experimental Engineering.
David Butler received the Sharada Devi Planjery Scholarship. David is pursuing a master’s degree with a focus on fluid dynamics under the guidance of Professor Cong Wang, David is currently investigating anisotropic, turbulent wakes in flow past bluff bodies near the free surface. In addition to research, he serves as a TA for ME:4080
Experimental Engineering, supporting hands-on learning in fluid mechanics.
Joseph Improta received the Venkatachalam Planjery Scholarship. Joseph’s research at Iowa included work on the development of a high-speed water tunnel for IIHR. Since he graduated, Joseph has been catching up on projects and recently accepted a job as an engineering manager for the Steamboat Springs Resort in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Connor Hogan received the Ray L. and Edna P. Sweigert Scholarship. Connor is currently a TA for ME:4112. He plans on graduating this spring 2025 with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. His research this past year has been focused on better structural health monitoring methods from experimental data. His advisor is Professor Casey Harwood.
Cristian Sanchez received the Richard B. Stewart Scholarship. He is in his first year of graduate school, aiming to graduate with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering in December 2025. He has spent his time at the University of Iowa focusing on controls and robotics, conducting undergraduate research at the Cooperative Autonomous Systems (CAS) Lab under Venanzio Cichella. Cristian is currently a TA for ME:4140 Modern Robotics and Automation and ME:2300 Manufacturing Processes.
Pictured (L-R): Connor Hogan, Daniel Matthew, David Butler, Cristian Sanchez, and Joseph Improta (not pictured)
Iowa Engineering Mourns the Loss of Longtime Faculty Member
Christoph Beckermann mentored more than 25 PhD students and 23 MS students.
Longtime University of Iowa mechanical engineering professor Christoph Beckermann passed away in April after a lengthy illness. Dean Ann McKenna extended condolences on behalf of the College of Engineering to family, colleagues, and former students.
Beckermann, 64, joined the College of Engineering in 1987 when he arrived as an assistant professor, rising through the faculty ranks before being named UI Foundation Distinguished Professor in 2000. He was a prolific researcher, producing more than 161 refereed journal papers, 174 conference papers, and six edited books.
He was also a dedicated mentor, graduating more than 25 PhD students and 23 MS students. As director of the Solidification Laboratory, his team focused on basic experimental and computational studies of microstructure evolution to modeling and simulation of a wide variety of industrial metal casting processes.
The native of Osnabrück, Germany, was widely regarded for his contributions to the steel industry “from the steel foundry shop floor to the most advanced research labs.”
“Despite his professional accolades, Christoph will be most remembered for the way he lived — with joy and deep love for those around him,” his obituary stated. “He was charismatic, engaging, playful, adventurous, and cared deeply about others, always striving to treat people with kindness and integrity.”
- Ching-Long Lin
quot es
I have been privileged to sit across the hall from Christoph for 20+ years, and to have had him as both a role model and an inspiration. Christoph was always dedicated to academic and scientific excellence and believed what we were doing was noble and worthy of celebration. While he wasn’t a fan of pomp and circumstance (and so he avoided going to graduation), he deeply cared about students at all levels and seeing them learn and become the best that they could be. It now falls to us, his colleagues, friends, and students, to uphold the ideals that he championed for so many years. I know that his vision will continue to drive us forward to educate and inspire the generations to come.
- Albert Ratner
“He was an accomplished scholar who set a high bar for our faculty.”
Christoph truly embodied the spirit of work hard, play hard. He was a role model to me both professionally and personally. An excellent saxophone player and a core member of our rock band, he brought passion, joy, and dedication to everything he did. He will be deeply missed.
- Venanzio Cichella
“I’ve attended multiple thesis defenses of Christoph’s students over the years and have always been impressed by the rigor and depth of research he instilled in them. Christoph truly set a high standard for scholarship.
He will be fondly remembered by all of us for his dedication, intellect, and lasting impact.”
- Hongtao Ding
Mechanical Engineering
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at the ME Fall ‘24 Holiday Party