MIT MechE News

Kevin Cedrone Leads Winning Team in 2013 MIT IDEAS Global Challenge

Thu, 09 May 2013 15:57:08 -0400

MechE PhD Candidate Kevin Cedrone led one of two top winning teams in this year's MIT IDEAS Global Challenge.

Annual 2.007 Robotics Competition This Wed and Thurs

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:02:33 -0400

Tomorrow begins the renowned annual 2.007 Robotics Competition at Johnson Ice Rink.

de Florez Competition Winners Split $18K in Prize Money

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:33:04 -0400

With an impressive array of some of the best gadget and product developments Mechanical Engineering students have to offer, this year’s de Florez Competition, which took place this past Friday, April 26, made good on its namesake as always.

2.01x Now Open on edX, Starts April 15

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:19:07 -0400

We’re pleased to announce that the first MIT MechE course on the edX platform is now open for enrollment. 2.01x: Elements of Structure is an online version of 2.01, the introductory-level solid mechanics class in our new flexible 2A program. Everyone is welcome to register for 2.01x on the edX web site (https://www.edx.org/courses).

Mechatronics 2.737: Updated Labs Refresh a Classic Course

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:07:45 -0400

Mechanical engineering is a crossroad between almost as many science and engineering fields as you can think of, so it comes as no surprise that MechE courses reflect that. Course 2.737: Mechatronics, which teaches mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and control, is a great example of our cross-disciplinary program. Through a series of lectures and hands-on labs, students learn elements of modeling, control, instrumentation, analog electronics, digital logic, and real-time implementation.

PhD Candidate Nikolai Begg Wins $30K Lemelson-MIT Student Prize

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:22:08 -0500

We are pleased to announce that MechE PhD candidate Nikolai Begg (advisor: Professor Alexander Slocum) was announced this week as the 2013 winner of the prestigious $30K Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for his suite of innovative medical device inventions.

Alumna Danielle Zurovcik Receives CAMTech Innovation Award

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:01:27 -0500

Dr. Danielle Zurovcik (SM ’07, PhD ’11) started WiCare (Worldwide Innovative Healthcare Inc) with the goal of bringing high-quality medical devices to low-income countries. Now, the company’s first product, the Wound-Pump, a negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) pump, has been awarded an Innovation Award from the Consortium for Affordable Medical Technologies (CAMTech).

Professor Ronald F. Probstein Receives Aerospace Literature Award from AIAA

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:45:00 -0500

Congratulations to MechE Professor Emeritus Ronald Probstein, who was recently awarded with the 2013 Pendray Aerospace Literature Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Anurag Bajpayee Has Top 10 World-Changing Idea, Says Scientific American

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:25:08 -0500

Post-doctoral associate Anurag Bajpayee, a member of Professor Gang Chen’s lab, had one of the top 10 world-changing ideas in 2012, according to Scientific American. Bajpayee’s work as a PhD student at MIT inspired his idea of directional solvent extraction, or molecular desalination as he likes to call it, for highly contaminated waters, such as those from unconventional oil and gas wells.

Fall/Winter Newsletter Hot off the Press!

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:36:11 -0500

Education and research innovations in mechanical engineering are increasingly occurring at the interfaces of our disciplines. This is true not only within our department but also between MechE and other broad disciplines, such as materials science, chemistry, and electrical engineering. This issue of MechE Connects focuses on the exciting advances being made in bioengineering – the interface between mechanical engineering and biology.

First in MechE Foundational Symposia Series Honors Professor Joseph L Smith Jr

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:21:08 -0500

This past Friday, the Department of Mechanical Engineering hosted the first in a new symposia series celebrating historical developments and foundational research in the department. The first symposium in the series – called Foundations of Mechanical Engineering – focused on cryogenics at MIT, a history, and its impact on the future, and honored the influential Professor Joseph L. Smith.

LiquiGlide Named Top 2012 Invention by TIME Magazine

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:28:27 -0500

The Varanasi Lab's LiquiGlide was just named one of TIME magazine's best inventions of 2012.

Amos Winter Receives Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Award

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:40:40 -0400

Oftentimes the simplest solution is the best – and the most impressive. And it would appear that the judges of Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards agree. This year, they recognized the invention of a wheelchair that utilizes a simple lever to overcome uneven or uphill terrain by naming Assistant Professor Amos Winter and his collaborator Continuum, a Boston-based product design consultancy, a recipient of their Innovation by Design Awards, noting that part of its ingenuity comes from its low-tech simplicity.

APL Recognizes Professor Kripa Varanasi

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 16:31:54 -0400

Applied Physics Letters recently recognized Associate Professor Kripa Varanasi by including his groundbreaking paper "Frost formation and ice adhesion on superhydrophobic surfaces" in the journal's special edition (50th anniversary) "Editor's Picks" list as one of the most notable APL articles published in recent years.

Graduate Student Travel Awards Announced

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:28:22 -0400

The department is pleased to announce the winners of the five Graduate Travel Grants created to support the travel of MechE graduate students to present graduate research at a conference or participate in an academic workshop. The Travel Grants, which are awarded competitively as an academic honor twice yearly, aim to facilitate student professional development by promoting participation in the student’s broader research community or exposure to specialty topics.

Professor Hover's Minesweeper Featured in the Economist

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:36:16 -0400

Associate Professor Franz Hover's hovering autonomous underwater vehicle (HAUV), a robot that sweeps ship hulls for mines based on algorithms Hover developed, was featured on the first page of the recent Economist Technology Quarterly.

Inaugural Cummins-Tsinghua Fellowship Recipient Announced

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:49:05 -0400

We are pleased to announce a new fellowship offered by MechE and Cummins Incorporated to outstanding Chinese women who have earned a degree from Tsinghua University and been admitted to the MechE master's degree program.

Zhang Baile Named One of Top 35 Innovators Under 35

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:12:11 -0400

Assistant Professor Zhang Baile of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore has recently been recognized by Technology Review’s highly regarded TR35 Global list of the world’s top 35 innovators under the age of 35.

PhD Student Chris Schantz Wins Best Paper Award

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:30:44 -0400

Mechanical Engineering PhD candidate Chris Schantz won a best paper award at the International Compressor Engineering Conference at Purdue University this past July for his paper with Professor Steven Leeb titled “Nonintrusive Fault Detection in Reciprocating Compressors.”

Ronan McGovern Receives IDA Scholarship

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:03:29 -0400

The International Desalination Association has awarded this year’s Channabasappa Memorial Scholarship to PhD candidate Ronan McGovern, a member of Professor John H. Lienhard V’s research group in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Elias P. Gyftopoulos, professor emeritus, alumnus, dies at 84

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:09:15 -0400

Elias P. Gyftopoulos, Ford Professor Emeritus of Nuclear Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, died peacefully at his home in Lincoln, Mass., on Saturday, June 23, 2012. He was 84 years old.

Cristina Botero Receives Best Student Paper Award

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:43:13 -0400

We are pleased to announce that the Best Student Paper Award at the 37th International Technical Conference on Clean Coal & Fuel Systems was conferred upon PhD candidate Cristina Botero.

Professor Kamm's Microfluidic Assays Featured in Nature Protocols Journal

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:10:32 -0400

Professor Roger Kamm's recent work on microfluidic devices was featured in the June issue of the journal Nature Protocols.

Professor Gang Chen Receives $1M DOE Grant

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:17:16 -0400

In 2010, Professor Gang Chen and his team published an article in the journal Nature Nanotechnology that outlined a radical new method for transforming polyethylene into a heat conductor while still maintaining its ability to insulate electricity.

Professor Wallace Receives ASME Outstanding Design Educator Award

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:55:22 -0400

We are pleased to announce that Professor David Wallace has been selected to receive the 2012 ASME Joel and Ruth Spira Outstanding Design Educator Award in recognition of his leadership in product development education.

2.739 Product Design and Development in the News

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:38:03 -0400

One of the products produced in this year’s 2.739 (Product Design and Development) was featured in the Boston Globe (read the story here). The product is called BuzzyBaby, and is a harness for carrying a baby around in urban environments. The harness can clip either into a stroller, or onto a person which allows the baby to sit on a parent’s hip. BuzzyBaby thus allows for easier navigation of stairs, revolving doors, and other obstacles in urban areas that make pushing a stroller difficult.

