PhD Positions (Fall 2026): Multiple fully funded PhD positions are available in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Cleveland, Ohio, starting Fall 2026. Positions span several research labs in fluid mechanics, flow physics, hypersonic aerodynamics, two-phase flow and thermal management, animal navigation and robotics, and underwater biorobotics. All listed PhD positions include full financial support and tuition coverage (one is pending external support as noted below). Applications will be reviewed immediately and on a rolling basis until positions are filled.
Title PhD Positions in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Case Western Reserve University (Fall 2026)
Designation
- Designation: Fully funded PhD Student (Doctor of Philosophy)
- Department: Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
- Institution: Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)
- Start Term: Fall 2026
Location
All positions are based at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, at the following campus addresses:
- 2123 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Glennan Building (various rooms) – Cleveland, OH 44106
- 11000 Cedar Avenue, BioEnterprise Building – Cleveland, OH 44106
(Each position below lists its specific building/room.)
Overview Table of Available PhD Positions
| # | Lab / Position Title | Main Research Area | Supervisor(s) | Building / Room | Key Degree Backgrounds | Notable Requirements / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PhD Opportunity at Flow Simulation & Flow Physics Lab | Numerical simulations of biological & physiological flows (fluid mechanics) | Dr. Chengyu Li | Glennan Building 613 | Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related fields | Strong numerical PDE skills; programming (Fortran/C++/Python/Julia); TOEFL/IELTS for internationals |
| 2 | PhD Opportunity in the Flow Physics and Imaging Lab – Flow Control | Passive flow control of boundary layer transition in incompressible flows | Dr. Brandon Schmidt | Glennan Building 615B | Engineering, Mathematics, Physics | Strong math; project planning and data analysis; GRE quant/verbal percentile thresholds |
| 3 | PhD Opportunity in the Flow Physics and Imaging Lab – Hypersonics | Experiments in hypersonic aerodynamics | Dr. Brandon Schmidt | Glennan Building 615B | Engineering, Mathematics, Physics | Similar GRE expectations; U.S. citizenship required; funding pending AFOSR |
| 4 | PhD Opportunity at Two-Phase Flow and Thermal Management Lab (TPFTML) | Two-phase flow, thermal management using experimental, numerical, and/or ML methods | Dr. Chirag Kharangate | Glennan Building 459B | Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related | Thermal-fluids focus; ANSYS Fluent/Matlab/Python; TOEFL/IELTS for internationals |
| 5 | PhD Opportunity in WAKANDA Lab (Wisdom and Knowledge from Animal Navigation, Direction, and Action) | Animal magnetoreception, multimodal sensing, GPS-free navigation with robots | Dr. Brian Taylor | Glennan Building 881 | Engineering, Applied Math, Computer Science, Neuroethology, Comp. Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology, or related | Differential equations; willingness to learn engineering/biology; programming; TOEFL/IELTS for internationals |
| 6 | PhD Opportunity in Underwater Biorobotics | Control and state estimation for underwater bioinspired robots | Dr. Kati Daltorio & Dr. Zach Patterson | BioEnterprise Building 306 | Engineering, Computer Science, or related | Control & ML; physics simulation; programming (Python/ROS); robotics/marine robotics experience preferred |
Research Areas (by Position)
- Flow Simulation & Flow Physics Lab (Dr. Chengyu Li)
- Numerical simulations of biological and physiological flows
- Core topics: fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, numerical methods for PDEs
- Flow Physics and Imaging Lab – Flow Control (Dr. Brandon Schmidt)
- Passive flow control strategy for boundary layer transition in incompressible flows
- Emphasis on flow physics, instability/transition, and experimental/analytical methods (from description: project execution, data analysis)
- Flow Physics and Imaging Lab – Hypersonic Aerodynamics (Dr. Brandon Schmidt)
- Experimental research in hypersonic aerodynamics
- Focus on high-speed flows, boundary layers, and related hypersonic test experiments
- Two-Phase Flow and Thermal Management Lab (TPFTML, Dr. Chirag Kharangate)
- Experimental, numerical, and/or machine learning research on two-phase configurations for future cooling solutions
- Topics: two-phase flow, thermal management, thermal-fluids, ML for thermo-fluids
- WAKANDA Laboratory (Dr. Brian Taylor)
- Computer simulations and robot experiments on:
- Animal magnetoreception
- Multimodal sensing
- Engineered navigation without GPS
- Cross-disciplinary work combining dynamics, controls, computational neuroscience, and robotics
- Underwater Biorobotics (Dr. Kati Daltorio & Dr. Zach Patterson)
- Control and state estimation for underwater bioinspired robots
- Emphasis on control, reinforcement learning, marine robotics, physics simulation, and Python/ROS-based programming
Eligibility / Qualifications
Below is a consolidated view; note that each position has specific preferences.
