Rafael Ruiz

Rafael Ruiz is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. His research develops computational methods for uncertainty quantification and optimization of mechanical systems, with applications in energy harvesting and structural dynamics.

Research domains include:

• Stochastic modeling of material behavior
• Bayesian inference for engineering systems
• Vibration-based energy harvesting
• Multifunctional metamaterials

His publications demonstrate strong emphasis on probabilistic approaches for piezoelectric energy harvester design, particularly for infrastructure monitoring applications. Recent work integrates machine learning with physical models for improved reliability predictions.