(Deep Orange 11 was recently unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show and is an example of the innovative programs in the School of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering. Photo by Clemson University.)
The South’s rapid rise as a leader in building electric vehicles and the batteries to power them is helping fuel Clemson University’s decision to form a new school bringing together its mechanical and automotive engineers.
Clemson officials say the new School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering brings the departments of mechanical engineering and automotive engineering under one umbrella, better positioning Clemson for innovation and education in a number of areas, including mobility, energy and advanced manufacturing, all cornerstones of the South. Caroline economy.
The founding principal of the new school is zoran filipi. He was president of the Department of Automotive Engineering for almost seven years before vacating his position to become founding director of the Center for Virtual Prototyping of Ground Systems (VIPR-GS), a position he still holds.
Clemson officials said Filipi will be the chief administrator of a strategically important school, with most mechanical engineers located primarily on Clemson’s main campus and most automotive engineers at the University of California’s International Center for Automotive Research. Clemson (CU-ICAR) in Greenville.
The school, first approved by the Board of Directors as of October 2021, it is home to 66 faculty members and has the largest enrollment in the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Applied Scienceswith around 780 undergraduate students and 400 graduate students.
President of Clemson University Jim Clemente said mechanical and automotive engineering at Clemson is entering a new era.
“The School of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering will continue to position Clemson University as a national leader in academics and research, as well as strengthen key industry partnerships,” said Clements. “The workforce of the future is changing rapidly.
“Opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning and interdisciplinary research, along with the faculty and industry need for innovation, entrepreneurship, and discovery, will be key to meeting the demands of South Carolina and beyond.
“Dr. Zoran Filipi, the founding principal of the school, is an exceptional leader and will use his expertise and experience to move the school forward.”
Clemson officials said bringing the mechanical engineering and automotive departments under one umbrella better positions them for high-impact, collaborative research.
Areas of expertise at the new school include autonomy, composite materials, computational modeling and simulation, flow and turbulence, human-robot teams, smart materials, system integration, and vehicle electrification.
Atul Kelkar will continue to serve as president of the Department of Mechanical Engineeringposition he has held since 2018. laine mearswho replaced Filipi in January 2022, is the new Chairman of the Department of Automotive Engineering.
Filipi joined Clemson’s automotive engineering department in 2012, serving as the Timken Endowed’s president in vehicle systems design. As a researcher and educator, he has worked at the forefront of the transition from the traditional combustion engine to vehicles running on near-zero carbon fuels.
He is a leading expert in advanced engine concepts and alternative powertrains, including electric and hydraulic hybrids.
Filipi became in 2015 the second chair in the history of the Department of Automotive Engineering, following its founding president, Imtiaz Haque. Under Filipi’s leadership, the automotive engineering department achieved multiple growth in its research company and cemented its world-class reputation for engineering education innovation and research excellence.
Filipi was instrumental in the formation of VIPR-GS, which is part of a research partnership aimed at developing innovative virtual prototyping tools to design the next generation of on- and off-road vehicles, with the US government. U.S. Committing up to $100 million.
He received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Belgrade in 1992 and joined the University of Michigan in 1994.
Filipi is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers. His honors include the Society’s Forest R. McFarland Award and the Donald Julius Groen Award from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
