Ganesh Patil's Research Webpage

I think direct engagement with people outside of science is critical not only to communicate what we’ve discovered but also to promote an atmosphere of trust between researchers and the public. Direct engagement can mean many things, but for me, public outreach is a powerful and immediate means of bridging the gap. I have been actively participating in science/engineering outreach events organized by the department and university.

2019 WYSE

Similar to last year, I continued to be part of UIUC’s outreach program for high-school students via WYSE Exploring MechSE camps. The campers got hands-on experience in the field of Mechanical Engineering. Through innovative projects, we demonstrated to these students that engineering is more than just math and science. Check out some of the photos from the camps above.

2018 WYSE

I started a small step by participating in Exploring MechSE summer camps during summer as a part of the campus-wide WYSE event. I think current high school students are future engineers of our society. It is necessary that we direct them in the right direction and encourage their enthusiasm. As part of this program, I worked with 32 high school students, gathered together from all over the country. I along with other graduate students helped these kids not only build their own 3D printer but to help them understand the fundamentals of mechanical engineering. We familiarized them with the working environment in the engineering field and introduced how engineers are developing ways to tackle current issues. Check out some of the photos from the camps above.

2018 Illini Women’s Basketball Camp

I participated in a science outreach activity organized by Prof. Hutchen’s group for campers, ranging from 3rd to 8th grade. The activity introduced basketball players to polymers, mechanical testing, and design to mimic shoe sole structures. Read more about this event here.

Acoustics at the University of Illinois Student Chapter

Building a community of collaborative research can significantly advance the technologies and our ability to address complex multidisciplinary problems. With this objective, I led the establishment of a student chapter focused on acoustics-related research at the University of Illinois. This chapter brought several researchers from different fields (engineering, linguistics, and speech communication) and of all levels (undergraduates to postdocs) under an umbrella. I played a critical role in affiliating this chapter with the national Acoustical Society of America and organized several guest seminars and discussion forums during my role on the leadership team.

Acoustic Student Chapter seminar on using metamaterials for vibration mitigation in structural components

Ganesh moderating the post-seminar discussion on existing challenges in the field of acoustic control through metamaterials