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About Us

About the department

Mechanical engineering is the broadest of all engineering disciplines. Our students and faculty work together, across campus and with industry partners, to develop new materials, devices and systems.

Overview Degree programs Faculty Funding sources

Two laboratory scenes with a man working on electronics and two women working on a computer

In recent years, our research has increasingly expanded in the areas of health technology and energy. This focus has allowed us to diversify our curriculum and grow our leadership in national and international research. The department also has focused research programs in areas such as novel and automated manufacturing, clean and alternative energy, design for the environment, micro and nanotechnology, biomechanics, and advanced manufacturing and materials.

Degree programs

Educating tomorrow’s leaders is our highest priority. We draw talented and creative students and offer a world-class education with an incredible breadth of skill and technological training. Our graduates are making a difference in diverse sectors such as biotechnology and health, environmental engineering and energy, transportation, manufacturing and information systems.

A photo collage. On the left: Three students touching the surface of an EccoCar. On the right: two researchers in a lab

Faculty

Composition   Achievements  
44 Core faculty members 13 NSF Presidential, Young Investigator and Early Career Award recipients
28 Joint or adjunct faculty from other UW departments 3 National Academy of Engineering members
80 Affiliate faculty from industry and external research and educational institutions 7 Washington State Academy of Sciences members
11 Postdoctoral research associates 3 UW Presidential Entrepreneurial Faculty Fellows

Breadth of funding sources (FY22–FY24)

The sources of major grants for the Department of Mechanical Engineering illustrate the breadth and and caliber of research being conducted. From government grants for energy and health to aerospace and automotive industry contributions, these grants help support our diverse research areas and return major impacts for the funding organizations, the state and nation.

Sponsor 3 Year Total Percent 3 Year Average
National Institutes of Health (NIH) $9,294,076 13% $3,098,025
US Department of Energy (DOE) $8,577,895 12% $2,859,298
National Science Foundation (NSF) $7,763,864 11% $2,587,955
Boeing Company $2,837,772 4% $945,924
Advance Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) $1,825,000 2.53% $608,333
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) $1,781,919 2% $593,973
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) $1,780,165 2% $593,388
US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) $1,583,750 2% $527,917
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) $1,427,368 2% $475,789
Cornerstone Research Group, Inc $1,250,000 2% $416,667
Seattle Children's Research Institute (SCRI) $881,192 1% $293,731
VerAvanti Inc. $844,627 1% $281,542
SpecTree LLC $773,448 1% $257,816
Somalytics, Inc. $732,000 1% $244,000
Environmental Protection Agency $654,767 1% $218,256
Total $42,007,843   $14,002,614