UC Davis College of Engineering Welcomes 2 New Department Chairs
The Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering are welcoming new chairs at the University of California, Davis.
Professor Vinod Narayanan began his role as chair of mechanical and aerospace engineering on July 1, while Professor Sanjeevi Sivasankar assumes his role as chair of biomedical engineering on August 1.
The professors bring extensive experience in research, education and leadership to their new roles.
Sanjeevi Sivasankar, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Since joining the department in 2018, Sivasankar has led innovative research projects and community-building initiatives.
Sivasankar investigates how cells stick together to form tissue. He and his lab have developed new methods for measuring this biomechanical process to understand how wounds heal and how cancer metastasizes. He serves on multiple scientific panels and in several leadership positions in professional societies.
As chair, Sivasankar wants to further internal collaboration and build on the department’s distinctive strengths to expand its impact.
“Our department is entering a defining period,” he said, “and I look forward to working in close partnership with our faculty, staff, students, trainees and the College of Engineering to advance fundamental biomedical discovery, engineering innovation and translational research.”
Vinod Narayanan, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
As an expert in thermal fluid sciences, Narayanan is at the forefront of thermal management technologies. His work has spanned building energy efficiency and HVAC technologies, data center thermal management, additively manufactured heat exchangers for extreme environments and energy efficiency in industrial processes.
In 2015, he joined UC Davis as a professor and associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, which works with manufacturers, policymakers and utilities to accelerate the development and commercialization of efficient heating, cooling and energy distribution solutions. He has served as the center’s director since 2021.
As chair, Narayanan looks forward to further strengthening the department's research, education and industry partnerships.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as chair of mechanical and aerospace engineering,” Narayanan said. “I am excited to work with our distinguished and dynamic faculty and our outstanding staff to build on the department’s many past successes. Together, we will continue to provide our undergraduate and graduate students with the exceptional educational experience they need to thrive in their careers.”
