Welcome to the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering at UT San Antonio! The department offers programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level that prepare students for future challenges and opportunities. Our programs include a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (an ABET accredited undergraduate program), a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering, a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, a M.S. in Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, which is a joint program with Southwest Research Institute. In addition to these five degree programs, we also offer four undergraduate certificates in Aerospace Engineering, Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, and Oil & Gas, and one graduate certificate in Aerospace Engineering. We have multiple undergraduate scholarships and research opportunities available to our undergraduate students. Graduate fellowships are also available for both our masters and doctoral students. 

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering is “to provide excellent educational and research opportunities to our undergraduate and graduate students who will contribute to the technological and economic development of the community, the region and the nation.” 

“The faculty of the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering values excellence in teaching, research, and service to the community and the profession. Our students learn to be technically competent and socially responsible, while they acquire a solid background to perform diverse engineering functions; to succeed in graduate education; and acquire life-long learning skills."

Driving Innovation Forward: Spring 2026 Newsletter cover

Driving Innovation Forward: Spring 2026 Newsletter

Explore the latest news from the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering. This edition highlights groundbreaking aerospace research, new academic programs, faculty achievements, student success stories, research grants, senior design projects, and department milestones shaping the future of engineering at UT San Antonio.

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Latest Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering News

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Metal 3D-printed rotating detonation engine, designed by MAIE GRA Joseph Hernandez-McCloskey and printed and tested at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

June 25, 2026

Lab Tour: Laser Spectroscopy and Chemical Propulsion Lab

Published by Ender Finol and Maria Bolanos Moreno

DNS of flow over rought-surfaces at high Reynolds number.

June 19, 2026

Lab Tour: Laboratory of Turbulence, Sensing, and Intelligence Systems

Published by Ender Finol and Maria Bolanos Moreno

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering Faculty

Omar Abbaas

Omar Abbaas, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Mauricio Aristizabal Cano, Ph.D.

Andres M. Aguirre-Mesa, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Instruction

Guillermo Araya, Ph.D.

Guillermo Araya, Ph.D.

Wayne and Julie Fagan Endowed Professor, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Keith M. Axler, Ph.D., PMP

Keith M. Axler, Ph.D., PMP

Professor of Practice, Mechanical Engineering

Kiran Bhaganagar, Ph.D.

Kiran Bhaganagar, Ph.D.

Professor, Fellow of ASME, Associate Fellow of AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Mechanical Engineering

Tanveer Hossain Bhuiyan, Ph.D.

Tanveer Hossain Bhuiyan, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Binghan He

Binghan He, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace, & Industrial Engineering

Krystel K. Castillo, Ph.D.

Krystel K. Castillo, Ph.D.

Lutcher Brown Chair in Mechanical Engineering , Professor, Director, Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute (TSERI) at UTSA, Mechanical Engineering

F. Frank Chen, Ph.D.

F. Frank Chen, Ph.D.

Lutcher Brown Distinguished Chair in Advanced Manufacturing, Professor, SME Fellow and IISE Fellow, Mechanical Engineering

Sidney Chocron, Ph.D.

Sidney Chocron, Ph.D.

Adjoint Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Christopher S. Combs, Ph.D.

Christopher S. Combs, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Research, Dee Howard Memorial Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Mechanical Engineering, Graduate Advisor of Record: M.S. Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Alifer Crom, Ph.D.

Alifer Crom, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Instruction , Mechanical Engineering

Robert De Lorenzo

Robert De Lorenzo, MD, MSM, MSCI, FACEP

Adjoint Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Zhi-Gang Feng, Ph.D.

Zhi-Gang Feng, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Ender Finol, Ph.D.

Ender Finol, Ph.D.

Zachry Mechanical Engineering Department Endowed Chair, Professor, Fellow of ASME, AHA, AIMBE, and BMES, Chair of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Cody Gonzalez, Ph.D.

Cody Gonzalez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Madhavrao “Rao” Govindaraju

Madhavrao “Rao” Govindaraju, Ph.D.

Professor of Instruction, Mechanical Engineering

Hai-Chao Han, Ph.D.

Hai-Chao Han, Ph.D.

Professor, Fellow of ASME, AHA & AIMBE, Mechanical Engineering

Francisco Herbert, Ph.D.

Francisco Herbert, Ph.D.

Klesse Endowed Fellow, Professor of Instruction, Undergraduate Advisor of Record, Mechanical Engineering

Herta Montoya

Herta Montoya, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace, & Industrial Engineering

R. Lyle Hood, Ph.D.

R. Lyle Hood, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Graduate Advisor of Record: PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Amir Karimi, Ph.D.

Amir Karimi, Ph.D.

Professor, ASME and ASEE Fellow, Mechanical Engineering

no photo available

Kunal Kate, Ph.D.

Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace, & Industrial Engineering

Randall D. Manteufel, Ph.D.

Randall D. Manteufel, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, ASME Fellow, Mechanical Engineering

Harry Millwater, Ph.D.

Harry Millwater, Ph.D.

Samuel G. Dawson Endowed Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Morteza Seidi, Ph.D., P.E.

Morteza Seidi, Ph.D., P.E.

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Juan Navarro, Ph.D.

Juan Navarro, Ph.D.

Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace, & Industrial Engineering

Ashok Nedungadi, Ph.D.

Ashok Nedungadi, Ph.D.

Professor of Instruction, Mechanical Engineering

Daniel I. Pineda, Ph.D.

Daniel I. Pineda, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Carl F. Popelar, Ph.D.

Carl F. Popelar, Ph.D.

Adjoint Professor

David Restrepo, Ph.D.

David Restrepo, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Graduate Advisor of Record: M.S. ME and M.S. AMIE, Associate Chair for Research, Mechanical Engineering

Hardev Singh

Hardev Singh

Assistant Professor of Practice, Mechanical Engineering

Yesh P. Singh, Ph.D., P.E.

Yesh P. Singh, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor Emeritus, ASME Life Fellow, Mechanical Engineering

Timothy Chung, Ph.D.

Timothy Chung, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering

Brendy Rincon Troconis, Ph.D.

Brendy Rincon Troconis, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering

James D. Walker, Ph.D.

James D. Walker, Ph.D.

Adjoint Professor, ASME and AIAA Fellow, Ballistics Sciences Fellow of IBS, Mechanical Engineering

Xiaodu Wang, Ph.D.

Xiaodu Wang, Ph.D.

Professor, ASME and AIMBE Fellow, Mechanical Engineering

Hung-da Wan, Ph.D.

Hung-da Wan, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Assistant Chair, Mechanical Engineering

Xiaowei Zeng, Ph.D.

Xiaowei Zeng, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Faculty

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We appreciate your interest in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering at UT San Antonio and extend our warmest welcome to you from the Department.

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