Department welcomes new faculty

September 18, 2012

The department of Mechanical Engineering welcomes Dr. Scott Thompson, a University of Missouri graduate, as an assistant professor, and Ms. Alta Knizley, a ME PhD candidate, as a new instructor in the department.

Scott M. Thompson is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Mississippi State University (MSU). He joined the department in the summer of 2012. Prior to joining MSU, Scott served as both Instructor and Research Assistant in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at the University of Missouri (MU) in Columbia – where he also received his Bachelor of Science (Magna Cum Laude & Honors Scholar). Both his teaching and research were supported by the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship which is rewarded from the United States Department of Education. In 2012, he obtained the “Ph.D. Student of the Year” Award from the MU College of Engineering and also served as an elected Representative to the University of Missouri Graduate Student Association. He is a member of both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

Scott has been active in the field of thermal/fluid science, including: high power/flux thermal management, heat pipes and energy system design. He is especially focused on the design/application/experimentation of oscillating heat pipes using state-of-the art technology for thermal enhancement. His research has resulted in 9 refereed journal articles, 9 conference proceedings/presentations and 1 patent. He has also serves as reviewer and guest editor for many thermal/fluid science journals. Scott is an identical twin and enjoys playing golf and reading philosophy. He is also an avid guitar player and enjoys recording music. He is originally from Texas and has previously resided in both Albuquerque, New Mexico and Columbia, Missouri.

Alta Knizley is a new instructor in the Mechanical Engineering department and simultaneously pursuing her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. She obtained her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Mississippi State University in 2008 and 2011, respectively. Her master’s research involved studying entropy generation in a combustion process, while her Ph.D. work focuses on optimization of combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Her professional interests include engineering instruction, minority outreach and recruitment into engineering and STEM fields, and energy sustainability research. Alta teaches undergraduate level mechanical engineering courses including thermodynamics, heat transfer, and introduction to mechanical engineering.

Alta Knizley is a member in several MSU organizations including MSU Society of Scholars, Graduate Women in Science and Engineering, and the Mississippi State University Waterski and Wakeboard Team. She is also a member of the professional organizations of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and American Society of Engineering Educators (ASEE). As a graduate student, Alta received the Mississippi Space Grant Consortium Graduate fellowship, the Bagley College of Engineering Graduate fellowship, and the MSU Women’s Club graduate scholarship.

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