MechE Students Win Big for Philanthropic Innovations

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:22:40 -0400

The Department of Mechanical Engineering has been a leader in societal needs research since 1969 when the faculty in the Fluid Mechanics Lab redirected their focus and became a model for resolving societal concerns through research.

2.00b Toy Product Design Lab PLAYsentations Tonight!

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:54:26 -0400

Course 2.00b, more popularly known as the Toy Product Design Lab, is one of those classes that students really get excited to take. Named one of "30 Awesome College Labs" by Popular Science magazine, Toy Lab is yet another shining example of MechE's commitment to hands-on learning. The undergraduate course was started in 2004 by Professor Barry Kudrowitz, Professor David Wallace, and Bill Fienup, with research funding by Hasbro.

Professors Lienhard and Hadjiconstantinou Recognized with Prestigious ASME Awards

Tue, 08 May 2012 16:01:32 -0400

Congratulations to Professor John Lienhard and Professor Nicolas Hadjiconstantinou for receiving prestigious recognitions from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers this week.

Kawin Surakitbovorn Wins This Year's 2.007 Robot Competition

Mon, 07 May 2012 11:59:26 -0400

The famous 2.007 Robot Competition, hosted by Professor Daniel Frey, took place this year on Thursday, May 10, at 6:30pm, at the Johnson Ice Rink. The theme was "Tech County Fair."

De Florez Competition Winners Split $18K in Prize Money

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:27:52 -0400

With an impressive array of some of the best gadget and product developments Mechanical Engineering students have to offer, this year’s de Florez Competition made good on its namesake as always.

Three Faculty Recognized by MIT for Exceptional Achievements

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:52:11 -0400

Professors Derek Rowell, Sanjay Sarma, and Maria Yang have all been recognized for their exceptional achievements.

Professor Evelyn Wang Receives 2012 Young Investigator Award

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:21:19 -0400

Congratulations to Professor Evelyn Wang, who recently received the 2012 Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research for her development of advanced thin film evaporation and condensation surfaces for high-performance thermal management devices. She was one of only 26 awardees this year, selected from a pool of more than 350 candidates.

MIT Corp’s Green Echoes Jobs: “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish”

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:49:43 -0400

Diane Green’s (SM ’78) recent lecture in Kirsch Auditorium as part of the School of Engineering’s Distinguished Lecture Series was an inspiring story of her journey from childhood skipper to seasoned co-founder and CEO of a major software company, VMware.

PhD Student Wins SxSW Innovation Award With 3D Company

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:23:40 -0400

This past March at the South by Southwest Festival’s Accelerator-Innovative Web Track competition, two MIT students – Tom Milnes, MechE PhD candidate working with Professor Douglas Hart, and Sloan School alum Ash Martin – won first place for one of their company’s products, Hypr3D.

Faculty to Present at This Year's MIT Europe Energy Conference

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:06:53 -0400

MechE Professors Ahmed F. Ghoniem, John H. Lienhard, and Kripa Varanasi are all presenting this month at the 2012 MIT Europe Energy Conference, held by the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP).

Senior Katy Olesnavage Wins 2012 Horn Award

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:59:44 -0500

Katy Olesnavage, a senior in the department of Mechanical Engineering, was recently awarded the 2012 Dean A. Horn Award for Undergraduate Study in Marine Research for her thesis titled “The Design and Testing of a Procedure to Locate Fresh Submarine Groundwater Discharge in Cyprus.”

Department Head and Professor Mary Boyce Elected to National Academy of Engineering

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:48:25 -0500

Professor Mary Cunningham Boyce, Mechanical Engineering Department Head, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). She was one of only 66 new members announced by NAE President Charles M. Vest today.

Center for Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems in the News

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:22:42 -0500

The Center for Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems, based at MIT and directed by Professor of Mechanical and Biological Engineering Roger Kamm, is profiled in "US News and World Report."

2.009 Product Design Presentations: Monday, 12 December at 7:30 PM

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:24:00 -0500

The students and staff of MIT's 2.009 Product Engineering Processes class invite you to participate in the exciting launch of 8 new product prototypes, all focused around the theme of "on-the-go" (http://web.mit.edu/2.009/www/project/projectTheme.html).

“Fukushima Disaster Response” Robot Competition

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:58:45 -0500

The students of 2.12, Introduction to Robotics, will be competing for the term project robot contest. This year's theme is "Fukushima Disaster Response". Please join us to see semi-autonomous robots that can enter a damaged nuclear reactor building, deliver cooling agent to critical spots, and shut down failed pipes.

MechE’s Brian Anthony Cofounds The Medical Device Electronics Realization Center

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:20:02 -0400

Brian Anthony, director of the Master of Engineering and Manufacturing program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, along with Charles Sodini, LeBel Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT, and Joel Voldman, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT, recently cofounded a new center at MIT focused on medical device realization.

Two MechE Students Compete in International RoboCup Competition

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:28:37 -0400

This past July, Baker Logan and Julie Henion, both MechE undergraduate students, made their way to Istanbul, Turkey, to compete in the International RoboCup Competition as part of the RFC Cambridge team, comprised of 12 students from both MIT and Harvard.

Three Best Paper Awards for MechE

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:24:13 -0400

Late this summer, three best paper awards were conferred upon members of the Mechanical Engineering community.

Professor Nicholas Fang Receives 2011 ICO Prize

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:24:26 -0400

Congratulations to Professor Nicholas X. Fang, who was recently awarded the 2011 International Commission for Optics (ICO) Prize “for his pioneering work in optical metamaterials, optical superlenses, and nanofocusing.”

Professor Lallit Anand Receives IIT Distinguished Alumnus Award

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:40:27 -0400

Warren and Towneley Rohsenow Professor of Mechanical Engineering Lallit Anand was recently awarded a 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur at the Institute’s 57th Annual Convocation this past August.

MechE Graduates Start Medical Device Company

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:06:48 -0400

Three MechE students taking Professor Alexander Slocum's 2.75 Precision Machine Design course last fall rose to the challenge of creating a comfortable, low-cost at-home sleep monitoring system. Within 12 months' time, Thomas Lipoma, Carson Darling, and Pablo Bello not only met the challenge but went a step beyond to launch Nyx Devices based on their invention.

Update! Robot Stroke Therapy: Better Care at Lower Cost, Reports AHA Journal

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:37:15 -0400

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability and affects more than 6.5 million Americans. Dr. Hermano Igo Krebs, Principal Research and Scientist in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, looked to robots to find a more effective way to promote brain plasticity and increase arm mobility following a stroke.

Robocon 2011: July 25-August 5, 2011 UPDATED!

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:49:53 -0400

Every summer for the past 21 years, an event called IDC (International Design Competition) Robocon takes place, pitting student teams from universities around the world against each other in a competition of robotic knowledge and design skills.

Competing Mechanisms Influence Tumor Cell Migration

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:25:26 -0400

It’s no secret that cancer is deadly. But did you know that it’s actually the uncontrolled spread of cancer throughout the body that most often leads to death? Understanding how cancer cells break loose from their original tumor, make their way into the body’s vascular system, and travel to another location is a critical step in the fight against cancer.

Professor Vandiver Wins Arthur C. Smith Award

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:19:13 -0400

J. Kim Vandiver, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Ocean Engineering and Dean for Undergraduate Research, recently won the Arthur C. Smith Award for Meaningful Contributions and Devotion to Student Life and Learning.

New Appointments for Professors Fang, Kamrin, Shao-Horn, and Turitsyn

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:52:28 -0400

Associate Professor Nicholas Fang, Assistant Professor Ken Kamrin, Associate Professor Yang Shao-Horn, and Assistant Professor Kostya Turitsyn have all recently been awarded new chair appointments.

Daniel Codd Wins ASME Graduate Student Award for Solar Energy Research

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:41:10 -0400

Daniel S. Codd was recently bestowed with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Solar Energy Division’s 2011 Graduate Student Award for his outstanding work in solar energy as a PhD student in mechanical engineering at MIT.