General Academic Background
- Required (across positions):
- BS or MS in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, or closely related fields.
- Additional acceptable fields (position specific):
- Neuroethology, Computational Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology (WAKANDA Lab).
Position-Specific Preferred Qualifications & Skills
- Flow Simulation & Flow Physics Lab (Dr. Li)
- Strong knowledge of fluid mechanics and computational methods.
- Programming skills: Fortran/C++/Python/Julia.
- Prior in-house code development experience strongly preferred.
- TOEFL ≥ 90 or IELTS ≥ 7.0 (international students only).
- Flow Physics & Imaging Lab – Flow Control (Dr. Schmidt)
- Strong background in mathematics, especially multivariable calculus.
- Experience in project planning and data analysis.
- GRE quantitative/verbal percentiles of 80/60 or 90/50 or higher.
- Flow Physics & Imaging Lab – Hypersonics (Dr. Schmidt)
- Similar academic preferences to the flow control position:
- Strong math (multivariable calculus), project planning, and data analysis.
- GRE quantitative/verbal percentiles of 80/60 or 90/50 or higher.
- U.S. citizenship is required.
- Candidates who have applied for SMART and/or NDSEG fellowships are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Funding is pending support from AFOSR (Air Force Office of Scientific Research).
- Two-Phase Flow and Thermal Management Lab (Dr. Kharangate)
- Strong knowledge of thermal-fluids systems.
- Computational or machine learning experience is a plus.
- Programming skills in ANSYS Fluent/Matlab/Python.
- TOEFL ≥ 90 or IELTS ≥ 7 (international students only).
- Prior in-house code development experience strongly preferred.
- WAKANDA Lab (Dr. Taylor)
- Proficiency with differential equations, including qualitative methods.
- Willingness to learn and become proficient in engineering and biology topics such as dynamics, controls, and computational neuroscience.
- Programming ability and willingness to learn new programming languages as needed.
- TOEFL ≥ 90 or IELTS ≥ 7.0 (international students only).
- Ability to work independently and in a team, with effective communication.
- Underwater Biorobotics (Dr. Daltorio & Dr. Patterson)
- Strong knowledge of robotics and control.
- Programming skills in Python/ROS.
- Prior experience in robotics, especially control/RL and marine robotics, is strongly preferred.
Common Soft Skills
Across all positions, the flyer emphasizes:
- Motivation and independence in research.
- Ability to execute complex projects.
- Effective written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively in research teams.
Description (Combined Scholarship-Style Narrative)
The Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is offering several fully funded PhD positions starting Fall 2026. Successful candidates will join one of several cutting-edge research labs working in fluid mechanics, flow physics, hypersonic aerodynamics, two-phase flow and thermal management, animal navigation and robotics, and underwater biorobotics.
Students will engage in numerical simulations, laboratory experiments, robotic system design and control, and machine learning–driven modeling, depending on the lab. Each position provides full financial support and tuition coverage (the hypersonic aerodynamics position notes that support is pending AFOSR funding). Candidates will work closely with leading faculty members, contribute to high-impact research, and develop strong expertise in both fundamental science and engineering applications.
All positions emphasize strong quantitative and programming skills, research independence, and effective communication. International applicants are welcome and must meet the specified English language proficiency requirements (TOEFL/IELTS) where indicated. Some positions, such as the hypersonic aerodynamics position, have specific eligibility constraints such as U.S. citizenship and recommendations regarding external fellowships.
How to Apply (by Position)
Important: The flyer does not provide a single centralized scholarship portal or a universal last date. Application procedures differ by lab and PI.
1. Flow Simulation & Flow Physics Lab – Dr. Chengyu Li
- Contact:
- Email: `cxl1692@case.edu`
- Phone: (216) 368-6838
- Address: 2123 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Glennan Building 613, Cleveland, OH 44106
- Web: `www.chengyuli.net`
- Application Method:
- Send an email to Dr. Chengyu Li with subject line:
- `”CWRU-PhD-Application-CFD”`
- Attach the following application materials:
- Curriculum vitae
- Transcripts from all previous institutions (official or unofficial)
- TOEFL or IELTS score (international students only)
- Names and email addresses of two references
- Send an email to Dr. Chengyu Li with subject line:
- Review Process:
- Review starts immediately and continues until the position is filled.
