Rankouhi honored for innovations in electric machines

On April 16, 2024, Dean Ian Robertson held an event to recognize engineering faculty and staff for outstanding contributions. Buzz Rankouhi, a scientist in materials science and engineering and manager of the Alloy Design and Development Laboratory under Professor Dan Thoma, received the Bollinger Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Research.

The best solutions to society’s greatest challenges emerge from diverse teams. And when Rankouhi identified one of those pressing problems, he brought together a team of faculty and graduate students from electrical and computer engineering, materials science and engineering, and mechanical engineering. Leveraging materials science and advanced manufacturing concepts, the group now is focused on fundamentally changing how electric motors are made. They hope to reshape the landscape of electric machines by changing the way electric motors and generators are fabricated, envisioning new capabilities for them, and applying their innovations in transportation electrification and in sustainable electric energy generation. Beyond this single project, Rankouhi also is a creative thinker and prolific researcher, an outstanding student mentor, and an efficient and effective lab manager.