Faculty and Staff
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Sean R. Niemi, PhDSean R. Niemi (PhD, University of Florida), is a Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and founder of the MERGE (MEchanical engineeRing desiGn pEdagogy) Lab focusing his research and teaching efforts on Capstone Design, Mechanical Design, Design for Manufacturing, and Instrumentation Design. Sean co-advises the UF Rocket Team (Swamp Launch), mentoring a group of interdisciplinary students in developing a 10,000 ft. apogee rocket for the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition. He also mentors several members of both the FSAE combustion and electric vehicle teams. He has worked in industrial maintenance and aerospace, with graduate work in soft matter engineering, 3D bio-printing, and biotribology. |
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Andrés Rubiano, PhDAndrés Rubiano (PhD, University of Florida; MSc, Universidad de los Andes) is a MERGE Lab Co-Investigator and Mechanical Engineering Design instructor. His work experience includes cardiovascular occluders design, thermal-structure FEA for blow molded HDPE structures, countercurrent fixed-bed gasification of biomass, biomechanics studies for robotics applications, and most recently, organs-on-a-chip and microphysiological systems at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Andrés has over 10 years of combined experience in teaching high school physics and calculus, GRE and GMAT preparation courses, and mechanical engineering courses including advanced heat transfer, combustion, computer aided graphics and design, and mechanics of materials. |
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Matthew J. Traum, PhDMatthew J. Traum (Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is Co-Investigator of the MERGE Lab with teaching and research focus on best practices for Mechanical Engineering Design instruction. Bringing to UF over 10 years of teaching experience both at the college and high school levels, Dr. Traum was previously the founding chief executive of Engineer Inc., an engineering education technology company that designs STEM lab equipment and curricula. |
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Ting Dong, PhDTing Dong (Ph.D., University of Florida) is Co-Investigator of the MERGE Lab and an instructional assistant professor in the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She focuses on teaching Aircraft Design and Spacecraft Design. She also teaches Finite Element Analysis, Aerospace Structures, Mechanics of Materials, and Mechanical Engineering Design 1. She obtained her master’s degree in Material Science and Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering both at UF. Before joining UF, she was a licensed aircraft structural engineer in China Southern Airlines. |