From maneuvering spacecraft to knowing your car needs maintenance before
it breaks down - research addressing engineering problems from the lofty
to the mundane will be presented Friday, May 18, at UCLA's Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering Department Research and Technology Review.

Hosted by The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, the
review is expected to attract industry leaders from around the country.
The event will include research summaries by faculty members and more than
50 presentations by graduate and postdoctoral students in all areas of
mechanical and aerospace engineering. The review will be held from 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m. at UCLA's Sunset Village, 200 De Neve Dr.

In addition to "traditional" applications of mechanical and aerospace
engineering, presentations will also explore advances in
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) allowing doctors to perform more
precise medical procedures. For example, using microsurgical tools to
capture living microorganisms, doctors can diagnose and even treat
patients more accurately.

Researchers will also discuss their efforts to prevent disasters that can
result when liquids boil under low-gravity conditions such as those
encountered by space vehicles. Without the influence of gravity, bubbles
can grow dangerously large and disrupt everything from power systems to
life support fluids aboard a spacecraft. These and other topics discussed
at the research and technology review highlight the breadth of research
taking place in the department.

Professor Ann Karagozian, program chair, believes this event will bring
members of the UCLA community together with industry professionals.

"This review is a great opportunity for local industry leaders to learn
about the exciting, cutting-edge research and technology we're working on"
at UCLA's School of Engineering, Karagozian said. It's also an opportunity
for students to meet and learn from experienced engineers with working
knowledge of the field.

Members of the department's Industrial Advisory Board, many of whom are
industry leaders from the state's top companies, will participate in a
panel discussion on future trends in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Karagozian, who is also a professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering Department, expects this "stimulating event to be a real
opportunity for the local industry to get to know us." The review is part
of the department's ongoing efforts to build relationships between
students, faculty, industry and the public, and similar events are
expected in the future.