Patricia Nieva, PEng

Patricia Nieva is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

She is an expert in micro- and nano- technologies and in particular, the development of microsensors, nanosensors and integrated sensor system solutions. She has established a multidisciplinary research program that aims to build novel sensing methodologies to enhance vehicle safety and performance, as well as point-of-care health monitoring and medical diagnosis. The focus of her work is on chemical and biological photonic sensing technologies involving fiber optics and nanostructured plasmonic devices, as well as high-temperature MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) capacitive, infrared and interferometric sensing technologies. Her work also spans reliability studies of microsystems, in-situ characterization of material properties of thin films, and the manufacturing of metallic nanoparticles for sensing applications. Professor Nieva is also recently involved in a project to build a handheld cardiac monitor that will measure proteins in the blood commonly linked to a heart attack, alerting the patient’s doctor before symptoms appear.

Her ongoing research work constitutes an important commitment to the identification of simple, cost-effective and reliable micro- and nano- technologies for advanced sensing. Professor Nieva’s research has led to 2 patents (one awarded and one provisional). She has authored and co-authored more than 90 journal and conference publications, and is also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

• Multifunctional MEMS/NEMS & MOEMS Sensors, MEMS/NEMS Reliability, MEMS Optical Interferometry, Integrated Microsystems, Biomechanics and Biotechnology, Microfluidic Based Sensors, Automotive, MEMS materials and functionalization, Nanotechnology, Mechatronics, Hybrid and electric vehicles, Wearable technology, Energy storage, Sensors and devices, Nano-biosystems, Nano-electronics, Nano-materials, MEMS/NEMS sensor systems and packaging for harsh environments

Research Interests:

The main goal of my research is the use of MEMS technology to design 3-D single-chip self-contained multifunctional sensing devices. Accordingly, I am currently working in a variety of projects which include the development of multifunctional harsh environment MEMS and MOEMS devices such as inertial, temperature, pressure and flow sensors. I am in the process of integrating MEMS sensors and actuators with microelectronics, micro-optics and photonics on a single chip. I am also involved in the fabrication materials such as Silicon Carbide, Silicon Nitride and YBCO. Finally, I am developing MEMS for micro power harvesting, wireless MEMS sensors, and new techniques for packaging of MEMS for harsh environments such as micro-encapsulation and adhesive bonding of MEMS for high temperature operation.

My ongoing research work constitutes an important commitment to the identification of a simple, cost-effective and reliable technology that can provide a single, on-chip, self-contained 3-D unit for advanced sensing in harsh environments. New concepts for multiple sensing will also lead to breakthroughs in sensor reliability and lifetime, issues that are currently preventing commercial introduction of many microsystems.

I am a reviewer for Pearson Education (2006 to date), a Journal Referee for:

1. Optics Express, OSA (2006 to date)

2. Journal of Optics A: Pure Applied Optics, IoP (2006 to date)

3. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, IoP (2005 to date)

4. Applied Optics, OSA (2006 to date).

I have also been a conference referee for the 2006 and 2007 Modelling and Simulation and I will be chairing one of the Sessions for the SPIE, Smart Structures and Materials 2007 that will be held on March 2007 in San Diego, CA, USA

Consultant for Toyota Canada for the project titled "Split Detection in Automotive Body Panels using Acoustic Emission Techniques" (2006 to date)

Mechanical and Electrical Consultant Engineer

Alfa Plus S.A., Peru - 1992 to 1996.

• Oversaw the design and development of energy and power distribution models for various Electric Power Generation Companies of Peru.

• Developed computational programs and studies to determine optimum marginal costs of electricity for the Interconnected Electric Power Grid of Peru.

• Elaborated studies to determine the engineering and economical feasibility of new plants of power generation across the Peruvian territory.

Engineering Manager of Facilities

Sociedad Paramonga Ltda., Peru - 1990 to 1992

• Initiated proper corrective maintenance, planned and implemented the preventative maintenance on all buildings, power generation units, utilities and manufacturing systems to achieve a high level of reliability.

• Oversaw the, planning, design, reconfiguration, improvement, maintenance and alternation of equipment, machinery, buildings, structures, power generation units and utilities of the Plant.

• Wrote operation and maintenance manuals for technicians and supervised the training of technical staff.

Power System Facilities Engineer

Sociedad Paramonga Ltda., Peru, 1988 to 1990

• Designed and implemented reconfiguration and improvement of power systems facilities of the different paper plants of the complex.

• 2004, Doctorate Electrical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston Massachusetts, United States

• 1999, Master's Mechanical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston Massachussets, United States

• 1987, Bachelor's Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, National University of Engineering, Lima, Peru

• 2001 2001-2002, College of Engineering’s Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, College of Engineering,

• Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

• 2001 Member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

• 2002 2002-2003 Northeastern University Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

• MTE 203 - Advanced Calculus
  • Taught in 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
• MTE 545 - Introduction to MEMS Fabrication
  • Taught in 2021, 2022, 2025

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Sohi, Ali Najafi and Nieva, Patricia M, Frequency response of curved bilayer microcantilevers with applications to surface stress measurement, Journal of Applied Physics, 044503, 2016

• Ghannoum, AbdulRahman and Norris, Ryan C and Iyer, Krishna and Zdravkova, Liliana and Yu, Aiping and Nieva, Patricia M, Optical Characterization of Commercial Lithiated Graphite Battery Electrodes and In Situ Fiber Optic Evanescent Wave Spectroscopy, ACS Applied Materials \\& Interfaces, , 2016

• Asiaei, Sasan and Nieva, Patricia M, Studying the kinetics of thiols’ self-assembled monolayer formation in microfluidic channels, Particulate Science and Technology, 1, 2015

• Sohi, Ali Najafi and Nieva, Patricia M and Khajepour, Amir, Electrothermomechanical modeling of out-of-plane deformation in single-stepped beams actuated by resistive heating, Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 035028, 2015

• Asiaei, Sasan and Smith, Brendan and Nieva, Patricia, Enhancing conjugation rate of antibodies to carboxylates: Numerical modeling of conjugation kinetics in microfluidic channels and characterization of chemical over-exposure in conventional protocols by quartz crystal microbalance, Biomicrofluidics, 064115, 2015

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