Shima Shahab

Shima Shahab is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, with a secondary appointment at the Virginia Tech Research Center (VTRC) in Arlington, VA. She directs the Multiphysics Intelligent and Dynamical Systems (MInDS) Laboratory, focusing on structural dynamics, wave propagation in smart materials, and ultrasound-driven technologies. Her research spans applications like wireless acoustic power transfer, acoustic holograms, and biomedical devices.

Education: Ph.D. (2015), M.S. (2013), and B.S. (2004) in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Kerman (Iran), and Georgia Tech, respectively.

Research interests include ultrasound-responsive polymers, nonlinear acoustics, and interdisciplinary systems. Key achievements: NSF CAREER Award (2022), Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award (2023), and recognition as an Emerging Leader in Smart Materials (2024). She has published extensively and collaborates across engineering and liberal arts fields.

Grants and funding include NSF awards totaling $3.8M for MInDS, including CAREER and EAGER grants. Her lab supports 13 PhD candidates and 20 undergraduates. Awards also include ASME honors and fellowships like the Mary V. Jones Faculty Fellowship.

Labs/Teams: MInDS Lab (focusing on multiphysics systems) and collaborations with biomedical engineering, mining safety, and arts disciplines.