Pradeep Sharma (academic)

Pradeep Sharma is an Indian-American mechanical engineer, physicist, and materials scientist. He is the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Professor and Dean of the Cullen College of Engineering at the University of Houston.[1][2]

Early life and education

Sharma was born in 1973 to a family in Punjab, India. Most of his school education was dispersed across several countries due to his parents' being in the diplomatic services. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the M.S. University of Baroda, India (1990–1994). He then moved to America in 1995, where he earned an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2000) and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (2000) from the University of Maryland, College Park.[3][4] He holds professional accreditations as a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas (since 2016).[5]

Career

From September 2000 to October 2003, Sharma worked as a research scientist at General Electric Research & Development in Schenectady, New York.[2] He joined the University of Houston in January 2004 as an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Subsequently, he held endowed faculty positions, including the Bill Cook Endowed Assistant Professorship (2005–2008)[6] and the Bill Cook Endowed Associate Professorship (2008–2011). He served as M.D. Anderson Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (2012–2023). He was named interim dean of the Cullen College of Engineering on November 15, 2023, and appointed the 7th permanent dean effective July 1, 2024.[1][7] [8]

Awards and honors

  • Daniel C. Drucker Medal, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2024)[9][8]
  • Cozzarelli Prize, National Academy of Sciences (2024)[10]
  • Election to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (2022)[11][8][4]
  • Guggenheim Fellowship (2020)[12][3]
  • James R. Rice Medal, Society of Engineering Science (2019)[13][1]
  • Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award, Pi Tau Sigma and ASME (2019)[14][2]
  • ASME Melville Medal (2015)[15][2]
  • ASME Fellow (2013)[16][4]
  • Fulbright Fellowship (2013)[2]
  • Thomas J. R. Hughes Young Investigator Award, ASME Applied Mechanics Division (2009)[17]
  • ONR Young Investigator Award (2005)[2]

Professional service and leadership

Patents

  • Monolithic light-emitting devices based on wide bandgap semiconductor nanostructures and methods for making same. US Patent, issued Oct 17, 2006.[23]
  • Fabrication of self-assembling nanostructures. US Patent, issued Mar 27, 2008.[24][25]

See also

  • Applied Mechanics Division (ASME)[26]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Member Spotlight". Society of Engineering Science. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Pradeep Sharma | Mechanics and Computation". mechanics.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 2024-12-14.
  3. 1 2 "Alumnus Receives 2020 Guggenheim Fellowship". me.umd.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  4. 1 2 3 "CALCE Alumnus Pradeep Sharma Inducted into National Academy of Engineers". calce.umd.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  5. ↑ "PE Roster Search". pels.texas.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  6. ↑ "Pradeep Sharma". www.me.uh.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  7. ↑ "Dr. Pradeep Sharma". NAE Website. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Sharma – GEDC". Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  9. ↑ "Daniel C. Drucker Medal". www.asme.org. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  10. ↑ "PNAS Announces Six 2023 Cozzarelli Prize Recipients - NAS". www.nasonline.org. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  11. ↑ "National Academy of Engineering Elects 111 Members and 22 International Members". NAE Website. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  12. ↑ "Guggenheim Fellowships: Supporting Artists, Scholars, & Scientists". www.gf.org. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  13. ↑ "Rice Medal". Society of Engineering Science. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  14. ↑ "Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award". www.asme.org. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  15. ↑ "Melville Medal". www.asme.org. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  16. ↑ "ME's Sharma Named ASME Fellow". www.egr.uh.edu. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  17. ↑ "Thomas J.R. Hughes Young Investigator Award". www.asme.org. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  18. ↑ "Meet The Editors". asmedigitalcollection.asme.org. Archived from the original on 2025-12-08. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  19. ↑ "Editorial board - Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  20. ↑ "Past Presidents". Society of Engineering Science. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  21. ↑ "Pushing The Frontiers Of Science & Engineering". Society of Engineering Science. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  22. ↑ "Deadline 20th December, 2025: Call for Nominations for the Eshelby Mechanics Award for Young Faculty". imechanica.org. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  23. ↑ "Monolithic light emitting devices based on wide bandgap semiconductor nanostructures and methods for making same Patent (Patent # 7,122,827 issued October 17, 2006) - Justia Patents Database". patents.justia.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-26. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  24. ↑ US9957157B2, Gunaratne, Gemunu H.; Nathan, Girish & Kouri, Donald J. et al., "Fabrication of self assembling nano-structures", issued 2018-05-01
  25. ↑ "Fabrication of self assembling nano-structures". Justia Patents. September 19, 2007. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  26. ↑ "ME Alumnus Receives Prestigious ASME Award". me.umd.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
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