MIT MechE News

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!