Michael Peterson

Michael Peterson is a Professor affiliated with the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine, with primary research and teaching responsibilities in mechanical engineering. He teaches undergraduate courses including MEE 101 (Introduction to Mechanical Engineering), MEE 443 (Mechanical Laboratory III), and design sequences MEE 487/488.

His educational qualifications include:

• Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Northwestern University, 1993
• M.S. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Northwestern University, 1987
• B.S.M.E. in Mechanical Engineering, General Motors Institute, 1985

Professor Peterson's research integrates experimental mechanics with marine and terrestrial biomechanics, focusing on material characterization under dynamic conditions and animal locomotion. His current projects examine hoof-soil interactions in galloping horses, cetacean biomechanics, granular material behavior for footing applications, and tidal energy system impacts. He investigates both fundamental wave propagation phenomena in porous media and applied problems like racetrack injury epidemiology in Thoroughbred horses and renewable energy system monitoring.

His laboratory work spans from Crosby Hall (College of Engineering) to marine field sites, addressing interdisciplinary challenges at the intersection of mechanical engineering and marine science.