Michael Cullinan

Dr. Michael Cullinan is an Associate Professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, supported by the Temple Foundation Endowed Faculty Fellowship. His research focuses on nanomanufacturing systems, nanoscale phenomena applications, and the development of novel micro/nanoscale devices for energy and sensing. He holds a PhD from MIT (2011), an MS from MIT (2008), and dual degrees from Swarthmore College (B.S. Engineering and B.A. Economics). His work bridges nanotechnology and macro-scale engineering, with emphases on additive manufacturing, machine learning-driven process control, and material characterization.

Research interests include nanomanufacturing processes, thin film engineering, nanoparticle sintering, and microelectronic device fabrication. Notable projects involve in-situ monitoring of additive manufacturing processes, moiré-based metrology, and development of microscale selective laser sintering (μ-SLS) systems. His publications highlight advancements in quality control, thermal energy transfer modeling, and precision manufacturing techniques.

Key contributions include methodologies for metal powder emissivity measurement, data-driven predictive optimization in additive manufacturing, and advancements in roll-to-roll nanomanufacturing metrology. The Nano Design and Manufacturing Lab under his leadership explores next-generation manufacturing solutions for energy and sensing applications.