Professor Emeritus Warren Rohsenow Dies at Age 90

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:01:12 -0400

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Professor Warren Rohsenow on Friday, June 3, 2011, in his home in Falmouth, Maine. He was 90 years old.

“Gift of Design” Clock Workshop

Thu, 26 May 2011 09:39:21 -0400

At the end of this past semester, the students of the Gift of Design Clock Workshop invited the MechE community to stop by the Student Commons to view the work they had on display. During the workshop, an extension of senior Kevin Rustagi’s thesis, three TAs and six students each took a clock that they intend to give as a gift from concept to completed prototype.

Course 2.72: Desktop Lathes Battle it Out in Final Presentations

Mon, 23 May 2011 10:40:34 -0400

For their final class project, Professor Culpepper’s Course 2.72 students recently presented the desktop lathes they’ve been working on all semester. The last session of the class began with a check by Professor Culpepper of each team’s lathe to make sure it was up to snuff for the competition that was to follow.

Professor Gang Chen Recognized with McDonald Mentor Award

Thu, 19 May 2011 15:12:41 -0400

In recognition of his outstanding mentoring contributions as a professor in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gang Chen has been selected as a recipient of this year’s McDonald Mentor Award.

Two Leaders for Global Operations Students Win Big

Wed, 18 May 2011 14:38:21 -0400

Two students in the Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program, a joint MBA/MS degree from the Sloan School of Management and the School of Engineering, each won a major competition this spring.

PhD Student Eric Soller Wins 2011 Koch Image Award

Wed, 18 May 2011 09:33:37 -0400

Along with collaborators Jess Holz and MechE junior Sarah Simon, PhD student Eric Soller was chosen as one of 10 recipients of this year’s Koch Institute Image Award.

Final Presentations This Week in Courses 2.72 and 2.753

Mon, 09 May 2011 17:02:30 -0400

On Wednesday, May 11, Course 2.72 final presentations will take place in Room 35-122, starting at 12:40pm. Students of Professor Culpepper’s class will demo the desktop lathes they’ve designed and built over the course of the semester, and then compete against each other from 1-2pm.

De Florez Competition Winners Split $18K in Prize Money

Fri, 06 May 2011 12:16:08 -0400

With an impressive array of some of the best gadget and product developments Mechanical Engineering students have to offer, this year’s de Florez Competition made good on its namesake as always.

IEEE TPAMI Spotlights Nicholas Makris Paper on Force Estimation in Density Images

Mon, 02 May 2011 16:18:30 -0400

Professor Nicholas Makris of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Laboratory for Undersea Remote Sensing – along with Professor Berthold Klaus Paul Horn of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering doctoral candidate Srinivasan Jagannathan, and Professor Purnima Ratilal of Northeastern University – recently published a paper in the June 2011 issue of IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (TPAMI).

Three Final Competitions to Recognize Student Achievement

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:51:36 -0400

Three upcoming final competitions – the 2.007 Robotics Competition, the 2.72 Final Presentation, and the de Florez Award Competition – will all recognize exemplary science and design by undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Under the Dome, MIT150 Open House: Saturday, April 30, 11am-4pm

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:21:26 -0400

MIT's Open House, a celebration of its 150th anniversary, takes place this Saturday, April 30, from 11am-4pm. Come enjoy demonstrations, hands-on activities, lectures, and presentations that celebrate the innovation MIT is known for. The event is free and open to the public.

Two MechE Teams Win Prestigious Three-in Five Competition for Medical Device Designs

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:00:25 -0400

During the recent annual Design of Medical Devices Conference, two teams from the MechE 2.75 Design of Medical Devices course won two out of three prizes in the prestigious Three-in-Five Competition. The competition handpicks eight teams with rapid translational potential to pitch their product by presenting three slides in five minutes.

MechE Spinoff Lantos Technologies Wins Enabling Technologies Award

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:21:21 -0400

Lantos Technologies, an MIT spinoff cofounded by Mechanical Engineering Professor Douglas P. Hart and Sloan School of Management graduate Shahid Azim, recently won the 2011 North American Enabling Technologies Award for an invention that dramatically increases the functionality of hearing aids.

Robot-Assisted Therapy Selected As a Top Advance in Stroke Research in 2010

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 10:53:12 -0500

The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have selected the work of Hermano Krebs, Principal Research Scientist and Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as one of the top ten advances in Stroke Research in 2010.

Invisibility Cloak Named a Top Breakthrough of 2010

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:22:35 -0500

Physics World has recognized the visible-light cloaking research of George Barbastathis, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, as one of the top 10 breakthroughs of 2010.

Faculty Position in Bioengineering

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:23:21 -0500

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology seeks outstanding candidates for tenure-track faculty positions in the field of Bioengineering to begin July 1, 2011 or thereafter. Appointment would be at the assistant or untenured associate professor level. In exceptional cases, a senior faculty appointment may be possible.

Faculty Position in Engineering Design

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:20:01 -0500

The Department of Mechanical Engineering seeks an innovative individual for a tenure-track faculty position in engineering design to begin July 1, 2011 or thereafter. Appointment would be at the assistant or untenured associate professor level. In exceptional cases, a senior faculty appointment may be possible.

Faculty Position in the field of Ocean Science and Engineering

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:17:04 -0500

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology invites applications for a tenure-track position in all areas of Ocean Science and Engineering, including Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Propulsion, Ocean Energy, Lightweight Marine Structures, Marine Hydrodynamics, Offshore Engineering, Ocean Acoustics and Signal Processing, and Ocean Environmental Sensing to begin July 1, 2011 or thereafter. Appointment would be at the assistant or untenured associate professor level. In exceptional cases, a senior faculty appointment may be possible.

Adam Vollmer (MS '05) to co-host new PBS show

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:08:51 -0500

Adam Vollmer, who received his MS at MIT in 2005 in Mechanical Engineering, will co-host a spinoff of the Design Squad series (formerly hosted by MIT alum Nathan Ball) called Design Squad Nation.

MechE Newsletter – Fall 2010

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:38:26 -0500

The new edition of MechE Connects is now available, featuring articles about Amy Smith and IDDS, John Lienhard and water desalination, and Douglas Hart's 3D Imaging technology, among others.

2.009 Product Engineering Processes Final Presentation -- Monday December 6th

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:50:24 -0500

The students and staff of MIT's 2.009 Product Engineering Processes class invite you to participate in the inspirational launch of 8 new product prototypes, all focused around the theme of food.

    * a device for making powdered milk in developing countries
    * a robot for serving sushi
    * a flour measuring dispenser
    * an egg washing machine
    * a shopping basket for wheel chairs
    * a spice dispensing machine
    * a water bottle washer
    * a tourné cutting tool

Condensation Images On Display in Gallery of Fluid Motion

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:20:58 -0500

Every year, the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics hosts a physical Gallery of Fluid Motion at its annual meeting -- a room where stunning graphics and videos from computational or experimental studies showing flow phenomena are displayed. Among this year's entrants are images associated with the research on condensation of Kripa Varanasi, d'Arbeloff Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. His work is titled "Preferential Condensation."

MechE Department announces establishment of Peabody Visiting Professorship in Mechanical Engineering

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:08:12 -0400

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT is pleased to announce the establishment of two new distinguished visiting professorships in the department. Applicants are now being considered for appointments as Peabody Visiting Professor (for senior faculty) and Peabody Visiting Associate Professor (for newly-tenured and mid-career faculty).

Subra Suresh confirmed as Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:08:58 -0400

Subra Suresh, Dean of MIT's School of Engineering was confirmed by the US Senate to become the next Director of the National Science Foundation. Suresh received his PhD from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and is jointly appointed to MechE's faculty.

Francesco Mazzini and Steven Dubowsky win Best Paper Award

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:22:46 -0400

Francesco Mazzini, Graduate Student in Mechanical Engineering, and Steven Dubowsky, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, won the Best Paper Award from ASME's Mechanisms and Robotics Committee.

MIT's Toy Lab in Popular Science Magazine

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:35:18 -0400

The September "Back to School" issue of Popular Science Magazine features a photo-gallery of "30 Awesome College Labs," which includes MIT's Toy Lab.

