Impact

ME Matters

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is building on the past, responding to the present, and leading the way to the future by driving innovative research with significant real-world impact through our five impact areas:

Energy Transition

Environment & Sustainability

Human Health

Next-Gen Manufacturing

Robotics & Mobility

UMN wind turbine

Energy Transition

Mechanical engineering plays a central role in exploring new energy conversion and storage technologies for a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy future. Our department performs research on a wide spectrum of innovative solutions for energy conversion and storage and seeks to improve the efficiency of existing technologies.



 

If you're interested in...

Look into these ME research areas: 

SOLAR ENERGY Plasmas | Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer
WIND & WAVE ENERGY Fluid Mechanics | Fluid Power | Sensing & Controls
ENERGY STORAGE

Combustion & Engines | Fluid Power | Plasmas | Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer

ENERGY EFFICIENCY  Combustion & Engines | Fluid Power | Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer

  

River and rocks outside Duluth

Environment & Sustainability

From the atmosphere to ground water and everything in between, mechanical engineering is essential in the advancement of environment and sustainability studies. Mechanical engineers work on air and water pollution, seawater desalination, engine efficiency, alternative fuels, biodegradables, and more to combat climate change and work toward a greener future.

 

 

If you're interested in...

Look into these ME research areas: 

AIR POLLUTION Combustion & Engines | Fluid Mechanics | Particle Technology | Plasmas
CLIMATE CHANGE Fluid Mechanics | Particle Technology | Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer
GREENER INDUSTRY Combustion & Engines | Fluid Power | Materials & Mechanics | Sensing & ControlsPlasmas
WATER & LIFE Biosystems & Bioengineering | Fluid Mechanics | Fluid Power | Plasmas
Xray of lungs

Human Health

Many research programs in our department play a key role in developing and exploring devices and technologies with direct impact in improving human health. Our research enables key advances in medical care and disease detection and makes major contributions to ensuring a healthy and safe environment. 

 

If you're interested in...

Look into these ME research areas: 

BIOMEDICAL & ROBOTICS Biosystems & Bioengineering | Materials & Mechanics | Sensing & Controls
SENSORS & DIAGNOSTICS Fluid Mechanics | Materials & Mechanics | Particle Technology | Sensing & Controls
PRESERVATION Biosystems & Bioengineering | Particle Technology
DRUG DELIVERY & TREATMENTS Biosystems & Bioengineering | Particle Technology | Plasmas
3D printing system

Next-Gen Manufacturing

Mechanical engineering plays a critical role in enabling next-generation manufacturing. Our department is a leader in integrating functional materials into advanced manufacturing, 3D printing technologies, and developing next-generation manufacturing and material synthesis technologies. 



 

 

If you're interested in...

Look into these ME research areas: 

BIOMEDICAL DEVICES Biosystems & Bioengineering | Materials & Mechanics
ROBOTIC ASSEMBLY Fluid Power | Materials & Mechanics | Sensing & Controls
COATINGS & DEPOSITION Fluid Mechanics | Particle Technology | PlasmasThermodynamics & Heat Transfer
SOLAR & MICROELECTRONICS Materials & Mechanics | Plasmas
Prosthetic arm

Robotics & Mobility

Research in ME is making advances in robotic systems in different scales from small surgical robots to human-scale assistive devices to large earth burrow machines. We are also improving the mobility of our populations and their safety through the development of smart technologies and energy-efficient vehicle systems.



 

If you're interested in...

Look into these ME research areas: 

ROBOT DESIGN AND ACTUATION Biosystems & Bioengineering | Fluid Power
HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTION Biosystems & Bioengineering | Sensing & Controls
SMART TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Combustion & Engines | Sensing & Controls
ENERGY-EFFICIENT VEHICLE SYSTEMS Combustion & Engines | Fluid Power