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Kon-Well Wang

Kon-Well Wang

Professor, Mechanical Engineering
A. Galip Ulsoy Distinguished University Professor of Engineering
Stephen P. Timoshenko Collegiate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Bio and CV
Structural Dynamics and Controls Lab

Address

2468 GGB
2350 Hayward, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Email: kwwang@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 764-8464

Degrees

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Research Interests

Structural dynamics and controls, including the emerging areas of intelligent structural & material systems harnessing origami dynamics, reconfigurable metamaterials/metastructures, and mechano-intelligence, with applications in vibration & noise controls, wave manipulation & steering, vibration energy harvesting, structural health monitoring, and vehicle & robotic system dynamics.

Research Areas

Controls, Dynamics & Vibrations

Honors & Awards

  • Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
  • Fellow, Institute of Physics (IOP)
  • Fellow, Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)
  • A. Galip Ulsoy Distinguished University Professorship, University of Michigan, 2023
  • ASME Robert E. Abbott Award, a lifetime service award to recognize a society member who has served beyond the call of duty, 2021
  • ASME Rayleigh Lecture Award, for pioneering contributions in noise control and acoustics, to the sciences as well as application to industry, 2020
  • University of Michigan (U-M) Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, honors senior faculty with outstanding achievements in scholarly research, creative endeavors and other activities that have brought distinction to the University, 2019
  • U-M College of Engineering Stephen S. Attwood Award, for extraordinary achievement in teaching, research, service, and other activities that have brought distinction to the College and University, 2019
  • Pi Tau Sigma & ASME Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award, for outstanding achievements in mechanical engineering for 20 years or more following graduation, 2018
  • ASME J.P. Den Hartog Award, for lifetime contributions to the teaching and practice of vibration engineering, 2017
  • ASME Adaptive Structures and Material Systems Best Paper Award in Structures and Structural Dynamics, 2016
  • Society for Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Smart Structures and Materials Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011
  • ASME Adaptive Structures and Material Systems Best Paper Award in Structures and Structural Dynamics, 2010
  • ASME Rudolf Kalman Best Paper Award, Dynamic Systems and Controls, 2009
  • Stephen P. Timoshenko Collegiate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, June 2008 - present
  • ASME Adaptive Structures and Materials System Prize, to honor a lifetime of achievement and sustained impact in the field of adaptive structures and/or material systems, 2008
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Tech Briefs Award, 2008
  • ASME N. O. Myklestad Award, for major innovative contribution to vibration engineering, 2007
  • Penn State Engineering Society Premier Research Award, 2004
  • William E. Diefenderfer Endowed Chair Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Penn State University, August 2000 - May 2008
  • Penn State Engineering Society Outstanding Teaching Award, 2000
  • Penn State Engineering Society Outstanding Research Award, 1993
  • Penn State Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Faculty Award, 1991-92
  • Society of Automotive Engineers Ralph R. Teetor Award, 1990

Faculty Type

Tenured and Tenure-Track

Related News

Kon-Well Wang named A. Galip Ulsoy Distinguished University Professor
07/21/2023
This appointment “recognizes his extensive and outstanding scholarly achievements, his commitment to excellence in education for his students, and his extensive contributions to the University of Michigan and beyond.”

U-M ME professor selected as Session Lead Speaker at the NAE Symposium on Extraordinary Engineering Impacts on Society
08/31/2022
Dr. Kon-Well Wang set the stage by giving an overview of the NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) Program and its impact on science, engineering, and society.

Kon-Well Wang received the 2020 ASME Rayleigh Lecture Award
11/19/2020
American Society of Mechanical Engineers honored Professor Kon-Well Wang with the Rayleigh Lecture Award.

Kon-Well Wang selected as a University Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award Winner
10/28/2019
The Distinguished Faculty Achievement Awards honor senior faculty who have consistently demonstrated outstanding achievements in scholarly research and/or creative endeavors.

Seven ME Professors Earn College of Engineering Awards
01/17/2019
For the 2018-19 academic year, CoE has honorably awarded seven ME faculty.

National Science Foundation selects Wang for senior post
10/17/2018
Wang will provide strategic leadership in strengthening center-type research and engineering education efforts, promoting convergence, and addressing the grand challenges with high societal impact.

Wang receives 2018 Pi Tau Sigma-ASME Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award
04/24/2018
The Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award is presented to an engineering graduate who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in mechanical engineering twenty years or more following graduation.

ME researchers explore origami folding to enable tunable sonic barriers
02/12/2018
The ancient paper folding art was combined with wave propagation physics to create a new traffic noise barrier.

Thota and Wang's publication in Journal of Applied Physics has attracted media attention
10/18/2017
Professor Kon-Well Wang and PhD student Manoj Thota researched origami lattice for on-demand acoustic wave tailoring.

Walter E. Lay Automotive Lab Interior Renovation Complete
06/15/2017
Construction is officially complete on the interior renovation of ME’s Walter E. Lay Automotive Laboratory building.

Wang receives 2017 ASME J.P. Den Hartog Award
05/01/2017
The ASME J.P. Den Hartog Award is one of the most prestigious honors in the field of dynamics and vibration. It recognizes lifetime contributions to the teaching and practice of vibration engineering.

Li and Wang win ASME 2016 Best Paper Award in Structures and Structural Dynamics
10/12/2016
Li and Wang's paper is titled "Fluidic origami: a plant-inspired adaptive structure with shape morphing and stiffness tuning."

$50 Million Renovation Boasts Mechanical Engineering State-of-the-Art Student-Centric Education Facilities
03/15/2016
Construction of the GG Brown Memorial Laboratories began in the summer of 2014 and is currently wrapping up.

$50 Million ME GG Brown Building Renovation Underway
08/20/2013

Breaking ground for new Mechanical Engineering research complex
04/18/2011
The 62,880-square-foot addition to the G.G. Brown Laboratories will enable researchers to integrate emerging nanotechnologies with mechanical science and engineering, making advances in energy, manufacturing, healthcare and biosystems.

Wang receives SPIE Smart Structures and Materials Lifetime Achievement Award
01/03/2011
This award is presented to a distinguished scientist or engineer in the field of Smart Structures and Materials to recognize his/her lifetime contributions.

Wang Receives ASME Rudolf Kalman Award
10/24/2009

Meet Kon-Well Wang, New ME department Chair
06/04/2008