Melinda Keller is a Mechanical Engineering Professor at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. She specializes in alternative energy and heat transfer. She has been involved with CABEC (California Assoc. of Building Energy Consultants) & been doing energy consulting since 2004.

Prof. Keller also loves amusement parks & is the award-winning adviser for CAPED (CalPoly Amusement Park Engineers & Designers). Her other clubs include the Indian Student Association, Design for America, Rotoract, & the Men’s Intramural Beach Volleyball Team. Prof. Keller won SWE’s “Most Supportive Professor” award in 2019 as well as PolyRep’s “Mentor Award.”

She currently has research projects with students involving convective heat transfer in space, telescope pointing algorithms, shy plant biomimicry in prosthetics, & optimization of load paths for the Human Powered Vehicle frame. Prof. Keller serves as Co-Chair of the ME Dept. Diversity and Inclusivity Committee (D&I), also College & University Level D&I Committees.

• Energy efficiency
• Building energy analysis
• Electric motor design
• Amusement park rides
• Biomimicry
• Load Paths