Research Centers| Research Centers |
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 Following are the Centers Affiliated to the Mechanical Engineering Department:Center for Biomedical Engineering SystemsThe mission of the Center for Biomedical Engineering Systems (CBES) is to foster interdisciplinary collaborations to advance biomedical engineering research and development using a systems approach. As such it provides the infrastructure for faculty, students, clinicians, and engineers in the Charlotte area, to collaborate on critical biomedical issues. This Center's interdisciplinary research activities concentrate on 4 critical focus areas: (1) Biomedical Support Systems; (2) Biomechanics and Mobility Research; (3) Biomedical Modeling, Imaging, and Processing; and (4) Biomedical Instrumentation. Center for Optoelectronics and Optical CommunicationsThe primary focus of this center is to conduct pure and applied research in optical science and technology and create intellectual property and promote interdisciplinary optics activities linking the university and the greater optics community. "Intelligent” integrated optics and Micro-OptoElectroMechanical Systems (MOEMS) are one of the key areas of research of the Center. NC Motorsports and Automotive Research CenterThe NC Motorsports and Automotive Research Center supports the motorsports and automotive industries through education emphasizing experiential learning, research, and community involvement. Center for Precision MetrologyThe Center for Precision Metrology synthesizes the practical needs for the industrial community with the interdisciplinary experience of faculty project leaders from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing, engineering, computer science, chemistry, applied physics and business. These faculty have expertise encompassing machine metrology, precision controls, surface metrology applications and algorithms, computer aided tolerancing and factory control, virtual and dynamic simulation, nanometric instrumentation, electro-optics and total quality management. Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC)EPIC will address the severe shortage of trained engineers capable of servicing and replacing an aging fossil fuel and nuclear infrastructure as well as developing future infrastructures for wind, solar, and biofuels. Reasons for the labor shortage are two-fold: 1) With more than 25 percent of the working population approaching retirement, the “graying of the workforce” has acutely impacted engineering fields; and 2) The attrition of older professionals is exacerbated by a lack of students majoring in energy-related fields. |