News | Department of Mechanical Engineering

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UCSB faculty member Emilie Dressaire will use her recent NSF CAREER award to work on flows in microgels. Made of soft, slippery particles, these gels more closely resemble the body's extracellular environment than many traditional gels used to study cells, cell aggregates and microbes. Image credit: Brian Long

A “Ball Pit” for Cells

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

UCSB’s Emilie Dressaire receives an NSF CAREER award to study transport in microgels that may help cancer research.

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UC Santa Barbara engineering faculty members (from left) Daniel Oropeza and Yangying Zhu recently received an award from the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU) to investigate a reusable thermal protection system that could protect Earth-bound spacecraft from the heat of re-entry. Photo credit: Lilli Walker

Beating the Heat of Re-Entry

Monday, September 14, 2026

UCSB engineering team receives inaugural award to design reusable systems for spacecraft returning to Earth.

Emilie Dressaire selected for 2026 NSF CAREER Award

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Emilie Dressaire: Creating cell culture environments for better biotech and medicine.

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Enoch Yeung (left) and PhD student Aleczander Taylor are developing a first-of-its-kind system to observe how DNA physically behaves during gene activity thanks to bridge funds from the W.M. Keck Foundation.

Keck Bridge Grant Supports New Ways to Visualize Gene Control

Monday, June 22, 2026

Associate professor Enoch Yeung and PhD candidate Alec Taylor are developing a first-of-its-kind system to observe how DNA physically behaves during gene activity.

Mechanical Engineering Alumnus Earns Prestigious Lancaster Dissertation Award

Friday, June 12, 2026

Alexander Davydov is recognized for advancing the mathematical foundations of safe and reliable engineering systems.

Geoff Tsai Awarded 2026 Outstanding Faculty Award

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Graduating seniors honor five faculty members for their inspiring teaching, mentorship, and impact in the classroom.

Peyton Bursin Awarded 2026 Outstanding Teaching Assistant

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Engineering graduate students are recognized for mentorship, leadership, and commitment to student success.

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Selected by Mechanical Engineering, Henry Easton is recognized as one of the 2026 Outstanding Seniors in the Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering

Henry Easton Recognized as Mechanical Engineering's Outstanding Senior for Class of 2026

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Academic excellence, leadership, community impact, and undergraduate research define this year’s nominees

Headshots of Sammy Lesner, Nikhil Kapasi, and Ava Smith

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(L to r) Sammy Lesner, Nikhil Kapasi, and Ava Smith received The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering's most prestigious honors.

Recognizing Excellence in Leadership, Service, and Research

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Graduating students honored with prestigious Hynes-Wood and Tirrell awards, the most prestigious honors given by The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering.

Headshots top left Henry Yang, Igor Mezic, and Francesco Bullo

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Henry Yang, Francesco Bullo, and Igor Mezić become the inaugural Mosher Chairs in Mechanical Engineering

Three Mechanical Engineering Professors Receive Newly Established Endowed Chairs

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Three Mechanical Engineering Professors Receive Newly Established Endowed Chairs Henry Yang, Francesco Bullo, and Igor Mezić become the inaugural Mosher Chairs in Mechanical Engineering.