Analytical Modeling and GA-Based Optimization of Multi-Layered Segmented SPM Magnets

Choayeb Barchouchi is a multidisciplinary engineer and a Ph.D. student in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at the University of Houston. He completed two years of preparatory studies in mathematics and physics before pursuing his engineering degree at Tunisia Polytechnic School. His doctoral research focuses on the design and modeling of permanent-magnet electric machines, where he explores innovative configurations and practical design improvements. Before starting his Ph.D., he gained valuable professional experience through internships at Agrocare in the Netherlands, the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG), and the automotive company Valeo, working on projects involving system simulation, data analysis, and process optimization. He is recognized for his analytical thinking, adaptability, and collaborative approach, combining solid engineering knowledge with creativity and problem-solving skills.

Dr. Matthew Franchek is a professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston with joint appointments in Subsea Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1991. He started his career at Purdue University as an assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering. He was promoted to an associate professor with tenure in 1997 and then to full professor in 2001. While at Purdue, he initiated and led two industry-supported interdisciplinary research programs: the Automotive Controls Research Program and the Electro-Hydraulic Research Program. From 2002 to 2009, he served as Chair of Mechanical Engineering at UH while simultaneously initiating the UH Biomedical Engineering undergraduate program. After his terms as the Mechanical Engineering Department Chair and Director of Biomedical Engineering, Dr. Franchek worked with Houston-area companies to create the nation's first subsea engineering program and is the founder of the Global Subsea University Alliance. Dr. Franchek’s research program focuses on low-dimensional modeling and model-based methods that enable real-time adaptive physics-based data analytics. His methods in real-time monitoring and forecasting have been applied to aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and energy systems. He has authored over 100 archival publications and over 130 conference publications. He has served as the advisor to 28 doctoral students and 36 master's students.

Dr. Yingjie Tang received his PhD Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 2012. He started the position of Research Assistant Professor in August 2019, and is now a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Houston. Dr. Tang has been a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in Texas, USA, since 2018, and a full member of ASME, SPE, and AAAR. His research topics mainly include multi-physics modeling on fluid mechanics, heat transfer, electromagnetic modeling, thermodynamic power cycle, fluid–structure interaction, corrosion/erosion, system-level analysis-led design and optimization, and numerical modeling through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA).