Computational Mechanics and Smart Structures Laboratory

Welcome to Dr. Bishay's CMSS lab website

Dr. Peter L. Bishay joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) by Fall 2015. In 2020, he received an early promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. In 2024, he recieved another early promotion to the rank of Full Professor. Numerical Analysis of Engineering Systems (ME 309), Computer-Aided Analysis and Design [or Finite Element Analysis] (ME386/L), Composite Materials Analysis and Design (ME 436/L and ME 536), Design of Smart Mechanical Systems (ME595SMS) and Fundamentals of Aerospace Engineering (AE 480) are among the courses Dr. Bishay enjoys teaching. In addition, Dr. Bishay previously taught variety of graduate and undergraduate engineering courses at other universities in NJ, WA and CA. Dr. Bishay is an ACUE-credentialed instructor.

At CSUN, Dr. Bishay has been leading research-based senior design projects (SDPs) since 2015. In 2015-2016, his team designed an Earth-resupply-independent space station orbiting the moon and providing an artificial gravity environment (1G) to 16-24 people living continuously on board of the station. In 2016-2017, Dr. Bishay founded a new research-based senior design project called "Smart Morphing Wing" focusing on designing, analyzing, simulating, building and testing innovative Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with morphing wings. In 2017-2018, Dr. Bishay founded another new research-based senior design project called "Smart Prosthetics" focusing on designing, building and testing lightweight innovative affordable and user-friendly prosthetic arms, possibly using smart materials and structures. For more details about these projects and the achievements, please visit the Projects page.

As far as research, Dr. Bishay is interested in Computational Mechanics (Modeling and simulation, as well as developing novel numerical methods for accurate and efficient modeling of solids in macro- and micro-scales), Smart Materials and Structures (such as Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric, Magnetostrictive materials, Shape Memory Alloys, Multiferroics, Magnetorheological fluids and elastomers), Composite Materials, Biomechanics, as well as Design and Analysis of Aerospace Structures.
For more details about the current and available master thesis topics, please check the Research page.
Downloadable publications are also provided in the Publications page.
Dr. Bishay published more than 45 research papers at reputable journals and conference proceedings. He secured multiple funds from CSUN internal grants (RSCA, CQF, IRA, JJ Beck, etc.). He served as a Co-PI in multiple other external grants from (1) US Department of Defense (DOD), (2) National Science Foundation (NSF), (3) NASA. The DOD equipment grant he was part of in 2021-22, along with two of his colleagues, established a state-of-the-art Multi-Scale Mechanical Characterization Laboratory (MMCL) at CSUN. He is the recipient of the "Outstanding Engineering Achievement Merit Award" (2017), the "Future Technology Leader Award" (2018), and the "Distinguished Engineering Educator Achievement Award " (2022) from The Engineer's Council. He is also the recepient of the "Highly Influential and Sustained Innovation Award" from CSUN (2021), and the "Outstanding New Researcher Award" from CSUN's College of Engineering & Computer Science (2021). Most recently, he received the "Distinguished Teaching, Counseling or Librarianship Award" from CSUN (2024).