Gao joins the Department of Mechanical Engineering

The School of Engineering is pleased to announce that Tong (Tony) Gao has been appointed Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. 

Gao earned his bachelor's and master’s degrees in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from the University of Science and Technology of China and completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. He then worked as a research scientist at New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences before joining the faculty at Michigan State University in 2015, where he held appointments in mechanical engineering and computational mathematics, science, and engineering.

An expert in fluid mechanics, soft matter, and materials science, Gao uses mathematical modeling and simulation to study fluid-structure interactions in complex systems. This work is critical to solving real-world challenges at the intersection of engineering, physics, and biology—such as optimizing energy systems and enabling soft robotic movement. Across his work, Gao maintains a focus on multiscale analysis and high-performance computational methods that allow for precise, scalable solutions in complex environments. His research has wide-ranging applications in areas including energy conversion, robotics, and biomedical science. 

The School of Engineering is proud to welcome Gao to the mechanical engineering faculty and looks forward to his research and teaching contributions at Tufts.