OAWRS--"A sonar on steroids"

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:03:04 -0400

Last Friday, Professor Nicholas Makris met with Senator John Kerry, Congressman John Tierney, State Rep Ann-Margret Ferrante, State Senator Bruce Tarr, his colleague Prof. Purnima Ratilal from Northeastern University and several others for about an hour with a group of reporters and fishermen present. They were asked to brief the Senator and others about their OAWRS (Ocean Acoustic Waveguide Remote Sensing) research. There has been a lot of recent pressure from fishermen and state officials to have OAWRS used in Federal fisheries assessments, since current assessment methods seem to be leaving many unsatisfied.

Scientists Study Rat Brains to Help Robots Navigate

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:08:42 -0400

$1.5 Million Department of Defense Grant Will Use Data on Rat Brains to Help Robots Map Their Surroundings

Chrys Chryssostomidis named to Committee to Analyze Gulf Oil Spill

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:12:48 -0400

At the request of the Obama Administration, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and National Research Council (NRC) have formed a committee to analyze the causes of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, fire, and oil spill to identify measures for preventing similar accidents in the future. MIT Sea Grant director, Chrys Chryssostomidis, has been nominated to this 10 member committee.

Ethan Crumlin wins Best Poster Award at Gordon Conference

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:51:36 -0400

Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Ethan Crumlin won the Best Poster Award at the Gordon Conference held at Colby College from July 18th to 23rd. The title of his poster was "Catalytic Activity Enhancement for Oxygen Reduction on (La0.5Sr0.5)2CoO4 – Decorated Surfaces of Epitaxial (La1-xSrx)CoO3 Films for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells"

MIT Motorsports finishes 8th Place at Formula SAE West 2010

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:31:27 -0400

The annual Formula SAE West competition was held by the Society of Automotive Engineers at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California from June 16-19, 2010. MIT Motorsports Formula SAE team competed against 80 registered teams from nine different countries and finished 8th place overall after four days of competition.

Leveraged Freedom Chair Selected for R&D 100 Award

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:01:30 -0400

The Leveraged Freedom Chair (LFC), developed in MIT's Mobility Lab, was recently recognized in R&D Magazine's "R&D 100 Awards." These awards salute the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace over the past year, and is a benchmark for excellence in a variety of industry sectors.

MechE Group Wins Best Poster at EMRS

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:46:38 -0400

SMA Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Tonio Buonassisi, graduate student Sergio Castellanos, and UROP Vidya Ganapati won the Best Poster Award at the European Materials Research Society (EMRS) meeting in Strasbourg, France. Their poster is entitled: "Infrared birefringence imaging of residual stress and bulk defects in multicrystalline silicon." Visiting students Stephan Schoenfelder and Sebastian Oener also participated in this project.

3D Imaging In the News

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:07:15 -0400

Advances in 3D scanning of the ear canal, patented by Douglas Hart, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, promise to make earphones and hearing aids fit better. Hart's research originally focused on 3D imaging for dentistry, but has expanded to include the ear canal. Hart's startup, Lantos Technologies, will create the scanners used to facilitate making better-fitting devices. The MIT News Office covered this research in an article "Now hear this".

MIT Team Wins Best Paper Award at the IEEE-ASME Itherm Conference

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:25:29 -0400

Professors Evelyn Wang (ME), John Brisson (ME), and Jeff Lang (EE), along with their DARPA research team, Dr. Matthew McCarthy, Dr. Teresa Peters, Jon Allison, Alonso Espinosa, David Jenicek, Arthur Kariya, Catherine Koveal, received a Best Paper Award at the 2010 IEEE-ASME Itherm Conference for "Design and Analysis of High-Performance Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger with an Integrated Capillary-Pumped Loop Heat Pipe."

Professor Kripa Varanasi Wins Best Paper Award

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:17:42 -0400

Kripa Varanasi, d'Arbeloff Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, received the Best Paper Award at the 2010 IEEE-ASME ITherm Conference (Intersociety Conference on Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electronic Systems) for the paper "Controlling the Nucleation and Growth of Water Using Hybrid Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic Surfaces."

MechE Professors Achieve Record Efficiency for Lithium-Air Batteries

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:11:46 -0400

Researchers at MIT--led by Yang Shao-Horn, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Hubert Gasteiger in collaboration with Kimberly Hamad-Schifferli, Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biological Engineering--have developed a catalyst that promises to make lithium-air batteries significantly more efficient.

Fort Flowers '85 Subject of Profile in MIT "Spectrum"

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:21:42 -0400

Fort (SM in Mechanical Engineering from MIT '85) and Beth Flowers - who along with their extended family established a professorship in the department of Mechanical Engineering - recently made another major gift to our department to support graduate fellowships. Their generosity and ties to MIT are the subject of a profile in the current issue of the MIT newsletter Spectrum.

MechE Research On Display in "Spectum's" Feature about Water

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:19:42 -0400

The cover story in the summer issue of MIT's Newsletter Spectrum identifies water as "one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century." The work undertaken by professors in the department of Mechanical Engineering is featured as part of MIT's response to this challenge, namely:

The desalination efforts of John Lienhard, Samuel C. Collins Professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Center for Clean Water and Clean Energy at MIT and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, in "Drinkable Water for All" and those of Evelyn Wang, Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, in "Drinking Seawater."
The research into reducing water loss through pinpointing leaks in pipes by Sanjay Sarma, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, in "Ineffecient Water Systems."

Toy Product Design in the News

Tue, 18 May 2010 11:36:49 -0400

The sixth annual "Playsentation" was held May 11th, featuring the work undertaken in 2.00b: "Toy Product Design." Check out the following videos and slideshows from the Toy Lab:

Lallit Anand publishes "The Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Continua"

Sat, 15 May 2010 14:17:00 -0400

The Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Continua

Morton E. Gurtin, Eliot Fried and Lallit Anand

Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Annual 2.007 Competition features "Az-Tech" Theme

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:14:49 -0400

The annual 2.007 robotics competition offered two exciting nights in the Johnson Athletic Center and concluded with a test of torque. Mechanical Engineering Professor Daniel Frey PhD ‘97 hosted the event in which students battled robot v. robot for the 2010 course championship. With remote controls in hand, over 125 students raced the clock to outscore their opponents and please the Aztec God Quetzalcoatl (the God of learning and craft) with their performances. The Aztec (or Az-Tech) theme extended to the competition rink where the serpent like creature presided over the skillfully designed robots. Competitors could even multiply their score by pulling the serpent deity onto their side of the temple.

Professor Alex Slocum Selected For Oil Spill Panel

Thu, 13 May 2010 10:00:57 -0400

Alex Slocum, Neil and Jane Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering and MacVicar Faculty Fellow, was invited by Steven Chu, Secretary of the US Department of Energy, to help resolve the Deepwater Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Rohan Abeyaratne to receive 2010 Drucker Medal

Tue, 04 May 2010 10:04:00 -0400

Rohan Abeyaratne, SMART Director & Quentin Berg Professor of Mechanics, will be receiving the 2010 ASME Applied Mechanics Division Drucker Medal.

The Daniel C. Drucker medal was established in 1997 and is conferred in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of applied mechanics and mechanical engineering through research, teaching and service to the community over a substantial period of time.

Amy Smith Named one of Time Magazine's "Most Influential" Persons of 2010

Tue, 04 May 2010 09:54:07 -0400

Amy Smith, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and teacher of the innovative "D-Lab," was singled out by Time magazine as one of the "Time 100"--the people who most affect our world.

Alexander Mitsos receives "Best Practice" Award for Research & Discovery in Life Sciences.

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:08:57 -0400

Alexander Mitsos, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, was recognized by Bio-IT World---receiving a Best Practice Award for his work in systems biology with Leo Alexopoulos at NTU Athens.

Nicholas Patrikalakis publishes "Shape Interrogation for for Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing" as hyperbook.

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:19:02 -0400

Nicholas Patrikalakis, Kawasaki Professor of Engineering in Mechanical and Ocean Engineering, has released a published graduate textbook in an online, "hyperbook" format, allowing for interactive cross-referencing.

