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F. Patrick McCluskey, Professor and Interim Chair. |
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Professor Francis Patrick McCluskey has been appointed chair of the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Department of Mechanical Engineering, a top 20 program known for innovative research in areas such as industrial AI, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, risk and reliability, and quantum applications. His selection was announced this month by Dean Samuel Graham of the A. James Clark School of Engineering.
McCluskey, an expert on electronics packaging and reliability, is affiliated with the Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE), which works to improve the efficiency, reliability, and safety of electronic components and systems. McCluskey has also served as director of undergraduate studies and as associate chair for research.
“UMD Mechanical Engineering has a track record of excellence in research, a strong student focus, and an inclusive culture,” McCluskey said. ”We plan to continue to build on those strengths.”
His specific priorities, he said, include boosting research capabilities through hiring, especially in cutting-edge fields such as quantum, and forging partnerships with corporate, community, and governmental stakeholders to heighten the impact of departmental research. He also supports continued exploration of new educational paradigms that prioritize experiential learning, as well as linking big-picture themes across different courses.
With more than 300 degrees awarded each year, mechanical engineering is the largest department at Maryland Engineering, a fact that McCluskey attributes to its breadth. “It touches on many engineering disciplines and can be applied to a variety of contexts,” he said. “The skills students learn here enable them to solve major issues and have an impact.”
McCluskey’s own interest in engineering stems from his Steel Belt background; while growing up near major industrial hubs in Pennsylvania, he became interested in metals and materials. As momentum shifted to semiconductors, however, he transferred his focus on materials to these newer technologies. His UMD career started with a postdoctoral research position at CALCE, followed by a faculty appointment that culminated in tenure and leadership roles in the department. He holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Lafayette College and earned his doctoral degree in materials science and engineering from Lehigh University.
A prolific and influential author, McCluskey has published three books as well as more than 175 technical articles on topics related to electronics and microsystems. He is an associate editor of Institute of Electronics and Electronic Engineers’ (IEEE) Transactions on Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technologies, and a member of the board of governors of the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society.
New Momentum in ME
While mechanical engineering has always been a vibrant field, McCluskey said, the current era is particularly exciting because of advanced computing, AI, autonomous systems and robotics, quantum systems, and other emerging technologies.
Industry reshoring and a push by the U.S. for leadership in semiconductors present new opportunities for students who choose ME as their major, he said.
Maryland Engineering offers an ideal platform for maximizing those opportunities. UMD mechanical engineering faculty are deeply involved in shaping these trends through research, collaboration and partnerships, and influence on government and industry. In 2023, for example, the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) awarded a $3.5 million grant to McCluskey and other UMD faculty to help develop more efficient cooling systems for data centers.
Meanwhile, the department’s six research hubs—CALCE, the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering, the Center for Engineering Concepts Development, the Center for Risk and Reliability, the Center for Sustainability in the Built Environment, and the Industrial AI Center—have forged a variety of partnerships with public and private stakeholders.
Besides being a research powerhouse, the department is also highly student-focused and committed to experiential learning, which allows students to build on what they gain in the classroom through avenues such as Engineering Without Borders, Robotics@UMD, Solar House, and the university’s storied Terps Racing team. The department also offers opportunities for undergraduate research, which is increasingly in demand among students seeking a career edge.
McCluskey plans to further strengthen the student experience, in part by implementing a “thematic learning” concept proposed by his predecessor as chair, Professor Harry Dankowicz. In this model, a specific Grand Challenge in engineering is used to inform a variety of undergraduate courses, so that students learn how different facets of engineering come to bear on the problem.
Inclusive Culture and Passion for Excellence
In general, McCluskey said, the ME department remains committed to excellence in both research and teaching.
“Our strength is multi-pronged,” he said. “Our faculty includes leading scholars who also have the desire to engage and educate students. The breadth of the department means that, whatever your specific area of interest is, you can find someone who is an expert in that area. As educators, we’re not content to just do things the way they’ve always been done; we work to brainstorm and implement new approaches that add value.”
“And we’re a welcoming, inclusive, respectful, and collaborative culture. That’s something our students, staff, and faculty all appreciate. It’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed here as long as I have,” he said.
October 30, 2025
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