Michael A. Latcha, Ph.D.

Associate Professor Mechanical Engineering Department 416 EC; (248) 370-2203; Fax: (248) 370-4261 [email protected] www.secs.oakland.edu/~latcha

Education

• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit MI, August 1989.
• MS, Mechanical Engineering, Wayne State University, December 1985.
• BS, Mechanical Engineering, Wayne State University, May 1981. With distinction.

Teaching

• Machine Design - modeling, analysis, simulation and fabrication of electro-mechanical systems
• Numerical Methods
• Mechanics of Materials
• Dynamics, Vibrations

Research

• Modeling, analysis, simulation and fabrication of electro-mechanical
  systems
• Numerical methods, computational mechanics
• Modeling of multi-body dynamic systems
• Structural, numerical and visco-thermal acoustics

Professional Experience

• September 1993 to present - Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Oakland University, Rochester MI 48309. Research interests: Modeling of multi-body dynamic systems; structural, numerical and viscothermal acoustics; vibrations; computational mechanics; machine design; numerical methods. Courses taught: CADrafting; statics; dynamics; vibrations; mechanics of materials; machine design, numerical methods.
• February 2001 to November 2001 - Acting Associate Dean, SECS, Oakland University
• Summer 1992-95, 1997, 1999 - U.S. Army Summer Faculty Research Engineer, Tank-Automotive Command, Warren, MI.
• August 1986 to August 1993 - Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Oakland University.
• May 1981 to August 1986 - Wayne State University Fellow; Instructor, Teaching and Research Assistant, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Wayne State University, Detroit MI.

Awards, Honors, Memberships

• Member, American Society of Engineering Education
• Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Reviewer, ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics
• Member, Tau Beta Pi, National Engineering Honor Society
• Honorary Graduate Member, Pi Tau Sigma, ME Honor Society
• Withrow Award for Teaching Excellence, OU, 1998
• Engineering Student-Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, WSU, 1982,83
• Michigan FE/EIT Exam, 1988

Selected Publications

1. Melting-Pot Senior Design at OU: 10 Years of Lessons Learned, M. Latcha and M. Zohdy, Proceedings of the 2014 ASEE North Central Conference, ASEE

2. Melting Pot Design at Oakland University, M.A. Latcha, D. Debnath, I. Elhajj, E. Gu, R.E. Haskell, Proceedings of the Engineering Capstone Design Course Conference, 2007

3. The Melting Pot Approach to Senior Design Part II: Assessment and Improvement, M.A. Latcha, S. Ganesan, E. Gu, R.E. Haskell, Proceedings of the 2005 ASEE North Central Conference, ASEE

4. The Melting Pot Approach to Senior Design, M.A. Latcha, S. Ganesan, E. Gu, R.E. Haskell, Proceedings of the 2004 ASEE North Central Conference, ASEE

Selected Sponsored Research

• National Science Foundation CCLI Program, 2001-2003, "Robotic Assembly Cell," R.P. Van Til - PI, S. Sengupta, R.J. Srodawa and M.A. Latcha, Grant #DUE-0087984, $53,859; In-kind equipment grant, Kuka KR3 robotic manipulator (with S. Sengupta, R.J. Srodawa and M.A. Latcha), Kuka Development Laboratories, $34,779.
• Games and Toys Design Competition, Random Games and Toys, 1998, $5,000, PI. Barbara Oakley, co-PI.
• National Science Foundation, October 1, 1996 - September 30, 2000, "Development of High Speed Shearographic Instrument for Measuring Time-Dependent Deformation," Y.Y. Hung, J.D. Hovanesian, Y.L. Gu, M. A. Latcha, and S. Vishnubhotla, $214,000.
• U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Command/Battelle Scientific Services, September 1, 1996 - May 24, 1997, "Object-Oriented Approach to the Modeling and Simulation of Multibody Dynamic Systems," $30,000.
• Michigan Space Grant Consortium, July 1, 1996 - June 30, 1997, "Photoacoustic Spectroscopy as a Non-Invasive Method of Pressure Measurement," $8,000.
• U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Command/Battelle Scientific Services, February 1, 1995 - May 26, 1995, "Development and Documentation of a Symbolically Optimized Vehicle Analysis System," $29,740.
• U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Command/Battelle Scientific Services, February 1, 1993 - May 31, 1993, "Development of a General Numerical Technique for Acoustic Radiation and Scattering," $19,392.