H. G. Stever, former head of Mechanical Engineering, Dies at 93

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:14:50 -0400

H. Guyford Stever, the chief science adviser to Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford, a former president of Carnegie Mellon University and the head of the committee that monitored the redesign of the space shuttle’s booster rockets after the Challenger disaster, died on Friday at his home in Gaithersburg, Md. He was 93.

Gunjan Agarwal is a Student Poster Award Winner at NEMB 2010

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:21:32 -0400

MechE Graduate Student Gunjan Agarwal won second place in the best student poster competition at ASME’s First Global Congress on Nanoengineering for Medicine and Biology (NEMB 2010) for her research with Carol Livermore, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, on sorting biological cells by size using self assembly techniques. This technology has potential applications in medical research and diagnostics, as well as in tissue engineering

Professor Kripa Varanasi's Work Featured in MIT's "Spectrum"

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:14:48 -0400

Kripa Varnasi, d’Arbeloff Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, believes that "there's a lot to be gained from boosting the efficiency of existing systems such as steam, nuclear power, and desalination plants by creating surfaces that shed water like feathers on a duck’s back." This belief drives his work in designing new nanoengineered surfaces that could be used to realize these efficiencies in a variety of fields. Professor Varnasi discusses his research and explains how water droplets behave in the most recent issue of MIT's "Spectrum" newsletter.

MIT-developed Sonar Used in 10-Year "Census of the Sea"

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:54:29 -0400

The advanced sonar system developed by Nicholas Makris, Professor of Mechanical and Ocean Engineering and Director of the Laboratory for Undersea Remote Sensing, was discussed recently in both the Boston Globe and in The Economist. Mackris' sonar can scan huge areas of ocean, and has a scanning rate millions of times faster than conventional fish-finding sonar. As such, it has been an important tool in the ambitious worldwide census of all marine life.

Professor Peko Hosoi named 2010 MacVicar Faculty Fellow

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:55:19 -0500

Peko Hosoi, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, was honored for her "outstanding undergraduate teaching, mentoring and educational innovation" when she was named a 2010 MacVicar Faculty Fellow.

MechE Students Win SNAME Graduate Paper Prize

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:22:15 -0500

Four MechE Graduate Students, Roberto Urrutia Valenzuela, Philippe Menard, Emmanouil Sarris, and Iason Dimou, were awarded the Graduate Paper Prize by The Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers (SNAME).

Professor Rohit Karnik awarded an NSF Career Award

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:28:55 -0500

Rohit Karnik, d'Arbeloff Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, was awarded an NSF Career Award for his proposal "Cell Separation by Rolling on Asymmetric Receptor Patterns". The award is through the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems of the Engineering Directorate.

Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems Center (EBICS), headquartered at MIT, receives $25 million NSF grant

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:02:56 -0500

Roger Kamm, MIT’s Germeshausen Professor of Mechanical and Biological Engineering and the center’s founding director, describes the research as developing “the knowledge, tools and technologies to ‘create highly sophisticated, ‘programmed,’ multi-cell engineered biological systems or machines’”.

Professor Gang Chen Elected to the National Academy of Engineering

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:51:29 -0500

Gang Chen, Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering and Director of the Pappalardo Micro and Nano Engineering Laboratories in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) for his contributions to heat transfer at the nanoscale and to thermoelectric energy conversion technology.

Mechanical Engineering Senior Wins North American Debating Championship

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:53:27 -0500

MIT seniors Adam Goldstein (Course II and Course VI double major) and Bill Magnuson (Course VI) won the 2010 North American Debating Championship, held at York University in Toronto, Canada on January 29th-31st. After advancing through the six preliminary rounds, Goldstein and Magnuson went on to defeat teams from the University of Chicago, McGill, and the University of British Columbia in elimination rounds. They then defeated a (second) team from McGill in the finals.

2.009 this year's theme was "Emergency"

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:55:17 -0500

Emergency measures, for drowning surfers, fallen bicyclists and injured mountaineers, students in MIT’s 2.009 class devise products that could save lives

Tech: Robotic Fish Helps Monitor Waters

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:36:08 -0500

A team of MIT researchers are refining robotic fish technology, with the hope of using it on reconnoissance missions, or for monitoring our waters. See Video...

Mechanical Engineering Senior wins Marshall Scholarship

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:21:31 -0500

Tanya Goldhaber, a mechanical engineering major with minors in music and brain and cognitive sciences, Goldhaber, 21, of Boulder, Colo., will pursue a doctorate degree in inclusive design at the Engineering Design Centre at the University of Cambridge. Read More

MIT Energy Initiative awards fourth round of seed grants

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:16:35 -0500

In October 2009, the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) announced its fourth round of seed grants supporting innovative, early-stage research projects across the Institute. One theme running through the new group of projects is the design and use of novel materials to enhance performance and make possible new functions in energy-related technologies. Advances in materials play a key role in eight of the projects.

In one project, Professor Yang Shao-Horn from the Dept of Mechanical Engineering (working with Professor Carl Thompson of materials science and engineering) is working on processing nanostructures for electrochemical energy storage. Using carbon nanotubes and silicon nanowire arrays in lithium batteries is a promising route to achieving high charge and discharge rates, high charge capacities, and reliability over many charge-discharge cycles. But performance is highly dependent on the precise structure of the tubes and wires. Using special fabrication processes, Thompson and Shao-Horn are working to optimize battery performance by designing and tuning the nanostructures, including nanotube length and diameter, array density, and numbers of walls in multi-wall tubes as well as nanowire diameter, spacing, and orientation.

Another materials-related project focuses on novel nano-engineered surfaces that can be used in separating water from oil and gas in ultra-deepwater wells. Collaborators are Professors Kripa Varanasi and Gareth McKinley of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Robert Cohen of Chemical Engineering. By using nanoengineered, textured surfaces (to achieve high surface-to-volume ratios) along with special surface chemistry and surface topography, the team aims to make subsea separators significantly smaller and more efficient. With such devices, separation could be conducted on the ocean floor, making it unnecessary to bring the mixture up to the surface. Read the full story: MIT Energy Initiative.

MechE faculty Professor Tom Peacock studies Langrangian coherent structures

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:43:04 -0500

Prediction and modeling of fluids and gasses has always been a challenge for researchers. With the assistance of modern supercomputers and the application of Lagrangian mathematics, scientists have uncovered possible new answers to this age old problem. MechE Professor Tom Peacock has been studying the effects of Lagrangian coherent structures that exist in the ocean and fluids. This field of research will have applications in everything from airport safety to oil spills and even the lives of jellyfish. Read the full story: The Economist.

Sounds good: new 3D imaging technique may lead to improved hearing aids

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:40:23 -0400

A new 3D imaging process developed by MechE Professor Douglas Hart holds the potential to make hearing aids both easier to produce and more effective. The process, which involves inserting a tiny, liquid filled balloon containing a camera into the patient's ear, makes it possible to record detailed information about the shape of the ear canal in real time. The inspiration for the new technique came out of left field, while Professor Hart was studying the thickness of engine oils using a process called emission reabsorption laser induced fluorescence (ERLIF). For more in-depth coverage of Professor Hart's work, you can read about it in both Fast Company and Technology Review.

MechE students battle it out in Japan at Robocon 2009

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:07:41 -0400

A group of students led by Professor Dan Frey recently traveled to Tokyo Denki University, where they participated in the 2009 International Design Contest event known as Robocon. MechE undergrads Matthew Udomphol, Elvine Philip B. Pineda, Edward Michael Grinnell, Arielle Gabriella Fischer, and Pablo Bello teamed up with students from around the globe to take part in the annual robotics competition. Congratulations go out to Elvine Pineda, whose Orange Team took home the top prize. To learn more, visit the Robocon web site, or you can check out online news coverage (in Japanese) from Tokyo MX News.

MIT team helps uncover secrets of ulcer-causing bacteria

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:43:35 -0400

A group of MIT-based mechanical and biomedical engineers, including Professor Gareth McKinley, Professor Peter So, and Randy Ewoldt, has teamed with scientists from Boston University and Harvard Medical School to challenge long-held assumptions about the bacteria responsible for causing stomach ulcers. According to their findings, Helicobacter pylori changes the acidity of its environment, allowing it to penetrate the protective mucus that lines the stomach wall. The researchers hope their findings will lead to better treatment and prevention strategies for dealing with ulcers. you can find the full story online on the National Science Foundation website at http://www.nsf.gov.

