School of Mechanical Engineering Fact Sheet

Head: Eckhard Groll, William E. and Florence E. Perry Head of Mechanical Engineering and Reilly Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Associate Head of Undergraduate Programs: Jitesh Panchal, Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Assistant Head of Undergraduate Student Well-Being: Beth Hess, Associate Professor of Engineering Practice

Associate Head for Graduate Studies: Nicole Key, Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Assistant Head for Facilities and Personnel: Jun Chen, Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Assistant Head for Recruitment and Engagement: Arezoo Ardekani, Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Director, Ray W. Herrick Laboratories: Greg Shaver, Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Director, Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories: Robert Lucht, Ralph and Bettye Bailey Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Director, Manufacturing and Materials Research Laboratories: Ajay Malshe, R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Student Body Size and Statistics:

Undergraduate:

  • 2,914 undergraduate students in West Lafayette and Indianapolis (the largest mechanical engineering program in the country)
  • Ranked #7 best undergraduate program in mechanical engineering (#5 among public universities), U.S. News & World Report
  • 21% of enrolled undergraduate students are female
  • 17% of enrolled undergraduate students are international
  • 93% participate in experiential learning (internship, co-op, research)
  • 98% pass rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
  • 20% of undergraduate students pursue advanced degrees immediately upon graduation
  • 43% of our students participate in a global engineering education experience with international partner institutions
  • $80,705 average starting salary in industry for our undergraduate students
  • ~ $1M in scholarship awards to mechanical engineering undergraduates at Purdue

Graduate:

  • 1,120 graduate students (the largest mechanical engineering program in the country)
  • Ranked #8 graduate program in mechanical engineering (#5 among public universities), U.S. News & World Report
  • Online program ranked #1 graduate program in mechanical engineering, U.S. News & World Report
  • 40% of graduate students are working toward a Ph.D. degree
  • 63% of enrolled students are international, bringing rich diversity to the program
  • ~ $1M awarded to graduate students as fellowships, and scholarships

Student Organizations:

Faculty

  • 99 Tenure/Tenure track faculty members
  • 6 Professors of Engineering Practice
  • 36 faculty members by courtesy
  • 26 new faculty members in the last 5 years

Research

  • Annual research expenditures in 2023-2024: $55.2 million

Fundamental Research Areas:

Application Areas:

Research Labs:

  • Ray W. Herrick Laboratories consists of a $30 million LEED-Gold certified building, hosting research in:
    • High Performance Buildings (Thermal Systems, Refrigeration, Indoor Air Quality, Lighting, Building envelope, Building Simulation, Geothermal, Energy Utilization, Controls, Human Comfort)
    • Acoustics, Vibrations & Dynamics (Noise and Vibration Control, Structural Health Monitoring, Structural Modeling, Characterization of the Dynamic & Acoustical Properties of Materials & Material Systems, Multi-body System Dynamics)
    • Electromechanical Systems (Sensing, Diagnosing, Modeling, Controlling: Engines & Powertrains, Electrohydraulics, Energy Systems, Printers, Morphing Structures, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)
    • Human Response to Engineered Systems (Perception-based Engineering Design, Effects on People: annoyance, comfort, sleep disturbance, health, human interactions with building systems and controls)
  • Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories is the largest academic propulsion lab in the world. Based on 24 acres by the Purdue Airport, Zucrow Labs hosts research in:
    • Combustion (rockets and rocket fuel)
    • Turbo machinery (jet engines)
    • Aeroacoustics
    • Measurement and control
    • Computational fluid mechanics
    • Particle flow heat transfer
  • Maha Fluid Power Research Center is the largest academic hydraulics lab in the country, providing 15,000 square feet to model and test the performance of hydraulic pumps and motors.
  • Birck Nanotechnology Center houses 186,000 square feet of interdisciplinary research space for nanotechnology, including the largest academic cleanroom in the world.
  • Manufacturing and Materials Research Laboratories (MMRL) at Purdue features state-of-the-art experimental facilities for physical domain manufacturing that will increase collaboration with industries and foundations, accelerate tech commercialization in manufacturing and attract top talent.
  • Complete list of ME Research Labs