Rungun Nathan

Professor, Engineering
Program Chair, Mechanical Engineering
Project Coordinator, Berks Learning Factory
Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building, 223

Dr. Rungun Nathan is a professor of engineering at Penn State Berks, having started as an assistant professor in 2007. Previously, he was a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Villanova University. At Villanova, he was responsible for developing the Mechatronics minor for undergraduates. The design elective in Mechatronics combined theory and a hands-on lab, which has been shown by educational research to be an effective tool in engaging students in learning. He also dedicated a lot of time in teaching related activities, which led to the development of several learning modules using various multimedia technologies. He has introduced differentiated instruction in the mechanics courses and helped improve and bring in the use of newer techniques to advance student learning.

At Penn State, he has developed two new courses: EMET 230 (Computerized Input/Output) and EMET 326 (Mechanical Drives). EMET 230 discusses several important aspects of interfacing the real world to computer using a DAQ system. This class is hands on and includes a final project. EMET 326 is a course that talks about kinematics, cams, gears, belts and fluid power systems (both pneumatic and hydraulic).

Dr. Nathan's research interests are in the areas of unmanned vehicles (ornithopters, frisbees, Samara seeds, cars), mechatronics, 3-D mems, biomechanics and teaching with technology. At Penn State Berks, he directs the Mechatronics and Intelligent Systems Laboratory. He has several undergraduate students involved in his research and serves as the faculty adviser for the Robotics club.

With his collaborator and friend Dr. Qianhong Wu (CBMSS Lab , Villanova University), Dr. Nathan works on several projects relating to lift in porous materials and has so far graduated three masters students and published several papers. With his other collaborator and friend Dr. Sergey Nersesov (Villanova University), he has worked on projects related to control of RTAC test bed using energy-based controllers. This work has resulted in one graduate student with a masters and a few papers.

Dr. Nathan is an active member of ASEE and ASME. He is a reviewer for ASEE (Mechanics Division, Education Research Methods, New Engineering Educators), Frontiers in Education Conference, ASME, Journal of Engineering Education, Haptics Journal.

Dr. Nathan's Curriculum Vitae

Lang, J., Nathan, R., Zhou, D. Zhang, X., Li, B., and Wu, Q. Cavitation causes brain injury, Physics of Fluids 33, 031908 (2021). DOI:/10.1063/5.0041139

Lang, J., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. How to deform an egg yolk? On the study of soft matter deformation in a liquid environment. Physics of Fluids Volume 33, Issue 1 (2021). DOI: 10.1063/5.0035314

Zhu, Z., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. On the Gravity-Driven Sliding Motion of a Planar Board on a Tilted Soft Porous Layer, Tribology Letters Volume 67 (2019) Issue 4, pp 126 (1-12). DOI: 10.1007/s11249-019-1238-8

Zhu, Z., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. Multiscale Soft Porous Lubrication, Tribology International Volume 137 (2019) pp 246-253. DOI: 10.1016/j.triboint.2019.05.003

Ji, L., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. Experimental Study of Transient Squeezing Film Flow. Journal of Fluids Engineering, Volume 141 (2019) Issue 8, DOI: 10.1115/1.4042758

Wang, Q., Zhu, Z., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. On the study of fluid flow in a soft porous media using a scaled-up indenter. European Journal of Mechanics - B/Fluids, Volume 76 (July-August 2019), pp 332 – 339 DOI:10.1016/j.euromechflu.2019.03.012

Ji, L., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. Theoretical and experimental study of transient squeezing flow in a highly porous film. Tribology International, Volume 135 2019, pp 259-268. DOI:10.1016/ j.triboint.2019.02.046

Wang, Q., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. Wang, Q. On the Fluid Pressurization in Soft Porous Media, a Correction to the Current Theoretical Models. Journal of Porous Media, Volume 22 (2019) Issue 11. DOI: 10.1615/JPorMedia.2019024717

  • Ph. D. Mechanical Engineering. Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • M.S. System Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Post Graduate Diploma, Electronics Design Technology, Indian Institute of science, Bangalore, India.
  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, PESCE, Mysore University, India.

Refereed Conference

  1. Wang, Q., Lang, J., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. Rotational Impact-Induced Brain Injury, A biomimetic Study, Proceedings of the Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering, & Biotransport Conference, Vail, Colorado, June 4-8, 2023.
  2. Zghair, H. and Nathan, R. Implementing i4.0 Tech to Engineering Systems Lab for Smart Manufacturing Learning, Proceedings of the 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Virtual Conference. July 25-28, 2023.
  3. Nathan, R.Computer Interfacing to Real-world: Low-cost Approach, Proceedings of the 2021 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Virtual Conference. July 26-29, 2021.
  4. Pierce, R. S., Nathan, R., Howard, W. E., Sylcott,B. Machine design: Different pedagogical approaches to achieve targeted outcomes, Proceedings of the 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Tampa, FL.
  5. Mahoney, J. M., Nathan, R. Mechanical vibrations modal analysis project with Arduinos, Proceedings of the 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, OH. June 25-28, 2017.

Conference Publications

  1. Lang, J., Nathan, R., Wang, Q., Staples, A., Wang, L., andWu. Q. Biomimetic Studies of Concussive Brain Injuries. 76th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics, November 19-21, 2023, Washington, DC.
  2. Nathan, R., Sidnawi, B., Wang, Q., and Wu, Q. A Theoretical and Experimental Study of an Oscillatory Flow Through a Compliant Tube. 76th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics, November 19-21, 2023, Washington, DC.
  3. Chen, S., Nathan, R., Sidnawi, B., Wang, Q., Wu, C., Ural, A., Mohamed, F., Johnson, C., and Wu. Q. A Comprehensive Experimental Study on the Biomechanics of Deep Brain Stimulation. 76th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics, November 19-21, 2023, Washington, DC.
  4. Wang, Q., Lang, J., Nathan, R., Wang, L., and Wu. Q. Understanding the Mechanism of Translational Impacts on Traumatic Brain Injury through a Novel Experimental Setup. 76th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics, November 19-21, 2023, Washington, DC.
  5. Muller, J.,Chen, S., Sang, W., Nathan, R., Wu, C., Ural, A., and Wu. Q. A comprehensive computational and experimental study of deep brain stimulation. 75th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics, November 20-22, 2022 Indianapolis, IN.
  6. Sidnawi, B., Chen, S., Wang, Q., Nathan, R., and Wu. Q. A Theoretical and Experimental Study of an Oscillatory Flow Through a Compliant Tube. 75th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics, November 20-22, 2022 Indianapolis, IN.
  7. Wang, Q., Lang, J., Nathan, R., and Wu, Q. Rotational impacts induced cerebrospinal fluid pressurization. 75th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics, November 20-22, 2022 Indianapolis, IN.