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College of Engineering at UMass Dartmouth

Motivated by more

World-changing engineering begins with real-world experience. Explore your opportunities in the College of Engineering.

Mechanical Engineering student Ryan Masoud '25 working in the machine shop
Undergraduate Programs

Prepare for success in ABET-accredited programs at an R2 research institution.

Bioengineering PhD candidate, Ramina Behzad PhD '24 in the lab
Graduate Programs

Pursue advanced studies and research in an exciting, individualized environment.

Professor (Julia) Hua Fang and her research team in the Computational Statistics & Data Science (CSDS) Lab
Interdisciplinary Programs

Explore innovative programs where engineering intersects with other fields of study.

Endowed scholarships for College of Engineering students

$4M+

College of Engineering students employed six months after graduation.

99%

Average salary for engineering undergraduate alumni, class of 2023

$77K+

College of Engineering current research funding

$24.3M

ES³ Engineering Student Support & Services

ES3 provides academic support, advising, peer mentoring, enrichment, referrals, and more.

Learn More

News

News
MassCEC CEO, Sen Rodrigues, UMassD leadership and faculty attend roundtable at SMAST
UMass Dartmouth hosts Renewable Energy and Sustainability Roundtable for state officials

Senator Rodrigues and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Emily Reichert visit the School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST)

Women engineers networking
Alumni and professionals lend advice to aspiring engineers

6th annual Empowering Women in STEM event connects UMassD students and STEM professionals

STEM4Girls in lab
STEM4Girls cultivates interest in science fields for local students

Workshops and keynote speakers introduce 400+ girls to STEM careers

Best Colleges US News & World Report 2025 logo Computer Science
UMassD computer science program soars in national rankings

UMassD's undergraduate computer science program ranked among best in the country

Laptop running Fold-It game
Faculty Focus: The impact and connections to the 2024 Nobel Prizes in science

UMass Dartmouth faculty members reflect on the impact and their connections to the latest prize winners

Events

Events
Mar
17
Classes Begin
Spring 2025 Second 7-week session classes begin.
Mar
17
8:00AM
Classes Resume
Classes resume today.
Mar
19
Add/Drop Ends
Spring 2025 Add period and Drop period (for a 100% refund) end for the Second 7-week session.
Mar
19
Course Withdrawal Deadline
Spring 2025 Course Withdrawal period (grade of a W) ends for the Second 5-week session MLT-MLS Program classes.
Mar
20
12:00PM
EAS PhD Dissertation Defense by Cory Hoi (CSE Option/Mechanical Engineering)

EAS PhD Dissertation Defense by Cory Hoi (CSE Option/Mechanical Engineering)

Date: March 20, 2025
Time: Noon-2pm

Topic: Advancing Surfactant Replacement Therapy: Novel Computational Simulations of Multi-Phase Flow of Non-Newtonian and Newtonian Fluids

Location: SENG 110
Zoom link: Please contact Dr. Raessi (mraessi@umassd.edu).

Abstract:

Prematurely born infants are at risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) due to a deficiency of pulmonary surfactant. Without this surface tension reducing molecule, large pressure gradients in the lung can lead to atelectasis and increase mortality risk. Medical practitioners treat RDS with surfactant replacement therapy (SRT), a procedure which reintroduces exogenous surfactant into the airway. However, SRT has a 35% non-response rate, largely due to the challenges of delivering the surfactant uniformly, and reaching the distal regions of the lung.

Current research has focused on understanding the physics of Newtonian surfactant delivery, specifically how the plug propagates along the airway, deposits its mass onto the airway wall, and splits at each airway bifurcation. However, in practice, many of the surfactants used exhibit non-Newtonian shear thinning behavior. Additionally, the mucus in the lung forms a bilayer of periciliary fluid, composed of mostly Newtonian fluid. This complexity introduces additional challenges for computational simulations, as no established methods currently exist for simulating non-Newtonian liquid interactions, with Newtonian liquid, and gas.

