This volume contains the abstracts for the Seventh Annual Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Conference held at LSU. For all of the previous conferences, research was clearly presented and explained, and the research itself was of fine caliber. Overall, in my forty years of attending conferences, I have never attended a better set of conferences. I wish this year's presenters the best of luck as they strive to maintain such high standards.

The effort of Mechanical Engineering students in organizing these conferences has also been of the highest standards. This year's organizing committee consists of: Sunada Chakravarthy, Luping Li, Clementine Vezier, Eamonn Walker, and Peigen Zhang. I wish this year's organizing committee all the best as they try to maintain the past standards of organization. While it is clear that graduate students are principally responsible for the conference, I am sure those involved also appreciate the help given them by faculty, notably by Professors Harris Wong, Marcio deQueiroz and Dorel Moldovan.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome participants from other Louisiana Mechanical Engineering Departments. Thank you for taking the time to join us, and I hope you find your visit rewarding

Here's to good research and clear presentations,

Cheers,

Glenn Sinclair