Rate My Professor Smitesh Bakrania

Smitesh Bakrania is a Professor and Engineering Clinic Coordinator in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rowan University, where he joined the faculty in 2008. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan (2008), an M.S. from the same institution (2005), and a B.S. from Union College (2003). Bakrania's technical expertise centers on combustion synthesis of nanoparticles, nanocatalytic combustion for applications such as thermoelectric power generation, material characterization, and engineering design. In recent years, his research has shifted toward engineering education, emphasizing innovative pedagogical tools including educational videos, app interfaces like Pikme (with over 30,000 downloads), evaluA+, Polata, and Clausius, as well as online learning platforms and liberal arts-integrated technical electives to foster meaningful student experiences.

Bakrania teaches a broad spectrum of courses, from Freshman Engineering Clinic to advanced electives such as Thermal-Fluid Sciences I and II, Introduction to Combustion, Introduction to Nanotechnology, ME Laboratory, Manufacturing and Measurement Techniques, Quality and Reliability in Manufacturing, and Introduction to Reliability Engineering. He coordinates the Junior-Senior Engineering Clinics. His excellence in teaching has been recognized with the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award (2022), President’s Award for Excellence in Innovative Instructional Delivery (2023), Rowan University Excellence in Online Learning Award (2020), and Fulbright Scholar award (2018), for which he spent six months at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand teaching nanotechnology and advancing engineering education practices. Notable publications include "Upgrading the Capstone Projects: The Engineering Clinic Model" (2020), "Examining Thermal Management Strategies for a Microcombustion Power Device" (Energies, 2021), and "The Effects of the Location of Au Additives on Combustion-generated SnO2 Nanopowders for CO Gas Sensing" (2010). With over 55 research outputs, Bakrania continues to influence engineering pedagogy and student success.