Guldiken named head of School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Friday, January 31, 2025
Media Contact: Tanner Holubar | Communications Specialist | 405-744-2065 | tanner.holubar@okstate.edu
Dr. Rasim Guldiken has been selected as the John Brammer Endowed Professor and head of the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in Oklahoma State University’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology.
“I am honored and committed to serving all of our school’s nearly 1,500 undergraduate and graduate students, and look forward to closely working with distinguished faculty, dedicated staff, exceptional alumni base and advisory board members,” Guldiken said. “Considering the first- and second-largest industries in Oklahoma are energy and aerospace, OSU MAE contributes significantly to workforce development in Oklahoma and beyond.
"I envision fostering cross-collaboration in MAE and other schools within CEAT to further steer our school toward OSU’s ‘We Are a Land-Grant’ strategic plan; and continuing our joint efforts toward positioning OSU MAE as a destination of world-class instruction, research and extension.”
Guldiken, who will begin his appointment on Feb. 28, comes to OSU from the University of South Florida, where he was a professor of mechanical engineering and the College of Engineering's associate dean for academic affairs.
“Dr. Rasim Guldiken is an experienced and proactive academic leader,” CEAT Dean Hanchen Huang said. “I look forward to working with Rasim to take our largest school, MAE, to further excellence.”
As the USF associate dean for academic affairs, Guldiken supported the academic pursuits of nearly 7,500 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in 31 degree programs and eight graduate certificates. He led the on-campus visits by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology for three USF engineering programs and was instrumental in creating bachelor’s and master's degrees as well as certificate programs.
He also served as the graduate program director of USF mechanical engineering from 2015-21 and was the academic advisor to 44 students who earned doctoral degrees and 308 students who earned Master of Science degrees in mechanical engineering. During his time, the number of graduate degrees conferred in the department more than doubled.
Guldiken has taught numerous undergraduate and graduate student courses on fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and engineering mathematics.
Guldiken said undergraduate programs should be geared toward students being able to control and reflect on their own learning, setting them up to be successful in a field where discoveries and innovation are career-long pursuits.
He received his Ph.D. from the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2008. That same year, he started the Acoustic and Microfluids Lab at USF. He has since sought discoveries within his research into acoustics, microfluids, fluid mechanics and engineering education, focusing on tackling global issues. He graduated 17 Ph.D. and 13 M.S. from his research group as the major/co-major professor and worked with 21 undergraduate students. He has 10 U.S. patents issued as an inventor and was inducted as a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors in 2024.
Among other award recognitions, he was elevated to the Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 2022; was recognized with the 2022 USF Faculty Outstanding Research Achievement Award, 2022 USF Academic Excellence Award, 2019 and 2012 USF Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Awards and 2004 SAE International Educational Award Honoring Ralph R. Teetor. He has also reviewed several textbooks by McGraw Hill, Wiley and Pearson.