Heng E. Zuo, PhD
Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering
University of New Mexico

My research interest lies at the junction of mechanical and aerospace engineering, optical engineering, micro-/nano-engineering, ultrafast laser machining, advanced manufaturing, computational modeling, material science, and astronomy. Our research group is involved in multiple interdisciplinary projects that are either problem driven or pushing science boundaries.

• One focus of our research is on applying ultrafast laser processing techniques to creating advanced manufaturing solutions to various engineering problems, especially in patterning of micro- to nano-scale features in different materials including glass, metal, crystal, and polymer, to improve the quality of laser written optics and photonic devices as well as enabling the design of new functional materials.
• Another interest of our group is in designing and developing methods for fabricating and correcting space optical components, in combination with the advanced machining technologies, assisted with numerical modeling and mechanical testing.
• Further, we are interested in designing and testing innovative, proof-of-concept solutions to a variety of problems both on the ground and in space, from concentrating solar power to deep space communication.

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Research projects

Stress-based figure correction of space telescope mirrors

We are interested in advancing technologies to aid in fabricating thin-shell high-resolution X-ray space telescope mirrors in the sub-half arcsecond HPD domain, including mirror figuring and correction technology and coating stress compensation techniques.

Space optics technology development

For next generation space based telescopes and deep space optical communication. Image credit: NASA.

Advanced laser micromachining & ultrafast laser material processing

Advanced manufacturing with ultrafast lasers.

Investigation of stress induced birefringence and refractive index changes in glass with fs lasers

Mechanical testing & material characterization

Finite element analysis & Numerical modeling

Concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) technology development

Image credit: NREL

• Full Portfolio

Sponsors

Honors & Awards

NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Track-4 Research Fellow, 2024-2026
UNM Women in STEM Award, 2023
UNM Division for Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Scholarship, 2023
UNM Student Experience Project Faculty Fellow, 2023
Rising Star of Aerospace Award, 2021
MIT Teaching Development Fellow, 2019
Women of Aerospace Award, 2019

Students

Current Students

Austin Schuberth (UNM ME graduate, Master Thesis)
Hyein Choi (UNM ME Undergrad, Honor Thesis)
Jose Garcia (UNM ME Undergrad, El Puente Research Fellow)
Heidi Menges (UNM ME Undergrad)
Annika Tedstrom (UNM ME Undergrad)

Former Students

Christopher Solis (UNM ME Undergrad)

Teaching

ME 306, Dynamics
ME 404/504, Computational mechanics

Contact Dr. Zuo

We are seeking students (undergrads and grads) and postdocs to join my research group. If you are interested, you may reach out to me by email or leave a message.