Materials issues, advanced coatings, rotor dynamics and vibration problems and implementation of sensors for monitoring systems' performance are among the subjects that the center will concentrate on. A strong team of mechanical engineering faculty at LSU supports the center. The team includes Kelly, Wen Jin Meng, Yitshak Ram, Wanjung Wang and Harris Wong. Khonsari hopes to build the center into a research and development hub with two labs on campus - one for applied research, equipped with rotor, dynamic, diagnostics and tribology laboratories and a larger space away from classrooms where the performance of large machines can be tested. The research labs would also have facilities for researchers to meet and discuss their findings and for major manufacturers and plant managers to gather for conferences and seminars.
Tribology is a major industrial concern.
The Gulf South Compression Conference, a 360-member petroleum and chemical industry organization concerned with compressors and pumps, is supporting the center. The initiated faculty members are, from left, Tom Merrill, Ed Bush, Pat Hegwood, Michele Abington-Cooper, Reid Bates and Richard Vlosky. Not pictured is Deborah Tootle. Charlotte Robertson was an honorary initiate. Vice Provost for Campus Diversity Gregory Vincent, left, was the guest speaker at the banquet.