Nejat Olgac

Professor Nejat Olgac is a distinguished faculty member in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut's College of Engineering. He joined the UConn faculty in 1981 and continues to be an active researcher and educator. Dr. Olgac directs the Advanced Laboratory for Robotics, Automation and Manufacturing (ALARM) at UConn and has held guest professor positions at INRIA (France), Technical University of Munich, Harvard University, and Czech Technical University in Prague.

• Doctor of Science from Columbia University (1976) in Mechanical Engineering
• M.Sc. from Technical University of Istanbul, Turkey (1972, summa-cum-laude) in Mechanical Engineering

Professor Olgac's research spans multiple domains within mechanical engineering and control systems, with particular emphasis on time-delayed systems and vibration control. His work bridges theoretical developments with practical applications across various industries. His research interests include time-delayed systems, vibration suppression techniques, nonlinear robust control of dynamic systems, and micromanipulation in cellular biology. A significant portion of his work focuses on developing mathematical paradigms for complex control problems, with direct applications in manufacturing, aerospace, and bioengineering.

Analysis of Professor Olgac's recent publications (2019-2025) reveals a strong focus on advancing the Delayed Resonator concept and Cluster Treatment of Characteristic Roots (CTCR) methodology. His research has evolved toward addressing increasingly complex vibration control problems, particularly non-collocated systems and multi-frequency applications. The publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory of theoretical advancement coupled with experimental validation, showing strong connections between his mathematical frameworks and practical engineering solutions across multiple domains including manufacturing, aerospace, and bioengineering.

• UCONN Research Excellence Award (2015)
• ASME Distinguished Engineer Award of the Year, Hartford Chapter, CT (2015)
• Doctor Honoris Causa from Czech Technical University, Prague (2019)

Professor Olgac's research has been consistently supported by major funding agencies including DoE, NSF, NIH, ONR, NOAA, and ARO, as well as industry partners such as GE, Pratt and Whitney, Sikorsky, and General Dynamics. His work has resulted in multiple patents, including three for the Delayed Resonator concept (1995, 1996, 1999) and one for optimized high-speed machining chatter (2011). He has served in numerous leadership roles including General Chair of IFAC Time Delay Systems Workshop (2012) and General Chairman of ASME Dynamic Systems and Controls Conference (2013).

As director of the Advanced Laboratory for Robotics, Automation and Manufacturing (ALARM), Professor Olgac leads a research team that integrates theoretical control systems development with practical applications in robotics, manufacturing, and bioengineering. His laboratory serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, connecting mechanical engineering principles with applications in cellular biology and advanced manufacturing processes.