ME Department welcomes new faculty members this Fall

Dr. Andrea Strzelec joined Mississippi State University as an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering in 2018. Her Combustion & Reaction Characterization Laboratory is located at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS). Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University, after post doctoral fellowships at Pacific Northwest and Oak Ridge National Laboratories. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Engine Research Center in 2009.  Prof. Strzelec teaches undergraduate courses in internal combustion engines (Fall 2018), thermodynamics, heat transfer, thermal fluids analysis and design, and senior capstone design. She teaches graduate courses in internal combustion engines, thermodynamics and combustion science. She is the recipient of the 2015 SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award and the Texas A&M Mechanical Engineering 2015 Brittian Undergraduate Teaching Award.  Prof. Strzelec’s research interests are in the area of combustion and heterogeneous reaction kinetics and characterization with specific focus on automotive emissions aftertreatment; low temperature catalysis; particulate filtration; pyrolysis; and remediation of hydrocarbon contamination. She has been PI (7), Co-PI (2) or Co-I (5) of 14 sponsored research projects totaling ~$1.65M, with ~$720k pro-rated to her. Her work has been published in top journals, including Topics in Catalysis, Energy & Fuels, Fuel, and International Journal of Engine Research.  ​Prof. Strzelec is active in several organizations, including: the Society of Automotive Engineers, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Chemical Society and CLEERS. She was recognized for her service with the 2016 SAE Forrest R. McFarland Service Award.

Dr. Hongjoo Rhee received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Metallurgical Engineering from Inha University, South Korea in 1991 and 1993, respectively.  Dr. Rhee received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science from the Michigan State University in 2005.  He is an Associate Director for the Engineering Mechanics and Materials Science thrust at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), Mississippi State University (MSU) and held positions as an Associate Research Professor, as an Assistant Research Professor, and as a Postdoctoral Associate at CAVS, MSU; as a Visiting Research Associate at Michigan State University; as a Research Staff at Inha University; and as an Assistant Manager and as a Research Staff at the R&D Center for Metallurgy, KIA Steel Co., South Korea.  His research interests include, but are not limited to, materials and mechanical properties characterization; steel alloy design and manufacturing process optimization; next generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) development; bio-inspired materials and systems design; novel metal matrix metallic composites design; high strain rate experiments and model development; process-structure-property-performance relationships characterization; lead-free solder joints characterization, etc.