2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

1. Dr. Arash Afshar Mercer University [biography]

   Dr. Arash Afshar is currently an associate professor in the School of Engineering at Mercer University. He earned his M.S in systems and design and Ph.D. in solid mechanics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He also received his B.S and M.S in Solid Mechanics from Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran, Iran. His teaching and research interests are in the area of solid mechanics including composite materials, finite element analysis, mechanical design and machine learning. Prior to joining Mercer University, he taught at Saginaw Valley State University and worked as a design engineer in oil and gas and injection molding industries.

2. Dr. Dorina Marta Mihut Mercer University [biography]

   Dr. Dorina Marta Mihut is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Mercer University School of Engineering. She graduated with Ph.D. in Materials Science at University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Ph.D. in Technical Physics at Babes-Bolyai University, Romania; M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Technical University Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Her teaching and research interests are in the area of materials science and engineering, thin films and coatings depositions using physical vapor deposition systems and related analysis, coatings for wear and corrosion resistance improvement, environmental protection, protection against electromagnetic interference, and antibacterial coatings. Before joining Mercer University, Dr. Dorina Mihut worked as Associate Professor at The University of Texas Pan American, TX, USA, and as Process Engineer at Ion Bond, IHI Group, USA.

   Education
   Ph.D Materials Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
   Ph.D Technical Physics, Babes-Balyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
   M.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
   B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Cluj – Napoca, Romania

3. Dr. Stephen Hill Mercer University [biography]

   Stephen Hill earned his BS in General Sciences from Morehouse College and his BSME, MSME, and Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is currently the senior associate dean and an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the Mercer University School of Engineering . He worked for the oilfield services giant Schlumberger for 14 years before returning to teach at Mercer University in the fall of 2013 to pursue his goal of educating the next wave of engineers entering the work force. His experience in the work force was in product development of downhole tools related to the extraction of oil and natural gas from various reservoirs. His current research interests include impact erosion, wear, two-phase flow phenomena, and the scholarship of teaching.

4. Michael Norenberg Mercer University [biography]

   Michael James Norenberg is an undergraduate student earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Mercer University.

5. Caleb Luo-Gardner Mercer University

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026