Miguel Balzan

Miguel Balzan

Assistant Teaching Professor

Location: INV-330F
Email: mbalzan@uw.edu

Background

Dr. Balzan is a mechanical engineer with a PhD (engineering) from the University of Alberta, specializing in fluid dynamics, and has over 15 years of combined teaching, research, and industry experience. His academic career includes roles as Assistant Professor at multiple institutions, and involvement in the supervision of both undergraduate and graduate students. He has also worked in applied research roles, including as a Research Associate at the University of Auckland, where he conducted high-speed fluid dynamics experiments. He has authored several client reports for industry and collaborated with energy companies on improving fluid handling processes. Most recently, he served as a Lead Mechanical Engineer at a chemical technologies company in Texas, where he designed experimental equipment for advanced chemical testing and performed computational modeling to enhance chemical production processes. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Research

His research focuses on complex fluid behaviors, including effervescent atomization and drop impacts, leading to several peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.  

Courses

  • B ME 331 Thermodynamics
  • B ME 435 HVAC
  • B ME 223 Engineering Dynamics
  • B ENGR 321 & B ME 334 Laboratories in Mechanical Engineering

Education

University of Alberta – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Ph.D. – Mechanical Engineering