- Top candidates will be invited for a Zoom interview.
2. Flow Physics and Imaging Lab – Flow Control – Dr. Brandon Schmidt
- Contact:
- Email: `bes19@case.edu`
- Phone: (216) 368-2943
- Address: 2123 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Glennan Building 615B, Cleveland, OH 44106
- Web: `https://case.edu/engineering/labs/fpi/`
- Application Method:
- Apply through the CWRU graduate school (no direct link or deadline given in the flyer).
- After submitting, send an email to Dr. Schmidt with subject line:
- `”CWRU-PhD-Application-FlowControl”`
Indicate that you have submitted your graduate school application so it can be forwarded to him. Review Process:
- Review starts immediately and continues until the position is filled.
- Top candidates will be invited for an interview via Zoom.
- Dr. Schmidt is open to discussing the position before you apply; contact him via email with the same subject line.
3. Flow Physics and Imaging Lab – Hypersonic Aerodynamics – Dr. Brandon Schmidt
- Contact: Same as above (Dr. Schmidt, FPI Lab).
- Application Method:
- Apply through the CWRU graduate school.
- Send an email to Dr. Schmidt with subject line:
- `”CWRU-PhD-Application-Hypersonics”`
Indicate that you have applied so that your file can be forwarded. Review Process:
- Review starts immediately and continues until the position is filled.
- Top candidates will be invited for a Zoom interview.
- Prospective students can email Dr. Schmidt with the same subject line before submitting their application to discuss the opportunity.
4. Two-Phase Flow and Thermal Management Lab (TPFTML) – Dr. Chirag Kharangate
- Contact:
- Email: `crk91@case.edu`
- Phone: (216) 368-2029
- Address: 2123 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Glennan Building 459B, Cleveland, OH 44106
- Web: `https://case.edu/engineering/labs/tpftml/`
- Application Method:
- Send an email to Dr. Chirag Kharangate with subject line:
- `”CWRU-PhD-Application-TPFTML”`
- Attach the following:
- Curriculum vitae
- Transcripts from all previous institutions (official or unofficial)
- TOEFL or IELTS score (international students only)
- Names and email addresses of two references
- Send an email to Dr. Chirag Kharangate with subject line:
- Review Process:
- Review starts immediately and continues until the position is filled.
- Top candidates will be invited for a Zoom interview.
5. WAKANDA Lab – Animal Navigation & Robotics – Dr. Brian Taylor
- Contact:
- Email: `bkt2@case.edu`
- Phone: (216) 368-5787
- Address: 2123 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Glennan Building 881, Cleveland, OH 44106
- Web: `https://engineering.case.edu/research/labs/wakanda-lab`
- Application Method:
- Send an email to Dr. Brian Taylor with subject line:
- `”CWRU-PhD-Application-WAKANDA”`
- Attach:
- Curriculum vitae
- Transcripts from all previous institutions (official or unofficial)
- TOEFL or IELTS score (international students only)
- Names and email addresses of two references
- Send an email to Dr. Brian Taylor with subject line:
- Review Process:
- Review starts immediately and continues until the position is filled.
- Top candidates will be invited for a Zoom interview.
6. Underwater Biorobotics – Dr. Kati Daltorio & Dr. Zach Patterson
- Contact:
- Email (for application): `zpatt@case.edu` (Dr. Zach Patterson)
- Address: 11000 Cedar Avenue, BioEnterprise Building 306, Cleveland, OH 44106
- Web: `cyphilab.com` and Biorobotics lab website (URLs referenced but not fully specified in the flyer)
- Application Method:
- Send an email to Dr. Zach Patterson with subject line:
- `”CWRU-PhD-Application-Crab”`
- Include:
- A CV (attachment)
- In the body of the email, a brief description of your interest and fit for the position
- Send an email to Dr. Zach Patterson with subject line:
- Review Process:
- Top candidates will be invited for a Zoom interview.
- For more background, applicants are encouraged to consult Dr. Daltorio’s Biorobotics lab website and the CyPhiLab website.
Last Date for Application
- “The review will start immediately until the position is filled.”
This means applications are considered on a rolling basis and will remain open until each position is filled. Since the expected start term is Fall 2026, applicants should still apply as early as possible to maximize their chances and to allow enough time for admission and visa processing (for international students).
If you need, I can next help you turn this information into a polished, web-ready scholarship announcement (for a website, LinkedIn, or email newsletter), tailored to your preferred audience and style. Would you like me to proceed to format this as a final publishable post in a specific style (e.g., university website announcement, social media post, or long-form call for applications)?