Cariplo Foundations funds faculty exchange program between MIT MechE and University of Brescia in Italy

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:21:20 -0400

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is pleased to announce the establishment of a Faculty Exchange Program with the University of Brescia in Italy. The program will be funded by the Cariplo Foundation, and is aimed to promote technical collaborations between MechE faculty and the faculty of UniBS. This program will support a number of projects proposed jointly by one faculty member from each school, and will fund their travel to the other location and their local expenses. The Scientific Directors of the program are Professor Ahmed Ghoniem at MIT and Professor Gian Paolo Beretta at UniBS.

MIT Ocean grad, astronaut Chris Cassidy ready for launch

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:58:56 -0400

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy is the latest MechE alumnus to be heading into space. Cassidy, an Ocean Engineering graduate in 2000, will be embarking upon his first-ever space mission on Saturday, June 13th, on board the Space Shuttle Endeavor. He will be part of NASA mission STS-127, tasked with delivering necessary components to the International Space Station (ISS). Upon docking with the ISS, Cassidy will become one of 13 astronauts present there - the most at any one time in the space station's history.

MIT MechE 2009 Student Award Winners

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:42:49 -0400

The recipients of the 2009 Student Awards for MIT MechE have been announced. This annual tradition celebrates the creativity, innovation, and performance of students in the Mechanical Engineering department throughout the past year. Congratulations to all of the MechE students who have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to the department and the MIT community.

MIT Announces Leaders for Global Operations Program

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:40:40 -0400

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- The MIT Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) program announces its new name: Leaders for Global Operations (LGO). This new identity reflects the expansion from LFM's historically broad understanding of manufacturing to encompass all aspects of operations. The program will continue to build on its strengths in production and logistics, as well as on the consistent #1 rankings given to MIT School of Engineering and MIT Sloan’s Operations Management Group in U.S. News & World Report’s annual evaluation of graduate programs.

Astronaut, MechE grad Michael Massimino part of successful Hubble repair mission

Tue, 19 May 2009 14:15:56 -0400

Nearly twenty years after it was first released into orbit, the Hubble Space Telescope has received one final tuneup thanks to a skilled team of NASA engineers, including telescope repair expert and Mechanical Engineering grad Michael Massimino. The seven-person crew of the Atlantis space shuttle is set to return to earth on Friday after completing a series of delicate adjustments. This is the fifth repair mission overall on the famous telescope, whose deep-space images have captured the public's imagination since it was launched in 1990. The work of this most recent mission, which included five spacewalks over the past week, is expected to extend the lifespan of the Hubble for another five to seven years. Learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope at http://hubble.nasa.gov/

MIT Professional Education - Short Programs Provide Opportunities to Learn Directly from MechE Faculty

Wed, 13 May 2009 11:44:00 -0400

This summer MIT Professional Education – Short Programs is offering a number of 2-5 day short courses taught by MIT faculty, including several by members of the Mechanical Engineering Department. These courses provide an opportunity to learn crucial knowledge and skills from some of the top experts in their respective fields, in areas of MIT expertise. For complete details on all of the available courses, visit the Short Programs web site at http://web.mit.edu/professional/short-programs/index.html

Igo Krebs' research in robotic therapy highlighted in new video

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:17:49 -0400

In the video "Robotics: a new hope in Cerebral Palsy", MechE Principal Research Scientist Igo Krebs discusses his history with robotic research, and its application in different types of physical therapy. Building off past successes with recovering stroke patients, research is now underway to study children with cerebral palsy, and the ways in which robotic therapy techniques can be used to improve basic motor skills. You can watch the video online by visiting the MIT TechTV web site.

de Florez Awards competition to recognize outstanding students in Course 2

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:55:43 -0400

The de Florez Invention and Innovation awards in design are given annually to students in Course 2 who demonstrate "outstanding ingenuity and creative judgment". Each year, four awards are given to students in Course 2 - two for graduate students, and two for undergraduates. Award-winning entries will receive a prize of $4,500 each. Students interested in applying for a de Florez award must submit a preliminary application to Professor Martin Culpepper no later than 5pm on Monday, May 4th. For complete details on the de Florez awards and how to apply, please visit http://pcsl.mit.edu/deFlorez.html

MIT MechE named #1 graduate program by U.S. News and Report

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:34:42 -0400

U.S. News and World Report has released their rankings of Best Grad Schools, and once again Mechanical Engineering at MIT has topped the list. MIT MechE was recognized as the top graduate mechanical engineering program in the United States - one of six engineering disciplines at MIT to be so honored. In addition, the School of Engineering as a whole was recognized as best in the nation, a spot it has held every year since the rankings began in 1990. The recognition for the MechE graduate program comes on the heels of similar accolades for the MechE undergrad program, which took the top spot in last fall's rankings. To learn more, read the MIT News Office story online.

Tish Scolnick honored as 2009 Truman Scholar

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:06:54 -0400

Congratulations to MechE undergrad Natasha (Tish) Scolnik on being named a Truman Scholar for 2009. Scolnik, who is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on International Development, has spent the past two years working with the physically disabled in Tanzania, collaborating with local workshops to improve the quality of mobility aids. The Truman Scholarship Foundation recognizes college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in the public service. To learn more about Tish Scolnik and her work to help others, read the MIT News Office story online.

Orian Welling named Gates Cambridge Scholar

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:36:53 -0500

Congratulations to MechE grad Orian Welling '08, who has been chosen to receive a 2009 Gates Cambridge Schorlarship - one of 37 American students so honored. Welling, who is orignially from Custer, Wisconsin, spent his time at MIT working on sustainable energy technologies through research of high efficiency diesel engines and inexpensive manufacturing techniques for silicon solar cells. He is a winner of the MIT Ideas Competition Yunus Challenge, and a recipient of the Henry Ford II Scholarship, among other honors. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Cambridge University.

Innovative RoboClam inspired by nature

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:29:49 -0500

MechE Professor Anette "Peko" Hosoi and graduate student Amos Winter are digging into clams, as they develop a new robotic underwater anchor system. In doing so they have drawn attention to a seemingly simple sea creature with some rather remarkable talents. The RoboClam project is based on the razor clam - specifically its ability to dig into the sea floor quickly and efficiently, and then attach itself with a strength greater than any existing mechanical anchor. The project has drawn plenty of attention, including a Boston Globe article and a podcast on Scientific American's 60-Second Science. You can learn more about RoboClam, and check out video of a razor clam in action, at the MIT News Office web site.

Nathaniel Sharpe wins Marshall Scholarship

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:36:05 -0500

Four MIT students have been awarded Marshall Scholarships - the most awarded to any U.S. college or university this year. Among the winners of the prestigious award, which provides students the opportunity to study for up to two years at a British university, is Mechanical Engineering student Nathaniel Sharpe. Sharpe has proved adept at solving problems, as evidenced by his success in robotic competitions both at MIT, where he finished third in a field of 135, and abroad, where his team took second place in the 2007 International Design Competition. In the future Sharpe aims to tackle the challenges of sustainable energy at Cambridge University. To read more, visit the MIT News Office online.

Greg Schroll '08 Takes Top Honors in Collegiate Inventors Competition

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:19:49 -0500

MIT MechE grad Greg Schroll was recently honored by the Collegiate Inventors Competition, taking first place in the Undergraduate division for his project "Spherical Vehicle with Flywheel Momentum Storage for High Torque Capabilities". Inspired by the principle of gyroscopic precession, Schroll developed a spherical robot which generates angular momentum to overcome obstacles such as hills or stairs. Schroll, who is currently a graduate student at Colorado State University, studied under Professor Alex Slocum at MIT. To learn more visit the Collegiate Inventors Competition website.

