The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Chih-Hao Chang

My long term goal is to integrate concentrating solar systems into components that operate at the nano, micro, and macro scales.

Presently, I am 1) developing nano-structural glass that has anti-glare, transmission enhanced, self-cleaning, and anti-fogging properties, 2) 3D nano-lithography that uses self-assembled nano-particles, and 3) nano-structured diffractive optics to reduce reflection losses. In MAE I collaborate with Dr. Zhu and Dr. O'Connor.

I arrived at NC State in the fall of 2011 and plan on teaching such undergraduate classes as MAE 435 Principles of Automatic Control and MAE 314 Mechanics of Materials. At the graduate level I am considering a number of new courses, possibly one that addresses recent advances in optical engineering and one concerning recent developments in nano-manufacturing.

The graduate students working under my direction are motivated, and tend to have a strong background in physics. I am open to ideas that come from students - the intent is to maintain an energetic and creative environment to foster the advancements. The area of research is exciting, in part, because it brings in nanotechnology as a way to address the critical problems in solar energy, recognizing that important barriers exist at these small-scales - the same scales as the optical wave lengths that we are harvesting. This is one of the important areas where engineering and energy need to be focused!

Outside of work, I enjoy jogging, basketball, and fishing.