Volkan OtugenView profile
Professor
Volkan Otugen is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of South Florida (USF), College of Engineering, where he serves as founding director of the Optical Sensors Laboratory. Holding a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, his career spans advanced optical sensor development for aerospace and fluid mechanics applications. His research focuses on: Micro-optical sensors using whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators Wall shear stress, pressure, acceleration, and electromagnetic field detection MEMS-based instrumentation for extreme environments Structural health monitoring systems Smart materials integration Aerospace fluid dynamics diagnostics Recent publications (2024-2014) demonstrate sustained innovation in WGM resonator applications, particularly for high-speed transient sensing and aerospace instrumentation like EDL air-speed sensors and cryogenic seismometers. This work bridges photonics, fluid dynamics, and MEMS engineering with emphasis on resolution, data rate, and environmental robustness. Scientific recognition includes: ASME Fellow designation Otugen has secured major research funding and mentored graduate students through projects with NASA and the National Science Foundation: Advising: Extensive mentorship of PhD/Master's candidates in optical sensor development Grants: NASA for atmospheric sensors, NSF for SGER projects on wall shear stress sensors The Optical Sensors Laboratory at USF specializes in designing and testing photonic sensors for propulsion systems, structural monitoring, and space exploration missions.






