Mechanical Engineering

Offering Manufacturing and Design Innovation

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin offers programs in thermal fluid systems, mechanical systems and design, as well as material science and engineering, operations research, biomedical dngineering, manufacturing, and nuclear and radiation science. This broad approach allows the department to provide an opportunistic, interdisciplinary environment to prepare students to best address future human needs.

Areas of Study

• Acoustics
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Dynamic Systems and Control
• Manufacturing and Design
• Materials Engineering
• Nuclear and Radiation Engineering
• Operations Research and Industrial Engineering
• Thermal/Fluids Systems

Research Highlight

The Nano and Micro-scale Engineering Thrust (NMSET) is a multidisciplinary group of faculty and research groups within the Mechanical Engineering Department who investigate fundamental mechanical science and engineering at the micro and nano scales. Current topics of investigation include nanomanufacturing, nanomaterials, nanophotonics, nanoscale thermal/fluid transport, design for MEMS/NEMS and nanoelectronics. Research in this area has significant impact on energy, manufacturing, information technology, medicine and life sciences.

Energy Institute Director Ray Orbach Discusses Energy Storage

Dr. Raymond Orbach, Director of the Energy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin, discussed initiatives in green energy storage at UT, mentioning research conducted by Mechanical Engineering Professors John Goodenough and Arumugan Manthiram. Orbach said, "their work could lead to dramatic breakthroughs in electrical energy storage and help make the president's aspirational words become reality."

Listen to Orbach's full interview with public radio's Academic Minute.

ME Student Selected for Presidential Management Fellows Program

Mechanical Engineering graduate student Melissa C. Lott has been selected to receive a prestigious, two-year paid government fellowship through the Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF). Lott, a dual-degree graduate student in the Cockrell School of Engineering and LBJ School of Public Affairs, was one of only 850 applicants from around the world (all American citizens) to be selected for the program. Of these finalists, only four are engineers and 10 are students from The University of Texas at Austin. In total, more than 9,100 students applied. Read more

Thomas Krueger wins the 2011 SEC Faculty Appreciation Award in Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Thomas Krueger, senior lecturer, was recently honored with the 2011 Student Engineering Council (SEC) Faculty Appreciation Award for Mechanical Engineering. This award was given during The Faculty Appreciation Week, a time-honored tradition of giving back to faculty and professors for the great things they have done for the students. The Academic Affairs Committee within in the SEC had a nomination and voting round to select the most influential professor in each engineering department. Based on the first round of nominations and second round of voting, the students in the Cockrell School of Engineering selected Dr. Krueger as the Distinguished Professor for the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Professor Named TMS Fellow

The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS) selected five individuals for its 2011 Class of Fellows, which is the highest honor bestowed on members and recognizes them as eminent authorities in their discipline. David L. Bourell, Temple Foundation Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department, was selected as one of the fellows "for pioneering advances in the materials engineering of powder-based additive manufacturing, particularly selective laser sintering, including the development of binders and post-processing methods."

Bourell, an active TMS member since he joined as a graduate student in 1980, credited his society volunteerism as a conduit for his achievements.

"Over the years, TMS has provided a forum for communication and interaction, which has been instrumental," he said. "Therefore, it is a particular honor to receive this recognition from TMS."

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Sponsor Fellowships

Two Mechanical Engineering/ORIE professors, Sheldon Landsberger and Eric Bickel, have received approval from The University of Texas at Austin Graduate Program to fund Graduate School Diversity Mentoring Fellowships for the 2010-11 academic year. The two faculty will each offer a Diversity Mentoring Fellowship to an underrepresented minority student. The fellowships cover tuition, fees and a nine-month stipend of $16,000. The total value of the fellowship is more than $24,000 per student.