The Latest From Mechanical Engineering
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The Department of Mechanical Engineering is an active research hub at the forefront of developments in human health, the environment, robotics, manufacturing, energy, and more. Our faculty, researchers, and students work on everything from designing clean engines to curing cancer. Read about what ME is doing to change the world right here in Minnesota.
Jiarong Hong Named Distinguished McKnight University Professor
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Professor Jiarong Hong has been named a Distinguished McKnight University Professor, an honor that recognizes outstanding faculty members who have recently achieved the rank of full professor. Recipients hold the title for the duration of their employment at the University of Minnesota.
Marien Simeni Named 2026 National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science Fellow
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Marien Simeni, Richard and Barbara Nelson Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, has been selected as a 2026 Frontiers of Science Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
Kelly Behlen Named 2026 Brooke Owens Fellow
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Kelly Behlen, a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, has been selected as a member of the 2026 class of Brooke Owens Fellows, a nationally recognized nonprofit program supporting exceptional undergraduate women and gender minorities pursuing careers in aerospace.
Suo Yang Selected for 2026 Early Career Award from the Central States Section of the Combustion Institute
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Suo Yang, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been selected as the inaugural Early Career Award recipient by the Central States Section of the Combustion Institute (CSSCI).
Prof. Yu Sun '03 Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
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Prof. Yu Sun '03, who received his PhD from the Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, has been elected as an International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE).
Uwe Kortshagen Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
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Uwe Kortshagen, Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Ronald L. and Janet A. Christenson Chair in Renewable Energy in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).
Jun Li receives the 2026–27 ASHRAE New Investigator Award
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Prof. Jun Li is the 2026–2027 recipient of the ASHRAE New Investigator Award. The ASHRAE New Investigator Award (NIA) assists new university faculty members to develop research capabilities in HVAC&R related fields. The award comes with a base grant of $50k per year for two years.
Congratulations to our 2026 Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship Recipients
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Mechanical Engineering PhD students Mohammad Reza Farahani and Abdullah Al Mehedi have been awarded the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship (IDF) for the 2026–27 academic year.
Congratulations to our 2026 Travel Award Winners!
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Anup Vaman Barve has been awarded the Adrian ME Graduate Student Travel Award, and Jenn Hoody has been awarded the Joachim and Yuko Heberlein Travel Grant Award.
UMN ME Postdoc Featured on Front Cover of Cold Facts, Cryogenic Society of America
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Dr. Lakshya Gangwar, a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Bio-Heat and Mass Transfer Laboratory at the University of Minnesota, has been featured on the front cover of the November 2025 issue of Cold Facts, the magazine of the Cryogenic Society of America.
ME News
ME News is mailed to alumni and friends of the department, with a circulation of 12,000+.
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