Michael Mello

Michael Mello is a Teaching Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), part of the Division of Engineering and Applied Science. He holds a Ph.D. from Caltech (2012) and has prior industry experience as a Senior Electronic Packaging Engineer and Mechanical Laboratory Manager at Intel Corporation (1997–2006). His academic roles include Lecturer (2014–2020) and Teaching Professor since 2020.

Dr. Mello's research focuses on pressure-shear plate impact experiments, interferometric measurement techniques, and laboratory earthquake investigations. He collaborates with Professors G. Ravichandran and Ares J. Rosakis. His work includes developing novel methods like the Heterodyne Diffracted Beam Photonic Doppler Velocimeter (DPDV) for analyzing high-pressure material behavior. He is also an Associate Technical Editor for Experimental Mechanics, an international journal on experimental methods in materials and structures.

His teaching spans undergraduate courses in Mechanical and Civil Engineering, including Rigid Body Statics, Hydrostatics, Mechanics of Materials, Dynamics, CFD/FEA Modeling, and Experimental Solid & Fluid Mechanics. He has received notable awards, including the M.M. Frocht Award, ASCIT Teaching Award, and the Northrop Grumman Prize for Excellence in Teaching. His research and teaching contributions highlight a commitment to advancing experimental methodologies and engineering education.

Dr. Mello's research interests bridge materials science and geomechanics, with a focus on high-pressure phenomena, shock dynamics, and earthquake mechanics. His publications span over three decades, reflecting a sustained engagement with cutting-edge experimental techniques and their applications in understanding material behavior under extreme conditions.