Faculty Directory

Azarm, Shapour

Azarm, Shapour

Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Professor of Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation Program
Director, Design Decision Support Lab
Mechanical Engineering
Center for Risk and Reliability
2155 Glenn L. Martin Hall, Building 088
Website(s):

EDUCATION:

  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

BACKGROUND:

Shapour Azarm received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He then joined the University of Maryland, College Park, where he is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and an Affiliate Professor of Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation Program.
He is the Founding Director of the Design Decision Support Laboratory (DDSL). His research interest is centered around the general area of design optimization of engineered systems. His current research is on (i) predictive maintenance of unmanned systems using machine learning and optimization techniques, (ii) multi-objective robust optimization under uncertainty, (iii) surrogate (predictive) modeling and optimization of engineering systems with applications such as additive manufacturing and reliability-based optimization, and (iii) multi-vehicle routing optimization considering multiple recharging stations and vehicle failure. 
His research program has been funded by various government agencies and industry, including AFOSR, AFRL, NASA, NAVAIR, NSF, NSWC, ONR, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Stanley Black & Decker, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin. His former students have been employed as a faculty member, scientist, and engineer in universities, government and industry in the United States and overseas, including at Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, Naval Postgraduate School, Washington State University, American University, Seattle University, University of California San Diego, University of Maryland, University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Air Force Research Lab, Amazon, Boeing, Facebook, Ford, General Motors, Goodman Manufacturing, Shell, Stryker and SpaceX.
He is a Senior Advisor of (journal of) Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (SMO), was Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Mechanical Design (American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME, Transactions), Review Editor of SMO, an Editorial Board Member of International Journal of Reliability and Safety, Associate Editor of (journal of) Mechanics-Based Design of Structures and Machines, Associate Editor of the Journal of Mechanical Design (ASME-JMD), a member of the Board of Editors of the ASME Transactions, and Guest Editor of the special issues of ASME-JMD on “Robust and Reliability Based Design”, and “Designing Complex Engineered Systems”.
He is currently serving as Chair of the ASME Technical Committee on Publications and Communications (TCPC). The TCPC supervises activities such as approving journal Editors, new journals and in general setting new policies for ASME publications, particularly (>35) transaction journals. One of the TCPC's major goals is to improve the impact and global visibility of the ASME journals in the publishing space. Shapour has also served as Publication Chair of the ASME Design Engineering Division (DED), one of the largest divisions in the ASME, was an Operating Board Member of the ASME Systems and Design Group, one of the largest groups in ASME, member-at-large of the ASME Committee on Division Operations and Training, and a member and Chair of the ASME DED Advisory Committee, Past Chair of the ASME Design Automation Committee, Past Conference Chair and Paper Review Chair of the ASME Design Automation Conference.
He has received numerous awards, including Procter & Gamble paper awards, ASME/Ford Best Paper Award, ASME Design Automation Award, ASME Robert E. Abbott Award, and most recently the ASME Machine Design Award. Dr. Azarm is a Fellow and Life Member of the ASME.
SELECT HONORS AND AWARDS:
  • ASME Machine Design Award. This award was established in 1958 and “recognizes eminent achievement or distinguished service in the field of machine design which is considered to include application, research, development, or teaching of machine design,” 2023.
  • ASME Robert E. Abbott Award. Awarded annually to a Design Engineering Division (DED) society member who has “served the Division beyond the call of duty," 2016.​​​
  • ASME/Ford Best Paper Award. Co-author of a paper that received the ASME/Ford Best Paper Award in the 2009 ASME Design Automation Conference, 2009.
  • ASME Design Automation Award. The award citation reads: “For his sustained and meritorious contributions to research in Design Automation, specifically in computational design optimization and engineering design decision making,” 2007.
  • ASME Fellow, 2004 and Life Member, 2021.
  • ASEE Faculty Fellowships: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Summer 1994; Naval Surface Warfare Center-Carderock Division, Summer 1995.
  • Procter & Gamble Paper Award, 2nd National Applied Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1991. 
  • Procter & Gamble Paper Award, 1st National Applied Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1989. 
  • Westinghouse Professorship, 1988.

EDITORSHIPS:

  • Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Mechanical Design (ASME Transactions)
  • Review Editor and Senior Advisor, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization
  • Associate Editor, Mechanics Based Design of Structures and Machines 
  • Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Reliability and Safety
  • Guest Editor, Journal of Mechanical Design (ASME Transactions), special Issues on “Designing Complex Engineered Systems” and on “Robust and Reliability Based Design”

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY:

  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fellow and Life Member
  • International Society of Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), Member
  • International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (ISSMO), Member

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE:

  • Chair, ASME Technical Committee on Publications and Communications, 2025-2027
  • Member/Vice Chair, ASME Technical Committee on Publications and Communications, 2021-2024
  • Publications Chair, ASME Design Engineering Division, 2019-2021.
  • Member, Scientific Committee, 13th World Congress in Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (WCSMO13), May 20-24, 2019, Beijing, China
  • Member, International Scientific Committee of EngOpt 2018 - 6th International Conference on Engineering Optimization, Instituto Superior Tecnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal, 17-19 September 2018
  • Member, International Scientific Committee, 4th International Conference in Engineering Optimization (EngOpt 2014), Lisbon, Portugal, September 8-11, 2014
  • Member, ASME Design Automation Award Selection Committee, 2012 & 2014
  • Chair, International Papers Committee, 10th World Congress on Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (WCSMO-10), Orlando, Florida, May 19-25, 2013
  • Member, International Scientific Committee, 3rd International Conference in Engineering Optimization (EngOpt 2012), Rio de Janeiro, July 1-5, 2012
  • Operating Board Member (2010-2013): ASME Systems & Design Group (S&DG), one of the largest ASME groups (with about 33,000 members) consisting of seven divisions, including: Computers and Information in Engineering Division (CIE); Design Engineering Division (DED); Dynamic Systems & Control Division (DSCD); Electronic & Photonic Packaging Division (EPPD); Fluid Power Systems & Technology Division (FPST); Information Storage & Processing Systems Division (ISPS); Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems Division (MEMS)
  • Member-At-Large (2010-2013): ASME Committee on Division Operations and Training (CDOT)
  • Member of International Papers Committee, World Congress in Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (WCSMO9), Shizuoka, Japan, June 13-17, 2011 – One of six reviewers of about 400 abstracts
  • Member of International Scientific Committee, World Congress in Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, Shizuoka, Japan, June 13-17, 2011
  • Member of Advisory Committee, ASME Journal of Computing and Information Science In Engineering (2010)
  • Paper Review Coordinator for many Special Sessions, ASME Design Automation Conference, 2008-2011
  • Chair, ASME Design Engineering Division’s Advisory Committee, Chair (July 2007 - June 2008), Member, 2008 - 2012
  • ASME Design Engineering Division’s (DED’s) Executive Committee
    • Secretary (July 2002 - June 2003)
    • IDETC Executive (July 2003 - June 2005) 
    • Vice Chair and Treasurer (July 2005 - June 2006) 
    • Chair (July 2006 - June 2007) 
    • Immediate Past Chair (July 2007 - June 2008) 
  • Member, ASME Design Engineering Division Abbot Award Committee (2005)
  • Past Member, Journal Relations committee, ASME Design Engineering Division
  • International Organizing Committee Member, Third International Conference on Evolutionary Multi-criterion Optimization (EMO 2005), Mexico
  • Chair, ASME Design Automation Committee, August 1996-September 1997
  • Conference Chair, 22nd ASME Design Automation Conference, Irvine, CA, August 18-22, 1996


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