Muhammad Hajj honored with emeritus status

Muhammad Hajj, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of professor emeritus of engineering science and mechanics by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The emeritus title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands in recognition of exemplary service to the university. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive a copy of the resolution and a certificate of appreciation.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1992, Hajj has made significant scientific contributions to the fields of fluid mechanics and structural dynamics through his work on wind loads on structures, energy harvesting, biolocomotion in fluids, and aeroelasticity. His most recent scholarship focused on the design of systems that can be used to harvest energy from induced vibrations of structures.

In his career, Hajj secured more than $16 million in external grants from industry and government agencies, including the National Science Foundation, Air Force Research Laboratory, Office of Naval Research, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

He is a Fellow in the Engineering Mechanics Institute, one of the highest recognitions for individuals in his field. He served as director of the Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems, leading a consortium of research universities, industry partners, and commercial and government organizations through an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center funded by the National Science Foundation.

At Virginia Tech, Hajj was honored as the J. Byron Maupin Professor of Engineering in 2016 and was named associate dean for graduate education in the Graduate School in 2014.

In the classroom, Hajj taught courses in fluid mechanics and nonlinear dynamics within the department and on preparing career professionals within the Virginia Tech Graduate School. He combined interactive instruction technologies with hands-on learning experiences and worked on expanding graduate course work to include career and professional development experiences by engaging students in discussions with local and global industrial leaders.

Hajj received his bachelor’s degree from the American University of Beirut and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.