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David rothamer

David Rothamer

Associate Dean for Research
Robert Lorenz Professor of Mechanical Engineering
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As Associate Dean for Research, Rothamer provides overall leadership for the College of Engineering Office of Research, the mission of which is to support the growth of the College of Engineering research enterprise, to effectively lead and manage the core facilities operated by the college, and to develop faculty recruitment and retention cases. He collaborates with the Associate Dean for Research Innovation to further grow and strategically expand the research enterprise in the College of Engineering. The Associate Dean for Research serves as the representative of the Dean on campus committees associated with sponsored research.

Rothamer is the Robert Lorenz Professor and Director of the Engine Research Center in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is an expert in combustion, internal combustion (IC) engines, renewable fuels, and optical diagnostics. His research is focused on understanding thermo-fluid and chemical processes in engines to improve and enable the operation of engines on renewable fuels. His research group develops and applies advanced laser and optical diagnostic techniques to study these areas inside IC engines.

Rothamer obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the UW-Madison in 2000 and 2002, respectively. He earned his PhD from Stanford University in mechanical engineering in 2008. Rothamer joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UW-Madison in 2008 as a faculty member and received an NSF CAREER award in 2011. During the COVID-19 pandemic he applied his expertise in aerosols and filtration to study the impact of room ventilation, mask filtration, and mask fit on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in classroom settings. This work was cited by the CDC and received a best paper award from an ASHRAE journal.As Associate Dean for Research, Rothamer provides overall leadership for the College of Engineering Office of Research, the mission of which is to support the growth of the College of Engineering research enterprise, to effectively lead and manage the core facilities operated by the college, and to develop faculty recruitment and retention cases. He collaborates with the Associate Dean for Research Innovation to further grow and strategically expand the research enterprise in the College of Engineering. The Associate Dean for Research serves as the representative of the Dean on campus committees associated with sponsored research.

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Contact

2630, Engineering Hall
1415 Engineering Dr
Madison, WI
p: (608) 890-2271
(He/him)

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Professor David Rothamer, Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • PhD 2008, Stanford University
  • MS 2002, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • BS 2000, University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Laser based diagnostics
  • Internal combustion engines
  • Soot formation
  • Influence of fuel properties on combustion

  • 2022 ASHRAE, Science and Technology for the Built Environment Best Paper Award
  • 2020 College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Robert Lorenz Professorship
  • 2018 College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Harvey D. Spangler Faculty Scholar
  • 2013 SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award
  • 2011 National Science Foundation, NSF CAREER Award
  • 2005 SAE International, Arch T. Colwell Merit Award
  • 2000 National Science Foundation, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

  • Amezcua, E. R., Kim, K., Kweon, C. b., & Rothamer, D. (2025). Investigation of the combustion process and modes of energy-assisted compression-ignition for low cetane number sustainable aviation fuels. Fuel, 393 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2025.134605
  • Pushpalayam, N., Nguyen, C. M., Sun, Z., Rothamer, D., Kim, K., Kweon, C. B., & Rajamani, R. (2025). Real-time combustion progress estimation using deep learning. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 230 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymssp.2025.112584
  • Amezcua, E. R., Kim, K., Kweon, C. B., & Rothamer, D. (2025). Optical engine investigation of two-injection strategies for energy-assisted compression-ignition combustion of low cetane number sustainable aviation fuels. International Journal of Engine Research, 26(4), 453-471 https://doi.org/10.1177/14680874241284052
  • Nguyen, C. M., Pushpalayam, N., Sun, Z., Rothamer, D., Kim, K., Kweon, C. B., & Rajamani, R. (2025). Deep Learning-Based Combustion Quality Classification for Compression-Ignition Engines Using Non-Intrusive Accelerometers. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement https://doi.org/10.1109/TIM.2025.3553225
  • Jeon, W., Georgiou, A., Sun, Z., Rothamer, D., Kim, K., Kweon, C. B., & Rajamani, R. (2025). Health monitoring of in-cylinder sensors and fuel injectors using an external accelerometer. Structural Health Monitoring, 24(1), 164-184 https://doi.org/10.1177/14759217241232257
  • Okada, H., Abraham, A., Patel, D., Ambre, D., Raju, S. A., Stafford, J., Narasimhamurthy, N. M., Mayhew, E., Kim, K., Temme, J., Kweon, C. B., Brezinsky, K., Lynch, P., Sun, Z., Rothamer, D., & Sanders, S. (2025). Onboard optical fuel sensing for enhanced combustion control in a multi-fuel compression-ignition engine. International Journal of Engine Research https://doi.org/10.1177/14680874241307081
  • Witkowski, D., Amezcua, E. R., & Rothamer, D. (2024). On the intrusiveness of phosphor thermometry for metal surface temperature measurements in reciprocating engines: an experimental and heat conduction modeling study. Measurement Science and Technology, 35(11) https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6501/ad6bb4
  • Canales, E., Witkowski, D., Rothamer, D., & Huber, G. W. (2024). Scale-Up Studies for the Dehydration of C4+ Alcohols into Drop-In Diesel Fuel. Energy and Fuels, 38(20), 19611-19625 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.4c03269
  • Restrepo-Flórez, J. M., Chavarrio, J. E., Canales, E., Witkowski, D., Subramanian, S., Cuello-Peñaloza, P., Rothamer, D., Maravelias, C. T., & Huber, G. W. (2024). Advanced diesel from ethanol: a pathway to produce sustainable and high-quality drop-in biofuels. Sustainable Energy and Fuels, 9(1), 98-114 https://doi.org/10.1039/d4se00943f
  • Govind Raju, S. A., Reisetter, M., Miganakallu, N., Stafford, J., Sun, Z., Rothamer, D., Kim, K., & Kweon, C. B. (2024). Control of Combustion Phasing Using Accelerometer-Based Non-Intrusive Sensing. ASME Letters in Dynamic Systems and Control, 4(4) https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4066468

  • M E 790 - Master's Research and Thesis (Spring 2025)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Spring 2025)
  • M E 990 - Dissertator Research and Thesis (Spring 2025)
  • M E 790 - Master's Research and Thesis (Fall 2024)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Fall 2024)
  • M E 990 - Dissertator Research and Thesis (Fall 2024)
  • M E 790 - Master's Research and Thesis (Summer 2024)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Summer 2024)
  • M E 790 - Master's Research and Thesis (Spring 2024)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Spring 2024)
  • M E 990 - Dissertator Research and Thesis (Spring 2024)
  • M E 790 - Master's Research and Thesis (Fall 2023)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Fall 2023)
  • M E 990 - Dissertator Research and Thesis (Fall 2023)
  • M E 790 - Master's Research and Thesis (Summer 2023)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Summer 2023)
  • M E 990 - Dissertator Research and Thesis (Summer 2023)