STEVEN M. NESBIT, professor of mechanical engineering, was a member of the faculty for 31 years.
He holds three degrees from West Virginia University: a Bachelor of Science in 1982, a Master of Science in 1985, and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1988.
Nesbit joined the faculty as assistant professor of mechanical engineering in 1990, was appointed Matthew Baird Assistant Professor from 1991 to 1994, was promoted to associate professor in 1996, and was promoted to professor in 2009.
Nesbit taught a range of courses that included Robotics and Manufacturing Automation, Manufacturing and Design, Dynamics, and Biomechanics. He received the Marquis Distinguished Teaching Award in 2003 and B. Vincent Viscomi Engineering Prize for Excellence in Mentoring and Teaching in 2017.
Nesbit published seminal research in mechanical design and biomechanics, particularly as they concern sports. He conducted the kinematic analysis of the golfer and the effects of equipment on the golf swing. Two of his articles in Journal of Sports Sciences and Medicine were recognized among the most cited articles in the journal. He holds four patents.
Nesbit served as head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering from 2000 to 2006, with enrollment increasing by over one-third during his leadership. He was instrumental in adding biomechanics to the department as an area of expertise. He oversaw modernization of the thermal fluids and manufacturing laboratories, replacement of more than half of the equipment in the thermal fluids laboratory, and the addition of modern equipment to the manufacturing laboratory, including a groundbreaking 3D printer.
He served on several faculty committees, including the Enrollment Planning Committee, Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee, Student Appeals Committee, Academic Progress Committee, and Academic Research Committee. He also served on the editorial boards of two journals and as a reviewer for several journals.