This thesis addresses the current gap in research by developing a novel numerical method using the volume-of-fluid (VOF) approach. This method enables computational simulations that accurately capture interactions between a non-Newtonian shear-thinning liquid, a Newtonian liquid, and gas in the presence of a rigid body. To validate its accuracy, semi-analytical solutions are derived for multiphase Poiseuille ow of non-Newtonian and Newtonian fluids. Additionally, numerical simulations are conducted for canonical cases, such as bubbles rising in shear-thinning fluids.

Finally, the numerical method is applied to simulate non-Newtonian surfactant plugs propagating through straight capillary tubes and a bifurcating airway model. The interplay between non-Newtonian plugs and the pre-existing film is analyzed, highlighting its potential implications for improving SRT.

Acknowledgment: The research support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under CBET grant 1904204 and partial support from NSF-DMS 2012011 grant are gratefully acknowledged.

Advisor:
(508-999-8496), Dept of Mechanical Engineering

Committee Members:
Dr. Geoffrey Cowles, SMAST
Dr. Alfa Heryudono, Dept. of Mathematics
Dr. Hangjian Ling, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Open to the public.  All MNE and EAS students are encouraged to attend.

For questions contact

Mar
24
3:00PM
EAS Doctoral Dissertation Defense by Benjamin Burnett

EAS Doctoral Dissertation Defense by Benjamin Burnett

Date: Monday, March 24, 2025
Time: 3pm–4:30pm

Topic: Accelerating Implicit Runge-Kutta Methods with Mixed-Precision and Linearization Techniques

Zoom Link:
https://umassd.zoom.us/j/96334992315?pwd=KyrUYjs5KUduhldDk4cMxvJrIX5dAv.1
Meeting ID: 963 3499 2315
Passcode: 155913

Abstract:

Implicit Runge-Kutta (IRK) methods are notoriously expensive to compute, especially in the context of solving nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). In this dissertation we explore two main techniques that aim to accelerate solutions to these nonlinear PDEs when using IRK based methods. The first of these is the use of mixed-precision, wherein we use mixed-precision additive Runge-Kutta (MPARK) methods to solve implicit stages in low precision, then correct any errors introduced in high precision. In this portion of the dissertation, we explore implementation strategies for mixed precision computing by solving the Van der Pol equation and Viscous Burgers' Equation using the MPARK methods. The second portion of this dissertation focuses on the use of linearization as an acceleration technique, wherein we linearize the implicit stages using different strategies, including a novel linearization strategy based on a two-point Taylor series expansion. In this portion of the dissertation we focus on exploring the stability and performance of the two-point linearization strategy by solving several problems including the Viscous Burgers' Equation, Heat Equation, and Cahn-Hilliard Equation.

Advisor(s): , Dept of Mathematics

Committee members:
Dr. Zheng Chen, Department of Mathematics
Dr. Alfa Heryudono, Department of Mathematics
Dr. Gaurav Khanna, Department of Physics, University of Rhode Island

Note: All EAS Students are ENCOURAGED to attend.

Electrical and computer engineering student Isaiah Ortiz portrait
Isaiah Ortiz '26: Engineering a future in deep-sea robotics
Electrical and computer engineering student working toward a future in autonomous underwater vehicles and deep-sea robotics.
Electrical engineering alum with donor-advised fund
Joe Cozzolino ’87 establishes enduring support of his alma mater, where his story of success began
A donor-advised fund provides future funding for UMass Dartmouth students
Computer science graduate alum
Sharan Anil Kumar, MS ’22: Turning risk into reward at UMass Dartmouth
Through perseverance & support from the UMassD community, Sharan not only found professional success but also returned to give back as a proud Alumni Association member.
Mechanical Engineering student James Bonnell in the lab with Prof. Hangjian Ling
James Bonnell '25: Career-ready
Through research, internships, and campus clubs, Bonnell is gaining valuable industry experience and building a strong foundation for a future in the defense sector.

Contact

College of Engineering

508-999-8539  coe@umassd.edu  

Dion Building, Room 326

UMass Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road •  Dartmouth MA 02747

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