Micro/Nano Engineering

Micro and nanotechnology have had and will continue to have a tremendous impact on a wide range of mechanical systems. Examples are microelectromechanical devices and systems that are already deployed as automobile airbag sensors and for drug delivery, stronger and lighter nanostructured materials now used in automobiles, nanostructured energy conversion devices that significantly improve the efficiency of macroscale energy systems, etc. Many faculty members in our department pursue research in micro- and nanoscience and technology; this research cuts across mechanical engineering disciplines and other disciplines. Examples are sensors and actuators; fluidics, heat transfer, and energy conversion at the micro- and nanoscale; optical and biological micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS); engineered three-dimensional nanomaterials; ultra-precision engineering; and the application of optics in measurement, sensing, and systems design. classes offered in this concentration cover both fundamental theories and hands-on experience.