MechE Connects

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Mechanical engineers are responsible for putting algorithms into action. We sit at the interface of computing and physical systems.

- Evelyn Wang, Gail E. Kendall Professor and Department Head

MechE Connects is the bi-annual newsletter for MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE). Each issue explores one theme that reflects the cutting-edge research being conducted at MechE, in addition to providing an overview of the latest departmental news.

In the Fall 2021 issue of MechE Connects, we focus on the ways in which faculty, staff, students, and alumni from MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering are applying computing to physical systems.

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MechE Connects Video

PhD candidate Charlene Xia is developing a low-cost system to monitor the microbiome of seaweed farms and identify diseases before they spread.

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Person standing on a dock holding a device above the water.

This Issue's Stories

Physics and the machine learning “black box”

In class 2.C01, Professor George Barbastathis demonstrates how mechanical engineers can use their unique knowledge of physical systems to keep algorithms in check and develop more accurate predictions.

From “cheetah-noids” to humanoids

Alum Benjamin Katz '16, SM '18 is applying the skills he gained working on the mini cheetah robot to the ATLAS project at Boston Dynamics.

Computing for ocean environments

Ocean and mechanical engineers are utilizing advances in scientific computing to address the ocean’s many challenges, and seize its opportunities.

Saving seaweed with machine learning

PhD Candidate Charlene Xia is using machine learning to monitor the microbiome of seaweed farms in an effort to predict and prevent diseases before they destroy livestock.

Talking Shop: Dr. Anuradha Annaswamy

Senior Research Scientist Anuradha Annaswamy and her team are designing intelligent systems that could someday transform the way we travel and consume energy.

Design’s new frontier

Mechanical engineers are using cutting-edge computing and machine learning techniques to reimagine how the products, systems, and infrastructures we use are designed.