Philip D. Cha

Philip D. Cha, PhD, Professor of Engineering and CF Braun & Co. Fellow of Engineering at Harvey Mudd College, specializes in structural dynamics and mechanical vibrations. His research focuses on minimizing vibration by strategically imposing nodes at key locations using precisely tuned vibration absorbers; conducting frequency analyses of combined dynamical systems; applying eigenvalue perturbation theory to assess the effects of structural changes; and investigating localization phenomena in periodic structures. Collectively, Cha’s work advances the design of more stable and efficient engineering systems.

At Harvey Mudd College, Cha teaches courses in mechanical vibration, continuum mechanics, advanced structural dynamics, and systems engineering, providing students with the analytical and computational tools to solve complex engineering problems.Before joining Harvey Mudd, Cha was a Senior Research Engineer at the Ford Motor Company Research Laboratory. He has also held sabbatical appointments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), and Tsinghua University (Beijing), experiences that have deepened his expertise across both academia and industry. Cha earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University, and his MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.