Mechanical engineering

“Before I ever wanted to be an Olympian, I knew that I wanted to be an engineer. And if you want to be the best, you’ve got to train with the best,” Malone says.

On the cutting edge

Olympic medalist and MIT senior Jordan Malone uses his engineering skills to enhance the sport of speedskating.

April 24, 2018

Honorees Ahmed Ghoniem (left) and Wesley Harris enjoy the Committed to Caring celebration on April 11.

Celebrating great mentorship for graduate students

MIT’s Committed to Caring Award selects third slate of dedicated professors.

April 24, 2018

“We want to give teachers whatever tools they need to connect the joy, wonder, and fun in our videos to the underlying concepts that their students are learning,” says OK Go lead singer Damian Kulash, who is working with MIT alumna AnnMarie Thomas to parlay STEAM principles from his music videos into PK-12 lessons.

Rock music helps students and educators explore engineering

Playful Learning Lab, founded by AnnMarie Thomas ’01, is collaborating with rock band OK Go to create hands-on PK-12 engineering experiences.

April 20, 2018

Assistant professor of nuclear science and engineering Mingda Li relishes the freedom of his new academic life, and the growing MIT network that sustains his research passions.

Deriving a theory of defects

Mingda Li seeks to harness atomic irregularities in materials for improved energy applications.

April 19, 2018

Professor John Heywood is a leading expert on internal combustion engines. His seminal book, "Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals," has been revised in a second edition to reflect recent technological advances that make the internal combustion engine more efficient and environmentally friendly.

3Q: John Heywood on the future of the internal combustion engine

Professor of mechanical engineering explains the importance of advancing internal combustion engines and offers his take on recent EPA rollbacks.

April 18, 2018

Eight from MIT elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences for 2018

Prestigious honor society announces 213 new members this year.

April 18, 2018

A new manufacturing process produces strips of graphene, at large scale, for use in membrane technologies and other applications.

A graphene roll-out

Scalable manufacturing process spools out strips of graphene for use in ultrathin membranes.

April 17, 2018

Person holds up device with lens near their eye

Tata Center adds eight new projects to its 2018-2019 portfolio

MIT principal investigators will receive funding and support for projects seeking an impact in the developing world.

April 12, 2018

A new online course from MIT and Boeing uses a 3-D-printed kit to enrich the learning experience. Similar to a textbook, the kit is used as a reference throughout the course. The kit has metal and polymer parts made by industry-relevant 3-D-printing processes, including stereolithography, multi-jet fusion, and direct metal laser sintering. The parts interlock to form a model of MIT's iconic Buildi...

MIT-Boeing educational collaboration aims to scale learning in additive manufacturing

New online course will enable professionals to invent and implement innovative 3-D-printing applications.

April 12, 2018

School of Engineering first quarter 2018 awards

Faculty members recognized for excellence via a diverse array of honors, grants, and prizes over the last quarter.

April 3, 2018

Professor Catherine Drennan discusses stereotype threat, at the March 9 MacVicar Day symposium.

Innovation fosters inclusive teaching at MIT

Panelists at MacVicar Day symposium highlight wide-ranging approaches for including, engaging, and supporting all students.

April 2, 2018

Engineers turn plastic insulator into heat conductor

Technique could prevent overheating of laptops, mobile phones, and other electronics.

March 30, 2018

Ruike Zhao, a postdoc in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, says kirigami-patterned adhesives may enable a whole swath of products, from everyday medical bandages to wearable and soft electronics.

Paper-folding art inspires better bandages

Cutting kirigami-style slits in stretchy films could make for bandages, heat pads, and wearable electronics that adhere to flexible surfaces.

March 27, 2018

Associate professor of mechanical engineering Sangbae Kim and his team at the Biomimetic Robotics Lab developed the quadruped robot, the MIT Cheetah.

Cheetah III robot preps for a role as a first responder

Sangbae Kim is now developing the Cheetah III as a commercially viable robot to operate in compromised emergency response environments.

March 26, 2018

The Innovation Mentors are (clockwise from top left): Alli Davanzo, Marla Odell, Sumit Khetan, and Michael Amoako.

Introducing the Innovation Mentors

Through pilot program, mentors help fellow students through the stages of innovation and entrepreneurship at MIT.