The College of Engineering has named Dr. Shuang Gu, associate professor and forthcoming professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as the Sam Bloomfield Chair in Engineering for the next five years, effective May 11. The endowed position, funded by the Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation, is designed to support engineering education and research initiatives.
“Dr. Gu has demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in securing extramural funding from competitive federal agencies, as well as mentoring and graduating both master’s degree and doctoral students,” said Dr. Anthony Muscat, dean of the college. “His research has been published in high-impact journals, significantly enhancing the visibility of his laboratory, the college and the university, earning both national and international recognition.”
Within the role, Gu will continue to pursue externally funded research that supports doctoral students, publish research findings with co-authorship from doctoral students, provide ongoing mentorship to these students and travel to conferences with doctoral students to present the results of their work.
Gu joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering as an assistant professor in 2015 and became an associate professor with tenure in 2020. In Fall 2025, he will be promoted to professor. Prior to WSU, he was a research assistant professor at the University of Delaware.
According to Muscat, Gu’s expertise in polymer electrolytes, fuel cells and energy process assessment for sustainability has positioned him as a leading authority in these areas of research. Additionally, he established a state-of-the-art laboratory for energy engineering, which is fully equipped to train students, advance knowledge and foster academic growth while mentoring the next generation of scholars and professionals.
In the past five years, Gu has been awarded six research grants with more than $3.2 Million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Energy. During the same period, he has published nine peer-reviewed journal articles and delivered nine awardee/conference presentations. As of January 10, 2025, his Google Scholar profile reflects 10,152 total citations, an H-index of 40 and an average of more than 800 citations annually.
