Mechanical Engineering

Engineering students shape future of origami drone design
A team of IE 4350X: Engineering Problem Solving for Defense students worked this semester in a class taught by IMSE associate professor Cameron MacKenzie with specific focus on origami drones, a unique design featuring folding & shape shifting in the wings. Read More

May 15, 2025
Sarah Stewart: Outstanding senior in mechanical engineering
"As an engineer, I want to use my passion for science and math to drive the innovations and advancements that will allow us to better explore, understand, and improve our world." Read More

May 12, 2025
Engineers using ‘digital twins’ to improve agriculture, health, manufacturing and more
Iowa State researchers are building "digital twins" that are regularly updated with data from their physical twins. A national committee said digital twins have "immense promise in accelerating scientific discovery and revolutionizing industries." Read More

May 1, 2025
Strong mentorship and hands-on learning helped Sarah Stewart turn her dream into reality at Iowa State
Iowa State’s strength in engineering and space programs influenced her decision to become a Cyclone. “By going to Iowa State, I was immediately able to work on hands-on projects I was passionate about through classwork, student organizations and research opportunities.” Read More

April 24, 2025
Nicole Hashemi recognized as emerging inventor by the NAI
Nicole Hashemi, associate professor of mechanical engineering, has been named a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors. The honor recognizes the nation’s top emerging leaders in turning innovative discoveries into new technologies and products. Read More

March 6, 2025
Mark Bryden named ASME Fellow
Mark Bryden, mechanical engineering professor and founding program director of the Division of Simulation, Modeling and Decision Science at Ames National Laboratory, has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME). Read More

February 28, 2025
Robert C. Brown elected to National Academy of Engineering
Robert C. Brown, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and the Gary and Donna Hoover Chair in Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University, has been elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering, one of the most prestigious recognitions in the field of engineering. Read More

February 21, 2025
Racing, rivalry, innovation: Erick Shoesmith on what drives Iowa State’s Formula SAE team
Each year the Iowa State University Formula SAE team designs, builds, tests, and competes with an open-wheel, formula-style race car. Read More

February 3, 2025
Xinwei Wang named Fellow of Optica
Xinwei Wang, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Wilkinson Professor of Interdisciplinary Engineering, has been named a Fellow Member of Optica by the society’s board of directors. Read More

January 31, 2025
Kalista Leners: Outstanding senior in mechanical engineering
Kalista Leners, mechanical engineering, has been named a fall 2024 Iowa State University College of Engineering outstanding senior. Read More

December 9, 2024
The bionics (making) woman
Kaylee Herrig set out early on her engineering journey, encouraged by the confident women in STEM fields whom she admired. But it was an “aha” moment in seventh grade that solidified her path — a news story about a man receiving an artificial hand. “I realized you could apply the fundamentals of engineering to solve the problem of a lost limb,” she says. “When I learned I could study this in college, I thought, this is the way I can help the world.” Read More

November 13, 2024
Researchers study 3D printing tungsten parts for extreme conditions in nuclear reactors
Sougata Roy and his DREAM-TEAM collaborators are studying 3D printing as an alternative way to process tungsten for use as shields and other components in nuclear reactors. The project is supported by a new, $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Read More

October 7, 2024
Bastawros awarded for advances in packaging electronic devices
Ashraf Bastawros has been named recipient of the prestigious 2024 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Electronic and Photonic Packaging Division (EPPD) Excellence in Mechanics Award. Read More

September 16, 2024
Grass to gas: Exploring the win-win of grass-powered energy production
Mark Mba-Wright, associate professor of mechanical engineering, is co-author on two recent studies, modeling the impact of using anaerobic digestion to produce renewable natural gas from grass biomass in different settings and from varying perspectives. Read More

July 26, 2024
Hailey Negley: Dean’s Student Leadership Award winner and outstanding senior in mechanical engineering
"I want to help the next generation of female engineers reach their full potential." Read More

May 1, 2024