Like a tiger stalking its prey by smell, cells move by following chemical trails (a process called chemotaxis). Jong Hyun Choi, associate professor of mechanical engineering, has created synthetic cells that mimic these two behaviors: sensing a chemical, and then moving to follow it.

Future long-term habitats on the Moon or Mars will have to be resilient against many hazards, including radiation, sandstorms, quakes, and meteorites. Prof. Shirley Dyke is the director of the Resilient Extra Terrestrial Habitats Institute (RETHi), a NASA-funded institute researching how to make these habitats resilient, self-monitoring, and serviceable autonomously. She discusses these challenges in the latest issue of Civil Engineering magazine.

Envie is a makeup brush cleaning device which automatically washes, rinses, and dries multiple makeup brushes in just seven minutes, rather than hours spent laboring over a sink. Developed by a predominantly female team of Purdue University students, Envie was awarded 1st place among all capstone projects in Mechanical Engineering.

Smart windows automatically change transparency when a voltage is applied. However, one reason they aren't more widespread is because the polymer inside dramatically expands and shrinks with every charge. Purdue researchers have dubbed this effect "mechanical breathing."

A lot of research goes into formulating medications, but how much research goes into reducing the pain of injections? Prof. Bumsoo Han has created a device that measures the mechanical properties of a subcutaneous injection, helping to reduce the pain, stress, and swelling associated with the dreaded needle.

US News and World Report ranks Purdue Mechanical Engineering #1 in the country for online graduate programs. Industrial Engineering's program also ranked #1, Electrical Engineering ranked #2, and Purdue Engineering as a whole ranked #3 in the country.

Collecting precise soil samples is crucial for farmers to assess their potential crop yields. That's why Purdue ME alums Troy Fiechter and Drew Schumacher created Smartcore, an autonomous robot that extracts accurate, consistent, and repeatable soil samples.

Join the faculty of a top 10 engineering school! We're looking for professors who specialize in thermal systems, convergent innovation, and autonomous/connected systems.

Mechanical Engineering students showcased an array of motorized toys they developed as part of a computer-aided design class.

Every year, the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University recognizes alumni who have demonstrated excellence in industry, academia, governmental service, or other endeavors related to mechanical engineering. Honorees have shown outstanding character and leadership and have accomplished great things. Since 1991, 285 alumni have been honored with the prestigious Outstanding Mechanical Engineer Award.