New associate professor to explore the creation of soft, autonomous materials
8/20/2020
By Erin Cassidy Hendrick
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Ryan Harne, previously an associate professor at Ohio State, has joined the Penn State College of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical Engineering as the James F. Will Career Development Associate Professor.
Harne leads the Laboratory of Sound and Vibration Research, which investigates smart and adaptive structures and materials that could enhance future medical, industrial, commercial and engineering applications.
“A big part of the lab’s vision is to develop a fundamental basis for soft, autonomous engineered matter,” he said. “These could be engineering semi-biological machines that could do things like clean water automatically in a water supply, assist in performing surgery or maintain the safety of civil infrastructures.”
By crafting these systems with smart materials, they can potentially become more adaptive and agile. For instance, a building that is constructed with the ability to sense the seismic waves of an earthquake could theoretically brace itself before disaster strikes.
“This grand vision of soft, autonomous engineered matter requires an interdisciplinary skillset,” Harne said, noting that expertise in vibration, acoustics, mechanics, manufacturing and smart materials are critical in his research program. “One reason I was drawn to Penn State is because it is world renowned for materials, mechanics and acoustics research. I see so many opportunities for collaboration.”
As he begins his position at Penn State this month, Harne plans to actively bridge the gap and foster connections between his labs at Ohio State and Penn State.
“For a time, I’ll have graduate students at both universities, so I hope to initiate virtual team gatherings for everyone to join,” he said. “We will have a unique time of transition when we are able to celebrate our team achievements and graduations across institutions.”
Harne was also recently awarded the 2020 C. D. Mote Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Technical Committee on Sound and Vibration. This honor is presented to an early career recipient who demonstrates research excellence in the field of vibration and acoustics.
His nomination for this award was partially prompted by his previous research pertaining to vibration and noise control, particularly in beam buckling instability. This phenomenon is found in a varied list of applications, ranging from a hypersonic aircraft with fluttering wing panels to household items like a battery compartment lid on a television remote that snap-fits together. Harne authored a book of mathematical techniques that model the dynamic behaviors of buckling devices and structures.
The Mote award also recognized Harne’s research in developing origami medical transducers. These devices are able to strategically fold to a miniaturized space and expand once it has reached its target. For instance, these can be used to deliver high intensity, focused ultrasounds to better treat tumors.
Reflecting the goals of his research, Harne aims to connect the complex engineering topics he teaches to his students directly to a tangible application.
“With both graduate and undergraduate students, I emphasize the professional relevance of any instruction,” he said. “Even if its highly technical, like abstract physics, it always goes back to a problem or example that exists in the real world.”
As a small-business owner manufacturing rubber products, Harne said he feels strongly about grounding the theoretical concepts in real-world work.
“I have unique perspectives as an educator, a researcher, a scholar, as well as a businessman,” he said. “I use this broad outlook in my teaching to prepare students for what’s actually happening today in the field of mechanical engineering and the challenges they’ll encounter.”
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Ryan Harne, the James F. Will Career Development Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Penn State. IMAGE: PROVIDED
