One of the largest, most complex microgravity test facilities on the International Space Station, designed by mechanical engineering professor Issam Mudawar, has provided vital data for long-duration space travel and habitats.

“Drivers, start your engines!” is the traditional call at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But what if the drivers were replaced by computers? Then you’d have the Indy Autonomous Challenge, a new competition featuring the world’s fastest autonomous race cars. Purdue AI Racing recently showcased its car maneuvering autonomously around the track at speeds up to 140 miles an hour.

Four Purdue Mechanical Engineering students have been chosen as Purdue Engineering Fellows. These students, who were nominated as juniors by faculty and staff, will receive $25,000 upon graduation to be used in any desired endeavor.

Amy Marconnet uses infrared microscopes to explore new methods of managing the heat produced inside today’s high-powered electronics.

Purdue University is forever linked with the Moon, with Boilermakers as the first and last men to walk on the Moon. Now, the next lunar robot may also come from West Lafayette! Purdue Lunabotics students are building autonomous mining robots as part of the NASA Lunabotics Challenge.

Each year, the Intel Rising Star Faculty Award program selects early-career academic researchers who are leading the advancements in technology research that demonstrate the potential to disrupt the semiconductor industry. Tiwei Wei, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has received the 2024 Intel Rising Star Faculty Award, recognizing his exceptional work in the field of advanced semiconductor packaging and chip/package level thermal management.

With increasing global energy and environmental challenges, international collaborations on energy systems and educational programs are more vital than ever. To address these needs, Herrick Labs has hosted a unique cross-cultural learning experience, which includes graduate students from Purdue University, Oklahoma State University (OSU), Technical University of Dresden (TU Dresden), and Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA).

Imagine driving 1,500 miles — from Nashville to Wyoming — without ever needing to refuel or recharge. That’s exactly what the students of Purdue Solar Racing accomplished in 2024: designing, building, and racing a custom solar-powered vehicle, which completed the American Solar Challenge for the first time in two decades.

Humans have always aspired to live among the stars — and Purdue University researchers are now working to make it happen. The Resilient Extra-Terrestrial Habitat institute (RETHi), a NASA-funded Space Technology Research Institute, explores how to make future space habitats resilient to disruptions and able to deal with complex situations autonomously.

The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest comes back to Purdue with a bang in 2025! This contest, designing a machine to perform a simple task in the most convoluted and entertaining way, brings together engineers and artists to create the most whimsical contraptions.