David Willis
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Contact Information
dwillis@lyle.smu.edu214-768-3125
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Education
B.S.M.E., North Carolina State University, 1995; M.S.M.E., Purdue University, 1997; Ph.D., Purdue University, 2001
Research Concentrations
Heat transfer and phase change; Laser ablation and micromachining; Microscale heat transfer
Research Accomplishments and Activities
Experimental, time-resolved diagnostics of short pulse-width laser ablation and micromachining processes; Debris-free laser micromachining of thin metal films; Member of ASME and SPIE; Member of Pi Tau Sigma
Research Philosophy
Our experimental research is vital for understanding physical phenomena and for using gained knowledge to develop practical engineering systems. Experimental research also gives students a strong physical basis for material learned in the classroom. Such a background is valuable even for students who wish to pursue a career in computational research.