Dr. Uche Wejinya
- Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
- Twenty First Century Endowed Professorship in Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty Member of Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Program
- Associate Director, Center for High-Frequency Electronics and Circuits for Communication Systems
- Director, Micro – Nano Systems Engineering and Robotics Laboratory
- Director, NASA Robotic Mining Competition (RMC) Student Team
- Director, NSF REU Program (2009 – 2012, 2014 – 2018, 2021 – 2025)
Phone: +1 479-575-4800
Fax: +1 479-575-6982
E-mail: uwejinya@uark.edu
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Dr. Uche Wejinya received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA in 2000 and 2002, respectively. Upon completing his M.S. degree in 2002, he worked at General Motors research and development center located in Warren, Michigan, where he conducted research on Magneto-Rheological Fluid (MRF) clutch system before returning to graduate school. He then received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in August 2007 from Michigan State University. After completing his Ph.D., he held a post-doctoral research position in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan State University. In February 2008, he joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville (UAF) where he held a tenure-track assistant professor position until June of 2014. Since July 2014, he has been a tenured associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville (UAF). His research interests include mechatronics with emphasis on nanotechnology – nanomaterials for nanosensors including biosensors, chemical sensors; nanoelectronics; control systems design and application, robotics, biomechanics, batteries & energy storage devices, micro-tools for handling and manufacturing of micro and nano devices, and modeling and simulation of micro and nano structures. Dr. Wejinya has provided technical advice to many companies and a huge advocate of undergraduate research.
Dr. Wejinya is the author and co-author of more than 90 journal and conference articles and has presented at several national and international conferences. He holds 2 US patents in the areas of nanotechnology and devices; and he is the author of 2 book chapters. He has given more than 20 invited talks/seminars nationally and internationally. He has organized multiple sessions (both invited and non-invited) at several international conferences. Dr. Wejinya was among the first group of USA graduate students to participate in the National Science Foundation, East Asia Pacific Summer Institute in Beijing, China in 2004 where he conducted research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Automation. Additionally, in 2010, he was the recipient of the prestigious Chinese Academy of Sciences Fellowship for Young International Scientist Award. Dr. Wejinya is a proud member of IEEE, ASME, ASEE, and NSBE.
EDUCATION
• Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Michigan State University, 2007.
• M.S., Electrical Engineering, Michigan State University, 2002.
• B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, 2000.
• A.S., Mathematics and Natural Science with Honors, Washtenaw Community College, 1998.
HONORS AND AWARDS
• Department of Mechanical Engineering, “Outstanding Service to Students 2018 – 19” Award.
• Italian Technology Award, 2010 – Visited companies and manufacturing plants in Italy and attended management courses with two mechanical engineering students from the University of Arkansas, Department of Mechanical Engineering.
• Valued Reviewer, Sensors and Actuators A for Contributions to the Quality of the Sensor and Actuators A, 2009
• General Electric Foundation First Faculty Research Grant, 2008
• NSF Summer Institute on Nanomechanics, Nanomaterials and Micro/Nanomanufacturing Fellowship, 2008