Faculty Focus on Professor Hanna Cho
Faculty Focus introduces you to our talented scholars who continue to attract the best and brightest engineering students and whose insights and research keep us at the leading edge of innovation and discovery.
Hanna Cho
Assistant Professor
Director, Micro/Nano Multi-Physical Dynamics Lab
My research focuses on understanding and exploiting nonlinear dynamics in micro/nanoscale mechanical systems. Our vision is to achieve a synergetic impact on important problems in science and engineering by applying micro/nano-technology to nonlinear dynamics and vice versa: (i) we first employ micro/nanoscale structures as a tool to study complex nonlinear dynamical phenomena, particularly those not routinely observed at macroscale; (ii) based on the detailed understanding of nonlinear characteristics, we harness ‘intentional nonlinearity’ in small scale to implement paradigm-shifting designs for various applications. For example, we develop nonlinear nano/micro-resonators for sensing and energy harvesting applications by utilizing their intrinsically nonlinear characteristics such as broadband resonance, frequency tunability and instability. Also, we try to advance the state-of-art Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) techniques through understanding and enhancing the AFM cantilever dynamics, which is expected to broadly impact fundamental research in the field of nano- and bio-sicence.
Why should a prospective student consider mechanical engineering?
Being an engineer is very fascinating in that we contribute to the maintenance and advancement of our society. Especially in this complex and fast-changing world of technology, mechanical engineering is even more appealing because we learn and understand core concepts over a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines. And, we apply our already multi-disciplinary knowledge for the analysis, design and manufacturing of mechanical systems, ranged enormously across macroscale machines and vehicles, robots, human body, nano-systems and bio-systems. That’s why being a mechanical engineer means being equipped with versatility, which will open a lot of opportunities throughout our life.
What do you like most about your job?
As a teacher, I always enjoy interacting with students who are curious about somewhat difficult scientific and engineering problems and eager to learn and solve. It is always a precious experience to see their achievement after devoting hard effort. I am happy to be a lifetime learner as part of my job as a researcher. Also, I am always thrilled when I successfully apply my knowledge and expertise to new areas or applications I had never expected.
What advice would you give students considering an engineering career?
Try foolish things in a clever way. Engineers are the ones who consider a new way to improve something or to create something new. Sometimes, a new way looks very foolish and impossible but engineers should be courageous enough to challenge. The key factor in order to succeed is a firm fundamental understanding and scientifically reasonable approach, which engineering students will be equipped with throughout their education.
If you could be anyone from any time period who would it be and why?
I considered very hard to giving a witty answer, but I just would choose to remain myself. I enjoy my work very much and I love people I know now. Most importantly, I cannot give up living with my family - my understanding husband and two, five-year-old trouble makers.