Mechanical Engineering, WPI’s oldest and largest department, continues to attract renowned faculty and top students because what we do here is remarkable. The department’s resources allow for diverse research and exploration that give faculty and students opportunities to directly impact areas of most concern to them.
In a collaborative and challenging environment, students and faculty work together on projects and research that form the foundation of our commitment to learning while doing. Faculty help students explore and choose the academic path that matches their interests, and then students dig deeper with transformative projects and independent research. From their first courses here, students sharpen their critical thinking skills and put their problem-solving abilities to real use—giving them a distinct career advantage.
The academic degrees offered in the Mechanical Engineering department are:
For degrees, research and facilities in Aerospace Engineering (AE), Manufacturing Engineering (MFE), Materials Process Engineering (MPE), Materials Science and Engineering (MTE), and Robotics Engineering (RBE) please visit the individual program websites:
Netflix engineering leader Karen Casella ’83 is advancing the technology that delights millions and working to make the field more inclusive.
Having begun his career at WPI studying energy efficiency, Rob Cruickshank took a 21-year detour into the cable industry, helping create some of the most pioneering innovations in the field. Now he’s focusing on energy management once again.
For mechanical engineering alumnus Arthur Hyde ’77, saving the Mustang became his mission during his career at Ford.
Yan Wang, professor of mechanical engineering, was interviewed for the Forbes article. Noted as an academic working on the problem of recycling li-ion batteries, Wang says “Battery Resourcers (a company he founded) has developed a process for recovering cathode materials like cobalt, as well as aluminum, copper, plastics, graphite, methanol and other chemicals used in the recycling process.”
Jamal Yagoobi, head of the Mechanical Engineering department, is featured in a segment discussing research on a cooling system that will be placed on the International Space Station.
Students in WPI’s mechanical engineering department have many choices for projects and research including those in aeronautics, astronautics, biomechanical engineering, mechanics, manufacturing, materials science and engineering, mechanical design, robotics, and thermal-fluid engineering.
Mechanical engineering students also have access to several collaborative alliances between WPI and industry.
With the varied skills and problem-solving capabilities of a mechanical engineering education, graduates find careers in industries from aerospace to academia to automotive. Our graduates find their project-based work gives them the hands-on experience needed to hit the ground running after graduation.
Outstanding mechanical engineering students may opt to earn a BS/MS degree in an accelerated time. Students interested in the program are encouraged to complete an online graduate admissions application during their junior year, noting they want the BS/MS program for mechanical engineering.
Matthew's team, made up of six students with majors ranging from mechanical engineering to interactive media and game development, worked together to assess the feasibility of Bar Harbor becoming an International Dark Sky Community (IDSC). He and his team compared the ordinances of the town to the mandatory requirements for an IDSC, created a map of businesses that were dark-sky friendly, and gathered information on the current status of the night sky, allowing future teams to help work with the town to continue the process of making Bar Harbor an IDSC.
A native of Colombia has an eye-opening experience studying abroad and looks to positively impact the military and the energy industry after graduation.
Shamsur traveled to the Albania Project Center to complete his IQP, which was focused on mapping the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Albania. He and his team of three other WPI students researched how entrepreneurs in Albania’s capital, Tirana, build new ventures, overcome challenges, and identify resources and support needed from various organizations. The students conducted interviews with entrepreneurs and different organizations to help their sponsor learn how to help facilitate and grow entrepreneurship activity in Albania. The team also created a website that provides information about events and services that would help entrepreneurs.
