Main navigation
- Programs
- Subjects
- Universities
- Destinations
- Advice
The Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering (MechSE) is a prominent, wide-ranging department, with its Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (TAM) graduate programs consistently ranked among the world's best. Leveraging the historic excellence of its mechanical engineering and mechanics programs, MechSE at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is pioneering innovative approaches to research and education to tackle today's most urgent global challenges. The department is establishing a novel research framework by combining fundamental sciences like biology, chemistry, applied mathematics, and applied physics with core mechanical engineering disciplines including fluid mechanics-thermal science, solid mechanics-materials, and controls-dynamics. This interdisciplinary approach is driving breakthroughs in nanomechanics, nanomanufacturing, biomechanics, and computational science. Departmental research focuses on solving critical societal issues in healthcare, national security, energy sustainability, manufacturing, and transportation. While advancing fundamental knowledge remains central, an increasing number of research initiatives directly address the immediate needs of Illinois and the United States.