MechE PhD candidate Vijay Shilpiekandula wins R.V. Jones Memorial Scholarship

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:23:37 -0500

Vijay Shilpiekandula, a PhD candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, was awarded the 2008 R.V. Jones Memorial Scholarship by the American Society for Precision Engineering (ASPE) for his paper titled, "A Flexure-based Mechanism for Precision Angular Alignment at Large Loads," co-authored with his academic advisor Professor Kamal Youcef-Toumi. The award, which includes a $1,000 honorarium, was presented at the Annual Meeting of ASPE and the 12th ICPE at Portland, Ore., in October.

Grads in Space - Four MIT Alumni will Orbit Earth in November

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:44:33 -0400

There will be a heavy MIT presence above the earth's atmosphere this November, as four MIT graduates will be in orbit at the same time. On November 14th, Mechanical engineering grad Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper '84 and ocean engineering grad Stephen Bowen '93 will head to the International Space Station (ISS) to deliver equipment that will enable larger crews to reside there. Stephanyshyn-Piper and Bowen will be joining fellow MIT alums Michael Finke '89 and Gregory Chamitoff PhD '92 in space, marking the first time that as many as four graduates of MIT will be orbiting the earth simultaneously. To learn more about this MIT milestone, read the October 29th issue of TechTalk online.

MechE Alum Darryll Pines Named Dean of Engineering at University of Maryland

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:08:59 -0400

The University of Maryland has announced that they have chosen Dr. Darryll Pines as dean of their engineering school. Dr. Pines, who previously chaired the aerospace engineering department at UMD, is an alumnus of the Mechanical Engineering Department at MIT, where he received a Ph.D. in 1992 and a M.S. in 1988. In addition to his work at Maryland, Pines has also spent three years as a program manager for the Tactical Technology Office and Defense Sciences Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where he received a Distinguished Service Medal for his efforts. To learn more about Darryll Pines' appointment and accomplishments, visit the University of Maryland Newsdesk web site.

MechE Professors Glicksman, Chen, and Slocum Receive 2008 ASME Awards

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:57:03 -0400

The Department of Mechanical Engineering would like to congratulate Professors Leon Glicksman, Gang Chen, and Alexander H. Slocum - all three have been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for their excellent work over the past year. The 2008 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition will be held in Boston from October 31st to November 6th. As part of this special event, MIT MechE will be hosting our alumni with laboratory tours and a reception on Sunday, November 2nd.

Quantifying, Predicting and Exploiting Uncertainty - MIT conducts real-time experiments in the East China Sea / Taiwan / Kuroshio region

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:10:41 -0400

MIT researchers led by Professor Pierre Lermusiaux are currently conducting real-time ocean physics and acoustic experiments in the Taiwan Strait and north of Taiwan, building on discoveries made over the previous five years in probabilistic sonar performance prediction, integrated ocean-acoustic modeling, multidisciplinary data assimilation, ocean predictability, multi-scale custom climatologies and autonomous underwater platforms.

MIT MechE ranked #1 in US News and World Report's 'Best Colleges 2009'

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:55:05 -0400

Mechanical Engineering at MIT has been honored once again as the best in the nation, according to the latest edition of US News and World Report's rankings of mechanical engineering departments offering doctorate degrees. The undergraduate engineering program as a whole was also ranked #1 in the country, marking the seventh straight year it has been so honored. The full list of engineering program rankings can be found at http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/engineering

Barry Kudrowitz Jokes Around with New Ideas

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:20:39 -0400

In an interview for the upcoming documentary "Imagine It!²", MechE PHD candidate Barry Kudrowitz talks about using a brainstorming technique called association mapping to generate new ideas in the classroom. By applying the principles of joke theory - particularly the combination of unusual ideas - Kudrowitz has developed new concepts for spurring innovation and creative thought. You can find the interview online at http://www.iloop.tv/people/index.html.

MIT, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals launch program on clean water, clean energy

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:02:56 -0400

Solar energy, the desalination of seawater, and other technologies related to the production of fresh water and low-carbon energy will be the focus of a seven-year research and educational program launched between faculty in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

13Seas Wins Award for "Outstanding Student Section" from Marine Technology Society

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:43:02 -0400

Congratulations go out to 13Seas, the MIT-based student section of the Marine Technology Society, for being recognized as "Outstanding Student Section" within the organization. The Marine Technology Society (MTS) is an international, not-for-profit professional society of ocean engineers, technologists, policy makers, and educators.

MechE Grad Veuthey Among Six Awarded Fulbright Scholarships

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:54:50 -0400

Four recent MIT graduates and two current PhD students have been awarded Fulbright scholarships for the 2008-2009 academic year. Among them is Tess Veuthey '08, who graduated this past June with dual degrees in Course 2-A and brain and cognitive sciences. She plans to dedicate her life to examining the physical and mental effects on the physically disabled through hands-on work, creating prosthetics, and counseling through psychiatry. This fall she will travel to Cambodia to continue the work she began with her winning IDEAS competition scheme, building low-cost and appropriate prosthetics for poor rural communities. Learn more about all six scholarship recipients by visiting the MIT News Office web site.

MIT Professional Institute Provides Opportunities to Learn Directly from MechE Faculty

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:16:54 -0400

This summer the MIT Professional Institute is offering a number of 2-6 day short courses taught by MIT faculty, including several by members of the Mechanical Engineering Department. These courses provide an opportunity to learn crucial knowledge and skills from some of the top experts in their respective fields, in areas of MIT expertise. For complete details on all of the available courses, visit the MIT Professional Institute web site at http://web.mit.edu/mitpep/pi/

Carol Livermore Explores the Hidden Potential of 'Nanotube Forests'

Wed, 28 May 2008 16:32:47 -0400

In a recent Boston Globe profile, MechE Assistant Professor Carol Livermore discussed her work in nanotechnolgy - specifically carbon nanotubes, and some of their potential uses in future technologies. The microscopically small yet unusually strong nanotubes act as highly efficient springs, capable of storing and releasing energy as they are stretched and released, like "tiny Slinkies". Potential uses range from more efficient watch springs that only need to be wound once a month, to a regenerative braking device for bicycles that stores braking energy and converts it into propulsive force.

MIT MechE Honors 2008 Student Award Winners

Tue, 20 May 2008 10:23:14 -0400

On Thursday, May 15th, students, faculty, and staff gathered at the MIT Faculty Club for the 2008 Student Awards Luncheon. This annual tradition celebrates the creativity, innovation, and performance of students in the Mechanical Engineering department throughout the past year. Congratulations to all of the MechE students who have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to the department and the MIT community.

Nam-Pyo Suh to Receive Honorary Doctorate from Carnegie Mellon

Fri, 09 May 2008 16:22:03 -0400

Distinguished professor, former MechE department head, and current KAIST president Nam-Pyo Suh will receive an honorary doctoral degree from Carnegie Mellon University on May 18th, in recognition of his work in helping to make KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) a world-class institution. Professor Suh has been part of the MIT Mechanical Engineering family for over three decades. During that time he has compiled a long list of accomplishments, including Founding Director of the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity (LMP), Director of the Park Center for Complex Systems, and MechE Department Head from 1991-2001.

Professor Mary Boyce to Head MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering

Thu, 01 May 2008 14:36:03 -0400

MIT MechE Professor Mary Boyce has been chosen as the next head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, effective July 1st. The appointment was made by Dean Subra Suresh, at the recommendation of a special faculty advisory committee. Professor Boyce is renowned for her research in the mechanics of polymers, networks, and soft tissues, and for her dedication to engineering education. She succeeds Professor Rohan Abeyaratne, who has served as the head of MIT MechE since 2001.

MIT and Fraunhofer Announce Center for Sustainable Energy Systems

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:05:18 -0400

At the recent MIT Energy Conference, Foreign Minister of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, along with MIT President Susan Hockfield and Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles, participated in the announcement ceremony for the founding of the MIT-Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems. MechE Professor Tonio Buonassisi was named one of the center's founding directors, along with Nolan Browne and Professor Roland Schindler. The center, which will be located adjacent to the MIT campus, will be active in many areas of sustainable energy, with its initial focuses in solar, green buildings and energy device prototyping.

