Mechanical Engineering

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Neurons that Respond to Touch are Less Picky than Expected

A Northwestern Engineering study finds that touch-sensitive neurons communicate touch in a much messier and jumbled manner, instead of neatly responding to specific types of touch.Read more

Wagner Named Harris Chair in Teaching Excellence

Professor Gregory Wagner studies the development and application of computational simulations methods for multi-scale and multi-physics problems in engineering.Read more

Espinosa Group Wins ZwickRoell Science Award 2020

The paper "In situ Wear Study Reveals Role of Microstructure on Self-Sharpening Mechanism in Sea Urchin Teeth” earned the honor in a competition with more than 200 submissions.Read the paper

Lynch’s Interest in Immersive Learning Extends to Card Game

Professor Kevin Lynch partnered with the Field Museum of Chicago to create Fossil Canyon, an educational dinosaur-based card game for families.Read more

About the Department

Integrating mechanical sciences, computation, and design to shape the future

To be truly innovative, mechanical engineers of the future need to understand the basics of mechanics, manufacturing, and systems while integrating aspects of other disciplines. With its collaborations across departments and institutions, the Department of Mechanical Engineering educates the engineers of the future while conducting leading-edge research in robotics and biosystems, biomaterials, health and human augmentation, design, multifunctional materials, multiscale simulations, and AI and machine learning.

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Facts and Figures

Leaders who shape the future of mechanical engineering

14

major centers, institutes, and programs

led by our department faculty

21

other departments with which we actively collaborate

across five Northwestern schools

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Research Areas

Designing systems and materials, inspired by nature


Explore Research

MEMS / nanotechnology

Robotics

Virtual Design and Manufacturing

Tribology

Microfluidics

Computational Solid and Fluid Mechanics

Composite Materials

Nondestructive Materials Characterization and Structural Reliability

Neuromechanics

Biomimetics

Local Collaborations

Partnering with Chicago-area institutions to bring research to life

Mechanical engineering faculty and students have a strong history of collaboration with Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, Argonne National Laboratory, and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, a first-ever “translational” research hospital where clinicians, scientists, innovators and technologists work together to apply research in real time to physical medicine and rehabilitation.


Programs

Flexible curriculum, award-winning educators

The department offers programs at both the undergraduate and graduate (both PhD and MS degree) levels that provide solid foundations for careers in industry, research, and academia while providing a flexible curriculum that students can customize to their goals. Courses are taught by a highly decorated faculty who have won several teaching awards at Northwestern and who lead research groups at the top of their field.

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Combined BS/MS Degree Program

Also learn more about pursuing:

Graduate

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

PhD in Mechanical Engineering

The MS program has two options, the thesis option and the non-thesis option for terminal MS degree.

Explore the possible master's degree specializations

Explore possible PhD degree specializations

Affiliated

Master of Science in Engineering Design Innovation

Master of Science in Product Design and Development Management

Master of Science in Robotics

Master of Science in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics

PhD in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics

Department News

iron pour

Gatchell Receives 2020 Meshii Award

Honored for his excellence in design education, Professor David Gatchell developed a course that tasks students to study design and manufacturing through the lens of geometry and culminates in an iron pour.

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Department Events

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Discover Our Whole-Brain Engineering Philosophy

We augment the analytical core of engineering with design, entrepreneurship, leadership, personal development, and unusual collaborations to imagine what's next and take the world in a whole new direction.

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