1/21/2025 Taylor Parks
Written by Taylor Parks
Coming off a postdoctoral research position in robotics at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Assistant Professor Nazanin Farjam joined the MechSE community last year.
“My research is inherently multidisciplinary,” said Farjam, who looks forward to growing her research group at Illinois. “The leading research groups across the Grainger College of Engineering provide the energy I’m looking for to enable impactful collaborations. What drew me to Illinois were two key factors: great students and innovative, world-class research happening in the area I’m passionate about.”
Farjam’s research focuses on developing innovative modeling frameworks and intelligent control strategies to enhance the flexibility, robustness, and efficiency of complex dynamical systems.
“My passion lies in pushing the boundaries of manufacturing and venturing beyond traditional domains into the realm of cutting-edge, complex systems,” Farjam said of her work, which includes enabling the creation of flexible, lightweight, and cost-effective components that seamlessly integrate into advanced technologies—even in harsh environments like space or remote areas (for example, imagine a swarm of robots manufacturing semiconductor chips on Mars). This approach supports scalable and sustainable manufacturing processes, minimizing material waste and production costs.
“What truly excites me is the potential to make manufacturing smarter, more adaptive, and future-ready,” she said. “By leveraging advanced modeling and AI-driven control strategies, we can create systems that dynamically adjust to changes and operate at peak efficiency.”
One cutting-edge method Farjam investigates is electrohydrodynamic jet (EHD) printing, which uses an electric field to create ultra-fine liquid nano-jets, enabling the deposition of tiny droplets with unmatched precision among printing techniques.
“What sets EHD printing apart are its versatility and high-resolution capabilities,” Farjam said. “This technique works with various materials, like conductive inks and biomaterials, making it ideal for applications in electronics, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing.”
Farjam is particularly excited about her work’s potential to impact industries such as advanced electronics, biomedical devices, space manufacturing, and robotics.
“I focus on developing scalable methods for integrating advanced technologies (such as additive manufacturing, automation, and data analytics) to ensure seamless adoption and enhance overall manufacturing efficiency,” Farjam said, noting that incorporating these technologies into existing production systems can be complex and costly.
“Printed electronics offer lightweight, customizable circuits for applications like wearable and biomedical devices,” she said. “Combined with development of intelligent control systems, these technologies will enhance fabrication process efficiency and adaptability. Ultimately this will lead to agile, automated manufacturing systems capable of on-demand, customized production, aligning with Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing trends.”
Farjam’s prolific research efforts have earned her accolades such as the University of Michigan’s Richard and Eleanor Towner Prize for Outstanding PhD Research and inclusion in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s 2023 Rising Stars in Mechanical Engineering workshop (hosted jointly with Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley).
“Receiving honors [such as the title of Rising Star] has been both affirming and motivating,” Farjam said. “They’ve provided opportunities to connect with leading experts, expand my professional network, and gain valuable insights into emerging challenges in the field.”
She hopes to share her own expertise with her future students. “I’m passionate about promoting collaborative research across disciplines, and my goal is to equip students with both theoretical insights and hands-on experience in manufacturing and robotics, preparing them to tackle real-world challenges in modern, technology-driven environments,” she said.
Beyond research, Farjam looks forward to immersing herself in MechSE’s teaching community.
“I’m very excited about [ME 340] because it’s one of the courses I really like to teach and it’s my first time working closely with students [at Illinois],” she said of preparing to teach Dynamics of Mechanical Systems in Spring 2025.
Students who are interested in joining Farjam’s research group can find information about how to apply on her website.