Professor Nicholas Makris' Hurricane Research Featured in NY Times

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:07:14 -0400

Recent research by MechE Professor Nicholas Makris into a new method of measuring the strength of hurricanes has caught the attention of many in the scientific community - including the science writers at the New York Times. The new technique uses underwater microphones to measure the sound generated by a hurricane as it passes overhead. These sounds can then be used to determine the strength of the storm. Professor Nicholas Makris is a professor of mechanical and ocean engineering, and the director of MIT's Laboratory for Undersea Remote Sensing. To learn more about his research, take a look at the New York Times article, and the story from the MIT News Office.

Professor Gang Chen Leads Pioneering Thermoelectric Research

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:22:25 -0400

A team of scientists from Boston College and MIT has used nanotechnology to achieve dramatic gains in thermoelectric efficiency. According to a new paper published in the online edition of Science magazine, the researchers were able to achieve gains of 40% in the thermoelectric efficiency of bismuth antimony telluride, a commonly used semiconductor alloy. "These thermoelectric materials are already used in many applications, but this better material can have a bigger impact," said Gang Chen, the Warren and Towneley Rohsenow Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, and a leader of the project. Read more...

Professor Ahmed Ghoniem Receives KAUST Grant for Clean Technologies

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:18:06 -0400

Congratulations to MechE Professor Ahmed F. Ghoniem, who has been chosen to receive a five-year grant from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Prof. Ghoniem is one of twelve researchers from around the world to be named as a Global Research Partnership (GRP) Investigator. His project at KAUST, "Advanced Energy Conversion Systems", will focus on future clean technologies with a unique emphasis on integrating process, component, and systems level analyses, allowing for the optimization of modern energy systems for higher efficiency and lowest carbon emissions. Read more...

MIT Undergrad Michael Snively Blogs the Toy Lab

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:17:41 -0500

Since the start of the new year, MIT undergrad Michael Snively '11 has been offering a unique perspective on student life at MIT, via his blog on the MIT Admissions web site. In a recent post, he shares his experience on the first day of class in Toy Design (2.00b), ultimately deeming it "The Holy Grail of Classes". Read all about it on Snively's Blog.

NASA Astronaut, MechE Grad Dan Tani '88 Returns Home

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

After spending the past four months in orbit , much of it on the International Space Station, Mechanical Engineering graduate Daniel Tani '88 has finally returned to earth. Tani was one of seven astronauts on board space shuttle Atlantis, which touched down safely at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday morning. You can read more about the successful return of shuttle Atlantis on the NASA web site.

MSRP and CONVERGE Programs Provide Graduate Opportunities, Support Diversity at MIT

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) seeks to promote the value of graduate education; to improve the research enterprise through increased diversity; and to prepare and recruit the best and brightest for graduate education at MIT. Learn more at http://web.mit.edu/gso/admissions/summer.html. CONVERGE is a graduate preview weekend held on the MIT campus during the fall, which began as a grass roots collaboration between MIT graduate students in the Graduate Student Council and the Black Graduate Students Association, and members of the MIT administration. Learn more at http://web.mit.edu/converge/

MechE Student Receives National Honor for Academic Excellence

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Melis Anahtar '08 is one of 20 high-achieving students named to the 2008 All-USA College Academic First Team, USA TODAY's recognition program for outstanding undergraduates. Anahtar was selected for the honor from a group of over 500 juniors and seniors from around the country. Read more...

Krebs to Co-Direct Rehabilitation Robotics Workshop

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

MechE Principal Research Scientist Hermano Igo Krebs will be part of a panel of experts gathering in Elche, Spain in the spring of 2008 to conduct a workshop focused on the growing field of rehabilitation robotics. The 3° Winter School, which will take place from March 30th - April 4th, will involve a set of international experts in the field from the clinical, scientific, and engineering communities. To learn more, visit their web site at http://www.isa.umh.es/vr2/euron08, or you can view a PDF with more program details.

MechE Graduate Launches Into Space

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500

NASA Astronaut and Mechanical Engineering grad Daniel Tani '88, recently hopped a ride on space shuttle Discovery, and is currently in residence high above Earth on the International Space Station. Tani is expected to spend several months on the outpost. The engineer has flown on one previous shuttle mission. Married with two children, Tani holds two degrees from MIT.

iRobot Founder Helen Greiner Enters Women's Technology Hall of Fame

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

MechE alum Helen Greiner '90, one of the founders of Burlington-based iRobot, has been selected for induction into the Women in Technology International (WITI) Hall of Fame. Greiner is one of four inductees being honored by the professional group this year. Read more...

Low Technologies, High Aims - IDDS, Amy Smith Profiled in New York Times

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Congratulations to MIT D-Lab, the International Development Design Summit, and MechE Senior Lecturer Amy Smith for being featured in the Science section of the New York Times. In an article titled "Low Technologies, High Aims", reporter Andrew C. Revkin looks at the groundbreaking efforts of MIT students and faculty as they search for innovative solutions to problems faced by developing countries around the world. Read the NYT article, and also check out the MechE Feature story on Amy Smith and D-Lab.

MIT MechE ranked #1 by US News and World Report

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The Department of Mechnical Engineering at MIT is the best in the nation, according to the 2007 edition of US News and World Report's college rankings. MechE was one of many MIT departments honored - the Departments of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Chemical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science also topped their respective categories, while the undergraduate engineering program as a whole was named best in the country for the sixth consecutive year. Read more...

MechE professors Vest, Langer win top U.S. technology, science honors

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Three distinguished members of the MIT community - President Emeritus and Professor of Mechanical Engineering Charles M. Vest, pioneering biomedical engineer and joint Professor of Mechanical Engineering Robert S. Langer, and groundbreaking atomic physicist Daniel Kleppner - have been awarded the nation's highest technology and science honors. Vest joins four current or former engineers and inventors from MIT who have won the National Medal of Technology, while Langer and Kleppner bring to 47 the number of MIT scientists to win the National Medal of Science. Read more...

MechE Alum Craig Forest reaches finals of "American Inventor" Competition

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0400

A team of inventors including MIT Mechanical Engineering alumnus Craig Forest '07 has been selected as the New York City finalists for the ABC television series "American Inventor". The team impressed the judges with The Claw, a replacement for a ceiling hook from which to hang a bicycle. The Claw latches on to the front or back tire with just a vertical motion and eliminates the struggle to wrestle a bike onto a hook. As winners of the New York competition, they received $50,000 to further develop their product, and will move on to the Los Angeles-based finals, where they will be competing for the $1 million first prize. Forest earned his PhD from the MIT Mechanical Engineering department this past June, working with Professor Ian Hunter.

Slocum appointed to Neil and Jane Pappalardo Professorship

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Alex Slocum has been selected to be the next holder of the Neil and Jane Pappalardo Professorship in Mechanical Engineering. This Chair recognizes Professor Slocum's many contributions to creative design and passionate education.

Yue selected for First Philip J. Solondz Professorship

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Dick Yue has been selected to be the (first) holder of the Philip J. Solondz Professorship in the School of Engineering. This is a recognition of Professor Yue's many seminal contributions to computational fluid mechanics, especially related to free-surface waves in the ocean.

MechE Students Triumph in $100K Competition

Thu, 17 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Mechanical Engineering students Nevan Hanumara, Conor Walsh, and Amy Banzaert were among the big winners of this year's MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition. Hanumara and Walsh's team won the Business Venture Grand Prize, for inventing a new robotic device that assists radiologists perform tumor biopsies. Banzaert's team won the Development Grand Prize, for developing a unique process to create cooking fuel from agricultural waste, such as corn cobs.

2007 Departmental Award Winners Announced

Thu, 17 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Congratulations to the following MechE students and faculty, who have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to the department and the MIT community:

Meeting the Entropy Challenge: An International Thermodynamics Symposium - October 4-5, 2007

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

This international symposium, scheduled to take place October 4-5, 2007, is being organized in honor and memory of the late Joseph Henry Keenan, thirty years after his passing. You can learn more at http://mit.edu/keenansymposium

Ghoniem Appointed to Ronald C. Crane Professorship

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Professor Ahmed Ghoniem has been appointed as the first Ronald C. Crane (1972) Professor in the School of Engineering. The donor, Ronald C. Crane (1972), established this professorship to support a School of Engineering faculty member involved in energy-related research. Please feel free to congratulate Prof. Ghoniem when you see him next!