Balakumar "Bala" Balachandran is an Indian-American mechanician and applied mathematician recognized for his contributions to the fields of nonlinear dynamics, experimental methodologies, and data-driven approaches. He is a Minta Martin Professor and Distinguished University Professor at the

University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...

, where he served as Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering from 2011 to 2023. Balachandran has been recognized with the J.P. Den Hartog Award and the Lyapunov Award from the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...

for his lifetime contributions to these fields, and has published 3 books on vibrations and nonlinear dynamics.

Education and career

Bala Balachandran was born in the city of

Nellore Nellore is a city located on the banks of Penna River, in Nellore district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of the district, as well as Nellore mandal and Nellore revenue division. It is the List of cities in ...

in Andhra Pradesh, India on February 4, 1963. He received his B.Tech. degree in Naval Architecture from the

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is a public technical university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. As one of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), it is recognized as an Institute of National Importance and has be ...

, India, in 1985, and his M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six regi ...

(now Virginia Tech) in 1986. He completed his Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1990 under the guidance of Ali H. Nayfeh. In 1993 he became an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, where he received tenure in 1998 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2003. After serving as Associate Chair and Director of Graduate Studies from 2006 to 2010, and as Acting Chair from 2010-2011, he became Chair of the department in 2011. He was named a Minta Martin Professor in 2012 and Distinguished University Professor in 2022.

Research

Balachandran's research spans the fields of

applied mathematics Applied mathematics is the application of mathematical methods by different fields such as physics, engineering, medicine, biology, finance, business, computer science, and industry. Thus, applied mathematics is a combination of mathematical s ...

applied physics Applied physics is the application of physics to solve scientific or engineering problems. It is usually considered to be a bridge or a connection between physics and engineering. "Applied" is distinguished from "pure" by a subtle combination ...

mechanics Mechanics (from Ancient Greek: μηχανική, ''mēkhanikḗ'', "of machines") is the area of mathematics and physics concerned with the relationships between force, matter, and motion among physical objects. Forces applied to objects r ...

, dynamics,

control Control may refer to: Basic meanings Economics and business * Control (management), an element of management * Control, an element of management accounting * Comptroller (or controller), a senior financial officer in an organization * Controlling ...

, and

system identification The field of system identification uses statistical methods to build mathematical models of dynamical systems from measured data. System identification also includes the optimal design of experiments for efficiently generating informative data f ...

, with an emphasis on the analysis and application of nonlinear phenomena and nonlinear dynamics in diverse systems ranging from rotating machinery, vehicle systems, and space structures to disease dynamics.

Awards

Balachandran's contributions have been recognized with honors including the 2023 Pendray Literature Award from the

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA is the U.S. representative on the International Astronautical Federation and the International Council of ...

, the 2022 Robert H. Scanlan Medal from the

American Society of Civil Engineers American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, the 2021 J.P. Den Hartog Award from the

, and the 2021 Lyapunov Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is also a recipient of the 2016 Melville Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the 2015 Hind Rattan Award bestowed by the NRI Welfare Society of India. He is a member of diverse professional societies including the

, the

, and the

, the Royal Aeronautical Society, and the International Society for Nonlinear Dynamics. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Royal Aeronautical Society of the United Kingdom.

References

External links

Balakumar Balachandran's University of Maryland homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balachandran, Balakumar 1963 births Living people