Lab for Sustainable Engineered Systems

Housed in the College of Engineering's Research Building (Rm 209) the Lab for Sustainable Engineered Systems promotes the advancement of knowledge, understanding, and education of environmentally sustainable engineered systems (manufacturing and production systems, and renewable energy systems) through interdisciplinary teams of faculty, students, industrial partners and community volunteers. The Lab's long term goals are to create new knowledge, graduate students with in-depth or broad based knowledge, educate community, and provide advice to industry and policy makers. The Lab's research objective is to create or modify existing physical, chemical, biological or operational systems such that they either have a minimal or favorable impact on health and the environment.

Lab Director: Dr. Twomey

Lab Faculty: Dr. Whitman, Dr. Liao, and Dr. Yildirim

The Lab (1400sq ft) provides workspace for 24 graduate and undergraduate students.

Research in the Lab is currently funded by 7 awards from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. The current research activities in the Lab include the development of a DOE industrial energy assessment center, development of operational methods to minimize energy consumption of production systems, the development of an intelligent machine controller to minimize energy consumption of manufacturing equipment, the life-cycle assessment of dry machining vs. machining with cutting fluids, green logistics, distribution and infrastructure for the ethanol industry, and introducing sustainability principles in to the engineering curriculum (education).